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Thursday 12 September 2019
Eleven Defendants Charged in Federal Court with Drug Trafficking, Possession of Firearms, and Money Laundering in Green BayRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger has announced that federal, state, and local law enforcement officers engaged in a significant drug operation in Green Bay and surrounding communities resulting in a federal grand jury returning on September 10, 2019, an eleven-count superseding indictment charging eleven defendants with conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Additionally, the superseding indictment charges some defendants with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking as well as money laundering. Additional defendants face drug charges in Brown County Circuit Court for their involvement in this drug organization. All defendants are residents of Green Bay with exception of Oscar Alonso and James Parkinson (Milwaukee), Hector Gomez-Salas (Oklahoma) and Francisco Martinez (Rochelle, Illinois).
The defendants charged in the superseding indictment are:
Name
Age
Charge
Ruben Ortiz, Jr.
36
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Money Laundering
Alejandro Lopez
37
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime
Francisco Martinez
38
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Hector M. Gomez-Salas
31
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Oscar Alonso
45
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession with intent to Distribute Heroin
Gabiel Y. Bonilla
37
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
Cedric D. Cohen
42
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime
Terry A. Johnson
27
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine; Possession with intent to Distribute Heroin; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Crime
Richard D. Guyette
26
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with intent to Distribute Fentanyl
James H. Parkinson
46
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Possession with intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession with intent to Distribute Heroin
Stephanie M. Ortiz
30
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Money Laundering
As part of this investigation, law enforcement executed numerous arrest warrants and search warrants in June 2019 at various locations in Green Bay. The operation and charges are the culmination of a multi-year investigation that has resulted in the seizure of significant amounts of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, $130,000 in U.S. Currency, vehicles, and at least 14 firearms. One seizure in particular involved approximately 480 grams of fentanyl that was intended to be sold by members of the conspiracy.
If convicted of the conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, the defendants face at least a minimum term of 10 years prison, and up to life. Convictions on the firearms and money laundering counts would expose the defendants to additional terms of incarceration.
The investigation was led by the following law enforcement groups: Brown County Drug Task Force, Green Bay Police Department, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Menominee Tribal Police Department, Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Drug Unit, Oneida Police Department, Wausau Police Department, Native American Drug and Gang Initiative Task Force, Brown County District Attorney’s Office, Outagamie County District Attorney’s Office, Manitowoc County District Attorney’s Office, Wisconsin Attorney General’s Office, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Revenue, Wisconsin State Patrol, Wisconsin National Guard Counter Drug Program, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). The case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William Roach.
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Eight Defendants Arrested for Distributing Millions of Opioid Pills Imported from IndiaRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a complaint was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging eight defendants, Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss, Harpreet Singh, Parthiban Narayanasamy, Baljeet Singh, Deepak Manchanda, Gulab Gulab, Mukul Chugh and Vikas M. Verma with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance containing Tramadol, a synthetic opioid. The defendants were arrested this morning, and their initial appearances are scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Mark McCormack, Special Agent-in-Charge, Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office (FDA-OCI); Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office (FBI); Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS); John Eisert, Special Agent-in-Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Baltimore Field Office; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent-in-Charge, HSI, New York Field Office; Troy Miller, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office (CBP); and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office (DEA), announced the charges.
Since approximately January 2018, law enforcement agents with FDA-OCI, USPIS, HSI, CBP, DEA, FBI and other agencies have been investigating the large-scale importation of misbranded controlled substances, including Tramadol, into the United States from India. As part of the defendants’ scheme, distributors in India shipped misbranded Tramadol and other drugs to individuals and entities in the United States through the U.S. mail and other commercial couriers. The defendants primarily operated out of a warehouse in Queens where they repackaged the pills and mailed them to customers throughout the United States. The defendants maintained daily ledgers detailing the names, addresses, pill size and pill amounts ordered by customers. During the course of the investigation, the defendants distributed millions of Tramadol pills.
Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss is also charged with money laundering.
“As alleged, the defendants participated in a black market for prescription medications by distributing millions of opioid pills in tens of thousands of transactions in one year alone,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who profit from the suffering wrought by opioid distribution in the United States.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his appreciation to the United States Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Maryland, the District of Massachusetts and the Southern District of Ohio for their assistance in the case.
“The illegal manufacture and distribution of opioids can result in overdoses and deaths, further fueling the national crisis,” stated FDA Special Agent-in-Charge McCormack. “The FDA is committed to disrupting and dismantling illegal prescription drug distribution networks, including those that import unapproved drugs from overseas, and distribute those drugs with reckless disregard of the risk to public health.”
“The importation of mislabeled drugs is both dangerous and illegal,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Wickerham. “It contributes to the ongoing opioid crisis in our nation and causes harm to our communities.”
“Postal Inspectors are always at the forefront in protecting communities from the scourge of illegal drugs, no matter how they enter this country, and today’s arrests are a shining example of our commitment to keep the public safe,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Bartlett.
“These individuals chose greed and profit at the cost of human lives. HSI is committed to investigating and ending these kinds of drug trafficking schemes to keep opioids off our streets,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Eisert.
“American communities continue to be plagued by synthetic opioids, often at the hands of dealers like those accused in this investigation,” stated HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Fitzhugh. “HSI is committed to aggressively targeting every level of the opioid supply chain, from the overseas vendors to the street-level dealers, in an effort to end this crisis.”
“This case serves as a great example of collaborative law enforcement efforts to combat international opioid trafficking conspirators. U.S. Customs and Border Protection thanks our partners at FBI, FDA, USPIS, HSI and DEA for their continued cooperation,” stated CBP Director of Field Operations Miller.
“DEA is addressing the threat of opioids, both internationally and domestically. We prioritize our resources by identifying and targeting the world’s biggest and most powerful drug traffickers and their organizations,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Boyle. “The diversion of prescription pain killers contribute to the widespread abuse of opioids which is a gateway to addiction and is devastating our communities. DEA will continue to collaborate with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who are fueling this epidemic.”
The charges in the complaint are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Ezhil Sezhian Kamaldoss faces up to 25 years’ imprisonment. The remaining defendants each face up to five years’ imprisonment.
First Assistant United States Attorney Mark Lesko and Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow, Temidayo Aganga-Williams and Andrew D. Grubin are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Karin Orenstein of the Office’s Civil Division is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendants:
MUKUL CHUGH
Age: 24
Long Island City, New YorkGULAB GULAB
Age: 45
Richmond Hill, New YorkEZHIL SEZHIAN KAMALDOSS (also known as Kamaldoss Sezhian,” “Kamal Doss” and “Ezhil Cezhian”)
Age: 46
Richmond Hill, New YorkDEEPAK MANCHANDA
Age: 43
Deer Park, New YorkPARTHIBAN NARAYANASAMY (also known as “Pat”)
Age: 58
Jamaica, New YorkBALJEET SINGH (also known as “Sunny”)
Age: 29
Richmond Hill, New YorkHARPREET SINGH (also known as “Vicky Singh”)
Age: 28
Plainview, New YorkVIKAS M. VERMA
Age: 45
Dix Hills, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-MJ-793 (RLM)
Dominican Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Jose Oriol Feliz Aybar, 31, of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced to 24 months for participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendant distributed quantities of fentanyl in Lawrence, Massachusetts with Leudin Arismendi Lara (also known as Rolando Sierra-Oyola). On three occasions in 2016, the defendant sold fentanyl to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement officers and who purported to be a New Hampshire-based drug trafficker.
Lara previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve 91 months in prison.
Aybar previously pleaded guilty on May 29, 2019. Aybar was extradited from the Dominican Republic to face the charges in this case. He faces likely deportation to the Dominican Republic after serving his sentence.
“The deadly effects of interstate fentanyl trafficking are felt each day in the Granite State,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This case demonstrates that drug dealers cannot flee the United States to avoid prosecution. In order to stop the flow of this dangerous drug into New Hampshire, we will continue to pursue traffickers and seek federal prison sentences upon their conviction.”
“New Hampshire is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those, like Mr. Aybar, who are contributing to the crisis. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, Tactical Diversion Unit, Portsmouth, New Hampshire; the New Hampshire State Police, the Portsmouth, New Hampshire Police Department, the Exeter, New Hampshire Police Department, the Andover, Massachusetts Police Department, the Wilmington, Massachusetts Police Department, and the Lawrence, Massachusetts Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Seth Aframe prosecuted the case.
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Discrimination Complaints Based on National Origin ResolvedRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The United States Attorney’s Office and the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights (RICHR) today announced they have jointly resolved investigations into complaints that the Cranston Portuguese Club engaged in a pattern or practice of illegal discrimination against people of Cambodian ancestry. The investigations addressed allegations the Cranston Portuguese Club violated Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Rhode Island General Law § 11-24-1, et seq.
Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination because on race, color, religion, or national origin in certain places of public accommodation, such as hotels, restaurants, and places of entertainment. Under Title II, the Department of Justice can obtain injunctive relief that changes policies and practices to remedy customer discrimination.
