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Friday 6 September 2019
Former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Committing PerjuryRead the Press Release
Bailey Colletta, 26, a former police officer with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Eastern District of Missouri to one count of making false statements to a federal grand jury about her knowledge of the arrest and assault of a fellow SLMPD police officer, who was working undercover in downtown St. Louis during protests following the 2017 acquittal of a former SLMPD officer on a state murder charge. Colletta’s co-defendants, SLMPD officers Dustin Boone, Randy Hays, and Christopher Myers, remain under indictment on federal charges related to the assault and subsequent cover-up. They have pleaded not guilty.
According to the plea agreement, in addition to facing a maximum of five years in prison, Colletta must forfeit her law enforcement certification. A sentencing date has been set for December 13, 2019.
The trial of Boone, Hayes, and Myers is set for Dec. 2, 2019.
This case is being investigated by the St. Louis Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reginald Harris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Janea Lamar of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Criminal Section.
Former St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Committing PerjuryRead the Press Release
Bailey Colletta, 26, a former police officer with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) pleaded guilty today in federal court in the Eastern District of Missouri to one count of making false statements to a federal grand jury about her knowledge of the arrest and assault of a fellow SLMPD police officer, who was working undercover in downtown St. Louis during protests following the 2017 acquittal of a former SLMPD officer on a state murder charge. Colletta’s co-defendants, SLMPD officers Dustin Boone, Randy Hays, and Christopher Myers, remain under indictment on federal charges related to the assault and subsequent cover-up. They have pleaded not guilty.
According to the plea agreement, in addition to facing a maximum of five years in prison, Colletta must forfeit her law enforcement certification. A sentencing date has been set for Dec. 13. The trial of Boone, Hayes, and Myers is set for Dec. 2, 2019.
This case is being investigated by the St. Louis Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reginald Harris of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold and Trial Attorney Janea Lamar of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Criminal Section.
Former St. Louis County Chief of Staff Sentenced for Pay to Play SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – William Miller, 54, of Richmond Heights, was sentenced to 15 months and three years supervised release for aiding and abetting former St. Louis County Executive Steve Stenger’s honest services wire fraud/bribery scheme. Miller appeared in front of U.S. District Court Judge Rodney W. Sippel.
According to court documents and in Court statements, Miller was hired as Chief of Staff by then County Executive Stenger during December, 2017, and was responsible for primarily assisting Stenger in managing the day to day operations of St. Louis County Government, and supervising Stenger’s Executive Staff. Stenger also appointed Miller to the Board of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership during 2018. Stenger pled guilty on May 3, 2019 to 3 counts of honest services mail fraud/bribery relative to his scheme to defraud and deprive the citizens of St. Louis County of their right to his honest and faithful services through bribery and the concealment of material information. The purpose of the scheme was for Stenger to secretly use his official position to enrich himself through soliciting and accepting campaign contributions from individuals and their companies in exchange for favorable official action, including the awarding of County contracts and grants, and for individuals and their companies to enrich themselves and their companies by secretly obtaining favorable action for themselves and for their companies, through corrupt means.
The charge against Miller relates to his aiding and abetting Stenger’s criminal scheme, having taken official action to ensure that “Company One” and its principal owner obtained a 2019 state lobbying contract valued at approximately $200,000 from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. In aiding and abetting Stenger’s criminal scheme, Miller communicated with, and personally met with Sheila Sweeney, then the CEO of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, in order to persuade and ensure that Sweeney and the Partnership Board, of which Miller was a member, awarded the lobbying contract to Company One, over a second lobbying firm which had also bid on the lobbying contract. In taking such official action in aid of Stenger’s criminal scheme, Miller deprived the citizens of St. Louis County of their right to his honest services as the County’s Chief of Staff and as a member of the Board of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. Throughout his tenure as Chief of Staff, Miller actively participated in and aided and abetted Stenger’s criminal scheme relative to a number of Stenger’s political donors in order to maintain his position as Chief of Staff within Stenger’s administration.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service are investigating this case with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Former City of Miami Police Officers Sentenced to Prison After Having Been Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
Today, U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga sentenced former City of Miami Police officer Kelvin Harris to 27 and a half years in prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Codefendant James Archibald, also a former City of Miami Police officer, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in the drug trafficking conspiracy.
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), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Former City of Miami Police officers Kelvin Harris, James Archibald and Schonton Harris were charged for their involvement in the drug trafficking conspiracy (Case No. 18cr20939). On June 28, 2019, Kelvin Harris, who had been on the police force for twenty-six years, and Archibald, who had been an officer for two years, were each convicted by a federal jury of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilos of cocaine in 2018. In addition, Kelvin Harris was convicted of three counts of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and three counts of possessing a firearm during the commission of a drug trafficking crime. Archibald was also convicted of one count of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. On January 24, 2019, Schonton Harris pled guilty to conspiring with other officers to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine from August through October 2018. On April 17, 2019, Schonton Harris was sentenced to 15 and a half years in prison.
According to the court record, including trial testimony, Officers Kelvin Harris and Schonton Harris, provided police protection on numerous occasions for what they believed were multiple-kilogram shipments of cocaine by escorting the transportation of such cocaine. Officer Archibald facilitated the drug trafficking conspiracy on at least one occasion by assisting his codefendants in transporting 30 kilograms of what the defendants believed to be cocaine from a local marina to two local hotels. Officers Kelvin Harris, Archibald and Schonton Harris received cash payments of $10,000, $6,500 and $17,000, respectively, for their involvement in the criminal enterprise.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, including the FBI Miami Area Corruption Task Force, in this matter. She thanked the City of Miami Police Department for their assistance. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry C. Wallace, Jr. and Jessica Obenauf.
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.
Former Albion Pharmacists Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Trafficking and Healthcare Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
John Shedd and Terry Tooley Filled Controlled Substance Prescriptions They Knew Were Written For No Legitimate Medical Purpose and Fraudulently Billed Health Insurers
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that John Shedd, 71, of Albion, Michigan, and Terry Tooley, 64, of Spring Arbor, Michigan, were each sentenced to 15 months in prison on federal drug trafficking and healthcare fraud charges. Chief Judge Robert J. Jonker, who imposed the sentences, also ordered them to pay more than $465,000 in restitution to Medicare, Medicaid, and the other health insurers they defrauded. He also imposed a two-year term of supervised release and ordered them never to obtain a pharmacy license or practice again as a pharmacist. Separately, Shedd and Tooley forfeited $1.3 million in cash to the United States.
Shedd and Tooley, who previously owned Parks Drug Store in Albion, admitted they filled prescriptions written by former Albion doctor Horace J. Davis and dispensed 50,000 dosage units of methadone, even though they knew those prescriptions had been written for no legitimate medical purpose. Davis was convicted in 2017 of federal drug trafficking crimes and healthcare fraud. Shedd and Tooley also admitted they billed Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan more than $465,000 for prescriptions that were never written, and forged documents in connection with their false healthcare billings.
"Shedd and Tooley contributed to the opioid epidemic, but thanks to the good work of our law enforcement partners, they’ll spend time in prison and never work as pharmacists again," said U.S. Attorney Birge. "They put lives in danger by filling prescriptions they knew they shouldn’t have. Now they’ll pay the price," he said.
"It is a DEA priority to aggressively pursue healthcare professionals who violate our trust and illegally distribute controlled prescription drugs," said Special Agent in Charge Keith Martin, of the DEA Detroit Field Division. "Outcomes like these demonstrate the commitment federal, state and local law enforcement officials have to protect our communities during a very serious public health crisis."
The investigation was conducted by the Albion Department of Public Safety, Calhoun County Sheriff, DEA, and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Clay Stiffler prosecuted the case.
END
First-Time Felon Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Attempting to Smuggle Assault-Style Rifles into MexicoRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, Ricardo Alberto Ruiz Pelayo, 24, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins to 30 months in prison followed by three years’ supervised release. Ruiz Pelayo previously pleaded guilty to an indictment charging one count of unlawful smuggling goods from the United States.
On September 13, 2018, Ruiz Pelayo attempted to cross from Nogales, Arizona into Nogales, Sonora via the Mariposa port of entry. An inspection of his vehicle located three AR-15 style assault rifles and two Glock handguns in addition to three magazine clips. Although he was residing lawfully in the U.S. at the time, he will be deported to Mexico upon completion of his prison sentence.
The investigation in this case was conducted by ICE/HSI Nogales agents and the prosecution was handled by Micah Schmit, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
Final Defendant Gets Nearly 40 Years for Gruesome MS-13 MurderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 23-year-old El Salvadorian citizen has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a horrific gang slaying – the murder of a teenager in the Sam Houston National Forest in 2013, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Jose Leonel Bonilla-Romero aka Jose Tupapa, who resided in Houston, pleaded guilty April 19, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. handed Bonilla-Romero a 460-month term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $13,000 in restitution. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence. If that occurs, the court ordered he must remain outside the country unless lawfully allowed to return.
At the hearing, evidence established the crime was unusually heinous, cruel and degrading. The court also heard Bonilla-Romero’s conduct in detention was clearly inconsistent with acceptance of responsibility. He has continued his allegiance to the MS-13 gang and continued the use of gang signs.
