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Friday 30 August 2019
New York Man Indicted for Carrying over Six Kilos of Cocaine to DistributeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Niagara Falls, N.Y., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing cocaine to distribute after being apprehended at a local bus station carrying more than six kilograms of cocaine.
Robbie O. Johnson, 43, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Thursday, Aug. 29. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Johnson on Aug. 12, 2019.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Johnson was contacted by a Kansas City Police Department detective at a local bus station. Johnson, who was traveling through Kansas City en route from Los Angeles, California, to New York City, was acting suspiciously and appeared to be nervous, the affidavit says. When the detective searched Johnson’s backpack, he found five bundles of cocaine, each wrapped in articles of clothing in an apparent attempt to conceal the bundles. The total approximate weight of all five bundles was 13.7 pounds (6,214 grams).
The charge contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
New Orleans Man Indicted on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on August 29, 2019, PABLO PEDRO MORALES-CURBELO, age 63, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was indicted by the Federal Grand Jury in a two count indictment, charging him with participating in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine as well as attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
These charges stem from an investigation by Special Agents of the Department of Homeland Security and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office into the illegal activities of PABLO PEDRO MORALES-CURBELO.
If convicted of these charges he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison, a fine of not more than $2,000,000.00, and a four year term of supervised release on the drug charges, as to each count.
This indictment is just an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu is in charge of the prosecution.
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Nebraska Woman to Federal Prison on Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
A woman who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced on August 28, 2019 to five years in federal prison.
Cecelia V. Hardheart, age 26, from Winnebago, Nebraska, received the prison term after an April 11, 2019, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of actual (pure) methamphetamine near a protected location.
Evidence at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearing revealed Cecelia V. Hardheart tried to hide 27 grams of ice methamphetamine in her person during a traffic stop, conducted within 1000 feet of the real property comprising a public playground, Dinosaur Park, located at 1515 Nebraska Street, and Alfred Thompson Children’s Park located at 803 14th Street in Sioux City, Iowa. She refused to surrender the meth, requiring a search warrant to be obtained and executed by police and medical staff, who removed the meth by force. Hardheart has a lengthy criminal history including weapons charges (stemming from her possession of a 24-inch machete) and two assault convictions.
Hardheart was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Hardheart was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Hardheart is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4011. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Mobridge Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mobridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on August 26, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.
Waylon Laframboise, age 41, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Laframboise was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 13, 2019. He pled guilty on May 14, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from February 2014 through January 2015, wherein Laframboise conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in central South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Mobridge Police Department and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Laframboise was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Woman Sentenced on Meth and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, was sentenced on August 26, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Micole Lynn Menard, age 36, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for the conspiracy conviction. She was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for the firearm conviction. The sentences will be served concurrently. In addition, Menard was ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Menard was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 13, 2018. She pled guilty on May 2, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy that occurred between October 1, 2016, and January 31, 2017, in which Menard and co-defendant Walter Wright, knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute between 1.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Further, on January 18, 2017, during the execution of a search warrant at their home, 267 grams of methamphetamine and other drug paraphilia were seized from the home along with four firearms. Menard, being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, did knowingly illegally possess those firearms.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Menard was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a HandgunRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime was sentenced on August 27, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Arlene Siers, age 30, was sentenced to a total of 240 months in federal prison. She was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for the conspiracy conviction. She was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, on the firearm conviction. The prison terms will be served consecutively and the supervised release terms will be served concurrently. Siers was also ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Siers was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 23, 2019. She pled guilty on May 29, 2019
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy beginning at some point before January 1, 2015, and continuing through January 23, 2019, wherein Siers, knowingly and intentionally, combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Further, on August 31, 2018, Siers possessed a loaded handgun, which she used in furtherance of her efforts to distribute methamphetamine.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Siers was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that GREGORIO GALAVIZ-ZAMORA, age 60, a native of Mexico, was charged on Thursday, August 29, 2019 in a one-count bill of information with illegally using a Social Security number in order to obtain employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
GALAVIZ-ZAMORA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Mexican Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that OSCAR CAMACHO-GARCIA, age 32, a native of Mexico, was charged on Thursday, August 29, 2019 in a one-count bill of information with illegally using a Social Security number in order to obtain employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
CAMACHO-GARCIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Mexican Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that MANUEL LIRA-RIVERA, age 35, a native of Mexico, was charged on Thursday, August 29, 2019 in a one-count bill of information with illegally using a Social Security number in order to obtain employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
LIRA-RIVERA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years,
three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of United States Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and Social Security Administration agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Merced Man and Mexican National Indicted for Illegally Growing Marijuana in the Shasta-Trinity National ForestRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment Thursday against Genaro L. Merino, 34, of Merced, and Manuel S. Cardenas, 32, of San Luis Potosi, of Mexico, charging them with conspiring to manufacture at least 1,000 marijuana plants, manufacturing at least 1,000 marijuana plants, and depredation of public land and resources, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Merino and Cardenas are accused of carrying out an illegal marijuana grow between April 14 and August 4, 2019. Approximately 1,900 plants were located at two grow sites in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest near the town of Helena.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Trinity County Sheriff. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael W. Redding is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Merino and Cardenas faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Second Degree Murder of SonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Second Degree Murder was sentenced on August 26, 2019, by U.S. District Jude Charles B. Kornmann.
Kenneth William Chase, age 32, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
According to court documents, the murder took place in Chase’s and the victim’s residence in Corson County on April 5 or 6, 2018. Chase committed the murder upon a minor victim, his infant son, by inflicting traumatic head injuries to the victim.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Chase was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Man Sentenced for Trafficking Heroin-Fentanyl Substances in Madison AreaRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Corey D. Douglas, 28, of Chicago was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to three years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl-laced heroin in the Madison area during May through November 2018. Douglas pleaded guilty to this charge on June 5, 2019.
Douglas was arrested by Dane County Narcotics Task Force officers on November 29, 2018, after he left a residence in Fitchburg that police knew from an investigation served as a stash house for co-conspirator Arthur Jones. Douglas was in possession of almost 12 grams of heroin-fentanyl substances pre-packaged for street-level sale at the time he was stopped, while more than 80 grams of additional heroin-fentanyl was found at the stash house in a search conducted by police. Douglas’s co-conspirator, Arthur Jones, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10.
In sentencing Douglas, Judge Peterson said he was taking into account Douglas’s lack of prior criminal history weighed against the great dangerousness of the fentanyl-laced heroin that Douglas was distributing in the community. Peterson said the offense deserved a significant sentence despite Douglas’s relatively clean criminal history because it was a crime that Douglas engaged in on a repeated basis over the time of the conspiracy, “exploiting other people’s illness” in drug addiction.
The charges against Douglas and Jones were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Anderson.
MS-13 Member Sentenced to More Than 24 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Participate in a Violent Racketeering Enterprise, Including MurderRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis today sentenced Kevin Alexis Hernandez-Guevara, aka “Stop,” age 22, a citizen of El Salvador illegally residing in Elizabethtown, New Jersey, to 292 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a federal racketeering conspiracy relating to his participation in the activities of the gang known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, including murder and drug dealing.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jesse Fong of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Washington Field Division; Acting Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Amal Awad of the City of Hyattsville Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha N. Braveboy; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
“MS-13 gang members, like Hernandez-Guevara, show little regard for life, using violence to hurt, to rob, and to kill. We will continue our relentless pursuit of violent MS-13 gang members to stop this type of violence and make our neighborhoods safe,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.
According to the plea agreement, MS-13 is a gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Frederick County, and throughout the United States. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13 often work together cooperatively to engage in criminal activity and to assist one another in avoiding detection by law enforcement. MS-13 members and associates are required to commit acts of violence within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
Pursuant to his plea agreement, Hernandez-Guevara admitted that from at least July 2016, he was a member and associate of the Sailors Clique of MS-13. Hernandez-Guevara admitted to participating in numerous acts in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy.
For example, according to the plea agreement, on or about July 29, 2016, Hernandez-Guevara and three other members and associates of MS-13 planned and conspired to murder an individual, who was believed to be a member of a rival gang. On July 29, 2016, pursuant to that plan, Hernandez-Guevara and other MS-13 members and associates lured the victim to a secluded area in Hyattsville, Maryland. One of the MS-13 members and associates shot at the victim, and missed. Hernandez-Guevara collected the fired shell casings from the gunshots fired by Hernandez-Guevara’s co-conspirator. Multiple MS-13 members and associates then assaulted and stabbed the victim with the intention of killing him. The victim died as a result of injuries sustained during this attack, which included 61 sharp-force injuries.