Information was brought to the attention of the United States Attorney’s Office and RICHR that, prior to 2017, the Cranston Portuguese Club had a policy and practice of asking first-time patrons if they were of Cambodian descent. If the patron indicated that he or she was Cambodian, the Club contacted the Cranston Police Department to inquire about detail officers for the event. If the Police Department dispatched detail officers to the event, the Club imposed the charges for the detail officers on the patron.
The Club maintained that its practice of requiring a police detail was based on what it understood to be direction from the Police Department dating to the 1990’s. The investigation concluded that individuals of Cambodian ancestry were required by the Club to pay for detail officers for their weddings, birthday parties, and graduation celebrations. The Club did not follow this policy or practice for patrons who were not of Cambodian ancestry.
Pursuant to a Settlement Agreement, the Cranston Portuguese Club will establish a victim fund to compensate aggrieved persons from December 10, 2005, pursuant to R.I.G.L. §§ 11-24-4, 28-5-24; post a framed apology to the Rhode Island Cambodian community; and provide training for all officers and members. Members of the Cambodian community who incurred charges for detail officers for events held at the Cranston Portuguese Social Club from December 10, 2005 to the present, should contact RICHR at 401-222-4477.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman commented, “Discrimination against an individual or group based on their national origin, as was the case here, is simply wrong and against the law. This Office, both independently and working with partners such as the Rhode Island Commission on Human Rights, is committed to addressing claims of discrimination in our communities.”
Michael Evora, Executive Director of RICHR added, “The Commission was pleased to work with the United States Attorney’s Office on this important matter of discrimination, and we look forward to combining our efforts in the future should the occasion to do so arise.”
At the request of the Cranston Police Department, the Department of Justice also provided technical assistance to the Cranston Police Department regarding their detail policy and obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act to ensure that those policies are current and compliant with Title VI.
The matter was litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy R. Romero and RICHR staff attorney Francis A. Gaschen.
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Detroit man admits to 29 drug chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sean Bernard Williams, of Detroit, Michigan, has admitted to his role in a major drug distribution operation that spanned two states, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Williams, also known as “Spook,” age 46, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Oxycodone,” 22 counts of “Distribution of Oxycodone,” five counts of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Oxycodone,” and one count of “Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Williams admitted to distributing the drugs from 2013 to 2017 in Monongalia County and elsewhere.
Williams faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each of the counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug and Violent Crime Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the investigation. The Task Force consists of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office, Morgantown Police Department, the Star City Police Department, the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia University Police Department, the Granville Police Department, and the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Coosa County Escapee Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison after Pleading Guilty to Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, AL – Today, Shane Anthony Vernon, 29, from Kellyton, Alabama was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges following his escape from jail in 2017, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. Following his prison sentence, he will subject to five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
The federal charges in this case stemmed from Vernon’s conduct in Elmore County on November 20, 2017. Court records indicate that following his escape from a Coosa County jail on November 19, 2017, Vernon eventually made his way to Elmore County where he stole two vehicles from the owners at gunpoint. When stealing the second vehicle, he forced the owner to ride with him. Ultimately, they traveled to Georgia, near Atlanta, and Vernon released the owner of the vehicle and fled. The following day, law enforcement in DeKalb County Georgia responded to a suspicious person call at an apartment complex where they found Vernon and he was apprehended.
The 15-year federal sentence will run consecutive, or back-to-back, to any prison time he will serve on related state charges.
U.S. Attorney Franklin would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance with this case: the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Wendell prosecuted this case.
Columbia Man Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Travis Jay Hall, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
Hall, who pleaded guilty on June 5, 2019, was arrested in the parking lot of the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel on April 17, 2019. Hall was in possession of 467 grams of methamphetamine as well as drug paraphernalia. Law enforcement officers searched his hotel room and found 16 grams of methamphetamine, prescription pills, and additional drug paraphernalia.
According to court records, Hall told officers he had been selling methamphetamine since his release from prison in August 2018. Hall also told officers that over the previous month he had purchased one pound of methamphetamine per week for $5,000 in Kansas City, Mo., and personally redistributed that methamphetamine in the Columbia area.
Hall has nine prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, as well as prior felony convictions for possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to deliver or sell, possession of a firearm while an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and endangering the welfare of a child. Hall was on probation at the time of his arrest in this case.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Columbia Man Sentenced for Illegal Firearm, Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm and methamphetamine to distribute.
Elfonta Arnaz Stevens, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to seven years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On June 5, 2019, Stevens pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Detectives with the Columbia Police Department located Stevens in the parking lot of Eagle Stop gas station on North Providence Road on May 2, 2018, after receiving a report that he was in possession of a firearm. The detectives placed Stevens in handcuffs to frisk him for weapons. During their frisk, a detective found a Hi-Point .380-caliber handgun in Stevens’s right front pocket, two baggies that contained a total of six grams of methamphetamine (one of the baggies contained five smaller baggies of methamphetamine) in his sock, and $263.
Stevens has 10 prior felony convictions, including three prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance, three prior felony convictions for resisting arrest, and prior felony convictions for stealing, property damage, tampering, and domestic assault. Stevens has also been convicted of 40 misdemeanor offenses, including resisting arrest, assault of a law enforcement officer, domestic assault, assault, harassment, trespassing, stealing, possession of marijuana, and many traffic-related offenses.
According to court records, for example, Stevens assaulted a woman he was living with by threatening to kill her, throwing a bottle of hydrogen peroxide at her, punching her in the face, choking her until she could no longer breathe and fell to the ground, and ripping the phone from the wall to prevent her from calling for help. He also assaulted another woman by grabbing the steering wheel of the car they were riding in and trying to pull it to one side, grabbing the woman by the hair on the back of her head and forcing her face towards his exposed penis, urinating in her face and ripping her weave out of her head when she attempted to escape.
Stevens was partially paralyzed from the waist down as a result of a gunshot wound he sustained in 1994 at the hands of his then-girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend. As a result, he has been wheelchair dependent. Most of his criminal conduct occurred following his disability.
Stevens admitted that he developed a daily habit of using methamphetamine three years ago, according to court records, and that he was using methamphetamine daily until he was arrested in this case.
This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron M. Jolly. It was investigated by the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Clinton Woman Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Acquire a Firearm by FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Yolunda Shaunderes Walker, 36, of Clinton, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Tom Lee to attempting to purchase a firearm by making false statements on a federal background check form, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Kurt Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On June 6, 2019, Walker attempted to purchase a 9mm pistol from a pawn shop in Jackson by completing ATF Form 4473, a federal background check form required for all firearms purchases from firearms dealers. On the form, Walker falsely stated that she was not a habitual user of controlled substances.
In, 2017, Walker was charged with possession of marijuana after calling the Clinton Police Department to report that she was holding burglars at gunpoint in her home. Officers investigated and determined there were no burglars in the home and no evidence that a burglary had taken place. The officers found marijuana and a firearm in the home. There were also bullet holes inside the home where it was apparent that Walker had discharged her firearm several times inside the residence. Walker was interviewed by an officer and admitted that she smoke marijuana almost daily. As a habitual user of controlled substances, Walker is legally prohibited from purchasing a firearm.
Walker will be sentenced by Judge Lee on December 12, 2019, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
Clinton Man Pleads Guilty Under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jeremie Markell Torrey, 29, of Clinton, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Tom Lee to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
On June 1, 2018, Torrey was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Jackson Police Department officers. When the officer spoke with the driver, he smelled marijuana in the vehicle. Marijuana was found in the vehicle, along with baggies for packaging and a digital scale.
Torrey was sitting in the back seat of the car, and a Glock pistol was found on the rear passenger armrest just next to where he was sitting. A Smith & Wesson pistol was also found under the front passenger side seat where another passenger, Clifton Horton, was sitting.
During interviews by the FBI, Torrey admitted to possessing the Glock pistol and Horton admitted to possessing the Smith & Wesson pistol. Both Torrey and Horton are convicted felons and it is illegal for them to possess firearms. Horton is being prosecuted in a separate criminal case by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Torrey will be sentenced on December 12, 2019, by Judge Lee, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles W. Kirkham.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions 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.
City Honors Teacher Arrested on Sexual Exploitation and Child Pornography ChargesRead 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 Peter Hingston, 59, of Amherst, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with attempted sexual exploitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and possession of material that contained an image of child pornography. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo, who is handling the case, stated that in June 2019, the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned the Buffalo Police Department was investigating an incident related to the possible production of child pornography involving Peter Hingston, a City Honors school teacher. The report alleged that Hingston, a middle school technology teacher was observed using a GoPro camera to photograph or record female students in a sexually inappropriate way.
Multiple students came forward regarding Hingston’s use of the GoPro during class. An examination of the defendant’s GoPro camera revealed numerous videos of Hingston exposing himself and using the minor victims in a sexually explicit manner.