The victim’s family also spoke today, mentioning how they took in Bonilla-Romero and let him share a room with the victim. They commented that they had given Bonilla-Romero support for two weeks, allowing him to share clothes with their son and giving him food. The victim’s father asked Bonilla-Romero to repent and accept God. As the judge pronounced the sentence, the victim’s mother wept in back of courtroom.
In handing down the lengthy prison term, Judge Werlein noted Bonilla-Romero was the victim’s friend. However, he supplied him with alcohol and coerced him to come to the federal land in Huntsville, knowing he was going to be killed. The court further noted Bonilla-Romero even struck the first blow. He took a metal baseball bat, concealing it from the victim, and then hid behind him, rushed him and hit him with such force that he fractured his skull.
At the time of his plea, Bonilla-Romero admitted to aiding and abetting two others in the murder of the 16-year-old victim Sept. 22, 2013.
Those others - Cristian Alexander Zamora aka Christian Zamora, Alex or Pollo, 28, and Ricardo Leonel Campos Lara aka La Muerte, 24, both also of El Salvador, who resided in Huntsville and Houston, respectively - previously pleaded guilty and are currently serving their federal prison sentences of 420 months each.
At the time of Bonilla-Romero’s hearing, the court heard that when officers found the mutilated victim’s body they observed gaping wounds on his knees and ankles with his head nearly severed from his body. The investigation led police to Zamora who ultimately confessed his role in the crime, implicating Romero and Lara. All three admitted to being members of the transnational MS-13 gang. They explained that a gang leader had ordered them to kill the victim, because he had supposedly cooperated with police in El Salvador, leading to the arrests of several MS-13 gang members.
After Bonilla-Romero struck the first blow, the other two butchered the victim’s body with machetes.
The medical examiner noted that the victim suffered deep cutting and chopping wounds, some all the way to the spinal cord with others causing partial decapitation.
Bonilla-Romero has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in near future.
The FBI, Houston Police Department, Texas Rangers, Walker County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Forest Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark E. Donnelly and Casey MacDonald prosecuted the case.
Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that United States Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Douglas Dawayne Chenevert, III, a 40-year-old resident of Baker, Louisiana, to 30 months in federal prison following his conviction for possessing firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Chenevert to 30 months years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and ordered that the firearms possessed by Chenevert be forfeited.
According to admissions made during his guilty plea, on July 14, 2018, Baton Rouge Police Department responded to a burglary at a cell phone shop on North Foster Drive. An officer observed two men enter the shop by cutting the lock on a roll up steel door and breaking the glass. As the two men left the shop in a pickup truck, later determined to be stolen, the officer activated his lights and siren to initiate a stop. The driver fled and, after a short chase, wrecked the truck into a residence on Tecumseh Street. Both suspects then fled on foot. A canine officer and his dog quickly apprehended Chenevert, the driver of the pickup truck who had previously been convicted of a felony. Upon being taken into custody and patted down, the officer found a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol in Chenevert's clothing. A later check determined the firearm to be loaded with thirteen (13) 9mm caliber Winchester cartridges.
Later that day, Baton Rouge Police obtained a valid search warrant for the residence which Chenevert used as a rental property. Inside the residence, officers found and seized the following: an Ithaca,12 gauge shotgun, a Berretta ARX Model 160, .22 caliber rifle, a Ruger Model AR556 .223 caliber rifle, and a Taurus Judge .410 gauge/45 Long Colt caliber pistol.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Making sure convicted felons who illegally possess firearms are held accountable remains a top priority of my office. The efforts of our partners, ATF and the Baton Rouge Police Department, are invaluable in our mission. I want to thank our prosecutor and our federal and local partners for their work on this case.”
“ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to focus our efforts on the disruption of violent crime in our community through the arrest and prosecution of violent criminals,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “ATF’s top priorities remain to protect the public and remove violent criminals from our streets.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lyman Thornton.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the September 2019 Federal Grand Jury B.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Christian Alvarado Morales; Anderson Garces Lopez. Conspiracy to Transfer Identification Documents; Aggravated Identity Theft; Possession With Intent to Use and Transfer Five or More Documents and Authentication Features; Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien. Alvarado, 30, and Garces, 29, both of Tulsa, are charged with conspiring to create and sell fraudulent identification cards, including falsified U.S. Permanent Resident Cards and U.S. Social Security Cards. Garces is also charged with two counts of aggravated identity theft. Alvarado is also charged with three counts of aggravated identity theft, and he is charged with possession with intent to transfer five or more falsified identification documents. Alvarado is further charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported March 25, 2008, at or near Laredo, Texas. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Enforcement and Removal Operations are the investigative agencies.
Ivan Arroyo. Interstate Communication With Intent to Extort. Arroyo, 27, of Broken Arrow, is charged with extortion using social media. Arroyo allegedly threatened to harm the reputation of another individual if the victim did not comply with his demands. The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service and FBI are the investigative Agencies.
Paul B. Bowker. Failure to Account for and Pay Over Withholding and FICA (Social Security and Medicare) Taxes (7 counts); Bank Fraud (100 counts). Bowker, 56, of Lancashire, United Kingdom, was chief financial officer and vice president for finance at a company that maintained offices in the Northern District of Oklahoma. While working in this position, Bowker was living in Tulsa. Per United States tax law, the company was responsible for withholding income taxes and FICA taxes from employees’ paychecks and for paying the monies over to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Bowker is charged with failure to collect and pay more than 3.6 million in income and FICA taxes from April 2014 through January 2016. In addition, Bowker is charged with 100 counts of bank fraud. As chief financial officer, Bowker was entrusted with a company credit card and was responsible for paying the monthly credit card bill by authorizing electronic transfer of funds from the company’s checking account at Mabrey Bank, in Bixby, to the company’s Visa account. From January 2014 through December 2015, Bowker is alleged to have fraudulently used the Visa credit card to make $130,000 worth of purchases for his own benefit then paying for those charges with the company’s checking account at Mabrey Bank. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Neville David Ewell and Larry Latwan Walker. Possession of Cocaine With Intent to Distribute; Maintain Drug-Involved Premises; Felon in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition; Destruction or Removal of Property to Prevent Seizure; Unlawful User of Controlled Substances in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition; Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Methamphetamine With Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; and Destruction or Removal of Property to Prevent Seizure (Superseding Indictment). Ewell, 45, of Broken Arrow, is charged with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and maintaining a drug-involved premises. Ewell is alleged to have used and maintained a premises in Tulsa for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and using cocaine. He is also charged with being a felon in possession of a Pietro Beretta 9x19mm caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition. Walker, 29, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition; and he is charged with possessing the Smith & Wesson pistol knowing he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance. Walker is further charged with possessing the Smith & Wesson pistol in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Ewell and Walker are both charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Both men are further charged with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute; and they are charged with destroying, damaging, or removing property to prevent its seizure by law enforcement. The Tulsa Police Department, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Richard Blake Holbrook. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. Holbrook, 23, of Bristow, is charged with attempting to persuade and entice an individual whom he believed to be a minor to engage in sexual activity. The Bristow Police Department is the investigative agency.
Edward Leiva-Alvarez. Drug Conspiracy. Leiva-Alvarez, 37, residing at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester, is charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Grand River Dam Authority and Miami Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Early Livestock. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Livestock, 48, of Tulsa, is charged with failing to register as a sex offender since July 2, 2018. The U.S. Marshals Service and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.
Clinton Eugene Rose. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Rose, 43, of Cleveland, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Hi-Point .45ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol. According to the Indictment, Rose has previously been convicted of 24 different felonies. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative authorities.
Lucas Shane Vann. Sexual Exploitation of a Child (Superseding Indictment). Vann, 19, of Salina, is charged with knowingly producing an image of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are the investigative agencies.
Jalil Charles Edward West. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition. West, 30, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Zastava 7.62X39mm semi-automatic pistol and 70 rounds of associated ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Federal Court Shuts Down Orlando Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida has permanently barred defendant Gladys Quiles from preparing federal tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The complaint filed by the United States alleged that Quiles did not sign the tax returns she prepares and does not identify herself in any way on the returns, instead operating as a “ghost preparer.” The complaint further alleged that she repeatedly and continually prepared tax returns that understated liabilities and overstated refunds. Her alleged schemes included fabricating business income or expenses reported on Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business, and deducting false employee business expenses on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions.
The injunction was entered against Quiles by default because she failed to defend against the government’s allegations. The complaint alleges that Quiles lives in Orlando, Florida.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams for 2019 and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. Ghost preparers neither sign the returns they prepare nor include their Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) on those returns, despite their obligations to do so. The IRS has cautioned taxpayers about ghost preparers because ghost preparers can hurt honest taxpayers who are simply trying to do the right thing and file a legitimate tax return. The IRS has information on its website about selecting a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Fall River Mayor Charged with Extorting Marijuana Vendors for CashRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Jasiel F. Correia II, the Mayor of Fall River, Massachusetts, has been arrested and charged for allegedly extorting marijuana vendors for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes; extorting a building owner for cash and a Rolex watch in exchange for activating the water supply to a commercial building; and demanding that his chief of staff give him half of her salary in return for appointing her and allowing her to keep her city job. Correia’s former Chief of Staff was also charged today on extortion, theft and bribery, and false statement charges. Both will appear in federal court today.
