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20 September 2019
Park Hill Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Guy Coleston McDonald, age 32, of Park Hill, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Drug Conspiracy, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846, punishable by not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00, or both.
The Superseding Indictment alleges that beginning in or about September 2017, the exact date being unknown to the Grand Jury, and continuing up to and including the date of the Superseding Indictment, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the Defendant, did knowingly and intentionally conspire, confederate and agree with others, known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Tahlequah Police Department, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Okmulgee Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ethan Cole Endres, age 28, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Felon In Possession Of Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleges that on or about April 11, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of said conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Trails Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
North Suburban Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Enticing Underage Girls into SexRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A north suburban man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for enticing underage girls to engage in sex acts with him.
CASEY IRELAND, 36, of Antioch, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer imposed the 15-year sentence Thursday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Leo Lamont, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Resident Agency Great Lakes. Valuable assistance was provided by the Antioch Police Department and law enforcement authorities in Wisconsin. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Dixon.
Ireland admitted in a plea agreement that in the spring of 2017 he had sex with two 15-year-old girls from Wisconsin. Ireland began communicating with the girls via online messaging applications.
On May 18, 2017, and June 1, 2017, Ireland drove to Wisconsin to pick up the first victim at her high school, and then drove her back to his home in Antioch to engage in sex acts. On May 31, 2017, Ireland arranged to pick up the second victim at a park near her home in Wisconsin, and then drove her to his home to engage in sex acts.
After the second victim informed law enforcement about her encounter with Ireland, authorities took control of her messaging account and reestablished communication with him. During subsequent messages, Ireland and law enforcement – posing as the victim – arranged for Ireland to pick up the victim at the same park near her home to engage in another sexual encounter. When Ireland drove to the park on June 7, 2017, he was arrested.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, or log on to http://www.missingkids.com. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Nashua Man Pleads Guilty to Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Ryan Burns, 39, of Nashua, pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 4, 2018, Burns purchased a .45 caliber firearm from an undercover federal enforcement officer for $100 cash, a box of .22 caliber ammunition, and an antique firearm. As explained in court documents and stated during the hearing, Ryan’s possession of the gun was unlawful due a previous involuntary commitment to a mental health facility.
Burns will be sentenced on January 14, 2020.
“In order to maintain public safety, we are striving to prevent gun crime in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who seek to obtain guns unlawfully.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert M. Kinsella is prosecuting the case.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Member of Violent “Trained to Go” Gang Convicted at Trial Sentenced Today to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Federal Racketeering and Drug Conspiracies and Related Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Dennis Pulley, a/k/a Denmo, age 31, of Baltimore, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG), as well as possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking and witness intimidation. Pulley and his co-defendants were also convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. The TTG gang operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
“Dennis Pulley and his fellow gang members brought violence and misery to West Baltimore, in the form of murders, shootings, armed robbery, witness intimidation, and drug dealing. Now, Pulley will spend 35 years in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Hopefully criminals who are not deterred from terrorizing our neighborhoods by the threat of prison can be deterred by the reality of years spent in a federal prison far from home—where there is no parole. Ever.”
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, Pulley and his co-defendants are all members or associates of TTG, a criminal organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
The evidence at trial showed that members and associates of TTG sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. Pulley served as one of TTG’s primary suppliers of heroin and marijuana. TTG members routinely sold “packs” of heroin and gram quantities of marijuana from multiple locations in Sandtown. Typically, a “pack” contained between 25 and 50 gel capsules of heroin. In addition, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and January 9, 2017, Pulley, his co-defendants, and other members of TTG committed acts of violence, including murders, shootings, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in murder-for-hire schemes. Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
For example, in the summer of 2016, a feud developed between Pulley and Chris Pennington, a/k/a “Magic.” Pennington and several other individuals robbed a marijuana distributor that Pulley supplied. When Pulley learned that Pennington was offering money for information concerning Pulley’s location, Pulley solicited members of TTG and others to murder Pennington. On January 9, 2017, Pennington was shot multiple times and died. Search warrants were subsequently executed at Pulley’s home and the home of a co-defendant, Brandon Wilson. Law enforcement recovered the gun used to murder Pennington at Wilson’s home and recovered a .22-caliber pistol, one pound of marijuana, and $32,758 in cash from Pulley’s home. On October 18, 2018, a witness was on the stand testifying about Pulley during the trial. While counsel were participating in a bench conference with the presiding judge, Pulley mouthed the words “I’ll kill you” to the witness, which was seen by a Deputy U.S. Marshal.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, a/k/a Tana and Tanner, age 23, and his brother, Terrell Sivells, a/k/a Rell, age 27, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to life in prison on February 15 and April 26, 2019, respectively. Timothy Floyd, a/k/a Tim Rod, age 28, of Baltimore, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on July 19, 2019. Co-defendants Brandon Wilson, a/k/a Ali, age 24, and Taurus Tillman, a/k/a Tash, age 30, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 1 and May 21, 2019, respectively. Two other co-defendants, John Harrison, a/k/a Binkie, age 28, and Linton Broughton, a/k/a Marty, age 25, both from Baltimore, were sentenced to life in prison and to 30 years in prison, respectively, on March 15, 2019. Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison.
Another defendant, Roger Taylor, a/k/a Milk, age 28, of Baltimore, a fugitive since July 2017, was arrested on June 30, 2019, and is now awaiting trial. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case was advanced by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for His Part in Three Separate KidnappingsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON- Jesse Nunn, 24, of Maryland, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison for his part in three separate kidnappings over the course of three weeks in Northwest Washington.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) made the announcement.
Nunn pled guilty on May 10, 2019, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to three counts of kidnapping. The Honorable Trevor N. McFadden sentenced Nunn on September 19, 2019, to a 10-year prison term, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 15, 2018, Nunn and his co-defendant lured Complaining Witness (“CW”) #1 into his car in the 1300 block of U Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., with the promise of selling him narcotics. When CW #1 entered the car, Nunn produced a handgun and pointed it at CW #1, demanding the victim’s debit/credit card, cellphone, and U.S. Currency. During the course of the kidnapping, the defendants drove to various financial institutions and other store locations, crossing state lines, in an attempt to use CW #1’s debit/credit cards to obtain U.S. Currency. At one point, Nunn also punched CW #1, causing minor injuries. CW #1 was eventually able to escape from the vehicle and flag-down a passing driver.
On July 27, 2018, in the 600 block of U Street, N.W., Nunn and two co-defendants lured CW #2 into their car with the promise of selling him narcotics. CW #2 willingly got into the defendants’ vehicle so that the defendants could take him to an ATM to get money for the purchase of the narcotics. The defendants drove CW #2 to a 7-Eleven ATM located in Bladensburg, MD, so that CW #2 could use the ATM machine to withdraw U.S. currency to purchase narcotics from the defendants. When CW #2 and one of the co-defendants returned to the vehicle, Nunn produced a handgun and pointed the weapon at CW #2. The defendants demanded CW #2’s debit/credit card, cellphone, and U.S. currency. The defendants forcibly took CW #2 to various locations, including locations outside of the District of Columbia, to use or attempt to use CW #2’s debit/credit cards for money or other personal property. CW #2 was eventually able to escape from the vehicle in Virginia.
On August 4, 2018, at approximately 2:30 am, CW #3 left a nightclub located in the 1300 block of U Street, N.W. to catch an Uber home. Believing Nunn’s vehicle to be his Uber, CW #3 entered the vehicle, in which Nunn was seated in the rear seat. Within minutes of CW #3 getting into the vehicle for his ride home, Nunn demanded CW #3’s phone and wallet and then produced and pointed a handgun at CW #3. Nunn and his co-defendant drove CW #3 around and demanded that CW #3 give them his PIN number for his debit/credit card. CW #3 was eventually able to escape from the vehicle in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Dunham, and Chief Newsham praised the work of the FBI Violent Crime Safe Streets Task Force, which is charged with investigating the most egregious acts of violent crime impacting the Capital Region Task Force, which involved members from the FBI and MPD. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Teesha Tobias, former Paralegal Specialist Jeannette Litz, and Victim/Witness Specialist Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they commended the outstanding work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who indicted and prosecuted the case.
MS-13 Gang Member and Associate Sentenced for Violent AssaultRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Falls Church men were sentenced today to a combined six years in prison for their roles and participation in a violent gang-related assault of a victim with multiple bats.
“Barrera and Melendez both participated in a violent assault whose reasons were as senseless as the brutality of the crime itself,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “MS-13 follows a warped code of violence to enforce the gang’s rules, and seeks to instill fear in those who would dare cross them. The involvement of Barrera and Melendez demonstrate their contempt for the law and their total disregard for the safety of the people who make up this community. I want to thank our investigative partners for their terrific work on this case, working to bring these violent criminals to justice. Hopefully, this lengthy sentence will achieve some measure of justice for the victim and his family, who have suffered the awful consequences of MS-13’s violent ideology and practice.”
According to court documents, in October 2018, Kevin Barrera Barrera, 20, a paro to the Silvas clique of MS-13, and Denis Oklides Martinez Melendez, 20, a member of the Chilangueras clique of MS-13, conspired with several other members and associates of MS-13 to lure the victim to James Lee Park, in Falls Church, so that they could assault the victim. Barrera, Melendez, and other members and associates of MS-13 believed the victim was cooperating with law enforcement, falsely representing himself as a member of MS-13, and disparaging the Silvas clique of MS-13. After luring the victim to the park under false pretenses, Barrera, Melendez, and approximately 10 other members and associates of MS-13 beat the victim with bats, fists, and feet for approximately three minutes. As a result of the beating, the victim suffered multiple broken limbs and was hospitalized for several days.
