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20 September 2019
Attorney General William Barr Announces U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady Appointed to AG’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott W. Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
"I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction," Attorney General William P. Barr said. "The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law."
"It is an honor to be selected by Attorney General Barr to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee," said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady. "I look forward to working closely with Attorney General Barr to help shape the Department of Justice’s crime fighting policies, and to guarantee the voices of western Pennsylvanians are heard in our nation’s capital."
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices. Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
U.S. Attorney Brady’s bio can be found at this link: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/meet-us-attorney.
Attorney General William Barr Announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II as One of New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II said, “I am honored that Attorney General Barr has appointed me to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. The Committee plays a central role in implementing new programs and policies for the Department of Justice. It is a privilege for me to be able to serve the Department and Attorney General in this manner.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch’s Bio can be found at this link:
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndin/meet-us-attorney
Attorney General Barr Appoints U.S. Attorney Nicholas Trutanich to Attorney General's Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of Nicholas A. Trutanich, U.S. Attorney for the District of Nevada, along with eight other U.S. Attorneys, to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). The following eight U.S. Attorneys were also named to serve on the AGAC: David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; and Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
The AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting the 93 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the nation.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
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Attorney General Barr Appoints U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of U.S. Attorney David L. Anderson as one of nine new U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). The other eight members include the following: Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas A. Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
“I am grateful to the Attorney General and to my teammates here in the Northern District of California,” Anderson said. “As the U.S. Attorney, I get the recognition. But it is a fact that our AUSAs and staff do the work.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
Attorney General Barr Appoints Nine New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.Attorney General Barr Appoints Nine New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
Attorney General Barr Appoints Nine New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC): David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores and five other U.S. Attorneys will continue serving on the committee.
“I am honored to continue to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee. Attorney General Barr is a dynamic leader with an unshakeable devotion to justice and the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “I will strive to represent with honor and integrity the Northern District of Oklahoma, as well as all of my U.S. Attorney colleagues in the Tenth Circuit. From reducing violent crime to combating elder fraud to confronting the opioid epidemic, the Attorney General’s priorities are my priorities. Together, we will do all we can to pursue justice for the American people.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Appoints Nine New U.S. Attorneys to Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Attorney General William P. Barr today announced the appointment of the following nine U.S. Attorneys to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC):
Zach Terwilliger, Eastern District of Virginia; David Anderson, Northern District of California; Scott Brady, Western District of Pennsylvania; Maria Chapa Lopez, Middle District of Florida; Halsey Frank, District of Maine; Erica MacDonald, District of Minnesota; Christina Nolan, District of Vermont; Tom Kirsch, Northern District of Indiana; and Nicholas Trutanich, District of Nevada.
“I am pleased to appoint these nine outstanding U.S. Attorneys to this key advisory committee. I am confident that they will serve with distinction,” said Attorney General Barr. “The U.S. Attorneys who comprise the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee play a critical role in carrying out the Department of Justice’s important work, including its efforts to reduce violent crime, combat the opioid crisis, protect the most vulnerable, and enforce the rule of law.”
The Attorney General also thanked the following U.S. Attorneys who have completed their terms and are rotating off the committee: Louis Franklin, Middle District of Alabama; Robert Higdon, Eastern District of North Carolina; John Huber, District of Utah; Rob Hur, District of Maryland; Jeff Jensen, Eastern District of Missouri; Andrew Lelling, District of Massachusetts; Joshua Minkler, Southern District of Indiana; Richard Moore, Southern District of Alabama; Bryan Schroder, District of Alaska; and David Weiss, District of Delaware.
Chaired by U.S Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jessie K. Liu, the AGAC represents the voice of the U.S. Attorneys and provides advice and counsel to the Attorney General on policy, management, and operational issues impacting U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Attorney General Barr also announced that U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox, a current member, will replace U.S. Attorney John Huber as the Vice Chair of the AGAC.
The bios of all U.S. Attorneys are available here.