Correia, 27, has been charged in a superseding indictment with bribery; extortion conspiracy; extortion and aiding and abetting; wire fraud; and filing false tax returns. Correia was previously arrested and charged in October 2018 for his involvement in a scheme to defraud investors in a company called SnoOwl, which was co-owned by Correia. Correia was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court today at 2:30 p.m. on the new charges.
Genoveva Andrade, 48, of Somerset, was charged in a criminal complaint with extortion conspiracy; extortion; theft and bribery; and false statements. Andrade served as Correia’s Chief of Staff from November 2017 through December 2018. She stepped down in January 2019 to run Correia’s March 2019 recall campaign. Andrade was arrested and will appear in federal court at 2:45 p.m. today.
Antonio Costa, 51, of Fall River; Hildegar Camara, 58, of Fall River; and David Hebert, 54, of Westport were charged separately in Informations with extortion conspiracy, extortion, and false statements in connection with subsequent false statements to federal agents about their roles in assisting Correia obtain money and property from marijuana vendors. Costa, Camara and Hebert will appear in court at a later date.
According to the superseding indictment, Correia agreed to issue non-opposition letters to marijuana vendors, which are required in order to operate in Massachusetts, in return for cash bribes and other payments. The bribes alleged today ranged from approximately $100,000 to $250,000 in cash, campaign contributions and mortgage discharges - in return for non-opposition letters and host community agreements. Marijuana was also exchanged for resale. It is alleged that Andrade and Correia met with marijuana vendors and discussed signing non-opposition letters in return for cash.
Under Massachusetts law, non-opposition letters from the head of local government are required in order to obtain a license to operate a marijuana business. This is true for medical and recreational marijuana businesses. These letters state that the head of local government has verified that the proposed facility is in a permissible zoning district. In this instance, Correia was solely responsible for approving all non-opposition letters. In addition, applicants seeking marijuana licenses are required to enter into host community agreements, between the marijuana company and the local government, stating that the company will give up to 3% of its gross sales to the local government.
To date, Correia has issued at least 14 non-opposition letters for marijuana businesses to operate in Fall River, including two for his current girlfriend’s brother. On August 12, 2019, the Fall River City Council passed an ordinance to limit the number of marijuana licenses in Fall River to 20% of off-premise liquor licenses or 11, whichever is greater. On August 19, 2019, Correia vetoed the order, claiming that it would eliminate competition and that a proponent of the ordinance had a conflict of interest.
It is further alleged that Correia obtained a stream of benefits, including cash and a Rolex watch valued at approximately $7,500 – $12,000, in exchange for official action and assistance that was favorable to Middleman #1 and his business(es) in Fall River. This included directing Fall River public employees to approve and pay for permits and excavating work to activate the water line for the sprinkler system at Middleman #1’s commercial property in Fall River.
Lastly - according to the indictment, in November 2017, Correia hired Andrade as his Chief of Staff with a salary of approximately $78,780 for a term of one year. Less than three weeks later, Correia personally approved a $10,000 “snow stipend” to Andrade. She would receive the $10,000 payment in two installments. After she received the first installment of $5,353, Andrade allegedly gave Correia $4,300. After she received the second installment - of $5,353, Andrade again paid Correia $4,300.
This pattern, in which Andrade promptly kicked back a substantial portion of her paychecks to Correia, continued for approximately eight months. For instance, Andrade received her first paycheck for $2,046. Four days later, Andrade gave Correia $1,200. In total, between December 2017 and July 2018, Andrade kick back approximately $22,800 to Correia. Andrade shared information about the kickback scheme with MJ Vendor #5 allegedly saying, “you want to hear something even more f**ked up … I have to give [Correia] half of my salary.”
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to twice the loss involved and restitution. The charges of filing false tax returns provide for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charges of extortion conspiracy provide for a sentence of up to 20 years, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charges of extortion aiding and abetting provide for a sentence of up to 20 years, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The bribery charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; and Glenn A. Cunha, Massachusetts Inspector General made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Hafer, Chief of Lelling’s Criminal Division, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ex-White House Military Aide and Maryland Businessman Found Guilty for Operating Fraudulent EB-5 Visa SchemeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against two Maryland men for defrauding victims of over $15 million during the defendants’ operation of the New Orleans EB-5 Regional Center after Hurricane Katrina.
After a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry, the defendants, Maryland businessman WILLIAM B. “BART” HUNGERFORD, JR., age 58, and TIMOTHY O. MILBRATH, age 63, a former U.S. Air Force colonel who served as a White House military aide for three presidential administrations, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and six counts of wire fraud.
The charges stemmed from their scheme to defraud immigrant investors who entrusted their money to the defendants to invest in job-creating companies in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. As was alleged in the indictment, HUNGERFORD and MILBRATH conspired together to defraud immigrants who sought to apply for EB-5 visas. The visa program permits immigrants to invest a minimum of $1,000,000.00 in a United States job-creating enterprise and obtain permanent residency if, after two years, that investment created or preserved ten American jobs. The minimum investment required was lowered to $500,000.00 if the investment was made in a targeted employment area (“TEA”), defined as an area with an unemployment rate of 150% of the national average.
The superseding indictment alleged that HUNGERFORD and MILBRATH formed NobleOutReach, LLC, to operate the EB-5 investment fund, and they contracted with the City of New Orleans to run the New Orleans Regional Center. Because New Orleans was a designated TEA in the years after Hurricane Katrina, immigrant investors only had to invest $500,000.00 in order to qualify under the EB-5 visa program. HUNGERFORD and MILBRATH represented to investors that their $500,000.00 investment would be used to create jobs in New Orleans and contribute to the rebuilding of the City. A total of 31 immigrants invested a total of $15.5 million in the defendants’ investment fund.
Evidence at trial showed that, instead of investing the immigrant investors’ entire $15.5 million into New Orleans-based job-creating enterprises, HUNGERFORD and MILBRATH fraudulently misappropriated investor funds for their own personal gain. HUNGERFORD and MILBRATH wrote themselves checks drawn from investor funds which they disguised as “loans” or “loan repayments.” The evidence showed that the defendants created multiple companies in order to conceal the path of investor funds and misappropriate them. The defendants also spent investor funds to purchase vacation and rental properties for their own benefit. In the course of perpetrating the fraud, the defendants made false representations to investors, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the City of New Orleans.
As to each of the six counts of wire fraud, along with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, the defendants face a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to the money laundering conspiracy, the defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $500,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. As to the conspiracy to commit immigration fraud, the defendants may receive a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Sentencing was set for December 17, 2019 before Judge Guidry.
“This was a very complex case with many moving parts,” The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted. “But it in the end, it ultimately all comes down to greed. This scheme to defraud our community, taxpayers and those lawfully seeking permanent residency in the United States, occurred in the wake of one of the most turbulent times in our city’s history. Any attempt by perpetrators to conduct fraudulent schemes must not be tolerated. It is our greatest hope that this verdict serves as notice to everyone that justice will prevail in the end.”
“The protection of our citizens is one of the most sacred responsibilities entrusted to the FBI. The crimes charged, not only involved stealing money from potential US citizens, but also money that was to be utilized to help re-build New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The FBI takes a proactive approach to identify perpetrators involved in these crimes and will continue to investigate and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. As in this instance, these crimes truly victimized an entire community and are not tolerated by the FBI nor should they be tolerated by any citizens”, said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Riedlinger.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Field Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew R. Payne, Shirin Hakimzadeh, Maria M. Carboni, and Andre J. Lagarde.
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Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Voluntary Manslaughter, Discharging a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, and Child AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter, Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, and Child Abuse was sentenced on September 3, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Dee Hawk Moran, age 23, was sentenced to a total of 156 months in federal prison. He was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for Voluntary Manslaughter and 18 months in federal prison for Child Abuse, with such sentences to be served concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for Discharging a Firearm During and in relation to a Crime of Violence, with such sentence to be served consecutively to the other sentences. Moran was also ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $300.
The convictions for Voluntary Manslaughter and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence stemmed from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of November 11, 2017. On that date, Moran was at a house party in Eagle Butte, where the victim was also present. At approximately 3:00 A.M, the victim was in the garage and got into an argument with another man, who was also attending the party. The victim took off his jacket and punched the man in the face. Moran, who was nearby, then produced a .22 caliber pistol and fired multiple shots at the victim, mortally wounding him. Moran was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2017. He pled guilty on May 20, 2019.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The conviction for Child Abuse stemmed from conduct that occurred in 2015 and 2017. Between September 1, 2015, and June 16, 2017, Moran cruelly exposed, tortured, tormented, and cruelly punished a child who had not attained the age of eighteen. Moran was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 23, 2019. He pled guilty on May 20, 2019.
These cases were investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the cases.
Moran was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Indicated on Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
Oscar Lance Whiteman, age 31, was indicted on September 4, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on September 5, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on June 28, 2019, Whiteman assaulted a female, which resulted in serious bodily injury, and on August 11, 2019, Whiteman assaulted that same female and a male, which also resulted in serious bodily injury to both victims. The Indictment further alleges that Whiteman assaulted the male victim with a dangerous weapon, that is, shod feet.