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates that the FBI and the Department of Justice will work to ensure that our message is clear: We will not tolerate this brutal and pointless violence in our community,” said Timothy M. Dunham, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division. “The FBI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively disrupt gang activity to prevent other acts of violence at the hands of MS-13.”
Martinez Melendez was sentenced to more than three years in prison, and Barrera was sentenced to three years in prison.
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, 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. Attorneys Nicholas U. Murphy II and Cristina Stam prosecuted the case.
This matter was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force which is composed of FBI Agents, Agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, along with task force officers from the Fairfax County Police, the Prince William County Police, the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Department, the Leesburg Police Department, the Alexandria City Police Department, the Vienna Police Department, the Fairfax City Police Department, and the Herndon Police Department. The task force further coordinates its efforts with ATF, USMS and DEA, FBI-Baltimore, along with law enforcement officers from Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, Maryland The task forces is charged with identifying, disrupting and dismantling the most egregious gangs operating in the Capital Region which includes MS-13, a transnational violent gang.
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-129.
Long-Time Private Investigator Sentenced for Practice of Making Pretextual Phone CallsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On September 9, 2019, Keven Lawrence Cody McCleve, 61, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to three years’ probation and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. McCleve was also ordered to give up all professional licenses and not acquire any professional license while on probation.
McCleve worked as a licensed private investigator for over 30 years. During this time period, he developed a practice of making phone calls to banks and other financial institutions and lying about his identity. He made pretextual calls in an attempt to obtain personal banking information about individuals he was investigating. McCleve often provided a bank with an individual’s social security number, date of birth, and other personally identifiable information in an effort to convince the bank McCleve was that particular individual. In response, banks then frequently provided personal information about the individual’s bank accounts, including account balances, and recent withdrawals and deposits.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Andy Stone, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix
Liberation Way Doctor Involved in Addiction-Treatment Health Care Fraud Scheme Sentenced to 3+ Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – First Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Arbittier Williams announced that Domenick Braccia, 58, of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 37 months’ incarceration, one year supervised release, 150 hours of community service, a $15,000 fine and ordered to pay $2,484,864 in restitution by United States District Judge Wendy Beetlestone. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in May 2019, arising from his role in a scheme to overbill health care benefit programs for treatment and testing of drug-addicted patients at outpatient facilities owned by Liberation Way.
Domenick Braccia was the so-called “medical director” and the only medical doctor on staff at Liberation Way’s three locations in Yardley, Bala Cynwyd, and Fort Washington. In violation of his oath as a doctor, and as part of a multi-state scheme to defraud insurers, Braccia signed blank prescription forms and patient orders, averred to the medical necessity of testing for patients whom he never saw, and prescribed for patients he did not see.
“We have consistently said that this case should send a message to those attempting to profit from fraud and the despair of individuals battling addiction,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Williams. “With this sentence, that message has been delivered in a powerful and concrete way. Dominick Braccia is through practicing medicine and is going to prison. We have been proud to work with the Office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Shapiro and our other federal agency partners to bring all of the defendants in this case to justice.”
“The operators of Liberation Way shamelessly took advantage of people suffering from substance use disorder to line their own pockets,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “As Medical Director, Dr. Braccia played a significant role in this fraud and betrayed the patients he was supposed to be helping. I’m proud that through collaboration with our federal law enforcement partners, we held him accountable for his despicable actions today, and we will continue to do the same with the remaining Liberation Way defendants.”
The case was investigated with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Labor. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy Beam Winter and Special Assistant United States Attorneys Kristy Christ and Robert Labar of the AG’s Office.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in a Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Nathanael Peguero, 27, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday to conspiracy to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between November and December of 2016, a DEA Task Force Officer (“TFO”) made arrangements with Peguero to purchase fentanyl. The undercover officer made a series of five undercover purchases of fentanyl from Peguero or members of Peguero’s drug trafficking organization.
Peguero is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2020.
“Interstate fentanyl trafficking endangers the health and safety of the citizens of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to protect our community, we will aggressively prosecute those who are responsible for distributing this deadly drug in the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Hampton Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Davis.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Kalispell man, two California residents charged with methamphetamine traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA--The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that a Kalispell man and two persons from California appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto on criminal complaints charging them with methamphetamine trafficking crimes.
John Patrick Figueroa Araujo, 53, of Kalispell, Kristal Patricia Leonard, 34, of Huntington Beach, CA, and John Murray Barry, 39, of Palmdale, CA, are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and with possession with intent to distribute. If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. All defendants were detained pending further proceedings.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Court documents filed in the case said investigators arrested the defendants on Sept. 18 as they were driving separately and that search warrants executed on their vehicles revealed approximately 31.5 pounds of methamphetamine, which is the equivalent of about 114,156 doses.
The case was investigated by the Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Montana Highway Patrol, Missoula County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Polson Police Department, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Police Department, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Kalispell Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Border Patrol and Two Bear Air. Pacer case reference. 19-61.
If this case is of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of it through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Jury Convicts Tulsa Man of Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
On Thursday, a federal jury convicted Ira Lee Wilkins, 38, of Tulsa, for being a felon in possession of a Hi-Point C9 9 mm pistol and associated ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
“Felons who possess firearms pose a threat to the safety and security of our community. This prosecution was a part of our Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. I am thankful for the service of the jurors. They rendered their verdict, and Mr. Wilkins was found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “The evidence in this case was strong, including a Tulsa Police officer’s body-worn camera. I commend the work of the investigative agencies and federal prosecutors who pursued justice in this case.”
In May 2019, a local business contacted authorities after a disturbance involving the defendant. Officers from the Tulsa Police Department answered the call and discovered that Wilkins had outstanding warrants and was previously convicted of multiple felonies. Upon his arrest, officers found the loaded pistol in his front pants’ pocket.
The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Proctor and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.
Jacksonville Brothers Sentenced for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Corrigan has sentenced Allen Pernell Branch (32, Jacksonville) to five years and six months in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine. Branch’s brother, Brian Nathaniel Branch (33, Jacksonville), was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison for distributing crack cocaine and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Allen Branch had pleaded guilty on April 23, 2019, and Brian Branch had pleaded guilty on June 10, 2019.
According to court documents, Allen and Brian Branch, both previously convicted felons, were associated with a drug house on West 22nd Street in Jacksonville. On two occasions, Allen Branch cooked powder cocaine into crack cocaine and then sold it to a confidential informant who was working at the direction of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). On another occasion, Brian Branch sold crack cocaine to the confidential informant at an apartment in Arlington. During that transaction, Brian Branch displayed a pistol to the confidential informant. The pistol was recovered when ATF raided the apartment. Brian Branch’s previous felony convictions include possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, aggravated assault, possession of cocaine (four times), and attempted robbery. As a previously convicted felon he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Sept. 16 was:
Lisa Marie Skunkcap, 36, of Browning, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Skunkcap faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Skunkcap was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-60.
If the above case is of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor its progress through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Henderson Pair Charged in Federal Court after Vance County Deputies InjuredRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces the arrest of two defendants pursuant to Federal Criminal Complaints for federal narcotics offenses. The arrests occurred after law enforcement attempted to serve a search warrant in Henderson, North Carolina. The defendants injured four Vance County Deputy Sheriffs, in their attempt to flee the area where the search warrant was being executed.
JASMELE ROBINSON, 36, of Henderson, is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with the intent to distribute heroin, and maintaining a premises for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing heroin, and aiding and abetting. If convicted of these charges, ROBINSON could be sentenced to at least five years’ imprisonment up to life, and up to five years supervised release following any term of imprisonment. KRISHANA WILLIAMS, 30, of Henderson, was charged with maintaining a premises for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing heroin, and aiding and abetting. She faces up to twenty years’ imprisonment and up to three years of supervised release.
The charges and allegations contained in the Criminal Complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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.
This case is also part of 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 on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, and the Henderson Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Dodson is handling the case for the government.
Hazleton Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kevin Charles Brown, age 39, of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on September 19, 2019, to 240 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for distribution and possession with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, more than 280 grams of cocaine base (crack), and fentanyl (one kilogram is equivalent to approximately 40,000-50,000 individual doses).
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Brown previously pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy during 2015 and 2016. Brown rented a residence on East Birch Street in Hazleton where he and multiple other individuals distributed heroin, crack cocaine and fentanyl to customers on a daily basis. Brown also admitted that he possessed a firearm in connection with his drug distribution activities.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Gunman Gets 8 Years for Aurora Post Office RobberyRead the Press Release
DENVER – United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn announces that Willie Dewayne Phillip was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for holding two postal clerks at gunpoint and stealing cash from the registers. The defendant was sentenced this week in Denver by United States District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson. At the conclusion of his prison sentence, Phillip will serve 5 years of supervised release.
According to the plea agreement and facts presented at sentencing, Phillip robbed a Post Office in Aurora on November 8, 2018. While wearing a balaclava and gloves, he pointed a handgun at two postal clerks and then pointed the weapon at a postal customer. Phillip ordered the clerks to lie down and tie their hands together with zip ties. One clerk froze, while the other complied with the order. Phillip then opened the clerks’ registers and emptied more than $5,000 into a bag. He then checked the Post Office safe and fled the scene on foot.
