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Tuesday 27 August 2019
U.S. Attorney Announces Charges in Surge Against Violent Crime in HopkinsvilleRead the Press Release
HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell Coleman announced the formation of the Hopkinsville Gun Crimes Task Force, and the return of four felony indictments charging individuals with federal firearms violations, including possession of guns by convicted felons.
The charges continue to develop through ongoing partnerships with multiple local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to maximize penalties for the most violent repeat offenders as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. In Hopkinsville, this multi-agency effort includes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Hopkinsville Police Department, and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of Christian County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling which have recently formed the Hopkinsville Gun Crimes Task Force.
“The increased gun violence here in Hopkinsville, to include the shooting of a police officer, is unacceptable,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “I’m proud for federal law enforcement to participate in this new task force, the goal of which is to remove violent felons from Christian County for as long as the law allows. This round of indictments is only our first step; stay tuned.”
“ATF strives to be ‘no better partner’ in our efforts alongside Hopkinsville Police Department, Christian County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI and DEA as part of the Hopkinsville Gun Crimes Task Force,” said Tommy E. Estevan, ATF Assistant Special Agent, Louisville Field Division. “U.S. Attorney Coleman’s announcement reflects the value of utilizing multi-jurisdictional resources and crime gun intelligence to identify and investigate illicit gun traffickers, trigger pullers and other armed violent offenders. These efforts disrupt the shooting cycle and will reduce, prevent and solve violent gun crimes.”
Those charged in this first round of indictments include:
- Credall Hubbard, age 61, of Evansville, IN, is charged in a three count indictment with being a felon in possession of firearm: a Taurus, model PT145 Millennium Pro, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Hubbard has previous felony convictions for second degree manslaughter, previously being a felon in possession of a handgun, bank robbery and assault by the use of a deadly weapon (aiding and abetting), and possession or use of a firearm during a crime of violence, each a felony. He also faces charges of felon in possession of a firearm, a Ruger AR-556, 5.56 millimeter semiautomatic rifle and a Ruger SR40, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Hubbard faces a third count of possession of body armor by a violent felon.
- Jarontae L. Taylor, age 20, of Hopkinsville, KY, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm: a Glock 17, 9 millimeter semiautomatic pistol. Taylor was previously convicted of second-degree burglary.
- Tony D. Bowen, age 36, of Hopkinsville, KY, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm: a Glock 17, 9 millimeter semiautomatic pistol. Bowen was previously convicted three separate times for robbery and for aggravated assault.
- Ahgeana Bailey, age 25, of Cadiz, KY, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm: a FIE Corp. Titan Tiger .38 special caliber revolver. Bailey was previously convicted of possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and first-degree bail jumping.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seth Hancock and Leigh Ann Dycus. The cases are being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Hopkinsville Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Kentucky State Police, and the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, which comprise the Hopkinsville Gun Crimes Task Force, in cooperation with the Office of Christian County Commonwealth’s Attorney Rick Boling.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Kentucky. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Today’s indictments are part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
- Credall Hubbard, age 61, of Evansville, IN, is charged in a three count indictment with being a felon in possession of firearm: a Taurus, model PT145 Millennium Pro, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Hubbard has previous felony convictions for second degree manslaughter, previously being a felon in possession of a handgun, bank robbery and assault by the use of a deadly weapon (aiding and abetting), and possession or use of a firearm during a crime of violence, each a felony. He also faces charges of felon in possession of a firearm, a Ruger AR-556, 5.56 millimeter semiautomatic rifle and a Ruger SR40, .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Hubbard faces a third count of possession of body armor by a violent felon.
Two Charleston Women Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Charleston women were sentenced to federal prison for methamphetamine distribution, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Miranda Brandon, 38, of Charleston was sentenced to 138 months in prison for aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Sherry Gray, 57, of Charleston was sentenced to 109 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Brandon will also serve a term of at least five years of supervised release upon her release from prison, and Gray will serve a term of at least three years of supervised release.
“An incredible amount of meth and other drugs, and guns – all in a drug house on Charleston’s West Side,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Long prison sentences well earned.”
Brandon and Gray previously admitted that in August and September 2018 they delivered drugs and collected money at the direction of Eugene Calvin Wells. They also admitted helping Wells to distribute approximately six ounces of methamphetamine to an informant working for the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force during several transactions occurring in Kanawha County. On September 28, 2018, the DEA executed a search warrant at Brandon and Gray’s residence on Ferguson Avenue in Charleston that Wells used to store and sell drugs. Agents seized more than 565 grams of heroin, 22 grams of fentanyl, 505 grams of methamphetamine, 600 grams of pentedrone, a synthetic controlled substance, three firearms and approximately $3,053. On the same day, DEA agents searched Wells’ residence in Akron, Ohio and seized more than 400 grams of heroin, seven firearms, and approximately $8,080. Wells pled guilty April 25, 2019 resolving federal charges brought both in the Southern District of West Virginia and in the Northern District of Ohio. He faces a mandatory ten years to life in prison when he is sentenced on October 7, 2019.
The DEA Task Force conducted the investigation. United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks and former Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Davis handled the prosecution.
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Tonawanda Woman Going to Prison on Cocaine ConvictionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Iramarie Velez, 37, of Tonawanda, NY, who was convicted of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine, was sentenced to serve 12 months and one day in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who handled the case, stated that on December 15, 2017, U.S. Postal inspectors seized a package, shipped from Puerto Rico, containing just over two kilograms of cocaine that was addressed to Iramarie Velez on Crane Place in Tonawanda, NY. The cocaine was replaced with sham cocaine, and then the package was delivered on December 28, 2017. After Velez accepted the package, she left the residence but returned a few minutes later with co-defendant Osvaldo Rivera-Amaro. Velez went back into the residence, came back out with the package, and placed it in the back of the Rivera-Amaro’s vehicle. Rivera-Amaro was subsequently detained, his vehicle was searched, and the package, containing the sham cocaine, was located in the trunk.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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Three Rochester Area Businesses to Pay Financial Penalties for Defrauding the Rochester Schools Modernization ProgramRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office has filed charges against Journee Construction Inc., Bell Mechanical Contractors, and Kaplan Schmidt Electric in connection with the Government’s ongoing investigation into the improper use of “pass through” minority contractors on the Rochester Schools Modernization Program.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that according to the felony information filed against each of the three defendants, between April 2013 and November 2013, the defendants conspired with contractors to defraud the Rochester Schools Modernization Program, a public-works project to renovate and improve school facilities in the City of Rochester. The defendants created and submitted required documentation that falsely and fraudulently represented that contractors hired for program projects had complied with the Diversity Plan established for the program. In truth and fact, the contractors had not complied, and did not intend to comply.
In addition to filing the charges, the government also entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with each of the defendants. Pursuant to the DPAs, the government has requested that its prosecution of the charges against each defendant be stayed in order to afford each defendant the opportunity to comply with the terms and conditions of such DPA. Under the terms of their DPAs, each defendant must:
o Fully cooperate with the government’s investigation going forward;
o Conduct its operations with respect to any disadvantaged business programs in compliance with all applicable laws and requirements for such programs; and
o Pay a financial penalty: Journee Construction Inc. will pay $70,000; Bell Mechanical Contractors will pay $50,000; and Kaplan Schmidt Electric will pay $25,000.
Should the defendants successfully fulfill all of the terms and conditions of their DPAs with the government, the charges against them will be dismissed.“Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs such as this are intended to helps businesses owned by minorities obtain work on federally funded construction projects,” said U.S Attorney Kennedy. “Those who defraud the program in order to obtain federal funds take advantage both of the taxpayers and the businesses that the program is designed to assist. This Office remains committed to exposing and holding accountable who pervert these programs to serve their own self-interests.”
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rochester Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
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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Three Mexican Nationals Charged with Importing Significant Amounts of DrugsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two men and one woman have been indicted in three separate, but similar cases involving the importation of drugs into the country via various ports of entry, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick
Benjamin Gil Aguilera, 57, Jose Ramos-Delgadillo, 32, and Ariane Ramos-Piccone, 33, were each originally charged by criminal complaint. Today, the grand jury returned the respective indictments against them. They are expected to appear for an arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Samuel S. Sheldon in the near future.
Aguilera is charged with conspiring with others to import approximately 1.5 tons of marijuana, while Ramos-Delgadillo and Ramos-Piccone allegedly imported 40 kilograms of methamphetamine and 53 kilograms of cocaine, respectively.
