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Sunday 25 August 2019
St. Francis Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal Officer and Child AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer, and Child Abuse.
Cameron Fanning, age 21, was indicted on August 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 22, 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 $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 25, 2019, in Todd County, South Dakota, Fanning did forcibly assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with two law enforcement officers who were employed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and that such conduct involved the use of a dangerous weapon. The indictment further alleges that at the same time and place, Fanning did abuse, expose, torture, torment, and cruelly punish a child who had not attained the age of seven.
The charges are merely accusations and Fanning is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Fanning was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Rosebud Man Charged with Burglary and LarcenyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Third Degree Burglary and Larceny.
Tevin Lapointe, age 25, was indicted on August 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 22, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 5 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on June 17, 2019, in Rosebud, Lapointe unlawfully entered the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Employment and Contracting Rights Office and stole property valued over $1,000.
The charges are merely accusations and Lapointe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Lapointe was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Mitchell Man Charged with Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mitchell, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Felon in Possession of Firearm.
David Edward Petersdorf, age 50, was indicted on August 6, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on August 14, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about May 7, 2019, Petersdorf, knowing he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a 9mm caliber semi-automatic handgun which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charge is merely an accusation and Petersdorf is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Nash is prosecuting the case.
Petersdorf was released on bond pending trial, which has been set for October 22, 2019.
Fort Thompson Man Charged with Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Involuntary Manslaughter.
Antoine Medicine Crow, Jr., age 37, was indicted on August 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 19, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 8 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on April 26, 2019, Medicine Crow unlawfully killed a human being by operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.
The charge is merely an accusation and Medicine Crow is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Medicine Crow was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Edgemont Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Edgemont, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor.
Francis James Kistler, age 60, was charged on August 13, 2019. Kistler appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on August 19, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Kistler, an Edgemont police officer, sexually exploiting two underage females between January 2019 and July 2019. The charges are merely an accusation and Kistler is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Kistler was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Saturday 24 August 2019
Charleston Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegal Distribution of MethadoneRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston doctor who practiced at Neurology & Pain Center, PLLC pled guilty to illegal distribution of controlled substances that were not for legitimate medical purposes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Muhammed Samer Nasher-Alneam admitted to writing prescriptions in July 2014 for oxycodone and methadone pills that were not within the bounds of professional medical practice or for legitimate medical purposes. Pursuant to his guilty plea, Nasher agreed to permanently surrender both his medical license and DEA registration. He further agreed to never seek reinstatement of a license to practice as a medical doctor in any other state.
“Nasher is now an admitted felon and faces up to ten years - TEN YEARS- in a federal prison. A drug dealer in a lab coat is still just a drug dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Nasher will never practice medicine again. Ever. Nasher will never write another prescription. Ever. And Nasher will never treat another patient. Ever. We’re cracking down hard across the board - medical professionals, doctors, pharmacists, street dealers and traffickers – in a multi-pronged aggressive approach intended to cut the head off the snake. Medical professionals should take note that if they abuse the prescribing privileges of their profession, and I stress that they are a privilege, my office will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law and I will seek the maximum sentence in every case.”
Nasher was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending his December 2, 2019 sentencing. Nasher has remained in custody since his arrest on July 27, 2018 - 393 days – as a result of the United States moving to detain him. He faces at least 5 and up to 10 years in prison, as well as a $1 million fine at sentencing. As part of his plea agreement, Nasher agreed to forfeit $149,480.75 in United States Currency and an Acura RDX Sport Utility Vehicle.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Insurance Commission conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Alan McGonigal, Jennifer Herrald and Steve Loew, and former Assistant United States Attorneys C. Haley Bunn and Meredith Thomas handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted by the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU), a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to identify and prosecute individuals that are contributors to the national opioid crisis. The Southern District of West Virginia is one of 12 districts nationally to participate in the pilot program.
The OFADU falls under the Appalachian Regional Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force which is made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the ten U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force operates out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati, Ohio/Northern Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee areas, supporting the ten districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force works closely with other state and federal law enforcement agencies, including State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Friday 23 August 2019
Winchester Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Hobbs Act Robbery of Martin's Foods PharmacyRead the Press Release
Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – A Winchester man, who in January 2019 committed an armed robbery at Martin's Foods in Winchester, Virginia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg to a pair of related federal charges, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.
“In our efforts to assist our state and local partners reduce violent crime, we have substantially increased the number of federal prosecutions for offenses involving firearms, including robbery,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “We will continue to work closely with these partners to identify violent offenders in specific communities and put them in federal prison.”
Today in District Court, Carl William Morris II, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of Armed, Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court documents, on January 18, 2019, Morris approached a pharmacy clerk at the cash register at Martin's Foods on Gateway Drive in Winchester. While the clerk was ringing up a purchase, Morris pulled a black handgun that was tucked in his waistband and directed the clerk to “give me all your pain meds.” The clerk complied with Morris’ demand and handed over multiple bottles of controlled substances, including Oxycontin valued at over $2,000.
The defendant took four bottles of the medication and fled the store. A second pharmacy clerk followed Morris out of the store and into the parking lot. Upon seeing the second clerk, Morris discharged his firearm in the clerk’s direction. The bullet did not strike the clerk. After firing his weapon, Morris fled into a nearby wooded area where he was tracked by a police canine and ultimately apprehended by law enforcement.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeb Terrien is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Westwood Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Narcotics, Money Laundering Charges for Running Unlicensed Bitcoin Exchange and ATMRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Westwood man has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges for owning and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business where he exchanged up to $25 million in cash and virtual currency for individuals, including Darknet drug dealers and other criminals, some of whom used his Bitcoin ATM kiosk.
Kunal Kalra, 25 – who was also known as “Kumar,” “shecklemayne” and “coinman” – was charged today in a four-count criminal information filed in United States District Court and is expected to make his initial court appearance next month. Pursuant to a plea agreement also filed today, Kalra agreed to plead guilty to four felonies: distribution of methamphetamine, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, laundering of monetary instruments, and failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program.
This is believed to be the first federal criminal case charging an unlicensed money remitting business that used a Bitcoin kiosk.
According to the court documents, from May 2015 through October 2017, Kalra knowingly operated a virtual currency exchange business where he exchanged U.S. dollars for Bitcoin and vice versa. Kalra charged commissions for exchanging dollars for Bitcoin, and he only dealt with high-volume customers willing to exchange at least $5,000 per transaction. Kalra admitted in his plea agreement that he exchanged Bitcoin for cash from criminals, including those who received Bitcoin from selling narcotics on the Darknet.
Kalra established bank accounts in the names of others, including fake businesses, which allowed him, for a time, to conceal his illicit business activities, court papers state. Kalra also admitted to operating a kiosk – essentially an ATM – where his customers could exchange Bitcoin for cash and vice versa. Kalra profited from every transaction conducted on the ATM. Customers who sought to do an exchange using this ATM were not required to provide their identities and Kalra did not install a camera or implement any features requiring customers to identify themselves, the plea agreement states.
Kalra also admitted that in 2017 he exchanged approximately $400,000 in cash for Bitcoin for an undercover agent who contacted him online and later met him in person on multiple occasions at a coffee shop in Los Angeles. The undercover agent told Kalra that his virtual currency were proceeds of drug trafficking, and Kalra continued with various transactions, according to the plea agreement.
In June 2017, Kalra sold nearly two pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement official in exchange for $6,000. Kalra and the undercover agent later met at a coffee shop in Signal Hill to exchange $50,000 in Bitcoin for cash, which the undercover agent represented to Kalra was the proceeds of the sales of the methamphetamine that Kalra had sold to the agent, the plea agreement states.
Law enforcement seized nearly $889,000 in cash from Kalra’s bank accounts and vehicle, as well as approximately 54.3 Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
The maximum possible sentence Kalra could receive for these charges is life in federal prison.
Kalra also faces federal criminal charges in San Antonio, Texas, that were filed earlier this month. That case alleges Kalra conspired to commit money laundering for a drug trafficking network that sold fraudulent prescription tablets, including some laced with methamphetamine and fentanyl. In the plea agreement filed today, Kalra agreed to plead guilty to those charges in Los Angeles federal court.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Los Angeles Police Department. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Puneet V. Kakkar of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Westerville Man Sentenced for Brandishing Firearm in Relation to Xanax Drug Ring OperationsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Bilal A. El Yousseph, 27, of Westerville, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 102 months in prison for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler announced the sentence handed down today by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
According to court documents, from January to June 2018, El Yousseph engaged in a conspiracy to distribute Xanax, Adderall and marijuana. El Yousseph was a leader of the conspiracy and recruited other individuals, including at least one juvenile, to sell controlled substances.