Following the robbery, officers recovered the balaclava and gloves and sent them to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s Denver Forensic Science Laboratory for processing. Forensic examination revealed Phillip’s DNA on both items. After a swift investigation by Postal Inspectors, Phillip was indicted on December 4, 2018. He evaded law enforcement for about a month until Postal Inspectors, with the assistance of ATF personnel, tracked Phillip to a residence in Denver, where Phillip barricaded himself inside. Phillip surrendered to officers with the Denver Police Department’s Fugitive Location and Apprehension Group, Metro/SWAT/K9 Section, who had surrounded the home.
“Thanks to the diligent work of our the Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners, a dangerous criminal is off the street,” said United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn. “My office will work tirelessly to hold violent criminals accountable, especially when they threaten public servants.”
“Anyone who chooses to endanger USPS employees or our customers will bring to bear the full power of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service,” said Bill Hedrick, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This investigation was a shining example of how Postal Inspectors utilized our strong working relationships with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to bring a swift resolution to this case. Protection of USPS employees and customers is an integral part of our mission, and we are pleased to see justice was served with today’s sentence,” said Hedrick.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Aurora Police Department, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Colorado Bureau of Investigation – Denver Forensic Science Laboratory, and the Denver Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca Weber and Sarah H. Weiss prosecuted this case.
CASE NO. 18-cr-0556
Georgia Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy, Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the Pennsylvania Medicaid program, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Luis Columbie-Abrew, 33, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
During his plea hearing, Columbie-Abrew admitted that he was an employee of Moriarty Consultants, Inc. (MCI), one of four related entities operating in the home health care industry. The other three entities were Activity Daily Living Services, Inc. (ADL), Coordination Care, Inc. (CCI), and Everyday People Staffing, Inc. (EPS). MCI, ADL, and CCI were approved under the Pennsylvania Medicaid program to offer certain services to qualifying Medicaid recipients ("consumers"), including personal assistance services (PAS), service coordination, and non-medical transportation, among other services. Between in and around January 2011 and in and around April 2017, MCI, ADL, and CCI, collectively, received more than $87,000,000 in Medicaid payments based on claims submitted for these services, with PAS payments accounting for more than $80,000,000 of the total amount.
During that time, Columbie-Abrew admitted that he participated in a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud the Pennsylvania Medicaid program for the purpose of obtaining millions of dollars in illegal Medicaid payments through the submission of fraudulent claims for services that were never provided to the consumers identified on the claims, or for which there was insufficient or fabricated documentation to support the claims. The Court was further advised that Columbie-Abrew conspired with, among others, Arlinda Moriarty, the owner of MCI, ADL, and EPS; Daynelle Dickens, the owner of CCI and Arlinda Moriarty’s sister; various office workers at the companies, including Julie Wilson, Tamika Adams, Tony Brown, Terra Dean, Larita Walls, Keith Scoggins, and Tia Collins; attendants at MCI, including Tionne Street; and Terry Adams, a consumer.
As part of the conspiracy, Columbie-Abrew admitted that co-conspirators fabricated timesheets to reflect the provision of in-home PAS care they provided to consumers but that, in fact, never occurred. In addition, at Arlinda Moriarty’s direction, certain co-conspirators, including Columbie-Abrew, stopped using their own names as the attendant on timesheets and instead used the names of "ghost" attendants, some of whom permitted their names to be used in exchange for a kickback of resulting fraudulent salary payments.
Columbie-Abrew also admitted that he and other co-conspirators submitted false timesheets for PAS care they never provided during times when they were actually working at other jobs or living out of the area. Specifically, Columbie-Abrew admitted that during the conspiracy—from approximately early 2011 through approximately mid 2017—he caused the submission of false timesheets for care of two consumers who resided in Pennsylvania, despite the fact that Columbie- Abrew lived permanently in Georgia. In total PA Medicaid reimbursed Moriarty-related entities approximately $315,000 for purported care of these two consumers.
Columbie-Abrew further admitted that Arlinda Moriarty directed co-conspirators to bill the maximum allowable PAS and service coordination hours for consumers to maximize profits and to ensure that the state did not require MCI, ADL, and CCI to forfeit underutilized consumer hours. Many consumers had no knowledge that their personally identifiable information was being used to bill Medicaid for benefits that the consumers had not exhausted. Moreover, the Court was further advised during the plea hearing that, as part of the conspiracy, Arlinda Moriarty directed employees to fabricate documentation during the course of state audits.
The conspiracy and health care fraud charges each carry a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. The aggravated identity theft charges carry a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to run consecutively with any sentence imposed on any other charge and a fine of no more than $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
To date, a total of 16 defendants have been charged in connection with this investigation. Columbie-Abrew is the fifth defendant to enter a guilty plea. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Assistant United States Attorneys Eric G. Olshan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Edward Song are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation of the defendants.
Fulton County Man Sentenced to over 17 Years’ Imprisonment for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Clay Aaron Rasp, age 34, of McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday to 210 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, for distribution of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, in April 2019, Rasp pled guilty to distributing child pornography between January 2017 to July 2017, in McConnellsburg. During Rasp’s sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Conner noted Rasp’s efforts to lure an eleven-year-old child from Washington State to produce pornography for him as a factor in the 210-month sentence.
The Lower Heidelberg Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Fort Smith, Arkansas Businessman Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, AR – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Donald Tankersley, age 76, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, has pleaded guilty to an information on two counts of Tax Fraud. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks accepted the plea in the United States District Court in Fayetteville on September 19, 2019.
According to court records, Tankersley is the owner of the White Dairy Ice Cream Company, Inc. (WDIC). WDIC also includes Tankersley Food Service, which supplies food to restaurants, schools, and government entities. WDIC is a corporation located in the Western District of Arkansas. IRS investigators discovered a fraudulent scheme in which Tankersley siphoned funds from WDIC by having checks created from WDIC accounts and made out to non-existent trucking companies. Tankersley collected and deposited the checks into his personal bank accounts, or directed others to either deposit the checks into his personal bank accounts or cash the checks for his personal use. In 2013, Tankersley falsified the corporate tax returns for WDIC by causing the checks to non-existent trucking companies to be listed as corporate expenses. This reduced the corporate tax liability for WDIC and caused a tax loss for the 2013 WDIC corporate tax return. Also in 2013, Donald Tankersley did not report the checks listed above as personal income, despite many of them being deposited into his personal bank accounts. This false omission from his personal tax returns also caused a tax loss. According to court records, Tankersley has agreed to pay restitution to the IRS for a total tax loss of $188,198.
Tankersley’s sentence will be determined later by the court. In this case, Tankersley faces a maximum sentence of 3 years in prison for each count.
The investigation was conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation. First Assistant United States Attorney Clay Fowlkes is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Former Treasurer of Police Charity Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LORRAINE SHANLEY pled guilty today to bank fraud and subscribing to false and fraudulent individual income tax returns in connection with fraudulently obtaining over $400,000 from a charity providing support to the families of New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers killed in the line of duty. SHANLEY also agreed to forfeit more than $400,000 in criminal proceeds. SHANLEY pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As she admitted today, Lorraine Shanley exploited the NYPD officers and employees who generously made charitable donations to support the survivors of fallen officers. Thanks to the investigative work of the IRS and special agents from our Office, Shanley will be held responsible for her actions, and will forfeit her ill-gotten gains.”
According to the allegations in Information to which LORRAINE SHANLEY pled guilty, public court filings, and statements made in court:
For many years, from 2010 to 2017, SHANLEY served as a volunteer treasurer for a charity that provides financial support to the families of NYPD officers killed in the line of duty (“Charity-1”). During that time period, Charity-1 received approximately $1.9 million in donations, over 99% of which came from NYPD employees, from an average of 5,500 NYPD employees per year.
SHANLEY was an authorized signatory on Charity-1’s bank account and credit card, and was authorized to use them for Charity-1’s operations. But SHANLEY also used the bank account and credit card to benefit herself and her family members. From 2010 to 2017, SHANLEY fraudulently obtained over $400,000 from Charity-1’s coffers, taking money for herself and relatives, and paying for various personal expenditures such as private school tuition for her grandchild, legal services, dental bills, landscaping, and entertainment.
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SHANLEY, 69, of Staten Island, New York, pled guilty to one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and six counts of subscribing to false and fraudulent individual income tax returns, which each carry a maximum term of 3 years in prison. As a condition of her plea, SHANLEY also agreed to forfeit $406,851 and to pay restitution of $406,851 to Charity-1 and $103,983 to the IRS.
SHANLEY is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Stein on December 19, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.
Mr. Berman praised the Internal Revenue Service and special agents with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their outstanding work.
The maximum and mandatory minimum 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.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Brett M. Kalikow is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Scottsdale Resident Sentenced to 42 Months for Securities FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa sentenced William “Lance” Mullins, 50, formerly of Scottsdale, Ariz., to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The Court also ordered Mullins to pay more than $2.8 million in restitution to 125 victim shareholders. Mullins had previously pleaded guilty to engaging in fraudulent interstate securities transactions.
Mullins was involved with a Tempe, Ariz.-based technology company called Xhibit Corporation, whose stock was publicly traded on the over-the-counter market and which merged with the airplane catalog SkyMall in May 2013. In 2012 and 2013, before the SkyMall merger, Mullins and others made misrepresentations about the company when recruiting investors. They also engaged in manipulative trading of Xhibit stock that is prohibited by U.S. securities laws and regulations. Their prohibited trading activities artificially inflated Xhibit’s stock price and made it falsely appear that there was more demand for the stock. Because of these actions and other events, Xhibit’s stock price rose sharply, from less than a dollar in early 2012 to a peak of more than seven dollars in May 2013, and then fell just as quickly. Mullins made more than $1 million from selling much of his own stock before the stock price dramatically fell, while unknowing shareholders lost millions.