The charges are merely accusations and Whiteman is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Whiteman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Ex-U.s. Fish and Wildlife Service Employee Sentenced in Child Porn CaseRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee Shawn Thomas Conrad was sentenced today to 84 months in prison followed by 20 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. Conrad also was ordered to pay $15,000 restitution, $5,000 Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act assessment, and $100 special assessment.
Conrad, 49, of Billings, pleaded guilty in May to possession of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
“Exploiting children for sexual gratification is a serious crime and will not be tolerated. Every person who possesses child pornography re-injures the victim,” Attorney Alme said. “This sentence sends a strong message that whoever commits child pornography crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I want to thank Assistant U. S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI, the Billings Police Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for their good work in this case.”
“Child pornography is a crime that leaves profound and long-lasting effects on the victims,” said Paul Haertel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office. “The FBI would like to thank the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Billings Police Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services for their assistance in bringing a child predator to justice.”
The prosecution said in court documents filed in the case that an investigation of Conrad, an agent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, for a child pornography crime that began in early August 2018 by the Billings Police Department, which is a member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Having heard of the underlying police department investigation, Conrad’s supervisor went to Conrad’s home and seized an agency vehicle. Conrad said his personal hard drive was in the vehicle and asked for the hard drive. The supervisor did not return it. Conrad asked his supervisor again that evening for his hard drive.
The USFWS obtained a search warrant for the hard drive, which was examined. The BPD also served a search warrant at Conrad’s residence and seized a laptop computer, which was examined. Both the hard drive and laptop contained child porn images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, FBI, BPD and USFWS.
Drug Traffickers Sentenced to Prison for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Alexandria men were sentenced today to two and a half years in prison for distribution of heroin and pure methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Jose Castro, 23, and Martin Vitela, 25, assisted co-conspirator Fabian Rodriguez Sandoval in the transportation and distribution of kilograms of heroin and pure methamphetamines from Woodbridge to Pennsylvania. Castro, Vitela and Sandoval received the illegal narcotics from couriers traveling from California before distributing the drugs along the east coast.
Sandoval was sentenced to six years in prison on August 23 for his role in the offense.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General Lena Munasifi and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-169.
Dominican National Sentenced for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Dorchester was sentenced Wednesday for Social Security fraud.
Saddan Bautista Diaz, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Sarris to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in June 2019 to one count of false representation of a Social Security Number. Bautista Diaz was arrested and charged in a July 2018 federal law enforcement sweep of 25 individuals accused of document and benefit fraud.
On June 27, 2014, Bautista Diaz, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, applied for a Massachusetts Identification Card using the name and Social Security number of a Puerto Rican citizen. He presented a Puerto Rican birth certificate and a Social Security card in the other person’s name to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles as proof of his identity. Based on the application and supporting identity documents, Bautista Diaz was issued an identification card in the name of the Puerto Rican citizen.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Murder of Southeast ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Antoine Little, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 17 years in prison for the 2018 murder of Southeast resident Curtis Barnum, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Little pled guilty in April, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Danya Dayson on September 6, 2019, to 17 years in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on October 9, 2018, the defendant, Antoine Little, approached the Valero gas station at 3710 Minnesota Avenue, Northeast, where he encountered the decedent, Curtis Barnum, who had stopped to put gas in his white pickup truck. After shouting at the decedent, the defendant walked over to the decedent’s pickup truck and entered it through the passenger side door. Within moments, the defendant stabbed the decedent in the chest with a knife. The defendant then opened the driver’s side door and pushed the decedent out of the truck. While the decedent lay on the ground, the defendant rifled through the decedent’s pockets and robbed the decedent of some of his belongings. The defendant then kicked the decedent’s feet out of the truck, closed the driver’s side door, and fled the scene.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Meridith McGarrity; Victim Advocates Karina Hernandez and Jennifer Allen; and Supervisory IT Specialist Leif Hickling. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gilead Light, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Derby Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL VADAKIN, 28, of Derby, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Vadakin was arrested on December 13, 2018, after an investigation revealed that he had used the Kik smartphone application to possess and share videos of child pornography. Forensic analysis of a tablet seized during a search of Vadakin’s residence revealed additional images of child pornography.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for December 4, 2019, at which time Vadakin faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Vadakin is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the Derby Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
Citizen of Guatemala Convicted of Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that on Thursday a federal jury found Nelson Alexander Fuentes-Lopez, 32, a citizen of Guatemala, guilty of reentering the United States after having been previously deported.
According to trial exhibits and witness testimony during the two-day jury trial, Fuentes-Lopez was found in Seabrook in May of this year when he was a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped for speeding.
Fuentes-Lopez was subsequently arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations Officers when it was discovered that he had been deported in July of 2014 after illegally crossing the border in Texas.
Fuentes-Lopez was convicted of one count of reentry after deportation. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 17, 2019. U.S. Immigration and customers Enforcement will seek his removal following the service of his sentence.
“Those who have been deported from the United States must follow the law if they wish to return to this country,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “If they choose to return to the United States unlawfully, they are subject to federal prosecution.”
“Illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed from the U.S. is a serious violation of our immigration law”, said Marcos D. Charles, acting Field Office Director U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations, Boston. “When an individual violates these laws, that person shows contempt for our long established immigration system. These actions also disrespect the hundreds of thousands of immigrants who have followed the lawful process of entry into our country.”
This matter was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistance also was provided by United States Border Patrol and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.
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Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Robert Vishaun Roscoe, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2019. Roscoe was charged in May 2019 and has been in custody since.
On Oct. 11, 2018, law enforcement officers encountered Roscoe with a loaded black KelTec 9mm semi-automatic pistol and seven rounds of ammunition in Dorchester. Roscoe had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Chief William G. Gross, and Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael S. Rollins made the announcement today.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Baltimore Cocaine and Marijuana Dealer Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Delroy Williams, Jr. age 32, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 135 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Judge Hollander imposed the sentence on September 5, 2019.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare.
“Drug traffickers must know that gun crime will lead to federal time, which has no parole—ever,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Delroy Williams did not heed that message and will now serve more than 11 years in federal prison. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to remove those who would commit violence from our community.”
According to the testimony presented at his five-day trial, from at least October 2016 through December 12, 2016, Williams distributed cocaine and marijuana in the Baltimore area. On the evening of December 12, 2016, Williams encountered an associate at a nightclub in Baltimore County. Believing that the associate owed him money, Williams assaulted, robbed, and shot at the individual before ramming the victim’s car and then fleeing the scene. Realizing that the associate knew where Williams lived, Williams took his drugs from his residence and took them to his girlfriend’s home in Glen Burnie, Maryland.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Glen Burnie residence the next day and recovered almost five kilograms of cocaine, several pounds of marijuana, and two guns from the house. Witnesses testified that several more pounds of marijuana, more than $213,000 in cash, scales, and pistol ammunition were recovered from Williams’s truck.
A federal jury convicted Williams on May 20, 2019. Williams was originally scheduled for trial in November 2018, but fled and was a fugitive until his arrest on January 11, 2019. Williams has been detained since that time.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation, and thanked the FBI, the ATF, and the U.S. Marshals Service for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary B. Stendig and John W. Sippel, Jr. who prosecuted the case.
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Austin Man Sentenced to Prison in Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Two Austin, Texas, residents were sentenced today for criminal offenses arising out of a seven-year scheme to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
United States District Court Judge Xavier Rodriguez sentenced Michael Herman to 21 months in prison, and Cynthia Herman to five years of probation. On May 20, 2019, an Austin jury convicted Michael Herman and Cynthia Herman (the “Hermans”) of conspiring to defraud the United States by impeding and impairing the IRS and filing false 2010 and 2011 individual income tax returns. Michael Herman was also convicted of filing false 2010 through 2012 corporate income tax returns.
According to evidence introduced at trial and witness testimony, the Hermans owned and operated: Cindy’s Gone Hog Wild, a restaurant and bar in Travis County, Texas, and two restaurants in Bastrop County, Texas, Cindy’s Downtown and Hasler Brothers Steakhouse. The Hermans skimmed cash from the restaurants by depositing only a portion of the cash receipts into their business bank accounts and reporting only those limited deposits on the corporate and individual income tax returns. The Hermans also paid for personal expenses out of the business accounts, including repair of their swimming pool, utilities for their home and the salary of a household employee. As a result, the personal returns filed by the Hermans falsely underreported income and businesses’ corporate returns and falsely deducted personal expenses as business expenses.
Judge Rodriguez also ordered the defendants to pay $157,719 in restitution, and Michael Herman to serve three years of supervised release.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman thanked agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Robert A. Kemins and David Zisserson, who prosecuted the case. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas (Austin Division) for their substantial assistance.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Attorney Charged with Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging DERON D. FREEMAN, 45, of Glastonbury, with two counts of filing false tax returns.
As alleged in the indictment, Freeman is attorney who owns and operates The Law Offices of Deron Freeman in Hartford. Freeman has practiced primarily in the areas of personal injury and criminal law. In 2011 and 2012, Freeman filed false tax returns that understated his income and, in turn, his tax liability.