Also, according to the plea agreement, on or about Aug. 9, 2016, in Hyattsville, Hernandez-Guevara and other MS-13 members and associates planned and attempted to rob two individuals of a pound of marijuana that they were going to sell to Hernandez-Guevara and his co-conspirators. During the attempt, the two individuals resisted. In the course of the struggle, the two individuals were shot, stabbed, and sustained serious, permanent, and life-threatening bodily injuries. Hernandez-Guevara and another co-conspirator were also shot.
Hernandez-Guevara also admitted to distributing less than one kilogram of marijuana for and on behalf of the Sailors Clique. His activities included receiving and distributing marijuana and proceeds from the sale of marijuana.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski commended the FBI, HSI, the DEA, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s State’s Attorney’s Office, the City of Hyattsville Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their investigation. Mr. Hur and Mr. Benczkowski thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau, Catherine K. Dick, and Trial Attorney Julie Finocchiaro of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who prosecuted this case.
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Man from Columbus, N.m. Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Hostage Taking, Transportation of Illegal Aliens, and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE- Josias Garcia, 25, of Columbus, N.M., was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., on Tuesday to 16 years in federal prison for hostage taking, transportation of illegal aliens, smuggling, drug possession, firearms, and witness intimidation offenses.
Garcia previously pleaded guilty on February 26, 2019, to the following offenses: three counts of hostage taking; one count of conspiracy to take a hostage, three counts of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens; one count of brandishing a firearm during or in relation to a drug trafficking crime; four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm; two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana; one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; one count of transportation of goods intended to be smuggled; one count of attempt to smuggle goods from the United States; and four counts of tampering with a witness by intimidation or threat.
In Garcia’s plea agreement, Garcia admitted picking up illegal aliens at the United States-Mexico border on November 6, 2017, and transporting them to a mobile home in Columbus, N.M., where he, and another person, held them as hostages for four days. Garcia also admitted that he intimidated these hostages with threats of violence, including brandishing a firearm he was forbidden to possess because of a previous felony conviction, and demanding the families of the hostages sent money for their release. Garcia also admitted possessing marijuana at the mobile home with intent to distribute. He also admitted traveling to El Paso, Tex., to buy firearms he intended to smuggle to Mexico. However, he did not because he encountered officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as he attempted to leave the country. Garcia also admitted trying to intimidate witnesses against him after his arrest by using threats and violence.
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luis A. Martinez, Dustin C. Segovia, and Richard C. Williams are prosecuting the case.
Man from Columbus, N.m. Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Hostage Taking, Transportation of Illegal Aliens, and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE- Josias Garcia, 25, of Columbus, N.M., was sentenced in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., on Tuesday to 16 years in federal prison for hostage taking, transportation of illegal aliens, smuggling, drug possession, firearms, and witness intimidation offenses.
Garcia previously pleaded guilty on February 26, 2019, to the following offenses: three counts of hostage taking; one count of conspiracy to take a hostage, three counts of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens; one count of brandishing a firearm during or in relation to a drug trafficking crime; four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm; two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to distribute; one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana; one count of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States; one count of transportation of goods intended to be smuggled; one count of attempt to smuggle goods from the United States; and four counts of tampering with a witness by intimidation or threat.
In Garcia’s plea agreement, Garcia admitted picking up illegal aliens at the United States-Mexico border on November 6, 2017, and transporting them to a mobile home in Columbus, N.M., where he, and another person, held them as hostages for four days. Garcia also admitted that he intimidated these hostages with threats of violence, including brandishing a firearm he was forbidden to possess because of a previous felony conviction, and demanding the families of the hostages sent money for their release. Garcia also admitted possessing marijuana at the mobile home with intent to distribute. He also admitted traveling to El Paso, Tex., to buy firearms he intended to smuggle to Mexico. However, he did not because he encountered officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as he attempted to leave the country. Garcia also admitted trying to intimidate witnesses against him after his arrest by using threats and violence.
Special agents with Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luis A. Martinez, Dustin C. Segovia, and Richard C. Williams are prosecuting the case.
Lorain man indicted for accessing his employer’s computer system after learning he would be fired and shutting down the web site, blocking access to emailRead the Press Release
A Lorain man was indicted in federal court for accessing his employer’s computer system after learning he would be fired and shutting down the web site, blocking access to email and taking other unauthorized actions.
Austyn Keaton, 28, was charged with one count of damaging protected computers.
According to the indictment:
Keaton was the sole information technology employee for a company located in Avon Lake. Keaton gained access to emails of the company’s finance director and other employees. He learned the company planned to hire an outside vendor to take over IT operations from Keaton.
Keaton was scheduled to meet with the vendor on February 25, 2019, in which the vendor was to ask Keaton to transfer access to the company’s IT systems.
On the same day, Keaton accessed the finance director’s email, in which he learned the company planned to offer Keaton a severance package and terminate his employment.
Keaton then took steps to lock the company’s employees out of their email, take its web site offline, block the company’s employees from accessing the company’s customer relationship management system, and other unauthorized actions.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Elyria Police Department and Avon Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Riedl and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Kern.
An indictment is only an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lawrence Man Is Latest to Plead Guilty to Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Concord – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Eduard Amparo, 47, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pled guilty to participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Amparo is the latest defendant to plead guilty to participating in this substantial drug trafficking case.
In April of 2018, U.S. Attorney Murray announced that 34 individuals were charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl. According to court documents and statements made in court, a drug trafficking organization that authorities allege was led by Sergio Martinez employed numerous individuals to sell fentanyl to customers from various New England states, including New Hampshire. Some defendants who worked for the Martinez organization distributed multiple 200-gram bags of fentanyl and returned thousands of dollars in proceeds to the organization daily.
The following individuals have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. They include:
- Miguel Alvarez, 38, of Haverhill, MA, pled guilty on January 31, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for October 15, 2019;
- Eduard Amparo, 47, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on August 29, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for December 16 2019;
- Edward Brailey Delacruz, 25, of Methuen, MA, pled guilty on June 24, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for December 16, 2019;
- Edward Brito, 32, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on July 10, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for November 4, 2019;
- Luz DeJesus, 34, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on January 31, 2019. Her sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2019;
- Juan Dimel Gil Castillo, 25, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on February 6, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for September 19, 2019;
- Ramon Gil Huma, 26, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on March 11, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for November 12, 2019;
- Henry Marte, 22, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on January 25, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for November 4, 2019;
- Raulin Martinez, 37, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on December 7, 2018. His sentencing is scheduled for October 9, 2019;
- Jared Ortega-Peguero, 26, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on December 6, 2018. His sentencing is scheduled for October 18, 2019;
- Suhey Perez, 40, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on May 2, 2019. Her sentencing is scheduled for November 18, 2019;
- Luz Perez DeMartinez, 27, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on February 12, 2019. Her sentencing is scheduled for November 19, 2019;
- Wagner Pimentel, 29, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on March 15, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for October 17, 2019;
- Luis Angel Polanco Huma, 23, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on August 14, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for November 27, 2019.
- Jorge Rodriguez, 22, of Methuen, MA, pled guilty on February 28, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2019;
- Luis Antonio Salomon Polanco, 21, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on March 11, 2019. His sentencing is scheduled for November 18, 2019;
- Juan Rafael Tejada-Jiminez, 39, of Lawrence, MA, pled guilty on November 29, 2018. His sentencing is scheduled for October 15, 2019.
In addition to the defendants listed above, nine other defendants have pleaded guilty and already have been sentenced. An additional defendant, Fernand Miranda, 24, of Haverhill, MA, is expected to plead guilty. Four defendants remain fugitives.
Three other defendants, Sergio Martinez, 29, of Lawrence, MA, Steven Lessard, 32, of Lowell, MA, and Julio Colon, 25, of Lawrence, MA, are scheduled to go to trial on October 1, 2019. These defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.
“Interstate fentanyl trafficking poses a serious threat to the health and safety of the citizens of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners to dismantle the drug trafficking organizations that are responsible for bringing this deadly drug into the Granite State.”
This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.
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L.A. County Man Arrested on Federal Complaint Charging Him with Transporting Teenager Across State Lines to Engage in ProstitutionRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A Los Angeles County man has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with transporting a teenage girl in interstate commerce so she could work as a prostitute in Southern California, Nevada and Arizona.
Christian Alexander Augustus, 23, a.k.a. “Sir Ceeco,” was arrested in Stockton on Tuesday. He made his initial appearance in United States District Court in Sacramento on August 28, and was ordered detained pending trial. He remains in federal custody in Sacramento and will be transferred to this district at a later date to face the charges against him.