Two others pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud in related cases and were sentenced in June 2019. Nicolas Russo, Jr., 72, of Fountain Hills, Arizona, and Larry Eiteljorg, 70, of Scottsdale, Arizona, were sentenced to probation and ordered to pay restitution after cooperating with the government’s investigation.
“Mr. Mullins was the mastermind of this market manipulation scheme and the 42-month prison sentence Mullins received should send a strong message of deterrence to criminals committing securities fraud in Arizona,” said Sean Kaul, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Phoenix Division. “We are pleased that all defendants have been ordered to pay restitution to the victims. The FBI will continue to work aggressively with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who commit complex financial crimes. We thank the Arizona U.S. Attorney’s office for their work in prosecuting this case.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Bridget Minder and Peter Sexton, Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
Former New Castle Police Officer Charged with Deprivation of Civil RightsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa – A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of deprivation of civil rights, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on September 19 and unsealed today, named Ronald Williams, 40, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about April 23, 2018, Williams, at the time a police officer of the New Castle Police Department, willfully deprived an individual identified as P.L. of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure by repeatedly slamming P.L.’s face into a floor surface, without justification, thereby causing bodily injury to P.L.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Former Carlisle Man Sentenced to Eight Years’ Imprisonment for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jordan James, age 22, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 96 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner, for distribution of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, in May 2019, James pled guilty to distributing child pornography between May 2017 to May 2018, when he resided in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Consiglio prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Former CEO of Two Bellevue IT Companies Sentenced to 7+ Years in Prison for Mail Fraud and Failure to Pay more than $1 Million in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
The former CEO of two Bellevue, Washington information-technology (IT) firms was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 87 months in prison for mail fraud and tax crimes related to a multi-year visa-fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. PRADYUMNA KUMAR SAMAL, 50, a citizen of India, was arrested in August 2018 when he arrived on an international flight at Sea-Tac Airport. Prior to the arrest, SAMAL had fled the U.S. in the midst of the visa fraud investigation. He has been in custody since his arrest last year. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said “Based on your time in the U.S. you have basically defrauded everyone you could defraud…. It is clear you have not followed the law since you came to this country. You engaged in an extensive scheme…. This was driven by greed: nothing more, nothing less.”
“This was the largest and most sophisticated H-1B visa fraud scheme we have prosecuted in Western Washington,” said U.S. Attorney Brian Moran. “The fraud harmed the workers who wound up far from home, essentially “benched” by the company, with no pay and no job. It harmed foreign workers who legitimately sought, but could not get visas, and it harmed U.S. workers who were excluded from employment opportunities.”
According to records filed in the case, two companies incorporated by SAMAL in 2010 and 2011, engaged in a scheme sometimes referred to as a “bench-and-switch” scheme, to exploit foreign-national workers, compete unlawfully in the market, and defraud the U.S. government. According to the investigation that began in 2015, SAMAL served as the Chief Executive Officer of ‘Divensi’ and ‘Azimetry.’ Both companies were in the business of providing information-technology workers, such as Software Development Engineers, to major corporate clients. SAMAL submitted, and directed his employees to submit, forged and false application materials to the United States government, making it appear as if foreign-national employees named in the petitions had been earmarked for projects contracted to SAMAL’s companies by end clients. In fact, these project assignments were fictitious. The forged documents included forged letters and fraudulent statements of work, which appeared as if they had been signed by senior executives at SAMAL’s clients. After USCIS relied on the false representations and approved the applications, SAMAL’s companies “benched” the foreign nationals – i.e., the companies left those foreign nationals unpaid, and forced them to submit phony sick and annual leave requests – until and unless they were able to place those employees at actual end clients.
More than 250 workers were brought in under the phony applications. The employees were forced to pay SAMAL’s companies a partially-refundable “security deposit” of as much as $5,000 for the visa filings, regardless of whether they were assigned to any projects that provided them with income.
"This sentence punishes a sophisticated offender who fraudulently manipulated the U.S. visa process to exploit foreign-national workers, compete unlawfully in the market, and defraud the U.S. government,” said Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, San Francisco Field Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service is committed to ensuring the integrity of the visa process, securing the homeland, and protecting the American work force.”
Not only did SAMAL’s companies fail to pay the clients, it failed to pay more than $1 million in employment taxes. SAMAL has agreed to pay restitution of $1,119,867 for the tax loss. In addition Judge Robart imposed a $10,000 fine.
“Mr. Samal exploited foreign nationals for personal gain while also stealing $1.1 million from his employees' payroll withholdings to fund his luxury car, his mortgage, and his personal accounts in India,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “IRS-Criminal Investigation continues to prioritize employment tax fraud in order to protect hard-working employees and serve honest taxpayers.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Siddharth Velamoor and Michael Dion.
Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Law Enforcement Conduct “Operation Fall Clean up” to Clear Warrants for Violent Offenses as Part of Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
• 67 violent felony fugitives arrested in weeklong operation
• More than 650 guns taken off the streets in Rapid City since January 2018
• Gun-related prosecutions have increased 50 percent District-wide
• Shootings in Rapid City have declined dramatically since January 2018
RAPID CITY, SD – United States Attorney Ron Parsons and United States Marshal Dan Mosteller today announced a multi-agency law enforcement operation that resulted in dozens of arrests in the Rapid City area as part of the District of South Dakota’s renewed Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
For the past week, the U.S. Marshals have been working in collaboration with law enforcement officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration, Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Park Service, and South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation to track down and apprehend some of the Rapid City area’s most violent and persistent offenders with outstanding state and federal felony warrants for violent crimes, drug trafficking, and sex offenses.
The objective of "Operation Fall Clean Up," as designated by the U.S. Marshals Service, was to clear as many outstanding warrants for violent offenses from federal and state rolls as possible in order to make a positive impact on public safety for the entire Black Hills region.
The operation began in the early morning of Monday, September 16, 2019, and continued until the afternoon of Friday, September 20, 2019. By the end of the operation, deputy marshals and other law enforcement officers on the fugitive task force teams arrested 67 targeted fugitives with state or federal felony warrants for violent crimes, drugs, and sex offenses. And an additional 10 felony warrants were cleared for collateral subjects who were not initially targeted by the operation.
In all 77 federal and state felony warrants were cleared. The arrestees are among the most violent and active offenders in the Rapid City area. Investigations are currently underway to determine how many of those arrested in this operation will be charged in state or federal court with additional crimes.
"The resounding success of this operation is a testament to the courage, professionalism, and dedication of law enforcement officers at every level here in our state," said U.S. Attorney Parsons. "I want to thank all of the officers and agencies involved for removing these violent offenders from our communities and placing them in custody where they belong."
"This operation is an excellent example of what people can accomplish when they work together. In this endeavor, law enforcement has banded together to arrest the worst of the worst in our communities. They are locked up where they can no longer continue to commit violent crimes against our families, and especially our children," said U.S. Marshal Mosteller.
This warrant operation was conducted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated Project Safe Neighborhoods in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
At the beginning of 2018, U.S. Attorney Parsons designated Rapid City and the surrounding communities as the initial target area for the Department of Justice’s reinvigoration of Project Safe Neighborhoods in the District of South Dakota. Since that time, federal prosecutions of gun-related crimes in the District of South Dakota have increased by approximately fifty percent, with most of that increase coming from the District’s Western Division. The collective efforts of our law enforcement partners under Project Safe Neighborhoods have taken more than 650 guns off the streets in Rapid City alone since the beginning of 2018.
This focus on gun-related crimes has produced results. From 2017 to 2018, shootings in the Rapid City area declined significantly. According to the Rapid City Police Department, in 2017, there were a total of 50 non-fatal shootings in the Rapid City area. In 2018, that number decreased to less than 20, with the vast majority of those coming in the first quarter of 2018, when the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative was reinvigorated in Rapid City with the help of Rapid City Police Chief Karl Jegeris, Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom, and Pennington County State’s Attorney Mark Vargo. In the last three quarters of 2018, there were only five such shootings. This favorable trend has continued into 2019.
Law enforcement representatives at today’s Project Safe Neighborhoods press conference, held at the Public Safety Building in Rapid City, included:
Ron Parsons: U.S. Attorney, District of South Dakota
Dan Mosteller: U.S. Marshal, District of South Dakota
Jason Ravnsborg: Attorney General, State of South Dakota
Don Hedrick: Assistant Police Chief - Rapid City Police Department
Jeromey Smith: Pennington County Sheriff’s Office
Mark Vargo: Pennington County State’s Attorney
Jonathan Ortiz: ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge
Brett Garland: South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation
Brian Swets: Sergeant – South Dakota Highway Patrol
Leonard Her Many Horses: Lt. Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety
Estherville, Iowa Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while illegally possessing guns pled guilty September 20, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Dustin Julich, 35, from Estherville, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm. Julich was previously convicted of theft and burglary, and was prohibited from possessing firearms in Iowa.