Benjamin Gil Aguilera is charged for his involvement in the importation of 3,152 pounds (1,430 kilograms) of marijuana into the United States. The charges against Aguilera allege he drove a semi-truck and trailer combination through the World Trade Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo Aug. 1, 2019. During inspection, a canine unit allegedly alerted to the presence of narcotics in the trailer of the vehicle. Authorities then observed anomalies with the trailer doors, according to the charges. After looking inside the trailer, the officers allegedly discovered tightly wrapped bundles containing more than 1,400 kilograms of marijuana.
In the Ramos-Delgadillo case, the criminal complaint alleges that on Aug. 4, 2019, he drove a Ford Escape and attempted to enter the United States at the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge Number 2 in Laredo. There, authorities allegedly discovered the tires of the vehicle contained 24 bundles of methamphetamine, weighing a total of 39.58 kilograms.
Finally, on Aug, 3, 2019, Ramos-Piccone allegedly arrived at the United States Border Patrol Check Point near Freer, driving a white Chevrolet Traverse. The complaint against her alleges that at that time, an inspection revealed anomalies within the seats of the vehicle. Authorities conducted a search and soon found 45 bundles of cocaine with a total combined weight of approximately 53 kilograms of cocaine, according to the charges.
If convicted, each faces up to life in prison and a potential $10 million maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Aguilar and Ramos-Delgadillo cases with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Harrison and Jennifer Day are prosecuting those respective cases.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Ramos-Piccone investigation with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting that case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.Third Roommate Pleads Guilty to Inside Job Bank Heist and Admits to Two Other Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Matthew Brehm (619) 546-8983
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 27, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Aldo De Jesus Gomez today became the last of three roommates to plead guilty to bank robbery and other related charges, admitting that in one instance, the trio staged a robbery at a San Diego Bank where one of the roomates worked as a teller.
Gomez pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill Burkhardt to an information charging him with Bank Robbery and Entering a Bank to Commit Larceny. Gomez and his roommates were convicted of stealing $23,070 from the Chase Bank in Mission Valley, where they pulled off an inside job with the roommate as teller. Gomez is scheduled to be sentenced on November 19 at 10:30 a.m. by U.S. District Judge Barry Ted Moskowitz.
Gomez admitted in his plea agreement that he, Jesus Ramon Garcia-Lopez, and Joe Anthony Mares researched, planned, and entered into an agreement to steal money from the Chase Bank located at 5111 Mission Center Road in San Diego, where Garcia was a teller. They recruited a fourth individual, known to them as “Spill Will,” to serve as the getaway driver. Pursuant to their plan, Mares wrote a demand note, which read, “Give me all the money in both top and bottom drawer or someone in the lobby dies give me 30 mins before alerting anyone or I will be back and shoot people right away,” and provided it along with his clothing to Gomez.
On June 6, 2018, at approximately 10:00 a.m., Gomez entered the Chase Bank branch wearing Mares’ clothing, approached Garcia’s teller window, and passed him the demand note Mares had written, all pursuant to the plan. Garcia took the demand note and passed Gomez approximately $23,070 in cash. Gomez took the cash, left the bank, and was driven away by Spill Will. Afterwards, Gomez admitted he provided Mares and Garcia with a portion of the stolen cash and kept more than $10,000 for himself. The weekend after the theft, Gomez, Mares, and Garcia went to clubs in Mexicali, Mexico and partied together, with Gomez paying their expenses.
Gomez further admitted that, on July 13, 2018, he entered a Chase Bank in Fairfield, California, a city in Northern California, midway between Sacramento and San Francisco, and approached a teller. Gomez handed her a demand note that instructed the teller to hand him money and took $5,000 in cash from her.
Gomez also admitted that, on September 15, 2018, he entered the Chase Bank located at 2303 N. Cottonwood Drive in Imperial, California, and approached a teller. He handed her a demand note that instructed the teller to hand him money in $100, $50, and $20 denominations, and warned the teller not to alert anyone or she would get hurt. The teller provided the defendant with $3,100 in cash and Gomez fled the bank.
“We are always working with federal and local law enforcement agencies, from San Diego to Imperial Valley to the Bay Area and points beyond, to bring serial criminals to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “There was no place this defendant could have fled to escape our coordinated efforts and now his cross-state crime spree has come to an end.”
“Since June 2018, the defendant embarked on a crime spree to fund his lifestyle,” said FBI Special Agent-In-Charge Scott Brunner. “Despite the distance between these individual crimes, investigators connected the cases. Today, Gomez has been brought to justice and is off the streets as a result of significant teamwork between the San Diego FBI Violent Crime Task Force and our law enforcement partners.”
“The successful conclusion of this case was due to coordinated and ongoing teamwork between the SDPD Robbery Unit, the FBI, and the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking Section (VCHT),
said San Diego Police Lt. Julie Epperson. “Collaboration with our law enforcement partners creates a stronger defense against criminals who prey on the public.”“This case is a testament to the collaboration and incredible working relationship of all the involved law enforcement agencies and the United States Attorney’s Office that worked together to help bring those responsible in this case to justice,” said El Centro Police Chief Brian Johnson. “Our communities are safer because of the great work of the VCHT and local law enforcement agencies that worked tirelessly to solve these cases. A tremendous thank you goes out to all involved.”
Garcia-Lopez and Mares were sentenced earlier this year for their roles in the Mission Valley Chase Bank theft.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts of the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking (VCHT) Section. Formed in 2019, by U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer, the VCHT is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving violent crimes, firearms and gang cases; sex trafficking and child exploitation; civil rights, and labor trafficking. The VCHT Section oversees the Southern District of California Coordinators for Project Safe Neighborhoods, Human Trafficking, and Project Safe Childhood.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 19cr1321-BTM
Aldo De Jesus Gomez Age: 22 San Diego, CA
Related Case - Case Number 18cr4349-BTM
Joe Anthony Mares Age: 22 El Cajon, CA
Jesus Ramon Garcia-Lopez Age: 21 Yuma, AZ
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Robbery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2113(a)
Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
Entering a Bank to Commit Larceny – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2113(a)
Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigations
San Diego Police Department
El Centro Police Department
Imperial Police Department
Fairfield Police Department
Stewartstown Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of SuboxoneRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Brian D. Rancourt, 44, of Stewartstown, pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of Suboxone, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 1, 2018, Rancourt sold Suboxone in Stewartstown to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement officers.
Rancourt is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2019.
“The opioid crisis has been fueled, in part, by those who divert and misuse prescription opioids,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who engage in criminal conduct by selling or diverting opioid medications are endangering public health and will be prosecuted aggressively.”
This matter was investigated by the DEA, with assistance from the Colebrook Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Coos County Sheriff's Office, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s Division of Enforcement and Licensing, and the New Hampshire Attorney General's Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Rombeau and John S. Davis.
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Steubenville man admits to drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Robert Leon Sullivan, of Steubenville, Ohio, has admitted to a cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Sullivan, age 55, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride, Cocaine Base, Heroin, and Fentanyl.” Sullivan admitted to working with others to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in Hancock County and elsewhere from February 2018 to August 2019.Sullivan faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danae DeMasi-Lemon and Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; The Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Jefferson County, Ohio, Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force; the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office; the Brooke County Sheriff’s Office; the Weirton Police Department; and the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Police investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
South Carolina Man Indicted for Running $1.1 Million Foreign Currency Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A South Carolina man was indicted today on charges that he defrauded at least 20 people by soliciting investments in a phony foreign currency trading scheme, Attorney for the United States Rachael Honig announced.
Thomas Lanzana, 51, of Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and formerly of New Jersey, was charged by indictment with two counts of wire fraud and one count of commodities fraud. He was previously charged with the same offenses by criminal complaint on Aug. 10, 2018.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From at least 2013, Lanzana solicited approximately $1.1 million from at least 45 customers to invest in what he claimed were highly successful, algorithm-based trading pools in foreign currency derivatives (forex) and other financial instruments. He misrepresented to prospective customers that he was a successful forex trader when he was not. To keep his customers’ trust, Lanzana sent them false account statements, posted false monthly account statements to his companies’ websites showing balances – some in excess of $800,000 – for forex trading accounts that did not exist, and sent false tax documents to customers reporting earnings that did not exist.
Lanzana misappropriated at least $350,000 in customer funds, using some to repay earlier investors in the manner of a Ponzi scheme, and to pay for his personal expenses, including purchases on Amazon.com, payments to a luxury car dealer and a jewelry retailer, and golf expenses.
The counts of wire fraud with which Lanzana is charged carry a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million. The count of commodities fraud carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, or twice the gross gain or loss.
Attorney for the United States Honig credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment. She also thanked the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Division of Enforcement for its role in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony P. Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Cyber Crime Unit.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source of Firearms for Violent Chicago Gang Sentenced to 4 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge today sentenced a Chicago man to four years in prison for unlawfully supplying guns to a violent street gang.
