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4 November 2019
Grant County residents sentenced for fentanyl and methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Melanie Lyn Outen, Ted Alexander Voss, and Michael Dean Smith, all of Petersburg, West Virginia, were sentenced today for their roles in a fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Outen, age 47, was sentenced today to 125 months incarceration. She pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl” in July 2019. Outen admitted to distributing more than 64 grams of fentanyl and more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from January to June 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Voss, age 30, was sentenced today to 130 months incarceration. He pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl” in July 2019. Voss, age 29, admitted to distributing more than 64 grams of fentanyl and more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from January to June 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Smith, age 50, was sentenced today to 60 months incarceration. He pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in July 2019. Smith admitted to distributing more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine in May 2019 in Berkeley County.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, West Virginia State Police, and the Charles Town Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Georgia Man Sentenced to 235 Months in Prison for Leading Methamphetamine Conspiracy from Virginia PrisonRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Adrian Romero, the lead defendant in an interstate methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, was sentenced last week to 235 months in federal prison, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring announced.
Romero, 31, previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Three other co-defendants, Veronica Martinez, 30, of Augusta, Ga., Alison Atkinson, 30, of Augusta, Ga., and Clayton Lee Tate, 39, of Austinville, Va., will be sentenced later this year and in early 2020 for their roles in the conspiracy.
“Unfortunately, crystal methamphetamine, a highly addictive and potentially deadly drug, is too prevalent in far Southwest Virginia,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “We are committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to identify and dismantle distribution networks and send their members to federal prison.”
“Our communities continue to suffer from the effects of dangerous drugs, like crystal ice methamphetamine,” Attorney General Herring stated today. “We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who bring this drug into the Commonwealth and work with our law enforcement partners to keep the Commonwealth safe.”
According to documents filed with the court, from January 2017 to May 16, 2018, Romero led a conspiracy with at least five other individuals to distribute methamphetamine throughout the Western District of Virginia, and elsewhere. Specifically, Romero admitted to organizing and leading a network of individuals to distribute large amounts of “crystal ice” methamphetamine, a potent form of the drug, from sources in Georgia into southwest Virginia. Romero further admitted that he led this organization while he was incarcerated in a Virginia prison on other methamphetamine related charges. When his co-conspirators obtained the drug, Romero further directed its distribution in Georgia and southwest Virginia. Romero accepted responsibility for trafficking 1.5 kilograms of crystal ice during this conspiracy.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Twin County Drug Task Force (Virginia) and Richmond City Police Department and Columbia County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Former Senior VP of Sales of Hudson County, New Jersey, Scrap Metal Company Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for 17-Year Conspiracy to Defraud CustomersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The former senior vice president of sales at Cinelli Iron & Metal Co. (CIMCO) was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for participating in a 17-year conspiracy that defrauded customers out of millions of dollars, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Michael A. Valenti III, 45, of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to an information charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
CIMCO, which was headquartered in Secaucus, New Jersey, purchased scrap metal for resale and operated three scrap metal recycling facilities in New Jersey. CIMCO trucks would deliver scrap metal containers to customer jobsites and remove them after they were filled. CIMCO then purportedly paid customers based on the type and net weight of the scrap material.
From 1999 through March of 2016, Valenti, Craig Cinelli, Joseph Cinelli Sr., David Barteck and others allegedly used a variety of fraudulent business practices to buy scrap metal from CIMCO’s customers for less than CIMCO should have paid. The company then resold the scrap metal at a profit.
Instead of paying the proper, agreed-upon amounts for the actual weight, members of the conspiracy used a variety of techniques to misrepresent the true weight and type of the scrap metal, including altering documents to reflect a lower weight, removing scrap metal from a haul before it was weighed and misrepresenting the types of scrap metal contained in a haul.In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Valenti to three years of supervised release. During his plea hearing, Valenti admitted that the loss caused by the conspiracy that was reasonably foreseeable to him was more than $9.5 million, but less than $25 million. Restitution will be determined at a hearing scheduled for Dec. 4, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Mikulka in New York; special agents with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Douglas Shoemaker in New York; and 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 sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Shapiro, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Linda George Esq., Hackensack, New Jersey
Former Puerto Rico Police Officer and Associate Indicted and Arrested for Dealing in Firearms Without A LicenseRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On October 30, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against Puerto Rico Police Officer Indira Osorio-Ortiz and her associate Lester R. Vázquez-Cintrón for conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking without a license, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The FBI is in charge of the investigation.
The object of the conspiracy was to sell firearms unlawfully for pecuniary gain in the District of Puerto Rico. Beginning in or about the month of September 2019 in the District of Puerto Rico and the Middle District of Florida, the defendants engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without license. Indira Osorio-Ortiz abused her position as a police officer to gain access to firearms to sell unlawfully and subsequently she facilitated firearms transactions for Lester R. Vázquez-Cintrón by delivering, and coordinating the delivery of firearms to buyers on Vázquez-Cintrón’s behalf.
The indictment includes one conspiracy count, five counts for engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and two counts for obstruction of justice. On September 17, 2019, Osorio-Ortiz sold a Glock pistol to an individual (hereafter “Individual A”) for $1,500. On September 19, Vázquez-Cintrón offered to sell two fully automatic firearms to Individual A via telephone. On September 20, Osorio-Ortiz traveled to the parking lot of a Chili’s restaurant located in Humacao, PR for the purpose of finalizing the sale of the two fully automatic firearms that Vázquez-Cintrón agreed to sell to Individual A the day prior. This transaction was not completed because Vázquez-Cintrón demanded a last-minute change to the location where he and Osorio-Ortiz had agreed the transaction would take place.
On September 26, Osorio-Ortiz traveled to the parking lot of the Montehiedra Shopping Center in San Juan, PR, and sold to Individual A her POPR-issued firearm, a Smith and Wesson pistol for $2,500, and a second firearm that she stated she had removed from the POPR evidence room, a Glock pistol.
On September 27, Osorio-Ortiz filed a false police report, claiming that her POPR-issued weapon had been stolen from her residence. Thereafter, on October 10, Osorio-Ortiz filed another false police report claiming that the pistol she had taken out of the POPR evidence room and sold had been stolen from her locker. These two false reports constitute the two obstruction of justice charges.
On October 8, Osorio-Ortiz traveled to the parking lot of the Montehiedra Shopping Center to facilitate a firearm transaction between Vázquez-Cintrón and Individual A. Accompanied by Osorio-Ortiz, Individual A purchased a fully automatic rifle with no serial number for $2,500 from individuals unknown to the Grand Jury.
On October 10, Osorio-Ortiz traveled to the parking lot of the Montehiedra Shopping Center to facilitate a firearm transaction between Vázquez-Cintrón and Individual A. Osorio-Ortiz delivered to Individual A two Glock pistols and received $2,800 in return. Osorio-Ortiz agreed that she would deliver additional firearms to Individual A.
“Police officers have a critical public safety responsibility, and those who decide to cross the line and engage in criminal misconduct will be held accountable,” said United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “We will vigorously prosecute those involved in the illegal sale and trafficking of firearms, which are then used in the commission of violent crimes. We are committed to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, who all too frequently endanger our community.”
“Law enforcement officers are invested with the crucial task of serving and protecting the people in their community. When instead of doing so, they engage in illegal activity, they put their communities and the entire justice system at risk. This is sad and unacceptable. Which is why today is a good day,” said Douglas A. Leff, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI. “The FBI would like to thank Police of Puerto Rico for their continued support of the FBI mission and their participation in bringing down rotten apples in their midst. There are excellent men and women among the ranks POPR and these subjects do not represent them.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count and each gun trafficking count, and Osorio-Ortiz faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 for the obstruction counts. An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Former Mississippi Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Beating InmateRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Sharalyn McClain, 29, pleaded guilty today to violating the civil rights of an inmate by unlawfully assaulting him while McClain was serving as a correctional officer at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF).
The plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Hurst Jr. for the Southern District of Mississippi, and FBI Jackson Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin.
With her guilty plea, McClain admitted that, on May 25, 2016, she entered the cell of L.H., an inmate at CMCF. Along with two other correctional officers, Reginald Brown and Shelly Griffith, McClain punched, kicked, and stomped on L.H., while he laid face down, barely moving, on a mattress on the floor of his cell. McClain and the other two officers wore boots while they did this. While punching, kicking, and stomping on L.H., McClain knew that he did not pose a threat.
“A correctional officer who unjustifiably assaults an inmate in his custody betrays the trust placed in those who hold positions of power and authority,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of every person and will continue to vigorously prosecute these violations.”
“Our agents and prosecutors should be commended for investigating and bringing these corrupt officials to justice,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Hurst Jr. for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Those who abuse their power will not escape the long arm of the law. Our office will continue to fight for and protect the civil rights of everyone.”
“Officers within our corrections facilities are critical to public safety and are sworn to uphold the safety of the inmates under their control,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “In cases like this, the abuse of the authority given to them not only deteriorates the trust between inmates and the ethical corrections officers protecting them, but also that of the public overall. Civil rights investigations are a top priority for the FBI in Mississippi, and we will continue pursuing anyone that violates the rights of any Mississippian.”
Defendants Brown and Griffith previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the assault. Defendant Brown has already been sentenced to serve five years in prison. Defendant Griffith is still awaiting sentencing. Defendant McClain faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. A sentencing date has been set for Feb. 7, 2020.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Field Office. Special Litigation Counsel Julia Gegenheimer, and Trial Attorneys Mary Hahn and Cameron Bell of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes of Southern District of Mississippi, are prosecuting the case.