“For the second time in two weeks, we are charging a Buffalo school teacher with a very disturbing crime,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “As parents, we trust that teachers will help to educate and shape our children. Where teachers violate that trust and seek to exploit our children to satisfy their own twisted desires, this Office, together with our partners in law enforcement, will do everything that we can to remove such predators. I want to commend the students at City Honors who had the courage and maturity to say something when they saw something.”
“The Hingston investigation reminds us to continue empowering our children to speak up and share what they see,” said Gary Loeffert, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI's Buffalo office. “The criminal complaint describes student witnesses expressing valid concerns about Hingston's unusual behaviors in the classroom. The school in turn reported his actions to the Buffalo Police Department, and Buffalo Police reached out to the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. The students' voices are the reason Hingston is not teaching middle school students right now in a Buffalo public school classroom.”
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Roemer and was detained.
Members of the public who have information related to this case or feel they may have been victimized by Hingston are asked to call the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 716-843-1616 and leave a message and telephone number. A member of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force will contact them during normal business hours.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Town of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief James P. Stauffiger.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Chelsea Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea man was sentenced on September 10, 2019, in federal court in Boston to six years in prison for drug trafficking.
Andres Perez, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to six years in prison and three years of supervised release during which time Perez is prohibited from associating with members of the East Side Money Gang.
In December 2017, Perez was indicted along with Cesar Alicea, also of Chelsea, who was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The government alleged that both men were members of the East Side Money Gang.
On Oct. 31, 2017, police officers observed a suspected drug deal from a car and then stopped the car, which was driven by Perez, with Alicea in the passenger seat. Police removed Perez from the car and pat-frisked him. At the same time, Alicea fled from the car and threw an item, which was recovered and determined to be a .25 caliber Raven Arms pistol. Police later recovered crack cocaine from the car and found Perez in possession of heroin.
Alicea pleaded guilty and was sentenced in January 2019 to 48 months in prison.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran and Michael Crowley of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Centre County Man Pleads Guilty in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Bellefonte, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute heroin, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Charles Jones, age 26, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting the GBK street gang and drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh. The wiretap investigation revealed that from in and around November 2017 through in and around June 2018, Charles Jones and his co-conspirators conspired to distribute quantities of heroin.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for February 19, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s detention.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Yvonne M. Saadi are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration jointly led the multi-agency investigation, which also included the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Robinson Township Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, and the McKees Rocks Police Department, that led to the prosecution of Charles Jones.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Brothers Sentenced for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced DUSTIN DINET, age 32, of New Orleans, and STEVEN DINET, age 44, of Jonesboro, Arkansas, who are brothers, for conspiring to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin on Wednesday, September 11, 2019.
The DINETs had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring together to deal crack cocaine and heroin. The DINETs acknowledged making three sales of an ounce of crack each to an undercover source. They also admitted that approximately ¼ kilogram of heroin and $78,000 discovered during the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Marrero belonged to them. DUSTIN DINET, who qualified as a Career Criminal because of prior drug trafficking convictions, was sentenced to 188 months in prison and 4 years of supervised release. STEVEN DINET was ordered to serve 37 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Haller is in charge of the prosecution.
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Braxton County man admits to drug distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Lee Frederick, of Duck, West Virginia, has admitted to drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Frederick, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Methamphetamine Within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Frederick admitted to selling methamphetamine near Gilmer County High School in September 2018.
Frederick faces not less than one and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Lakes Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Beckley Man Sentenced on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Beckley man was sentenced on federal drug and gun charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Derrick Mitchell, 30, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for distribution of heroin and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Beckley/Raleigh County Drug Task Force.
“A deadly combination,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Mitchell was selling firearms in addition to trafficking powerful and dangerous drugs. With Mitchell off to federal prison, Raleigh County is no doubt a safer place to live.”
Previously, Mitchell admitted that on December 12, 2017, he sold what he believed to be heroin, but in fact turned out to be a mix of heroin and fentanyl, to a confidential informant working with the ATF. The drugs sold on that date were tested by the Drug Enforcement Administration and confirmed to contain heroin and fentanyl. Mitchell also admitted that on January 9, 2018, he sold two firearms, a Taurus, model PT111, Millennium G2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a German, model Makarov MP, 9 X 18mm caliber pistol, to a confidential informant who was again working with the ATF. This transaction was audio and video recorded. At the time Mitchell sold the firearms, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm under federal law because of a 2015 drug-related felony conviction in Raleigh County, West Virginia. Mitchell further admitted to selling cocaine and “crack” cocaine on four other occasions. During one of those occasions, Mitchell also sold another firearm knowing that he was prohibited from possessing any firearms. On January 24, 2018, officers executed a search warrant at Mitchell’s residence and located additional firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
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Bear Poachers Banned from Hunting and Banned from the Cherokee National ForestRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On September 4, 2019, Keith Bernard McJunkin, 59, of Tellico Plains, Tennessee, and Levi Zachary Wilson, 31, of Tellico Plains, Tennessee, were found guilty by the Honorable H. Bruce Guyton, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge, of baiting bears inside the Cherokee National Forest. Each defendant was sentenced to 2 years of probation and banned from hunting anywhere or entering any national forest for a period of 2 years. Keith McJunkin was also ordered to pay $1,600 in fines, and Levi Wilson was ordered to pay $1,100 in fines.
Keith McJunkin and Levi Wilson were two members of a group of hunters from Tellico Plains, Tennessee, who baited and trapped bears inside the Cherokee National Forest in July and August of 2018. Terry Worth McJunkin, 37, Joseph Don Taylor, 38, and Derrick F. Cathey, 32, each previously pleaded guilty to hunting bear over bait. Terry McJunkin was sentenced to 5 years of probation with a 5-year hunting ban and 5-year national-forest ban and ordered to pay $4,000 in fines. Joseph Taylor and Derrick Cathey were each sentenced to 2 years of probation with a 1-year hunting ban and 1-year national-forest ban. Joseph Taylor was also ordered to pay $3,000 in fines and $250 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service. Derrick Cathey was ordered to pay $250 in fines.
The investigation of the illegal bear poaching was jointly conducted by officers from the U.S. Forest Service and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. McLaurin represented the United States.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Corey F. Ellis as Acting Director of the Executive Office for U.S. AttorneysRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today announced that Corey F. Ellis has been named Acting Director of the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA). Ellis is filling the position that has been held since December 2017 by James A. Crowell IV, who was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a judge on the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
“Jim Crowell has provided exemplary leadership to EOUSA and the United States Attorneys’ community,” said Attorney General Barr. “Jim’s commitment to ensuring justice is served for everyone has been the hallmark of his distinguished career. The Department’s loss is very much the Judiciary’s gain.”
Prior to this appointment, which will be effective September 16, Ellis served in several positions in the Office of the Deputy Attorney General, including Chief of Staff to Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. Before joining the Deputy Attorney General's office, Ellis was the First Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina, where he began as an Assistant United States Attorney in 2005. During his tenure in the United States Attorney’s Office, Mr. Ellis handled a range of cases including organized crime, computer hacking and intellectual property, international money laundering, public corruption, violent crimes, financial fraud and capital crime cases.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Corey in his new role as Director of EOUSA,” said Attorney General Barr. “As a career prosecutor with a stellar record, he brings a wealth of experience and knowledge about the United States Attorneys’ community to the job, and I am confident he will help continue to build upon our many successes in enforcing the rule of law, deterring crime, and bringing criminals to justice.”
Allen County Receives High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) DesignationRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II and High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Director Chuck Porucznik announce the addition of Allen County to the Indiana HIDTA.
Created by Congress in 1988, the HIDTA task force program, which is under the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), creates a mechanism for coordination of federal, state, local and tribal resources to combat drug trafficking in designated regions of the country.
The HIDTA designation for Allen County will allow access to federal resources to combat drug distribution and increase enforcement efforts. Law enforcement agencies will now access drug trafficking issues and create Allen County specific initiatives that will laser focus on outcomes and performance. HIDTA provides unprecedented national connectivity to access drug threats and trends throughout the country.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “I am pleased that we are able to expand the footprint of the Indiana HIDTA to Allen County. The HIDTA program is a tremendous asset to Indiana to reduce drug distribution networks grip on the area therefore reducing other violent crimes like gang/cartel violence and gun offenses.”
HIDTA Director Chuck Porucznik said, “The addition of Allen County to the Indiana HIDTA allows 5 counties in the more populated areas of the state to gain focused attention and federal resources to reduce drug related activity and violence. The goal of the HIDTA program is simple, disrupt the market for illegal drugs by dismantling and disrupting drug trafficking and money laundering organizations through law enforcement coordination.”
Allen County Sheriff David J. Gladieux said, “Allen County receiving the HIDTA designation is a giant step forward in the battle against illegal narcotics distribution. The federal resources available because of this designation, will prove invaluable not just to law enforcement, but to all of the citizens that live and work in Allen County. The collaborative effort that this designation brings to the table, by allowing Allen County to join forces and share federal resources with 4 other HIDTA designated counties, will undoubtedly produce significant results in the war on illegal narcotics.”