From February 2015 to May 2016, ANTHONY MORGAN directed and paid for an acquaintance to purchase at least seven guns in New Mexico. The weapons were shipped through the mail to Morgan’s residence in Chicago. Morgan then supplied some of the guns to members of his violent street gang on the city’s South Side. Law enforcement later tied two of the firearms to homicides, including the November 2015 murder of 9-year-old Tyshawn Lee in Chicago’s Auburn Gresham neighborhood.
Morgan, 32, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal firearms conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge Charles R. Norgle imposed the 48-month sentence in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence 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. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
During the investigation, law enforcement utilized ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.
Holding firearms traffickers 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 traffic firearms.
Evidence in the case revealed that Morgan directed his acquaintance in New Mexico to purchase the guns in four separate transactions. Of the seven guns Morgan received, two were linked to murders, one was linked to a shooting that left two people wounded, and another was recovered in Morgan’s vehicle after CPD responded to an emergency call of shots fired on the Fourth of July 2017. In addition to the murder of Tyshawn Lee, the other fatality connected to one of Morgan’s guns involved the murder of a man on Chicago’s North Side in January 2016.
“This is a case study in how illegal guns flood this district and terrorize our community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney James P. Durkin argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Illegal firearms are the lifeblood of violent crime in this city, and they need to be treated as such.”
Shrewsbury Man Charged with Assaulting Probation Office EmployeeRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Shrewsbury man was charged with assaulting an employee of the United States Probation Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Daniel Frederickson, 30, was charged on August 26, 2019 by criminal complaint with assaulting a federal employee and causing bodily injury.
According to the criminal complaint, Frederickson went to the U.S. Probation Office in Worcester on August 20, 2019, for his regularly scheduled drug test. While Frederickson was in the bathroom, the victim came in to ask Frederickson if he required water. Without warning, Frederickson allegedly punched the victim and wrapped both hands around the victim’s neck. Frederickson then threw the victim against the wall and after the victim fell, mounted the victim. Frederickson allegedly continued to choke the victim and repeatedly slammed his head against the ground. The assault was interrupted by another Probation Office employee.
The assault of a federal employee charge carries an enhanced penalty if the assault results in bodily injury. The enhanced penalty includes a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences imposed by a federal district court judge are based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Chief Steven Sargent of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucy Sun of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 15 Months ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant TIMOTHY ROKE CEPEDA was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to 15 months imprisonment and five years of supervised release. This sentence follows Cepeda’s guilty plea on May 21, 2019, to Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2250. Cepeda was also ordered to attend a Sex Offender Treatment Program at the Bureau of Prisons. Upon release, he must register with the Sex Offender Registry in any jurisdiction where he lives, works or attends school. The Court also authorized probation officers to search any of his electronic devices. In addition, Cepeda is prohibited from employment that would place him in direct contact with minors.
The U.S. Attorney reminds defendants who have committed sexual offenses that, under federal and local law, all sex offenders have a duty to register and keep their registration current with the Sex Offender Registry in their jurisdiction. Sex offenders who travel to Guam and reside on island must inform the Guam Sex Offender Registry where they reside, work or attend school. They must also periodically update their registration information. The Sex Offender Registry was created in an effort to protect the public and potential victims, prevent further victimization, and inform the public of the whereabouts of sex offenders. Guam’s Sex Offender Registry can be found online at the website for the Judiciary of Guam. www.guamcourts.org (link is external). The Department of Justice also funds the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) mobile application, which provides free access to sex offender data nationwide.
U.S. Attorney Anderson noted that this prosecution was part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood (PSC) initiative, a nationwide commitment to aggressively prosecute sexual predators who victimize children and adults, possess or receive child pornography, and otherwise fail to register with a Sex Offender Registry.
The U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Serial Robber Sentenced to 7 YearsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Aaron Stanley, 35, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to seven years in federal prison for robbing four businesses, one while armed. Stanley pleaded guilty to these charges on June 17, 2019. His prison term will be followed by a four-year period of supervised release.
On December 24, 2018, Stanley robbed a Speedway gas station on Monona Drive, Monona, while armed. On December 30, 2018, he robbed a Mobil gas station on Cottage Grove Road, Madison. On January 9, 2019, he robbed another Speedway gas station on Lake Road, Windsor. Finally, on January 15, 2019, he robbed a Papa Murphy’s restaurant on East Broadway, Monona.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence.
The charges against Stanley were the result of an investigation conducted by the Monona Police Department, the Madison Police Department and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita M. Rumbelow.
Queens Middle School Teacher Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
The defendant Eric Paulino was arrested today on a complaint charging him with possession of child pornography. Paulino made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge James Orenstein in federal court in Brooklyn, and was released on a $250,000 bond.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York Field Office, announced the arrest.
“Paulino, while employed in a position of trust as a New York City school teacher, purchased child pornography on the Internet, contributing to the abuse and victimization of children,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Prosecuting those who feed the market for child pornography, whether producers or consumers, will always be a priority of this Office and our law enforcement partners.”
“Teachers are trusted by parents to protect and educate their children, which makes the thought of a teacher allegedly downloading illegal child pornography all that more disturbing,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “The FBI New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force works every day to stop predators from exploiting children, and further victimizing those exposed to hands on offenders who create images shared on the internet.”
According to the complaint and statements made in court, Paulino, a teacher at a Queens middle school, purchased child pornography using a mobile payment service. Today, during a court-authorized search of Paulino’s residence, the defendant admitted to downloading and trading child pornography on his mobile phone. Paulino provided FBI special agents with his iPhone and the password for the device. A search of Paulino’s phone revealed numerous images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This prosecution is 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 United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Bagnuola is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
ERIC PAULINO
Age: 30
Ridgewood, QueensE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-MJ-767
Prolific Philadelphia Illegal Firearms Trafficker Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Kenneth Eugene Cherry, Jr., 31, of Philadelphia was convicted at trial of multiple criminal firearms offenses: dealing in firearms without a license, possession and transfer of a machine gun, possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and multiple counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
From August 2018 until February 2019, Cherry and other co-conspirators trafficked firearms from Virginia to Philadelphia, where Cherry illegally sold them on the street for profit. During this period, Cherry sold a total of 26 firearms to an undercover ATF operative, including two Glock “Auto Sear” machinegun conversion devices, sixteen semiautomatic handguns, and eight semiautomatic assault rifles, one of which had been cut down for purposes of concealment. Cherry also provided a large amount of ammunition with the firearms he sold.
“The defendant and others in this illegal gun trafficking organization endangered everyone in their midst on a daily basis by putting semiautomatic weapons on the streets illegally,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Thanks to our dedicated partners at ATF and our Office’s trial team, the defendant will now pay for his crimes and will no longer be allowed to menace the Philadelphia streets.”
“The conviction of Mr. Cherry is a victory not only for ATF but for the citizens of Philadelphia as this conviction exhibits a continued and collaborative effort to combat violent crime in our community,” said Donald Robinson, Special Agent in Charge for ATF Philadelphia Field Division. “Together with our partners at the Philadelphia Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office, we have been successful at dismantling a group dedicated to firearms trafficking in Philadelphia. ATF remains committed to working with our partners to combat violent crime by continuing to target firearms traffickers who are putting illegal guns out on our streets.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Miller.
Physicians and Cardiac Center Agree to Pay Total of more than $1.1 Million to Resolve Allegations that They Received Kickbacks from Northwest Medical Testing CompanyRead the Press Release
Three doctors and one medical practice entered into settlements with the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve allegations that they referred patients for genetic testing in exchange for kickbacks from a Seattle-area testing company, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. The physicians, Dr. Gregory Sampognaro of Monroe, Louisiana, Dr. Warren Strickland and Dr. Isabella Strickland of Huntsville, Alabama and a cardiac center, Cardiology P.C. of Birmingham, Alabama, have agreed to pay a total of more than $1.1 million to resolve the allegations.
“Providers who line their pockets by ordering unnecessary tests increase medical costs for all of us and drain critical funds from Medicare and other government health programs,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. “The government will continue to hold accountable medical professionals who undermine our healthcare system by accepting illegal kickbacks.”
According to the settlement agreements, between 2012 and 2013 the doctors and cardiac center were alleged to have accepted payments from now-defunct testing company Natural Molecular Testing Corporation (NMTC) in return for ordering genetic tests from NMTC, which NMTC then billed to Medicare. The scheme was alleged to be in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute and the civil False Claims Act.