In February 2018, El Yousseph and other members of the conspiracy believed an individual had stolen Xanax from them and had lied to them about who had stolen it.
El Yousseph confronted the individual at his house in Westerville, and El Yousseph’s cell phone was used to video record the confrontation. During the confrontation, El Yousseph and others brandished firearms and repeatedly threatened to kill the individual and his family.
For example, one video that is 20 minutes long shows the victim in his own basement writing a confession with at least two guns pointed to his head. El Yousseph directs the individual to write faster and in big letters. He tells a co-conspirator to “Google, What’s the most painful place to get shot?” then places his Glock on the base of the victim’s skull.
Throughout the confrontation, firearms were racked and rounds were ejected, showing that the guns were loaded. At one point, one of the juveniles discharged one of the firearms, though the bullet did not hit anyone.
In June 2018, El Yousseph was stopped by law enforcement in Westerville for driving erratically. He had nearly hit another vehicle and driven into a curb. Officers found El Yousseph to be impaired and found 285 Xanax pills as well as Adderall and Fentanyl tablets and marijuana in the vehicle. El Yousseph also had a loaded handgun and the victim’s confession letter in the car.
El Yousseph pleaded guilty in June 2019 to conspiring to distribute drugs and to brandishing a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI and Westerville Police Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, who is representing the United States in this case.
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West Monroe felon sentenced to nearly 4 years in prison for illegally possessing a pistol, ammunitionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Devin Dewayne Williams, 27, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty to serve 46 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Williams pleaded guilty on April 11, 2019.
During a traffic stop on Williams’ vehicle on September 24, 2017, a West Monroe Police officer found a handgun magazine in Williams’ front pocket and a Beretta, Model 21A, .25-caliber pistol under the driver’s seat. Williams is a felon who was convicted in Ouachita Parish on March 8, 2013, of simple kidnapping and on November 12, 2015, of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and West Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Webster City Man Sentenced for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced August 23, 2019, to 10 years in federal prison.
Jeremy Alan Frye, age 35, from Webster City, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 18, 2019, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Frye admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine from July 2017 through August 2018 in Webster City, Iowa. Frye also admitted that on four occasions in 2018 he distributed more than 53 grams of pure meth to law enforcement within a public park zone in undercover drug operations. During a search warrant at Frye’s residence, located within 1000 feet of Nokomis Park and East Twin Park, law enforcement seized over 37 grams of pure meth. Frye further admitted that he intended to distribute this methamphetamine.
Frye was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Frye was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Frye 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 Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster City Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3035. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
United States Settles with Southeastern Grocers to Reduce Ozone-Depleting Emissions at Grocery Stores in the Southeastern StatesRead the Press Release
Southeastern Grocers Inc. and its subsidiaries BI-LO LLC and Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (together, “SEG”), owners and operators of regional grocery store chains BI-LO LLC, Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket, have agreed to reduce emissions of potent ozone depleting gases from refrigeration equipment at 576 stores under a proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. Under the settlement, SEG will spend an estimated $4.2 million over the next three years to reduce coolant leaks from refrigerators and other equipment and improve company-wide compliance. SEG will also pay a $300,000 civil penalty.
The United States alleged that SEG violated the Clean Air Act by failing to promptly repair leaks of class I and class II refrigerants, ozone-depleting substances used as coolants in refrigerators. SEG also failed to keep adequate servicing records of its refrigeration equipment and failed to provide information about its compliance record.
“This consent decree will help assure SEG’s future compliance with the Clean Air Act’s ozone-depletion program — by requiring leak monitoring, centralized computer recordkeeping, and searchable electronic reporting to EPA,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
“Through this settlement, Southeastern Grocers will implement concrete steps to reduce leaks of ozone depleting gases from the refrigeration equipment in their stores,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Susan Bodine. “These steps will not only help to prevent damage to the environment, but should also help save energy.”
SEG will now implement a corporate refrigerant compliance management system to comply with federal stratospheric ozone regulations and to detect and repair leaks through a new bi-monthly leak monitoring program. In addition, SEG will achieve and maintain an annual corporate-wide average leak rate of 17.0 percent through 2022, well below the grocery store sector average of 25 percent. SEG must also use non-ozone depleting advanced refrigerants at all new stores, and an additional 15 existing, non-advanced refrigerant stores.
EPA regulations issued under the Clean Air Act require that owners or operators of commercial refrigeration equipment that contain over 50 pounds of ozone-depleting refrigerants repair any leaks within 30 days. Damage to the ozone layer results in dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet solar radiation, increasing skin cancers and cataracts. An added benefit of repairing refrigerant leaks is improved energy efficiency of the system, which can save electricity.
The settlement is the fourth in a series of national grocery store refrigerant cases, including cases previously filed against Safeway Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp., and Trader Joe’s Co.
Southeastern Grocers Inc., and its subsidiaries BI-LO LLC and Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., all headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, are privately held companies which own and operate regional grocery store chains BI-LO LLC, Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket in the southeastern U.S., with 576 stores located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina and have a projected revenue of $8.45 billion in for the 2019 fiscal year.
The settlement was lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. It will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
U.A. Attorney Kennedy and D-A Swanson Announce Overdose Response InitiativeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S Attorney James P. Kennedy. Jr. and Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson announced today the creation of the Overdose Response Initiative (ORI). Modeled after similar initiatives across the state and country, this program aims to examine overdose deaths in an effort to track down drug dealers and offer support to victims’ relatives.
The Overdose Response Initiative aims to coordinate local law enforcement and compile information from a multitude of sources to find the origin of the drugs that lead to overdoses. “We then will work with our federal partners, including the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI, to put these cases together for federal prosecution,” D-A Patrick Swanson stated. “Until now, the partnership has been an informal one, however, today, we are formalizing that partnership and making public our efforts to combat overdose deaths.”
The partnership announcement follows a training session, organized by D-A Swanson and presented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler, the Opioid Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Over 40 investigators and top level administrators from law enforcement agencies across Chautauqua County attended the training hosted by SUNY Fredonia and its new Campus Police Chief Brent Isaacson. Swanson said, “The level of participation today is a testament to the commitment by our law enforcement leaders to fight this problem in our community.”Defendants who sell drugs that lead to an overdose death can be charged federally and face up to life in prison if convicted. For example, in November 2018, in a first of its kind verdict, a federal jury convicted Dontrell Wise of supplying the drugs that led to November 2017 death of a young Cheektowaga, NY woman. Wise was sentenced in March of this year to life in prison. The prosecution resulted from the combined efforts of the FBI, DEA, Buffalo Police, and Cheektowaga Police. DA Swanson offered, “Collaboration at that level is what is needed to bring these peddlers of poison to justice.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler handled the prosecution of that case.
The initiative’s multistep, multi-agency approach, begins when an overdose occurs. Overdoses are being investigated like crime scenes. Investigating officers will work with the newly appointed Chautauqua County Narcotics Prosecutor to collect facts concerning the time, place and identity of the deceased and whether or not there is evidence of value at the scene. Another critical component is the cooperation of family and friends of the deceased. Investigators will interview those closest to the victim in hopes of discovering the source of the fatal drugs. All of this information, along with a toxicology analysis, will be compiled and relayed to the District Attorney’s Office, which will then develop a prosecution strategy in conjunction with the US Attorney’s Office.“I commend District Attorney Swanson for his proactive leadership in seeking to address the opioid crisis in Chautauqua County and the greater Southern Tier region,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “We know that in areas where public health and public safety come together, death rates are reduced and communities make positive strides in the opioid battle. The residents of Chautauqua County should be encouraged by this new collaborative partnership. However, let this also serve as a warning to those peddling these deadly drugs that we are one team and we will find you and prosecute you.”
D-A Swanson further stated, “We are able to take these steps because our U.S. Attorney, James P. Kennedy, Jr. is committed to holding those who deal drugs accountable for the havoc they wreak. This is also possible in part because of an additional attorney being added to my staff. With the right resources we are able to accomplish more. One of my current priorities is to request the funds for an investigator to work side-by-side with my Narcotic Prosecutor. I am eager to give these cases the attention they deserve. Our citizens are dying and it needs to stop. This initiative is a much needed response to a tragic crisis that is gripping Chautauqua County and destroying countless lives throughout the county.”
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Two Queens Women Plead Guilty in Connection with Plan to Build Explosive Devices Similar to Those Used in Prior Terrorist Attacks in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Asia Siddiqui and Noelle Velentzas, both citizens of the United States and residents of Queens, pleaded guilty to teaching and distributing information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive, destructive device, and weapon of mass destruction, intending that it be used to commit a federal crime of violence. The guilty pleas were entered before United States District Court Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. When sentenced, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison.
