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7 October 2019
Newark Drug Dealer Sentenced to 5 1/2 Years in Federal Prison for Deadly HeroinRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – United States Attorney David C. Weiss announced that Theophil Hollis, 30, of Newark, was sentenced on October 3, 2019 to 5 ½ years in federal prison by U.S. Chief Judge for the District of Delaware Leonard P. Stark. Hollis had previously pled guilty to two counts of possession with intent to deliver fentanyl and heroin.
According to court documents, between September 9, 2016 and December 7, 2016, Hollis sold heroin laced with fentanyl in baggies branded with the stamp “Block Party.” A 27-year old Newark man ingested the contents of one of those “Block Party” branded baggies, overdosed, and died.
“This case highlights the dangers inherent in the drug trade and the devastating consequences heroin and fentanyl have on our community,” said U.S. Attorney Weiss. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute drug dealers whose actions result in death. While the sentence in this case will never return the life that was lost, it should serve notice that drug dealers will be held accountable for the harm they inflict. We commend our law enforcement partners for their hard work and dedication in making our streets safer.”
“As U.S. Attorney Weiss noted, drug-trafficking is an inherently dangerous business for those that distribute dangerous drugs such as fentanyl and the people that use these same drugs. Hollis was convicted of distributing fentanyl that lead to the fatal overdose of another person,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Philadelphia Field Division. “For his crimes, Hollis will now serve time in Federal prison.”
The DEA and the New Castle County Police Department investigated this case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Logan.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No.17-12.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Transport Four Kilograms of Heroin into the United StatesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Bertoldo Arellanes-Perez, 32, of Chihuahua, Mexico pleaded guilty today to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on Feb. 22, Arellanes-Perez and two other individuals traveled to the United States from Mexico with four kilograms of heroin. Before he traveled to the United States, Arellanes-Perez brokered the sale of the heroin in a series of phone calls. In the recent past, Arellanes-Perez transported narcotics to other locations in the United States, including Colorado.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee also assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Newman is prosecuting the case.
Arellanes-Perez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Jan. 13, 2020. Arellanes-Perez faces a mandatory minimum 10 year sentence up to a lifetime terms, and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Meridian Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Possession and Distribution of Crack Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Meridian, Miss. – Jermaine Scott a/k/a “Jitty,” 41, was sentenced Friday by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 188 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession and distribution of crack cocaine and methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley. Scott was also ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.
On May 9, 2017, Scott met with a confidential source for the East Mississippi Drug Task Force at his residence in Meridian. Scott showed the confidential source how to make crack. Once the crack was complete, he sold the confidential source the crack and some methamphetamine for $1,500. The Drug Enforcement Administration laboratory confirmed the crack to be approximately 30.20 grams with 55% purity and the methamphetamine to be approximately 28.89 grams with 98% purity.
Scott was subsequently charged with one count of distributing 28 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base and one count of distributing at least 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. He pled guilty before Judge Jordan on June 3, 2019.
The case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the East Mississippi Drug Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keesha Middleton.
Meadville Felon Admits Possessing Firearms, Unregistered Silencers and Products to Make MethRead the Press Release
Erie, Pa. - A former resident of Meadville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal firearms and drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Charles Joseph Butter, 43, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on September 7, 2017, Butter possessed several firearms while being a convicted felon and possessed silencers not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer record. In addition, he also possessed pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine and attempted to manufacture methamphetamine.
Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reductions efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevent and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for March 23, 2020. The law provides for a total sentence of 50 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Butter.
McHenry County Farmer Sentenced to Three Years in Prison, Ordered to Pay $2.96 Million Restitution to BankRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A McHenry County, Ill., farmer, Timothy A. Cosman, 44, has been ordered to serve 36 months in federal prison for defrauding a Champaign, Ill., bank. Cosman appeared in federal court in Urbana on Oct. 4, for sentencing. Cosman was also ordered to pay restitution to the bank in the amount of $2.96 million. Cosman was allowed to remain on bond until he reports to the federal Bureau of Prisons on Jan. 7, 2020, to begin serving his sentence.
On March 27, 2019, Cosman, of Harvard, Ill., near the Illinois –Wisconsin border, pleaded guilty to actions he took from February 2014 to April 2016, to defraud Busey Bank of Champaign to secure loans. Cosman inflated his assets and created and submitted false documents to make the bank believe its loans would be more secure than they were. To inflate his assets, Cosman made false claims about his ownership in family companies; claimed the loans would be secured by farm equipment he owned, when he did not own the equipment; claimed he was the beneficiary of a $1.56 million promissory note that he created and forged; and, claimed a $450,000 loan for cattle would be secured by cattle, however, no cattle were purchased.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General investigated the case with the cooperation of Busey Bank. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen represented the government in the prosecution.
Marina Owner Who Lied to the SBA to Receive Disaster Loan in Connecticut with Hurricane Sandy is SentencedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Inspector General, Small Business Administration, announced that SCOTT SUNDHOLM, 39, of Old Saybrook, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to two years of probation and a $5,000 fine for making false statements for the purpose of obtaining a Small Business Administration loan.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sundholm owns and operates S&S Marine, LLC, a marina located in Old Saybrook. In 2016, Sundholm applied for and received a disaster loan from the Small Business Administration after claiming that Hurricane Sandy, which struck Connecticut in late October 2012, caused a tidal surge at the marina and damaged floating boat docks, a boat ramp, a bath house, a metal shop building and other structures. Sundholm also claimed that the bath house he had replaced after the hurricane was of the same size and quality as to what was in place prior to the storm.
An investigation revealed that certain claims made by Sundholm about damage that Hurricane Sandy caused his marina were not true. Sundholm had demolished the marina’s pre-existing bath house in September 2012, more than a month before Hurricane Sandy, and the bath house was dilapidated and not similar in size and quality to the new bath house that Sundholm subsequently built. In addition, no floating boat docks or boat ramps existed at the marina prior to the hurricane.
Sundholm has paid full restitution of $1,653,257.10 to the Small Business Administration.
This matter was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Los Angeles Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Narcotics on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — William James Farber, 39, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute narcotics, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Farber and his co-conspirators, operating under the name PureFireMeds, sold narcotics including marijuana, cocaine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, psilocybin, MDMA (Ecstasy), LSD, and ketamine on dark web marketplaces, including Silk Road. After Silk Road was shut down by law enforcement in Oct. 2013, Farber and his co‑conspirators began selling on the AlphaBay dark web marketplace under the name HumboldtFarms. It became one of the largest vendors on AlphaBay, completing tens of thousands of orders for marijuana on the site to customers throughout the United States.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Bakersfield Police Department with assistance from the Los Angeles Joint Regional Intelligence Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Ross Pearson are prosecuting the case.
Farber is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on April 20, 2020. Farber faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Leonard Wayne Mullinax Sentenced to 235 Months on Methamphetamine, Firearm and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On October 7, 2019, Leonard Wayne Mullinax, 49, of Gaffney, South Carolina, was sentenced by the Honorable J. Ronnie Greer, U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 235 months in federal prison following convictions for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, launder money and possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement on file with the U.S. District Court, Mullinax was the out of state source of supply for this particular methamphetamine conspiracy operating in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Following the indictment in this case, law enforcement officers searched Mullinax’s residence and place of business in Gaffney, South Carolina and recovered an approximate kilogram of methamphetamine, 28 firearms, ammunition, a drug ledger, a vacuum sealer and other miscellaneous items of paraphernalia. Mullinax stipulated that he was accountable for at least 4 but less 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine and that he had been supplying co-defendant Edward Walters, 48, of Surgoinsville, Tennessee for about a year. Edward Walters is currently pending sentencing.
Other defendants who have been previously sentenced in this methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy include Jamie Nicole Wilson, 42, of Gaffney, South Carolina, Jason Ronald Burchfield, 39, of Hawkins County, Tennessee, Matthew Glenn Russell, 27, of Rogersville, Tennessee, Amber Lynn Hall, 29, of Church Hill, Tennessee, Jimmy Lee Gray, 37, of Surgoinsville, Tennessee and Michael James Walters, 46, of Bristol, Tennessee, who were sentenced to 200 months, 149 months, 135 months, 135 months, 120 months and 120 months, in federal prison respectively.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the investigation included the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Hawkins County Sheriff’s Office, Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), United States Postal Inspector, Third District Judicial Drug Task Force, Cherokee County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Taylor represented the United States.