The providers have agreed to pay a total of more than $1.1 million. Specifically, Dr. Gregory Sampognaro will pay $519,750, Dr. Warren Strickland will pay $95,053, Dr. Isabella Strickland will pay $107,900, and Cardiology P.C. will pay $411,300 to resolve the government’s allegations. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
“Patients, taxpayers, and Federal health care programs are all victimized when providers work in exchange for kickbacks– as the government contended in this case,” said Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold such providers accountable.”
NMTC declared bankruptcy in 2013. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has an unsecured claim against NMTC for $70 million, but has little chance of recovering those funds as there are few remaining assets.
The matter was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). The settlements were negotiated by Assistant United States Attorneys Kayla Stahman and Ashley Burns.
Philadelphia Woman Arrested in $100 Million Securities Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An investment fund manager was arrested today in connection with an alleged $100 million securities fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Brenda Smith, 59, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is charged by complaint with four counts of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud. Smith was arrested in Philadelphia and is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From February 2016 to August 2019, Smith allegedly orchestrated a scheme using her investment fund, Broad Reach Capital, in which she lied to investors about the assets and performance of the fund and falsely stated that she would invest their funds in particular trading strategies. Smith collected more than $100 million in investments. Instead of investing the money as she promised, she diverted millions of dollars of investor funds out of Broad Reach Capital for other purposes, including paying other investors. When confronted with redemption requests by several large investors in Broad Reach Capital, Smith failed to honor the redemption requests and lied about the status of their investment and the fund.
In one instance, Smith allegedly induced Victim 1 to invest in Broad Reach Capital, telling Victim 1 that it was a trade-focused investment fund that employed particular trading strategies. Smith provided a one-page summary “tear sheet” about Broad Reach Capital that contained purported historical performance information, including a claim that the fund had a 1.76 percent return in February 2018. In reality, Broad Reach Capital’s brokerage accounts lost approximately 50 percent of their value in February 2018. Smith also told Victim 1 that the assets of Broad Reach Capital were tens of millions of dollars higher than they actually were. Victim 1 invested millions of dollars. Smith did not invest Victim 1’s money in the trading strategies as promised, but instead transferred Victim 1’s money to non-Broad Reach Capital bank accounts that Smith controlled and paid other investors with Victim 1’s money. Victim 1 eventually made a redemption request for more than $46 million. Smith failed to pay any portion of the redemption request, providing a series of shifting false excuses and explanations for the lack of redemption.
The wire fraud counts are each punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. The securities fraud count is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of $5 million.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Thomas Mahoney, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s Philadelphia Regional Office, under the direction of Director G. Jeffrey Boujoukos, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Courtney A. Howard of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Economic Crimes Unit.
The charges and allegations in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Transporting Stolen Electronics Across State LinesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his involvement in a series of burglaries and attempted burglaries of Target retail stores, including two in Massachusetts.
Elijah Aiken, 36, of Allentown, Pennsylvania was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 15 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. Aiken was also ordered to make restitution to Target in the amount of $194,539. In May 2019, Aiken pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen goods.
From December 2014 until February 2015, Aiken conspired with his brother Akbar Aiken, and others, to break into numerous Target retail stores during early morning hours, usually by using portable blow torches to cut through the metal loading dock doors at the rear of the stores. Once inside, Aiken and his co-conspirators stole electronic devices valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, including cellular phones and computer tablets. Aiken transported the stolen electronics across state lines in order to sell them to buyers in New York. Aiken and his co-conspirators burglarized Target stores in Easton and Westborough, Massachusetts, as well as in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. During that same time period, he also attempted to break into Target stores in New Hampshire, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Aiken was arrested in 2015 after an unsuccessful attempted burglary at a Target store in Southington, Connecticut.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistance was also provided by the Westborough and Easton police departments, the Torrington, Connecticut and Southington, Connecticut police departments and the Pennsylvania State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office.Pahokee Resident Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jonathan Demario Collins, 33, of Pahokee, Florida was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg to 100 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, after having been convicted by a trial jury of being a felon in possession of a firearm (Case No. 17cr80084).
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Ari C. Shapira, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Miami Field Division, and Ric Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO) made the announcement.
According to the court record, including the indictment, case filings and evidence presented at trial, on February 7, 2016, Collins was arrested during a traffic stop on an arrest warrant for attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a firearm and simple battery, in a Palm Beach County case.
The arrest was made by agents of the PBSO Tactical Unit, each of whom had been sworn in as ATF Task Force Officers. While PBSO tactical agents were conducting surveillance in Pahokee, they observed Collins exiting an apartment and entering the rear seat of a red Nissan Altima. Agents initiated a traffic stop and then removed Collins from the vehicle and placed him under arrest. A loaded, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was observed in the vehicle, near where Collins' was sitting. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and recovered the pistol. DNA was collected from the firearm. An analysis confirmed that Collins’ DNA was located on the pistol. At the time of his arrest, Collins was a convicted felon and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of ATF and PBSO’s Tactical Unit in this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. McMillan.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Ohio County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – David E. Beazel, of Triadelphia, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Beazel, age 49, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Beazel, a person prohibited from having a firearm, admitted to having three rifles, a shotgun, a pistol and a revolver in June 2017 in Ohio County.Beazel faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the West Virginia State Police, and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Oakland Man Sentenced to over Seven Years for Pharmacy RobberyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Michael E. Algiere, 33, of Oakland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to 85 months in prison and three years of supervised release for interfering with commerce by robbery. Algiere pleaded guilty on April 24, 2019.
Court records reveal that on October 31, 2007, the defendant entered the Oakland Pharmacy in Oakland wearing a black ski mask, a hooded sweatshirt, and camouflage gloves. He went to the pharmacy counter holding a knife and demanded oxycodone from the pharmacist. The defendant absconded with several bottles of Roxicodone, Oxycontin, and Percocet.
The Maine State Police Crime Laboratory (MSPCL) found DNA on a ski mask and knife recovered by police at and near the robbery scene, loaded the DNA profile into the Combined DNA Index System (“CODIS”), but could not match it to a known offender profile in 2007. CODIS is a criminal justice database that contains DNA profiles of convicted offenders and arrestees. Because participating forensic laboratories regularly add DNA profiles to CODIS, the MSPCL routinely compares unknown profiles from unsolved cases against the known profiles in CODIS. In February 2017, a CODIS comparison revealed that the DNA obtained from the ski mask and knife matched DNA collected from the defendant. The DNA match was confirmed after federal investigators collected a sample of the defendant’s DNA.
The case was investigated by the Oakland Police Department, the FBI, and the MSPCL.
O.C. Physician Assistant Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging He Wrote Opioid Prescriptions to Drug Dealers without Medical NeedRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A physician assistant who practiced at a Fountain Valley clinic was arrested today on an 11-count federal grand jury indictment charging him with conspiring to issue prescriptions for the highly addictive opioid painkiller oxycodone, without a medical purpose, to drug dealers in exchange for cash, knowing the drugs would be sold on the street.
Raif Wadie Iskander, 53, of Ladera Ranch, was arrested at his residence this morning. He is scheduled to make his initial court appearance this afternoon and he also will be arraigned on the charges in United States District Court in Santa Ana.
According to the indictment, from October 2018 until April 2019, Iskander wrote prescriptions for “patients” he had never met or examined, including an undercover law enforcement officer. Iskander allegedly provided to drug brokers multiple paper prescriptions that he had signed, but with the patient names left blank, to be filled in by the drug brokers later.
In exchange for cash, Iskander wrote fraudulent oxycodone prescriptions to co-defendants Johnny Gilbert Alvarez, 39, a.k.a. “M.J.,” of Santa Ana, and Adam Anton Roggero, 36, of Costa Mesa, who sold the prescribed drugs on the street as well as to an undercover officer, the indictment alleges.
All three defendants have been charged with one count of conspiracy. Iskander also has been charged with two counts of intentionally distributing oxycodone without a medical purpose. In addition to the conspiracy charge, Alvarez faces felony counts of illegally distributing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and oxycodone. Roggero also has been charged with two felony drug distribution counts.
If convicted of all charges, Iskander would face a statutory maximum sentence of 60 years in federal prison. Alvarez would face a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. Roggero would face a statutory maximum sentence of 60 years in prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Costa Mesa Police Department, and the California Department of Health Care Services.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalind Wang of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
North Carolina Office Manager Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A New London, North Carolina, woman was sentenced to 14 months in prison today for federal employment tax fraud, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, from approximately 1992 through at least September 2016, Terra Ferguson was employed as an office manager at a pediatric office in Randolph County, North Carolina. As office manager, Ferguson had complete control over the office’s finances. Ferguson was also responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payroll taxes that were withheld from the wages of the business’ employees. From March 2011 through September 2016, Ferguson withheld approximately $78,937 in payroll taxes from employee paychecks and willfully failed to pay that money to the IRS. Ferguson also failed to pay $35,472 for the employer’s share of employment taxes. Instead of paying these taxes to the IRS, Ferguson paid her personal credit card bills, funded personal business ventures involving a mountain cabin rental and a bar, paid for personal vacations, and issued checks to herself totaling $1.4 million, all from the business’ bank account.