If convicted of the charges, Freeman faces a maximum term of imprisonment of three years on each count.
Freeman’s arraignment is scheduled for September 10 at 1:30 before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport.
The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan L. Wines.
Armed Robber Sentenced to 28 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 28 years in prison for committing a series of armed robberies in Petersburg, Henrico, and Richmond.
“Spencer, an armed criminal, used an AK-47 style long gun to rob and victimize, innocent, hard-working employees of small businesses in the Richmond area,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His 28 year sentence reflects the seriousness of his despicable conduct, and thank God no one was killed during one of his brazen armed robberies. Spencer is a clear danger to the community, a threat to public safety, and the Eastern District is a safer place with him off of the streets. My thanks to the prosecutors and investigators for their commitment to this case and our Project Safe Neighborhoods mission of removing violent criminals from the community.”
According to court documents, Peonte Shamar Spencer, 39, armed himself with an AK-47 style long gun to rob three convenience stores and used a handgun to rob a bank. On Dec. 2, 2018, Spencer entered a Qwik Shop in Petersburg and demanded the register’s cash from the convenience store clerk while pointing an AK-47 style long gun at the clerk. Later that night, Spencer entered a Rite Aid in Henrico and once again brandished an AK-47 style long gun while demanding the store’s cash from its clerk. On Dec. 6, 2018, Spencer robbed a 48 Hour Convenience Store in Richmond using the same gun and similar tactics from the previous two robberies. During this robbery, Spencer threatened to shoot the store’s clerk. On Dec. 18, 2018, Spencer robbed the South State Bank in Richmond using a black starter pistol and fled with nearly $4,000 in a car driven by his girlfriend.
“The FBI and its partners will continue to aggressively investigate violent crimes such as the ones committed by Spencer,” said David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office. “We are grateful for the partnership of the United States Attorney’s Office, and its successful prosecution of this case which removed a violent criminal from the community.”
Law enforcement officers were able to locate the vehicle and apprehend Spencer and his girlfriend along with the bank’s stolen money, the black starter pistol, and an AK-47 with additional magazines. Spencer also admitted to law enforcement that he was involved in two previous bank robberies of the same bank earlier that year.
The 28 year sentence will be served consecutively to a sentence of eight years that Spencer received in Richmond Circuit Court.
This 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Janet Jin Ah Lee and Angela Mastandrea-Miller prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-12.
Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced JOEL MOLINA-CRUZ, 37, on August 27, 2019 for illegal-re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Molina-Cruz was arrested in Casper, Wyoming. He received eighteen months of imprisonment and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. Molina-Cruz is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security investigated this case.
Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced JASON AUGUST OBERMUELLER, 41, of Jensen, Utah on September 4, 2019 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Obermueller was arrested in Utah. He received fourteen months of imprisonment, to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $5,500.00 fine, and a $100.00 special assessment. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case.
Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced DAMEON DURANTE McDOWELL, 41, of Casper, Wyoming on September 4, 2019 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. McDowell was arrested in Casper, Wyoming. He received one hundred ten months of imprisonment, to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. The Casper Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case.
Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced AUSTIN JAMES KELLY, 25, of Arizona on September 5, 2019 for possession of a stolen firearm. Kelly was arrested in Park County, Wyoming. He received time served to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment. The Wyoming Highway Patrol, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated this case.
Thursday 5 September 2019
Ypsilanti Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking Resulting in the Death of a VictimRead the Press Release
An Ypsilanti man was convicted today by a federal jury in Detroit on charges of distribution and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, heroin and fentanyl, resulting in the overdose death of a victim and the serious bodily injury to a second overdose victim, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Joining Schneider in the announcement were Keith Martin, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Division, and Chad Baugh, Deputy Director of Canton Police Department.
Found guilty was Adam Dean Brown, 39. The eleven-day trial was conducted before United States District Judge Sean Cox. The jury deliberated approximately six hours before returning their verdicts. Brown faces mandatory life in prison when he is sentenced on January 8, 2020.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 17, 2017, law enforcement responded to a house call where they found an individual deceased in his basement. Officers found a syringe and packet of suspected heroin at the scene and determined the deceased died of an apparent drug overdose. A subsequent investigation revealed that the suspected heroin was actually fentanyl, and that the
22-year old victim died from a fentanyl overdose. Through their investigation, officers learned that the victim purchased the fentanyl from defendant Brown, a previously convicted drug trafficker. Further evidence showed that Brown and co-defendant James Sharp conspired to distribute illegal drugs, including heroin and fentanyl, over a fourteen month period in 2016 and 2017. Co-defendant Terence Robinson connected Brown to the October 17, 2017, overdose victim. Before officers could stop Brown, however, he sold fentanyl to a second local man, leading to his overdose and serious bodily injury. The second victim also overdosed on fentanyl sold by Brown, but the victim’s mother called 911 and first responders worked diligently to revive the victim.
"Overdose deaths from heroin and fentanyl have become a national epidemic, including here in Michigan, and illegal opioid pushers such as Adam Brown are a significant part of our problem,” Schneider said. “Michigan law enforcement is fully committed to battling back against these opioid traffickers and the tremendous pain they are causing to overdose victims and their families.”
“Fentanyl and heroin are causing overdose deaths throughout the state of Michigan in increasing numbers”, stated Acting Special Agent in Charge Martin. “The DEA is committed to aggressively pursuing individuals and Drug Trafficking Organizations who distribute these poisons across the state in order to profit from the destruction of lives and communities.”
“The Canton Police Department is fortunate to be able to partner with the federal government and in this case, provide a voice for the victim and a sense of justice for the family members struggling with the loss of their loved ones,” said Chad Baugh, Deputy Director of Canton Police Department. “We are hopeful this verdict sends a message to drug traffickers in southeast Michigan,” Baugh adds.
James Sharp pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on January 11, 2019, and was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Terence Robinson pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and will be sentenced on October 9, 2019.
This investigation was led by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration assigned to the Southeast Michigan Regional OCDETF Strike Force along with assistance from the Canton Township Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Michael Buckley and Hank Moon.
Woodburn Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE- Charles Tranter, 35, of Woodburn, Indiana was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady, on September 4, 2019, after pleading guilty to the receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Tranter was sentenced to a total of 60 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, an Indictment was filed against Tranter on March 22, 2017, charging him with the receipt of material involving the sexual exploitation of minors from July, 2012 through October, 2015. During this time, Tranter amassed more than 600 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
United States Attorney McSwain Announces Arrest of Former Catholic Priest on False Statement ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Robert Brennan, 81, of Perryville, MD, was arrested and charged by Indictment with four counts of making materially false statements in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the United States government.
The Indictment alleges that on or about April 25, 2019, Brennan was interviewed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and made a number of false statements to the investigating agents. Brennan had served in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia from 1993 to 2004 as a priest at Resurrection of Our Lord parish (“Resurrection”). In September 2013, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office filed criminal charges against him, alleging that he had sexually abused a minor, Sean McIlmail, during Brennan’s time at Resurrection. Soon thereafter, on or about October 13, 2013, Sean McIlmail died of a drug overdose and the criminal charges against Brennan were dismissed.
In November 2013, the McIlmail family filed a civil lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Brennan. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount on or about May 2, 2018.
During the April 25, 2019 interview with the FBI, Brennan made several allegedly false statements that prior to the filing of the 2013 criminal case and civil lawsuit against him, he did not know Sean McIlmail, his father, mother or brother. Brennan was arrested in Maryland this morning and is being transported to Philadelphia for his initial appearance in federal court today at 1:30 p.m.
“Making false statements to the FBI is a serious crime, and given the circumstances, the alleged false statements here are particularly disturbing,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “We will use all of the tools at our disposal to hold this defendant accountable for his alleged actions.”
“The defendant allegedly lied to the FBI to obstruct an investigation into complaints that he sexually abused a child while serving as a priest,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “I’m proud to work with our federal partners to hold him accountable. Our Office will investigate and prosecute anyone who abuses children, takes advantage of their position of power, or gives false statements to law enforcement, no matter who they are.”
“Lying to federal agents threatens the integrity of our justice system,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “That’s precisely why it’s a crime. The FBI can't properly carry out investigations, if the people we interview think they can deceive us without consequence.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 32 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and 3 years’ supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle L. Morgan.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Women Sentenced to Federal Prison for Credit Card Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Lenardra Griffin (30, Grand Island) to three years and four months in federal prison, and Christina Scott (35, Orlando) to two years and six months in federal prison, for access device (credit card) fraud. In addition, the court also ordered Griffin and Scott to pay restitution in the amounts of $812,909.53 and $703,483.50, respectively. Griffin had pleaded guilty to two counts of access device fraud on January 8, 2019, and Scott had pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud on June 20, 2019.
On June 26, 2019, a third participant in the scheme, Shannon Bentley (34, Sorrento), was sentenced to nine years and three months in federal prison. She was also ordered to pay $812,990.53 in restitution.