This case was a result of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
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Kings County and Tennessee Residents Plead Guilty to Firearm Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Rafael Sanchez, 40, of Kettleman City; Victor Luna, 25, and Ashley Sanchez, 23, both of Lenoir City, Tennessee pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person, and Rafael Sanchez also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from April 2016 until March 2018, Tennessee-based co‑conspirators Victor Luna, Ashley Sanchez, Juan Gonzalez-Mejia, and Alexis Sanchez assisted in purchasing firearms in Tennessee that were shipped to California. At the direction of Rafael Sanchez, Victor Luna and Juan Gonzalez-Mejia purchased firearms in Tennessee that the other co-conspirators packaged and mailed to Rafael Sanchez in California. Rafael Sanchez then sold the firearms to individuals in California. Rafael Sanchez also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm after having been convicted a felony violation of assault with a deadly weapon in 1999. Rafael Sanchez admitted in his plea that, despite knowing he could not lawfully possess a firearm, he directed others to mail firearms to him in California, and on March 8, 2018, he was in possession of a ROMARM Cugir, Model Mini Draco.
On May 6, 2019, Juan Gonzalez-Mejia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 9. On Sept. 30, Alexis Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person and conspiracy to distribute narcotics. She is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 16.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Lenoir City Police Department in Tennessee, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Newman and Stephanie Stokman are prosecuting the case.
Sentencing for today’s defendants is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2020. Victor Luna, Ashley Sanchez, and Rafael Sanchez face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine related to the conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person. Rafael Sanchez also faces maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine related to the conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case 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. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Kings County and Tennessee Residents Plead Guilty to Firearm Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Rafael Sanchez, 40, of Kettleman City; Victor Luna, 25, and Ashley Sanchez, 23, both of Lenoir City, Tennessee pleaded guilty today to conspiring to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person, and Rafael Sanchez also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from April 2016 until March 2018, Tennessee-based co‑conspirators Victor Luna, Ashley Sanchez, Juan Gonzalez-Mejia, and Alexis Sanchez assisted in purchasing firearms in Tennessee that were shipped to California. At the direction of Rafael Sanchez, Victor Luna and Juan Gonzalez-Mejia purchased firearms in Tennessee that the other co-conspirators packaged and mailed to Rafael Sanchez in California. Rafael Sanchez then sold the firearms to individuals in California. Rafael Sanchez also pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm after having been convicted a felony violation of assault with a deadly weapon in 1999. Rafael Sanchez admitted in his plea that, despite knowing he could not lawfully possess a firearm, he directed others to mail firearms to him in California, and on March 8, 2018, he was in possession of a ROMARM Cugir, Model Mini Draco.
On May 6, 2019, Juan Gonzalez-Mejia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 9. On Sept. 30, Alexis Sanchez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person and conspiracy to distribute narcotics. She is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 16.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Lenoir City Police Department in Tennessee, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Newman and Stephanie Stokman are prosecuting the case.
Sentencing for today’s defendants is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2020. Victor Luna, Ashley Sanchez, and Rafael Sanchez face a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine related to the conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person. Rafael Sanchez also faces maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine related to the conspiracy to traffic in firearms by an unlicensed person. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case 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. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Georgia Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a civil suit in the Middle District of Georgia seeking to bar Stacy Lee and Heather Lee from owning or operating a tax return preparation business, and preparing tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The complaint alleges that Stacy Lee has operated her tax return preparation stores under the names of Fast Track Tax Service in Talbotton and TimeLee Tax Service in Columbus.
The complaint further alleges that the defendants fabricate deductions, businesses and related profit or losses, and claim various false credits, including education, energy and childcare credits. By repeatedly underreporting tax liabilities and claiming bogus refunds on behalf of their customers, the defendants have caused the United States to lose substantial tax revenue, according to the complaint.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Justice Department Files Brief in Maine School Choice AppealRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, explaining that a Maine law that bans religious schools from the state’s school tuition program violates the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
The majority of Maine’s school districts do not operate their own high schools. Instead, those school districts may either contract with another school to educate their resident high school students, or they may pay tuition to the private high school of the parent’s choice—but only if the high school is not religious in nature. The plaintiffs in this case, Carson v. Makin, all live in school districts that do not operate their own high schools and either send their children to a religious high school at their own expense, or would like to send their children to a religious high school but cannot afford to do so. They sued the Commissioner of Maine’s Department of Education, claiming that Maine law violates the United States Constitution.
“Our Constitution guarantees that all people in our nation may exercise their religion free from discrimination by the government,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division. “The First Amendment’s religious freedom protections are especially important for families and children, and the Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that all children may participate equally in educational programs without discrimination because of their religion.”
On June 26, 2019, the United States District Court for the District of Maine held that it was bound by First Circuit precedent from 2004 to uphold Maine’s religious-school ban, but it noted that the Supreme Court’s 2017 decision in Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia v. Comer might cause the First Circuit to reassess its prior precedent.
In Trinity Lutheran, the Supreme Court held that “denying a generally available benefit solely on account of religious identity imposes a penalty on the free exercise of religion,” and may only be justified by the most compelling governmental interests. In its friend-of-the-court brief, the United States explains that Trinity Lutheran obligates the Court of Appeals to reassess the constitutionality of Maine’s religious-school ban. Because Maine “prohibits religious schools, simply because of their religious character, from receiving funds available to the rest of the community,” the United States’ brief explains, the state’s tuition program imposes “special disabilities on religious adherents on the basis of their religious status,” and thus violates the Constitution’s Free Exercise Clause. The United States raised similar arguments in a brief it filed with the United States Supreme Court last month in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerns a similar religious-school ban in a Montana scholarship program.
In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Religious Liberty Task Force. The Task Force brings together Department components to coordinate their work on religious liberty
Jury Convicts Two Former Corrections Officers of Assaulting an Inmate and Two Former Officers Plead Guilty to Civil Rights ViolationRead the Press Release
Two former corrections officers at the Jackson County Detention Center have been convicted by a federal jury of physically assaulting an inmate in violation of his Constitutional protection against unreasonable force.
“These corrections officers were convicted by a jury of their peers for severely beating and wounding a disoriented and compliant inmate,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This conduct betrays their oath as law enforcement officers and violates the Constitution. The Department of Justice will prosecute those who violate the rights of others.”
“These corrections officers abused their authority by physically assaulting an inmate,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison. “Our Constitution protects every citizen from the use of unreasonable force. No one is above the law, and no one should be denied their civil rights.”
Travis Hewitt, 29, and Terrance Dooley Jr., 38, both of Kansas City, Missouri, were found guilty on Friday, Oct. 4, of participating in a conspiracy to deprive the victim of his civil rights and one count of deprivation of rights.
Co-defendants Jen-I Pulos, 38, and Dakota Pearce, 26, both of Kansas City, Missouri, each recently pleaded guilty. Pearce pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and Pulos pleaded guilty to the deprivation of rights.
Hewitt, Dooley, Pulos, and Pearce were formerly employed as corrections officers at the detention center. Hewitt and Pearce served as acting sergeants. Dooley and Pulos served on the Disturbance Control Team, also known as the Correctional Emergency Response Team, which is responsible for intervening in inmate altercations and neutralizing threats posed by inmates.
The victim, identified in court documents as “J.R.,” was an inmate at the detention center. On July 4, 2015, J.R. was detained on a probation violation related to the monitoring of his release conditions for a felony driving while intoxicated conviction. J.R. was placed in the medical housing unit of the detention center because he was severely confused and disoriented, as he was experiencing severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
At about 7 p.m. another corrections officer allowed J.R. to walk in a secure area outside of his cell. J.R., clearly disoriented and unaware of his whereabouts, attempted to exit the secure area. The corrections officer and J.R. then had a brief physical struggle; the corrections officer called a Code 1, indicating to other officers that she needed assistance.
Hewitt and Pearce responded and placed J.R. in a holding cell. Hewitt, Dooley, Pulos, and Pearce were upset that a supervisor decided J.R. would not be placed in a “restraint chair,” which was commonly used to punish unruly inmates, because J.R. was clearly disoriented and unaware of his surroundings. Several hours later, Dooley and Pulos entered J.R.’s cell, purportedly to remove a comb that had been fashioned into a “shank.” They removed J.R. and transported him to a holding cell (which was out of the range of surveillance cameras). In this holding cell, Hewitt, Dooley, Pulos, and Pearce physically assaulted J.R., while he was handcuffed and not posing a threat to anyone, in order to punish him for the earlier incident. At times during the incident, one of the officers stood outside of the cell and served as a lookout in attempt to ensure that the assault was concealed from other witnesses.