Former Mississippi Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Beating InmateRead the Press Release
Sharalyn McClain, 29, pleaded guilty today to violating the civil rights of an inmate by unlawfully assaulting him while McClain was serving as a correctional officer at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF).
The plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Hurst, Jr. for the Southern District of Mississippi, and FBI Jackson Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin.
With her guilty plea, McClain admitted that, on May 25, 2016, she entered the cell of L.H., an inmate at CMCF. Along with two other correctional officers, Reginald Brown and Shelly Griffith, McClain punched, kicked, and stomped on L.H., while he laid face down, barely moving, on a mattress on the floor of his cell. McClain and the other two officers wore boots while they did this. While punching, kicking, and stomping on L.H., McClain knew that he did not pose a threat.
“A correctional officer who unjustifiably assaults an inmate in his custody betrays the trust placed in those who hold positions of power and authority,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of every person and will continue to vigorously prosecute these violations.”
“Our agents and prosecutors should be commended for investigating and bringing these corrupt officials to justice,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Hurst Jr. for the Southern District of Mississippi. “Those who abuse their power will not escape the long arm of the law. Our office will continue to fight for and protect the civil rights of everyone.”
“Officers within our corrections facilities are critical to public safety and are sworn to uphold the safety of the inmates under their control,” said Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin of the FBI Jackson Field Office. “In cases like this, the abuse of the authority given to them not only deteriorates the trust between inmates and the ethical corrections officers protecting them, but also that of the public overall. Civil rights investigations are a top priority for the FBI in Mississippi, and we will continue pursuing anyone that violates the rights of any Mississippian.”
Defendants Brown and Griffith previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the assault. Defendant Brown has already been sentenced to serve five years in prison. Defendant Griffith is still awaiting sentencing. Defendant McClain faces a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. A sentencing date has been set for Feb. 7, 2020.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi, Field Office. Special Litigation Counsel Julia Gegenheimer, and Trial Attorneys Mary Hahn and Cameron Bell of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes of Southern District of Mississippi, are prosecuting the case.
Former Hull Man Convicted by Jury of Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Hull man was convicted by a federal jury in Boston of felony drug and gun offenses on Friday, Nov. 1, 2019.
David Maglio, 39, was convicted of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition following a one-week trial. The jury acquitted Maglio of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Jan. 24, 2020.
On March 17, 2016, a search warrant was executed at Maglio’s home in Hull, during which time investigators discovered a sophisticated indoor marijuana grow operation that included dozens of marijuana plants supported by irrigation, ventilation and lighting equipment. Investigators also discovered more than 15 pounds of marijuana packaged for sale. In Maglio’s bedroom, investigators found a loaded 5.56 caliber semi-automatic rifle with more than 390 rounds of ammunition, a loaded .32 caliber pistol, and more than $5,000 in cash. Maglio was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division; and Hull Police Chief John Dunn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason A. Casey and Jared C. Dolan of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Former Everton City Clerk Pleads Guilty to Money-Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The former city clerk in Everton, Missouri, has pleaded guilty to her role in a money-laundering conspiracy related to methamphetamine trafficking.
Kristy A. Conn, 35, of Everton, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush on Friday, Nov. 1, to a federal information that charges her with conspiracy to commit money laundering.
By pleading guilty, Conn admitted that she participated in the money-laundering conspiracy from June 20 to Dec. 6, 2017. During that time, Conn was the city clerk in Everton. Conn admitted that she directed Ginger L. Huerta, 39, of Halfway, Missouri, to send wire transfers of the proceeds from the distribution of methamphetamine to members of the drug-trafficking organization in California and Mexico.
The drug-trafficking organization was responsible for the distribution of more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Springfield, Missouri, area. Huerta pleaded guilty on Thursday, Oct. 31, in a separate but related case, to her role in both the drug-trafficking and money-laundering conspiracies.
Under federal statutes, Conn is subject to a sentence of up to 20 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 defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Dade County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Department, and the Oldham County, Texas, Sheriff’s Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. The OCDETF program is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illicit drug supply.Former Delta Homes & Lending Inc. Employee Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Today, Senior United States District Judge William B. Shubb sentenced Manuel Herrera, 39, of Davis, to serve one year in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between October 2004 and May 2007, Herrera was an employee of Delta Homes and Lending Inc., a now-defunct Sacramento-based real estate and mortgage lending company that was founded by co-defendant Moctezuma “Mo” Tovar, 50, of Sacramento. Herrera, Tovar, and other Delta Homes employees and co-defendants agreed to commit fraud to obtain home loans from mortgage lenders. As part of the scheme, Herrera submitted fraudulent mortgage loan applications and supporting documents, which falsely represented the borrowers’ assets and income, liabilities and debts, employment status, citizenship status, and intent to occupy the property. Herrera also provided money to the borrowers in order to inflate their bank account balances. Once the loans were secured, the borrowers returned the money to Herrera. The aggregate sales price of the homes involved in the overall conspiracy was in excess of $10 million. As a result of the conspiracy, mortgage lenders and others suffered losses of at least $4 million.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Justin L. Lee prosecuted the case.
Herrera is the fifth defendant sentenced as part of the scheme. Co-defendant Tovar was sentenced to four and a half years in prison; Jun Jun Michael Dirain, 47, of Antelope, was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by six months of home detention; Sandra Hermosillo, 57, of Woodland, was sentenced to nine months of home detention; Christian Parada Renteria, 43, formerly of Sacramento, was sentenced to serve one year in prison.
Co-defendants Jaime Mayorga, 40, and Ruben Rodriguez, 42, both of Sacramento, were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud at a jury trial. They are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Dec. 10. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former City of Memphis Employee, Vendors, and Others Indicted for Million-Dollar Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Former City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development employee Leon Blackmon Sr. and eight other relatives or acquaintances were indicted for their roles in a government-contracting scheme that defrauded the City of Memphis (City) and taxpayers by causing the City to pay out at least $1.6 million to City vendors, of which at least 50% of said funds resulted from fraud. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictment today.
Those charged in the indictment include the following named defendants:
Leon Blackmon Sr., 70, Memphis, TN., former City of Memphis employee
Leon Blackmon Jr., 41, Memphis, TN.
Karl "Shun" Blackmon, 46, Memphis, TN.
Larry Donnell Banks Jr., 42, Memphis, TN., Banks Lawncare & Landscaping
Charles M. Bell, 33, Memphis, TN., Charles Bell’s Lawn Care
Shaunita Lacole Callicutt, 39, Arlington, TN., A Perfect Edge Lawn Service, L&S Lawn Maintenance, and Professional Mowers of Memphis
Sharon D. Taylor, 59, Memphis, TN., Sharon’s Lawn Service
Teressa Lynn Taylor, 61, Memphis, TN., TLT Beautiful Lawns
Henry J. Taylor, 68, Memphis, TN., Hank’s Lawn Service
Mendel L. Wade, 55, Memphis, TN., Lisdel Lawn Service
According to the indictment, from 2009 to 2016, Leon Blackmon Sr., an Analyst with the City of Memphis-Division of Housing and Community Development (HCD), maintained the City-owned lots and properties list and selected vendors to maintain those lots under the City HCD Maintenance Program. He received, reviewed, approved vendor invoices for the HCD Maintenance Program, then submitted check requests to the City requesting that those vendors be paid.
It was a part of the scheme that Leon Blackmon Sr., Leon Blackmon Jr., and Karl Blackmon recruited family, friends, associates or employees from their auto businesses to establish lawn companies and to become City vendors. The Blackmons directed these individuals to obtain business tax licenses, to apply for and obtain U.S. Post Office Boxes and to open business bank accounts. Some of the City-owned lots and properties were already maintained by City employees or neighboring property owners. Some of the City-owned lots and properties were inaccessible and could not be maintained. However, vendors still submitted fraudulent invoices to Leon Blackmon Sr.’s attention for alleged work conducted. In return, he submitted check requests to City officials for payment to vendors via U.S. Mail service.
As a part of the conspiracy, Leon Blackmon Sr., Leon Blackmon Jr. and Karl Blackmon received proceeds from the City checks sent to vendors via U.S. Mail. From 2009 and continuing through 2016, the City paid approximately $1.6 million under the HCD Maintenance Program to participating lawn care companies based on invoices those companies submitted to Leon Blackmon Sr. in his role as the HCD Analyst. At a minimum, approximately 50% of the City-owned lots and properties shown on those billed invoices were fraudulent. When federal agents asked Leon Blackmon Sr. whether he had personal or family relationships with City vendors and received any proceeds from City checks, he denied both.
All defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and multiple individual mail fraud charges. They face individual sentences of up to five years imprisonment for the conspiracy offense and up to twenty years for the mail fraud offense. Additionally, Leon Blackmon Sr. faces up to five years imprisonment for false statements to federal agents.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "This long-term fraudulent scheme had significant financial consequences to the public interests of the City of Memphis, and created unfair business advantages for vendors in the HCD Maintenance Program. This office is committed to the protection of the integrity of public services, and schemes to defraud programs or compromise public office will not be tolerated. This indictment demonstrates our commitment to protect taxpayer resources from such disturbing crimes of dishonesty, and to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse in government programs."