According to court documents, from August 2014 through July 2018, the conspirators obtained personal identifying information (“PII”) from victims, obtained fake credit card accounts and cards in the victims’ names or linked to their accounts, and used those credit cards to obtain goods, gift cards, and cash at retail establishments and banks throughout Orlando and surrounding areas. Griffin was involved in all aspects of this scheme and, along with Bentley, exploited the advanced age of their elderly victims to steal their identities, causing them to incur fraudulent charges. Scott was involved in the use of, and trafficking in, fraudulent credit cards. The total amount of loss was estimated to be more than $812,000.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness.
Two Indicted for $4 Million Warranty Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging two people with nine counts of wire and mail fraud relating to a scheme to defraud a major car company of more than $4 million.
According to the indictment, Frank Russo, 68, of North Carolina, and Kevin Fluharty, 58, of West Virginia organized and participated in a scheme to misuse a car company’s warranty extension program that offered to repurchase certain defective trucks for 150% of their value, so long as those trucks were owned by individual customers rather than a dealership. Participants in the scheme bought the trucks at wholesale prices at auction through a car dealership in Kentucky. They then obtained hundreds of copies of Kentucky and West Virginia residents’ driver’s licenses, fraudulently titled the trucks in the name of those residents, and induced the car company to repurchase the trucks at 150% of value.
According to the indictment, the indicted defendants ran 350 trucks through the scheme between 2013 and 2015, causing approximately $4.3 million in losses to the car company.
“These allegations are very serious. The alleged fraud scheme caused over $4 million in losses,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “I appreciate the tremendous work of the investigators in this case that resulted in today’s indictment.”
If convicted, the two defendants each face up to 30 years in prison.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Office of the Insurance Commissioner conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Stefan Hasselblad is handling the prosecution.
The indictment can be found here.
Please note: An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Topeka Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man was charged today with bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
James E. Freeman, 55, Topeka, Kan., is charged with one count of bank robbery. A criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court in Topeka alleges he robbed U.S. Bank at 719 South Kansas Avenue in Topeka. An affidavit alleges Freeman entered the bank at about 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 4. He began striking the counter with his right hand and screaming, “Just give me money,” and “This is a robbery.” He left the bank with cash.
A Topeka police officer responding to the bank robbery call found Freeman walking on 6th Street about a block from the bank. Freeman was holding cash in his hands when he was arrested.
If convicted, Freeman faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Topeka Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Toledo man indicted on cocaine and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
A Toledo man was indicted on drug and firearms charges.
Ronnie Robinson, 32, was indicted on one count of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Robinson possessed on July 9 cocaine and a Ruger 9 mm pistol, despite a previous conviction for trafficking fentanyl, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the Toledo Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S.s Attorney Matthew D. Simko is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Toledo man indicted for allegedly selling fentanyl and other drugs that resulted in a fatal overdose on New Year’s EveRead the Press Release
A Toledo man was indicted for allegedly selling fentanyl and other drugs that resulted in a fatal overdose on New Year’s Eve.
Bryan Mays, 30, was indicted on one count of distribution of a controlled substance. The charge comes with a potential sentencing enhancement for causing death.
Mays, aka Sipp Nolte, sold a mixture of fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl and Tramadol on December 30, 2018, according to the indictment.
The next day, a person identified in court documents as C.L. ingested the drugs and died, according to the indictment
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas P. Weldon and Michael J. Freeman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Men Indicted for Bank Robbery Inside Gallery FurnitureRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Three men are expected to make their appearances in federal court for aiding and abetting bank robbery and aiding and abetting brandishing a firearm in relation to robbing the Woodforest National Bank, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Originally charged by criminal complaint, a federal grand jury returned the two- count indictment Aug. 28, 2019, against Thaddeaues Williams, 21, Andre Palmer-Gilliams, 28, and Tydreic Sublet, 19, all of Houston. They are set to appear for their arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo today at 10:00.
The charges allege Williams jumped the counter of the bank and took an unspecified amount of money. Palmer-Gilliams allegedly entered the Woodforest National Bank while brandishing a firearm and stole money from a customer who was using the ATM inside the bank. Sublet entered the bank, while also brandishing a firearm, pointing it at customers and tellers, according to the allegations. Sublet also allegedly disarmed the security guard and took his firearm before the three men exited the bank.
The security guard was able to get a make, model and first letter of the license plate of the get-away vehicle, and officers were quickly able to locate it, according to the charges. Officers commanded them to stop but Sublet, the driver, allegedly refused and a chase ensued. The charges allege the vehicle ultimately crashed into a ditch, at which time the three men proceeded to run on foot. Authorities caught them and located four firearms - one of which belonged to the security guard - and the money allegedly stolen from the bank, according to the allegations.
The Houston Police Department and FBI Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.Spokane Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Robbery on Coeur d’Alene Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Isiah James Harrington, 19, of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to attempted robbery, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Sentencing for Harrington has been set for November 21, 2019, before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
According to court records, Harrington became aware that the victim, a Coeur d’Alene tribal member, was carrying a large amount of cash. Harrington and a co-defendant, McKenna Marie Buss, used the Snapchat app to track the victim to a Walmart in Spokane Valley, and then followed the victim’s car to a residence in Plummer, Idaho. After the victim stopped his car, Harrington got out of a vehicle with a gun and pointed it at the victim demanding cash. Harrington and Buss fled the scene, without taking any money, when they observed individuals exiting an adjacent residence to help the victim.
Buss is set for trial on November 18, 2019, at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
Attempted robbery is punishable by up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police Department, Benewah County Sheriff’s Office and the Plummer Police Department.
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Seventh and Final Defendant Sentenced in Cross Country Methamphetamine RingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Julie Cota, 52, of California, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who handled the case, stated that between January 2017 and June 27, 2017, the defendant conspired with others to sell methamphetamine.
In furtherance of the conspiracy, Cota worked together with co-defendant Thomas Williams to ship crystal methamphetamine from California to co-defendant Donald McKinney in Dansville, NY. The defendant, along with Williams, sent approximately four to six pounds of crystal methamphetamine to McKinney in Dansville via Federal Express parcel service, in exchange for money. Cota and Williams sold the crystal methamphetamine for $1,000 an ounce to McKinney, who then distributed the crystal methamphetamine to his own customers in the Dansville area.
Many of the methamphetamine sales took place at The Boneyard, an auto salvage business located in Dansville. Owner Kenneth Hoag was also convicted and forfeited the business as a result of his conviction.
Cota was one of seven defendants convicted and sentenced in this case. Also convicted and sentenced:
• Thomas Williams - sentenced to serve 144 months in prison;
• Donald McKinney - sentenced to serve 120 months in prison;
• Kenneth Hoag - sentenced to serve 12 months and 1 day in prison and forfeiture of The Boneyard;
• Kurt Redance - sentenced to serve 48 months in prison;
• Andrew Culliton - sentenced to serve 36 months in prison; and
• Brandie Schumacher - sentenced to four years probation to include three months home detention.“Like illicit opioids, methamphetamine destroys lives,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Whether these drugs are on the streets of a large urban city, or in a small rural area, our Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring an end to the scourge and hold accountable those who seek to fill our communities with these dangerous and potentially deadly substances.”
“Illegal drug sales have no borders and through our local, state and federal partners, we too are breaking down our jurisdictional borders to follow those distributing these deadly drugs,” stated Sheriff Thomas J. Dougherty. “We will continue to aggressively investigate drug crimes in Livingston County and do our very best to hold drug dealers accountable.”
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division; the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Dougherty; and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton.
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Second Tennessee Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Offense for Beating InmateRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Tanner Penwell, 22, pleaded guilty to using unlawful force on an inmate while Penwell was serving as a correctional officer with the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
"This type of behavior and violation of an inmate’s civil rights will not be tolerated," said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. "The Department of Justice will continue to seek out justice on behalf of those who have had their civil rights violated."
"Correctional officers must abide by and adhere to the same laws they take an oath to uphold and enforce. Instead of serving and protecting the public, this officer used physical force to violate the civil rights of an individual and will now be held accountable, vividly illustrating that no one is above the law," said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant.
"The FBI will vigorously investigate and bring to justice any law enforcement officer who crosses the line and engages in activity that violates the civil rights of those whose safety they are charged with," said Bryan McCloskey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. "This plea should be a reminder that wearing a badge does not make one above the law."
With his guilty plea, Penwell admitted that, on February 1, 2019, he and several other correctional officers entered the cell of R.T., an inmate in the mental health unit at the Northwest County Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Penwell and the other officers entered the cell because R.T. was a suicide risk. Inmate R.T. was already bleeding when the officers entered his cell, and R.T. flung blood toward the correctional officers.
Once inside, a correctional officer looked in the direction of the surveillance camera in the cell and said, "violate the camera." Another correctional officer then covered the camera with his hand.
The correctional officer who asked for the camera to be violated then repeatedly punched R.T. Penwell estimated that this officer hit R.T. more than 20 times. When the officer stopped hitting R.T., he looked back at Penwell and said, "get him." Penwell stepped up and punched R.T. multiple times in the head. After Penwell stopped punching R.T., a third correctional officer punched R.T.