Several hours after the second incident, medical professionals at the detention center decided to transfer J.R. to Truman Medical Center out of a belief that his alcohol withdrawal symptoms had worsened. Truman Medical personnel working in the emergency room, however, quickly determined that J.R. had sustained significant injuries unrelated to alcohol withdrawal. Medical personnel ultimately diagnosed J.R. with broken ribs, a punctured lung, facial bruising, and injuries to his wrists.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately four hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner, ending a trial that began Monday, Sept. 30.
Under federal statutes, Hewitt and Dooley are each subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Pulos and Pearce are each subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Missouri, Trial Attorney Shan Patel of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, U.S. Department of Justice. It was investigated by the Kansas City Division of the FBI.
Jury Convicts Two Former Corrections Officers of Assaulting an InmateRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two former corrections officers at the Jackson County Detention Center have been convicted by a federal jury of physically assaulting an inmate in violation of his Constitutional protection against unreasonable force.
“These corrections officers abused their authority by physically assaulting an inmate,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison. “Our Constitution protects every citizen from the use of unreasonable force. No one is above the law, and no one should be denied their civil rights.”
“These corrections officers were convicted by a jury of their peers for severely beating and wounding a disoriented and compliant inmate,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This conduct betrays their oath as law enforcement officers and violates the Constitution. The Department of Justice will prosecute those who violate the rights of others.”
Travis Hewitt, 29, and Terrance Dooley, Jr., 38, both of Kansas City, Missouri, were found guilty on Friday, Oct. 4, of participating in a conspiracy to deprive the victim of his civil rights and one count of deprivation of rights.
Co-defendants Jen-I Pulos, 38, and Dakota Pearce, 26, both of Kansas City, Missouri, each recently pleaded guilty. Pearce pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and Pulos pleaded guilty to the deprivation of rights.
Hewitt, Dooley, Pulos, and Pearce were formerly employed as corrections officers at the detention center. Hewitt and Pearce served as acting sergeants. Dooley and Pulos served on the Disturbance Control Team, also known as the Correctional Emergency Response Team, which is responsible for intervening in inmate altercations and neutralizing threats posed by inmates.
The victim, identified in court documents as “J.R.,” was an inmate at the detention center. On July 4, 2015, J.R. was detained on a probation violation related to the monitoring of his release conditions for a felony driving while intoxicated conviction. J.R. was placed in the medical housing unit of the detention center because he was severely confused and disoriented, as he was experiencing severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal.
At about 7 p.m. another corrections officer allowed J.R. to walk in a secure area outside of his cell. J.R., clearly disoriented and unaware of his whereabouts, attempted to exit the secure area. The corrections officer and J.R. then had a brief physical struggle; the corrections officer called a Code 1, indicating to other officers that she needed assistance.Hewitt and Pearce responded and placed J.R. in a holding cell. Hewitt, Dooley, Pulos, and Pearce were upset that a supervisor decided J.R. would not be placed in a “restraint chair,” which was commonly used to punish unruly inmates, because J.R. was clearly disoriented and unaware of his surroundings. Several hours later, Dooley and Pulos entered J.R.’s cell, purportedly to remove a comb that had been fashioned into a “shank.” They removed J.R. and transported him to a holding cell (which was out of the range of surveillance cameras). In this holding cell, Hewitt, Dooley, Pulos, and Pearce physically assaulted J.R., while he was handcuffed and not posing a threat to anyone, in order to punish him for the earlier incident. At times during the incident, one of the officers stood outside of the cell and served as a lookout in attempt to ensure that the assault was concealed from other witnesses.
Several hours after the second incident, medical professionals at the detention center decided to transfer J.R. to Truman Medical Center out of a belief that his alcohol withdrawal symptoms had worsened. Truman Medical personnel working in the emergency room, however, quickly determined that J.R. had sustained significant injuries unrelated to alcohol withdrawal. Medical personnel ultimately diagnosed J.R. with broken ribs, a punctured lung, facial bruising, and injuries to his wrists.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately four hours before returning the guilty verdicts to U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner, ending a trial that began Monday, Sept. 30.
Under federal statutes, Hewitt and Dooley are each subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Pulos and Pearce are each subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Ketchmark of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Missouri, Trial Attorney Shan Patel of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and Special Litigation Counsel Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, U.S. Department of Justice. It was investigated by the Kansas City Division of the FBI.
Joint Statement Announcing United States and Australian Negotiation of a CLOUD Act Agreement by U.S. Attorney General William Barr and Minister for Home Affairs Peter DuttonRead the Press Release
The United States and Australia and have entered into formal negotiations for a bilateral agreement under the U.S. Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act (the CLOUD Act), as the first step towards significantly boosting law enforcement cooperation between the two allies, with strong protections for rule of law, privacy and civil liberties.
United States Attorney General William Barr and Australian Minister for Home Affairs, Peter Dutton, announced the negotiations during a meeting on Oct. 7, 2019.
Attorney General Barr said that the United States is pleased that Australia has begun formal negotiations with the United States under the CLOUD Act. “The CLOUD Act was created to permit our close foreign partners who have robust protections for privacy and civil liberties, such as Australia, to enter into executive agreements with the United States,” said U.S. Attorney General Barr. “This agreement, if finalized and approved, will allow service providers in Australia and the United States to respond to lawful orders from the other country without fear of running afoul of restrictions on disclosure, and thus provide more access for both countries to providers holding electronic evidence that is crucial in today’s investigations and prosecutions.”
The Attorney General also noted that the conclusion of an executive agreement with Australia will strengthen public safety for both countries. “The United States looks forward to working with the Australian Government on this agreement, which will enhance each country’s ability to fight crime by allowing faster access to data needed for quick-moving investigations. By increasing the effectiveness of investigations and prosecutions of serious crime, including terrorism, in both countries, citizens of both countries will be safer.”
Minister Dutton said Australia was very pleased to have taken this step.
“Last year, Australia congratulated the United States for its leadership in passing this legislation, which recognized that timely access to electronic information held by U.S.-based service providers is critical to efforts to combat serious crime,” said Mr. Dutton. “Current processes for obtaining electronic information held by service providers in other countries risk loss of evidence and unacceptable delays to criminal justice outcomes. When police are investigating a terrorist plot or serious crime such as child exploitation, they need to be able to move forward without delay, but within the law – and the CLOUD Act strikes exactly that balance. This is the way of the future between likeminded countries. We have some way to go before the agreement is finalized, but once in place it will mean service providers based in the United States can respond directly to electronic data requests issued by our enforcement agencies under Australian law for data critical for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of serious crime.”
The United States enacted the CLOUD Act in 2018 to speed access by foreign partners to electronic information held by U.S.-based global providers that is critical to such foreign partners’ investigations of serious crime. The Act creates a new paradigm: an efficient, privacy and civil liberties-protective approach to ensure effective access to electronic data through executive agreements between the United States and trusted foreign partners.
While this electronic data can currently be sought through the mutual legal assistance (MLA) process, the CLOUD Act provides an alternative expedited framework for obtaining the data. The number of MLA requests for electronic information held by service providers in the United States has increased dramatically in recent years, straining resources and slowing response times. The CLOUD Act addresses delays in the MLA process by providing a new route for trusted partner countries to obtain electronic data.
Underpinned by Australian legislation yet to be introduced, a bilateral CLOUD Act agreement would enable Australian law enforcement to serve domestic orders for communications data needed to combat serious crime directly on U.S.-based companies, and vice versa.
For more information on the CLOUD Act, go to: https://www.justice.gov/dag/page/file/1153466/download and https://www.justice.gov/dag/cloudact.
Ildefonso Bautista Nogales Sentenced to Serve 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Greeneville, Tenn. – Ildefonso Bautista Nogales, 30, of Mexico, was sentenced on October 7, 2019, by the Honorable Pamela L. Reeves, Chief U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 10 years in federal prison. Nogales pleaded guilty in April of 2019 to conspiring with codefendant Erika Lawson to distribute methamphetamine in East Tennessee. Judge Reeves sentenced Erika Lawson, 33, of Morristown, Tennessee, on June 17, 2019 to serve 100 months in federal prison.