At the plea hearing, Julich admitted that from about December 2015 through February 2019 he and others distributed over 1 kilogram of methamphetamine in the Estherville, Iowa area. During a search warrant of Julich’s truck and trailer, law enforcement seized approximately ½ pound of methamphetamine along with two guns.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Julich remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Julich faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment on the conspiracy conviction. On the firearm conviction, Julich faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by Estherville Police Department, Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-3010. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Ellwood City Felon Sentenced to 12½ Years in Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 150 months imprisonment and 5 years supervised release on his conviction of violating federal firearms and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Reggie B. Walton imposed the sentence on Derick Davare, age 32.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around 2015, and continuing thereafter to on or about October 22, 2018, Derick Davare conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. Additionally, on or about October 22, 2018, Derick Davare, being a convicted felon, illegally possessed a F.N. (FN Herstal) Five-Seven, 57 Caliber Pistol, a Sig-Sauer P226 9mm Pistol with an obliterated serial number, 5.7 x .28 ammunition and 9mm ammunition. He also possessed additional rounds of ammunition on August 28, 2018. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year to possess a firearm or ammunition.
As part of a related case, Derick Davare’s brother, Drake Davare, was also sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh last week. Drake Davare, 29, also of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to time served, which was approximately 15 months of imprisonment, and three years of supervised release by Senior United States District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab. Drake Davare was convicted of distribution of cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway and Marnie Sheehan-Balcon prosecuted these cases on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of the Davare brothers. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is comprised of members drawn from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
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Duo Found Guilty of Heroin Conspiracy After 4-Day TrialRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jerry Harris, age 38, of South Bend, Indiana and David Gibson, age 47, of Chicago, Illinois were found guilty, late September 19th, after a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Court Judge Jon DeGuilio, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
In March of 2018 Jerry Harris and Gibson were indicted for conspiracy to distribute heroin. The jury deliberated about three hours and found them both guilty of conspiring to distribute over a kilogram of heroin in the South Bend area. In an earlier case (United States v. Corey Harris, et al.), several individuals who sold heroin for Harris and Gibson pled guilty; some have been sentenced and others are awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “I have directed my Office to focus on individuals who distribute heroin and other dangerous opiate narcotics, especially in light of the opioid crisis that exists across the United States. This successful prosecution was the result of cooperative efforts throughout local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. We will aggressively investigate, prosecute and hold accountable those who flood our streets with these drugs to make our communities safer.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Jerry Harris and Gibson conspired with at least six others persons from that earlier case to sell heroin in and around the Miami Hills area of South Bend. The conspirators shared a cellphone that customers called to arrange purchases of heroin. The evidence showed that undercover law enforcement officers purchased heroin from members of the conspiracy on 28 separate occasions between March and October of 2017. Phone records show that the shared cellphones had over 80,000 contacts during the time of the conspiracy. The investigation included search warrants on five houses and cars. Harris and Gibson directed the sales conducted by those who sold heroin to the undercover officers.
Mr. Jerry Harris and Mr. Gibson are scheduled to be sentenced on January 30 of 2020. Both face a minimum of ten years to life incarceration. Gibson was recently convicted of carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime in Wyoming and is currently serving a twelve year sentence.
The case was investigated by the DEA and ATF with assistance from several local police agencies including the St. Joseph County Drug Investigation Unit, Indiana State Police, South Bend Police Department, Mishawaka Police Department, the Elkhart Police and ICE unit, the St. Joseph County Police Department and the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Molly Donnelly.
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Domestic Abuser Sentenced to 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – This week, Jose Moreno, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 84 months of imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release. Moreno had previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping and domestic assault by a habitual offender.
On August 11, 2017, Moreno physically prevented the victim, his domestic partner, from leaving their residence, and threatened harm if the victim did try to leave. On that date, and again between August 24 and 27, 2017, Moreno assaulted the victim, by striking and beating the victim. Moreno had previously been convicted of two domestic violence assaults involving other victims. The assault in this case occurred at a home in Tucson, on the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation. Moreno is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, and the victim is an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Micah Schmit and Adam D. Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson.
District Man Sentenced to 18-Month Prison Term for Sexually Assaulting Fellow Passenger After Getting Off a MetrobusRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Justin Quentin Taylor, 20, of the District, was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for sexually assaulting a stranger after the two got off a Metrobus, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Taylor pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in March 2019, to attempted third degree sexual abuse. He was sentenced by the Honorable Danya A. Dayson to 18 months in prison. Following his prison term, he will be placed on supervised release for seven years and will have to register as a sex offender for ten years.
According to the government’s evidence at the plea hearing, in the early morning hours of December 10, 2018, both Taylor and the victim were passengers on the same city bus. They did not know one another. They both got off the bus on 48th Street, N.E. in the District. While in the 1300 block of 48th Street N.E., the Taylor walked past the victim, then stopped directly in front of her and asked her for directions, asked whether he could use her phone and asked the woman whether she could help him with his “button.” Taylor then grabbed the woman, took down his pants and attempted to sexually assault her. She escaped and immediately notified the police. Taylor was stopped by Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers nearby a short while later, where they arrested him.
After his arrest, Taylor told detectives from MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit that he had intended to rape the victim. Taylor told the detective that he had done something similar in Prince George’s County, Maryland, when he was 18-years-old, and that he had served time in Maryland for that other incident.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, including MPD’s Sexual Assault Unit. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Brenda C. Williams and Victim/Witness Assistance Unit Supervisor Dr. Lorraine Chase. Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted this case.
Department of Justice Antitrust Division Announces Agenda and Panelists for Joint Agency Workshop on Competition in Labor Markets with the U.S. Federal Trade CommissionRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice has released the agenda and list of participants for its public workshop on the role of antitrust enforcement in labor markets and promoting robust competition for the American worker. The workshop will be the first in a two-part series hosted together with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.
The first workshop, which the Justice Department will host on Sept. 23, 2019, will cover a variety of labor competition issues, including, among other topics, anticompetitive no-poach and wage-fixing agreements, approaches to labor market definition, the role of employer collaboration and contractual arrangements between employers on competition for workers, labor monopsony in merger enforcement, and antitrust exemptions for union activity and collective bargaining. Panelists will discuss recent developments in the law, economic research, and policy proposals, as well as how to effectively develop cases challenging labor monopsony.
The agenda for the workshop includes a morning session from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and an afternoon session from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Details are as follows:
Morning Session
Opening Remarks
- Makan Delrahim, Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust, U.S. Department of Justice
Presentation: Economics of Labor Markets and Key Questions for the Workshop
- Ioana Marinescu, Assistant Professor, School of Social Policy & Practice, University of Pennsylvania
- Elena Prager, Assistant Professor of Strategy, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Panel 1: Approaching Labor Market Definition
Panelists will discuss how labor markets should be defined in antitrust analysis and the appropriate tools, methods and categories of information required for such analysis. The panel also will discuss market definition in merger and non-merger cases, and when antitrust enforcers should investigate labor monopsony theories in merger reviews.
- Orley Ashenfelter, Professor of Economics, Princeton University
- Patrick Greenlee, Economist, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice
- Dean Harvey, Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, LLP
- Kevin Murphy, Professor of Economics, Booth School of Business, University of Chicago
Afternoon Session
Afternoon Remarks
- Ramogi Huma, Executive Director, National College Players Association
Panel 2: Ancillarity, Collaborations and Contractual Arrangements: Assessing Antitrust Harm in Complex Business Settings
Restraints on worker mobility are not always purely horizontal or purely vertical, and they sometimes arise in complex business settings, including a variety of collaborations, that blur the lines between interbrand and intrabrand competition. The panel will explore recent developments in the case law and economic literature and discuss how antitrust enforcers should assess restraints on worker mobility, including restraints that arise within franchise systems and for workers in the “gig” economy.
- Rachel Brass, Partner, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Darrell Johnson, CEO, FranDATA
- Rahul Rao, Assistant Attorney General, Washington State Attorney General
- Marshall Steinbaum, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, University of Utah
- Randy Stutz, Vice President of Legal Advocacy, American Antitrust Institute
- Samuel Weglein, Managing Principal, Analysis Group, Inc.
Panel 3: Labor Unions and Collective Bargaining
The panel will address the latest developments in case law and public policy regarding statutory and non-statutory labor exemptions from the antitrust laws for collective bargaining and other union activity. Panelists also will discuss how the evolving status and classification of workers, including workers in the digital economy, dovetails with these labor exemptions.
- Jonathan Berry, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, U.S. Department of Labor
- W. Stephen Cannon, Constantine Cannon LLP
- Matthew Ginsburg, Associate General Counsel, AFL-CIO
- Jeffrey Kessler, Winston & Strawn LLP
- Derek Ludwin, Covington & Burling LLP
- Sanjukta Paul, Assistant Professor of Law, Wayne State University
Closing Remarks
- Ronald Drennan, Acting Economics Director of Enforcement
The Department of Justice invites comments from the public on the topics covered by this workshop. Interested parties may submit public comments online now through Oct. 23, 2019 at [email protected].
The workshop is free and open to the public and will take place in the DOJ Conference Center, Room 7411 of the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C., from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT on Sept. 23, 2019. A recording of the workshop will be available on the Antitrust Division’s website. Registration information, an agenda, directions to the event, and a list of speakers are available on the event webpage. Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to register in advance for the workshop here. Members of the press also should email [email protected]. Seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees should bring a valid government-issued photo ID (government badge, license, passport, etc.) and arrive in time to go through security.
Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. If you need such an accommodation, please contact Alexei Woltornist in the Office of Public Affairs at [email protected]. Such requests should include a detailed description of the accommodations needed and a way to contact you if we need more information.