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Damon Keith Griffin and Murre Foster are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Federal Jury Convicts Burlington Woman of Mailing Anthrax Threat to Sen. Susan CollinsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Burlington, Maine woman was convicted today of mailing a threatening communication to Sen. Susan Collins following a one-day jury trial, U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, Suzanne Muscara, 37, mailed a letter containing a white powder to Collins’ Bangor address in October 2018. The letter also contained a handwritten note indicating that the powder was anthrax. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service intercepted the letter at a mail sorting facility in Hampden, Maine. The FBI tested the white powder and found that it did not contain toxic substances. The FBI also matched a fingerprint found on the envelope with one of Muscara’s prints.
Muscara faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. She will be sentenced after completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal and the Maine State Police.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Lawyer and Accountant in Visa Fraud Scheme to Obtain LPR Status for South Korean NationalsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted two men in a scheme to obtain lawful permanent resident status for South Korean nationals by submitting fraudulent visa applications that falsely claimed American businesses wanted to hire skilled foreign workers.
The indictment, returned on Nov. 1, alleges that the defendants exploited the EB-2(a) visa program by submitting bogus Alien Worker Petitions on behalf of companies – some legitimate, some created specifically for the scheme – that purportedly wanted to hire foreign nationals after exhausting attempts to find suitable workers in the United States. According to court documents, those South Korean visa applicants simply wanted to immigrate to the United States, and they paid between $30,000 and $70,000 to the defendants in the hopes of obtaining a visa.
The indictment charges the two defendants with conspiracy to commit visa fraud. The defendants are:
- Weon Keuk Lee, 49, a South Korean national, a licensed California attorney who previously operated an immigration law firm in Los Angeles; and
- Young Shin Kim, 59, a naturalized United States citizen, who previously operated an accounting firm in Diamond Bar and is now a farmer in Hesperia.
Kim was arrested in this case on October 3 pursuant to a criminal complaint. During a court hearing the next day, Kim was ordered released on a $50,000 bond and was ordered to appear for an arraignment on November 8. Lee, 50, is believed to be currently residing in Vietnam.
According to the indictment, between 2007 and 2015, Lee and Kim filed approximately 117 fraudulent Alien Worker Petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which resulted in the agency issuing more than 125 visas for alien workers, their spouses and their children.
The indictment alleges that Lee accepted payment from South Korean nationals who wanted to obtain EB-2(a) visas that would allow them to live and work in the United States. Kim allegedly identified United States businesses to act as the purported petitioner for the beneficiary, either by misappropriating information from his accounting firm’s clients or by forming shell corporations solely for the purpose of petitioning authorities for visas. The indictment also alleges that Kim fabricated documents – including bogus tax returns – for the domestic companies and that Lee used those documents to submit the fraudulent Alien Worker Petitions. Lee allegedly paid Kim nearly $300,000 for preparing the fraudulent documents used with the visa applications.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
This matter is being investigated by the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force, which includes representatives of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Fraud Detection National Security Unit; and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott D. Tenley of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Federal Agent Cleared of Wrongdoing in Death of FugitiveRead the Press Release
In a civil damages trial that concluded today before U.S. District Judge Sean Cox, a member of the Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team (“DFAT”) was cleared of any wrongdoing in the shooting death of a fugitive wanted for armed robbery, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
While the loss of life in this case was tragic, the evidence clearly established that Agent Quinn acted in self-defense,” said United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. “We are thankful that the jury carefully reviewed the evidence and agreed.”
After a two-week trial, an eight-member jury found defendant Mitchell Quinn, deputized at the time as a U.S. Marshals task force officer, did not violate the constitutional rights of Terrance Kellom, a felon who was wanted on an arrest warrant for armed robbery, among other offenses. The jury deliberated less than three hours before returning their verdict of no cause.
According to the evidence presented at trial, agent Quinn acted in self-defense when Terrence Kellom attacked him with a hammer during the attempted arrest of Mr. Kellom on April 27, 2015.
The defense was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Helms and Zak Toomey with the assistance of paralegal Leanna Mayberry.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced MARQUIS BERNARD MALLOY, 29, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to 180 months’ imprisonment, followed by a 3 year term of supervised released.
On July 11, 2018, MALLOY was named in a three-count Indictment in which he was charged with: Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin and a Quantity of Cocaine, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. On February 5, 2019, MALLOY pled guilty to all three Counts.
On March 28, 2018, Cumberland County Probation Officers conducted a search of MALLOY’S residence in Fayetteville, NC, due to prior failed drug screenings and new criminal conduct. During the search, officers found a Beretta 9mm pistol, a box of 9mm ammunition, 3 grams of cocaine, 2 grams of heroin, drug paraphernalia (including a cutting agent, digital scale, and packaging material), and approximately $1,200 in cash. The firearm and cocaine were in close proximity to each other.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices in those communities on a sustained basis to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The Cumberland County Probation Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation in this matter. Assistant United States Attorney and Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the case for the government.
Erie Woman Gets Time Served for Drug Law ViolationRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to time served and 12 months home detention on her conviction of violating federal drugs laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Chardonna Lasha Goudy, 24.
According to information presented to the court, the FBI’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force conducted an investigation into the drug dealing and violent crime activity of members of a local gang identifying itself as "1800". The court was advised that court authorized intercepts of telephone communications between members of the group and others revealed Goudy was using a cellular telephone in the commission of the drug conspiracy.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Goudy.
Erie '1800' Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Selling Crack and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 6 years and 8 months (80 months) in jail on his conviction of violating federal drug and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Ravone Robert Deberry, 26.
According to information presented to the court, the FBI’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force conducted an investigation into the drug dealing and violent crime activity of members of a local gang identifying itself as "1800". The court was advised that court authorized intercepts of telephone communications between members of the group and others revealed Deberry selling crack cocaine in the Erie area. Deberry pleaded guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute and distribute the crack cocaine. In a separate case, Deberry possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SW9F, 9mm handgun while being a convicted felon. According to information provided in court, Deberry used that handgun to shoot at rival gang members and the shooting incident was captured in the authorized intercepts of Deberry’s communications.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Deberry.
Eighth Reagor Dykes Defendant Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
An eighth defendant in the Reagor Dykes Auto Group fraud case has pleaded guilty, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Brad William Fansler, 41, an RDAG Group Administrative Director, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud before Magistrate Jude Lee Ann Reno in Amarillo Monday morning.
In plea papers, Mr. Fansler admitted that the auto group routinely sold vehicles “out of trust” – meaning that they failed to repay lenders within seven days of selling the vehicle financed by that lender.
Just before the lender conducted audits, Mr. Fansler admitted, the auto group would create what they called “dummy shucks,” falsifying vehicles sales dates on official paperwork to make it appear as though the vehicle had sold within the prior seven days and was not yet out of trust.
In order to make payments following these audits, the auto group would then engage in a process they called “dummy flooring,” digging through records for vehicle identification numbers (VIN) of cars Reagor Dykes had already sold, then submitting new loan applications to lenders using the old VINs – falsely indicating that the company was seeking a floor plan loan in order to repurchase the vehicle for resale. After acquiring new funding, instead of purchasing the cars, the company would use the money to pay off the old loans.
Eventually, Mr. Fansler acknowledged, dealers ran out of VINs to re-floor, and began using cars pledged as collateral to other lenders, a process they dubbed “double flooring.”
Mr. Fansler is the eighth defendant to admit involvement in the $50 million scheme. Admitted coconspirators include Reagor Dykes Chief Financial Officer Shane Andrew Smith and employees Sheila Miller, Lindsay Williams, Diana Urias, Paige Johnston, Pepper Rickman, and Sherri Lynn Wood.
Mr. Fansler faces up to five years in prison and may be required to pay at least $27 million in restitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Field Office and Internal Revenue Services - Criminal Investigation Division conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Frausto, Jeffrey Haag, and Sean Taylor are prosecuting the case.
Des Moines Police Department Special Enforcement Team Secures over 20 Federal Indictments, Seizes 71 GunsRead the Press Release
The Des Moines Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office announced the results of a summer enforcement effort, which took dozens of guns off the street and resulted in federal indictments against multiple violent criminals in Des Moines.
The Des Moines Police Department Special Enforcement Team operated from April to October 2019. During that time, the team’s investigations led to over 20 federal indictments for gun- and drug-related crimes, and the seizure of 71 guns from Des Moines’s streets. These prosecutions are part of a series of local, state, and federal efforts known as Project Safe Neighborhoods.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is more than just a concept,” said Des Moines Police Chief Dana Wingert. “In Des Moines, it has developed into a highly effective crime fighting strategy. United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum and his staff have taken a hardline stance on prosecuting our most violent criminals, particularly gun offenders, in an effort to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods. To date, the effect has been dramatic, and this working relationship is poised to continue these efforts long into the future. In many larger cities across the country, efforts such as this may seem to have less of an impact on overall violent crime numbers. In Des Moines, the results are real and the crimes trends validate the impact.”
In announcing the results of this effort in Des Moines, United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum noted that, “What’s impressive about the work of the Special Enforcement Team is not just the volume of cases—which has been amazing—but also the quality of those cases. We’re arresting and charging the right people.”
One example is United States v. Xzavier Justin Lee Clark, case number 4:19-cr-138. In July 2019, Clark led Des Moines officers on a high-speed chase, during which he tossed a loaded handgun out of a car. He pleaded guilty to being a drug user in possession of a firearm. At a sentencing hearing scheduled for February 13, 2020, the government expects to present evidence linking Clark to multiple acts of violence in the Des Moines area.
Another case is United States v. Kaytjuan Tyrez Gibbs & Devon Laron Williams, case number 4:19-cr-103. Gibbs and Williams have pleaded guilty to being drug users in possession of firearms, and sentencing for both is scheduled for January 31, 2020. Between September 2018 and May 2019, Gibbs and Williams were involved in a series of gun-related crimes in Des Moines, including possession of at least six firearms, several of which were stolen, and one of which had an obliterated serial number to prevent it from being traced.