Additionally, Ferguson prepared false individual income tax returns for her employer that falsely underreported gross receipts and inflated mortgage interest deductions, causing an additional tax loss of over $250,000. The total tax loss resulting from Ferguson’s fraudulent conduct is approximately $374,101.
On May 17, 2019, Ferguson pleaded guilty to one count of failing to collect, account for, or pay over payroll taxes for the employment tax quarter ending Dec. 31, 2015.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, Ferguson was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $374,101 in restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Mara Strier and Alexander Effendi of the Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Frank Chut, who prosecuted this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
North Carolina Office Manager Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A New London, North Carolina, woman was sentenced to 14 months in prison today for federal employment tax fraud, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, from approximately 1992 through at least September 2016, Terra Ferguson was employed as an office manager at a pediatric office in Randolph County, North Carolina. As office manager, Ferguson had complete control over the office’s finances. Ferguson was also responsible for collecting, accounting for, and paying over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payroll taxes that were withheld from the wages of the business’ employees. From March 2011 through September 2016, Ferguson withheld approximately $78,937 in payroll taxes from employee paychecks and willfully failed to pay that money to the IRS. Ferguson also failed to pay $35,472 for the employer’s share of employment taxes. Instead of paying these taxes to the IRS, Ferguson paid her personal credit card bills, funded personal business ventures involving a mountain cabin rental and a bar, paid for personal vacations, and issued checks to herself totaling $1.4 million, all from the business’ bank account.
Additionally, Ferguson prepared false individual income tax returns for her employer that falsely underreported gross receipts and inflated mortgage interest deductions, causing an additional tax loss of over $250,000. The total tax loss resulting from Ferguson’s fraudulent conduct is approximately $374,101.
On May 17, 2019, Ferguson pleaded guilty to one count of failing to collect, account for, or pay over payroll taxes for the employment tax quarter ending Dec. 31, 2015.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, Ferguson was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and to pay $374,101 in restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Mara Strier and Alexander Effendi of the Tax Division and Assistant United States Attorney Frank Chut, who prosecuted this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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New Castle Woman Defrauded Social SecurityRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of New Castle, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to Social Security fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Shawna Stelter, 37, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, when applying for and receiving Supplemental Security Income ("SSI") Benefits, Stelter failed to disclose that her husband was part of her household, and, as a result, received $26,917.55 in Supplemental Security Income benefits to which she knew she was not entitled, from June of 2014 to September of 2016. The court was further informed that Stelter made a false statement on her Redetermination Summary October 30, 2014, when she further claimed that her husband was not part of her household, and that her household only consisted of herself and her two children.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for Dec. 17, 2019. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $750,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Stelter remains on bond pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Christy C. Wiegand is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation leading to prosecution of Stelter.
Monongalia County woman admits to role in cocaine and heroin distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Teisha Primm, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to her involvement in a cocaine and heroin distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Primm, age 30, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting in the Distribution of Heroin within 1000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Primm admitted to selling heroin near West Virginia University in July 2018 in Monongalia County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Michigan Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Scheme to Acquire Cell PhonesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced today that Gage Davis, 37, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced Monday in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for identity theft and the fraudulent use of Social Security numbers to obtain cell phones from retail outlets in Central Nebraska. Senior United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Davis to 54 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release and pay restitution in the sum of $22,126.
From December 2017 through June 2018, Gage and another used stolen identifications of credit worthy individuals to purchase high-end cellphones at retail stores in Kearney, Holdrege, Norfolk, Beatrice, Columbus, Grand Island, Hastings, Ainsworth and O’Neill, Nebraska. Gage provided counterfeit driver’s licenses and Social Security numbers belonging to actual people to stores to qualify for credit. He was arrested on June 1, 2018, at the U.S. Cellular store in Ainsworth. Counterfeit identification documents were found in his car.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, the Nebraska States Patrol, Sheriff’s Offices of Brown County and Holt County Nebraska and the Police Departments in Lexington, Kearney, Holdrege, Norfolk, Beatrice, Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings.
Mexican National Who Has Been Removed from the U.S. 5 Times Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that, on August 13, 2019, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging ARMANDO MACHORRO-ROJAS, 42, a citizen of Mexico last residing in Norwalk, with one count of illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
Machorro-Rojas appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty to the charge.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, on two occasions in March 2007, Machorro-Rojas had encounters with U.S. Border Patrol that resulted in his voluntary to Mexico. On March 23, 2012, Machorro Rojas was arrested by Norwalk Police and charged with operating a vehicle without a license. On April 26, 2012, he was deported from the U.S. to Mexico.
It is further alleged that, on March 29, 2015, Machorro-Rojas was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol near Bisbee, Arizona. On April 15, 2015, he was again removed to Mexico.
It is further alleged that, on June 6, 2015, Machorro-Rojas was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol near Santa Teresa, New Mexico. He was subsequently charged in the District of New Mexico with one count of reentry of a removed alien. He pleaded guilty to the offense, was sentenced to time served and, on July 10, 2015, was removed to Mexico.
On May 31, 2019, Machorro-Rojas was arrested by Norwalk Police and charged with burglary in the third degree, risk of injury, larceny in the third degree, breach of peace in the second degree, and interfering/resisting arrest. It is alleged that an immigration detainer that was lodged with the state authorities was not honored, and Machorro-Rojas was released on bond on July 5.
Machorro-Rojas has been detained since August 9, 2019, after he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
If convicted of the charge of illegal reentry, Machorro-Rojas faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial at which it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Member of Montgomery Drug Trafficking Organization Convicted of Conspiracy, Drug, and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Friday, August 23, 2019, Cyrus Phyfier, a 51-year-old resident of Montgomery, was found guilty on multiple drug and firearm related charges, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. A federal jury convicted Phyfier of all ten counts in his indictment after a weeklong trial.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Phyfier was a member of a drug trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of illegal drugs in Montgomery starting sometime in 2013 and continuing through January 2016. Specifically, Phyfier was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana; possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute; being a felon in possession of a firearm; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The other charged members of the conspiracy previously pled guilty in federal court.
Phyfier’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 5, 2019 where he faces 25 years to life on the conspiracy count, up to five years to be served consecutively for being in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and he may be eligible for an additional 15 years under the Armed Career Criminal Act for having three or more convictions for serious drug offenses.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, with assistance from the State of Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Marshals Service (USMS). U.S. Attorney Franklin commended the investigative agencies for their collaborative effort in bringing the organization to justice.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Curtis Ivy, Jr., Stephanie Billingslea, Alice LaCour, and Brett Talley.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for September 1999 Kidnapping and Sexual Assault of Somerset County, PA GirlRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Cumberland, MD, has been sentenced in federal court to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay $5,000 assessment under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act on his conviction of kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse of person under 12 years old, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Kim R. Gibson imposed the sentence on Timothy D. Nelson, Jr., 50.
According to information presented to the court, on September 19, 1999, Nelson drove into a Cairnbrook, Pennsylvania, neighborhood and drove past a group of three minor females multiple times. The group was walking when the vehicle came by one more time, stopped, and Nelson exited his car and asked them a question. As the minor victim, a 10-year old girl, began to answer, Nelson grabbed the minor victim and placed her in the car through the driver’s side and exited the area. Nelson then placed the minor victim on the floor of the front passenger seat. While driving away from the area of the abduction, Nelson threatened the minor victim with a handgun pointing it at her head. The minor victim was screaming and Nelson struck the minor victim with his hand in an attempt to quiet her.
At some point, Nelson drove the car and the minor victim into West Virginia. When Nelson eventually stopped the car, he forced the minor victim to perform a sex act. Afterwards, Nelson gave the minor victim a paper bag and napkin to clean herself with. Nelson also cleaned himself and then discarded the bag out the window.
Nelson then drove the vehicle in the direction of Markleysburg, Pennsylvania, and shortly after crossing the Pennsylvania line from West Virginia, dropped the minor victim off on the side of the road, instructed her to count to 100, and then proceed to a location to call her mother. Subsequently, another vehicle happened upon the minor victim who was in distress and offered her assistance. Law enforcement responded, to include the Pennsylvania State Police.