The second day of the workshop will be hosted by the Federal Trade Commission and will focus on the legal, economic and consumer protection issues associated with the use of non-compete clauses in employment contracts. The workshop will examine the current state of economic research on the effects of non-compete clauses, and whether additional research would allow the agencies to better understand the short-term and long-term micro and macro effects of such clauses. The Federal Trade Commission will announce the date and agenda for the second workshop at www.ftc.gov.
DEA-Led Multi-Agency Investigation Dismantles Major New Mexico Poly-Drug Trafficking Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Twelve individuals are facing federal drug trafficking and firearms charges as the result of a two-year DEA-led multi-agency investigation into a major New Mexico-based poly-drug trafficking organization allegedly operating between Las Vegas, N.M., and Albuquerque, N.M., under the alleged leadership of Robert Padilla, 42, of Albuquerque. The investigation culminated this week when Padilla and eight other defendants were arrested yesterday and today by teams of federal, state, county, and local law enforcement officers.
U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson and Special Agent in Charge Kyle W. Williamson of the DEA’s El Paso Division announced the results of the investigation, which was designated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. OCDETF is a nationwide Department of Justice program that combines the resources and unique expertise of federal agencies, along with their local counterparts, in a coordinated effort to disrupt and dismantle major drug trafficking organizations.
Special Agent in Charge James C. Langenberg of the FBI Albuquerque Division, Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez, Jr., of the Phoenix Field Division of IRS-Criminal Investigation, and Special Agent in Charge Monique Y. Villegas of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) joined the U.S. Attorney and the DEA in announcing the results of the investigation.
In announcing the results of the investigation, U.S. Attorney Anderson said, “This investigation and resulting prosecutions are about taking control of our streets. The charges filed and drugs seized as the result of this investigation demonstrate the success of the collaborative efforts of our federal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies to root out drug traffickers operating in New Mexico. Through today’s law enforcement action sends a clear message to those who traffic drugs in our communities that they cannot commit crimes in New Mexico without consequence.”
“Drug trafficking organizations have preyed upon the citizens of Las Vegas, New Mexico, for far too long,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Williamson. “By having charges brought against these alleged drug traffickers, the DEA and its law enforcement partners are working to stop the harm, and to make the Las Vegas community a safer place to live and work.”
The charges against the defendants are the result of an investigation that began in 2017, and initially targeted Padilla, the alleged source of supply and leader of a drug trafficking organization operating in Las Vegas and Albuquerque that allegedly distributed cocaine, cocaine base (more commonly known as “crack”), heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement authorities seized or documented approximately 1.39 kilograms of cocaine, 567 grams of cocaine base, 160 grams of heroin, 2.68 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 2,000 fentanyl pills. Investigators also recovered more than 30 firearms and seized approximately $14,000 in cash.
The charges against the 12 defendants are contained in an indictment that was filed under seal by a federal grand jury on Sept. 11, 2019, and was unsealed yesterday. According to the indictment and other court filings, Padilla allegedly led a New Mexico-based drug distribution network operating in several locations, including Albuquerque and Las Vegas, that distributed cocaine, “crack,” methamphetamine, heroin and fentanyl. Court filings allege that Padilla’s co-defendants participated in the network by distributing illegal controlled substances for profit. The indictment also charges a defendant with violating the federal firearms laws by possessing a firearm and ammunition after having been convicted of multiple felony offenses.
“The members of this drug trafficking organization have been charged with distributing dangerous narcotics. IRS-CI is fully committed in assisting DEA and other law enforcement agencies to dismantle drug organizations by tracing and seizing the monies they earn from trafficking drugs,” stated IRS Special Agent in Charge Nevarez.
“ATF is committed along with our law enforcement partners to removing these career criminals off the streets,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Villegas. “We will use every means necessary to pursue and prosecute in federal court these violent criminals that try to victimize our community.”
Seven defendants who were arrested yesterday morning made their initial appearances in federal court in Albuquerque yesterday afternoon. Two other defendants were arrested today and will make their initial appearances in federal court on Monday. All nine arrested defendants will remain in federal custody pending detention hearings scheduled for next week. One other defendant is in state custody on unrelated charges, and will be transferred to federal custody to face the charges in the indictment. The remaining two defendants have yet to be arrested and are considered fugitives.
Summary of the Charges
Count 1 of the indictment charges all 12 defendants with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction varies for each defendant.
Count 2 of the indictment charges one defendant with distributing 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is not less than five years or more than 40 years in prison.
Counts 3 and 6 of the indictment charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction for each count is up to 20 years in prison.
Count 4 of the indictment charges a defendant with distribution of fentanyl. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is up to 20 years in prison.
Counts 5, 11, 14, 15, 16 and 18 of the indictment charge certain defendants with distribution of cocaine. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction on each count is up to 20 years in prison.
Counts 7 and 13 of the indictment each charge certain defendants with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction on each count is up to 20 years in prison.
Count 8 of the indictment charges one defendant with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is up to 10 years in prison. However, if the Armed Career Criminal Act is found to apply to the defendant, the maximum statutory penalty is not less 15 years or more than life in prison.
Count 9 the indictment charges a defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is not less than five years or more than 40 years in prison.
Count 10 the indictment charges a defendant with possession with intent to distribute heroin. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is up to 20 years in prison.
Count 12 of the indictment charges a defendant with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is not less 5 years or more than 40 years in prison.
Count 17 of the indictment charges a defendant with distribution of cocaine base. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is not less 10 years or more than life in prison.
Count 19 of the indictment charges certain defendants with distribution of cocaine base. The maximum statutory penalty on conviction is not less 5 years or more than 40 years in prison.
Charges Against Defendants
Robert Padilla, 42, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 3-5, 11-12, and 14-19. Padilla was arrested yesterday morning and is in custody.
Rose Ann Romero, 36, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in Count 1. Romero was arrested yesterday morning and is in custody.
Jonathan Vigil, 27, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in Count 1. Vigil was arrested yesterday morning and is in custody.
Robert Hockman, 35, of Rio Rancho, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, 2, and 10. Hockman was arrested earlier today and is in custody.
Marcos Ruiz, 40, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in Count 1 and 13. Ruiz is in state custody on other charges. He will be transferred into federal custody to face the charges in the federal indictment.
Luis Sanchez, 31, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in Counts 1, and 8-9. Sanchez was arrested yesterday morning and is in custody.
Ashley Romero, 27, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in count 1. Romero has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.
Tomas Sanchez, 36, of Albuquerque, N.M., is charged in counts 1, and 6-7. Sanchez was arrested yesterday morning and is in custody.
Amanda Silva, 33, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in counts 1 and 14. Silva was arrested yesterday morning and is in custody.
Sergio Valdez, 28, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in counts 1 and 11. Valdez has yet to be arrested and is considered a fugitive.
Genevive Atencio, 24, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in counts 1, and 18-19. Atencio was arrested yesterday morning and is in custody.
Janaya Atencio, 25, of Las Vegas, N.M., is charged in counts 1, and 18-19. Atencio was arrested earlier today and is in custody.
Charges in indictments are merely accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fugitives: Photos of the fugitives, Ashley Romero and Sergio Valdez are attached to this press release. Individuals with information about the whereabouts of Ashley Romero and Sergio Valdez are asked to contact the DEA at (505) 452-4500.
The Albuquerque office of the DEA led the investigation leading to the charges in the indictment. DEA received assistance with the investigation and apprehension of the defendants from several federal law enforcement partners, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS), U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services, and the El Paso and Las Cruces offices of DEA. DEA task force officers from the Albuquerque Police Department, Pueblo of Laguna Police Department, Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department, and Valencia County Sheriff’s Office also contributed along with the New Mexico State Police, New Mexico Region IV Narcotics High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, New Mexico Office of the Inspector General, San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, and Las Vegas (N.M.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristopher N. Houghton and Robert I. Goldaris are prosecuting the defendants as part of the OCDETF Program.
Costumed Crack Addict Sentenced to 12+ Years for Robbing 3 Banks and a Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. -A former resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of 12 years and seven months (151 months), to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of bank robbery and Hobbs Act robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior Judge Reggie B. Walton of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia imposed the sentence on Glenn Ford, age 60.
According to information presented to the court, on September 15, 2017, Ford robbed the Huntington Bank, on Smithfield St. wearing a long black curly wig, a long leather coat, and a sticker on his face covering his nose and mouth. He demanded $100 and $50 bills and received $2,340. On September 28, 2017, Ford robbed the same Huntington Bank. He attempted to conceal his face as he approached the same teller. Ford demanded $100, $50 and $20 bills and received $2370. The teller recognized Ford from the prior bank robbery and placed a dye pack with the money, which exploded as he fled.
On September 20, 2017, Ford, wearing a hat, a dress, a trench coat and caramel colored dress shoes, entered the Citizens Bank located on East Carson St. with a white plastic bag covering part of his face. He demanded money and received $2,950. He discarded his clothing after he exited the bank. The Court was further advised that on October 4, 2017, wearing a Darth Vader mask and black hoodie, Ford robbed the CoGo’s on East Carson Street with a knife and took $186.