“In the past few years our office in Des Moines has substantially increased prosecutions of violent criminals, with a focus on those who illegally use and possess guns,” said United States Attorney Krickbaum. “That has been possible only because of our partnerships with law enforcement, which are as strong today as they have ever been.” Krickbaum added, “Des Moines PD has been front and center in this fight, joined by ATF, FBI, and other local, state, and federal agencies. Our united effort is making a difference in Des Moines.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless they are proven guilty.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are 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. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Dayton man pleads guilty to distributing opioids that caused overdose deathRead the Press Release
DAYTON – A Dayton man who was scheduled to stand trial today pleaded guilty to distributing carfentanil, fentanyl and heroin that resulted in at least one overdose death.
Myron D. Baker, 35, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to two counts related to distributing opioids. Baker will face a mandatory minimum of 20 years up to life in prison for one count and a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison for one count.
According to court documents, beginning in at least January 2017, Baker conspired with others to obtain and distribute opioids in Gallipolis and Dayton for personal profit.
Baker, also known as “Science,” “Capo” or “Sci,” maintained a residence on Lexington Avenue in Dayton to store, package and distribute the drugs. He also maintained a video surveillance system at the residence for the protection of his drugs and money.
Baker and others distributed drugs in the Dayton area that resulted in a number of overdoses, at least one of which was fatal.
Specifically, in March 2017, two individuals bought what they thought was heroin from Baker and others in Trotwood. The substance actually contained carfentanil. Upon purchasing the drugs, the individuals drove to the parking lot of a Dayton area restaurant to use them. One individual snorted the drugs and the other used a syringe to inject the drugs. Both overdosed, and the person who injected the drugs could not be resuscitated and was pronounced dead the following morning.
As part of his plea, Baker accepted responsibility for causing the death of one individual and serious bodily injury to at least two others who experienced nonfatal overdoses.
David M. DeVillers, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Joseph M. Deters, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the plea entered into today before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose. Assistant United States Attorneys Sheila G. Lafferty and Amy M. Smith are representing the United States in this case.
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DEA New England and Partners Collect over 46 Tons of Drugs and Vaping Materials During Take Back DayRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in announcing that DEA New England and its partners collected 92,875 pounds of prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges during the 18th National Drug Take Back Day on October 26, 2019. The following is a breakdown of collected weights for the six New England states:
Maine – 31,180 lbs.
Massachusetts – 30,959 lbs.
New Hampshire – 12,266 lbs.
Connecticut – 6,958 lbs.
Vermont – 6,734 lbs.
Rhode Island – 4,778 lbs.
“Thanks to the public 46 tons of unwanted, expired, unused, unwanted prescription drugs, electronic vaping devices and cartridges have now been taken out of harm’s way across New England,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “These events are only made possible through the hard work of our law enforcement, coalitions and community partners and DEA thanks each and every one of them for their efforts.”
The 92,875 pounds of drugs and vaping materials collected last month is almost four times the 25,810 pounds of unwanted drugs that DEA New England and its partners collected during the first National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in September 2010.
DEA Issues Warning over Counterfeit Prescription Pills from MexicoRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: U.S. Attorney Halsey B. Frank joined the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in alerting the public to dangerous counterfeit pills killing Americans. Mexican drug cartels are manufacturing mass quantities of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl, a dangerous synthetic opioid that is lethal in minute doses, for distribution throughout North America.
Based on a sampling of tablets seized nationwide between January and March 2019, DEA found that 27 percent contained potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.
“Capitalizing on the opioid epidemic and prescription drug abuse in the United States, drug trafficking organizations are now sending counterfeit pills made with fentanyl in bulk to the United States for distribution,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “Counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl and fentanyl-laced heroin are responsible for thousands of opioid-related deaths in the United States each year.”
Fentanyl and other highly potent synthetic opioids remain the primary driver behind the ongoing opioid crisis, with fentanyl involved in more deaths than any other illicit drug.
“Buying drugs from street dealers is deadly especially when fentanyl is disguised as a real pharmaceutical,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “The DEA and our local, state and federal law enforcement partners stand committed to taking deadly fentanyl off the streets of New England and ensuring those who manufacture and traffic these lethal pills are held accountable to the communities and families they damage with this poison.”
A lethal dose of fentanyl is estimated to be about two milligrams, but can vary based on an individual’s body size, tolerance, amount of previous usage and other factors. The full Fentanyl Signature Profiling Program Report on the recent drug sampling and testing is available here: https://go.usa.gov/xp2dJ.
Convicted felon sentenced to 13 years for methamphetamine and firearm chargesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU– Brian Ancho, 41, was sentenced today in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Susan Oki Mollway to 13 years of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 33 grams of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition, and carrying firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and information presented in court, on March 4, 2019, Ancho crashed his vehicle minutes after fleeing a traffic stop. Honolulu Police Department (HPD) officers responded to Moanalua Community Park, but Ancho, on supervised release from a prior felony gun conviction, had abandoned his vehicle. HPD officers located Ancho concealing himself in the Moanalua Stream and arrested him. Thereafter, two loaded firearms were found near him, along with a backpack filled with small plastic baggies, two scales, and methamphetamine. An additional firearm, methamphetamine, and drug ledgers written by the defendant were subsequently recovered from Ancho’s crashed vehicle.
At sentencing, Senior U.S. District Judge Mollway highlighted the need to protect the public given Ancho’s extensive criminal history and the nature and circumstances of the offense.
“This prosecution results from the exemplary work of federal agents and local law enforcement officers working together to keep the community safe by holding a convicted felon accountable for his continued refusal to comply with the law,” stated U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price.
“The sentence handed down to Mr. Ancho is a reflection of his blatant disregard for the rule of law,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants. “Sentences such as this one removes a dangerous offender from our streets and will hopefully serve as a deterrent to others.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by HPD, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara D. Ayabe and Chris A. Thomas.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Charges Following Stand Off with Police Last YearRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 4, 2019 – Justin Jerome Jones, 31, of Nashville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to three counts of being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the facts presented at the plea hearing, on February 7, 2018, residents of the Tony Sudekum public housing neighborhood called police when they saw Jones outside a residence, arguing with his 11-year-old daughter, before firing several gunshots into the ground near the young girl. When officers from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) arrived, Jones barricaded himself inside an apartment. MNPD S.W.A.T. officers, as well as federal agents, responded to the scene and Jones then repeatedly fired at the officers. One round struck an MNPD officer. After several hours, Jones exited the apartment and was immediately taken into federal custody.
A search warrant was then executed at the apartment and officers recovered several spent shell casings; a cocked .357 caliber revolver; a .38 caliber revolver; and parts from a 9mm pistol. Additional firearms parts and boxes of ammunition were also recovered from the apartment the following day. The investigation also determined that Jones had previously brandished the 9mm pistol at another person.
Jones had previously been convicted of aggravated robbery in Davidson County, Tennessee, in 2007, and was also convicted of aggravated robbery in Hamilton County, Ohio, in 2009, relating to armed bank robbery. Jones was released from custody in Ohio in December 2016, and paroled to the State of Mississippi.
Jones faces up to 30 years in prison when he is sentenced on March 13, 2020.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sunny A.M. Koshy and Joseph Montminy are prosecuting the case.
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Cleveland man charged in federal court after allegedly shooting at agentsRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was charged in federal court after allegedly firing at federal agents.
Reuben Rankin, 34, was charged with one count of assault on a federal officer with a deadly weapon, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.
According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court:
Homeland Security Investigations approached a house on Dove Avenue in Cleveland on October 30 to execute a search warrant. Agents observed six shots fired from a 2011 Mercedes-Benz and an HSI agent returned fire. Rankin exited the vehicle and was arrested.
Law enforcement officials recovered a Kahr .45-caliber handgun and six spent shell casings from the vehicle.
Rank was previously convicted of witness intimidation, domestic violence, burglary, aggravated assault and abduction, according to the affidavit.
“This defendant is alleged to have shot at federal and local law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “We are grateful that no law enforcement officer was injured, and we stand by this very simple point – if you shoot at law enforcement investigating federal crimes, you can expect swift and severe charges in federal court.”
“The attempted shooting of HSI special agents is a stark reminder of the dangers associated with serving in law enforcement today,” said Vance Callender, HSI special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio. “My agents rightfully defended themselves, protecting their fellow officers and the citizenry. There were several actions the agents took which demonstrated their bravery in the face of imminent danger. I am proud and honored to work with some of the finest special agents in the country.”
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ranya Elzein.
A charge is only an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
City Hall supervisor sentenced to 18 months in prison for extortion, bribery, and other crimesRead the Press Release
A City of Cleveland employee was sentenced to 18 months in prison for extortion, bribery, and other crimes after he accepted below-market improvements on his property from a city contractor he supervised and directed city projects to benefit himself. He was also ordered to pay restitution to the City of Cleveland and the Internal Revenue Service.
Khalil Ewais, 44, previously pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act extortion, receipt of a bribe, federal program theft, making false statements and filing false tax returns.
Ewais worked in the Mayor’s Office of Capital Projects (“MOCAP”) as the construction Section Chief in the Engineering and Construction division. In that capacity, he oversaw construction inspectors who inspect work on the city’s roads, bridges and sidewalks. He had a fiduciary duty to act in the best interests of the city and its citizens.