Fort Wayne Police Chief Steve Reed said, “We already have a great relationship with various federal agencies and have worked closely with each agency to combat drugs within our community. We look forward to enhancing that relationship with our inclusion in the HIDTA program. Allen County is grateful for the opportunity to continue this important work and look forward to gaining valuable resources to enhance this effort.”
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Alien Indicted on Illegal Reentry ChargeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Greenville has returned an indictment charging JESUS GARCIA-HERNANDEZ, age 43, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien subsequent to a Felony Conviction.
GARCIA-HERNANDEZ, previously deported three times and found in Franklin County, is alleged to have been previously deported subsequent to a felony conviction for illegal reentry of a deported alien in the Eastern District of North Carolina. Therefore, if convicted, GARCIA-HERNANDEZ would face a maximum imprisonment term of 10 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Wednesday 11 September 2019
Woodstock Man Who Posed as Deceased Sister to Steal VA Benefits Sentenced to 6 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN DEPPERT, 64, of Woodstock, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to six months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for stealing benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the “VA”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Deppert’s sister received disability compensation benefits from the VA through a direct deposit to her bank account. After Deppert’s sister died in January 2015, Deppert had access to her sister’s bank account, which continued to receive regular deposits of VA benefits.
In September 2017, the VA identified that Deppert’s sister had died and terminated the benefits payments. In October 2017, Deppert called the VA and, posing as his sister, explained that “she” was not deceased. As a result, the VA reinitiated the benefits payments to the bank account, and also issued a back payment of benefits.
In April 2018, after the VA again identified that Deppert’s sister had died, a VA employee contacted the telephone number it had for Deppert’s sister. Deppert, again posing as his sister, answered the call, provided his sister’s date of birth and social security number, and stated that “she” was alive.
In May 2018, Deppert, posing as his sister, left a message on a VA employee’s voicemail system requesting that all future contact be by fax or email. He subsequently sent a fax with a change of address form attached to the VA. The coversheet for the fax stated: “I am alive and living in Woodstock Valley, CT!” Deppert signed his sister’s name on the coversheet.
Through this scheme, Deppert stole $77,292. Judge Bryant ordered Deppert to pay full restitution.
On April 4, 2019, Deppert pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property.
Deppert, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on October 23.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.
West Hamlin Man Pleads Guilty to Making High School Bomb Threat Through Snap ChatRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A West Hamlin man pled guilty to using Snap Chat to make a bomb threat directed at local high school, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. William Lee McCallister, also known as Kreekchub, 24, pled guilty to Threatening and Conveying False Information Concerning the Use of an Explosive Device.
“We don’t tolerate threats to our schools,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Hoax threats are serious federal crimes. They are not a joke. We take every single one seriously, will investigate them thoroughly and prosecute perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law. Hoax threats waste valuable law enforcement resources and disrupt school systems. Think before you post and, if you make a threat to our schools or public safety, you’ll be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
McCallister admitted that he made bomb threat directed at Lincoln County High School on Snap Chat stating he would plant a bomb at the high school via a four-wheeler trail behind the school with the intent to detonate the bomb on January 3, 2019.
McCallister faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on December 11, 2019.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the West Virginia State Police conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.
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Vermont Man Sentenced to Two Months for Procuring Naturalization Contrary to LawRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Hussien Noor Hussien, 56, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge George Z. Singal to two months in prison and three years of supervised release for impersonating another in a naturalization proceeding, procuring naturalization contrary to law and making a false statement on a passport application. In addition, the Court entered an order revoking Hussien’s citizenship, which the law requires when a person is convicted for procuring naturalization contrary to law. Hussien was convicted in April, following a three-day jury trial.
Court records and trial evidence revealed that in 2004, Hussien entered the United States as a refugee under the name Abukar Hassan Abdule. He entered with the wife and children of the true Abukar Hassan Abdule. In 2011, he applied for U.S. citizenship under the same name. He affirmed on his citizenship application and during an in-person citizenship interview in South Portland, Maine, that his name was Abukar Hassan Abdule. He ultimately was naturalized under the same name. After becoming a U.S. citizen, he applied for a U.S. passport under the name Abukar Hassan Abdule. In 2013, he filed in Vermont state court to legally change his name in the U.S. from Abukar Hassan Abdule to Hussien Noor Hussien, the name he was given at birth.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.
U.S. Attorney’s Office remembers 9/11Read the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS - United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler remembers September 11, 2001. On that fateful day, 18 years ago today, nearly 3000 lives were lost due to a terrorist attack on American soil. Many lives were changed forever on that day, and all of us were personally touched by these horrific events.
“First responders accept the call of duty every day, without hesitation, charging head first into often harrowing and unknown circumstances,” said Minkler. “This day was no different. I applaud the bravery of these men and women. I am grateful to them for their immediate response and thank them for their service.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office proudly stands with the men and women of law enforcement, the U.S. military and all other first responders, who tragically lost their lives during the events of that day, and following their participation in the massive cleanup project of the twin towers. We stand united; we honor the courage and the heroism displayed by these individuals on that day, and in the many months following the attack.
In the shadow of this tragedy, we grieved as a nation, but we also became united, patriotic and we celebrated our great nation, together. We continue to honor the men and women that were the heroes of that day. We will never forget.
Trenton Man Admits to Participating in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Trenton man today admitted his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that allegedly distributed more than one kilogram of heroin in Trenton and the surrounding area, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Omar Council, a/k/a “Stacks,” a/k/a “O,” a/k/a “Y-O,” a/k/a “Snow,” 40, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton federal court to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:
In October 2018, Council and 25 other members of a drug trafficking conspiracy operating in Trenton were charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute heroin. Council is the 18th defendant to plead guilty. On Aug. 8, 2019, a grand jury returned a 15-count second superseding indictment charging Council and eight other defendants – Jerome Roberts, a/k/a “Righteous,” a/k/a “Lee”; David Antonio, a/k/a “Papi,” a/k/a “Pop,” a/k/a “Victor Arias,” a/k/a “Santiago Ramirez”; Brian Phelps, a/k/a “B-Money,” a/k/a “B”; Timothy Wimbush, a/k/a “Young Money”; Taquan Williams, a/k/a “Trip”; Jubri West; Dennis Cheston, Jr., a/k/a “Beans”; and Wayne K. Bush – with various crimes relating to the drug-trafficking conspiracy, including firearms charges against Phelps, Wimbush, Williams, West, and Cheston.
From as early as October 2017 to October 2018, the defendants and others engaged in a narcotics distribution conspiracy that operated in the areas of Martin Luther King Boulevard, Sanford Street, Middle Rose Street, Southard Street, Hoffman Avenue, and Coolidge Avenue in Trenton. Through the interception of telephone calls and text messages pursuant to court-authorized wiretap orders – including over a cellular telephone used by Council – controlled purchases of heroin from Council and others, the use of confidential sources of information, and other investigative techniques, law enforcement learned that Council was a significant drug distributor in and around Trenton and the surrounding area. The investigation also revealed that Council maintained close relationships with other conspirators, including Jakir Taylor, who obtained regular supplies of hundreds of “bricks” of heroin from David Antonio, whom they referred to as “Papi.” Council obtained supplies of heroin directly from Taylor and others (including supplies of heroin originating from Antonio), and regularly redistributed that heroin to others in and around Trenton.
The drug conspiracy count to which Council pleaded guilty carries a statutory mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a maximum fine of $5 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 10, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie; special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Newark Division, Trenton Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charlie J. Patterson; officers of the Trenton Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Sheila A. Coley; officers of the Princeton Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Nicholas Sutter; officers of the Ewing Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John P. Stemler III; officers of the Burlington Township Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Bruce Painter; and detectives of the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Scott A. Coffina, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked officers of the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Col. Patrick J. Callahan; detectives of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Angelo J. Onofri; officers of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John A. Kemler; and members of the N.J. State Board of Parole for their assistance in the case..
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Brendan Day and Alexander Ramey of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Trenton.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the FBI’s Greater Trenton Safe Streets Task Force, a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to enhance the identification, apprehension, and prosecution of individuals involved in gang-related activities, violent crime, and drug distribution in and around the greater Trenton area. 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.
The charges and allegations against the remaining defendants are merely accusations and those defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense Counsel: Mark W. Catanzaro Esq., Mount Holly, New Jersey
Traveling Bandit Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for National Bank Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Jason Lee Robinson, 40, of Pikesville, Kentucky, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno to 188 months in prison, after previously pleading guilty to committing a string of bank robberies across the country (Case Nos. 19CR20423, 19CR20477, 19CR20478, 19CR20484, 19CR20520, and 19cr20543).
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) made the announcement.