Altoona Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding United Way of Central Iowa, Embezzling from a Labor UnionRead the Press Release
Des Moines, IA—On September 17, 2019, Theodore Eric Watson, age 54, of Altoona, appeared before United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey and was sentenced to 18 months in prison for mail fraud and embezzlement of labor union assets, with three years of supervised release to follow his prison term. Watson pleaded guilty to these offenses on April 15, 2019.
Watson admitted from 2007 until September 2016, while employed as the Business Manager for Local 74 of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers (AFL-CIO), he sent fraudulent requests for payment of grant funds for training to the United Way of Central Iowa. These fraudulent requests were unauthorized and unknown to Local 74.
Watson also admitted to embezzling from Local 74 by making unauthorized purchases and cash advances on a Local 74 credit card and then concealing the fraud by submitting altered credit card statements and false monthly reports to Local 74. Watson additionally opened a bank account in the name of Local 74, without Local 74's consent or knowledge, and from December 2013 through January 2016, Watson diverted Local 74 funds into this account for his personal use.
Watson was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $125,443.24 ($55,604.91 to Local 74 and $69,838.33 to United Way of Central Iowa).
This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Labor—Management Standards. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Alleged Colombian Drug Kingpin Extradited to the United States to Face Charges of Operating a Continuing Criminal EnterpriseRead the Press Release
Santos Roman Narvaez Ansazoy will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on charges of leading a continuing criminal enterprise. The defendant was arrested in Colombia on a provisional arrest warrant and was extradited yesterday from Colombia to the United States.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Raymond P. Donovan, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division, James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP), announced the extradition.
“The defendant will now face charges in an American courtroom for leading a major Colombian drug trafficking organization that imported huge quantities of cocaine into the United States,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “We will cooperate with law enforcement here and abroad to dismantle drug rings that flood our streets and neighborhoods with lethal drugs.” Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the assistance provided by DEA’s offices in Bogota, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Department of State, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the Colombian National Police and the Government of Colombia.
“For years, Roman Narvaez Ansazoy allegedly participated in a conspiracy to facilitate the distribution of multi-ton quantities of cocaine throughout the United States,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Donovan. “Ansazoy’s arrest and extradition demonstrate the commitment of the United States and our partners in Colombia to bring to justice drug traffickers who fuel narco-terrorism and seek to flood our streets with addictive and deadly poisons.”
“I commend the members of the Task Force for their outstanding work on this case. All of the agencies involved are committed to taking down any criminal enterprise that imports these dangerous drugs into our county, and we will continue to collaborate on that mission. We simply will not tolerate this type of activity,” stated NYSP Superintendent Corlett.
According to the indictment, Narvaez was a founder and principal leader of a drug trafficking organization in Colombia responsible for producing multi-ton quantities of cocaine, on a monthly basis, in jungle laboratories in the Cauca region of Colombia. The cocaine was then transported to Colombian ports on the Pacific coastline under the protection of paramilitary groups paid by Narvaez, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. The cocaine was then shipped by sea, primarily to the United States.
The extradition of Narvaez is the result of an ongoing investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the DEA. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorney Francisco J. Navarro is in charge of the prosecution. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs handled the extradition in this matter.
The Defendant:
SANTOS ROMAN NARVAEZ ANSAZOY (also known as “Roman Narvaez Ansazoy”)
Age: 45
Cauca, ColombiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CR-048 (S-1) (BMC)
11 Charged in White Plains Federal Court with Crack Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Brian Ryan, Town of Greenburgh Police Chief, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging 11 defendants with narcotics distribution offenses in and around Westchester County, New York. The defendants, RANDY SARGEANT, a/k/a “Black,” KELVIN GANPAT, JEANCARLOS LAUREANO, a/k/a “Rico,” CHRISTOPHER MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Panama,” HOWARD MEREDITH, WILLIAM BRITO, AMANDA COPPOLLA, JAMAAL PETERS, a/k/a “Mega Head,” BERT HICKSON, CHRISTINE MORRISON, and CRYSTAL MARTINE, were presented in White Plains federal court yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, these defendants were responsible for selling crack cocaine, a potentially lethal commodity that plagues far too many of our communities. Thanks to the FBI and the Greenburgh Police, the defendants are in custody and facing federal criminal charges.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The outstanding work of our law enforcement partners on the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force should give the community peace of mind that we are working every day to make their lives safer. These groups pushing illegal drugs create chaos and violence which put innocent people at risk. Our work going after these criminals won’t stop.”