Ewais also owned and operated Pioneer Engineering, a private engineering and consulting business that did work for private clients. He also, along with his brother and other family members, owned commercial and residential rental properties in and around Cleveland.
Company 1 bid on jobs with the City of Cleveland. In April 2015, it was awarded a contract to perform most of the resurfacing of residential streets in certain wards of Cleveland for two years. Company 1 bid approximately $5.8 million for the work.
Ewais, in his job with the city, had input into whether Company 1 received additional contracts from the city. Company 1 could not receive payment for the work it did until Ewais certified it was done appropriately. He could also direct Company 1 to complete “corrective work” which would cost the company additional time and money.
In August 2016, Ewais contacted multiple companies, including Company 1, about paving the parking lot adjacent to Captain’s Grill, a property at 6104 Storer Ave. that he and his brother owned. Quotes for the work ranged from $48,923 to $59,152. Another contractor that Ewais supervised as part of the residential streets project declined to bid.
Ewais contacted an owner of Company 1 on August 10, 2016, about the estimate for the parking lot and said “I need it to be in the $25K range.” The owner quickly responded, “I will do the job for a lump sum of $26,000.”
Even though the parking lot work was a private job for Ewais, he sent an email form his City email address to another City official regarding the sewer connection at the border of Ewais’s property and West 61st Street, and stated that “E&C [MOCAP’s Division of Engineering & Construction] directed the roadway work and the connection fix in the street as part of the E&C Requirement Contract.” In fact, no City agency had directed any roadway work on West 61st Street at that time, and the work was related to Ewais’s private construction project.
Ewais also used his official position to cause the city to pay to repave most of the short public alleyway next to the parking lot, West 62nd Place. Around Oct. 25, 2016, Company 1— at the direction of Ewais — instructed a subcontractor to expand the scope of its work on the parking lot job to include milling and paving the part of West 62nd Place that adjoined the parking lot, but not the short additional distance to reach the home at the end of the alleyway.
In causing the city to pay for repaving most of West 62nd Place, Ewais avoided the established process for selecting streets to be resurfaced. The city, through a contractor, had sought to rate the condition of all the streets in Cleveland leading up to the 2016 resurfacing program. The city’s pavement management group, which included Ewais, met to discuss the lowest-rated streets in each ward to recommend to the City Council members which streets to include as part of the resurfacing program. The list of streets to be resurfaced never included West 62nd Place, which never even received a rating in the evaluation process.
Ewais, without the necessary approvals and authorizations, created a task order to have West 62nd Place, the small alleyway next to the Captain’s Grill parking lot, resurfaced. As a result of Ewais’s actions, the City of Cleveland paid a total for $10,938 to have West 62nd Place resurfaced.
The parking lot work was completed on Nov. 5, 2016, with the parking lot connected to West 62nd Place. Company 1 spent approximately $81,534 to complete the work. Ewais paid $31,336 for the work and Company 1 did not request any further payment.
In December 2017, Ewais lied to federal agents when he was questioned about the repaving of West 62nd Place, falsely claiming that a Cleveland City Councilperson had selected West 62nd Place to be repaved.
Ewais also filed false tax returns in which he failed to report all of his income from his rental properties.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General and the Cleveland Division of Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea S. Rice and Elliot Morrison.
California Woman Sentenced to Prison for Aiding and Abetting Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Madera County, California, woman was sentenced today to 200 months in prison, followed by 180 months of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the production of child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott of the Eastern District of California.
Ashley Maddox, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd of the Eastern District of California. According to admissions made in connection with her guilty plea on May 24, 2019, the defendant came to the attention of law enforcement in Fort Pierce, Florida, in the course of their investigation into an offender there. The investigation revealed that beginning in or about November 2015, Maddox had communicated with that offender, via the internet and mobile-based applications, about their mutual sexual interest in minors. A forensic examination of that individual’s cellular phone recovered Kik chat conversations between them. Over the course of these communications, Maddox requested that this individual send her images and video recordings in which he sexually abused a minor victim in his care. To encourage this individual to produce such images, Maddox requested that he commit specific acts, and indicated that the images she had received from him had aroused her. Maddox also sent him sexually explicit images of a minor to whom she had access.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Fort Pierce, Florida, and Fresno, California. Trial Attorney Nadia C. Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa of the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Cheyenne Man Sentenced to over Twenty-Two Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
Cheyenne, Wyoming resident Jonathon Ray Swan, was sentenced on November 1, 2019, to 270 months (22.5 years) in federal prison by Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl. After a three-day trial held July 29 - 31, 2019, in Casper, Wyoming, Jonathon Swan was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
On December 16, 2018, Cheyenne law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a Jonathon Swan’s vehicle on Interstate 25 at the intersection of Interstate 80, for having an unreadable temporary registration in the back window of the vehicle. A Cheyenne K9 Officer and his canine partner were also present at the time of the traffic stop. During the course of the traffic stop, the certified canine conducted a free air sniff around the exterior of the vehicle and indicated to the odor of an illegal narcotic.
A subsequent search of the vehicle was conducted which led to the seizure of approximately 955 grams (approximately 2.1 pounds) of methamphetamine. Also located during the search of the vehicle was a Charter Arms, .38 special revolver. In addition, officers located three digital scales and packaging materials consistent with the sale and delivery of controlled substances. Jonathon Swan was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
“This case is an example of what we can accomplish when federal and local law enforcement work together to target drug trafficking activity. The Defendant’s conviction helps stem the flow of illegal drugs into our communities and has removed a potentially violent offender from our streets,” stated United States Attorney Mark A. Klaassen.
Swan will serve sixty months of supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence and was ordered to pay $500.00 in community restitution and a special assessment of $200.00.
This case results from an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) joint investigation conducted by the Cheyenne Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Buffalo Woman Going to Prison for Selling FentanylRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Yuminique Toney, 27, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of distribution of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve eight months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who handled the case, stated that in May 2018, the defendant sold two grams of fentanyl and 14 grams of crack cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
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Broward County Resident Sentenced to Seventeen Years in Federal Prison for String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Office, Gregory Tony, Sheriff, Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), and Anthony W. Rosa, Chief, Sunrise Police Department, announced that Dwight Courtney Grinion, 25, of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William P. Dimitrouleas to a total of 17 years in prison and 5 years of supervised release for armed robberies in South Florida.
On Aug. 13, 2019, Grinion pled guilty to three counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (Case No. 19-CR-60115-WPD).
According to the court record, including an agreed upon factual proffer, Grinion robbed commercial establishments at gunpoint between March 22, 2019 and April 24, 2019. On March 22, 2019, he robbed a Subway restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale and discharged a revolver during the commission of the crime. On April 20, 2019, Grinion robbed a Dunkin Donuts store in Sunrise, Florida at gunpoint. The last robbery, on April 24, 2019, occurred at Designers Jewelry Collection, a jewelry store at the Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise. During that robbery, Grinion pointed a revolver at an employee of the jewelry store while stealing a gold bracelet worth approximately $2,500.
All of the victim companies purchase products in interstate commerce and sell products to customers throughout the United States and abroad.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of ATF, BSO and Sunrise Police Department in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Juman.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Box Elder man admits domestic assaultRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—A Box Elder man accused of assaulting and strangling a woman on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation pleaded guilty on Nov. 1 to domestic assault by habitual offender, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Henry James Daychild, Jr., 41, admitted to the crime during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris. Judge Morris set sentencing for Feb. 13, 2020. Daychild was detained pending further proceedings.
Daychild faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The prosecution said in court records that Daychild assaulted the victim on May 23, 2018 by hitting her and strangling her multiple times. The victim lost consciousness twice during the assault. She escaped to a neighbor’s home to call the police and sought medical care. The victim has sustained serious injuries in the past as a result of Daychild’s abuse.
Daychild has four prior tribal domestic violence convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Cobell is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the Chippewa Cree Criminal Investigations.
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Birmingham Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Trafficking Nearly Half a Kilogram of Deadly FentanylRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal judge today sentenced a Birmingham man to 121 months in prison for possessing nearly half a kilogram of the highly addictive and extremely potent opioid fentanyl with the intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney Jay E. Town and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris.
United States District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced BOB COTCHERY, III, 48, to just over ten years in prison on one count of possession with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl.
“Another peddler of this deadly poison has been removed from the streets of the Northern District of Alabama,” Town said. “This sentence sends a clear message that the death and destruction of those who want to introduce fentanyl into my District will be met with the full force of the Department of Justice and federal prison beds are reserved for all them, this one for over a decade.”
“Thanks to the great work by the Birmingham Police Department, DEA was able to assist in bringing yet another drug dealer to justice,” Morris said. “Armed with enough fentanyl to kill tens of thousands of people, Cotchery recklessly endangered innocent citizens in our community. DEA, BPD and the United States Attorney’s Office will not tolerate those who sell poison and wreak havoc in our communities. We will protect your families and send those who sell death and addiction to prison.”
At the conclusion of a two-day trial, Cotchery was found guilty by a federal jury on May 2, 2019, of one count of possession with the intent to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. Evidence at trial showed that on the evening of December 14, 2017, Birmingham police officers on routine patrol in the Norwood area of Birmingham attempted to stop Cotchery for a traffic violation. Seeing police, Cotchery bailed out of his moving car and fled. Officers gave chase into a dark alley where they saw Cotchery crouch down near a car just before he was taken into custody. Under the car near where Cotchery bent down, officers recovered a Ziploc plastic bag, which was later determined to contain 494 grams of fentanyl.
The DEA and Birmingham Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory R. Dimler and Mohammad Khatib prosecuted the case.