According to court documents, Robinson’s bank robbery spree began in South Florida on December 28, 2018, roughly one month after he was released from federal prison following a 2013 conviction for bank robbery. On December 28, 2018, Robinson robbed a Capital Bank in Aventura, Florida of approximately $1,900. On January 2, 2019, he robbed a SunTrust Bank in Arden, North Carolina of approximately $3,040. On January 4, 2019, he robbed a Mountain Commerce Bank in Johnson City, Tennessee of approximately $4,300. On January 8, 2019, he robbed a U.S. Bank in Mount Juliet, Tennessee of approximately $3,990. On January 10, 2019, he robbed a Trustmark Bank in Prattville, Alabama of approximately $6,560. On January 14, 2019, he robbed a Fifth Third Bank in Mount Vernon, Illinois of approximately $1,950. On January 17, 2019, he robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Price Branch, Utah of approximately $2,269.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI in this matter. She thanked the FBI’s Field Offices in Charlotte, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Memphis, Tennessee; Mobile, Alabama; Springfield, Illinois; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado and Louisville, Kentucky, for their assistance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa H. Miller and Michael B. Homer in the Southern District of Florida.
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.
Three Individuals Plead Guilty to Participating in Drug-Related RobberyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RON CHRISTOPHER SPEAR-ZULETA, also known as “Chris,” 46, of Woodbridge; ANINHA SPEAR-ZULETA, 32, of Woodbridge, and MARITZA TORRES, also known as “Lisy,” 35, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to offenses stemming from a drug-related robbery.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Chris Spear-Zuleta, his wife, Aninha Spear-Zuleta, and Torres robbed an associate of Chris Spear-Zuleta, who Chris Spear-Zuleta claimed owed him money in relation to narcotics transactions. On November 28, 2017, Aninha Spear-Zuleta lured the associate’s girlfriend to the Spear-Zuleta’s Woodbridge residence, where Chris Spear-Zuleta physically assaulted the girlfriend. At Chris Spear-Zuleta’s instruction, Aninha Spear-Zuleta and Torres then transported the girlfriend to a residence she shared with the associate in Milford, where Aninha Spear-Zuleta and Torres stole several items, including cash, a firearm and several items of expensive clothing.
Chris Spear-Zuleta and Aninha Spear-Zuleta each pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. They are scheduled to be sentenced on December 4 and December 6, respectively
Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. She is scheduled to be sentenced on December 12.
Chris Spear-Zuleta has been detained since his arrest on December 22, 2018. Aninha Spear-Zuleta and Torres are released on bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and Woodbridge Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Leonard C. Boyle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo.
Tampa Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced Arnold Gerard Nelson, Jr. (33, Tampa) to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison and James Thomas Lang, III (33, Tampa) to 11years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute at least100 grams of heroin and fentanyl. As part of the sentence, the court also entered a money judgment against Lang for $19,350, and a money judgment against Nelson for $25,200, the proceeds of the conspiracy. Nelson and Lang had previously pleaded guilty to the offense.
According to court documents, from January 23 through October 30, 2018, Nelson and Lang conspired to sell substances containing heroin and fentanyl, and engaged in a series of transactions with an undercover officer (UC) and a confidential informant (CI). On January 23, 2018, Nelson and two other individuals met with the UC and CI at a residence in New Port Richey. During this meeting, Nelson sold the UC more than 28 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl. Nelson said he had a source for heroin, and needed help moving the product.
On April 5, 2019, Nelson and the CI arranged to meet again to conduct another narcotics transaction. On this occasion, Nelson and Lang met with the UC and CI at the residence in New Port Richey, and sold the UC more than 55 grams of a substance containing heroin and fentanyl.
Nelson and Lang met with the UC and CI again at the same residence on April 19 and May 10, 2018, and sold heroin to the UC. On both occasions, they sold approximately 57 grams of heroin and, during the May 10 transaction, they also sold approximately 23 grams of tablets purported to contain the drug ecstasy (MDMA). According to laboratory analysis, the tablets actually contained methamphetamine.
On June 14, 2018, Nelson and Lang met the UC and CI at a restaurant in Tampa and sold the UC approximately 54 grams of heroin. After this transaction, Lang continued to communicate with the UC about possible narcotics and firearms sales. Lang met with the UC four additional times between July 12 and November 1, 2018. During these meetings, Lang sold the UC more heroin and tablets containing methamphetamine. Lang also sold the UC three firearms.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Sinacore.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety – one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
StarKist Ordered to Pay $100 Million Criminal Fine for Antitrust ViolationRead the Press Release
StarKist Co. was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $100 million, the statutory maximum, for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices for canned tuna sold in the United States. StarKist was also sentenced to a 13-month term of probation.
StarKist faced a criminal fine of up to $100 million, the statutory maximum, for its participation in a conspiracy to fix the prices of canned tuna fish from as early as November 2011 through at least as late as December 2013. As part of today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Edward M. Chen found that StarKist had not proven that its financial circumstances justified a lower criminal fine. The Antitrust Division opposed StarKist’s request for a fine reduction, arguing that StarKist had sufficient financial resources to pay a $100 million criminal fine. In addition to the criminal fine and term of probation, StarKist has also agreed to cooperate in the Antitrust Division’s ongoing investigation.
“Today’s result demonstrates our commitment to enforcing the antitrust laws aggressively against companies that fix prices,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Hard-working Americans deserve the benefits of open competition when they spend their hard-earned money on items that stock kitchen shelves. When a corporation cheats customers at the checkout line, the Antitrust Division will hold it accountable to the greatest extent.”
“The consequences for greedy companies who cheat the marketplace and American consumers are significant and clear,” said FBI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. “The FBI, along with our law enforcement colleagues, will continue to pursue those who conspire to fix prices and bring them to justice.”
A total of six charges have resulted from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into the packaged-seafood industry, which is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office and the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office. Anyone with information on price fixing, bid rigging or other anticompetitive conduct related to the packaged-seafood industry should contact the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office at 415-934-5300, visit www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html, or call the FBI tip line at 415-553-7400.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Production of Child Pornography and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Gilroy D. Elcock, 47, of St. Croix, was sentenced Tuesday for six counts of production of child pornography, two counts of aggravated rape first degree, and one count of possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Elcock to 360 months for the federal production of child pornography and possession of child pornography charges, and to 15 years consecutive for the aggravated first degree rape charges. The aggravated first degree rape counts will be served consecutive to the federal offenses. Judge Lewis also sentenced Elcock to supervised release for life and imposed a $700 special assessment.
Evidence presented at trial established that the defendant met J.S. and J.J.S.’s mother in October 2013. The mother and the defendant started dating and in January 2014, the defendant moved into the residence with the two children and their mother. The defendant started having sexual relations with J.S., then age16, and J.J.S., then age12, and used his cell phone to video-record the sexual encounters. According to the trial testimony, J.J.S. asked the defendant to stop the sexual encounters, but he continued. The children’s mother spoke to J.J.S., after one of Elcock’s friends told her about a sex video of one of her daughters and Elcock. J.J.S. showed her mother Facebook messages between her and the defendant. The messages were sexual in nature and when the mother saw the messages, she called the police. The police spoke to the defendant, who denied having sexual contact with the minors and recording those encounters. The defendant gave the police consent to search the phone in 2014, but no videos were recovered. A second search in 2016 yielded seven videos depicting the defendant engaged in sexual acts with J.S. and J.J.S. The videos had been hidden, using an encryption App.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
Somerset Man Convicted of Running $2.2 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Somerset, Ky., man was found guilty yesterday, by a federal jury sitting in London, of conspiring with co-conspirator Jason T. Castenir to run a complex and long-running Ponzi scheme. During the scheme, they defrauded dozens of victims out of over $2.2 million, through three fake investments.
After a brief deliberation following an eight-day trial, the jury convicted 58-year-old Rodney Scott Phelps of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 12 additional counts of wire fraud.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Rodney Scott Phelps and Jason Castenir created Maverick Asset Management LLC (“MAM”) in 2012, as a private-equity firm. Beginning around this time, and continuing until late 2014, Castenir and Phelps convinced a number of investors from across the country, including in Washington State, Ohio, Arizona, and Nevada, to invest in an opportunity to obtain an oil concession from the government of Belize. They boasted of vast experience in successful oil exploration ventures and promised investors royalties on any oil extracted and a considerable interest rate on their investment, all of which was to be backed by Phelps’s multi-million dollar trust, in the name of Phelps Family Trust. Investors raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for this investment, wiring those funds to MAM in Kentucky. Evidence at trial revealed that Phelps and Castenir had little experience with successful oil ventures; there was no sizeable Phelps Family Trust; and they used the money they raised for MAM operating expenses, to pay themselves, and to make Ponzi payments back to other victim-investors.