“Inspired by radical Islam, Velentzas and Siddiqui researched and taught each other how to construct bombs to be used on American soil against law enforcement and military targets,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers. “They were thwarted by the excellent work of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation and prosecution. For this, we are grateful.”
“In an effort to implement their violent, radical ideology, the defendants studied some of the most deadly terrorist attacks in U.S. history, and used them as a blueprint for their own plans to kill American law enforcement and military personnel,” stated United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue. “Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, they were stopped before they could bring their murderous plans to fruition.”
“Velentzas and Siddiqui were intent on waging violent jihad here in the United States, researching at length historical terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, educating themselves on how to turn propane tanks into explosive devices, and dreaming up plans to kill Americans on our own turf,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. “Today’s plea is not only a welcome end to this years-long investigation, but a credit to the FBI’s JTTF in New York and our many law enforcement partners who saw this through to the end.”
“This investigation and the subsequent guilty pleas are yet another example of how each day the NYPD and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force remain vigilant and relentless in their efforts to protect New York City and keep America safe,” stated NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “I want to commend our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District for helping to bring these individuals to justice.”
Between approximately 2013 and 2015, Velentzas and Siddiqui planned to build a bomb for use in a terrorist attack in the United States. In furtherance of their plan, the defendants taught each other chemistry and electrical skills related to creating explosives and building detonating devices; conducted research on how to make plastic explosives and how to build a car bomb; and shopped for and acquired materials to be used in an explosive device. They discussed similar devices used in past terrorist incidents, including the Boston Marathon bombing, Oklahoma City bombing and 1993 World Trade Center attack, and they researched potential targets of attack, focusing on law enforcement and military-related targets.
Siddiqui’s interest in violent terrorist-related activities was reflected in her written submissions to a radical jihadist magazine edited by Samir Khan, a now-deceased prominent figure and member of the designated foreign terrorist organization, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Velentzas similarly espoused violent rhetoric, praising the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and stating that being a martyr through a suicide attack guaranteed entrance into heaven. Velentzas specifically singled out government targets stating, “you go for the head” when you commit a terrorist attack.
When the defendants were arrested, law enforcement officers seized propane gas tanks, soldering tools, car bomb instructions, jihadist literature, machetes and several knives from their residences.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Heeren, Jennifer M. Sasso, Michael T. Keilty, Josh Hafetz and Jonathan E. Algor are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Two Queens Women Plead Guilty in Connection with Plan to Build Explosive, Destructive Devices Similar to Those Used in Prior Terrorist Attacks in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Asia Siddiqui and Noelle Velentzas, both citizens of the United States and residents of Queens, pleaded guilty to teaching and distributing information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive, destructive device, and weapon of mass destruction, intending that it be used to commit a federal crime of violence. The guilty pleas were entered before United States District Court Judge Sterling Johnson, Jr. When sentenced, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty pleas.
“In an effort to implement their violent, radical ideology, the defendants studied some of the most deadly terrorist attacks in U.S. history, and used them as a blueprint for their own plans to kill American law enforcement and military personnel,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, they were stopped before they could bring their murderous plans to fruition.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which comprises a large number of federal, state and local agencies from the region, for its outstanding work during the investigation.
“Inspired by radical Islam, Velentzas and Siddiqui researched and taught each other how to construct bombs to be used on American soil against law enforcement and military targets,” stated Assistant Attorney General Demers. “They were thwarted by the excellent work of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation and prosecution. For this, we are grateful.”
“Velentzas and Siddiqui were intent on waging violent jihad here in the United States, researching at length historical terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, educating themselves on how to turn propane tanks into explosive devices, and dreaming up plans to kill Americans on our own turf,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Today’s plea is not only a welcome end to this years-long investigation, but a credit to the FBI’s JTTF in New York and our many law enforcement partners who saw this through to the end.”
“This investigation and the subsequent guilty pleas are yet another example of how each day the NYPD and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force remain vigilant and relentless in their efforts to protect New York City and keep America safe,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “I want to commend our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District for helping to bring these individuals to justice.”
Between approximately 2013 and 2015, Velentzas and Siddiqui planned to build a bomb for use in a terrorist attack in the United States. In furtherance of their plan, the defendants taught each other chemistry and electrical skills related to creating explosives and building detonating devices; conducted research on how to make plastic explosives and how to build a car bomb; and shopped for and acquired materials to be used in an explosive device. They discussed similar devices used in past terrorist incidents, including the Boston Marathon bombing, Oklahoma City bombing and 1993 World Trade Center attack, and they researched potential targets of attack, focusing on law enforcement and military-related targets.
Siddiqui’s interest in violent terrorist-related activities was reflected in her written submissions to a radical jihadist magazine edited by Samir Khan, a now-deceased prominent figure and member of the designated foreign terrorist organization, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (“AQAP”). Velentzas similarly espoused violent rhetoric, praising the attacks of September 11, 2001, and stating that being a martyr through a suicide attack guaranteed entrance into heaven. Velentzas specifically singled out government targets stating, “you go for the head” when you commit a terrorist attack.
When the defendants were arrested, law enforcement officers seized propane gas tanks, soldering tools, car bomb instructions, jihadist literature, machetes and several knives from their residences.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Heeren, Jennifer M. Sasso, Michael T. Keilty, Josh Hafetz and Jonathan E. Algor are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
NOELLE VELENTZAS
Age: 31
Queens, New YorkASIA SIDDIQUI (also known as “Najma Samaa” and “Murdiyyah”)
Age: 35
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-213 (SJ)
Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for StabbingRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Jerome Leen-Whitewater, 34, of Post Falls, Idaho, and co-defendant Chauncey Franklin Whitright IV, 40, of Worley, Idaho, were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court for assault resulting in serious bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Leen-Whitewater to 63 months in prison and Whitright to 55 months in prison. Both defendants, upon completion of their time, were ordered to serve three years on supervised release.
According to court records, on August 18, 2018, law enforcement officers responded to a stabbing that occurred at a home in Worley. Officers soon learned that the Leen-Whitewater and Whitright had entered the home, separated the residents into different areas, and then physically assaulted the victim. During the assault, Leen-Whitewater used a knife to stab the victim in the stomach, and Whitright punched the victim several times in the face. Officers who arrived at the home provided aid to the victim, who was ultimately transported to a local hospital and treated for his injuries.
The case was investigated by the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Two Coweta County men sentenced for illegally possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
NEWNAN – Nicholas Ryan Carden and Michael Andrews have each been sentenced for possessing firearms after being convicted of felony offenses. Together, Carden’s and Andrew’s criminal histories involve prior convictions for burglaries and multiple theft offenses.
“Repeat offenders like Carden and Andrews, who possess firearms, pose a serious threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Their continual return to criminal activity represents a lack of fear of consequences for their action. Citizens deserve safety and a drug-free community. Our office will continue prosecuting and removing repeat offenders like these two from our streets as part of our commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods.”
“Making a conscious choice to possess firearms and narcotics after you have been previously convicted of felony crimes shows a complete disregard for our laws,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “People who have no regard for themselves clearly do not care about their community and in many instances; they provide firearms and narcotics to others, leading them down a path that many cannot recover from.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: On January 26, 2018, Coweta County, Georgia, police officers were checking locations known for drug activity in Grantville, Georgia, when they observed Carden sitting in a vehicle in a McDonald’s restaurant parking lot. When the officers approached, Carden sped off. As he fled, officers saw Carden throw a North American Arms .22 caliber pistol and suspected drugs from a window of the car.
On February 22, 2018, Coweta County officers again encountered Carden after he ran a stop sign. After the traffic stop, the officers found a large sharpie pen next to Carden’s seat. The pen contained four small individual bags of methamphetamine. Michael Andrews was a passenger in the vehicle with Carden. Andrews was arrested after officers found a loaded F.I.E. .25 caliber pistol hidden in his waistband, and small bags of methamphetamine in his pockets.
U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Batten Sr. sentenced Carden to two years, five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Carden received credit for five months of time served. Andrews was sentenced to two years, one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Andrews also received credit for five months timed served. On May 24, 2019, Carden and Andrews each pled guilty to the offenses of felon-in-possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected].
Three Men Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggle $28 Million of Cocaine on the High SeasRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 23, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Three South American cocaine traffickers were sentenced in federal court this week after being convicted of transporting approximately 1,230 kilograms (2,706 pounds) of cocaine—worth more than $28 million USD—on the high seas. The sentencing hearings followed a week-long trial in April in which a federal jury convicted all three defendants on all charges.