Berkeley County woman sentenced for role in cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Courtney Guess, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 30 months incarceration for her role in a cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operation, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Guess, age 24, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin” in July 2019. Guess admitted to selling heroin in Berkeley County in May 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Lydia Lehman, also with the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and Assistant U.S Attorney Timothy D. Helman, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation; the West Virginia State Police; the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County woman sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Mary Virginia Cook, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to five years’ probation for a firearms charge, U.S. Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cook, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting a False Statement During Purchase of Firearms” in July 2019. Cook admitted to making false statements when purchasing a .40 caliber pistol and a 9mm pistol in Berkeley County in February 2018.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Berkeley County man sentenced for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Wayne Harrison, II, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to four months’ probation for distributing heroin, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Harrison, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin” in July 2019. Harrison admitted to selling heroin in Berkeley County in July 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Multi-Million Dollar Bank and Wire Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that Michael Allen Worley, age 57, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to bank fraud and wire fraud. As a result of his conviction, Worley faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Worley executed schemes to defraud both banks and private equity firms by submitting multiple false and fraudulent loan applications on behalf of himself and of businesses he owned or operated. Between 2014 and 2018, Worley obtained more than $18 million in new loans from federally-insured banks in Baton Rouge and around the country through materially false and fraudulent statements and representations. Through a similar scheme, Worley obtained at least an additional $11 million from private equity firms in Louisiana and Texas, also through materially false and fraudulent statements and representations. During the course of both his bank and wire fraud schemes, Worley inflated his assets, understated and omitted his liabilities, misrepresented his income, and often misrepresented other things including the intended use(s) of millions in loan proceeds. In some instances, Worley and the businesses he owned, operated, or controlled, defaulted on the loans, causing the financial institutions and private equity funds to suffer financial losses. Worley filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January of 2018.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “This investigation and conviction demonstrates that those who seek to deceive and defraud banks and other lenders for their own personal benefit will be held accountable. Mr. Worley executed schemes to fraudulently induce banks and private lenders into giving him millions of dollars, and used unwitting associates of his to assist him. Individuals like Mr. Worley who obtain loans through fraudulent means can expect to be prosecuted, and victims of such schemes should know we will do everything within our power to make these lenders whole. I would like to recognize the efforts of our prosecutor and the FBI for their exemplary work on such an important matter.”
Bryan A. Vorndran, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge stated, “Today’s guilty plea holds Michael Worley accountable for orchestrating a multi-year scheme to defraud private lenders and federally insured financial institutions of tens of millions of dollars. The FBI New Orleans Field Office is dedicated to investigating crimes of greed and deceit and bringing to justice those, such as Worley, who exploit the finances of their victims.”
This matter is being investigated by the Baton Rouge Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter J. Smyczek.
Baltimore Plaintiffs’ Law Firm Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., Pays the United States over $90,000 to Settle Allegations that it Failed to Reimburse Medicare for Payments Made on Behalf of Firm ClientsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur announced that Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., a Baltimore-based law firm, has paid the United States $91,406.98 to resolve allegations that it failed to reimburse Medicare for conditional payments that had been made to medical providers on behalf of firm clients.
“Plaintiffs’ attorneys cannot refer a case to or enter into a joint representation agreement with co-counsel and simply wash their hands clean of their obligations to reimburse Medicare for its conditional payments,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We intend to hold attorneys accountable for failing to make good on their obligations to repay Medicare for its conditional payments, regardless of whether they were the ones primarily handling the litigation for the plaintiff.”
According to the settlement agreement, over a number of years, Medicare made conditional payments to healthcare providers to satisfy medical bills for firm clients. Under the Medicare statute and regulations, Medicare is authorized to make conditional payments for medical items or services under certain circumstances, with the requirement that when an injured person receives a tort settlement or judgment, those receiving the proceeds of the settlement or judgment, including the injured person’s attorney, are required to repay Medicare for the conditional payments.
During that period, the firm referred clients to or entered into joint representation agreements with co-counsel on four of the six matters about which the U.S. Attorney’s office contacted the firm. The government contends that the firm, either itself or together with co-counsel, negotiated for and received settlement proceeds for the firm’s clients, but neither the firm nor its clients repaid Medicare for conditional payments that Medicare made to medical providers.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations. The settlement is not an admission of liability by Saiontz & Kirk, P.A., nor a concession by the United States that its claims are not well founded.
This settlement reminds attorneys of their obligation to reimburse Medicare for conditional payments after receiving settlement or judgment proceeds for their clients. This is no less true for plaintiffs’ attorneys who refer cases to co-counsel or jointly represent plaintiffs.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur commended Eric Wolfish, Assistant Regional Counsel, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the General Counsel, Region III, for his work in the investigation. Mr. Hur also thanked Assistant United States Attorney Alan C. Lazerow, who handled the case.
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Another Member of Violent New Haven Gang Sentenced to Long Federal Prison TermRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CLIFFORD BRODIE, also known as “Cliff G,” 23, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 168 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a violent street gang.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2016, the New Haven Police Department’s Shooting Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating numerous unsolved shootings that had occurred in New Haven and Hamden. Ballistic examination of recovered cartridge cases determined that three firearms were used in 18 shootings committed in or around New Haven in 2016. The investigation revealed that the firearms were possessed by members and associates of the Goodrich Street Boys (“GSB”), a New Haven street gang, and that GSB members also were involved in a number of other shootings in 2016, many of them retaliatory against rival gang members.
On August 3, 2017, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 13-count indictment charging Brodie and five other GSB members with racketeering, attempted murder, firearm and narcotics trafficking offenses. The indictment alleged that, between September 2015 and May 2016, GSB members and associates were involved in six gang-related shootings that caused injuries to five individuals.
Brodie previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity and one count of brandishing of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. In pleading guilty, Brodie admitted that he and other GSB members conspired to kill an individual who they believed had been disrespectful to a GSB member. On May 27, 2016, Brodie and other GSB members ambushed the individual and his friend as the pair were walking on a busy street in New Haven. The individual, who survived the attack, identified Brodie’s brother, Milton Westley, as an assailant. Westley first shot the victim in the stomach. After the victim collapsed to the ground, Westley stood over him and shot him in the head. Another GSB member shot the second victim in the hand as he attempted to shield his face. Brodie chased the second victim with his car in an attempt to drive over him and kill him.
The victim who was shot in the stomach and head continues to recover from his injuries. He was in a coma for several weeks and had to learn to walk and talk again. This victim had been shot at by GSB members twice prior to May 27, 2016.
Brodie also has admitted that was involved in the shootings of rival gang members in January and April 2016.
GSB members also shot at rival gang members on February 6, 2016, in a densely populated residential area; March 13, 2016, during a heavily attended St. Patrick’s Day parade in downtown New Haven; and July 21, 2016, during which an innocent bystander was shot in the chest through her bedroom window.
GSB members also used social media to post pictures and videos of themselves with firearms, and used social media to threaten rivals, including individuals who might cooperate with law enforcement.
The investigation further revealed that Brodie and other GSB members were involved in the acquisition and distribution of heroin, cocaine and marijuana.
Brodie has been detained since his arrest on August 9, 2017.
Brodie is the fourth GSB member to be sentenced. On October 24, 2019, Michael Via, also known as “Mike Live,” was sentenced to 78 months in prison. On October 30, 2019, Michael Belle, also known as “MB,” was sentenced to 87 months in prison. On October 31, 2019, Milton Westley, also known as “Reese,” was sentenced to 156 months in prison. Two other GSB members have pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Durham noted that federal prisoners are required to serve at least 85 percent of their prison term and are not eligible for parole.
U.S. Attorney Durham further noted that federal law prohibits any retaliation against a federal witness. If persons retaliate against a federal witness “because of attendance at or testimony in a criminal case, the maximum term of imprisonment which may be imposed for the offense under this section shall be the higher of that otherwise provided by law or the maximum term that could have been imposed for any offense charged in that case.” Because the maximum term charged in the case was life imprisonment, anyone who tampers with a federal witness in this case faces life imprisonment.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program and Project Longevity. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
This investigation is being conducted by ATF and the New Haven Police Department. The FBI, Hamden Police Department and New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office have provided critical assistance in the investigation.
An instrumental component of this investigation has been the work of the Connecticut State Crime Laboratory in utilizing the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) to analyze ballistics evidence.
This matter is being prosecuted in the District of Connecticut by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Markle, Rahul Kale and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Amsterdam Man Indicted on Heroin and Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Edwin Rodriguez, a/k/a “Chaka,” age 31, of Amsterdam, New York, was indicted on October 30 on charges that he distributed heroin mixed with fentanyl on two occasions, and possessed and intended to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and City of Amsterdam Police Chief Gregory J. Culick.
According to the indictment, Rodriguez distributed heroin mixed with fentanyl on April 18, 2019 and May 3, 2019, both times in Amsterdam.
On May 15, 2019, according to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, Rodriguez was the subject of a traffic stop in Amsterdam, and was found to be carrying, in his pants, more than 100 grams of heroin mixed with fentanyl. Also on May 15, according to the complaint, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Rodriguez’s Amsterdam residence, and found additional quantities of heroin and fentanyl, and packaging materials.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces at least 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 4 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the DEA and the Amsterdam Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
1 November 2019
Yankton Man Charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Yankton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Robert Desersa, age 33, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Desersa assaulting another male in Sunrise Housing at Martin, South Dakota, on September 17, 2019. This assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the male.
The charge is merely an accusation and Desersa is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Martin Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is prosecuting the case.