Agencies involved in this investigation included the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI. Robert M. Reeves, Assistant U.S. Attorney represented the United States.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pled guilty today to a federal drug conspiracy charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Tremayne Swanson, also known as “Polo,” 28, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
“Swanson was part of a significant heroin and fentanyl trafficking operation wreaking havoc in the Huntington area,” said United States Mike Stuart. “I commend the excellent investigation conducted by DEA and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West that shut this network down.”
Swanson admitted that between December 2018 and May 2019 he conspired with other individuals to distribute heroin and fentanyl in Huntington, West Virginia. Swanson admitted he sold heroin for George Lockhart in Huntington.
Swanson faces up to twenty years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 20, 2020.
Operation Free Market was a long-term drug investigation in the Huntington area. The investigation was the result of a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West.
The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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Hermitage Man Sentenced for Importing and Selling Drugs Not Approved by FDARead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Hermitage, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 3 years of probation on his conviction of a charge of conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Emil Koledin, a/k/a Butch, age 61.
According to information presented to the court, Koledin operated a business out of Hermitage home called Koledin Enterpsises, Inc., that sold various illegal drugs manufactured primarily in Russia and China though the website awakebrain.com. Koledin sold the drugs as "nootripics", which he described as "Smart drugs, memory enhancers, neuro exchangers, and intelligence enhancements." He falsely represented these drugs as legal to sell in the United States. In fact, these are drugs that were illegally imported into the United States and illegal to sell in the United States because they are not approved for sale by the Food and Drug Administration, the products do not contain the properly labeling, directions for use and warnings, and because they were manufactured in unapproved facilities. Some of the illegal drugs Koledin was selling include the following: Adrafinil, a/k/a Noofon; Bromantane; Coluracetam; Etifoxine, a/k/a Stresam; Noopept; Piracetam, a/k/a Nootropil; Phenylpiracetam, a/k/a Phenotropil; Sunifiram; Theanine; and Tianetine.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Koledin.
Glens Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nelson L. Gouge, age 47, of Glens Falls, New York, pled guilty today to bank robbery as his jury trial was set to begin.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Warren County Sheriff Nathan “Bud” York.
As part of his plea, Gouge admitted that on January 12, 2018, at approximately 1 p.m., he walked into the Trustco Bank branch on Route 9L in Lake George, New York, after attempting to conceal his face by use of a neck warmer. Gouge went to a line where a bank employee was standing, put a hard, black case on the counter and handed the employee a note that read, “I Have a weapon this is a robbery Just put all the money in the bag think about you and your employees + friends.” The bank employee did not have a drawer of money at her station, so she went to another station and took money out of the drawer. The employee turned back to her station where the defendant was holding a bag. The employee put money in the bag and Gouge left with $4,301.
The Warren County Sheriff’s Department quickly identified Gouge as a suspect and arrested him that night in South Glens Falls, New York.
Gouge faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino on February 7, 2020. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Department, New York State Police, Warren County District Attorney’s Office, and the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer.
Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty to Aiding Armed Robberies during Violent RampageRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Sharae Threadgill, 21, of Georgia, pled guilty Friday before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to aiding and abetting two business robberies and the use of firearms to facilitate the robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On March 25, 2019, Threadgill aided another person in robberies of a Jimmy John’s restaurant in Meridian and of a McDonalds in Brandon. Threadgill drove the vehicle used during both robberies and provided a firearm used in both robberies. She was subsequently arrested by Warren County Sheriff deputies in Vicksburg.
Threadgill will be sentenced by Judge Jordan on January 6, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for aiding each robbery, and a minimum penalty of not less than 7 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for aiding the use of a firearm to facilitate each robbery. The sentences would run consecutively.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn Murray.
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 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. 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.
Fourth Mason City Man Sentenced for Involvement in Sale of Stolen GunsRead the Press Release
A man who assisted with the sale of a stolen firearm was sentenced October 4, 2019 to three years in federal prison.
Amador Ramos, age 46, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of a two-count indictment filed on December 19, 2018. Ramos pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. Ramos, a convicted felon, admitted he arranged for the sale of a stolen firearm.
On May 12, 2017, a Thompson, Iowa residence was burglarized and seven firearms were stolen. Joshua Rudnicki, Kyle Krug, and Daniel Solano were involved in the theft of the firearms; Rudnicki, Krug, and Solano were all sentenced in September. Ramos admitted to assisting Krug with the sale of one of the firearms.
Ramos was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Ramos was sentenced to 39 months’ imprisonment. Ramos must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ramos is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Mason City Police Department, and the Clear Lake Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-3058.
Former local official convicted of perjuryRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas –A former Weslaco city commissioner and economic development corporation board member has admitted he lied under oath, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick.
David Fox, 50, Weslaco, pleaded guilty today.
During a grand jury proceeding Nov. 20, 2018, Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Roberto Lopez Jr. asked Fox if he had received any money or any benefit from any individual or entity in connection with casting a vote as a member of the Weslaco City Commission. He responded “no.”
Later, he admitted he had received at least $2,000 in bribes. He believed the money was intended to influence his votes as a commissioner relating to the Weslaco water and wastewater treatment plants and facilities.
Fox served in this role from approximately December 2012 through November 2015. During portions of this time, Fox also served as a board member for the Weslaco Economic Development Corporation.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez accepted the plea today and set sentencing for Jan. 9, 2020, at which time Fox faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI and IRS – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. AUSA Lopez is prosecuting the case.
Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Stealing MailRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Allegany, New York has been sentenced in federal court to 2 years probation, ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and complete 50 hours of community service on his conviction of theft of mail by postal employee, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Bryant Richard, 30.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around October 2018, to in and around November 2018, Richard, who was a postal employee, stole 18 items of mail which had been submitted to the Postal Service for delivery.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Richard.
Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Armed Robbery of a Postal TruckRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Gary Fellows, 45, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha for his role in the armed robbery of a United States Postal Service tractor-trailer operator. In April, Fellows entered pleas of guilty to charges of Hobbs Act Robbery and Use of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. Today the Honorable Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Fellows to 300 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After serving his sentence, Fellows will began a five-year term of supervised release.
At 9:30 p.m. on December 14, 2018, while at the United States Post Office Distribution Center in Grand Island, Nebraska, a postal employee was approached by a masked man brandishing a handgun. The masked man forced the victim into the passenger seat of the victim’s tractor-trailer at gunpoint, covered the victim’s head, and bound his hands. Fellows then drove the tractor-trailer to a rest area off Interstate 80 where the men further restrained the victim and removed remittance bags from the trailer. They entered a pick-up truck and fled the scene. The loss to the United States Post Office from the robbery was $68,507.04. At the time of the robbery, Fellows was employed as a tractor-trailer operator for the United States Postal Service out of Omaha, Nebraska. Fellows has a prior federal court conviction for bank robbery.
“The sentencing today serves as yet another example of the unending dedication of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to protect the employees of the United States Postal Service. When someone violently kidnaps and robs one of our employees, we stop at nothing to identify those responsible,” said Bill Hedrick, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, which covers Nebraska. “We are proud of the work done by the Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Nebraska State Patrol, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Attorney’s Office, to bring these perpetrators to justice.”
Co-defendants, Sidney Britt and Joshua Britt, are scheduled to be sentenced on November 18, 2019, for their roles in the robbery.
This case was investigated by Bryce Husak of the Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Grand Island Police Department.
Former Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Official and Wife Charged with Theft, Wire Fraud, Money Laundering Conspiracy and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – A former member of the Tribal Council for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and his wife have been arraigned on a Superseding Indictment for theft/embezzlement, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and false statements to a bank, in separate schemes to defraud the Tribal government with false claims for travel reimbursement payments and to improperly influence a federally-insured bank, announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
A superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on September 10, 2019, charges the former Tribal Council member and his wife with defrauding the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, as well as misleading a federally insured bank with intent to obtain loans. They are charged and identified as:
- Kevin Edwards, 48, of Walnut Grove, Miss. (One count of theft, two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and three counts of false statements to a bank)
- Sheena A. Edwards, 45, of Walnut Grove, Miss. (One count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of money laundering, and one count of false statements to a bank)
Between March 2015 and June 2017, the husband and wife are alleged to have forged hotel bills and receipts, and submitted those documents to the Tribal government in claims for reimbursement for official business travel by Kevin Edwards. Edwards is a former Member of the Tribal Council who left office in June 2017. After receiving the unlawful payments from the tribal government, the two defendants cashed and transferred the payments to multiple bank accounts and paid off personal loans in the name of Sheena Edwards. In addition, both defendants made false statements on multiple personal loan applications to a local bank, inflating Kevin Edwards’s salary and claiming Kevin Edwards was employed by the Tribe after he had left office and was not so employed.