U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez handed down significant custodial sentences for defendants Adrian Andres Cortez-Quinonez, Segundo Marcial Dominguez-Caicedo, and Victor Gaspar-Chichande, sentencing them to 228 months, 216 months, and 160 months, respectively. Cortez-Quinonez and Gaspar-Chichande were sentenced today; the court handed down Dominguiz-Caicedo’s sentence on Tuesday.
At trial, the United States proved that on December 31, 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton responded to a report of a suspicious go-fast vessel traveling in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 100 nautical miles north of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The Stratton launched a helicopter and two small boats to intercept the vessel.
As the helicopter closed in, the defendants stopped their vessel to avoid detection. But as the helicopter circled the vessel, the defendants took off, and soon a high-speed chase on the high seas ensued.
The defendants eventually brought their vessel to a stop when they could not outrun the Coast Guard helicopter. Dramatic video from the helicopter captured the defendants jettisoning dozens of bales of cocaine overboard. The defendants sped away again. With the go-fast vessel barreling through the high seas, and the helicopter in pursuit, a Coast Guard precision marksman hanging from the side of the helicopter took five shots at the vessel’s engines, disabling the vessel. Defendants were ultimately detained by the Coast Guard, and other Coast Guard boats recovered the jettisoned cocaine. After the defendants were transported to the United States, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration continued the investigation.
“Defendants were not a haphazardly thrown-together motley crew. They operated a well-oiled machine,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari at sentencing. “But for the incredible skill, training and acumen of the United States Coast Guard, defendants might well be celebrating a successful cocaine venture.”
“This prosecution required precision targeting of a speeding vessel during a dramatic high seas chase,” said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer, Jr. “From the capture at sea to the terrific presentation at trial this was the epitome of a team effort and I commend the U.S. Coast Guard, DEA, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari and our former Coast Guard Special Assistants, Ari Fitzwater and Emily Gibbons”
“Coast Guard crews who risk their lives interdicting multi-ton shipments of cocaine at sea are gratified to see another successful prosecution of smugglers,” said Rear Adm. Peter W. Gautier, Commander of the 11th Coast Guard District. “I’m proud of what our people on patrol accomplish, and appreciate the U.S. Attorneys who bring these drug traffickers to justice and make Coast Guard actions worthwhile. Together our law enforcement crews at sea, investigators ashore, and prosecutors in courtrooms are working to disrupt the criminal networks behind the deadly flow of illegal drugs that threaten our nation.”
“These men tried to bring over 24 million dosage units of cocaine into the United States. That is so much cocaine that the 1.4 million residents of San Diego City each could have gotten over 17 dosages units. That is crazy. Cocaine is a dangerous drug and while it was not meant to stay in San Diego, it would have crushed the city had it made it through,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Karen Flowers. “In this case, DEA teamed up with the U.S. Coast Guard and our law enforcement partners to save lives and protect the homeland. These men wanted to profit off of their greed, with utter disregard for other people’s lives. Now they will pay for their actions with 13 to 19 years of their lives.”
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 18cr0421-BEN
Adrian Andres Cortez-Quinonez Age: 25 Ecuador
Segundo Marcial Dominguez-Caicedo Age: 36 Colombia
Victor Gaspar-Chichande Age: 30 Ecuador
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Onboard a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States – Title 46, U.S.C., Section 70503, 70506(b)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Onboard a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States – Title 46, U.S.C., Section 70503
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
AGENCY
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)Texas Man Sentenced for Traveling for Sex with Kansas TeenagerRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Texas man was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for taking a Hutchinson, Kan., girl across state lines for sex, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Juan Carlos Carmona, 37, Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of traveling from Texas to Kansas to have sex with a minor and one count of transporting a minor from Kansas to Texas to have sex with her.
In his plea, Carmona admitted that in mid-2017 he began communicating over the internet with a minor female. In April 2018, he traveled from Houston to Hutchinson, Kan., to meet the 15-year-old. His purpose was to obtain a hotel room and to have sex with the girl. After doing so, he returned to Houston.
In May 2018, Carmona returned to Kansas and picked up the 15-year-old girl. He transported her to Houston, where he intended to have sex with her.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Tax Accountant Pleads Guilty to Scamming Clients in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SALVATORE ARENA pled guilty before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla to defrauding clients who trusted him to prepare and pay their taxes. ARENA misappropriated over $780,000 of client money for his own use.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As he admitted today, Salvatore Arena defrauded his clients and the United States by misappropriating money his clients intended would be used to pay their taxes. Arena now awaits sentencing for his serious crimes.”
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, the information, and other documents filed in federal court, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
During the relevant time period, SALVATORE ARENA purported to offer tax services, including the preparation and payment of taxes, to clients of an accounting firm in Manhattan. Instead of making payments on behalf of those clients, as ARENA represented he would, he diverted client funds for his own use. ARENA executed this fraudulent scheme in two primary ways – first, by diverting pre-payments of taxes to his own tax account and later claiming illegitimate refunds, and second, by misappropriating tax payments clients had wired into a bank account controlled by ARENA.
ARENA defrauded numerous victims during the period from January 2014 through March 2019, and agreed as part of his guilty plea to forfeit $789,195.35 in United States currency, representing proceeds traceable to the charged offenses, and to pay restitution as ordered by the court.
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ARENA, 47, of Queens, New York, pled guilty to one count each of mail fraud, money laundering, and wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress, and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. ARENA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Failla on December 13, 2019.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Office of Investigations, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Office of Internal Affairs, and the New York City Department of Finance, Office of Tax Enforcement.
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If you believe you have been a victim of the scheme described above, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900, or [email protected]. You may also report it to Criminal Investigator John Patterson at (518) 451-1566 or [email protected].
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod L. Schaeffer is in charge of the prosecution.
Synthetic Drug Distributor Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL YOUNG, 48, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for importing, manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabinoids.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified a suspicious package destined for Young’s Bridgeport residence. The package had been shipped from a California business that purportedly marketed and sold herbal products for smoking. A court-authorized search of the package revealed a leafy plant-like substance commonly used as a base to absorb synthetic drugs dissolved in liquid form. Investigators learned that Young has a state criminal conviction from 2015 related to the distribution of synthetic drugs, and that two international shipments containing synthetic drugs destined for Young’s residence had been seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in November 2016 and July 2018.
On August 21, 2018, a court-authorized search of Young’s residence revealed more than a kilogram of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, approximately 21 grams of Phencyclidine (PCP) in liquid form, drug packaging materials and $1,700 in cash. He was arrested on that date.
Young admitted to investigators that he had purchased the drugs online, including from suppliers in China, and that he produced and sold “K2,” which is a street name for synthetic cannabinoid. Some of Young’s customers resided outside Connecticut and found his product by viewing his advertisements on Craigslist.
Young has been detained since his arrest. On May 30, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
A Denton County sexual predator was sentenced today to 50 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Adam Donald Bennet, 36, pleaded guilty in April to one count of sexual exploitation of children following an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations. He was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John McBryde.
“Homeland Security Investigations’ tentacles extend globally, and in this case, resulted in the lengthy federal prison sentence of a previously convicted sex offender,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “With HSI attaché offices worldwide, we routinely share leads with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate many different types of crimes — including and especially those targeting the most vulnerable members of society, our children.”
According to court documents, authorities began investigating Mr. Bennett in June 2018, when he began online chatting with an undercover officer. During their communications, Mr. Bennett acknowledged committing sexual acts with minors, according to the criminal complaint. He also sent the undercover officer video recordings of his abuse of a minor child residing in north Texas.
This case involved the coordinated efforts of the Eastern District of Texas and Northern Districts of Texas, Homeland Security Investigations, the Flower Mound Police Department, Denton County Sheriff’s Office, Denton County District Attorney’s Office, Wise County District Attorney’s Office, and Bridgeport Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative designed to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
SCDC Inmate and Four Others Convicted on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges After Eight-Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Glenn Pernell, 41, his sister Whitney Pernell, 29, and their cousin Fatima Ford, 33, all of Marion County, and Santerrio Smith, 31, and Terrence Dunlap, 25, of Columbia, on drug trafficking charges. These five defendants were charged along with 11 others in a 53-count Superseding Indictment alleging drug conspiracy and related charges.
“This case shows once again that the unfettered use of contraband cell phones enables inmates to continue committing crimes that harm the public even while they are behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “In partnership with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, we will continue to fight the public safety threat caused by contraband cell phones in our prisons. We applaud the FBI’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force and the trial team for their tireless work in dismantling this drug trafficking ring, which was responsible for pouring cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin into our neighborhoods.”