In a related scheme, Phelps convinced three victims from Tennessee to invest roughly $1.2 million with MAM to trade on various commodities markets, again boasting of MAM’s vast experience successfully trading on these markets, including with funds from the Phelps Family Trust, and convincing victims that the Phelps Family Trust backed their investment. Phelps and Castenir invested roughly one-third of this money on commodities markets, losing almost all of it in short measure, but sent victims accounting statements detailing profits on their investments. Phelps and Castenir spent the rest of the money on MAM operating expenses, personal profit, and Ponzi payments to other victim-investors.
In a third scheme, Phelps convinced two victims from Tennessee to pay $1 million to an escrow account earmarked for initiating the purchase of a casino in Tunica, Mississippi. Phelps had committed to likewise pay $1 million from the Phelps Family Trust to match the victim investment, but never did. Instead, Phelps and Castenir took this money from the escrow account to pay MAM operating expenses, invest on commodities and stock markets, personally profit, and for Ponzi payments to other victim-investors.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Louisville Division, jointly announced the verdict. The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Commodities and Futures Trading Commission and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Kathryn M. Anderson and Kenneth R. Taylor.
Phelps will appear for sentencing on December 3, 2019. He faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Castenir had previously pleaded guilty for his role in these offenses, and others, on August 18, 2017. His sentencing is scheduled for September 24, 2019, and he likewise faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. However, the Court must consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the applicable federal sentencing statutes before imposing the sentences.
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Six Individuals Admit Roles in Nationwide Credit Card Fraud Affecting Thousands of Account HoldersRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Six individuals have pleaded guilty to participation in a multimillion-dollar conspiracy that used stolen credit card account information to make fraudulent retail purchases, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Hamilton Eromosele, 29, of the Bronx, New York, the leader of the scheme, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge William Martini in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. George Edandison, 27, and Youssouf Traore, 21, both of the Bronx; Deja Handsford, 25, of New York City; Quincy Wielingen, 28, of Queens Village, New York; and Kaishce English, 32, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, all pleaded guilty before Judge Martini on previous dates to the same charge.A seventh conspirator, Edward Dorsey, 28, of Mount Vernon, New York, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven C. Mannion in Newark federal court on July 8, 2019, for an initial appearance on a criminal complaint charging him with participating in the same offense.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least 2015 through 2018, Eromosele led a network of individuals, based in the New Jersey/New York area, who made trips around the United States in order to use stolen credit card information to purchase gift cards, flights, hotels, rental cars, and other goods and services. Eromosele obtained stolen credit card information through the “dark web” and other sources, which he then provided to conspirators. Eromosele often recruited women via social media, with promises of easy profits, to fly to various locations to make fraudulent purchases. Eromosele collected his conspirators’ fraudulently purchased gift cards or luxury goods, sold them for cash, and dispersed a percentage of the proceeds to the conspirators. The conspirators made over $3.5 million in fraudulent purchases using over 4,000 stolen credit card accounts.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million. Sentencing for Eromosele is scheduled for Jan 16, 2020.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Secret Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Mark McKevitt, Newark Field Office, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Macurdy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charge and allegations against Dorsey are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel:
Eromosele: Pasquale Giannetta Esq., Newark
Edandison: Daniel Welch Esq., Jersey City, New Jersey
Handsford: Linwood Allen Jones Esq., East Orange, New Jersey
Traore: Angelo Servidio Esq., Nutley, New Jersey
English: Frank Arleo Esq., West Orange, New Jersey
Wielingen: Jason Orlando Esq., Jersey City
Dorsey: Elizabeth Smith Esq., Mendham, New JerseySioux City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing MethRead the Press Release
A man who distributed 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine was sentenced Thursday, September 5, 2019 to 10 years in federal prison.
Andrew Karlos Orellana, age 40, from Sioux City, Iowa received the prison term after a guilty plea to one Count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
In a Plea Agreement, Orellana admitted to distributing a quarter pound of methamphetamine for $3,200.
Orellana has an extensive criminal history including Theft, Possession of Marijuana, Criminal Trespass, and Assault in the Second and Third Degree, Burglary in the Third Degree, Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated, Public Intoxication, and Possession of Methamphetamine.
Orellana was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Orellana was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment and fined $100. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Orellana is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by Sioux City Police Department and the Tri-State Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-4007.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Second Person Admits to Defrauding Dr. Pepper of over $1 MillionRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Houston man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for his participation in a scheme to defraud Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (DPSG), announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Joseph A. Isaac admitted to participating in the scheme with Anna Maria Sites, 42, of Friendswood, from 2010 through Feb. 17, 2015, by not paying rebates to those who had requested them.
Isaac was the majority shareholder of FulFill Plus Inc., which administered the DPSG rebate campaigns. The rebates included returned bottle caps or for switching to DPSG brand drinks in restaurant/convenience store soda dispensers. DPSG paid FulFill to administer those campaigns.
Isaac admitted the fraud caused a loss to DPSG of $1,058,445.
U.S. District Judge Gray Miller will impose sentencing Dec. 4, 2019. At that time. Isaac faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Braddock is prosecuting the case.
Second Garrard County Man Sentenced to 60 months for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Warren Griffin, II, 50, of Lancaster, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison Wednesday by United States District Judge Karen K. Caldwell for taking part in a $15 million employment tax fraud scheme.
Griffin will begin serving his new sentence after he finishes a 37-month term, from a 2018 conviction in the Southern District of Illinois, for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He must also pay the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $2.8 million in restitution. Upon release from prison, Griffin will be on supervised release for three years.
According to his plea agreement, Griffin recruited and paid associates to open staffing companies and bank accounts, whose primary purpose was to hide from the IRS the fact that businesses run by Griffin and his co-defendant, Clarence Michel, Jr., had failed to pay $14,671,184 in owed federal payroll taxes. Griffin obtained $2,118,584 of that money. During this time, Griffin also underpaid his personal federal income taxes by $700,428.
Michel had previously pleaded guilty and been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison and ordered to pay over $19 million in restitution.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and William Chung, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dmitriy Slavin.
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Seafood Processor Pleads Guilty to Selling Foreign Crab Meat Falsely Labeled as Blue Crab from USARead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, NORTH CAROLINA – Capt. Neill’s Seafood, Inc. of Columbia, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today in federal court in New Bern, North Carolina, on charges that the company falsely labeled millions of dollars’ worth of foreign crab meat as “Product of USA,” announced G. Norman Acker, III, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, under authority conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515.
“Seafood mislabeling is consumer fraud that undermines efforts of hardworking, honest fisherman and the free market by devaluing the price of domestic seafood,” said Acting United States Attorney G. Norman Acker III. “In this case, the fraudulent scheme artificially deflated the cost of domestic blue crab and gave Capt. Neill’s Seafood an unacceptable economic advantage over law-abiding competitors.”
“Seafood fraud and mislabeling can affect the economic value of our domestic fisheries,” said Logan Gregory, Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office (NOAA) of Law Enforcement. “Our office is committed to investigating these crimes to help ensure the economic value and sustainability of our fisheries.”
According to information in the public record, Phillip Carawan was the owner, President, and Chief Executive Officer, of Capt. Neill’s Seafood, Inc., a North Carolina company engaged in the business of purchasing, processing, packaging, transporting, and selling seafood and seafood products, including crab meat from domestically harvested blue crab. Carawan previously pleaded guilty to a one-count information charging him and Capt. Neill’s with substituting foreign crab meat for domestic blue crab and, as part of his plea, Carawan admitted to falsely labeling more than 179,872 pounds of crab meat with a retail market value of $4,082,841. The falsely labeled crabmeat was then sold primarily to wholesale membership clubs, but also to other retailers.
As part of its guilty plea, Capt Neill’s Seafood admitted that the company could not and did not process sufficient quantities of domestic blue crab to meet customer demands. To make up the shortfall, the company used foreign crab meat to fulfill customer orders. During the periods when the company did not have a sufficient supply of domestic crab, Capt. Neill’s Seafood purchased crab meat (not live crabs) from South America and Asia. The company further admitted that beginning at least as early as 2012, and continuing through June 16, 2015, company employees repacked foreign crab meat into containers labeled “Product of USA,” which Capt. Neill’s then sold to customers as jumbo domestically harvested blue crab.
As part of its plea agreement, Capt. Neill’s Seafood agreed to a criminal fine of $500,000; to pay restitution to recipients of the mislabeled crabmeat; to develop and implement a compliance program; and to be debarred from any federal contracts during the term of probation. The parties will request that the company be placed on probation for a term of five years, the maximum sentence authorized for a corporate defendant for the charge. In order to ensure payment of all monetary penalties, Capt. Neill’s Seafood’s sister corporation, Capt. Charlie’s Seafood, agreed to serve as a guarantor.
As part of the plea agreements entered into by Carawan and Capt. Neill’s, restitution will be made to persons whom the government confirmed purchased Capt. Neill’s jumbo crab meat between 2012 and June 16, 2015. For individuals who wish to see whether they qualify for restitution and for further information on the prosecution, please visit the following site: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/captneillsseafoodvictiminformationpage
This case was part of an ongoing effort by the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration, and the Department of Justice, to detect, deter, and prosecute those engaged in the false labeling of crab meat.