Throughout the time he was being punched by the correctional officers, inmate R.T. sat on the bench in the cell and only used his arms to cover his face in an apparent attempt to protect his face from the correctional officers’ punches. At no point did R.T. attempt to fight back. Penwell knew that punching R.T. was unlawful, but he did not step in to stop it. A supervisor and several correctional officers were in a position to watch as the three correctional officers punched inmate R.T., but none of them attempted to stop the officers from hitting R.T. After R.T. was punched by the officers, Penwell observed that R.T. was bleeding much more than when they had first entered the cell.
Once outside of the cell, Penwell spoke with several correctional officers and a supervisor. The supervisor said he needed to see if the camera inside the cell was working. The supervisor and the first correctional officer who punched R.T. decided that all of the officers would falsely claim that R.T. injured himself while he was on suicide watch in the mental health unit.
The next morning, the first correctional officer who punched R.T. told Penwell that instead of falsely claiming that R.T. injured himself, as the supervisor had proposed the day before, they should both falsely blame the third correctional officer who punched R.T. for all of R.T.’s injuries. Over the next few days, the first officer who punched R.T. repeatedly told Penwell to stick to this new cover story.
With today’s guilty plea, Penwell admitted that he violated 18 U.S.C. § 242 when he repeatedly punched and injured inmate R.T. without legal justification. The maximum penalty for this civil rights offense is 10 years imprisonment.
In a related case, former Correctional Officer Nathaniel Griffin entered a guilty plea in federal court on August 15, 2019. Sentencing is scheduled for November 27, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Division of the FBI with the support of the Tennessee Department of Corrections, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant United States Attorney David Pritchard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
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Second Tennessee Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Offense for Beating InmateRead the Press Release
Tanner Penwell, 22, pleaded guilty to using unlawful force on an inmate while Penwell was serving as a correctional officer with the Tennessee Department of Corrections.
“This type of behavior and violation of an inmate’s civil rights will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to seek out justice on behalf of those who have had their civil rights violated.”
“Correctional officers must abide by and adhere to the same laws they take an oath to uphold and enforce. Instead of serving and protecting the public, this officer used physical force to violate the civil rights of an individual and will now be held accountable, vividly illustrating that no one is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee.
“The FBI will vigorously investigate and bring to justice any law enforcement officer who crosses the line and engages in activity that violates the civil rights of those whose safety they are charged with,” said Bryan McCloskey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. “This plea should be a reminder that wearing a badge does not make one above the law.”
With his guilty plea, Penwell admitted that, on Feb. 1, he and several other correctional officers entered the cell of R.T., an inmate in the mental health unit at the Northwest County Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tennessee. Penwell and the other officers entered the cell because R.T. was a suicide risk. Inmate R.T. was already bleeding when the officers entered his cell, and R.T. flung blood toward the correctional officers.
Once inside, a correctional officer looked in the direction of the surveillance camera in the cell and said, “violate the camera.” Another correctional officer then covered the camera with his hand. The correctional officer who asked for the camera to be violated then repeatedly punched R.T. Penwell estimated that this officer hit R.T. more than 20 times. When the officer stopped hitting R.T., he looked back at Penwell and said, “get him.” Penwell stepped up and punched R.T. multiple times in the head. After Penwell stopped punching R.T., a third correctional officer punched R.T.
Throughout the time he was being punched by the correctional officers, inmate R.T. sat on the bench in the cell and only used his arms to cover his face in an apparent attempt to protect his face from the correctional officers’ punches. At no point did R.T. attempt to fight back. Penwell knew that punching R.T. was unlawful, but he did not step in to stop it. A supervisor and several correctional officers were in a position to watch as the three correctional officers punched inmate R.T., but none of them attempted to stop the officers from hitting R.T. After R.T. was punched by the officers, Penwell observed that R.T. was bleeding much more than when they had first entered the cell.
Once outside of the cell, Penwell spoke with several correctional officers and a supervisor. The supervisor said he needed to see if the camera inside the cell was working. The supervisor and the first correctional officer who punched R.T. decided that all of the officers would falsely claim that R.T. injured himself while he was on suicide watch in the mental health unit.
The next morning, the first correctional officer who punched R.T. told Penwell that instead of falsely claiming that R.T. injured himself, as the supervisor had proposed the day before, they should both falsely blame the third correctional officer who punched R.T. for all of R.T.’s injuries. Over the next few days, the first officer who punched R.T. repeatedly told Penwell to stick to this new cover story.
With today’s guilty plea, Penwell admitted that he violated 18 U.S.C. § 242 when he repeatedly punched and injured inmate R.T. without legal justification. The maximum penalty for this civil rights offense is 10 years imprisonment.
In a related case, former Correctional Officer Nathaniel Griffin entered a guilty plea in federal court on Aug. 15. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 27.
This case was investigated by the Memphis Division of the FBI with the support of the Tennessee Department of Corrections, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah J. Bailey of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant United States Attorney David Pritchard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee.
Second Haverford College Student Pleads Guilty to Attempt to Access President Trump’s Tax InformationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Andrew Harris, 23, of Philadelphia, entered a plea of guilty before United States Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on the charges related to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1030 for using a school computer and someone else’s username without that person’s permission in an attempt to illegally obtain President Donald Trump’s tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service. Harris’ co-defendant, Justin Hiemstra, previously pleaded guilty on August 6, 2019.
These charges arose out of a plot between the defendant, then a student at Haverford College, and Hiemstra (another Haverford College student), to use computers at the school’s computer lab and the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) website to illegally access the tax returns. The defendants opened a false FAFSA application in the name of a member of the Trump family, and found that someone else had already obtained a username and password for Donald Trump. In order to reset the password, the defendants were prompted to answer challenge questions, which the original person had created when setting up the account. They were able to answer the questions and reset the password, and then used the President’s personal identifier information, including his social security number and date of birth, to attempt to import the President’s federal tax information into the bogus FAFSA application. Ultimately, this illegal attempt failed.
“No matter what you think about the President’s tax returns, clearly this kind of illegal activity cannot be tolerated or condoned. Unauthorized or false attempts to obtain any citizen’s IRS filings are a serious violation of privacy rights and a federal crime, and there’s nothing funny about it,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Now this un-funny plot has branded both Harris and his cohort, Hiemstra, with federal criminal convictions that they deserve.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Education – Office of Inspector General and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony J. Wzorek.
Sacramento Man Indicted for Assaulting Federal Agents with a FirearmRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 14-count indictment today against Jason Raysean Broadbent, 32, of Sacramento, charging him with assaulting federal officers with a deadly weapon and various firearms and drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to the indictment, on November 19, 2015, Broadbent assaulted Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives agents by firing and brandishing a Glock semi‑automatic pistol while they were performing their official duties in Sacramento County. Broadbent, a convicted felon, allegedly possessed multiple firearms, including two machineguns and a pipe bomb. The indictment further alleges that Broadbent possessed methamphetamine for distribution within 1,000 feet of a private secondary school and on a premises where children were present or resided.
This case is the product of an investigation by ATF, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, the Woodland Police Department, the Yolo County Narcotic Enforcement Team, and the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Spencer and Justin L. Lee are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Broadbent faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $20 million fine. Broadbent also faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison on some of the drug trafficking charges. He faces separate mandatory minimum sentences of five to 30 years in prison, consecutive to any other prison term imposed, for possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. He also faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of 10 years in prison for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and a mandatory consecutive sentence of seven years in prison for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Russian and Italian Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Steal Trade Secrets from American Aviation CompanyRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Russian national and an Italian national have been charged here with conspiring and attempting to steal trade secrets from an American aviation company.
Alexander Yuryevich Korshunov, 57, and Maurizio Paolo Bianchi, 59, were charged by a criminal complaint on Aug. 21. Korshunov was arrested on Aug. 30 at Naples International Airport in Italy. The complaint was unsealed today.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Korshunov was an employee of a Russian state-owned company and had previously been a Russian public official whose service included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bianchi was a former director at an Italian subsidiary of GE Aviation, one of the world’s top aircraft engine suppliers, which is headquartered in the Southern District of Ohio. While working for the subsidiary, Bianchi was responsible for business in China, Russia and Asia.
After leaving the subsidiary, Bianchi went to work for a company called Aernova in Forli, Italy.
Korshunov was employed at United Engine Corp (UEC), which included a subsidiary named Aviadvigatel (a branch of the Russian state-owned company), which had been “entity listed” by the U.S. Department of Commerce in September 2018 for acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.
Aernova and Aviadvigatel had a contract during the time of the alleged conduct.
It is alleged that between 2013 and 2018, Bianchi – on behalf of Korshunov – hired current or former employees of GE Aviation’s Italian subsidiary to do consulting work related to jet engine accessory gearboxes for Bianchi and Korshunov. The employees’ statements of work typically stated that the “the holders of patent and intellectual property obtained as a result of the work are…the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.”
Throughout the consulting, employees allegedly used trade secrets owned by GE Aviation to create the technical report. The effort focused on accessory gearboxes made by Avio Aero, which are external engine components that provide power to systems such as hydraulic pumps, generators and fuel pumps.
The affidavit details that Korshunov arranged and paid for employees to meet with him in June 2013 at the Paris Air Show in Le-Bourget, France and in 2014 in Milan, Italy to discuss and revise the technical report.