According to the evidence, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF) began investigating Smith in 2016 for drug trafficking. Wiretaps on Smith’s phones revealed a network of individuals with whom Smith was heavily involved, including Terrence Dunlap, Smith’s “right-hand man,” who stored cocaine and heroin for Smith and who cooked cocaine into crack cocaine for sale on the streets of Richland County. Agents discovered that one of Smith’s primary drug suppliers was Glenn Pernell, an inmate at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville. Pernell used contraband cell phones to communicate with Smith and arrange for deliveries of cocaine and heroin to Smith. Pernell relied on family members and close friends, including his sister Whitney Pernell and his cousin Fatima Ford, to store drugs and money for his drug trafficking organization.
Three other women testified that, while he was incarcerated, Glenn Pernell contacted them through Facebook. After he made a personal connection with the women, Pernell sent each of them gifts and money to help pay their bills. Eventually, Pernell began asking for favors in return; the women began making drug and money runs for Pernell until July 3, 2017, when one of the women was stopped by law enforcement while on her way to deliver a large amount of cocaine to Smith.
After deliberating for nearly a day, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges:
Glenn Pernell was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. He was also convicted of four counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Whitney Pernell was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. She was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. She was also convicted of one count of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Fatima Ford was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. She was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin.
Santerrio Smith was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was also convicted of two counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Terrence Dunlap was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was also convicted of one count of use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.
As a result of the convictions, each of the defendants faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia presided over the trial and will impose a sentence on each of the defendants after receiving and reviewing pre-sentence reports prepared by the United States Probation Office.
“Dismantling drug trafficking organizations is a continuing priority for the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris. “These verdicts are the results of the commitment and perseverance of our Agents and partners within the Violent Crime Task Force, to include the dedicated staff of the United States Attorney’s Office. Together, we will continue to work to make South Carolina a safer and better place to live.”
“This is another example of why we need to allow state prisons to jam cell phone signals,” said South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling. “Inmates are physically locked away behind bars, but with a contraband cell phone, they are virtually out amongst us. They are able to continue their criminal activity, and they keep wrecking lives in the process.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s CVGTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington Police Department, Sumter Police Department, and the South Carolina National Guard, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jane B. Taylor, Benjamin N. Garner, and Christopher D. Taylor of the Columbia office.
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Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Nationwide ATM Skimming ActivityRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GEORGE DRAGUSIN, also known as “Georgio Anderini” and “Einstein,” 63, a citizen of Romania, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to conspiracy and identity theft charges related to extensive ATM skimming activity that defrauded banks from coast to coast.
According to court documents and statements in court today, between February and June 2017, People's United Bank locations in Connecticut experienced approximately 35 incidents of ATM skimming at their branches. A joint law enforcement investigation revealed that Dragusin and others placed skimming devices at the ATMs to capture account numbers and personal identification numbers (“PIN numbers”) from customers who used their ATM cards at the ATMs while the devices were in place. Members of the conspiracy used the captured information to make substitute ATM cards, and then obtained money and made purchases using those cards.
People’s United Bank suffered losses of approximately $286,069 as a result of this scheme.
In pleading guilty, Dragusin admitted that he installed and removed ATM skimming equipment at several People’s United Bank locations, and used re-encoded cards and PINs to obtain money from several bank locations. Dragusin further admitted that, between March and September 2018, he participated in ATM skimming activity in Nevada, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and California, causing multiple banks to suffer total losses of more than $645,000.
Dragusin was arrested in Hayward, California, in September 2018. He has been detained since his arrest.
Dragusin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of imprisonment of two years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on November 15, 2019.
The investigation is being conducted by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force; the U.S. Secret Service in New Haven and Las Vegas; the Greenwich Police Department; the Monroe Police Department; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the New York Police Department; the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; the Dixon (Calif.) Police Department, and the Hayward (Calif.) Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
Raleigh Credit Repair Orchestrator Indicted on Charges of Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that MICHAEL ANTHONY GRIFFIN, SR., 51, of Knightdale, North Carolina, has been charged by a federal grand jury in a five-count indictment. The indictment includes three counts of Wire Fraud, one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Access Device Fraud.
The indictment charges that GRIFFIN, operating from his business location in Raleigh and home in Knightdale, accepted fees from clients for alleged credit repair services. The indictment alleges that, in reality, GRIFFIN was creating fictitious credit profiles and fraudulently altering client credit data through the use of fictitious police reports. In doing so, GRIFFIN unlawfully commandeered the identities of his clients by placing their names upon fraudulent police reports without their knowledge.
The indictment also alleges that in 2017 the defendant presented a fraudulent social security card and number to Johnson Automotive to purchase a Hyundai Genesis, a vehicle with a purchase price of more than $72,000.
At a hearing following the search of the defendant’s home, office, and Maserati, and after the defendant’s arrest, the Government presented evidence that the defendant used a front business in North Raleigh to carry out the scheme to the tune of at least one million dollars. Evidence was also presented that the defendant maintained electronic templates for the creation of fraudulent police reports, social security cards, and bank statements. A thumb drive found in the Maserati contained numerous client files, including false police reports and other documents sent to credit reporting agencies.
GRIFFIN has been detained on the charges pending trial.
If convicted, the maximum punishment for committing Wire Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, is not more than 20 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for committing Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1), is not less than two years imprisonment, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. The penalty for Access Device Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(1), is not more than 10 years imprisonment.
An indictment is only an allegation of a crime. The defendant is presumed under the law to be innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represents the United States.
Previously Convicted Armed Carjacker Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Vincent Taylor McGee, 32, of Raymond, Mississippi, pled guilty today before District Judge Henry T. Wingate to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On September 7, 2016, while fleeing from officers attempting to conduct a traffic stop, McGee tossed a Ruger .22 caliber pistol from his vehicle. Officers recovered the pistol after the vehicle lost a tire and the chase ended. McGee was previously convicted of armed carjacking and armed robbery in Hinds County, possession of a cell phone by an offender in Lauderdale County and Sunflower County, and conspiracy in Sunflower County. Last December, he was also convicted of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and sentenced by then-Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour, Jr. to serve 120 months in federal prison.
McGee will be sentenced by Judge Wingate on November 5, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Pen Gun Possessor Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MACON – A Macon, Georgia man who admitted to making and concealing a small, single-round gun in the shape of a pen entered a guilty plea to a federal firearm charge, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Billy Christopher Evans, 28, of Macon, Georgia, entered a guilty plea on August 22, 2019 to one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. The charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 20, 2019.
According to the proffer of facts presented at court Thursday, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call on November 12, 2017 involving a man waving a lawn mower blade and acting erratically outside a local hotel. Deputies found Mr. Evans waving the blade, and the defendant promptly dropped the blade when instructed by officers. Mr. Evans was placed in handcuffs for the officers safety, and during a pat-down for weapons, deputies discovered a small pen gun, powered by a spring and trigger mechanism. The pen gun was approximately 4 and 5/8 inches in length and did not have any brand, mark of identification, or serial number displayed. It had a cocking handle, spring, bolt with a fixed firing-pin, bolt handle, and a blue cap measuring approximately 3/4 of an inch in length which held a .22 caliber round in place. This device was successfully test fired at the ATF test range in Martinsburg, West Virginia on February 28, 2018.
“This case illustrates the variety of dangers that officers face every day while keeping us safe,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney. “I want to thank all officers that serve the citizens of the Middle District of Georgia for their bravery, professionalism, and commitment to protecting all of us.”
The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will R. Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Olive Branch Man Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay More than $2 Million in Restitution for Stealing from VolvoRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. –An Olive Branch man was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on Thursday for Mail Fraud and for Making a False Statement in Connection with the Purchase of a Firearm. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced David Quarles, 35, to serve the 51-month prison term and to pay $2,606,529.87 in restitution to US Volvo Group and Chubb Insurance Company.
Quarles was employed at the Volvo distribution center in Byhalia, Mississippi and over the course of two years, from 2015 to 2017, Quarles embezzled auto parts from Volvo and sold them online. Quarles used his position in the warehouse to alter shipping labels and inventory records and conceal his theft of the auto parts. After his Indictment for fraud in October 2018, Quarles attempted to purchase a Micro Draco, 7.62 x 39 mm caliber pistol from the Double Barrel Gun Store in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and in the process of attempting the purchase, he made a false statement on the Form 4473, claiming that he was not under indictment for a felony.
U.S. Attorney William C. Lamar noted that this prosecution was important for several reasons. “When residents of North Mississippi attempt to make a quick buck by defrauding their employers, it does harm to this State, the companies that chose to do business here, and our honest, law-abiding citizens. We will do everything we can to hold these individuals accountable for their actions. Furthermore, we will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who possess or attempt to possess firearms when they are prohibited by law from doing so.” Lamar remarked.