Ford confessed to committing the robberies to support his crack addiction. He told officers about his efforts to clean and use the money damaged from the dye pack explosion. Ford took officers to recover the damaged money, as well as clothing and shoes from an abandoned house in Wilkinsburg, a short distance from his house.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Ford through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
Convicted Felon Found Guilty of Federal Firearm and Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Victor A. Brown, Jr., 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury yesterday of federal firearm and narcotics charges following a law enforcement search that uncovered drugs, a weapon, and ammunition in a residence located in the Petworth Neighborhood in Northwest Washington.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Brown was found guilty of possession of a firearm by a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on September 19, 2019. The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he could face a sentence of up to life in prison. He will be sentenced on December 11, 2019 by the Honorable Thomas F. Hogan.
According to the government’s evidence, on the evening of March 22, 2019, officers from MPD’s Fourth District Crime Suppression Team executed a search warrant at a rowhouse in the Petworth neighborhood. At the time the officers entered the residence, Brown was flushing marijuana down a toilet in a bathroom on the first floor of the residence. Inside of Brown’s bedroom nightstand, officers located a 9 millimeter pistol with an extended magazine loaded with ammunition. Officers also recovered fentanyl and cocaine base from on top of Brown’s bed and recovered various items used for drug distribution throughout his bedroom (including digital scales, ziplocs, a tray with residue, cutting agents, and razor blades). Officers also recovered more than $2,800 in U.S. currency on Brown.
“My Office’s top priority is the safety of the people who live in, work in, and visit Washington, D.C., and that means protecting them from the danger posed by illegal firearms. This case shows our commitment to doing just that. This defendant previously had been convicted of a serious crime and had no business possessing a firearm,” said U.S. Attorney Liu.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD officers involved in the arrest and prosecution of Brown. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Laura Crane of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, and Paralegal Specialist Rommel Pachoca.
Convicted Felon Arrested on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jason Yelder, 37, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40, and $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler, who is handling the case, stated in May 2017, Yelder pleaded guilty to a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five grams or more of methamphetamine and was sentenced to serve 20 months in prison and five years post-release supervision. The defendant was released from custody and supervision began on May 25, 2018.
On February 12, February 21, and April 23, 2019, Yelder was tested by U.S. Probation for drug screening. On each date, he tested positive for amphetamine. The defendant was instructed to report for further testing on April 29 and May 2, 2019. Yelder failed to report as directed and further broke off all contact with probation personnel. On April 26, 2019, a probation officer contacted the defendant’s mother who advised she did not know the whereabouts of her son. On May 3, 2019, an arrest warrant was issued for Yelder for a violation of supervised release.
On July 15, 2019, the defendant was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Serve and Buffalo Police at a hotel in downtown Buffalo. Yelder was found with 21 bags of suspected crystal methamphetamine, as well as numerous additional suspected controlled substances.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Charles Salina.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Container Ship Crewmembers Sentenced for Conspiring to Import over Three Tons of CocaineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – On September 19, 2019 United States District Judge Barry Ashe sentenced two Colombians, JHONNY RODRIGUEZ ALVAREZ, age 36, and ARIEL CALVO HENAO, age 52, two Ecuadorians, HECTOR RAFAEL GOMEZ LIMONES, age 38, VICENTE LOPEZ MERO, age 61, and four Peruvians JESUS JUSTO TASA CERVANTES, age 65, BORIS WISMARK VERGARA MONCADA, age 54, WALTER REYNALDO VIERA SULLON, age 45 and EDISON OMAR OTERO CRUZ, age 26, for conspiring to import 3,400 kilograms of cocaine into the United States. The sentencings took place over the last several weeks, with the final defendant being sentenced today.
All of the defendants were crewmembers aboard a container vessel that was traveling from Chimbote, Peru to Ensenada, Mexico, which is near the border with the United States. The U.S. Coast Guard interdicted the vessel in international waters south of Costa Rica. After extensive searching, law enforcement found a hidden compartment inside a ballast tank on the vessel. Inside the hidden compartment, law enforcement located approximately 3,400 kilograms of cocaine.
As part of the plea agreement, the crewmembers all acknowledged that after the vessel left port in Peru, it met up at sea with speedboats sent from near the Colombia/Ecuador border. The vessel crew used an onboard crane to load the tons of cocaine off of the speedboats and onto the deck of the container vessel. The crewmembers then moved the cocaine into a secret compartment that had been constructed specifically to hide the cocaine. The sophisticated compartment was secured with headless screws and covered with putty so that it was virtually impossible to detect.
Pursuant to the plea agreement with the United States, the crewmembers, many of whom claimed they were forced into participating in the smuggling operation by the individuals who organized the shipment, faced a statutory maximum sentence of sixty months. District Judge Ashe sentenced each of them to the statutory maximum term, as well as one year of supervised release.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the United States Coast Guard. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
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Colombian Narcotics Kingpin Sentenced to Prison for Bribing Former Federal Agent to Dismiss IndictmentRead the Press Release
A Colombian Cali Cartel cocaine trafficker was sentenced today to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release in the Southern District of Florida for bribing a former special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) to secure the dismissal of a drug trafficking indictment filed against him.
According to admissions in the plea agreement, Jose Bayron Piedrahita-Ceballos, 60, of Medellin, Colombia, offered and gave things of value to Christopher Ciccione II, 54, a former federal law enforcement agent, in exchange for Ciccione using his official position to cause a drug trafficking indictment against Piedrahita-Ceballos to be dismissed and to obtain official authorization for Piedrahita-Ceballos to enter the United States. At the time of the dismissal, Ciccione was the case agent for Operation Cornerstone, a large-scale Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case that resulted in indictments of over 100 Colombia-based cocaine traffickers from the Cali Cartel.
“This defendant was a drug kingpin who paid a Special Agent to bribe his way out of a criminal indictment,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As today’s sentence shows, the Department of Justice will work diligently to ensure that our justice system is never corrupted in this manner.”
“ICE takes responsibility in ensuring its employees have the trust of the American public,” said Special Agent in Charge Southeast Michael T. Moreland of ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). “To erode that trust, Mr. Piedrahita sought to use an employee for his personal gain and his sentence today conveys to other bad actors that ICE will not tolerate the exploitation of its employees or the American justice system.”
“This case demonstrates the power of collaboration between the U.S. law enforcement and our counterparts abroad,” said Department of Homeland Security Inspector General (DHS-OIG) Dr. Joseph V. Cuffari. “Today’s sentence constitutes a substantial step toward our commitment to thwart any scheme that attempts to corrupt the integrity of U.S. law enforcement personnel and circumvent our justice system.”
Piedrahita-Ceballos, an Operation Cornerstone defendant, and Colombian national Juan Carlos Velasco, 51, gave Ciccione approximately $20,000 in cash, dinner, drinks and prostitution during an extended hotel stay in Bogota, Colombia, in exchange for official acts that resulted in the dismissal of the indictment against Piedrahita-Ceballos. Velasco served as the intermediary between Ciccione and Piedrahita-Ceballos. Velasco and Ciccione have previously pleaded guilty for their conduct in this matter. On Feb. 9, 2018, Ciccione was sentenced to 36 months in prison. On Jan. 19, 2018, Velasco was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
In furtherance of this scheme to obstruct justice, Ciccione misled the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI management, and altered TECS records to secure the dismissal. Ciccone also falsified the concurrence of several other federal agents and attempted to obtain entry for Piedrahita-Ceballos into the United States.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Piedrahita as a Specially Designated Narcotics Trafficker pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act on May 3, 2016.
ICE-OPR, DHS-OIG and the FBI investigated the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the Office of the Judicial Attaché in Colombia and the Drug Enforcement Administration provided valuable assistance to the investigation. The Colombian Attorney General’s Office also provided invaluable support. Trial Attorney Jennifer A. Clarke of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section is prosecuting the case.
Chicopee Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was charged yesterday in federal court in Springfield with child pornography offenses.
Thomas Stemmer, 57, was indicted on one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Stemmer received and possessed child pornography during 2015.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chicopee Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was charged yesterday in federal court in Springfield with child pornography offenses.
Herve Plasse, 65, was charged in an indictment with one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Plasse received and possessed child pornography during 2015.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chester Methamphetamine Dealer with History of Crime Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison on Firearm and Narcotics ChargesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that John Bennett Roof, Jr., a/k/a “Brent Roof,” a/k/a “Ice Man”, age 34, of Chester, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Following the term of imprisonment, Roof will remain on federal supervised release for an additional 3 years. United States District Judge J. Michelle Childs of Columbia imposed the sentence.
Evidence presented in court established that on April 17, 2018, officers with the Chester Police Department Narcotics and Gang Unit and a Task Force Officer with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted a traffic stop of a Mazda sedan on West Elliott Street in Chester. Officers noticed a strong odor of marijuana and asked Roof, the only occupant of the vehicle, to step out of the car. A search of the car produced a 9mm handgun loaded with seven rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one in the chamber; 4.86 grams of methamphetamine; what appeared to be cocaine, hydrocodone, three ecstasy pills, and a jar of marijuana; and $560 in U.S. currency. Roof admitted the firearm and narcotics were his, that he is a methamphetamine dealer, that the pistol was stolen, and that he traded methamphetamine for the firearm.
Federal law prohibits Roof from possessing firearms and ammunition based upon multiple prior state convictions, including a 2008 conviction for distributions of marijuana, a 2012 conviction for distribution of a controlled substance, and a 2006 conviction for assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature related to an incident where Roof threw an infant on the ground, cracking the infant’s scull. In addition, Roof has at least five prior drug possession convictions from 2002 through 2018, and a 2016 conviction for criminal domestic violence. Roof has 16 outstanding charges in the state system. Evidence presented in court also indicated Roof is a validated member of a criminal street gang.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Chester Police Department and was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Elliott B. Daniels of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Carjacker Disguised as Law Enforcement Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
An armed carjacker who repeatedly disguised himself as a police officer has been ordered federal prison for 30 years, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Fernando Fabian Alvarez, 36, of Mexico, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn on Sept. 20 after an investigation led by the FBI Dallas Field Office.