Greenburgh Police Chief Brian Ryan said: “I would like state my appreciation for this outstanding example of what can be achieved when local and federal law enforcement agencies collaborate to maximize our efforts in battling drug trafficking in our communities. We are committed to maintaining our partnerships with all our law enforcement partners and staying vigilant in our efforts to keep our communities safe.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in White Plains federal court [1]:
From at least 2018 until September 2019, RANDY SARGEANT, a/k/a “Black,” KELVIN GANPAT, JEANCARLOS LAUREANO, a/k/a “Rico,” CHRISTOPHER MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Panama,” HOWARD MEREDITH, WILLIAM BRITO, AMANDA COPPOLLA, JAMAAL PETERS, a/k/a “Mega Head,” BERT HICKSON, CHRISTINE MORRISON, and CRYSTAL MARTINEZ conspired to distribute 280 grams and more of crack cocaine.
* * *
All defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute 280 grams and more of crack cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force. The FBI Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force is comprised of Special Agents and Task Force Officers from the FBI, US Probation, ATF, New York State Police, Westchester County PD, Westchester County DAs Office, NYPD, Yonkers PD, Mount Vernon PD, Peekskill PD, Greenburgh PD and New Rochelle PD. The Greenburgh Drug and Alcohol Task Force is comprised of investigators from the Greenburgh PD, Tarrytown PD, Sleepy Hollow PD, Dobbs Ferry PD, Ardsley PD, Irvington PD, Hastings PD and Elmsford PD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Brumwell is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
19 September 2019
Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Jail for 12 Year Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Smyrna woman was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika to 18 months in prison for defrauding the U.S. Social Security Administration (“SSA”) of more than $175,000.
According to court documents, Deborah Vaughn, 63, spent over a decade collecting fraudulent Social Security funds intended for her deceased mother-in-law. Each month for twelve years, the SSA deposited approximately $1,100 into a bank account belonging to Vaughn’s mother-in-law. Vaughn, who was a joint-user on the bank account, fraudulently accessed and withdrew the money—knowing that her mother-in-law, the rightful beneficiary of the Social Security funds, had died in 2006. When the SSA contacted Vaughn in 2013 and again in 2018, Vaughn repeatedly lied, including pretending to be her deceased mother-in-law, to ensure that the Social Security deposits would continue.
David C. Weiss, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, commented on the sentence: “By defrauding the government, Vaughn’s conduct subverted the purpose of the SSA: to provide a safety net for vulnerable individuals in our society. The Court’s sentence reflects the seriousness of fraud against the government and should serve as a warning to those inclined to lie and cheat to obtain Social Security payments they do not deserve.”
“I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its support in bringing this individual to justice and recovering funds for Social Security,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “We will continue to work closely with SSA and other agencies to identify beneficiary deaths and pursue those who misuse those payments after someone dies.”
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General investigated this case; Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Howland prosecuted it.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Criminal Action No. 19-cr-63-MN.
Woburn Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Woburn man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Vasily Hardy, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Rya W. Zobel. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2019. Hardy was previously charged by criminal complaint and arrested in January 2019. He has been in custody since his arrest.