According to an affidavit filed Monday with the criminal complaint in this case, the victim was a 16-year-old runaway from Orange County who met Augustus in Los Angeles in December 2018 and he had been her trafficker until she fled from him in July 2019. Prior to the victim fleeing, Augustus allegedly took her to Los Angeles, Santa Ana, Las Vegas and Phoenix, where she worked for him as a prostitute and would give him all the money she made. Augustus forced the victim to work on the streets and advertised her services on the internet, the affidavit states
The victim said Augustus would beat her for not bringing him enough money and later for attempting to flee, according to the affidavit. The victim said when she tried to flee Augustus in Phoenix on July 1, he beat her so severely that she suffered two black eyes, a bruised rib, and swelling to face, the affidavit states. The victim fled Augustus on July 8 and said he later contacted her and threatened to kill her and her family, according to the affidavit.
If convicted of the charge, Augustus would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter was investigated by the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force (OCHTTF), which is comprised of local law enforcement agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. The Stockton Police Department and the Stockton HSI office provided substantial assistance to this case via their arrest of Augustus on Monday.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jake D. Nare of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
The Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force core mission is to use a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach toward the goal of combating human trafficking in Orange County, making the recovery of juvenile victims its top priority.
KC Man Indicted for Illegal Firearms, MethRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally possessing almost two kilograms of methamphetamine and four firearms.
Jonathan D. Beaton, 41, was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday, Aug. 29. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint filed against Beaton on Aug. 8, 2019.
Today’s indictment charges Beaton with one count of being a felon in possession of firearms, one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Beaton was stopped by law enforcement officers this summer.
On Aug. 7, 2019, detectives with the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Independence Police Department conducted surveillance of Beaton as he visited the residence of a known methamphetamine trafficker. Detectives followed Beaton (who had an active warrant for his arrest) from the residence and stopped his vehicle. When Beaton got out of the vehicle, an officer saw several large plastic bags on the driver’s seat that contained methamphetamine, and placed Beaton under arrest.
An officer searched Beaton and found 11 grams of methamphetamine in his pocket. An officer searched Beaton’s vehicle and found four gallon-sized clear plastic bags, which contained a total of nearly 1.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, and $1,228. The officer also found four firearms in the vehicle – two Kimber .45-caliber pistols, a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Beaton has three prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance, and prior felony convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, tampering, burglary, and escape.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Jury Convicts Shamo of Leading Drug Trafficking NetworkRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A federal jury in Salt Lake City returned guilty verdicts Friday afternoon finding Aaron Michael Shamo guilty of organizing and directing a drug trafficking organization that imported fentanyl and alprazolam from China and used the drugs to manufacture fake oxycodone pills made with fentanyl and counterfeit Xanax tablets.
Shamo was found guilty on 12 of the 13 counts in the indictment. The jury did not make a decision on the aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death count.
“Aaron Shamo knew the nation was on fire with opioids and he poured fuel on the flames, over and over and over, never getting burned himself, but causing pain and misery wherever his fire spread. Aaron Shamo could be considered the face of the opioid epidemic. He was a profiteer, callously making millions of dollars and living a life of leisure while exploiting those suffering through opioid addiction,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Vernon Stejskal said in his closing argument Thursday afternoon. The jury began deliberations Thursday afternoon.
U.S. Attorney for Utah John W. Huber, Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, Special Agent in Charge Steven Cagen of Homeland Security Investigations in Denver, DEA District Agent in Charge Brian Besser, Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan of the IRS Criminal Investigation Las Vegas Field Office, and Acting Inspector in Charge Jessica Wagner of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Phoenix Division, announced the jury verdict today.
“The opioid crisis has devastated individuals, families, and entire communities across the nation. Aaron Shamo controlled and led a highly profitable organization that delivered fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills to every state in the union. Though his customers remained faceless on the dark web, their despair was real. Shamo profited off that despair and a jury of his peers has held him accountable,” U.S. Attorney John W. Huber said today.
“We may never know the full extent of the lives lost or the families harmed by Aaron Shamo’s deadly enterprise as a global drug dealer. Shamo’s conviction today is a significant victory in the ongoing war on illegal opioids in our state and nation. Utahns owe a debt of gratitude to all involved in taking down this predator,” Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes said today.
Shamo and his co-conspirators purchased pill presses to manufacture pills so they would appear to be legitimate pharmaceutical drugs. Shamo then distributed the controlled substances to other individuals for distribution in all 50 states using their storefront, PHARMA-MASTER, on the Dark Net marketplace AlphaBay and the U.S. mail. Federal law enforcement agents and prosecutors say an undercover purchase of 100 oxycodone is a substantial step in an investigation. Shamo sold half a million pills – or more.
"The rapid emergence of extremely potent and highly addictive synthetic opioids has drastically changed the landscape for both drug addiction and drug enforcement. Fentanyl and its many analogues are lethal in just milligrams. Any criminal exploitation of this powerful drug poses a significant public safety threat to our community, to those struggling with opioid addiction, and to the many first responders who diligently strive to keep us safe. The DEA is committed to aggressively identify and investigate any person or organization trafficking in or clandestinely manufacturing synthetic opioids for profit.
“The comprehensive investigation into the Aaron Shamo counterfeit pill manufacturing network shows how dangerous these enterprises are. The subsequent conviction of Mr. Shamo proves that those who operate with blatant disregard for public safety will bear the full weight of the law and be held accountable for their crimes," Brian S. Besser, DEA District Agent in Charge, said today.
“A major narcotics and money laundering operation was dismantled due to the technological expertise of our agents and law enforcement partners,” said Steven Cagen, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations in Denver. “Criminals who ruthlessly seek profits and personal gain at the expense of victims in our communities can’t hide in the dark web. We remain steadfast in our resolve to bring to justice those that push dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods and contribute to the epidemic of opioid addiction in our country.”
“The illegal manufacture and distribution of opioids can result in overdoses and deaths, further fueling the national crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Charles L. Grinstead, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Kansas City Field Office. “The FDA is committed to doing our part to disrupt and dismantle illegal prescription drug manufacturing and distribution networks, including those that import raw materials from overseas to create counterfeit drugs, and misuse the internet to distribute those drugs with reckless disregard of the risk to public health and safety.”
“Trafficking opioids through the dark web enabled Mr. Shamo and his organization to profit and launder millions through this illicit activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today’s verdict is just, and shows IRS Criminal Investigation’s continued effort in prosecuting those who bring harm to our community.”
“Postal Inspectors are committed to keeping the U.S. Mail safe for all. As criminals change their methods, we continue to adapt, capture, and hold the perpetrators accountable. Along with our excellent law enforcement partners, we will continue to show criminals the dark web is never truly anonymous,” stated Acting Inspector in Charge Jessica Wagner of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Phoenix Division.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Shamo established himself as the CEO of a nationwide drug distribution network. In closing arguments, prosecutors said Shamo became the person he set out to be – the Pharma Master. Evidence at trial showed Shamo did the things leader and organizers do, prosecutors said. He was in control of the majority of the functions of the enterprise. He established the dark web storefront, hired employees, took charge of marketing and product placement. He was a drug dealer to other drug dealers. He had the contacts in China and ordered the fentanyl. Most significantly, investigators were led to Shamo as they followed the proceeds of the drug trafficking organization. He had sole access to incoming bitcoin payments from customers. Shamo referred to the organization as his baby and his empire, prosecutors said in closing arguments today.
Evidence showed Shamo developed the fentanyl product through a dangerous “trial and error” process as he distributed it to individuals across the country. Experts say 1 milligram of fentanyl in a pill can have dangerous consequences up to and including death.
Evidence showed Shamo received messages from customers that they were getting sick. His response, prosecutors said, was to send more pills to the complaining customers. There was no shortage of fake pain pills. Co-defendants in the case, who were responsible for packaging and shipping, used a vacuum to clean up pills from the floor because they believed it was not worth their time to pick them up because of the volume of pills they were manufacturing.
The jury convicted Shamo, 29, of Cottonwood Heights, Utah, of engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise, three counts of aiding and abetting the importation of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, manufacture of a controlled substance, and two counts of knowing and intentional adulteration of drugs while held for sale. The jury also found Shamo guilty of aiding and abetting the use of the U.S. Mail in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, conspiracy to commit money laundering, money laundering promotion and concealment, and engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity.
Sentencing in the case will be Dec. 3, 2019, at 2:30 p.m. in U.S. District Judge Dale A. Kimball’s courtroom. Shamo faces a potential mandatory-minimum life sentence. He remains in the custody of U.S. Marshals.