“This Defendant exploited innocent citizens’ trust in law enforcement to commit acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “We will not tolerate criminals brazenly impersonating police.”
“Police officers are trusted members of the communities they serve. When someone impersonates an officer, it violates the trust our citizens have in law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno. “The FBI and its law enforcement partners encourage the public to report anyone they believe is a police impersonator. We will hold these individuals accountable for using a law enforcement uniform to harm others.”
In May, Mr. Alvarez pleaded guilty to carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in Addison, Texas.
According to his plea papers, Mr. Alvarez admitted that he and an accomplice, donning police uniforms and badges, approached their victim at an apartment complex, striking him in the face with a 9 millimeter pistol. They then placed the victims in handcuffs, bound his ankles, and stuffed him into his own car.
While the victim was restrained inside the vehicle, a Mercedes Benz sedan, his apartment was burglarized and his valuables – including cash, jewelry, a smartphone, and a pistol – were taken from him.
Mr. Alvarez admits he and his accomplice later drove the helpless victim to another part of the apartment complex and abandoned him next to a trash dumpster. Mr. Alvarez then abandoned the Mercedes Benz in a parking lot.
At the sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Lynn noted that in addition to the armed carjacking offense, Alvarez admitted in his plea papers to committing other violent offenses in the Dallas area, including:
• A home invasion in Frisco, Texas on December 20, 2016. Mr. Alvarez and two accomplices, all wearing police uniforms, confronted the homeowner in his garage, drawing pistols and shouting that they were the police. They then bound the homeowner, his wife, and his teenage sun at gunpoint, and took approximately $6,000 in cash and other valuables.
• A home invasion in Colleyville, Texas on January 26, 2017. Mr. Alvarez and his accomplices knocked on the house’s front door, announcing that they were U.S. Marshals. When the victim opened the door, they forced their way into the home at gunpoint, placed the victim in handcuffs, and took jewelry, clothing, a pistol, and an automobile.
• A home invasion in Duncanville, Texas on May 1, 2017. Mr. Alvarez and an accomplice confronted the homeowner in his garage at gunpoint and handcuffed him. The two robbers brought the homeowner inside his home and when the homeowner—believing that they were police officers—asked to see the search warrant, one of the robbers struck him twice in the head with a pistol. The pair then took jewelry, approximately $10,000 in cash, and a pistol from the victim.
Mr. Alvarez, a citizen of Mexico residing in the U.S. illegally, will likely face deportation proceedings after serving his sentence. He is ineligible for parole.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force, along with the Addison, Frisco, Colleyville, Duncanville, and Irving Police Departments, conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Gary Tromblay prosecuted the case
California Man Sentenced for Heroin OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on September 18, 2019, Jorge Alejandro Salazar Machado, age 28, was sentenced by United States District Court Senior Judge James E. Gritzner for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Salazar Machado was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by a five year term of supervised release.
In January 2019, Salazar Machado was arrested by Council Bluffs Police for possession of drug paraphernalia. A subsequent search warrant was executed on his vehicle. During the search, officers located two packages containing a total of 1,891.28 grams of heroin. Salazar Machado pleaded guilty to the charge in May 2019.
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Buffalo Man Sentenced for Narcotics ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Rogelio Mueses, 26, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, butyryl fentanyl, 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan T. Cullinane, who handled the case, stated that between January and May of 2018, the defendant conspired with another individual to distribute controlled substances. In particular, on six different dates, they sold controlled substances to an individual working with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Subsequent testing confirmed the presence of heroin, butyryl fentanyl, and 4-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, all of which are Schedule I controlled substances, and fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Being A Felon in Possession of A GunRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Willie C. Graham 38, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuel Ulubiyo, who is handling the case, stated that on October 8, 2018, during the execution of a state search warrant at the defendant’s residence on Foote Avenue in Jamestown, law enforcement officers recovered two firearms, ammunition, two magazines, a scope, a Kevlar vest, and a quantity of methamphetamine.
At the time of the search warrant, Graham was a two-time convicted felon, and as a result, he was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 29, 2020, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Brooklyn Man Indicted for Threatening Former State Court ProsecutorRead the Press Release
Scott Allan Smith was arraigned today before United States District Judge Raymond J. Dearie on an indictment charging him with threatening to murder the former state prosecutor who handled his criminal case. Smith was arrested on a complaint on August 6, 2019, and was remanded pending trial. If convicted, Smith faces up to five years’ imprisonment.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“As alleged, six months after he was released from prison, the defendant began threatening to kill the former state prosecutor who had handled a criminal case against him,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Threats against members of the criminal justice system who work to protect our communities will never be tolerated and those who commit such crimes will face the consequences.”
“A threat against anyone's life is unacceptable. However, when you threaten the life of an official who was representing the public and enforcing the law on behalf of law abiding citizens, as we allege Mr. Smith did here, you are attacking all of society,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “The consequence is prison, something Mr. Smith knows all too well.”
As alleged in court filings and proceedings, Smith was sentenced in Missouri to seven years in prison in October 2015 after pleading guilty to assault and felony restraint. Smith was released from the custody of the Missouri Department of Corrections on February 22, 2019.
On or about August 3, 2019, Smith called the former Callaway County, Missouri prosecutor in his criminal case and stated, in sum and substance, “You remember me, don’t you? I just want to tell you, you are about to die.”
Later that day, Smith sent the victim a series of threatening text messages, stating, in part, “5 years I’ve been waiting for what’s about to happen. I’ve fantasized about it every single night for years… My life for your life” and “I am a martyr for this.”
The defendant then concluded with a voicemail left on the victim’s telephone, stating he would “get the needle,” make “national news” and “every prosecutor in the United States would think twice about telling a lie in this country.”
The charge in the indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney John Vagelatos is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
SCOTT ALLAN SMITH
Age: 38
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-421 (RJD)
Boston Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Kyvon Ross, a/k/a Ky-von Ross, 20, of Boston, was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The indictment alleges that Ross possessed a Beretta .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition on May 31, 2019, in Boston. Ross was subsequently arrested and has been in custody since. Federal law prohibits Ross from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bisbee Bank Robber Sentenced to Nearly 9 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – This week, Gilbert Salaz, 52, of Benson, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 105 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Salaz previously pleaded guilty to one count of Armed Bank Robbery.
On April 28, 2017, Salaz walked into the Washington Federal Bank in downtown Bisbee, Ariz., pointed a gun at a teller and demanded money. Salaz fled the bank after the armed bank robbery, but was apprehended within 24 hours.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the prosecution was handled by Micah Schmit, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
Bellingham Woman who Stole $200,000 from Tribal Casino Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Bellingham, Washington woman who used her employee access to steal $200,000 from the Lummi Nation’s Silver Reef Casino was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to time-served (approximately 10 months in prison) and two years of supervised release, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. SHANNON MARIE MORRIS is a Lummi Tribal member and was an employee of the casino on November 24, 2018, when she stole $200,000 from the vault at the casino. Hours after the theft, MORRIS led law enforcement to where she had stashed the cash, but not before making a false report about a bomb in the casino that forced the evacuation of the casino and adjacent hotel. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted that MORRIS placed her young son in harm’s way and adversely impacted the lives of a lot of people due to the bomb scare.
According to records filed in the case, it was just before 3:00 AM on November 24, 2018 when MORRIS walked into the employee entrance at the rear of the casino and got another employee to let her into the cash vault. MORRIS filled a bag with four bricks of cash totaling $200,000 and told the employee in the vault not to push the panic button. MORRIS ran from the vault, got in her car and drove away. MORRIS called 9-1-1 claiming that a man with a gun had forced her to rob the casino and that the man claimed to have placed a bomb at the casino which he would trigger if she did not steal the money. MORRIS claimed the man had jumped out of her car with the money.
Because of the report of a bomb, law enforcement from the Lummi Nation, Bellingham and Ferndale Police Departments, the FBI and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department evacuated the hotel and casino. No bomb was located.
While being questioned by law enforcement, MORRIS’ statement changed over time: initially she claimed that a strange man with a gun held her and her child hostage and forced her to steal the money from the casino. Later she admitted she was alone in the vehicle with her child when she drove to the casino and stole the money. MORRIS led the investigators to the location in Ferndale where she had hidden the money near a tree at the side of the road.
While the money was recovered, the Lummi Nation still lost money due to the evacuation of the hotel and casino on a busy holiday weekend. The funds generated by the hotel and casino are used to provide services to the tribal members and their families.
On December 12, 2018, MORRIS was indicted for theft by an employee of a gaming establishment on Indian lands. She pleaded guilty to that charge on June 12, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Lummi Nation Police Department and the FBI, with assistance from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London
Bella Vista, Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty to Transport of A Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Cameron Nathaniel Robinson, age 21, of Bella Vista, Arkansas, entered a guilty plea to Transportation Of A Minor With Intent To Engage In Criminal Sexual Activity in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2423(a), punishable by not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleges that from on or about April 2, 2019, to on or about April 3, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, and elsewhere, the defendant, did knowingly transport E.F., an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years, in interstate commerce, with the intent that such individual engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Westville Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States.