This case was investigated by both the Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by AUSA Parker Kline.
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Nine Southern Missouri Residents Indicted for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Nine individuals, primarily from West Plains, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties.
Shirley J. Hicks, 61, Raymon F. Ortega, 63, Benny D. Griffin, 57, Jose I. Gonzales, 37, Jordan W. Gutierrez, 25, and Shaun M. Ross, 39, all of West Plains, Missouri; Fontella J. Noose, 38, of Springfield, Missouri; James E. Cooper, 52, of Mountain View, Missouri; and Luis Ortiz Rodriguez, 36, address unknown, were charged in a 19-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, Aug. 20. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of Hicks, Ortega, Griffin, Cooper, and Ross.
The federal indictment alleges that each of the nine defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties from Dec. 31, 2015, to June 21, 2019.
In addition to the criminal conspiracy, Hicks is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Hicks allegedly was in possession of a Rohm .22-caliber revolver, a Lorcin .380-caliber pistol, a Hi-Point .40-caliber pistol, an FMJ .45-caliber derringer, a Jimenez Arms .22-caliber pistol, a Marlin .22-caliber rifle, a Browning 16-gauge shotgun, and a Remington .30-06 caliber rifle on July 24, 2018.
Ortega also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. Ortega, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Jennings (Bryco) .380-caliber pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a Jennings (Jimenez Arms) 9mm pistol on May 7, 2018. Ortega allegedly was also in possession of a Ruger .22-caliber rifle, two Marlin .22-caliber rifles, and two Browning .22-caliber pistols on June 21, 2019.
Griffin also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Griffin, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Ruger .22-caliber pistol on Nov. 26, 2018.
Rodriguez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rodriguez, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Taurus .410-caliber revolver on Jan. 4, 2019.
Noose also is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine in Greene County and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Noose, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Taurus .38-caliber revolver on Feb. 11, 2019.
Gonzalez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County. Gutierrez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Texas County. Ross and Cooper also are each charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Ortega to forfeit to the government $10,924 that was seized by law enforcement officers; Hicks to forfeit to the government $20,393 that was seized by law enforcement officers; and Griffin to forfeit $16,078 that was seized by law enforcement officers. Ortega, Hicks, and Griffin would also be required to forfeit to the government a money judgment representing the proceeds obtained as a result of their participation in the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the South Central Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, and the Mountain View, Mo., Police Department.
New York and Maine Men Plead Guilty to Heroin and Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Akeem Cruz, a/k/a “Vybe” and “Mello”, 29, and Lamale Lawson, a/k/a “Bishop” and “King Bishop”, 28, both of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” Lawson also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. Christopher Rickett, 32, of Portland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and to distributing heroin.
According to court records, from 2015 until September 2017, Cruz and Lawson conspired to acquire heroin and crack in New York and to distribute it in the Portland and Lewiston areas. On about July 31, 2016, agents searched an apartment in Portland and recovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 9mm ammunition and a .22 revolver belonging to Lawson. Rickett conspired to acquire heroin in Massachusetts and to distribute it in the Portland area. On December 11, 2018, conspirator Sierrha Frisbie, a/k/a “Cici”, 27, of Portland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin in the Portland and Lewiston areas.
Cruz and Lawson face between five and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and between four years and life on supervised release. Lawson also faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the firearms offense. Rickett and Frisbie face up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and between three years and life on supervised release. The defendants will be sentenced following the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Portland and South Portland Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that defendant LARMONDO ALLEN, a/k/a “Nino,” 22 years of age, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on Thursday, August 22, 2019 by U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
ALLEN pled guilty on June 13, 2019, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 922(g)(1).
Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon sentenced ALLEN to 37 months in the Bureau of Prisons, as well as 3 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the New Orleans Gang Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Privitera was in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Indicted for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that STEVEN ROLAND HANSEN, age 63, was charged on Thursday, August 22, 2019 in a five-count indictment for wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to the indictment, STEVEN ROLAND HANSEN (“HANSEN”), started a fraudulent company, “The Reference Source, Inc.” in order to procure a postal meter from Company “A,” a national postage meter company located in Utah. HANSEN applied for credit with Company “A” to have postage installed on the meter. HANSEN then intentionally created inflated postage on envelopes and turned these envelopes in at post offices in the New Orleans area. Postal money orders were issued to refund the inflated envelopes. It was part of HANSEN’S scheme that by turning in the envelopes to the post office, he turned Company “A’s” credit into postal money orders which he could use as cash. If convicted, HANSEN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years per count, a maximum fine of $250,000, restitution, a maximum term of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment
HANSEN used the interstate wire system at least five times to further his scheme by making fraudulent representations to Company “A” in Utah. Company “A,” according to the indictment lost over $2,500.00 in this scheme.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Hampshire Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Suboxone and Retaliating Against a WitnessRead the Press Release
CONCORD, - Glenn Adjutant, 22, of New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of Suboxone, Adderall, and retaliating against a witness, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 31, 2019, Adjutant sold Suboxone to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement officers. Later that same day, Adjutant sold Suboxone and Adderall to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement officials. Both sales occurred within 1,000 feet of an elementary school.
Adjutant was arrested on April 9, 2019 and on approximately April 24, 2019, was released from custody with direction to report immediate to the Farnum Center. Instead, Adjutant returned to Colebrook. While in Colebrook, Adjutant encountered another individual calling her a “rat,” and then used physical force, striking her several times with a closed fist in her torso and head. The attack was in retaliation for the individual providing truthful information regarding Adjutant’s distribution of Suboxone and Adderall to others.
Adjutant is scheduled to be sentenced on December 6, 2019.
“The illegal sale of prescription drugs endangers the health of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who engage in this activity should expect to be investigated, arrested and prosecuted. In order to maintain the integrity of the criminal justice system, we will seek criminal penalties against those who attempt to intimidate or retaliate against witnesses.”
This matter was investigated by the DEA, with assistance from the Colebrook Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s Division of Enforcement and Licensing, and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Rombeau and John S. Davis.
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Moss Point Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – LaRobert Kadarius Hollins, 19, of Moss Point, pled guilty today before U.S. District Sul Ozerden to possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kurt Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.
On February 8, 2019, Hollins was in a car stopped by the South Mississippi Metropolitan Enforcement Team for an illegal turn. Officers found a bag of marijuana in Hollins’ pocket and a loaded 9mm pistol under the seat of the car. Hollins admitted to agents with ATF that he smoked marijuana on a regular basis and that the gun was his.
Hollins will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on November 25, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The South Mississippi Metropolitan Enforcement Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Michigan man admits to role in cocaine and heroin distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jerel Seahorn, of Detroit, Michigan, has admitted to drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Seahorn, also known as “L,” age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin.” Seahorn admitted to selling heroin in March 2018 in Monongalia County.
Seahorn faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Metro East Dentist Charged with Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
A St. Louis-area dentist has been charged with executing a wide-ranging health care fraud scheme
over several years. Dr. Yun Sup Kim, 48, of St. Louis, is under federal indictment for allegedly
defrauding Illinois Medicaid out of hundreds of thousands of dollars from his dental office in
Swansea, Illinois. The 20-page indictment charges Kim with 12 counts of health care fraud and one
count of wire fraud in connection with his dental practice.According to the indictment, from September 2014 through the end of 2017, Kim repeatedly billed
Illinois Medicaid for cavity fillings and surgical tooth extractions he never actually performed.
The experiences of 10 former patients are outlined in the indictment, including several where Kim
allegedly claimed to have filled cavities on more than half the patient’s teeth in one sitting. The
indictment charges those claims were false and alleges that, in many instances, the teeth Kim
claimed to have filled never had cavities to begin with. Kim is also accused of falsifying dates of
service on numerous occasions to evade billing rules involving reimbursements for dental sealants.On one particular occasion in 2016, the indictment alleges that Kim billed Illinois Medicaid for a
dental exam, fluoride treatment, and tooth cleaning on a 10-month old girl who was not a patient
and had only two teeth at the time. This incident is the subject of the wire fraud count, which
alleges that the claims were fraudulent and the services never actually rendered.An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be
innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.Kim is due in federal court for his initial appearance on September 12 at 2:00 pm. A trial date has
not been set. Each charge of health care fraud is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a
$250,000 fine. The wire fraud count carries a 20-year statutory maximum prison term. Supervised
release on each count is capped at three years. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of
over $700,000 in fraudulent proceeds of the charged scheme.The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Illinois States Police Medicaid Fraud
Control Unit, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and
the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan D. Stump is prosecuting the case
Meth trafficker from Laurel sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Laurel resident David Beckett, who admitted to methamphetamine trafficking charges after picking up a package of the drug that was sent through the U.S. Postal Service, was sentenced today to seven years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Beckett, 45, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and to possession with intent to distribute.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.