Sentencings are pending for co-conspirators in the case, who reached plea agreements with federal prosecutors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Vernon Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gadd and Kent A. Burggraaf prosecuted the case. Gadd and Burggraaf are Assistant Attorneys General in the Utah Attorney General’s Office. Special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and Postal Inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Jacksonville Tax Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to More Than $1 Million in Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Nicole Johnson (37, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, Johnson was the owner and operator of Financial Asset Tax Service, which offered tax return preparation services. For the tax years 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, Johnson prepared returns for individuals in which she falsified the amounts of deductions and tax credits owed to the taxpayers. As a result, those taxpayers received undeserved tax refunds. Johnson fraudulently claimed the General Business Credit and False Tax Credit for taxpayers who were not entitled to them, and inflated itemized deductions. As a result of the false returns prepared by Johnson, the IRS issued more than $1.3 million in undeserved refunds. Johnson has agreed to repay the IRS that amount in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David B. Mesrobian.
Individual Who Planned Attack in Queens Charged with Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint filed today in federal court in Brooklyn charged Awais Chudhary, 19, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Pakistan, with attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Chudhary was arrested yesterday, and made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James Orenstein. Chudhary was ordered held without bail.
“The defendant allegedly planned to conduct a deadly attack in New York on behalf of ISIS,” stated Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “The National Security Division, working with our partners, will remain vigilant in our efforts to identify, disrupt, and hold accountable those who would conduct a terrorist attack on our soil. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this case and prevented this defendant from carrying out his deadly plans.”
“As alleged, Awais Chudhary planned to kill innocent civilians on behalf of ISIS and record the bloodshed in the hope of inspiring others to commit attacks,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office, together with the FBI, the NYPD and all members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force will continue working tirelessly to identify ISIS sympathizers like the defendant and prevent them from carrying out their murderous intentions.”
“There’s no doubt Chudhary allegedly wanted to make headlines by attacking innocent people going about their daily lives. Thanks to the diligent work of the agents, analysts, and detectives on the FBI New York JTTF, the only thing to report today is his arrest, and the only photos Chudhary will be featured in are the ones taken in our prisoner processing room prior to his arrival in federal prison,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“Awais Chudhary had accepted the call from ISIS to kill fellow New Yorkers in the city he called home,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “He had carefully planned, conducted reconnaissance, picked a target, and was in the process of obtaining the weapon. All he has left to do was to strike. The FBI agents and NYPD detectives of the JTTF should be commended for the disruption of this plot. Their work almost certainly saved lives.”
As alleged in the complaint, in August 2019, Chudhary communicated to undercover law enforcement officers through text messaging that he planned to conduct a stabbing or bombing attack on behalf of ISIS. Chudhary also wanted to record his attack to inspire others to commit similar acts of violence. Chudhary identified the pedestrian bridges over the Grand Central Parkway to the Flushing Bay Promenade (the Promenade) and the World’s Fair Marina (the Marina) as locations for the attack. On Aug. 23, 2019, Chudhary told an undercover agent that he intended to use a knife “because that’s what he knows,” but if the undercover agent could instruct him on how to build a bomb, he would consider using an explosive device at a “mini-bridge over a busy road with many cars.” On the same day, Chudhary texted another undercover agent a screenshot of a document entitled, “Islamic State” with the subheadings: “Places to Strike,” “The Ideal Knife” and “Knives to Avoid.” The instructions included a diagram of the human body with directions where to stab a victim. Chudhary also sent the undercover agent videos of pedestrian bridges over the Grand Central Parkway and stated that he was considering throwing explosives over the fencing at vehicles passing below.
Chudhary conducted several reconnaissance trips to the targeted locations. On Aug. 24, 2019, FBI agents surveilled Chudhary enter the Promenade in the vicinity of 27th Avenue and Ditmars Boulevard and take videos and photos with his cellphone of various locations, as well as the Marina, a nearby gas station, a donut shop and a security camera near the donut shop.
Between Aug. 25 and Aug. 26, 2019, Chudhary ordered online a tactical knife, a mask, gloves, and a cellphone chest and head strap to facilitate his recording of the attack. Chudhary was arrested yesterday as he attempted to retrieve the items from an online vendor’s retail location in Queens.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Chudhary faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Algor and Special Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Hanft are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Re-Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore, Jr. has sentenced Raul Alfaro-Muniz (44, Ocala) to 24 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported. Alfaro-Muniz had pleaded guilty on April 9, 2019.
According to the facts described in court, on February 4, 2019, Alfaro-Muniz was arrested for battery in Marion County. Agents soon discovered that Alfaro-Muniz had previously been deported from the United States four times. He is a citizen of Mexico and is illegally in the United States. After Alfaro-Muniz serves his prison sentence, he will be deported from the United States.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore, Jr. has sentenced Missael Gonzalez Terrazas (23, Ocala) to seven years in federal prison for possessing at least 500 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. Terrazas had pleaded guilty on May 28, 2019.
According to the facts described in court, Terrazas was apprehended by law enforcement while in possession of more than four kilograms of pure methamphetamine and $9,000 in cash. Terrazas is a citizen of Mexico and is residing in the United States illegally. After serving his prison sentence, he will be deported from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 17 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore, Jr. has sentenced Jesus Gonzalez-Villanueva (35, Ocala) to 17 months in federal prison for illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported. Gonzalez-Villanueva had pleaded guilty on May 16, 2019.
According to the facts described in court, in March 2019, Gonzalez-Villanueva was cited for a traffic offense in Lake County. Agents soon discovered that Gonzalez-Villanueva had previously been deported from the United States on two occasions and had previously been convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Gonzalez-Villanueva is a citizen of Mexico and is illegally in the United States. After he serves his prison sentence, he will be deported from the United States.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Hercules, California Resident Indicted for Her Role in Business Email Compromise Scheme Victimizing Eastern District of Louisiana CompanyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that SONOVAH JUDITH HILLMAN, age 29, a resident of Hercules, California, was charged today by a federal grand jury seated in the Eastern District of Louisiana in a two-count Indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1349, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h).
According to the indictment, HILLMAN acted as a “money mule” in a scheme to victimize Company A, a floating crane and stevedore company headquartered in Convent, Louisiana, within the Eastern District of Louisiana. HILLMAN’s co-conspirator(s) engaged in a “business email compromise” scheme to obtain access without authorization to the email accounts of one or more employees of Company A for the purpose of obtaining private data, including usernames, passwords, bank account information, and the content of email accounts. After gaining access to an email account of a Company A employee, the individual(s) arranged to have emails in the account forwarded to a separate email account under their control. Thereafter, HILLMAN’s co-conspirators registered a domain name similar to Company A’s domain (for example, “Company A” instead of “Company A”) and, pretending to be representatives of Company A, sent emails to Company A’s customers, including Company B. The false emails stated that there had been an audit of Company A’s bank accounts and that Company A’s customers should remit funds owed to Victim A to a new bank account. On about May 10, 2017, HILLMAN’s co-conspirators contacted one of Company A’s customers (Company B) via email and, pretending to be employees of Company A, instructed that Company B should remit funds owed to Company A, approximately $92,007.85, to a Bank of America account that belonged to HILLMAN. According to the Indictment, after Company B sent the funds to HILLMAN’s account, HILLMAN engaged in a series of transactions over the next five days either to transfer the money to others or spend the money on personal items, including a $4,000 Disney cruise and multiple airline flights.
If convicted, HILLMAN faces a maximum term of forty (40) years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment per count.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Hattiesburg Man with Multiple Felony Convictions Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jordan Reshard Poole, 29, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kirk Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 17, 2017, Poole was involved in a high speed car chase in Lamar County that ultimately resulted in a car crash. Jumping from the car after the collision, Poole attempted to flee and was quickly apprehended by Hattiesburg Police officers. While running, Poole attempted to hide a firearm by throwing it under a parked vehicle. The firearm was recovered and Poole admitted to possessing it. Poole was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including arson and burglary, and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Poole will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on December 10, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hattiesburg Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Hartford Felon Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Illegal Gun Possession, Violating Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAMON HILL, 40, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 23, 2018, Hill was involved in a motor vehicle accident on Laurel Street in Hartford. Responding officers discovered a loaded Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on the floor in front of the driver’s seat. Hill was the only occupant of the car.
Hill’s criminal history includes multiple state convictions and a 2006 federal conviction for conspiring to distribute cocaine base (“crack”).
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
In September 2006, Hill was sentenced in federal court to 120 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release. He was released from prison in May 2014, and was on supervised release when he possessed the firearm.