The minor victim was subsequently able to direct law enforcement to the location of the sexual assault and the brown paper bag and napkin were recovered which appeared to contain evidence of the above-described assault. The evidence was subsequently forensically examined
and determined to contain multiple partial fingerprints and DNA extracted from the bodily fluids. Certain of the recovered partial prints were identified as originating from the minor victim. There remained unidentified latent prints and a search through the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), did not return any results at that time. Likewise, the FBI Lab was successfully able to identify a suitable DNA profile at that time, but when compared to the FBI Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database, no matches were detected.
In April 2004, the FBI Laboratory reported that a DNA profile generated from evidence from a different kidnapping / sexual assault of another minor female, which occurred in September 1988 in Hagerstown, Maryland, was a match to the DNA profile of the 1999 Cairnbrook, Pennsylvania kidnapping event. This match was made from the FBI CODIS database, but the identity of the perpetrator of these crimes was still unknown at that time.
Over the years, advancements were made to IAFIS and the new fingerprint identification system called Next Generation Identification system (NGI) came into existence.
In the Fall of 2018, the partial prints obtained from the brown paper bag and napkin were re-submitted to NGI to search for a possible match. NGI identified a possible match with a person identified as Timothy David Nelson. The FBI Laboratory subsequently confirmed the partial prints as a match to Timothy David Nelson, Jr., who was living in Maryland.
On January 7, 2019, an arrest warrant was issued by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania charging Nelson with multiple offenses to include, but not limited to, Kidnapping and Aggravated Indecent Assault. Also, a federal search warrant was issued for Nelson’s DNA.
On January 8, 2019, Nelson arrived at the Cumberland (MD) City Police Department and the Pennsylvania arrest warrant and the federal DNA search warrant were executed. Subsequent forensic analysis proved that Nelson’s DNA was a match for the 1999 Cairnbrook kidnapping on September 19, 1999, as well as a match to two separate kidnappings/sexual assaults on minor females from 1988 and 1989 in Maryland.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Haines prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Mr. Brady commended the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Nelson.
Mapleton Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Daniel Easler, 43, of Mapleton, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on the evening of December 4, 2018, the Caribou Police Department received a call from a citizen stating that there was a vehicle off the road in a snow bank. Law enforcement responded to the scene. There was no one in the vehicle but there were footprints in the snow leading away from the vehicle. Officers followed the footprints and found Easler, a convicted felon, lying in the snow. A search of the defendant revealed multiple firearms and ammunition. One of the firearms had previously been reported as stolen.
The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the Caribou Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the Maine State Police.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Jose Alvarez for 1999 MurderRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), announced the unsealing of a superseding Indictment charging JOSE ALVAREZ, a/k/a “Ignacio Alvarez,” with the 1999 murder of Jose Miguel Mendez. ALVAREZ was previously arrested in the Dominican Republic and was extradited to the Southern District of New York last Friday. He was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katharine H. Parker yesterday and detained. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Jose Alvarez participated in the heinous robbery and murder of Jose Miguel Mendez. Alvarez was extradited from the Dominican Republic and now faces charges in a U.S. court for this terrible crime.”
Special Agent in Charge John B. DeVito said: “Jose Alvarez is alleged to have participated in a crime of violence and murder of Jose Miguel Mendez approximately 20 years ago. Through the diligent and steadfast efforts of ATF agents working alongside our state, local, and federal partners, he will be before a judge and finally face justice for his crimes. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in prosecuting this case.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment, and statements made in court filings and during court proceedings[1]:
ALVAREZ, along with other individuals, planned to rob and kill Jose Miguel Mendez to obtain money to invest in a drug robbery in Puerto Rico. On the night of the robbery and murder, ALVAREZ and his co-conspirators ambushed Mendez inside an apartment in the Bronx, where they restrained him with duct tape, burned him, and questioned him. Ultimately, ALVAREZ and one of his co-conspirators took Mendez to a location in Upper Manhattan, where Mendez was shot in the head, resulting in his death.
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ALVAREZ, 54, of the Dominican Republic, is charged with one count of causing the death of another through the use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence and a drug trafficking crime, and aiding and abetting the same, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of killing another, and aiding and abetting the same, while engaged in drug trafficking, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the excellent work of the ATF, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. Mr. Berman also thanked Dominican authorities, the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and the United States Marshals Service for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Sarah Krissoff and Michael Maimin are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Malaysian Native Guilty of Installing Camera in Airplane BathroomRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The 50-year-old Malaysian man recently charged with video voyeurism has appeared in federal court and admitted his guilt, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Choon Ping Lee admitted he installed a video recording device in the first class lavatory of United Airlines Flight 646 from San Diego, California, to Houston on May 5, 2019.
Another first class passenger had discovered the device in the bathroom after she saw a strange object with a blue blinking light hanging near the door. She gave it to flight attendants who discovered it was a recording device. On the device, authorities observed Lee’s clothing which led to his identification.
He was taken into custody upon his arrival in Houston Aug. 7, 2019, and has remained in custody since that time.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan accepted Lee’s plea today and imposed a $6,000 fine and two months imprisonment. At the hearing, the court considered a written statement that the passenger who discovered the camera had submitted which detailed how the incident has impacted her sense of safety and security. In it, she emphasized that Lee’s act was not harmless.
Not a U.S. citizen, Lee also is expected to face removal proceedings.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.
Kingsmen Regional President, Convicted by A Federal Jury of Racketeering, Sentenced to 240 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Timothy Enix a/k/a Blaze, 60, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant, a Kingsmen Motorcycle Club (KMC) member and Florida/Tennessee Regional President, was sentenced for his conviction following a four-month jury trial of RICO conspiracy, possession of firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence, and using and maintaining premises for drug distribution.
According to court documents and evidence presented by the government at trial, beginning in 2013, certain KMC members wanted to establish the KMC as a “1% Club.” The “1%” refers to a previous statement by a representative of the American Motorcycle Association that 99 percent of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens with the remaining one percent engaged in certain activities such as drug and firearm trafficking and acts of violence. The defendant, and others, participated in, directly and indirectly, acts of murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering. The KMC operated clubhouses in New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Florida, all of which were used for unlawful purposes, including drug distribution and firearms possession.
The KMC also committed numerous acts of violence, including the following:
• The September 6, 2014, murders of KMC members Paul Maue and Daniel “DJ” Szymanski. The two were murdered behind the North Tonawanda KMC Chapter clubhouse;
• On June 7, 2013, the KMC forcibly shut down the Springville KMC Chapter and stripped members of their colors because they were non-compliant members. Brandishing firearms, KMC members struck a victim in the head with a blunt object and stole items from the Springville clubhouse. They then used bleach to clean areas where the victim bled and cut and removed portions of the rug, which contained blood; and,
• On September 12, 2009, a female victim was punched repeatedly in the face by a KMC member and held against her will for three days to conceal her facial injuries from police.
“Following the 2014 murders in North Tonawanda, this Office decided that enough was enough and that it was time to put an end to this criminal organization for good,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “With today’s sentencing of the final KMC member, I can say—thanks to the prosecutors in my office and our law enforcement partners across the region and across the country—‘mission accomplished.’ With two KMC members, including the National President, receiving multiple life sentences, and 18 other KMC members receiving prison sentences of up to 20 years, other outlaw motorcycle gangs and criminal organizations should take notice. 1%’ers are not welcome in the Western District of New York, and if you come here and commit crimes, then know that you will be 100% dismantled.”
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert. Assisting in the investigation were the FBI Knoxville, Tennessee and Jacksonville, Florida Field Offices; Homeland Security Investigations; the North Tonawanda Police Department; the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office; the Buffalo Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the New York State Police; the Olean Police Department; the Lancaster Police Department; the Amherst Police Department; the Town of Tonawanda Police Department; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police; the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department; and the Hamburg Police Department. Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Tripi and Brendan Cullinane for the Western District of New York prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Files Employment Discrimination Lawsuit Against Baltimore County Alleging Race Discrimination by Its Police Department in the Hiring of Entry-Level Police Officers and CadetsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has filed an employment discrimination lawsuit under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII) against Baltimore County and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD). The lawsuit alleges that since Jan. 1, 2013, BCPD has engaged in unintended employment discrimination against African American applicants for entry-level police officer and cadet positions by making hiring decisions based on the results of hiring examinations that were not job-related and that disproportionately excluded African American applicants. Through this lawsuit, the United States seeks a Court order that would require BCPD to utilize selection procedures that comply with Title VII, and to provide individual remedies to African American former applicants who are shown to be entitled to them.