The guilty plea took place before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II in Wilmington, North Carolina. Sentencing will take place in January 2020. The maximum sentence for falsely labeling crab meat by a corporation is five years’ probation and a fine of up to twice the gross gain of the offense, which in this case, is $8,165,682.00
This prosecution is being handled by jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section. The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Banumathi Rangarajan and Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner.
Sanford Resident Sentenced to More Than Four Years for His Role in Fraud Schemes Targeting SeniorsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Rohan Brown (41, Sanford) to four years and three months in federal prison for mail fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identify theft related to his participation in two fraud schemes.
Brown had pleaded guilty on July 3, 2018. On September 10, 2018, he failed to appear for his sentencing hearing and absconded to Jamaica. He later self-surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to court documents, between March 2014 and August 2016, Brown participated in two fraud schemes. He participated in a sweepstakes fraud scheme in which elderly victims were told they had won a sweepstakes but, in order to receive their winnings, they had to send money for “taxes” to Brown. In a second scheme, Social Security benefits were diverted into accounts opened in the name of multiple victims and sent to Brown’s address. Once Brown received the fraudulent debit cards for those accounts, he used them to purchase money orders or obtain cash. Brown’s specific role in both schemes was to receive mail containing victims’ money or fraudulent access devices (debit cards) loaded with Social Security benefits and, in turn, send a portion of the money to others in Jamaica. The cash and debit cards were sent to Brown’s home or another residence to which he had access.
During a search of Brown’s residence, law enforcement officers recovered documentation for fraudulent bank accounts and debit cards that had been opened in the names of multiple victims. As a result of the diversion scheme, the Social Security Administration suffered a loss of $135,377.80. Losses related to the sweepstakes scheme are still pending.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the Seminole County Financial Crimes Task Force, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to over 12 Years' Imprisonment on Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH — The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced JESSE BERNALE STINES, JR., 27, of Raleigh to 151 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. On March 18, 2019, STINES pled guilty to one count each of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.
The government’s evidence established that on August 28, 2018, a Raleigh Police Department officer was on patrol on N. King Charles Rd. in Raleigh when he saw a white BMW with what appeared to be illegal window tint and initiated a traffic stop. The driver of the BMW, identified as STINES, partially rolled down his driver’s side window, and the officer could immediately smell the strong odor of marijuana. At the same time, the officer saw a mason jar with marijuana residue in plain view in the passenger seat.
The officer informed the defendant that he would be doing a probable cause search of the car and asked the defendant if it contained anything illegal. The defendant stated that there was something in the car, then added that there was a firearm and that he was a convicted felon. Officers searched the car and found a loaded Smith & Wesson 9mm handgun on the floorboard of the rear passenger seat. Near the gun, officers found a baggie of crack cocaine and a digital scale.
The Court at sentencing concluded that STINES qualified as a career offender based on past state convictions, meriting an enhanced sentence. STINES’ prior convictions include a 2016 conviction for possession with intent to sell cocaine, 2014 convictions for possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing with intent to sell cocaine and marijuana, and a 2011 conviction for misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon, all in Wake County District Court.
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 investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Pugh represented the government.
Queens Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting A Border Officer After Being Caught with Marijuana at the Peace BridgeRead 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 Adriano Roberto Nunez, 27, of Queens, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to forcibly assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating or interfering with a federal officer and causing bodily injury. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Fabian, who is handling the case, stated that on June 3, 2019, the defendant was a passenger on a bus traveling from Canada into the United States at the Peace Bridge Pot of Entry. Nunez and other passengers exited the bus at a Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint in the United States for re-entry into the United States.
During a search of the defendant’s belongings, a CBP officer found gummy candies in a bag consistent with drug packaging. While a CBP officer performed a field test on the gummies, another CBP officer asked Nunez to place his phone and passport on the table. The defendant retrieved his passport and placed it on the table. Nunez also retrieved his phone but did not place it on the table, instead manipulated the phone with his hands. The CBP officer attempted to retrieve the phone from the defendant, and Nunez resisted. After the officer successfully gained possession of the phone, the defendant fled into another area of the building, with officers chasing after him. Nunez fled to an area with no exit, and officers caught up with him. The defendant resisted the officers by pushing and kicking at least one officer. The officer sustained bodily injury in the form of scratches and abrasions on his knee and elbow, as well as pain from being kicked.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 31, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Postal Employee Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for Delivering Meth: Defendant is Part of Operation “Money Don’t Sleep”Read the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—A letter carrier from West Memphis was sentenced Wednesday for his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy that federal authorities have charged as Operation "Money Don’t Sleep." Hayward Cleavon Shaw, 44, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James M. Moody. Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today’s sentencing.
Operation "Money Don’t Sleep," run by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, is an ongoing investigation focused on lowering violent crime that stems from the distribution of illegal drugs. The goal of the operation is to identify and dismantle multiple drug trafficking organizations that distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. The investigation was initiated in 2015 by the DEA Little Rock District Office and the West Memphis Police Department.
Shaw, while working as a postal employee, would assist drug distributors by helping them locate and divert packages. In particular, on January 27, 2017, a package was on its way to West Memphis from Moreno Valley, California. Law enforcement was tracking this package as part of their investigation. Once agents intercepted the package, DEA deployed a canine, who alerted to the presence of narcotics in the package. Agents obtained a search warrant, which revealed over 2500 grams of methamphetamine in the package.
The first phase of "Money Don’t Sleep" previously resulted in the arrests of 50 defendants in July 2017. With those drug traffickers removed, new distributors emerged to fill the void left in the drug market, leading to 22 more arrests in June 2019. Shaw was charged on July 11, 2017, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and theft of mail by a postal employee.
Judge Moody also sentenced Shaw, who pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine on April 11, 2019, to two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. The theft of mail charge was dismissed as part of Shaw’s plea agreement.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the West Memphis Police Department.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at
http://www.justice.gov/edar
Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Orange Park Man Arrested and Charged with Offering Child Sex Abuse Images for Sale over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Antony Eugene Woody (31, Orange Park) has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with advertising child pornography for sale using the internet. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years, in federal prison. Woody is currently detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for September 13, 2019.
According to the
complaint , in February 2019, the FBI in Boston received information that an individual there was using a particular social media application to distribute child pornography online. That individual was arrested, and agents identified another user, “imsoofreakyy,” who was offering child pornography for sale on the internet. Meanwhile, in Florida, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) had learned from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that the same user (“imsoofreakyy)” was using an email address to advertise for the sale images of children being sexually assaulted. Through further investigation, CCSO detectives identified this individual as Antony Eugene Woody.On March 22, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Woody’s residence. Woody was later located at a local supermarket. During an interview, Woody admitted that he had obtained images of child pornography from the internet, labeled these images with titles, prices, and his contact information, and then re-posted them using a social media app. He also admitted that online consumers responded to his advertisements intending to buy the images, and that he had received money for these sales using Venmo or CashApp. He further admitted that he had defrauded those individuals by refusing to send them the purchased image collections. A search of Woody’s cellphone revealed at least one video depicting the sexual abuse of a young child.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Westbrook (Maine) Police Department, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston and Jacksonville, with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Traveling to Meet a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Logan, Ohio man was sentenced to prison for a federal sex offense, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Donald E. Ward, 59, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Following his release from prison, Ward will serve a term of five years of supervised release after completing his prison sentence and will be required to register as a sex offender.
“Protecting West Virginia’s youth is a priority of my office,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “These are absolutely egregious crimes. I will continue to focus the efforts of my office to protect our children and other vulnerable populations. Predators who seek to take advantage of those that are weaker or vulnerable, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Ward previously admitted that in January 2019 he began communicating via a social media application and text message with a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl in Parkersburg, West Virginia. On February 13, 2019, Ward traveled from Ohio to Parkersburg in order to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity, including oral sex. Only then did Ward discover that the minor was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
The West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Parkersburg Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is handling the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Holding for Sale or Dispensing Counterfeit ED PillsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of holding a counterfeit drug for sale or dispensing, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Rahnon Carter, 39, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on December 19, 2016, Carter was found holding for sale or dispensing 967 counterfeit Viagra pills and 120 counterfeit Cialis pills. Carter also accepted responsibility for holding for sale or dispensing 4,500 counterfeit Viagra pills on November 23, 2016, and 39 counterfeit Viagra pills and 120 counterfeit Cialis pills on December 15, 2016.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for January 9, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than one year in prison, a fine of not more than $1,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Rahnon Carter.