According to charging documents, on Nov. 14, 2018, a police officer conducted a vehicle stop after observing the vehicle’s driver make multiple traffic violations. After identifying the driver as Hardy, the officer was informed over the radio that there was an active warrant for Hardy’s arrest. Hardy was subsequently arrested and his vehicle was searched. During the search, the officer recovered a Sig Sauer, semi-automatic pistol loaded with an eight-round magazine of .45 caliber ammunition as well as a second eight-round magazine. During an interview with law enforcement, Hardy confirmed that the handgun belonged to him and that he did not have a license to carry a firearm in Massachusetts. Further investigation revealed that Hardy was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous conviction of larceny from a person in 2013, which is punishable by more than a year in jail.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Wellesley Police Department, Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office in New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Wisconsin Man Sentenced to Prison for Producing Child Pornography Outside of the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for producing and possessing child pornography in 2015 and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in the Philippines between 2014 and 2015.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin made the announcement.
Jeffrey H. Ernisse, 63, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Lynn S. Adelman of the Eastern District of Wisconsin. According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, while law enforcement was investigating Ernisse for production of child pornography in Wisconsin, they discovered evidence of additional child pornography production from the Philippines on Ernisse’s digital devices. He sexually assaulted a four-year-old girl and then recorded the sexual assaults on March 10, 2015 and April 17, 2015.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the cooperation of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Police Department investigated the case. Former Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan J. Paulson of the Eastern District of Wisconsin prosecuted the case.
This investigation is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Wisconsin Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography Outside of the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jeffrey H. Ernisse, 63, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for producing and possessing child pornography in 2015 and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in the Philippines between 2014 and 2015. U.S. District Court Judge Lynn S. Adelman of the Eastern District of Wisconsin ordered the sentence to run consecutive to a state sentence on which Ernisse has another three years to serve, and will be followed by ten years of supervised release.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin made the announcement.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, while law enforcement was investigating Ernisse for production of child pornography in Wisconsin, they discovered evidence of additional child pornography production from the Philippines on Ernisse’s digital devices. He traveled to the Philippines in June 2014 and married a woman he met on the internet. He sexually assaulted her four-year-old daughter and then recorded the sexual assaults on March 10, 2015 and April 17, 2015.
“Across the world, predators like Jeffrey Ernisse are exploiting children and sharing those despicable acts with others online. This case demonstrates our commitment to pursue justice against predators, wherever the case leads. We must use every tool available to confront child sex abuse,” stated U.S. Attorney Krueger.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the cooperation of the Sheboygan Police Department. Former Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan J. Paulson of the Eastern District of Wisconsin prosecuted the case.
This investigation is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
West Hollywood Man Faces Federal Charges of Administering Methamphetamine to Victim Who Suffered Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
COMPLAINTLOS ANGELES – A West Hollywood man is being taken in to federal custody this afternoon after being charged in United States District Court with providing methamphetamine to a man who died after receiving the drug intravenously.
Edward Buck, 65, is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court later this afternoon. Buck was named in a federal criminal complaint filed last night that charges him with one count of distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death.
The complaint alleges that Buck provided methamphetamine that directly resulted in the overdose death of 26-year-old Gemmel Moore, who died in Buck’s apartment on July 27, 2017.
The criminal complaint further alleges that another man died in Buck’s apartment from a drug overdose earlier this year, and that Buck provided narcotics to a series of other men, one of whom suffered two overdoses several weeks ago.
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.
If convicted of the drug distribution offense alleged in the complaint, Buck would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life without parole.
Buck also faces charges, including operating a drug house, that were filed earlier this week by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The federal matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and is being conducted with the support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittney M. Harris and Chelsea Norell of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Violent Offender Sentenced for Illegally Re-entering United StatesRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A 43-year-old Mexican national with a prior felony conviction has been sentenced to federal prison for immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Julio Edgar Ruiz-Bautista pleaded guilty on July 19, 2019, to unlawful reentry by a deported alien and was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on Sep. 18, 2019
According to information presented in court, on Feb. 22, 2019, Ruiz-Bautista was taken in to custody following an investigation by ICE Dallas Fugitive Operations Team 3. The investigation revealed Ruiz-Bautista had been previously removed from the United States on Oct. 3, 2017, following serving a five year sentence for aggravated sexual assault of a child in Dallas County. Ruiz-Bautista was indicted on federal immigration violations on Mar. 20, 2019 and will be deported after serving this prison sentence.