Hill has been detained since his arrest on October 23, 2018. On July 16, 2019, he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm a by a convicted felon.
This matter was investigated by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Gates Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead 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 Gary Zeitvogel, 45, of Gates, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum term of 5 years imprisonment, a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment, a period of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from Facebook.com in June 2019, in which Facebook reported that Zeitvogel appeared to be engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a 15 year-old female. Utilizing information provided by Facebook, NCMEC was able to determine that Zeitvogel and the minor victim were both located in Rochester, NY. NCMEC forwarded the tip to the New York State Police (NYSP), who located the victim and determined that Zeitvogel was already serving a term of probation with the Monroe County Probation Department. Zeitvogel’s probation followed his conviction for Endangering the Welfare of a Child, in which it was alleged that Zeitvogel had allegedly masturbated in front of a child that he was babysitting.
On July 1, 2019, Monroe County Probation Officers, accompanied by Investigators from the NYSP, searched Zeitvogel’s home in Gates. Zeitvogel was found to be in possession of a cell phone, which, in violation of his probation conditions, contained the Facebook application. Zeitvogel was taken into custody at that time. The NYSP later took custody of the phone and executed a search warrant for both the phone and Zeitvogel’s Facebook account. On the phone, the NYSP observed over 1,500 images of child pornography, some of which depicted prepubescent minors, as well as child pornography depicting the minor victim. Zeitvogel’s Facebook account also revealed that he had engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the minor from at least March 2019 through June 2019, and that the two had been in contact at Zeitvogel’s home. The investigation is ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming.
The defendant made an initial appearance today before United States Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson, and is being held without bail.The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy; Monroe County Child Protective Services; the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Fraudsters Plead Guilty in Federal Court to Their Roles in a Fraudulent Auto Loan Scheme with Losses of More Than $1 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – John O’Day, age 48, of Chester and Stevensville, Maryland, and Sarasota, Florida, and Denise White, a/k/a Lisa Young and Lisa White, age 32, of East Point, Georgia, have pleaded guilty to federal charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a scheme to defraud at least 20 individuals and five financial institutions of more than $1 million by submitting fraudulent auto loan applications. White pleaded guilty on August 28, 2019, and O’Day pleaded guilty on June 4, 2019.
The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rodney A. Davis of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; Acting Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to their plea agreements, between April 2016 and January 2018, O’Day and his co-conspirators, including White, submitted at least 30 fraudulent applications for auto loans to victim financial institutions falsely listing O’Day as the seller of various motor vehicles, which were listed as collateral. At least 27 of the fraudulent applications, including 12 in which White was involved as a co-conspirator, were successful and resulted in the disbursement of loan checks totaling approximately $1,167,192, which O’Day deposited in his personal bank accounts in Maryland. O’Day provided a portion of the fraud proceeds to co-conspirators, including White. The funds were not used to purchase vehicles. O’Day attempted to obtain additional loan checks totaling at least $246,000 through several unsuccessful auto loan applications.
Most of the applicants listed in the auto loan applications were recruited by O’Day under false promises and pretenses. Specifically, O’Day falsely promised that he would pay off the auto loans within up to 90 days and that the borrowers would not be responsible for loan payments. O’Day made payments in smaller amounts to most of the borrowers to assist them temporarily in making periodic payments on the loans and to compensate them for their involvement in the scheme. However, O’Day eventually stopped assisting borrowers with their payments and failed to pay off the loans as he promised. Most of the borrowers remained liable for the loans and suffered financial hardship as a result. At least some of the fraudulent auto loans were eventually converted to unsecured personal loans with higher interest rates as a result of the applicants’ failure to produce proof that they had purchased the vehicles. Several of the applicants had no knowledge that O’Day and his co-conspirators had submitted applications in their names and never authorized them to do so.
O’Day, White, and other co-conspirators used the personal identification information of at least five individuals, without their knowledge or approval, to submit fraudulent loan applications. At least two of the applications were approved and resulted in the disbursement of loan checks totaling $98,000.
White admitted that she personally submitted some of the fraudulent auto loan applications and contacted the financial institutions under false pretenses in order to get the applications approved. White used multiple e-mail accounts in which she received correspondence from the various financial institutions to which she submitted fraudulent loan applications. Upon O’Day’s request, White also contacted borrowers whom O’Day had recruited in order to assuage their concerns about their involvement with the auto loans, requests made by the financial institutions for proof of ownership of the vehicles, and O’Day’s failure to pay off the loans taken out in their names, falsely identifying herself as “Lisa.” White also fabricated documents in support of the fraudulent loan applications and O’Day’s efforts to negotiate the loan checks.
O’Day admitted that he also laundered the proceeds of the fraudulent auto loan scheme through the purchase of a home. O’Day worked as a loan officer with a mortgage brokerage company located in Maryland between January 2014 and August 2017. Between January and March 2017, O’Day requested that his employer issue him a company check for his closing costs in return for him transferring funds to the company. O’Day then deposited $90,000 in fraud proceeds into a bank account he controlled, then wired $33,750 from that account to his employer’s account. The following day, the employer wired $33,750 to another of O’Day’s accounts and O’Day purchased a cashier’s check in the amount of $30,000 drawn on that account, which he used to pay the closing costs associated with the purchase of his home.
White and O’Day each face a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for bank fraud, and a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for O’Day on November 8, 2019 and for White on November 15, 2019, both at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended TIGTA, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Maddox, who is prosecuting the case.
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Four Peruvians Sentenced for Overseeing Spanish-Speaking Call Centers That Threatened and Extorted U.S. ConsumersRead the Press Release
Four residents of Lima, Peru, charged with overseeing a series of call centers that threatened and extorted Spanish-speaking victims in the United States, have been sentenced to prison, the Department of Justice and U.S. Postal Inspection Service announced.
Jesus Gutierrez Rojas, 37, Alexandra Podesta Bengoa, 38, Virgilio Polo Davila, 43, and Omar Portocarrero Caceres, 39, were extradited from Peru in April. Each pleaded guilty to extortion and has now been sentenced to prison by U.S. District Court Judge Roy K. Altman in Fort Lauderdale. As part of his guilty plea, Gutierrez admitted that he oversaw a series of affiliated call centers in Peru that falsely told Spanish-speaking victims across the United States that they had incurred debts and would suffer various consequences for failure to pay off the debts that they did not, in fact, owe. As part of their guilty pleas, Podesta, Polo, and Portocarrero admitted that they managed and supervised three of these affiliated call centers that used extortion to obtain money from vulnerable U.S. consumers.
Yesterday, Judge Altman sentenced Gutierrez to 51 months in federal prison for his role overseeing the affiliated call centers and sentenced Podesta and Polo to 46 months imprisonment. Judge Altman sentenced Portocarrero to 46 months in federal prison on July 24. Each defendant was also ordered to serve three years’ supervised release following their terms of incarceration and to make restitution payments to the victims of their scheme.
“The Department of Justice is committed to identifying and prosecuting foreign-based fraud schemes that target and extort U.S. consumers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Today’s prison sentences reflect that those who unlawfully take advantage of U.S. consumers by phone cannot escape justice by placing their calls from abroad. The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch will continue to work hand-in-hand with our Transnational Elder Fraud Strike Force partners to bring to justice international fraudsters who prey on vulnerable U.S. consumers.”
As part of their guilty pleas, Podesta, Polo, and Portocarrero each admitted that their Peruvian call centers contacted U.S. consumers, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, using Internet-based calls. Falsely claiming to be attorneys and government representatives, Podesta, Polo, Portocarrero, and their employees falsely told victims that they failed to pay for or receive a delivery of products and threatened them into paying fraudulent settlements for nonexistent debts. The callers falsely threatened victims with lawsuits, negative marks on their credit reports, imprisonment, or immigration consequences if they did not immediately pay for the purportedly delivered products and “settlement fees.” Many victims made monetary payments based on these baseless extortionate threats.
Gutierrez was the general manager of a larger company where he worked in partnership with Podesta, Polo, Portocarrer, and others to facilitate their extortion scheme. The defendants’ associates in Miami collected the payments from thousands of victims across the U.S.
“The reach of our U.S. justice system is long,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Ariana Fajardo Orshan. “The sentences imposed demonstrate that we are committed to prosecuting those individuals who threaten U.S. consumers no matter where they are located.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to aggressively pursue and bring to justice international criminal enterprises that prey on our most vulnerable citizens by fraudulently using the U.S. Mail to further their schemes,” said Acting Miami Division Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison.