Conspiring to and attempting to steal trade secrets is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the cooperation of GE Aviation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan and Trial Attorney Will Mackie of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division assisted in the investigation.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Russian and Italian Nationals Charged with Conspiring to Steal Trade Secrets from American Aviation CompanyRead the Press Release
A Russian national and an Italian national have been charged in the United States with conspiring and attempting to steal trade secrets from an American aviation company.
Alexander Yuryevich Korshunov, 57, and Maurizio Paolo Bianchi, 59, were charged by a criminal complaint on Aug. 21. Korshunov was arrested on Aug. 30 at Naples International Airport in Italy. The complaint was unsealed today.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Korshunov was an employee of a Russian state-owned company and had previously been a Russian public official whose service included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Bianchi was a former director at an Italian subsidiary of GE Aviation, one of the world’s top aircraft engine suppliers, which is headquartered in the Southern District of Ohio. While working for the subsidiary, Bianchi was responsible for business in China, Russia and Asia.
After leaving the subsidiary, Bianchi went to work for a company called Aernova in Forli, Italy.
Korshunov was employed at United Engine Corp (UEC), which included a subsidiary named Aviadvigatel (a branch of the Russian state-owned company), which had been “entity listed” by the U.S. Department of Commerce in September 2018 for acting contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States.
Aernova and Aviadvigatel had a contract during the time of the alleged conduct.
It is alleged that between 2013 and 2018, Bianchi – on behalf of Korshunov – hired current or former employees of GE Aviation’s Italian subsidiary to do consulting work related to jet engine accessory gearboxes for Bianchi and Korshunov. The employees’ statements of work typically stated that the “the holders of patent and intellectual property obtained as a result of the work are…the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation.”
Throughout the consulting, employees allegedly used trade secrets owned by GE Aviation to create the technical report. The effort focused on accessory gearboxes made by Avio Aero, which are external engine components that provide power to systems such as hydraulic pumps, generators and fuel pumps.
The affidavit details that Korshunov arranged and paid for employees to meet with him in June 2013 at the Paris Air Show in Le-Bourget, France, and in 2014 in Milan, Italy, to discuss and revise the technical report.
Conspiring to and attempting to steal trade secrets is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the cooperation of GE Aviation, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy S. Mangan and Trial Attorney Will Mackie of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who are prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division assisted in the investigation.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Rochester Nail Salon Owner Pleads Guilty to Defrauding the SNAP ProgramRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Hang T. Lam, 46, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to the unauthorized use, transfer, acquisition, and possession of USDA food stamp benefits. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that in April 2018, the Monroe County Department of Social Services (DSS) developed information that Young’s Nails, which is owned and operated by the defendant, was trafficking in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/food stamp benefits for cash, nail services, and other non-food items. Young’s Nails does not sell food and is not authorized to accept SNAP benefits.
Between April 19, 2018, and October 1, 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General conducted five undercover transactions at Young’s Nails using a SNAP Electronic Benefits (SNAP EBT) card. Purchases included nail services such as manicures and pedicures, cigarettes, jewelry, and cash. Lam charged double the cost when a SNAP EBT card was used.
When the undercover purchases were made, the defendant used the Tanhong Du Supermarket on N. Clinton Avenue in Rochester, Ocean Garden Oriental Foods Inc. on S. Clinton Avenue in Rochester, and the Asia Food Market on Brighton-Henrietta Town Line Road to process the undercover transactions. All three stores are approved to participate in the SNAP program.
On November 7, 2018, a search warrant was executed at Young’s Nails. Law enforcement officers seized SNAP EBT cards, dozens of handwritten notes containing four digit PIN numbers and various cash amounts, and SNAP EBT receipts from the Asia Food Market and other SNAP authorized stores. As a result, officers identified and interviewed SNAP clients involved in SNAP fraud with Lam at Young’s Nails. Eight of these individuals reported that they exchanged SNAP benefits for cash and nail services.
To date, approximately $26,000 dollars in fraudulent SNAP transactions executed by Lam have been identified.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Bethanne M. Dinkins; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Monroe County Department of Social Services, under the direction of Commissioner Corinda Crossdale; and the New York State Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Letizia Tagliafierro.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2019, before Judge Wolford.
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Rochester Man Sentenced for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Daiquan Hill, 25, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute heroin, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that between January 2018 and June 14, 2018, the defendant conspired with others to distribute heroin. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Hill distributed quantities of heroin to customers and also directed others as to when, where, and how much narcotics to deliver to customers.
On June 14, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence on Grafton Street in Rochester. They recovered approximately 38 grams of heroin and items used for the packaging and distribution of illegal narcotics for street-level distribution, including scales and baggies.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary; U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Jeffrey Wilson; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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Rochester Man Sentenced for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jonathan Velasquez, 26, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that between March and August 2018, the defendant conspired with sell fentanyl. On March 21, 2018, Velasquez distributed fentanyl to an undercover police officer. On June 23, 2018, the defendant was operating a vehicle in the area of 169 Joseph Avenue in Rochester when he was stopped by police. At the time, Velasquez was in possession of approximately 303 bags of fentanyl and approximately $6,820.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton; United States Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey Wilson; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Randy Bower; and the Orleans County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Joseph V. Cardone.
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Randolph County man sentenced for possession of illegal explosive materialRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Brian Scott Mayle, 40, of Coalton, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 49 months incarceration for possessing an illegal explosive material, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
In July 2016, Mayle who is not a licensee or permittee, received and transported C4 explosive material in Randolph County. He pled guilty to one count of “Receipt and Transfer of Explosive Material without a License” in January 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Rancho Cordova Men Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Matthew Lee Roberson, 36, and Randy Lee Collins, 61, both of Rancho Cordova. The indictment charges Roberson with heroin and methamphetamine dealing as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment charges Collins with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on August 22, 2019, deputies from the U.S. Marshals Service assisted DEA special agents in executing a search warrant at the home shared by Roberson and Collins. Roberson complied with the order to get on the floor and was arrested. Collins, however, exited the bedroom and pointed a loaded 9 mm gun at the deputies. When he did not comply with commands to drop the gun, members of the entry team fired their weapons at him. Collins was struck in the hand, and he subsequently dropped the gun. Medical aid was rendered to Collins. During the search, agents discovered multiple firearms, methamphetamine, and heroin in the house.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hitt is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Roberson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine. Collins faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Putnam County man indicted after allegedly filing income tax returns over three years that understated his income by more than $1.7 millionRead the Press Release
A Putnam County man was indicted in federal court after allegedly filing income tax returns over three years that understated his income by more than $1.7 million.
Jeffrey J. Blanford, 47, of Kalida, was indicted on three counts of tax evasion.
According to the indictment:
Blanford stated his taxable income for 2013 was $106,972, when, in fact, he knew it was $491,613.
Blanford stated his taxable income for 2014 was $148,236, when, in fact, he knew it was $700,150.
Blanford stated his taxable income for 2015 was $91,614, when, in fact, it was $899,560.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gene Crawford and Michael J. Freeman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Prairieville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that Chief United States District Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Gaylen T. Hall, a 41-year-old resident of Prairieville, Louisiana, to 72 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Hall to 3 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and ordered that the firearm possessed by Hall be forfeited.
According to the factual basis submitted during Hall’s guilty plea, on January 30, 2019, a Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office Deputy initiated a traffic stop on a Chevrolet Tahoe near the intersection of Juban Road and Interstate 12. After a brief stop, the Tahoe drove off before the Deputy could contact the occupants. During the pursuit, Hall, the front seat passenger, threw methamphetamine, a Sig Sauer firearm, and various other items out of the front passenger-side window of the Tahoe. Hall had instructed the driver to drive off after the initial stop.
The Tahoe eventually stopped along the side of Interstate 12. After detaining the driver and Hall, deputies approached an open door of the Tahoe and observed what appeared to be methamphetamine littered throughout the interior compartment. During the subsequent search, deputies recovered digital scales, several clear plastic sandwich bags, a box containing 84 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, plastic straws, $100 in cash, a quantity of methamphetamine, and a damaged Samsung smartphone on the front passenger seat.
Meanwhile, other responding deputies canvassed the side of the road along the pursuit route. These deputies recovered plastic sandwich bags containing a quantity of methamphetamine, the Sig Sauer firearm with one live round of Remington .45 caliber ammunition in the chamber, and other items. In total, deputies recovered 30.17 grams of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Our office continues to work hard to keep firearms and illegal drugs out of the hands of drug dealers. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will utilize our resources to keep our communities safe. I want to thank our prosecutors, and our federal, state, and local partners for their efforts.”
“This individual disregarded both the law and the safety of others,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn. “It is imperative that armed drug dealers are taken out of the community they victimize and before a tragedy can occur.”
“I am proud of my deputies for working hard to help maintain the safety of Livingston Parish. I would hope that this sends a clear message to criminals who choose this lifestyle. We will not tolerate this type of activity. As always, I appreciate the cooperation between law enforcement agencies & the working relationship we have with the US Attorney,” said Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard.
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, with substantial assistance from the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Dippel and Alan Stevens, who also serve as Deputy Criminal Chiefs.