“The judge’s sentence was, I would suspect, a result of the fact that this offender had a history of sexual assault of a child, and then continued to illegally re-enter this country,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “These are the types of offenders that make the immigration issue difficult for everyone.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Tatum.
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Van Zandt County Man Guilty of Child Pornography ViolationsRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 58-year-old Wills Point, Texas man has pleaded guilty to child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
James Joseph Veeser pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography today before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell.
According to information presented in court, between January 2016 and January 2019, Veeser received child pornography using the internet and a computer, including three videos containing child pornography.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Under federal statutes, Veeser faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in federal prison. These guidelines prescribed by Congress are provided here for information purposes, as the sentencings will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan R. Jackson.
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Two Members of Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to Five and Seven YearsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Dondi Kentrail Freeney (34, Sanford) to seven years and six months in federal prison, and Telvin Javon Williams (25, Sanford) to five years in federal prison, for their roles in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Freeney and Williams had pleaded guilty on June 25, 2019.
On August 9, 2019, a federal jury found Benjamin Greene Robinson (32, Daytona Beach) guilty for his role in this same conspiracy. A final conspirator, Antonio Toray Chandler (39, Belle Isle), has signed a plea agreement and is scheduled to appear in court on September 20, 2019.
According to court documents, and testimony and evidence presented during Robinson’s trial, in January 2016, the conspirators arranged for multiple shipments of cocaine to be sent through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) from California to various addresses in Daytona and Sanford. During the investigation, the FBI and the USPS seized three packages of the packages, each containing two kilograms of cocaine hidden inside tubs of protein powder. Law enforcement identified five additional shipments that the conspirators had successfully shipped through the mail. In 2016, during the month of January, the conspirators were responsible for shipping 14 kilograms of cocaine through the mail, estimated to be worth of $490,000.
Freeney was involved in all aspects of the scheme, including arranging for payments and shipments and tracking down lost packages. Williams provided cash to Freeney and also received one of the 2-kilogram packages in Sanford.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Lake County Sherriff’s Office, and the Volusia Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Three Tulsans Charged for Supplying Patients with Illegal Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A federal grand jury has indicted a Tulsa doctor and his two employees for conspiring to illegally distribute prescription opioids to patients, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested the trio this morning.
Dr. Christopher V. Moses, 66, Melisa D. Million, 49, and Kay Speir, 54, are charged with drug conspiracy and aiding and abetting each other to distribute Oxycodone, Fentanyl, Carisoprodol, Clonazepam, Morphine Sulfate, Hydrocodone, and Tramadol. In court filings, the United States alleged that three patients died as a result from opioids prescribed by Dr. Moses.
The defendants distributed the prescriptions from January 2010 to January 2018 at the Southside Medical Clinic in Tulsa. The indictment alleges that Dr. Moses prescribed highly addictive and often abused opioids to his patients without valid medical purpose or for reasons outside of his scope of practice and that Moses and Speir also illegally made pre-signed prescriptions for the medications available to patients when Moses was absent.
“The opioid epidemic has taken a deadly toll on communities across our nation, including here in Oklahoma. As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Moses and his co-conspirators operated a ‘pill mill’ through which they distributed highly addictive opioids without a medical purpose,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “In fact, the United States has sought detention for Dr. Moses in this case because, in part, we believe he presents a danger to our community here in Northern Oklahoma where his alleged illegal prescribing actions resulted in three people dying from opioid-related overdoses. Make no mistake, my office will vigorously prosecute unscrupulous doctors and their cohorts who enrich themselves by illegally distributing opioids.”
“The DEA is actively battling the opioid epidemic that we are facing as a nation,” said John P. Scott, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Oklahoma District. "DEA Tulsa is committed to combating the opioid problem in Northeast Oklahoma and recognizes the community impact the overprescribing of opioids plays in this epidemic. Hopefully these arrests will act as a reminder that the DEA will continue to investigate corrupt doctors, pharmacies, and/or manufacturers who illegally distribute these highly addictive drugs.”