At Portocarrero’s July 24 sentencing, Judge Altman said that the brazen, large-scale nature of the defendants’ scheme was “shocking.” Judge Altman noted that the defendants exploited “the most vulnerable people in our country” and said that their offense conduct was “terribly disgraceful.”
With yesterday’s three sentencings by Judge Altman, all five defendants who have been charged in connection with this large-scale extortion scheme have now been sentenced to terms of imprisonment.
Trial Attorney Phil Toomajian of the Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Postal Inspection investigated the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs secured the extradition of the defendants, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of Florida, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the Peruvian National Police provided critical assistance.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. In particular, this past March the Department announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history, charging more than 260 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep. The Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
Former Union Official Sentenced for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former union official was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for embezzlement from a labor union.
Ivar Carlson was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Hillman to one year of probation, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $9,786.20. The Court further ordered forfeiture in the amount of $16,151.20.
Carlson is the former business agent and treasurer for Local B-395 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees in Worcester, MA.
From 2007 through 2016, Carlson embezzled approximately $37,000 from the Local by regularly writing checks to cash from the Local’s bank account and then using that cash for his own personal enrichment.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Labor-Management Standards District Director Jonathan Russo made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Former Pharmacist Sentenced for Obtaining Controlled Substances Under False PretensesRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Frank E. Styles, Jr., 62, of Exeter, was sentenced to a term of probation for obtaining controlled substances under false pretenses, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today. As a condition of probation, Styles will never seek to have his pharmacist license reinstated. Additionally Styles will pay restitution to Medicare and Rite Aid pharmacy.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least January 25, 2016, through November 29, 2016, while employed as a pharmacist at a pharmacy in Stratham, New Hampshire, Styles altered various records relating to prescriptions he filled in order to obtain controlled substances. During that time period, Styles altered the records associated with approximately 77 prescriptions in this manner, diverting approximately 564 pills containing controlled substances for his own use.
Styles previously pleaded guilty on May 24, 2019.
“Health care professionals who divert drugs jeopardize patient safety,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We will not hesitate to bring criminal charges against those who abuse their positions in the health care profession in order to obtain drugs.”
“The reckless action by this former pharmacist was not only a crime but a betrayal of the public trust,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Styles accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those individuals who are fueling the opioid crisis. DEA’s obligation is to improve public safety and public health, and we are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that rules and regulations are followed.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Former Assistant Director of Real Estate at EDIC Agrees to Plead Guilty to Bribery and Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Boston, MA – John M. Lynch, 66, the former Assistant Director of Real Estate at the Economic Development Industrial Corporation (EDIC), a division of the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), agreed to plead guilty today to accepting $50,000 in bribes from a Boston real estate developer in exchange for Lynch using his official influence to secure a key Boston Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) vote that favored the real estate developer on his federal tax return.
Lynch, a Boston resident, was charged today by information with one count of bribery involving an organization receiving federal funds, and one count of filing a false federal tax return that failed to report his receipt of the bribe payments. According to the terms of a plea agreement also filed today, the government will recommend to the Court a sentence within the range of 46 to 57 months’ imprisonment.
In 2017, the Boston real estate developer sought to sell a parcel of residential real estate in Boston, but needed ZBA approval to extend a permit that would have allowed the property to be sold as a multi-unit development. To get the permit extension, the developer agreed to pay $50,000 in cash bribes and a check to Lynch, in return for Lynch using his influence at the BPDA to secure a vote from a ZBA member. The permit extension helped the real estate developer realize an additional half million dollars in profits that the developer otherwise would not have received absent the permit. After getting the permit extension, Lynch accepted $25,000 in cash payments and another $25,000 check, which Lynch used to pay a personal bill. Lynch then failed to report those and another $10,000 payment he had received from the real estate developer.
Lynch faces a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling, Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit is prosecuting the case.Former Army colonel sentenced to federal prison for Fort Gordon fraud, kickback schemeRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Ga: A former active-duty U.S. Army colonel has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for accepting bribes to help steer military contracts to a business fraudulently claiming status as a small business.
Anthony R. Williams, 59, of Vienna, Va., was sentenced today [Aug. 30, 2019] to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Dudley H. Bowen after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bribery and felony conflict of interest, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Williams previously agreed to forfeit more than $1.2 million in proceeds derived from the scheme. After completion of his sentence, he will serve three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to information provided in court documents and proceedings, Williams, while serving as a colonel in the U.S. Army, accepted bribes to steer federal procurement contracts to the CREC Group, a company owned by Calvin Devear Lawyer, 60, a retired U.S. Army colonel. The CREC Group had received Small Business Administration (SBA) status as a small, disadvantaged business based on false representations from Lawyer and from Dwayne Oswald Fulton, 58, then an employee of a defense contractor.
Lawyer previously pled guilty in the case and is serving a 60-month prison sentence, while co-conspirator, Anthony Roper, 57, a former active duty U.S. Army colonel at Fort Gordon, also pled guilty and is serving a 60-month sentence.
The cases were investigated by the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command (CID), the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Inspector General, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
“Williams’ sentence wraps up an investigation that shed light on a cynical and disheartening scheme to steal taxpayer funds intended for our nation’s military,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “These men disgraced their oaths to serve their country, and accordingly are being held accountable for their despicable thefts.”
“Today's sentencing is another clear example that no matter how hard one may try to get away with fraud, you will be caught,” said Frank Robey, director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command's Major Procurement Fraud Unit. “This defendant used the trust placed in him by the government to line his pockets. This sentence is well-deserved.”
“SBA OIG is committed to bringing to justice those engaged in conspiracy to commit fraud against SBA and its programs,” said SBA OIG's Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kupperbusch. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that those responsible will be held accountable. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners for their support and dedication to pursuing justice in this case.”
"DCIS is committed to fully investigate and bring to justice individuals who corrupt the DoD procurement system," said Special Agent in Charge Cynthia A. Bruce, DCIS Southeast Field Office. "We are pleased with this significant sentence and the message it sends to those who defraud the DoD."
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Florida man admits to accessing IRS system and obtaining taxpayer informationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Clinton Jean-Pierre, of Miami, Florida, has admitted to identity theft through use of a computer, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Jean-Pierre, age 28, pled guilty to one count of “Accessing a Computer and Obtaining Information” and one count of “Aggravated Identity Theft.” Jean-Pierre admitted to fraudulently accessing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) eAuthentication online taxpayer system, which has servers located in Berkeley County, in December 2017. In order to pass IRS security protocols, Jean-Pierre admitted that he fraudulently “ported” an unknowing person’s cellular telephone number to his own phone in order to obtain the security code necessary to create an unauthorized taxpayer account. Once in the IRS eAuthentication system, Jean-Pierre admitted he gained access to a taxpayer’s tax return information which included the taxpayer’s personal identifying information.
Jean-Pierre faces a mandatory two years incarceration for the identity theft count, and up to five additional years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the accessing a computer count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Cybercrime Investigations Division investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Florida Drug Distributor Arrested on I-75 with 2.5 Kilos of Meth Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON – A Florida resident was sentenced to 46 months in prison for attempting to distribute 2,593 grams of ice methamphetamine, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Carlos Mendez, 45, of Orlando, Florida, previously pleaded guilty to one count Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self sentenced Mr. Mendez to 46 months imprisonment on Thursday, August 29, 2019, followed by three years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the signed plea agreement, Mr. Mendez was pulled over on I-75 in Dooly County, Georgia for a traffic violation on January 19, 2017. Mr. Mendez did not immediately pull over, but exited the interstate abruptly, and acted nervously, giving conflicting information to the deputy. During a legal search of the vehicle, two hidden compartments were found, containing a total of 2593.9 grams of 99% pure d-methamphetamine hydrochloride.
“The methamphetamine trade is a dangerous business for all involved, and drug traffickers will face prison time in Middle Georgia,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney. “Georgia’s highways are too commonly used to move large amounts of illicit drugs. Our county deputies and state troopers face an especially difficult job keeping our roads safe. I want to thank the Dooly County Sheriff’s Office for their continued hard work protecting our citizens.”
“It is a priority for my office to take drugs off our highways, as most of our crimes are drug-related in some way. Once you take drugs off the roads, you cut down on crime. I want to commend my officers for a job well done, and thank the DEA and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in this case,” said Craig Peavy, the Dooly County Sheriff.