Niagara Falls Man Sentenced for His Role in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Joseph Jones, a/k/a Tio, 56, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 90 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who handled the case, stated that between October 2016 and September 29, 2017, the defendant distributed cocaine with various co-conspirators in the Buffalo/Niagara Falls area. On three occasions in August of 2017, defendant received a combined total of two and one-half kilograms of cocaine from his co-conspirators for the purpose of distributing it. During the course of the conspiracy, Jones regularly distributed at least one kilogram of cocaine per month on behalf of the organization for which he distributed. To date, two of Jones’ co-conspirators have been convicted, while charges remain pending against four others. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
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New York Woman Charged with Possession of Credit Card Manufacturing EquipmentRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Changa Bush (41, New York) with possession of credit card manufacturing equipment. If convicted, Bush faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. Federal authorities arrested Bush on September 6, 2019. During the course of the court hearings, it was determined that Bush is currently on parole of out New York State for the crime of assault causing serious physical injury. Bush has been detained pending trial, which is set for November 4, 2019.
According to the
indictment , Bush possessed equipment that could be used to manufacture fraudulent credit cards.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 United States Secret Service (Jacksonville Field Office) and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Violations of Federal Firearms and Narcotics LawsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DERRICK GROVES, age 22, of New Orleans, has pleaded guilty September 10, 2019 to federal firearms and narcotics violations.
According to court documents, on October 12, 2018 and January 25, 2019, DERRICK GROVES possessed with intent to distribute heroin, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C). DERRICK GROVES was also in possession of a firearm on those dates, in violation of Title 18, United States Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i).
The Court set sentencing in this matter for December 17, 2019. DERRICK GROVES faces a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, per count, a fine of up to $1 million, and at least three years of supervised release for the narcotics charges. DERRICK GROVES also faces a minimum term of 5 years up to life imprisonment, to be served consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed, a fine of $250,000, and up to five years of supervised release for the firearms violations.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation New Orleans Violent Crimes Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni is in charge of the prosecution.
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National, State, Local and Tribal Government Officials Announce New Statewide Mississippi Human Trafficking Council to Combat This Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division joined U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Southern District of Mississippi, U.S. Attorney Chad Lamar, Northern District of Mississippi, Commissioner Marshall Fisher, Mississippi Department of Public Safety, and Philip Gunn, Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives, today to announce the creation and launch of a new, statewide Mississippi Human Trafficking Council.
Building on the foundation established by Governor Phil Bryant’s Human Trafficking Task Force Report from 2015, as well as task forces from around the country, the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council’s mission will be to prevent trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute criminals using a victim-centered, collaborative, and multi-disciplinary model. The Council will be led by three Co-Chairs: (1) Susan Bradley, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Mississippi; (2) Kathlyn Van Buskirk, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Mississippi; and (3) Ashlee Lucas, Mississippi Human Trafficking Coordinator, Mississippi Department of Public Safety.
“The Department of Justice is proud to announce the formation of the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council, which will serve as a crucial component to ongoing efforts to secure justice for victims of sex and labor trafficking crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This is the first statewide trafficking council, and it will help law enforcement more effectively prosecute criminals and protect the rights of victims. This is another strong step in the Department of Justice’s commitment to fighting violent crime and protecting the most vulnerable in our society.”
“Human trafficking is a crime against humanity, and the monsters who commit these crimes against our children and our fellow human beings will continue to face swift and certain justice in our district,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst. “This Council will coordinate multiple entities and agencies, and help our citizens effectively battle this growing epidemic in our state. I want to thank our law enforcement, our prosecutors, and our governmental and non-governmental partners for stepping up to take this fight to the traffickers. At the end of the day, this is all about protecting victims, preventing trafficking and prosecuting the criminals.”
“We are so pleased to announce the launching of multiple regional human trafficking task forces throughout the state, Northern and Southern Districts,” said U.S. Attorney Lamar. “Not only are these task forces collaborative efforts by federal, state and local law enforcement, but also state service agencies and non-government service providers. The Human Trafficking Council and its committees, comprised of members from both Districts, will provide valuable direction and support.”
“The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is dedicated to building an effective Human Trafficking Division to combat those who prey upon, victimize and traffic others for sexual or labor purposes,” said Commissioner Marshall Fisher. “With the aid of the Human Trafficking Council, MDPS’s Human Trafficking Division has access to a team of state and federal resources to thwart these threats to our communities.”
“Strengthening and improving Mississippi’s human trafficking laws has been and continues to be one of my top priorities,” said Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn. “It’s important to me that we make the process work for these victims while we support those law enforcement personnel on the ground across our state who are on the front lines fighting human trafficking. I envision the Mississippi Human Trafficking Council being an important resource to complement our state’s five existing regional task forces by collaborating and offering assistance when and where needed,” said Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn.
- Steering Committee
The Council will have a Steering Committee, overseen by the Council Co-Chairs, and will be made up of the five subcommittee chairpersons along with the Council Co-Chairs. The Steering Committee will serve as the primary policy making body of the Council. The Steering Committee will discuss and propose recommendations for the Council, upon which the Co-Chairs will vote to approve or disapprove of such recommendations.
- Subcommittees
The Council will consist of five subcommittees and will focus on all forms of domestic and international human trafficking, to include commercial sex trafficking and labor trafficking, for the protection of both adult and minor victims. Each subcommittee chairperson will oversee the operation of each subcommittee, arranges logistics for meetings, keeps records of activities and issues, serves as a member of the Steering Committee and performs other duties as necessary for the efficient and productive operation of the Council.
The five subcommittees and chairpersons are:
- Outreach and Public Awareness Subcommittee
Chair: Mandy Davis, Mississippi Department of Public Safety
- Strategic Planning and Trafficking Protocol Subcommittee
Chair: Dr. Tamara Hurst, University of Southern Mississippi
- Policy and Legislation Subcommittee
Co-Chairs: Angela Cockerham, Mississippi House of Representatives; Lora Hunter, Mississippi Department of Public Safety
- Training Subcommittee
Chair: Paula Broome, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office
- Victim Service Subcommittee
Co-Chairs: Hollie Jeffery, Children’s Advocacy Center of Mississippi; Heather Wagner, Mississippi Department of Health
- Task Forces
The Council will also consist of small, regional Task Forces, made up of local, state, federal and tribal law enforcement, local prosecutors, and victim service providers, and will be led by an Assistant U.S. Attorney. These Task Forces will meet monthly and will share information, coordinate investigations, and discuss potential matters and active cases in preparation for prosecution.
The Department of Justice continues to fight human trafficking through investigating and prosecuting traffickers, dismantling transnational human trafficking networks, enhancing victim identification and protection of all victims of trafficking, and funding and providing domestic and international anti-trafficking programs.
Montgomery Man Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Montgomery, AL. – On Wednesday, September 11, 2019, Cleddie Ferlisi Stone, 41, of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. There is no parole in the federal system.
On April 27, 2017, Stone had a violent encounter with an individual that was caught on surveillance cameras in a Montgomery neighborhood. The video showed that Stone confronted the victim while he was riding a bicycle on Greenville Street near Lee High School. During the confrontation, Stone punched, kicked and shot the victim with a handgun. The video also showed a homemade “zip gun” type device that was dropped by the victim early in the confrontation.
During the sentencing hearing, Stone stated that he and the victim had a disagreement the day before the attack and that the man had made threats against him and his family. However, the judge noted that the April 27th encounter could have been avoided all together and that during the attack Stone became what he claims he was fighting against, he became “violence out of control.” Stone has previous felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Montgomery Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua J. Wendell prosecuted the case.
Missoula woman sentenced to 10 years for possessing meth for distributionRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—Missoula resident Tiffany Rose Ramirez, who admitted to methamphetamine trafficking charges, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Ramirez, 31, pleaded guilty in April to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The prosecution said in court documents that on March 17, 2018 in Lake County, Ramirez was driving a vehicle that was pulled over and later searched pursuant to a search warrant. The search led to the recovery of methamphetamine. Two confidential informants told law enforcement that they obtained meth from Ramirez.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Northwest Drug Task Force.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Memphis Man Facing Federal Firearms Charge After Weekend Assault in Broadway Entertainment DistrictRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 11, 2019 –Pasquala Deshun Walls, 30, of Memphis, Tennessee, was charged yesterday with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the criminal complaint, Walls was the driver of a Chrysler 300 and was reported to be driving erratically and displaying a handgun as he drove through the downtown entertainment district in the early morning hours of September 7, 2019. The area was packed with pedestrians and vehicular traffic at the time. Metro Nashville police officers located the vehicle and ordered Walls out of the car, at which time he accelerated and began crossing traffic lanes and ramming other cars. Metro police officers continued their attempts to stop the car and clear pedestrians from its path. At one point, officers were forced to jump out of the way to avoid being struck and one officer was pulled to the ground by the vehicle. This officer fired two shots at the vehicle as it continued on Broadway for several blocks before Walls jumped from the vehicle and ran. Walls was then chased and captured by citizens and held until he was taken into police custody. A 9mm pistol with an extended magazine, loaded with 26 rounds of ammunition was recovered from the floorboard of Walls’ car.
Walls was previously convicted of felony controlled substance crimes in Shelby County Tennessee and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
If convicted, Walls faces up to 10 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob McGuire.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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