The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel-lyn McCormick is prosecuting the case. AUSA McCormick serves as the lead attorney for the United States Attorney’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces.
South Carolina Man Is Sentenced to More Than Three Years for Involuntary Manslaughter After Causing Car Accident on the Blue Ridge Parkway That Left One Passenger DeadRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Zachary Jorden Childers, 22, of Gaffney, S.C., was sentenced to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release for involuntary manslaughter, after causing a car accident on the Blue Ridge Parkway that left one passenger dead. U.S. District Judge Martin Reidinger presided over Childers’ sentencing.
Neal Labrie, Chief Ranger of the Blue Ridge Parkway, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, on September 1, 2018, Childers traveled with several other individuals to North Carolina, to drive his modified Subaru WRX on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Childers’ vehicle was one of four similar cars to make the trip. Childers and his friends had modified their cars for both style and performance, and their intent was to test out their vehicles on the curvy, mountainous roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Childers had three passengers in his car, including the victim, a 16-year-old female.
According to court documents, both during the trip and while on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Childers operated his motor vehicle recklessly and well in excess of the posted legal speed limits, and passed other vehicles in no-passing zones. Court records show that at approximately 10:30 p.m., Childers was driving northbound on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Buncombe County, when he attempted to pass a vehicle driven by one of his friends while driving approximately 80 miles-per-hour in a 45 miles-per-hour zone. As a result, Childers lost control of his vehicle, and his car skidded off the road, and flipped and rolled several times down a steep embankment. The victim was ejected from the vehicle and was later pronounced dead on the scene. According to court records, Childers’ driver’s license has been previously revoked due to numerous traffic violations, including reckless driving.
On February 27, 2019, Childers pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Childers will report to the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The National Park Service led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Don Gast, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, prosecuted the case.
South Bend, Indiana Man SentencedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - Nehemiah Felders, age 29, of South Bend, Indiana was sentenced before South Bend District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. for felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Mr. Felders was sentenced to 96 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, a grand jury indicted Felders in September of 2018. A jury convicted him of possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony following a two-day trial held in in May 2019. Evidence at trial showed that a handgun was found on a couch when the Indiana State Police executed a search warrant in South Bend. Three Indiana State Police officers testified that Felders admitted possessing the handgun.
Mr. Felders has twice been previously convicted of felonies, and has been convicted of five misdemeanors.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the assistance of the Indiana State Police. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Schaffer.
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Shreveport felon sentenced to federal prison for illegally possessing a pistol and ammunitionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Mark Anthony Crawford, 27, of Shreveport, was sentenced Wednesday by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to 40 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for felon in possession of a firearm. Crawford previously pleaded guilty on August 29, 2019, for illegally possessing a pistol that was loaded with 31 bullets.
According to information presented in court, Shreveport police learned through a Crime Stoppers tip that Crawford was at a residence on Algonquin Trail armed with several weapons. After arriving at the residence, the officers found a Romarm/Cugir Mini Draco 7.62-caliber pistol under a bed loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition. Crawford admitted to police officers that he had purchased the firearm off the streets, and knew that as a convicted felon, he was restricted from possessing a firearm.
Crawford pleaded guilty to aggravated flight from an officer on November 8, 2010. Under federal law, felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 24 Months of Imprisonment for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of failure to register as a sex offender was sentenced on September 9, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Virgil Running Bear, age 46, was sentenced to 24 months of federal custody, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
According to court documents, Running Bear was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the District of North Dakota. Judgment was entered on October 31, 2005. This conviction requires him to register as a sex offender for life. Since on or about December 25, 2017, Running Bear’s whereabouts were unknown until his arrest in Winner, South Dakota. His last known address was at a hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota, but that residence was vacated with no sign of Running Bear since December 25, 2017.