Kevin Edwards appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson for arraignment on October 4, 2019. Sheena Edwards appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson for arraignment on September 25, 2019. Kevin Edwards is charged with one count of Theft or Embezzlement from a Tribal Organization, which carries a maximum sentence of imprisonment of five years. In addition, Kevin Edwards is charged with two counts of Wire Fraud, which charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years. Each count also can merit a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release. Both Kevin and Sheena Edwards face charges of Conspiracy to launder money and substantive acts of Money Laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment for each count; and charges of False Statements to a Bank, which carries a maximum penalty of thirty years for each count. Each of those counts also can merit a fine of up to $250,000 and up to five years of supervised release.
The case is set for trial before United States District Judge Henry T. Wingate on November 25, 2019, in Jackson, Mississippi.
U.S. Attorney Hurst commended the work of the Special Agents with the FBI’s Jackson Division who investigated the case. The Leake County Sheriff’s Office assisted with arrests. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Former Executive Assistant Charged and Agrees to Plead Guilty in Connection with Embezzling over $3 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former executive assistant of a Waltham-based technology company has been charged and agreed to plead guilty in connection with a fraud and embezzlement scheme that netted over $3 million.
Shivani Patel, 38, of Vineyard Haven, was charged with bank fraud, money laundering and filing false tax returns. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 57 months in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine between $20,000 and $200,000, restitution and forfeiture.
According to court documents, as an executive assistant to the chief financial officer, Patel’s duties included retrieving incoming mail containing customer checks made payable to her employer, recording the checks into the payment system, and depositing the checks into her employer’s bank account.
From at least February 2012 through July 2017, Patel embezzled approximately $3,076,369 from her then employer for her personal use. Specifically, in February 2012, Patel created a company with a name nearly identical to that of her then employer — i.e., using her employer’s name but just adding an “s” to the end — and opened a business banking account in the sham company’s name. Thereafter, Patel took customer checks payable to her employer from the mail, deposited those checks into the sham company’s bank account, and concealed her embezzlement by making false entries in her employer’s billing system. To disguise and conceal the nature of these funds, Patel funneled this money through multiple bank accounts.
In addition, Patel filed income tax returns for the tax years 2012 through 2016 in which she intentionally underreported her income by failing to disclose the money she had stolen from her employer.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $1 million, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the transaction, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $100,000, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. O’Connell of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Felons Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of Guns in Quad City AreaRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. - U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced three defendants to prison terms for possession of guns as felons. The cases are separate and unrelated, but all involve illegal weapons in the Quad City area.
Jerry Allen Green, 54, of Silvis, Ill., was ordered to serve 28 years (340 months) in prison. On May 22, 2019, Green pleaded guilty to distribution of ice methamphetamine in August and September 2018; possession of two pipe bombs; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and felon in possession of a gun. Green was initially charged by criminal complaint and was arrested on Oct. 25, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. The charges against Green were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Quad City Bomb Squad; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Moline Police Department; Rock Island Police Department; and the FBI Gang Task Force, and prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko.
Donovan Cullen Smith, 30, of Sherrard, Ill., was sentenced to seven years in prison. On April 23, 2019, Smith, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a .45 pistol that was stolen on March 5, 2018, from a home in Rock lsland, and possession of another gun stolen from a mobile home in rural Milan, Ill., in October 2017. Agencies that investigated the case include ATF; the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office; Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office; Rock Island Police Department; and the FBI. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko represented the government in the prosecution.
Matthew Daquon Waters, 21, of Tennessee, was sentenced to nearly five years (57 months) in prison. On Feb. 19, 2019, Waters pleaded guilty to possession of a gun on April 24, 2018, in Rock Island, Ill. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko prosecuted the case which was investigated by the Rock Island Police Department and ATF.
On Oct. 4, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow sentenced another defendant, Elleck Christopher Vesey, 32, of Davenport, Iowa, to six years in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon on Aug. 19, 2018. Vesey pleaded guilty to the charge on April 17, 2019. The Rock Island Police Department and ATF investigated the case which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya.
Erie Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison in Sextortion CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. -A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 96 months in jail and 6 years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Mark Joseph Bretz, 29.
According to information presented to the court, Bretz received computer images depicting prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Bretz also used social media sites to coerce at least three victims into providing him sexually explicit images. Each victim was subjected to threats until they relented and provided Bretz the explicit material he demanded. Bretz recorded these interactions and kept them on his computer so he could relive the coercion whenever he wanted. Bretz also videotaped a minor as she walked to and from school.
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 (CEOS), 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.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Erie County Detectives Bureau and the Aurora, Colorado Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bretz.
Elk Point Woman Charged with Mail Theft and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Elk Point, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Mail Theft and thirteen counts of Mail Fraud.
Jennifer Groethe, age 46, was indicted on September 4, 2019. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on September 27, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $1,300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on between October 23, 2018, and December 3, 2018, Groethe stole, took, and abstracted letters, postal cards, packages, and mail from and out of authorized depositories for United States mail matter and removed such letters, postal cards, packages, and mail and secretly embezzled and destroyed them afterwards.
The Indictment also alleges that between February 21, 2018, and January 8, 2019, Groethe willfully and unlawfully devised, and intended to devise, a scheme and artifice to defraud for obtaining money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
The charges are merely accusations and Groethe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Groethe was released on bond pending trial, which has been set for December 3, 2019.
Eleven Venezuelan Nationals Arrested Following Apprehension Aboard a Venezuelan Vessel Near St. Croix and Seizure of 55 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced today that eleven (11) men claiming to be Venezuelan nationals, VICENT MATA ANYELO, ALFER RODRIGUEZ BOADAS, ALEXIS FUENTES, FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ INFANTE, JOHAN GARCIA SUAREZ, CARLOS RODRIGUEZ GARCIA, HENRY GONZALEZ NORIEGA, ALGLER RODRIGUEZ BOADAS, JHONNY RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ, DANIEL JESUS SALAZAR GONZALEZ, and JOHAN JOSE PACHECO LEZAMA, appeared before Magistrate Judge George W. Cannon for an Initial Appearance after arrests by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agents on the charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance on Board a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States, and Destruction and Attempt or Conspire to Destroy Property Subject to Forfeiture.
According to court documents, on the evening of September 25, 2019, the United States Coast Guard Cutter DONALD HORSLEY intercepted a suspicious 55 foot vessel named LA GRAN TORMENTA displaying Venezuelan nationality approximately 38 nautical miles south of St. Croix. The LA GRAN TORMENTA did not reply to DONALD HORSLEY'S efforts to engage in questioning of the crew, and upon detection, LA GRAN TORMENTA changed course and jettisoned packages. Coast Guard Cutter DONALD HORSLEY was subsequently able to retrieve two bales from the water. The two jettisoned bales contained packages with brick shaped objects, with an estimated weight of 55 kilograms in total. Presumptive tests on the packages yielded positive results for the presence of cocaine. After requesting and receiving the permission from the flag state to stop the vessel, United States Coast Guard personnel attempted a right of visit boarding, which was ineffective because crew on the LA GRAN TORMENTA disregarded the Coast Guard personnel’s instructions. Eventually Coast Guard personnel obtained control of the LA GRAN TORMENTA through use of an "entanglement tactic" which stopped the vessel’s engine. A USCG counter-drug boarding team encountered 11 persons, later identified as the above-listed VICENT MATA ANYELO, ALFER RODRIGUEZ BOADAS, ALEXIS FUENTES, FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ INFANTE, JOHAN GARCIA SUAREZ, CARLOS RODRIGUEZ GARCIA, HENRY GONZALEZ NORIEGA, ALGLER RODRIGUEZ BOADAS, JHONNY RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ, DANIEL JESUS SALAZAR GONZALEZ, and JOHAN JOSE PACHECO LEZAMA.
The men face up to life imprisonment for the offense and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Detention and preliminary hearings in this case have been scheduled for Thursday at 9:00 a.m. in federal court.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz.
United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert reminds the public that a complaint is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
East Bay Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for His Role in Firearms Trafficking and Robbery of Undercover Federal AgentRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Jesus Angel Sanchez was sentenced to 96 months in prison for using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Rayfield Roundtree. The sentence was handed down today by the Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., U.S. District Judge.
Sanchez, 20, of Oakland, pleaded guilty to the charge on June 11, 2019. According to his plea agreement and other court filings, the charges against Sanchez arise from two separate, but related, conspiracies.