The case was investigated by the Dooly County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlies Calhoun prosecuted the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Federal Jury Finds Kyle Man Guilty of Drug Conspiracy and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Brendon Janis, age 34, of Kyle, South Dakota, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute 500 grams or more of Methamphetamine and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm, as a result of a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota. The trial began Monday, August 26 and concluded Thursday, August 29, 2019. Janis was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on May 23, 2017.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in custody up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, 5 years up to life of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Janis was a participant in a drug conspiracy that was transporting methamphetamine from California to South Dakota. Once the methamphetamine arrived in South Dakota, Janis distributed it to others in the area of Kyle, on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Janis was himself a drug user. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence on April 10, 2017. They located numerous firearms, 18 grams of methamphetamine, and copious items related to the use and distribution of methamphetamine.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force, which includes law enforcement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Drug Division, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn N. Rich and Gina Nelson prosecuted the case. Several co-conspirators have pled guilty, and two more await trial.
A presentence investigation was ordered. A sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Federal Jury Convicts Real Estate Executive of Fraudulently Concealing Assets in BankruptcyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a real estate executive of fraudulently concealing assets in a bankruptcy filing.
In his 2009 bankruptcy petition, BRETT IMMEL, 38, of Des Moines, Iowa, and formerly of Chicago, knowingly and fraudulently concealed income and bank accounts, as well as his interests in businesses and partnerships. The jury returned its verdict Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Concealment of assets in a bankruptcy case is punishable by up to five years in prison. U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman did not immediately set a sentencing date.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Craig Goldberg, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Pozolo and Erik Hogstrom.
Evidence at trial revealed that prior to the bankruptcy petition Immel was earning thousands of dollars per month as a general partner at the real estate investment company Hanover Services. Most of his income was paid into a personal checking account held in the names of Immel and his wife. In May 2009, Immel incorporated Fourteen Consulting, a new business entity of which he was the sole owner. Over the next several months, Immel began primarily using the new Fourteen Consulting bank account, as well as a Hanover Services account he controlled, to receive most of his income and to pay out nearly all of his personal expenses, including a home mortgage, lease payments on a luxury car, furniture purchases, shopping at high-end clothing stores, child and pet care expenses, and groceries. Meanwhile, the personal checking account that he stopped using held only about $1,000.
On Oct. 2, 2009, Immel and his wife filed a joint Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois, seeking to discharge more than $6 million in debts. In required financial disclosures submitted with the petition and signed under penalty of perjury, Immel disclosed only the personal checking account he was no longer using. He omitted the Hanover and Fourteen Consulting bank accounts, which by that point received most of his income and funded most of the family’s personal expenses. Immel also denied having interests in partnerships and failed to disclose the true nature and value of his interests in Hanover Services and Fourteen Consulting.
On Nov. 13, 2009, Immel appeared at a required meeting with the trustee appointed to oversee his bankruptcy case. During the meeting, which was under oath and recorded, Immel falsely swore that the information provided in the petition was true, fair, accurate, and complete. The bankruptcy petition was approved in January 2010 and all of Immel’s debts were discharged. Evidence at trial revealed that both before and after the meeting with the trustee, Immel continued to use the concealed bank accounts and business interests to fund the bulk of his family’s personal expenses.
Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm Possession While Fleeing from PoliceRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – On August 30, 2019, Marcellis Means, 23, of Lexington, Kentucky, plead guilty to one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) before U.S. Chief Judge Danny C. Reeves.
As part of his plea, Means admitted that on July 10, 2019, he was unlawfully in possession of a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony offense. On that date, a Lexington Police Officer made contact with Means and another occupant of a parked vehicle when Means exited the vehicle and began to flee from the officer. As part of his plea agreement, Means admitted that while fleeing, he attempted to get rid of the firearm which was eventually recovered by police. The firearm was loaded with one round of ammunition chambered.
The investigation was conducted by the Lexington Police Department in conjunction with the Kentucky State Police and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Stuart L. Lowery, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, Lawrence Weathers, Chief of Police, Lexington Police Department, and Richard W. Sanders, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police, jointly made the announcement.
Means is scheduled to be sentenced on December 20, 2019. He faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. However, any sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and applicable federal statutes.
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 PSN program was reinvigorated 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.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on August 26, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Michael Heideman, age 44, was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Heideman was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2017. He pled guilty on May 29, 2019.
The conviction stems from a conspiracy that started immediately following Heideman’s release from state prison, following a drug conviction in March of 2017. It was discovered that Heideman and his co-defendant, Sierra Bridwell, were receiving distributable quantities of methamphetamine from Colorado and distributing that methamphetamine in South Dakota, on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.
As part of the investigation a search warrant was conducted at the defendant’s home, in which 384 grams of methamphetamine was recovered.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Heideman was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Convicted of Perjury, Obstruction of Justice, and Falsification of Government RecordsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agent was convicted on August 27, 2019 by a federal jury in New Orleans, Louisiana of perjury, obstruction of justice and falsifying government records.
After a seven-day trial, Chad A. Scott, 51, of Covington, Louisiana, was found guilty of two counts of perjury, three counts of obstruction of justice and two counts of falsifying government records. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo of the Eastern District of Louisiana, who presided over the trial, has scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2019.
According to the evidence presented during the seven-day trial, Scott, while a DEA special agent in New Orleans, committed these crimes in and around the New Orleans, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, areas. Specifically, the evidence showed that Scott directed a Houston-based drug trafficker to buy a Ford F-150 truck worth approximately $43,000 and forfeit the truck to Scott as part of the drug trafficker’s cooperation. Scott then falsified the seizure paperwork for the truck in various aspects, including falsely claiming that he had seized the truck in New Orleans instead of Houston, in order to facilitate the vehicle being forfeited and given to Scott as his official government vehicle.
“Chad Scott violated his sworn commitment to serve the public and uphold justice, dishonoring the special trust that we place in each of our federal law enforcement agents,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s conviction sends a clear message to the public that malfeasance by federal law enforcement officers will not be tolerated.”
“The conviction of Chad Scott reinforces the message that no one is above law,” said FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Riedlinger. “Scott’s actions were selfish and placed an unnecessary stain on an otherwise stellar agency. We commend our partners at the DEA for their unprecedented level of cooperation throughout this investigation.”
“The criminal justice system relies on law enforcement agents to act with integrity and honesty. By soliciting bribes and compromising cases, Scott undermined the values he swore to uphold as a federal agent,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Bourbon of the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General (DOJ-OIG). “The Office of the Inspector General will continue to be vigilant that corrupt law enforcement agents are held accountable.”
“At its core, DEA is a law enforcement agency committed to faithful and effective service to our country and its citizens, as well as uncompromising personal and institutional integrity,” said DEA Chief Inspector Brian McKnight. “Throughout the course of this investigation and its ultimate trial, DEA was appreciative of the professionalism and support that we received from our law enforcement partners.”
Additionally, the evidence showed that Scott convinced the same Houston-based drug trafficker, as well as another drug trafficker in Houston, to testify falsely at a federal trial in New Orleans as to the identification of a major cocaine and heroin supplier in the Houston area. Along with obstructing justice by inducing this false testimony, Scott then himself committed perjury during a motion session as well as during the federal trial, the evidence showed. After a trial including this false testimony, the alleged supplier was found guilty. Once Scott’s actions and the false testimony came to light, the case against the alleged supplier was dismissed by the court at the request of the United States.
Scott has been indefinitely suspended as a DEA special agent.
Two other former Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana Sheriff’s Office deputies who were serving as DEA task force officers in New Orleans have pleaded guilty in this investigation. Karl Emmett Newman, 52, of Kentwood, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to unlawfully carrying a firearm in furtherance of an August 2015 robbery, which was disguised as the execution of a search warrant, as well as misappropriating money confiscated by the DEA during another search. Johnny Domingue, 30, of Maurepas, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and misappropriating money confiscated by the DEA.
Scott is additionally charged, along with Rodney Gemar, 43, of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, a former Hammond, Louisiana police officer and DEA task force officer, with various counts, including unlawful conversion of property by a government officer or employee and removing property to prevent seizure. Trial on those charges is set for October 2019. Those charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was initially investigated by the Louisiana State Police and later investigated by the FBI’s New Orleans Field Division, DEA-OPR and DOJ-OIG. Acting Deputy Chief Charles Miracle of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Trial Attorney Timothy Duree of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
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District Court Orders Texas Company to Stop Selling Adulterated FoodRead the Press Release
A federal court permanently enjoined a Houston, Texas, company from processing and distributing adulterated seafood products in violation of federal law, the Department of Justice announced today.
The entered consent decree of permanent injunction follows an August 2019 complaint filed by the Department for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. The complaint alleged that Topway Enterprises, doing business as Kazy’s Gourmet, and the principals of the business, Jeff Liao, Ying Chen, and Adwin Liao, sold ready-to-eat fish and fishery products in a facility with serious insanitary conditions. Specifically, the complaint alleged that FDA inspections found that the defendants failed to adequately control the growth of Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) at their facility.