Desersa was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date will be set.
Wyoming County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Hoyt, age 55, of Eaton Township, Wyoming County, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2019, before United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of firearms and ammunition.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hoyt admitted that between November 11, 2018 and April 9, 2019, he possessed six firearms, as well as ammunition, while being a user of methamphetamine and heroin. The charges stem from an incident in which law enforcement authorities searched Hoyt’s residence in Eaton Township and seized six firearms, ammunition and heroin.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty for the offense is ten years’ imprisonment and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Wilkes-Barre Woman Sentenced to 42 Months’ Imprisonment for Executing Romance ScamRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joy Dykes, age 37, of Wilkes-Barre, was sentenced on October 29, 2019, to 42 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for her involvement in a romance scam that duped an unsuspecting victim out of approximately $124,000.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Dykes previously admitted to conspiring to commit money laundering by wire fraud on November 30, 2018. Dykes’ was involved in an on-line scheme to defraud a Staten Island, New York woman of money by creating multiple fictitious identities. Dykes lured the victim into a romantic relationship, and solicited money from the victim for allegedly buying a house jointly with the fictitious boyfriend in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Dykes then pretended to be a lawyer prosecuting the fictitious boyfriend for defaulting on the mortgage payments and would threaten the victim that she would be arrested for nonpayment by impersonating an FBI agent. The scheme involved threats and coercion, to which the victim responded by sending cash and/or money transfers to Dykes.
Dykes unlawfully received approximately $124,000 from the victim of the fraud. The money laundering conspiracy began in November 2011 and continued through February 2016.
Judge Mariani decided to depart upwards from the 24 to 30 months’ guidelines to 42 months, by describing the crime as “predatory, cruel, deceitful, and prolonged, with a significant impact on the victim.” Judge Mariani also ordered Dykes to serve two years on supervised release following her prison sentence, and ordered her to pay $124,759.00 in restitution to the victim.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Scranton Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle L. Olshefski prosecuted the case.
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Virginia Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Intoxicated WomanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Omar Afzali, 29, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for sexually assaulting an incapacitated woman in July, 2016, and aiding his cousin in doing the same thing, at a hotel in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Afzali pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree sexual abuse, one for his own sexual assault, and the other for aiding and abetting the sexual assault committed by his cousin. The Honorable Todd E. Edelman sentenced Afzali to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Afzali will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim first met Afzali after unsuccessfully attempting to hail a cab after leaving a D.C. nightclub in the early morning hours of July 9, 2016. The victim, who became intoxicated while socializing with her friends earlier that night, accepted Afzali’s offer of a ride. Afzali ended up taking the woman to a hotel on Rhode Island Avenue, N.W. Security camera video at the hotel showed that the victim was so incapacitated by alcohol and other substances upon arriving at the hotel that, even with Afzali’s assistance, she was stumbling and bumped, face first, into a hallway wall. When Afzali and the woman got to the hotel’s front desk, Afzali had to hold her up so she would not fall down while he filled out the hotel’s paperwork. While Afzali signed them into the hotel, security cam video shows that the victim put her head down on the desk and did not lift her head again until Afzali pulled her away toward the hotel’s elevators.
Afzali took the victim to a hotel room where, he admitted, he engaged her in sexual acts, including anal intercourse. Afzali further admitted that at the time he had sex with the victim, she was so incapacitated that she was unable to decline, or even to communicate her unwillingness, to engage in sex with Afzali.
When Afzali finished sexually assaulting the victim, he left the hotel and immediately contacted one of his male cousins, telling his cousin about the victim and how he had just had sex with her. Afzali drove to pick up his cousin, and then drove his cousin back to the hotel, giving his cousin the card key to the hotel room in which Afzali had left the incapacitated victim. Afzali told his cousin that he would find both the victim, and some unused condoms, in that hotel room. Afzali’s cousin then went to the hotel room and engaged the victim in multiple acts of vaginal intercourse. The cousin later testified that, during his encounter with the victim, she could barely function and was only partially conscious.
Afzali admitted at the plea hearing that he aided and abetted his cousin’s sexual assault of the victim. He further admitted that, during the time his cousin was sexually assaulting the victim, both Afzali and his cousin knew, or had reason to know, that the victim was too incapacitated to know what was happening, let alone to consent to having sex with them.
Although the victim had no recollection of the sexual assaults or of being with either Afzali or his cousin that night, DNA analysis showed that both men’s DNA was on swabs taken of the victim’s intimate body parts.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Sexual Assault Unit of the Metropolitan Police Department, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and the District of Columbia Forensic Nurse Examiners. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Michael Ambrosino, Special Counsel for DNA and Forensic Evidence Litigation, and Forensic Operation/Program Specialist Elizabeth Marrero, who assisted with DNA issues; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon Marcus-Kurn, Mark O’Brien, Amy Zubrensky and Sarah McClellan; Paralegal Specialists Brenda C. Williams and Tiffany Jones; Supervisory Victim Witness Service Coordinator Katina Adams-Washington; and Victim/ Witness Advocate Juanita Harris.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Matt Williams and Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
U.S. Navy Officer, His Wife, and Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Military Style Inflatable Boats and Evinrude Military Outboard Motors to ChinaRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez for the Middle District of Florida announces the return of an indictment today of four individuals, including two Chinese nationals, an active-duty United States Navy officer, and his wife, on charges relating to a conspiracy to unlawfully smuggle military-style inflatable boats, with Evinrude MFE military outboard motors, to the People’s Republic of China. The Navy officer and two other defendants have also been charged with conspiring to violate firearms law, and the Navy officer has been charged with an additional firearms-related offense and with making false official statements.
The four defendants charged in the indictment are:
Fan Yang, 34, a naturalized citizen of the United States and Lieutenant in the United States Navy residing in Jacksonville, Florida; Yang Yang, 33, wife of Fan Yang, and a naturalized citizen of the United States residing in Jacksonville, Florida; Ge Songtao, 49, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China; and Zheng Yan, 27, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China.
The defendants were arrested on Oct. 17, 2019, and are currently detained.
All four defendants have been charged with conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently attempt to export articles from the United States. Additionally, Yang Yang, Ge Songtao, and Zheng Yan have been charged with causing the submission of false and misleading information into the U.S. Automated Export System, and fraudulently attempting to export seven vessels and eight engines. If convicted for conspiracy or for the submission of false export information, the charged defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. If convicted on the attempted-smuggling charge, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Fan Yang, Yang Yang, and Ge Songtao are charged with other offenses as well. All three have been charged with conspiring to violate laws prohibiting an alien admitted under a nonimmigrant visa from possessing a firearm and prohibiting the transfer of a firearm to a nonresident. Fan Yang has also been charged with making a false statement to a firearms dealer, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, and with making false official statements in his application for a security clearance, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
U.S. Navy Officer, His Wife, and Two Chinese Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Military-Style Inflatable Boats and Evinrude Military Outboard Motors to ChinaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an
indictment today of four individuals, including two Chinese nationals, an active-duty United States Navy officer, and his wife, on charges relating to a conspiracy to unlawfully smuggle military-style inflatable boats, with Evinrude MFE military outboard motors, to the People’s Republic of China. The Navy officer and two other defendants have also been charged with conspiring to violate firearms law, and the Navy officer has been charged with an additional firearms-related offense and with making false official statements. The four defendants charged in the indictment are:Fan Yang, 34, a naturalized citizen of the United States and Lieutenant in the United States Navy residing in Jacksonville, Florida;
Yang Yang, 33, wife of Fan Yang, and a naturalized citizen of the United States residing in Jacksonville, Florida;
Ge Songtao, 49, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China; and
Zheng Yan, 27, a citizen and resident of the People’s Republic of China.
The defendants were arrested on October 17, 2019, and are currently detained.
All four defendants have been charged with conspiring to submit false export information and to fraudulently attempt to export articles from the United States. Additionally, Yang Yang, Ge Songtao, and Zheng Yan have been charged with causing the submission of false and misleading information into the U.S. Automated Export System, and fraudulently attempting to export seven vessels and eight engines. If convicted for conspiracy or for the submission of false export information, the charged defendants each face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The attempted smuggling charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Fan Yang, Yang Yang, and Ge Songtao are charged with other offenses as well. All three have been charged with conspiring to violate laws prohibiting an alien admitted under a nonimmigrant visa from possessing a firearm and prohibiting the transfer of a firearm to a nonresident. Fan Yang has also been charged with making a false statement to a firearms dealer, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment, and with making false official statements in his application for a security clearance, which carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security; and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Coolican and Heather Schmidt, Senior Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence and Export Section, U.S. Department of Justice.
U.S. Attorney's Office Partners with New Hanover County Senior Resource Center and Wake County Meals on Wheels to Empower Older VeteransRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina promotes the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Elder Justice Initiative (EJI) throughout the New Hanover and Wake County areas. On November 1, 2019, the Eastern District partnered with New Hanover County Senior Resource Center and Wake County Meals on Wheels to initiate outreach to approximately 1,750 seniors to provide facts about Older Veteran elder abuse.
Below are some facts shared with the community about elder abuse of older Veterans:
- Older Veterans may be at risk for elder abuse
- Almost 10 million Veterans are 65 or older. National studies find that older adults are victims of elder abuse annually.
- Family members and caretakers may encourage or force older Veterans to take drugs or drink excessively to make them “easier” to care for or exploit financially.
- Veterans who have poor relationships with their families may not receive adequate care by these family members.