“Employers must be mindful that an employment selection device, like a test, must be shown to be job-related if it disproportionately excludes members of one of Title VII’s protected groups,” stated Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Title VII is a federal law that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, and religion. More information about Title VII and other federal employment laws is available on the Civil Rights Division’s website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Ithaca Man Arrested for Attempting to Entice and Coerce Minors into SexRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Jeffrey Blake, age 49, of Ithaca, New York, was arraigned yesterday on a criminal complaint charging him with attempting to entice and coerce two minors into a sexual act.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The complaint charges Blake with attempting to entice and coerce two minor females, whom he believed to be 9 years old and 13 years old, to engage in various sexual acts with him. The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charge filed against Blake carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Blake was arraigned yesterday in Johnson City, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks, and detained pending further proceedings.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sahar L. Amandolare.
Illinois Resident Convicted at Trial in South Florida for Carrying Out a $2 Million Fraud Scheme Targeting Nigerian Oil CompanyRead the Press Release
On August 23, 2019, Oyeyemi Olatunji Owagboriaye, 63, of Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 (Case No. 18cr20361). A jury returned a guilty verdict following a five-day trial before United States District Judge Kathleen M. Williams, in Miami, Florida.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), made the announcement.
The evidence presented at trial established that Owagboriaye participated in a $2 million dollar advance fee scheme targeting a Nigerian oil company called Zone 4. In particular, Owagboriaye’s partner, Vincent Zubero, persuaded Zone 4 to hire him to raise a $45 million dollar loan to refinance an oil tank farm in Nigeria. Zone 4 would provide a $2 million “equity contribution” toward the loan, which would be held in escrow until the first tranche of the loan was funded. Instead, however, Zubero and the defendant split the proceeds of the $2 million equity contribution and never funded the loan. Owagboriaye’s portion of the equity contribution was more than $835,000. Owagboriaye and Zubero quickly covered their tracks by signing a bogus “memorandum of understanding” in which they purported to agree that the $835,000 being transferred to Owagboriaye was for the purpose of supporting a phony “trade platform” by which Owagboriaye would raise the financing for the oil tank farm project. Then, Owagboriaye created a phony invoice for dump trucks to cover up the fact that Zubero was wiring him $835,000 of Zone 4’s money. Owagboriaye also created phony bank instruments purporting to establish his control over hundreds of millions of dollars to be used for Zone 4’s loan. In reality, Owagboriaye was spending Zone 4’s money, including a more than $300,000 transfer to himself in Nigeria, $190,000 in cash withdrawals, and thousands more on personal expenses.
Owagboriaye is scheduled for sentencing on October 31, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. and faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison.
Zubero previously pled guilty for his participation in the wire fraud scheme. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12th, 2019 at 2 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and OFR in this matter. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Perwin, Marty Elfenbein, and Roger Cruz.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Illegal Alien Indicted on Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican national has been indicted for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Jaime Cruz-Romero was originally charged by criminal complaint. Today, the grand jury returned the one-count indictment. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon in the near future.
On or about Aug. 10, 2019, Cruz-Romero was found in possession of a firearm and ammunition during a traffic stop, according to the charges.
The complaint alleges that on or about Aug. 10, 2019, Cruz-Romero was driving a 2008 Hummer H3 when law enforcement stopped him for disregarding a traffic signal. He did not have any identification, according to the charges.
Authorities then searched the vehicle and found a 9-millimeter pistol and a magazine containing ammunition.
If convicted, Cruz-Romero faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam E. Harper is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.Houston, Texas Agrees to Implement Comprehensive Measures Aimed at Eliminating Sanitary Sewer Overflows and Illegal Discharges from Wastewater Treatment PlantsRead the Press Release
In a settlement agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), the city of Houston, Texas, has agreed to implement a comprehensive set of corrective measures and improvements to the city’s sewer system to resolve longstanding problems with sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) and discharges into various water bodies of pollutants in excess of permitted limits from the city’s 39 wastewater treatment plants.
The agreement, upon final approval by a U.S. District Court Judge, will resolve the city’s noncompliance with the Clean Water Act (CWA) and provisions of the Texas Water Code (TWC). These violations were alleged in a joint Complaint filed on Sept. 20, 2018, by the U.S. Department of Justice, on behalf of EPA, and the state of Texas, on behalf of the TCEQ. The city also has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $4.4 million, which will be shared equally with the State of Texas.
“The settlement, done in partnership with the state of Texas, will see that the city of Houston attains compliance with state and federal environmental laws by expanding its wastewater treatment capacity and thus reducing sewage overflows into city streets and waterways,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The city should have acted faster to make the necessary infrastructure investments to avoid public health problems but today’s settlement is a substantial step towards meeting the legal requirements enacted to protect the public from unsanitary conditions, dangerous bacteria, and the contagious diseases that pose intolerable risks to the city’s residents and visitors.”
“Fixing Houston’s sewer system will be a massive undertaking. But it is necessary to protect public health and the environment,” said Susan P. Bodine, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA and the State of Texas worked with the city to develop a comprehensive solution that will improve the quality of life of Houston’s citizens as well as the quality of water in and around Houston.”
“This settlement sets a roadmap of what needs to be done to preserve health and safety for millions of Texans and protect our state’s water resources for generations to come,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. “We will continue working alongside our federal partner to assure the city of Houston fulfills all its obligations under this agreement and the laws of Texas.”
The city of Houston operates one of the largest sewer systems in the nation, which serves nearly two million people. The system includes more than 6,000 miles of sewer lines, 390 lift stations, and more than 120,000 manholes.
To come into compliance with the CWA and the TWC, the city will implement over a period of 15 years extensive measures to prevent SSOs and effluent violations, at an estimated cost of $2 billion.
Preventing raw sewage in the form of SSOs from going onto the streets of the city and from entering waters of the United States and waters of the state eliminates a significant threat to human health and the environment. These discharges have contributed to bacteria contamination of Houston water bodies, degraded water quality, and contain viruses that may cause illnesses.
During implementation of the work required under the consent decree the release of raw sewage from the city’s sewer system will be reduced by approximately six million gallons a year. Currently, this sewage is entering various water bodies in, around and near the city, including the Buffalo Bayou and the Houston Ship Channel.
Under the consent decree, Houston will address the insufficient capacity of its sewer system in identified areas where large-volume SSOs have occurred during major rain events. In addition, some non-wet weather SSOs occurring in the city over the years have been caused by defective conditions such as cracked and broken sewer lines. The city has agreed to conduct a system-wide inspection of all its gravity sewer lines and manholes to assess their structural condition. The city will annually remediate no less than 150 miles of sewer lines based upon the results of the inspection and assessment. Further, to address another major cause of SSOs in the form of blockages caused by debris and fats, oil and grease (FOG), the city will implement two major cleaning programs. Under the first program, the city will target SSO-prone areas for cleaning in the first two years and complete cleaning of all gravity sewer lines in the first 10 years of the consent decree with additional cleaning requirements thereafter. A second cleaning program will target areas that require more frequent cleaning to prevent SSOs from occurring, primarily due to FOG.
Finally, the city has agreed to implement a number of measures as early action projects to address SSOs and effluent violations within the first few years of the consent decree. Several of the early action projects involve wastewater treatment plants. The city, the United States and the state identified 10 wastewater treatment plants that have experienced a significant number of effluent violations, including such pollutants as E. Coli, ammonia and total suspended solids. The city will implement improvements and repairs that will address the causes of violations at these plants, as well as implement a maintenance program to cover all of its wastewater treatment plants. As additional early action projects, the City will renew / replace more than 100 lift stations and more than 35 miles of the sewer system’s force main sewer lines, which transmit wastewater under pressure.
The consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division. The consent decree is subject to a 30-day public comment period before the court can give final approval and enter the consent decree as a final judgment, at which time it will become effective. The consent decree is available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
For more information, visit: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/city-houston-clean-water-act-settlement-information-sheet.
Hattiesburg Felon Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Sacory Brown, 28, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty today before Senior 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 Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On March 8, 2018, Brown was found in possession of a firearm during a traffic stop. He was previously convicted of burglary of a dwelling in Forrest County in 2012. He was on state parole at the time of his 2018 arrest.
Brown will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on November 21, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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.
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.