The defendants agreed to settle the litigation by the entered consent decree of permanent injunction. As part of the settlement, the defendants must comply with specific remedial measures set forth in the injunction. In addition, the settlement provides safeguards to ensure that future processing of ready-to-eat raw fish at the defendants’ facility comports with the requirements of the law. The filing of the complaint and agreed settlement follows FDA’s decision in July 2019 to exercise its authority under federal law to suspend the defendants’ food facility registration. The complaint alleges that, since the suspension, the defendants have taken positive steps to correct the problems at their facility.
“The Department of Justice is committed to enforcing laws designed to ensure that the food we put on our tables is safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will continue to work with the FDA to take steps necessary to protect the public from potentially unsafe food.”
“One of our many important enforcement priorities is to help ensure food is safe,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. “This action will help ensure compliance with federal law and FDA rules and regulations. I’m glad we were able to reach this resolution.”
“After documenting food safety violations at the Topway facility, the FDA took action to suspend Topway’s food facility registration, which prohibits the company from selling or distributing food from the facility into commerce,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannas. “We are happy the company is taking steps to correct the severe problems at their facility and the FDA continues to work with the company as it brings its facility into compliance.”
This matter was handled by Trial Attorney Joshua D. Rothman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew A. Bobb of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and Senior Counsel Barbara Alkalay of the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx.
District Court Ordered Texas Company to Stop Selling Adulterated FoodRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A federal court permanently enjoined a Houston company from processing and distributing adulterated seafood products in violation of federal law, the Department of Justice announced today.
The entered consent decree of permanent injunction follows an August 2019 complaint the Food and Drug Administration filed. The complaint alleged Topway Enterprises, doing business as Kazy’s Gourmet, and the principals of the business - Jeff Liao, Ying Chen and Adwin Liao - sold ready-to-eat fish and fishery products in a facility with serious insanitary conditions. Specifically, the complaint alleged FDA inspections found the defendants failed to adequately control the growth of Listeria monocytogenes at their facility.
The defendants agreed to settle the litigation by the entered consent decree of permanent injunction. As part of the settlement, they must comply with specific remedial measures set forth in the injunction. In addition, the settlement provides safeguards to ensure future processing of ready-to-eat raw fish at their facility comports with the requirements of the law. The filing of the complaint and agreed settlement follows FDA’s decision in July 2019 to exercise its authority under federal law to suspend the defendants’ food facility registration. The complaint alleges that, since the suspension, the defendants have taken positive steps to correct the problems at their facility.
“The Department of Justice is committed to enforcing laws designed to ensure that the food we put on our tables is safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will continue to work with the FDA to take steps necessary to protect the public from potentially unsafe food.”
“One of our many important enforcement priorities is to help ensure food is safe,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. “This action will help ensure compliance with federal law and FDA rules and regulations. I’m glad we were able to reach this resolution.”
“After documenting food safety violations at the Topway facility, the FDA took action to suspend Topway’s food facility registration, which prohibits the company from selling or distributing food from the facility into commerce,” said FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannas. “We are happy the company is taking steps to correct the severe problems at their facility and the FDA continues to work with the company as it brings its facility into compliance.”
Trial Attorney Joshua D. Rothman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch handled the matter with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew A. Bobb of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District and Senior Counsel Barbara Alkalay of the FDA’s Office of the Chief Counsel.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx.
Convicted Felon Charged in Federal Court with Illegally Possessing More Than 50 Firearms in Chicago HomeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a convicted felon for allegedly illegally possessing more than 50 shotguns, rifles and handguns in his Chicago home.
HENRY REYES, 52, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Reyes illegally possessed 30 handguns, 15 rifles, and seven shotguns on Aug. 15, 2019, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Law enforcement discovered the firearms during a court-authorized search of Reyes’s residence in the Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit previously filed in the case. Reyes was previously convicted of murder in the Circuit Court of Cook County and he was not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm, the charges allege.
Reyes was arrested on the day of the search, and he remains detained in law enforcement custody. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Timothy Jones, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. Liva, Jr., and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Pantoja.
Holding convicted felons accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Child and Youth Program Assistant Sentenced to Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for abusive sexual contact with a minor, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran of the Western District of Washington announced.
Joseph Robertson, 38, of Sanford, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on June 6, to one count of abusive sexual contact before U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton of the Western District of Washington, who sentenced him earlier today.
According to facts admitted by the defendant during his guilty plea, Robertson was employed by the Department of Defense as a child and youth program assistant at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. During the summer of 2016, while accompanying children from the Ramstein youth center to a swimming pool in a nearby town, Robertson engaged in abusive sexual contact with a minor who was 13-14 years old on multiple occasions, including touching the minors genitals over the minor’s clothing.
The investigation of the case was conducted by U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI, led by Seattle Division’s Tacoma Resident Agency Child Exploitation Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grady Leupold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Child and Youth Program Assistant Sentenced to Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
A North Carolina man was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for abusive sexual contact with a minor, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran of the Western District of Washington announced.
Joseph Robertson, 38, of Sanford, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on June 6, to one count of abusive sexual contact before U.S. District Court Judge Ronald B. Leighton of the Western District of Washington, who sentenced him earlier today.
According to facts admitted by the defendant during his guilty plea, Robertson was employed by the Department of Defense as a child and youth program assistant at Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. During the summer of 2016, while accompanying children from the Ramstein youth center to a swimming pool in a nearby town, Robertson engaged in abusive sexual contact with a minor who was 13-14 years old on multiple occasions, including touching the minor's genitals over the minor’s clothing.
The investigation of the case was conducted by U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the FBI, led by Seattle Division’s Tacoma Resident Agency Child Exploitation Task Force.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grady Leupold of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Chico Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking of a Minor and Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Thursday, after a seven-day trial, a federal jury found Christopher Ramonaguilar Lawrence, 24, of Chico, guilty of one count of sex trafficking of a child and one count of distribution of methamphetamine to a person under 21, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in July and August 2017, Lawrence recruited a then 17-year-old girl to engage in prostitution for his financial benefit. Lawrence used social media to communicate with the victim, and on two occasions, he lured the victim to Chico motel rooms where he gave the victim methamphetamine, explained the methods of his prostitution business, including how to detect and evade law enforcement, and continued to recruit the victim to work for him as a prostitute.
“Sex traffickers prey upon the vulnerabilities of their young victims, luring them into a cycle of physical and psychological abuse and addiction that is often difficult to escape,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is committed to identifying and apprehending individuals who sexually exploit others for financial gain. We seek to provide victims with an opportunity to escape the violent existence they have endured and ensure their exploiters face justice.”
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Chico Police Department, and the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty and Quinn Hochhalter are prosecuting the case.
Lawrence faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Caledonia Man Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling Union FundsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – A Caledonia man was sentenced to almost four years in prison on Thursday for embezzling union funds. Danny Woodcock, age 66, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock following his guilty plea to Embezzlement of Union Funds in violation of Title 29, United States Code, Section 501(c). Judge Aycock sentenced Woodcock to serve 46 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered Woodcock to pay $519,963.04 in restitution to Communication Workers of America - 83770.
Woodcock served as the president of the CWA Local 83770 for approximately 15 years until his removal in October 2016. CWA Local 83770 has approximately 300 to 400 members who are employed primarily as aircraft mechanics, structural specialists and other maintenance personnel with L3 Vertex Aerospace, LLC, a contractor operating on the Columbus Air Force Base in Columbus, Mississippi. Woodcock used his position as president to embezzle and convert to his own use the funds of CWA Local 83770, often times transferring or depositing union funds directly into his personal bank account for his own personal use.
Chad Lamar, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, acknowledged the importance of this case and the sentence imposed after Thursday afternoon’s hearing. “This case is a sad example of honest workers being defrauded by someone whom they trusted to speak for them and represent their best interests. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will work to help ensure that we hold accountable those individuals who would cheat and betray the very people they have been entrusted to represent.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Labor – Office of Labor Management Standards and prosecuted by AUSA Clay Dabbs.
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Buffalo Man Arrested on Cocaine and Butyryl Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced that Sterling McMillan, 48, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine and butyryl fentanyl. The charges carry a maximum term of 20 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that on August 8, 2019, a search warrant was executed at McMillan’s residence on Erb Street. During the execution of that warrant, cocaine and butyryl fentanyl as well as various narcotics packaging materials were located.
The defendant made an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer, and was released on conditions.
The criminal complaint 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 fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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