The first conspiracy was an agreement between multiple individuals in the East Bay to sell firearms without a license. Between January 2018 and October 2018, the ATF acquired 35 firearms from Sanchez; Anthony Reed, 23, of San Leandro; Rahsaan Faison, 23, of San Leandro; and Benjamin Gormley, 22, of Hayward. Sanchez’s co-conspirators acquired firearms in Nevada, brought them to the Northern District of California to sell, and advertised the firearms for sale on social media. Sanchez was personally responsible for the sale of at least 21 firearms to an undercover ATF agent.
With respect to the second conspiracy, in November of 2018, Sanchez agreed with Reed; James Medeiros, 25, of San Leandro; and Marcos Antonio Martenez, 25, of Oakland, to rob one of the firearms buyers. The buyer was, in fact, an undercover ATF agent. Sanchez coordinated a ruse transaction with the ATF agent, persuading the ATF agent to travel to a building in Oakland to purchase firearms for $8,000. Sanchez knew that his co-conspirators were carrying firearms to conduct the robbery. When the agent arrived, Sanchez met the agent in front of the building and instructed the agent to follow him to the back of the building. Medeiros and Martenez were waiting at the back of the building, and when the agent arrived, the co-conspirators robbed him. Medeiros and Martenez brandished firearms and pointed them at the agent while Sanchez demanded the agent’s money. Reed, Sanchez, and Medeiros were apprehended leaving the scene of the robbery. Martenez was arrested on November 23, 2018.
On November 29, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment, charging Sanchez, Reed, Medeiros, Martenez, Faison, and Gormley with multiple crimes related to the two conspiracies in which Sanchez admitted participating.
Sanchez and his co-conspirators have been sentenced as follows:
DEFENDANT
CONVICTIONS
SENTENCE
Anthony Reed
- Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii)
96 months’ imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, $100 special assessment
Jesus Angel Sanchez
- Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii)
96 months’ imprisonment, 5 years supervised release, $100 special assessment
James Medeiros
- Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii)
84 months’ imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, $100 special assessment
Marcos Antonio Martenez
- Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii)
84 months’ imprisonment, 3 years supervised release, $100 special assessment
Benjamin Gormley
- Conspiracy to Deal in Firearms without a License, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371
3 years’ probation including 6 months’ home confinement, $2200 fine, $100 special assessment
Rahsaan Faison
- Conspiracy to Deal in Firearms without a License, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371
Sentencing scheduled November 4, 2019
Also charged in the firearms trafficking conspiracy was Julaan Faison who remains a fugitive. He, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Samantha Schott is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Rodriguez Gonzalez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF, with the assistance of the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Oakland Police Department.
Drexel University to Pay $189,062 to Resolve Potential False Claims LiabilityRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA—United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Drexel University has agreed to pay the United States $189,062 to resolve potential liability under the False Claims Act for a former professor’s use of grant funds towards “gentlemen’s clubs” and other improper purchases.
For ten years, the head of Drexel’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Dr. Chikaodinaka D. Nwankpa, submitted improper charges against federal grants. The majority of the charges were made to gentlemen’s clubs and sports bars in the Philadelphia area.
The government’s investigation began in 2017 after Drexel voluntarily disclosed the improper charges to eight federal grants for energy and naval technology related research that it received from the Department of the Navy, the Department of Energy, and the National Science Foundation. After an internal audit in 2017, Drexel discovered that between July 2007 through April 2017, Dr. Nwankpa submitted improper charges against the federal grants for items such as personal iTunes purchases and for “goods and services” provided by Cheerleaders, Club Risque, and Tacony Club.
Drexel disclosed Dr. Nwankpa’s conduct to the government and cooperated with the investigation to identify the full scope of the misconduct. Dr. Nwankpa repaid $53,328 to Drexel, resigned his position in lieu of termination, and was debarred from federal government contracting for a period of six months. Drexel has implemented changes to prevent similar misconduct in the future, such as improvements to its charge approval and auditing policies.
“This is an example of flagrant and audacious fraud, and a shameful misuse of public funds.” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “The agencies providing these grant funds expect them to be used towards advancements in energy and naval technology for public benefit, not for personal entertainment.”
U.S. Attorney McSwain continued, “We appreciate Drexel’s self-disclosure and cooperation in this matter. At the same time, we are disappointed that Dr. Nwankpa’s conduct went unnoticed for so long, but Drexel’s strengthening of its charge approval process is certainly a step in the right direction.”
NCIS Northeast Field Office Special Agent in Charge Leo S. Lamont stated: "Fraud is never a victimless crime. In this case, the flagrant and wrongful misuse of American taxpayers’ funds not only eroded the public trust, but jeopardized the Department of Navy’s efforts to obtain the best technology and research for our brave men and women in uniform. NCIS will continue to battle fraud in all forms and tirelessly pursue all those who seek to cheat, steal, defraud, or harm the American Public and the Department of the Navy.”
The settled civil claims are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability. This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General, and the National Science Foundation Office of Inspector General. It was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey L. B. Smith and Fraud Investigator Jeffrey Braun.
Dover Man Sentenced to over Nine Years in Federal Prison for Heroin Possession and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – United States Attorney David C. Weiss announced that Kenneth Holland, 49, of Dover, was sentenced on September 23, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika to 110 months in federal prison for possessing heroin with the intent to distribute and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, over the course of approximately four weeks in September and October 2018, Holland sold heroin on at least six occasions. He also illegally sold a handgun. On October 10, 2018, Holland was arrested. Law enforcement found over 10,000 baggies of heroin and an AR-15-style semi-automatic assault weapon in Holland’s car upon his arrest.
Holland’s arrest and conviction was part Operation Blue Hen—a prolonged campaign between March and September, 2018 by the ATF to remove illegal drugs and guns from Delaware cities.
In total, Operation Blue Hen resulted in
• 15 arrests;
• The seizure of 9 firearms;
• The seizure of 768 grams of crack cocaine;
• The seizure of 864 grams of methamphetamine; and
• The seizure of 37 grams of heroin.
U.S. Attorney Weiss commented on the sentence, “The Defendant repeatedly chose not only to sell heroin, but also worked to illegally arm others with firearms – including an assault rifle. The substantial sentence imposed sends the message that people who put drugs and guns onto the streets will face serious consequences for their actions.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) Wilmington Field Division investigated the case with the assistance from the Dover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse S. Wenger prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 18-CR-96-001-MN.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Federal Heroin ConvictionRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in Huntington, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Brandon R. Ware, 35, was sentenced to 60 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Ware was also ordered to serve a four-year term of supervised release following his prison sentence.
“Ware, a Detroit drug dealer, is responsible for distributing nearly 400 grams of heroin in Huntington,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Now he is one of many heroin dealers going to federal prison as a result of the collaborative work between federal, state and local law enforcement and my prosecutors.”
Ware previously admitted that, from November 2014 to May of 2016, he conspired with others to distribute over 100 grams of heroin in the Huntington area. Ware frequently received quantities of heroin which had been transported from Detroit on consignment and he would distribute the heroin in Huntington. Ware then returned money from the sales to the source of the heroin in Detroit. Ware admitted that he was responsible for the distribution of up to 400 grams of heroin during the conspiracy.
The FBI Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution.
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Detroit Man Sentenced for Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
Charleston, W.Va. – A Michigan man was sentenced to federal prison for a drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Todd Stephens, 33, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl. His prison sentence is to be followed by three years of supervised release.
“Fentanyl is deadly,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “That’s why we have prosecuted every single fentanyl dealer brought to us by law enforcement.”
Stephens previously admitted that on August 28, 2017, he aided and abetted co-defendant Bree Eberbaugh in the distribution of heroin. Eberbaugh was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on July 1, 2019. The two were arrested after law enforcement executed a search warrant on their residence. Inside, officers found two handguns, over $3,000 in cash, and over 54 grams of fentanyl.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys John Frail and Alexander Hamner handled the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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Department of Justice Reaches Agreement Resolving Investigation of Virginia Department of Corrections over Religious Practice PoliciesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it reached an agreement with the Commonwealth of Virginia to resolve its investigation of the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC), pursuant to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), 42 U.S.C. §2000cc. The investigation and agreement addressed VDOC’s five-person minimum for group worship and religious activities, its policy of preventing prisoners from attending religious services if they missed services in the past, and its restrictions on access to the religious diet.