Harrison County man sentenced for role in methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Byron Higginbotham, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 14 months incarceration for his role in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Higginbotham, age 36, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Unregistered Firearm” in March 2019. Higginbotham admitted to having an unregistered .20 caliber sawed-off shotgun in March 2018 in Harrison County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Gilmer County man admits to role in a methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeremiah Lee Carr, of Glenville, West Virginia, has admitted to his involvement in methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Carr, age 32, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Methamphetamine in Proximity to a Protected Location.” Carr admitted to selling methamphetamine near Glenville State College in September 2018 in Gilmer County.Carr at least one year and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Lakes Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Gavin Reyes Duenas Sentenced to Prison in Drug Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant GAVIN REYES DUENAS, age 33, from Talofofo, was sentenced in the United States District Court of Guam to 87 months imprisonment for Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Fifty Grams or More of Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered five years of supervised release following imprisonment, 100 hours of community service, and a mandatory $100 assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On November 19, 2016, the U.S. Postal Inspector and the Drug Enforcement Administration intercepted two packages in the mail. The packages were found to contain approximately 3,113.9 net grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride (“ice”). Further investigation revealed that Duenas used his family’s post office box to receive the ice. Once in his possession, Duenas intended to distribute the drug on island. He also expected to receive some of the drug as payment from his supplier. At the time of his arrest, Duenas possessed methamphetamine pipes, syringes, scales, Ziploc baggies and $43,335.00 in U.S. currency.
U.S. Attorney Anderson stated, “Federal law enforcement continues to aggressively pursue drug trafficking activity on Guam. This case demonstrates the benefits of effective partnerships and the results of long term investigations. Our office vigorously enforces federal drug laws at every opportunity. We will also obtain the forfeiture of illegal proceeds whenever possible. While our distance from the mainland is great, we will similarly seek any off island sources of supply and hold them accountable.” This case was the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Postal Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Rosetta L. San Nicolas, an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Guam.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 159 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Juan DeLaCruz, age 29, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
DeLaCruz was sentenced to 159 months in prison, with no supervised release to follow. DeLaCruz was in the United States illegally, and he will be deported after his prison term.
According to documents in this case, DeLaCruz and two codefendants were distributing large amounts of heroin and methamphetamine, and DeLaCruz personally possessed three pistols in furtherance of his drug dealing.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Allen County Drug Task Force; and the Allen County Police Department. This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
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Former Uber Self-Driving Car Executive Indicted for Alleged Theft of Trade Secrets from GoogleRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - A federal grand jury in San Jose has indicted Anthony Scott Levandowski on theft of trade secrets charges, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.
The indictment was returned on August 15, 2019, and unsealed on August 26, 2019. The indictment alleges Levandowski, 39, of Marin County, was a Google engineer and one of the founding members of the group that worked on Google’s self-driving car project. Levandowski worked on the project from 2009 until he resigned from Google without notice on January 27, 2016.
“All of us have the right to change jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson, “none of us has the right to fill our pockets on the way out the door. Theft is not innovation.”
At the time of his resignation, Levandowski was the lead of Google’s Light Detecting and Ranging (LiDAR) engineering team. The indictment alleges that in the months before his departure, Levandowski downloaded from secure Google repositories numerous engineering, manufacturing, and business files related to Google’s custom LiDAR and self-driving car technology. The files downloaded included circuit board schematics, instructions for installing and testing LiDAR, and an internal tracking document. The indictment also alleges that at the time he took the files, Levandowski was involved with two companies competing with Google in the self-driving space: Tyto LiDAR LLC and 280 Systems, Inc., the latter of which would become Ottomotto. Ottomotto acquired Tyto in May 2016, shortly after Uber Technologies, Inc. agreed to acquire Ottomotto and hire Levandowski.
The indictment charges Levandowski with 33 counts of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on August 27, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathanael M. Cousins.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office of the U.S. Attorney, Northern District of California’s new Corporate Fraud Strike Force and is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Former School Bus Driver Charged with Possession of Videos and Images of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A former bus driver for the Monessen School District has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on Aug. 20 and unsealed yesterday, named Jack Brian Laforte, age 54, of Monessen, Pennsylvania, as the sole defendant.
According to Indictment, on or about June 14, 2019, Laforte possessed videos and images in computer graphic files, the production of which involved the use of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, some of whom had not yet attained 12 years of age.
If you have any information involving this defendant, please call the Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line at 866-347-2423.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum term of supervised release of life, and a fine of $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Heidi M. Grogan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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 individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Owner of Two Downtown Houston Bars Set to Appear in Court for Tax and Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The former owner of SPORTS @ THE B.U.S. has been indicted on tax and bankruptcy fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Todd Dixon will appear in court for a counsel determination hearing today at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter J. Bray.
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Dixon Aug. 7, 2019, alleging three counts of filing false tax returns and one count of bankruptcy fraud.
The Indictment alleges from 2004 until 2011, Dixon operated the two sports bars - one located across from Minute Maid Park and the other near the Toyota Center and filed for business bankruptcy during the 2011 Astros baseball season. After which, a local trustee was appointed to administer the business estate and to pay creditors, according to the charges. In 2013, Dixon also filed for personal bankruptcy.
According to the charges, Dixon concealed approximately $170,000 from the trustee and creditors by taking cash from the businesses and using it for his personal use and benefit. Dixon allegedly filed personal income tax returns and did not report the true and accurate amount of income he earned from the businesses.
The indictment further alleges that in 2013, Dixon filed his personal 2010 and 2011 tax returns in which he falsely reported his total income for each year, thereby under reporting taxes owed to the IRS. Similarly, in 2013, Dixon under reported the amount of taxes he and his business partners owed to the IRS after causing the trustee to file a false partnership return that did not report approximately $207,326 in earnings.
If convicted of filing a false tax return, he faces up to three years in prison, while a conviction for bankruptcy fraud carries a possible five-year-maximum term.
IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Quincy L. Ollison is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Former Oklahoma Probation Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
Steven Powers, 35, a former probation and parole officer with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to two counts of violating the civil rights of two female probationers whom he supervised when he subjected them to unwanted sexual contact.
According to court documents, during the course of supervising the victim listed in Count One, from on or about Nov. 3, 2015 through Jan. 19, 2017, Powers engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, culminating in sexual assault. During the course of supervising the victim listed in Count Two, from on or about Nov. 2, 2015 through April 30, 2017, Powers likewise engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, culminating in sexual contact against the victim’s will. In each of these instances, the defendant admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did so anyway.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate probation officers who exploit their authority by sexually assaulting individuals under their supervision,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute those who abuse their power in this way.”
“Steven Powers is not above the law. Rather, he took an oath to uphold it. In fact, he betrayed the trust placed in him by the State of Oklahoma to fulfill his duties as a probation and parole officer,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma. “He egregiously abused his authority by sexually assaulting the victims, violating their civil rights and ultimately damaging the integrity our justice system. For his despicable crimes, we will hold him accountable.”
This case is being investigated by the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman of the Northern District of Oklahoma and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice
Former Oklahoma Probation Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual AssaultRead the Press Release
Steven Powers, 35, a former probation and parole officer with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to two counts of violating the civil rights of two female probationers whom he supervised when he subjected them to unwanted sexual contact.
According to court documents, during the course of supervising the victim listed in Count One, from on or about Nov. 3, 2015 through Jan. 19, 2017, Powers engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, culminating in sexual assault. During the course of supervising the victim listed in Count Two, from on or about Nov. 2, 2015 through April 30, 2017, Powers likewise engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior, culminating in sexual contact against the victim’s will. In each of these instances, the defendant admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong and against the law, yet he did so anyway.
“The Department of Justice will not tolerate probation officers who exploit their authority by sexually assaulting individuals under their supervision,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute those who abuse their power in this way.”
“Steven Powers is not above the law. Rather, he took an oath to uphold it. In fact, he betrayed the trust placed in him by the State of Oklahoma to fulfill his duties as a probation and parole officer,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma. “He egregiously abused his authority by sexually assaulting the victims, violating their civil rights and ultimately damaging the integrity our justice system. For his despicable crimes, we will hold him accountable.”
This case is being investigated by the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation in cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman of the Northern District of Oklahoma and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Former Genesis Convention Center Employee ChargedRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Victoria Wilson, age 52, of Portage, Indiana, was charged by Information with one count of theft from a local government entity receiving federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to the Information, between February 2017 and February 2018, Wilson was employed by the Genesis Convention Center, a venue owned by the City of Gary, Indiana, as its bookkeeper and later as interim Executive Director. The Information alleges that between March and October 2017, Wilson used her position to steal over $10,000 in cash from the Genesis Center.
The parties have entered into a plea agreement to resolve this criminal charge. Under this signed plea agreement, which has been filed with the court, if accepted by the court, would require Wilson to pay $12,727 in restitution to the City of Gary.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Public corruption cannot and will not be tolerated at any level. My office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue matters involving public corruption. I encourage anyone with information concerning corrupt public officials to contact my office or the FBI.”
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an Information is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court. If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of Indiana State Police and the Indiana State Board of Accounts. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abizer Zanzi.
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