In February, law enforcement got a tip about a package containing about a half-pound of meth was being shipped from California to a Laurel address, the prosecution said in court records. Beckett was to pick up the package and distribute the meth in Billings and surrounding areas.
Working with the U.S. Postal Inspector, law enforcement located the package and a K9 dog from the Billings Police Department alerted to the package. The same day, Beckett went to the post office in Laurel and said he was expecting a package. He was told the package was not available. Beckett returned a few hours later and again, was told the package was not available. The next day, Beckett returned to the post office and was told the package had not arrived. He provided law enforcement with his contact information and a tracking number for the package. The information he provided matched law enforcement’s information. After getting a federal search warrant for the package, law enforcement found about 114.4 grams of meth inside.
Law enforcement returned the package to the Laurel post office and called Beckett to tell him his package had arrived. Less than 10 minutes later, Beckett arrived, got out of his car and was arrested.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich and Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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McFarland Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jason Yapp, 48, McFarland, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to eight years in federal prison, for robbing two Madison banks. Yapp pleaded guilty to these charges on May 23, 2019. His prison term will be followed by a three-year term of supervised release.
Yapp was on supervision with the Wisconsin Department of Corrections at the time of these offenses. On September 17, 2018, at 5:16 a.m., Yapp was released from the Dane County Jail where he was being held on a supervision hold. At 9:34 a.m., he robbed the Associated Bank branch on West Broadway Avenue.
On September 21, 2018, Yapp attempted to rob the Associated Bank branch on Cottage Grove Road but fled when he thought the teller hit an alarm. Yapp drove away from the bank, crashing into the vehicle of another bank customer. He continued at a high rate of speed, eventually losing control and crashing. Yapp was taken into custody by Madison Police as he tried to get into an unrelated vehicle that was waiting in line at the intersection.
Yapp has a lengthy criminal history including convictions for burglary, attempted second degree sexual assault, armed robbery, and theft from a financial institution. In sentencing Yapp, Judge Peterson said that his main priority was protecting the public and commented on Yapp’s reckless flight from the second bank.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach involves collaboration by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent and deter gun violence.
The charges against Yapp were the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey C. Stephan.
Many resident sentenced to 12 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine from his homeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Marvin Ray Loucious, 54, of Many, Louisiana, was sentenced today to 147 months in prison and five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. Loucious pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on February 19, 2019.
Law enforcement agents observed Loucious selling 5 grams of methamphetamine on July 20, 2018, and 6 grams on July 23, 2018, from his home. Agents executed a search warrant at his home on August 10, 2018, and found 160 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, plastic baggies and approximately 100 glass smoking pipes. Agents also recovered 55 firearms, with the following five weapons being in close proximity to the methamphetamine: a Glock 32, .357-caliber SIG handgun, a Ruger P90, .45-caliber ACP handgun, a Taurus, TCP, .380-caliber handgun, a Davis Industries, Model DM-22, .22-caliber, two-shot derringer handgun, and a Century Arms, Catamount Fury, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun.
The DEA and the Tri-Parish Drug Task Force (DeSoto, Sabine and Red River parishes) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy and Tiffany E. Fields prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced to 81 Months for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and Possessing with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Marijuana and FentanylRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced NICHOLAS GARFIELD BAKER, 29, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, to 81 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised released.
BAKER was named in a three-count Indictment on November 27, 2018. Count One charged Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Marijuana and Fentanyl; Count Two charged Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; and Count Three charged Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.
On May 10, 2019, BAKER pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of marijuana and fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
On June 15, 2018, Raleigh Police Department officers encountered NICHOLAS GARFIELD BAKER standing next to a vehicle in the parking lot of a hotel on Plainview Drive in Raleigh. When BAKER noticed the marked patrol vehicle, he began to walk away. Officers made contact with BAKER as he threw an item, later identified as a bag containing 2.79 grams of marijuana, into a trash can. A search of the vehicle that BAKER was standing next to resulted in the recovery of the following from the center console: a jar containing 15.57 grams of marijuana; a loaded .38 caliber revolver; 6.66 grams of fentanyl; plastic bags; a digital scale; and traffic tickets belonging to BAKER.
At sentencing the Court found BAKER responsible for the possessing with the intent to distribute 18.36 grams of marijuana and 6.6 grams of fentanyl. BAKER also possessed a firearm in connection with his drug trafficking activities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices in those communities on a sustained basis to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case for the government.
Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution that Caused Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Aldie man was sentenced today to five years in prison for distribution of a drug that resulted in the death of a Leesburg woman.
According to court documents, Michael Napier, 36, distributed 1,4-butanadiol, an analogue of Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB), a Schedule I controlled substance, which resulted in the death of victim A.H in June 2015. A medical examiner’s autopsy report for A.H. listed the cause of death as GHB Poisoning, and toxicology analysis revealed GHB was present in the victim’s blood and 1,4-butanadiol in A.H.’s urine. Three days after A.H.’s death, Napier was arrested in Loudoun County for driving under the influence of drugs, where law enforcement recovered a 500ml bottle of 1,4-butanadiol. Further investigation revealed Napier purchased a 1 liter bottle of 1,4-butanadiol online in May 2015 and showed text messages between Napier and the victim discussing drug distribution on the eve of her death.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lena Munasifi prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force- Northern Virginia which is composed of Agents and Detectives from Fairfax County, PWC Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Leesburg Police, Vienna Police, Alexandria City Police and Herndon Police. The Leesburg Police Department provided considerable investigative assistance and support in this matter.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-143.
Man Convicted of Unlawful Imprisonment, Strangulation, Suffocation, and Witness Tampering on Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
A 39-year-old resident of Saginaw, Michigan, Michael Lee Johnson, was convicted today of unlawful imprisonment, assault of a dating partner by strangulation, assault of a dating partner by suffocation, interstate domestic violence, assault by striking, beating, or wounding, and eight counts of witness tampering by a federal jury in Bay City, Michigan, United States Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
At the trial before U.S. District Judge Thomas L. Ludington, the evidence established that in October and November of 2018, Johnson held the victim against her will, threatened to kill her, assaulted her numerous time by strangulation, suffocation, and by other means sometimes in front of her children. The evidence also established that after the crimes were committed Johnson attempted to improperly influence or prevent the victim’s testimony in court and her reports to the police. Further two other former intimate partners of defendant testified that he also strangled them in the past and also held them against their will. The crimes occurred on the Isabella Reservation in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. Under the federal sentencing guidelines, Johnson could be sentenced to over 200 years in prison.”
The case was investigated by the Saginaw Chippewa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roy Kranz and Assistant United States Attorney Tim Turkelson.
Madison Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jamal Jackson, 40, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on August 21 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to six years in prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Jackson pleaded guilty to this charge on June 11, 2019.
Jackson was charged along with 11 other individuals for participating in a cocaine distribution scheme. The investigation revealed that Gregory Smith was mailing packages containing cocaine from Houston, Texas, to Joseph Harper in Madison. In total, postal records from November 2017 to November 2018 showed 32 packages mailed from Smith to addresses in Wisconsin or Iowa associated with Harper. Based on witness statements and multiple cocaine seizures in the case, agents learned that each of the packages contained between a half kilogram and one kilogram of cocaine.
Intercepted communications during the investigation revealed that Jackson was a highly trusted confidant of Harper and also a frequent cocaine customer. Surveillance showed that Jackson regularly visited Harper at his cocaine stash house in Madison after the arrival of a suspected cocaine package. On September 21, 2018, Jackson bought two ounces of cocaine from Harper at the cocaine stash house and led police on a high speed chase through the eastside of Madison when they attempted to pull him over. In addition, Jackson and Harper had a long telephone conversation about kilogram prices for cocaine and how they could make money working together.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Conley noted that Jackson had multiple prior felony convictions for cocaine trafficking. In addition to Smith, Harper, and Jackson, eight other defendants have pleaded guilty in the case. Earlier this month, Judge Conley sentenced Harper to 12 years in prison and Smith to 11 years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy.