“This settlement will ensure that men and women in VDOC’s custody can practice their religions consistent with their sincerely held beliefs, including through group worship and an appropriate religious diet,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We commend the Commonwealth for its willingness to make changes to further its commitment to rehabilitating prisoners and preparing them for reentry into their communities.”
“The right to worship and engage in religious activities within correctional facilities is protected by the Constitution and federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas T. Cullen for the Western District of Virginia. “We are pleased that the VDOC recognizes this and is taking appropriate steps to ensure that individuals under its supervision are better able to exercise this fundamental right.”
“We are pleased that the Commonwealth of Virginia has reached this agreement with the Department involving the VDOC,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This settlement makes certain that those in VDOC installations will be able to exercise their religious beliefs, whatever they may be, as guaranteed by the United States Constitution.”
Before signing the agreement, VDOC made policy changes addressing all three issues. The new policy (1) removes the five-person minimum requirement for religious services and activities; (2) prohibits removal from the religious diet for failing to pick up a minimum number of common fare meal trays per month; and (3) removes the requirement that prisoners regularly attend services in order to remain eligible to attend religious services and activities.
Under the agreement, VDOC affirmed the importance of protecting the rights of men and women in its custody to engage in religious practice and acknowledged that the policy revisions are consistent with its goals. As part of its implementation efforts, VDOC will provide training to staff and chaplains involved in implementing the revised policy.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division and the Special Litigation Section, please visit www.justice.gov/crt/special-litigation-section. Those interested in finding out more about RLUIPA may visit https://www.justice.gov/crt/religious-land-use-and-institutionalized-persons-act-0. The Department of Justice issued a Report on the Tenth Anniversary of RLUIPA in 2010, and an Update on RLUIPA Enforcement in 2016.
Davenport Man Sentenced to Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on October 2, 2019, Martell Roberts, age 24, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Roberts was sentenced to a prison term of 100 months to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years. Roberts was ordered to pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Roberts pleaded guilty to the offense on March 20, 2019. On July 31, 2018, Roberts possessed two loaded firearms located in his residence during the execution of a search warrant conducted by the Bettendorf Police Department. Roberts admitted one of the firearms had been reported stolen out of Muscatine. Roberts further acknowledged he had two prior felony convictions for drug felonies.
This case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
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.
Dallas Charter School CEO involved in Contractor Kickback Scheme Found GuiltyRead the Press Release
A Dallas charter school CEO was convicted for her role in a corruption scandal Friday evening, following an investigation by the FBI Dallas Field Office, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
After five days of trial, a federal jury in Dallas found Nova Academy CEO Donna H. Woods, 65, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, and three individual counts of wire fraud. The jury deliberated for just over four hours to reach its verdict.
Woods’s co-conspirator, Donatus Anyanwu, 61, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in July.
“We are gratified that the jury saw through Ms. Woods’ scheme and held her accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “Ms. Woods took advantage of her leadership role at Nova to steer a lucrative government contract to a company that wasn’t equipped to handle it – and to pocket a tidy sum in kickbacks for herself. The Northern District of Texas will not tolerate corruption.”
“The defendant used her position for personal gain and blatantly disregarded the children she pledged to serve. On the heels of this fraud, E-rate ran out of funding and was forced to deny money to schools with legitimate contract proposals,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Office Matthew J. DeSarno. “The FBI works with our law enforcement partners to investigate individuals who use their positions of trust to commit fraud and corruption. It is crucial for us to protect federal funds and guarantee they help the intended recipients.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Ms. Woods approved the granting of a federal telecommunications E-rate contract, worth approximately $337,951, to ADI Engineering, a company owned by Mr. Anyanwu. In return for the E-rate contract, Anyanwu paid Woods $50,000 in kickbacks.
When the charter school initially selected another contractor for E-rate, prosecutors explained, Ms. Woods filed a falsified E-rate application re-directing the contract to ADI – despite the company’s shoddy record. To ensure that ADI’s bid was accepted by E-rate program managers, Ms. Woods also allowed Mr. Anyanwu to copy portions of the original winning bid and pass off the work as his own.
Then, when, ADI botched the E-rate job, Ms. Woods falsely certified that it had completed the work when it had not.
Ms. Woods now faces up to 80 years in federal prison, 20 years per count. Mr. Anyanwu faces up to five years for pleading to single a conspiracy count. Sentencing for Woods is set for Jan. 16, 2020; sentencing for Anyanwu is set for Jan. 30, 2020.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and Federal Communications Commission Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. U.S. Attorneys Russ Fusco and Nick Bunch prosecuted the case. Senior U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater presided over the trial.
Corry, Pa. Felon Sentenced in Project Safe Neighborhoods CaseRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Corry, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 16 months in jail on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on William Jay Blazes, 51.
According to information presented to the court, between May 9, 2018 and June 14, 2018, Blazes possessed an England Firearms Pardner pump shotgun, rifle cartridges and ammunition while being a convicted felon.
Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reductions efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevent and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Probation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Blazes.
Coatesville “Armed Career Criminal” Convicted of Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Dayvon Nicole Brown, 25, of Coatesville, Pennsylvania was convicted at trial of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
During the week-long trial, the government presented evidence which showed that in May 16, 2018, the defendant was the rear seat passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by Coatesville Police Department officers for being operated without headlights on. After Brown was asked to step out of the car, a 9mm handgun loaded with 7 live rounds of 9mm ammunition was located on the rear passenger floor, partially hidden under the seat directly in front of where Brown had been sitting. During an interview following his arrest, Brown stated that the handgun was his. Because he qualifies as an “Armed Career Criminal” under federal law, the defendant is now facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.
“Reducing violent crime is a top priority of my Office and of the Department of Justice, and successful prosecutions of cases like this remain a key part of our deterrence strategy,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “My Office remains committed to working with local police departments to clear the streets of Chester County, and all counties in our district, of firearms in the hands of convicted felons.”
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, Firearms and Explosives, and is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michelle V. Barone and Assistant United States Attorney Mark S. Miller.
Clay County Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Joseph Dominic Konegan (56, Fleming Island) to four years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. Konegan was also ordered to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and pay restitution to the victims. He has been detained since his arrest on April 2, 2019.
Konegan had pleaded guilty on May 21, 2019.
According to court documents, in August 2018, detectives from the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) received two cyber-tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reporting the uploading of child sexual abuse material on the internet. On October 24, 2018, CCSO detectives and Homeland Security Investigation agents executed a warrant at Konegan’s residence. A forensic review of two computers used by Konegan yielded more than 1,650 images of child pornography. Konegan admitted to agents that he had viewed images of child pornography, including files depicting infants.
This case was investigated by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Karase.
This is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Citizen of the Dominican Republic Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FREDDY ANTONIO MARTE-JEREZ, 58, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Danbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to approximately 15 months of imprisonment, time served, for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 1998, Marte’s wife filed an I-130 Petition for an Alien Relative with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (“INS”) providing documentation that she was a U.S. citizen and that she and Marte were legally married. After the petition was approved, Marte filed an I-485 Application for Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status. This application was denied based on Marte’s failure to disclose a prior narcotics conviction in the State of Rhode Island. In November 2000, Marte appeared before an Immigration Judge in Hartford and was released on bond while awaiting a hearing date.
In October 2007, Marte was convicted in Danbury Superior Court for sale of illegal drugs. On March 3, 2010, following completion of his state sentence, he was deported to the Dominican Republic.
Marte illegally reentered the U.S. and was arrested while using the name “Antonio Nunez” in Danbury. In December 2015, Marte was convicted in Danbury Superior Court of burglary in the third degree. He was sentenced to three years of incarceration, execution suspended, and three years of probation. Based on his use of a false identity, his arrest and conviction did not become known to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
On March 19, 2018, Marte, using a different identity, was arrested in Danbury for motor vehicle offenses. His true identity was subsequently discovered through a fingerprint comparison and ICE took him into custody following his release from a state court appearance on June 27, 2018.
Marte has been detained since his arrest. On July 22, 2019, he pleaded guilty to reentry of a removed alien.
Marte was released into ICE custody for removal proceedings.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Bulldog Gang Member Sentenced to over 20 Years in Prison for Drug and Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. —Today, U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Filiberto “Beto” Chavez, 38, of Fresno, to 20 years and 10 months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiring to engage in interstate travel for prostitution and use of a cellphone to promote prostitution, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents and testimony at trial, on July 8, 2017, Chavez, a Bulldog gang member, sold methamphetamine to convicted co-defendant, Robert Lockhart. Convicted co-defendant Amina Padilla stored methamphetamine for Chavez and gave a portion of what she had stored to convicted co‑defendant Carlos Melgar to deliver to Lockhart. On July 11, 2017, agents served search warrants at Padilla’s and Lockhart’s apartments and seized methamphetamine from both.