- Veterans who receive Veteran benefits such as VA pension, VA Compensation per VBA, or Aid and Attendance can be at risk for financial abuse.
- Warning Signs by Type of Abuse
- Physical Abuse
- Bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations, or rope marks
- Broken eyeglasses
- Medication overdose or under-utilization of prescribed drugs
- A sudden change in behavior
- Psychological Abuse
- Being emotionally upset, agitated, withdrawn, non-communicative, or non-responsive
- Unusual behavior such as sucking, biting, or rocking
- The caregiver’s refusal to allow visitors to an older Veteran alone
- Apologizing excessively
- Sexual Abuse
- Bruises around the breast or genital area
- Unexplained venereal disease or genital infections
- Showing fear or becoming withdrawn when around a specific person
- Neglect and Abandonment
- Dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bed sores, and poor personal hygiene
- Unattended or untreated health problems
- Unsanitary, unclean, or unsafe living conditions
- The desertion of an older Veteran at a shopping center or other public location
- Financial Abuse
- Unexplained changes in bank accounts or banking practices
- Abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents
- Unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions
- Sudden unexplained transfer of assets
- Physical Abuse
Report Financial Abuse or Fraud of an Older Veteran
- To report the misuse of a Veteran’s VA benefits, call 1-800-488-8244 or email [email protected]
- You may also contact the Veterans Benefits Administration at 1-800-827-1000 or VA Fiduciary Hub at 1-888-407-0144
- For assistance concerning VA Extended Care & Home Care fraud, email [email protected]
The mission of the Elder Justice Initiative is to support and coordinate DOJ’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and scams that target our nation’s seniors by promoting justice for older adults; helping older victims and their families; enhancing state and local efforts through training and resources; and supporting research to improve elder abuse policy and practice.
For more information about DOJ’s efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, please visit the Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. You can also contact the Victim Connect Hotline between 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, at: 1- 855-4VICTIM (1-855-4842846), or contact the Elder Justice Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina at (919) 856-4530.
- Older Veterans may be at risk for elder abuse
U.S. Attorney Brady Announces Record Number of Prosecutions for Western District of PennsylvaniaRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Scott W. Brady, United States Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania, today announced that the number of cases being prosecuted by the district reached an all-time record high in FY 2019.
From October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019, the office filed cases against 665 defendants, an increase of 46% versus 2016. The total number of drug defendants prosecuted reached 309, an 83% increase over 2016. The total number firearms defendants prosecuted was 125, a 19% increase versus 2016. All numbers represent the most defendants prosecuted in any one year in the history of the Western District of Pennsylvania.
"I have made reducing violent crime and attacking the opioid epidemic two of the top priorities for our office, and our efforts are clearly showing results," said U.S. Attorney Brady. "The increase in prosecutions of our district’s most violent offenders and drug traffickers, including those who wear lab coats, is having a direct and positive effect on the declining amount of reported firearms-related violence and deadly opioid overdoses."
According to the FBI Uniform Crime Report, in western Pennsylvania, the 2018 statistics show that firearms-related violence (murders, robberies and assaults committed with a firearm) fell 19% for the 25 counties comprising the Western District of Pennsylvania versus 2017, including a 25% reduction in Allegheny County, a 10% reduction in Erie County, a 39% reduction in Washington County and a 14% reduction in Westmoreland County. Firearms-related violent crime fell 32% in the City of Pittsburgh.
A dramatic decrease in overdose deaths in western Pennsylvania also occurred in 2018. According to data reported by OverdoseFreePA, opioid overdose deaths decreased 37% throughout the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania versus 2017. This includes significant decreases in the counties most impacted by the crisis, including 50% in Beaver and Butler Counties, 47% in Fayette County, 41% in Allegheny County, 37% in Westmoreland County, 35% in Erie County, 30% in Cambria County, and 23% in Washington County.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling Announces Progress in Making Communities Safer Through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – For the second consecutive year, the estimated number of violent crimes nationwide decreased, a credit to the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. The District of Massachusetts has six designated PSN cities, Boston, New Bedford, Brockton, Lawrence, Worcester and Springfield.
According to FBI’s 2018 Crime in the United States Report, the violent crime rate decreased for the second consecutive year, down 3.9% from 2017. The data is a success for PSN, the Justice Department’s evidence-based initiative that brings together a spectrum of stakeholders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and developing comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
“A primary mission of the Department of Justice is to reduce crime and to make our communities safer,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “PSN has made great strides in that effort because it surges law enforcement resources, targets the most violent criminals, and provides necessary funding and support. But it would not be successful without the officers and agents that are on the front lines preventing crime each day.”
“The revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a major success,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “It packs a powerful punch by combining advanced data with local leadership, further reducing violence in communities across the country and improving overall public safety. U.S. Attorneys continue to focus their enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals and work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal police. The Justice Department’s relationships across the board have never been stronger.”
Over the past two years, The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. As we celebrate the two-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions in Massachusetts over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
- A major component of our violent crime strategy has been devoted toward disrupting violent national and transnational gangs, specifically MS-13 and 18th Street. Beginning in 2016, the District of Massachusetts successfully dismantled the east coast leadership of MS-13, culminating in the largest MS-13 case in the nation. The case resulted in the prosecution of dozens of leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in a sprawling racketeering indictment which charged six murders, approximately 20 attempted murders, robberies, drug trafficking and other violent offenses.
- In August 2018, the PSN initiative targeted impact players and repeat offenders responsible for violent acts and firearm related offenses in Boston and Brockton. This federal investigation resulted in 29 individuals charged with federal and state drug, firearms, and counterfeiting offenses.
- In October 2018, a coordinated sweep resulted in the arrest of 35 criminals on federal drug, firearm and immigration offenses, as well as state warrants. This effort targeted impact players and repeat offenders in and around the City of Lawrence, all of whom have prior convictions and those with criminal records who are in the U.S. illegally.
- Operation Devil’s Highway was a 10-week enforcement operation in the summer of 2019 that brought together federal, state, and local partners to focus on drug trafficking activity between the City of Lawrence and destinations in New Hampshire. The operation resulted in charges against 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more defendants facing state charges. In total, the Operation resulted in the seizure of more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl, five kilograms of heroin, 29 kilograms of cocaine, four firearms and body armor.
Improvements to Community Safety
The District of Massachusetts captured and analyzed violent crime data related to homicides, aggravated assaults, and robberies in the six designated PSN cities (Boston, New Bedford, Brockton, Lawrence, Worcester and Springfield) in order to better understand the violent crime problem and potential enforcement and prevention needs. This data, from June 2017 to June 2019, highlights a significant reduction in violent crimes:
- During the relevant period, homicides were reduced by 57% in New Bedford, 50% in Lawrence, 36% in Brockton, 16% in Boston and 5% in Springfield;
- Aggravated assault rates decreased in many of the PSN cities, most notably by 10% in Brockton and by 7% in Lawrence; and
- Similarly, robberies were reduced by 41% in Lawrence, 26% in Worcester, 10% in New Bedford and 8% in Springfield.
To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Two Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two previously deported aliens were indicted separately on October 30, 2019, by a federal grand jury with illegal re-entry into the United States by a previously deported alien. These matters arose in Dauphin and Luzerne Counties.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Jose Antonio Cardona-Rodriguez, age 37, of Honduras, was previously deported from the United States to Honduras in July 2009. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after July 2009, and was found in the United States in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Jose Jimenez-Gutierrez, age 37, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in March 2011. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after March 2011, and was found in the United States in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
The cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joanne M. Sanderson.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Cardona-Rodriguez and Jimenez-Gutierrez face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Two Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Prison for Selling Large Quantities of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Steve Torres, 43, and Uriel Delgado, 37, both of Las Vegas, were sentenced today for selling large quantities of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada announced.
According to court documents, between April and May 2018, Torres arranged and sold a total of 657 grams (approximately 1 ½ pounds) of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. Co-defendants Jose Rosell and Uriel Delgado assisted Torres with two of the five sales. Torres, Delgado, and Rosell, were arrested after the fifth sale. Seventy-nine grams of methamphetamine were found during a later search of Torres’s vehicle and, during the arrest process, Rosell admitted to possessing methamphetamine in his home and consented to its search. A search of Rosell’s home produced 272 grams of methamphetamine, a .380 caliber firearm, and approximately $19,600.
Torres pleaded guilty in July 2019, and was sentenced to 96 months in prison; Delgado pleaded guilty in July 2019, and was sentenced to four years in prison; and Rosell pleaded guilty in December 2018, and was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison Reese and Christopher Lin prosecuted the case.
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Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Five Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
A man pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court to robbing five Tulsa area businesses, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
John Michael McIntosh, 22, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to five counts of obstructing, delaying and affecting commerce by robbery and three counts of carrying, using and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
“Armed and dangerous criminals like John McIntosh threaten the prosperity and safety of our community. Conscientious, hard-working Oklahomans go to work every day to support their families, and they should not have to go to work with the fear of having a gun pointed in their faces,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Through the Justice Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, we prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders, like John McIntosh, so that our neighborhoods and business community can prosper.”
In his plea agreement, McIntosh admitted that he robbed a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Sand Springs on Feb. 17; a Waters Liquor Store in Tulsa on Feb. 19; and a Liquor Mart in Tulsa on Feb. 21. He further admitted to robbing two QuikTrips, located in Tulsa and in Sand Springs, on Feb. 23. In all the robberies, McIntosh threatened employees while brandishing a handgun.
The Sand Springs Police Department, Tulsa Police Department and FBI are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark R. Morgan and Robert T. Raley are prosecuting the case.