The charge against Jackson is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Madison County Businessman Charged with Multi-Million Dollar Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Madison County business owner has been indicted by a federal grand jury for tax evasion. Gary
Hunsche, 54, of Troy, Illinois, has been charged with six counts of willfully failing to pay
employment taxes and two counts of willfully failing to pay individual income taxes.According to the indictment, Hunsche owned and operated two businesses in Troy – Unique Risk
Management, Inc., and Unique Personal Consultants, Inc. – that supplied thousands of temporary
employees to other businesses. The indictment alleges that between 2011 and 2016, Hunsche failed to
pay the IRS over $15 million in federal incomes taxes, Social Security, and Medicare taxes,
including $11 million in required withholdings from his employees’ paychecks. Hunsche is further
accused of taking millions of dollars for himself and using the money to make improvements to his
home, including a new pond and a barn with a full-sized basketball court.An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be
innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.If convicted of failing to pay employment taxes, Hunsche faces up to five years in prison and a
$250,000 fine on each of the six counts. The remaining two counts of the indictment – failing to
pay individual income tax – are misdemeanors that each carry up to a year in prison and a fine of
not more than $100,000.The ongoing investigation is being conducted by IRS Criminal Investigations. The
prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Lame Deer woman sentenced to three years for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Lame Deer resident Danika Nurea Sanchez was sentenced today to three years in prison and five years of supervised release for conviction on methamphetamine trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Sanchez, 21, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In July 2018, an undercover agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration bought about a quarter of a pound of meth from Sanchez in Billings. A quarter pound of meth is the equivalent of about 906 doses, the prosecution said in court documents filed in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the DEA.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Lafayette man sentenced to nearly 4 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Jarius T. Carson, 26, of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays for illegally possessing a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Carson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on May 20, 2019.
A Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputy encountered Carson on June 6, 2018, in the parking lot of a Scott, Louisiana, apartment complex. When the deputy approached him, Carson fled. While in pursuit, the deputy saw Carson run towards a vehicle and place an object in the vehicle’s wheel well. When the deputy caught up with Carson, he acknowledged that the loaded Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol found in the wheel well of the car belonged to him.
Carson was previously convicted of aggravated assault with a firearm and illegal carrying of a firearm in state court on August 17, 2010. Under federal law, a felon is not allowed to possess firearms and ammunition.
The ATF and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Kissimmee Man Sentenced to 15 Months for Threatening to Behead Senator Bernie SandersRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Robert Pratersch (58, Kissimmee) to 15 months in federal prison for threatening a federal official and interstate transmission of a threat to injure. A federal jury had found Pratersch guilty on April 30, 2019.
According to court documents, Pratersch left three threatening voicemail messages at the Office of Senator Bernie Sanders in Burlington, Vermont. These profanity-laced messages included a threat to “behead” Senator Sanders, “ISIS-style,” and videotape the execution. The messages also included numerous anti-Semitic remarks directed at Senator Sanders.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Air Marshals Service, and the United States Capitol Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
Justice Department Approves Sinclair Broadcasting's Acquisition of Divested Fox Regional Sports NetworksRead the Press Release
On Dec. 13, 2017, The Walt Disney Company entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets and businesses from Twenty-First Century Fox, including Fox’s 22 regional sports networks (RSNs). After an investigation, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit on June 27, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Department filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Department’s competitive concerns.
The proposed settlement requires Disney to divest Fox’s RSNs. On May 3, 2019, Disney and Sinclair Broadcasting entered into an agreement (the Divestiture Transaction), under which Sinclair proposes to acquire the RSNs, except the New York Yankees-affiliated YES Network, from Disney. The Department, after an investigation, approved Sinclair’s acquisition of the 21 RSNs. Under the terms of the proposed Final Judgment filed with the court, the Department has the sole discretion to approve the divestiture of the Fox RSNs to one or more acquirers.
“In exercising its discretion, the Antitrust Division has a duty to ensure that competition will be preserved for the American consumer, here the sports fan,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Sinclair’s acquisition of the divested regional sports networks addresses the harm the Division identified in its review of the Disney-Fox transaction.”
Based upon its investigation, the Department did not find that the Divestiture Transaction would lead to competitive harm, and found that Sinclair has the incentive to use the RSNs to compete in all affected markets and that Sinclair has sufficient business experience and financial capabilities to compete effectively in the affected markets over the long term.
Jefferson City Police Officer Honored for Community ServiceRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Tim Garrison, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that Lt. David Williams of the Jefferson City, Missouri, Police Department has received the 2019 Enoch B. Morelock Award.
The Enoch B. Morelock Award is an annual recognition of outstanding moral character, service to law enforcement and service to the community. Williams was honored on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, during the 17th Annual LECC Training Seminar in Springfield, Missouri. The prestigious law enforcement award, presented annually by the U.S. Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee, is named in honor of Sullivan County Sheriff Enoch B. Morelock, who was the first recorded line of duty death in the Western District of Missouri on Dec. 19, 1847.
In Williams’s 24-year career in law enforcement, he has served as an undercover officer, an accident reconstructionist, a motorcycle officer, and has been a member and commander of the agency SWAT team. He has also served as a field training officer, a defensive tactics trainer, and coordinated his agency’s reserve officers. Williams is currently serving as the agency training officer, coordinating new hire training as well as continuing education for existing officers.
Williams is well known and highly thought of in his community as well as his agency. He served as the face of the agency and the city in the aftermath of the EF 3 tornado that hit the capital city this summer, and received praise from local and national media for his handling of the press events. He is a past member of the board of directors for the First Financial Credit Union and was crucial in the merger with River Region Credit Union, where he was able to deal with concerns of members of both entities because of his strong ties to the community. He remained on the board of the newly merged River Region Credit Union and serves as treasurer of that board. In 2018, he was awarded the National Credit Union Association Volunteer of the Year Award for his dedicated work in the community.
Williams is a member of the board of directors for the local American Red Cross and Special Learning Center, which provides learning opportunities for children with disabilities, as well as a member of the local Elks Lodge. He serves as a guardian for the Central Missouri Honor Flight, where he assists the aging veterans from WW2, Korean and Vietnam Wars in their journey to Washington, D.C., to visit the military memorials.
In 2017, Williams received the Juneteenth Jefferson City Emancipation Award from Lincoln University, which is given annually to a person who has shown dedication to the protection of and service to the community.
Williams is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and was selected to serve a six-month detail as an executive fellow with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Washington, D.C. He is a peer reviewer for the Bureau of Justice Affairs grant process, where he helps evaluate and approve various grants to law enforcement agencies around the country. He is a certified instructor in explosive investigations, Taser, and pursuit driving, among other specialties.
Enoch B. Morelock Award
Sullivan County Sheriff Enoch B. Morelock was the first recorded line of duty death in the Western District of Missouri on Dec. 19, 1847. He was appointed the first sheriff of Sullivan County, Mo., in 1845. He was in office a little over two years, but he was known to be an honorable, hardworking man intent on protecting the residents of his community. Sheriff Morelock was shot and killed during a court ordered sale of the accused=s property. The accused killer, Patrick McIntry, was charged with 1st Degree Murder but was later acquitted. Within a year Mr. McIntry was found shot to death on the banks of a local river.
The annual Enoch B. Morelock Award recognizes individuals with outstanding moral character, service to law enforcement and to the community outside of law enforcement. Recipients may include officers from local police departments, sheriffs= offices, state agencies, or federal agencies as well as investigators from prosecutors= offices.
Inmate at Red Onion State Prison Convicted of Mailing Threats to Federal JudgesRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Mitchell Norbert Nicholas, 41, an inmate at Red Onion State Prison serving a sentence for murder, was convicted yesterday by a federal jury at the conclusion of a two-day trial on four federal charges related to threats he made against a pair of federal judges. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen made the announcement.
“Although the First Amendment protects an individual’s right to express abhorrent views, it does not license threats of death or bodily harm,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “We will vigorously investigate and prosecute all cases involving mailed and cyber threats, like the ones at issue in this case. I am grateful for the hard work of the U.S. Marshals Service to bring this defendant to justice.”
Nicholas was convicted of two counts of mailing threats to injure another person and two counts of threatening to murder a United States Judge with the intent to impede, intimidate, or interfere with their performance of official duties, or with the intent to retaliate against such judge on the performance of their official duties.
According to evidence presented during trial, Nicholas was serving a murder sentence at Red Onion State Prison after being found guilty of first degree murder in the Virgin Islands in 2007. While incarcerated, Nicholas mailed a letter to United States Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller in the Virgin Islands, which stated, in part, “Dear Ruth, You thought that I was a nobody. Now I must manifest my dream of your death. It is more fun when the prey knows it is being hunted. I am going to kill you! Patiently submitted, signed Mitchell N. Nicholas.”
In a second letter, mailed to United States District Court Judge Curtis Gomez of the Virginia Islands, Nicholas stated, in part, “Dear Curtis, You are a disappointment and must not be allowed to live any longer. I am going to kill you! Patiently submitted, signed Mitchell N. Nicholas.”
The investigation of the case was conducted by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Lena Busscher and Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.