Additionally, in June and July of 2017, Chavez and others travelled to New York to engage in prostitution activities. During the trip, Chavez used his cellphone to communicate with his co-defendants about prostitution and to make arrangements for posting prostitution ads. The ads were located in New York on Backpage.com.
“We’re pleased with the outcome of this investigation as it represents another important stride in our ongoing efforts to combat gang-related crime and sex trafficking in Northern California,” said Tatum King, special agent in charge, HSI (San Francisco and Northern California). “HSI will continue to partner with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in focusing our collective resources to pursue, disrupt, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations that show no regard for our nation’s laws or human welfare.”
Chavez is one of more than 25 defendants who were charged as part of “Operation Alpha Dog,” an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Fresno Police Department, the Multi‑Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly A. Sanchez, Jeffrey Spivak, and Thomas Newman are prosecuting the case.
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. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Bluefield Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Bluefield woman pled guilty to selling drugs, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Cassandra Tiller, 36, pled guilty to distribution of heroin.
Tiller admitted that on March 13, 2017, she sold heroin to a confidential informant in Montcalm in Mercer County.
Tiller faces faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on February 3, 2020.
The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys John File and Negar Kordestani are handling the prosecution.
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Beaver Falls Man Charged with Robbing Cranberry Twp. PNC BankRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on Oct. 1 and unsealed today, named Michael Ryan Neppach, 40, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about August 28, 2019, defendant robbed the PNC Bank at 20940 Route 19 in Cranberry Township of approximately $1,400.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. 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 Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cranberry Township Police Department 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.
Armstrong County Couple Sentenced for Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA- Two residents of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania have each been sentenced in federal court to three years’ probation after being convicted of theft of government money, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. Additionally, the defendants were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $25,164, which is the total amount of the benefits that the couple received but were not entitled to receive.
United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentences on Tara Jo Frain, 34, and Danny Ray Alexander, 46, of Apollo, Pa.
According to information presented to the court, Frain and Alexander, who were married in May of 2012, had been receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability payments prior to their marriage. Although Frain and Alexander were each informed of their responsibility to report to the Social Security Administration (SSA) any changes affecting their eligibility to receive SSI, including their marital status, they each neglected to inform the SSA of their marriage and continued to receive benefits to which they were not entitled from May 2012 to December 2016. Frain and Alexander’s marital status was material to the SSA’s decision to pay benefits, because the SSA would have imputed each spouse’s income to the other. Additionally, on September 10, 2016, both Frain and Alexander submitted signed statements to the SSA falsely claiming that they were not married.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca L. Silinski and Adam N. Hallowell prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Frain and Alexander.
6 October 2019
Fremont Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Possessing Methamphetamine, Marijuana, and FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announces that Seth Perina, age 43, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Perina was also sentenced for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Senior United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Perina to 90 months of imprisonment. The sentence included 60 months’ imprisonment because Perina possessed firearms in connection with the drug charge. After completing his term of imprisonment, Perina will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.
On September 11, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Perina’s Fremont, Nebraska, residence. Inside, officers located Perina and a safe containing more than 50 jars of marijuana, drug packaging materials, $12,200 in cash, and more than 7 grams of actual methamphetamine. A gun case containing ammunition and two .22 caliber handguns were found behind the safe.
This case was investigated by III CORPS Drug Task Force.
5 October 2019
Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Trafficking a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Brooklyn Pohl, age 37, of Wisconsin, was sentenced today in federal court by United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Pohl received a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After her release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On November 22, 2016, law enforcement made contact with a 16-year-old minor who was found to be by herself at a truck stop in Gretna, Nebraska. Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol determined that between November 18, 2016, and November 22, 2016, Brooklyn Pohl and the minor female traveled from Illinois to Iowa and Nebraska. While traveling together, Pohl transported and advertised the minor for the purpose of engaging in prostitution in the States of Iowa and Nebraska. Pohl and the minor stayed together at various motels in Iowa and Nebraska, posting online advertisements offering to perform sex acts for money. Pohl, using her cell phone as well as the cell phone of the minor, advertised the minor’s picture on Backpage.com to solicit commercial sex. After posting the minor’s picture and advertisement on Backpage.com, Pohl would assist the minor with negotiating the price of the commercial sex acts with potential customers.
As a result of the Backpage.com advertisements, the minor engaged in numerous commercial sex acts in Iowa and Nebraska. Oftentimes, Pohl would remain in the motel room while the minor engaged in sex acts with customers. Pohl used at least some of the money from the minor’s commercial sex acts to purchase a vehicle in Iowa, which Pohl then used to transport herself and the minor to Nebraska, where they continued to advertise and engage in sex acts.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office, and the Sheboygan Police Department, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
U.S. Attorney Chapa Lopez Announces Progress in Making Communities Safer Through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Two years ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Throughout the past two years, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. According to FBI’s Uniform Crime Report released this week, the violent crime rate decreased for the second consecutive year, down 3.9 percent from the 2017 numbers.
“The revitalized Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a major success,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “It packs a powerful punch by combining advanced data with local leadership, further reducing violence in communities across the country and improving overall public safety. U.S. Attorneys continue to focus their enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals and work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal police. The Justice Department’s relationships across the board have never been stronger.”
“We are proud of the dedication and hard work by our law enforcement and community partners as we strive to reduce crime throughout our district,” said U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez. “Project Safe Neighborhoods only works when we enlist the support, expertise, and perspectives of our law enforcement partners and the community. Together, we will continue to make our communities safer places to live, work, and play.”
As we celebrate the two-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to work with federal, state, and local partners to implement PSN throughout the Middle District of Florida. These coordinated efforts ensure that federal efforts are focused against the most violent offenders.
- Beginning in December 2018, a long-term investigation of a violent drug trafficking organization known as the “Bird Gang,” operating primarily in Tampa, has culminated in the indictment of 26 individuals charged with various federal firearms and drug offenses. Since the arrests, no reported shootings have occurred in the neighborhood where the gang had operated.
- In May 2019, Jacksonville’s new Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) officially opened. CGIC is a collaborative effort among the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Several individuals have already been arrested and indicted as a result of leads generated from CGIC.
- As part of the U.S. Marshals Service’s Operation Triple Beam, Ft. Myers PSN efforts resulted in more than 120 arrests involving firearms, drugs, and violent crime.
Community Partnerships
Community engagement is a critical component in the successful implementation of PSN. The USAO-MDFL frequently engages diverse stakeholders in providing training, prevention, intervention, and reentry strategies and programs. Some recent activities include:
- National Night Out and Coffee with a Cop
- Great American Teach-In
- Preventing Targeted School Violence
- Federal Reentry Courts and Local Networks (Tampa; Orlando; Jacksonville)
- Engagement with more than 10,600 citizens
Improvements to Community Safety
- For the second consecutive year, the estimated number of violent crimes in the nation decreased when compared with the previous year’s statistics, according to FBI figures released today. In 2018, the number of violent crimes was down 3.3 percent from the 2017 number.
- The 2018 statistics also show the estimated rate of violent crime was 368.9 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. The violent crime rate fell 3.9 percent when compared with the 2017 rate.
- According to the recently released FBI Uniform Crime Report, the violent crime rate decreased for several cities in the Middle District of Florida. The 2018 statistics show the greater Tampa Bay region’s estimated rate of violent crime was 306 offenses per 100,000 inhabitants. This represents an 8 percent reduction in the violent crime rate when compared with the 2017 rate. Ft Myers saw a reduction of 9 percent and Jacksonville had a reduction of almost 6 percent.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are 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. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
Tarpon Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Violating Endangered Species ActRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Nicholas Skaroulis (58, Tarpon Springs) has pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Endangered Species Act by causing the unlawful export of wildlife. Skaroulis faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Skaroulis owned and operated Sponges Direct, Inc., a business located in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Among other things, the company sold non-living natural sponges to customers, both domestic and foreign. During 2014 through 2018, the company sold and exported non-living sponges to customers outside of the United States. The company failed to disclose the contents of these shipments on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Declaration Forms as required by federal regulation. By doing so, the company evaded the payment of inspection and user fees on each shipment.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.