At the time of his arrest, he had absconded from the supervision of the United States Probation Office, as he has been serving a term of supervised release. Running Bear was found in the Winner, South Dakota, area using a fake name and residing at a house that had not been listed in an update to his sex offender registry. Running Bear knew of the requirement to update his sex offender registration, but he knowingly failed to do so.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Running Bear was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Separated U.S. Army Solider from Nacogdoches, TX, Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft and Possession of Stolen Firearms on Fort BlissRead the Press Release
In El Paso today, a federal judge sentenced a 25–year-old separated U.S. Army soldier from Nacogdoches, TX, who still had access to Fort Bliss, to 18 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for theft and possession of stolen firearms on Fort Bliss, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge David Guaderrama ordered that Christopher Darnell Harris be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On April 23, 2019, Harris pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of stolen firearms, once count of theft on Ft. Bliss, unlawful carrying of firearms on Ft. Bliss, and simple possession of marijuana while on Ft. Bliss.
By pleading guilty, Harris admitted that from April 2017 and June 2017, he entered two gymnasiums on post and stole items from inside the lockers of at least ten known service members, namely wallets and keys. Harris also used the stolen keys to break into vehicles and steal two handguns.
Agents with the Department of Defense Criminal Investigation Command investigated this case along with Military Police on Fort Bliss. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana Malia O’Reilly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg McDonald prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Sacramento Man Charged with Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Walter Ryan Keith, 41, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and possession of a machine gun, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, after execution of a search warrant at his home on June 5, Keith was found in possession of 14 firearms and a machinegun conversion device. Keith is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Massey is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Keith faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part 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.
Rock Hill Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison in Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Darrell Henry Adam, age 29, of Rock Hill, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison for manufacturing child pornography.
Facts presented during the hearing showed that Adam recorded his sexual assault of a child. Adam then showed the video to a confidential witness he met through an online dating app. Adam indicated to the confidential witness that he had also provided methamphetamine to the child. After the confidential witness saw the recording, he called the local office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report the abuse. The York County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI responded to Adam’s residence that day. After questioning Adam, the investigators obtained a search warrant to look through the home and Adam's electronics. Investigators discovered hundreds of child pornography images and videos within Adam's electronic devices, including the abuse video described by the confidential witness. Adam was immediately arrested and has remained in custody during the prosecution of his case.
“The highest calling of the United States Attorney’s Office is to keep South Carolinians safe,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “In partnership with local, state, and federal law enforcement, we will relentlessly pursue those who harm our children. Thanks to the hard work of the York County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and the Attorney General’s Office, Darrell Adam has been brought to justice for the horrific crime he committed.”
"This sentence demonstrates the danger and depravity of these offenses. The immediate response and tremendous work of our personnel and our partners in the York County Sheriff's Office saved children from further harm. The FBI will remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate these matters, find those responsible and protect children," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alphonso Norris.
The investigation was conducted by members of the York County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson of the Columbia office. It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Rochester Man Who Led Police on A Chase Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Chucky Ellis, 22, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm with an altered or obliterated serial number. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that at approximately 9:40 p.m. on February 1, 2019, Rochester Police officers initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle the defendant was driving in the area of Clifford Avenue and Goodman Street in Rochester. During the traffic stop, Ellis drove away from the scene. He and an unidentified front passenger then fled the vehicle on foot in the area of Bay and Iroquois Streets. The defendant was apprehended in the area of 124 Parkside Drive in Rochester.
Officers searched Ellis and recovered a loaded .38 caliber revolver with an obliterated serial number in his front right pocket. Officers also located a fanny pack that the defendant had discarded during the chase, which contained 19 vials of cocaine, 19 vials of marijuana, and $70 in cash.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. 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.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2019, at 9:15 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Matthew MacLeod, 34, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court on Wednesday to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 7, 2018, officers from the Rochester Police Department conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by MacLeod. During a later search of the vehicle, officers found multiple drugs, including cocaine and over 40 grams of fentanyl. MacLeod possessed the drugs with the intent to sell them. Officers also seized a firearm from the vehicle.
MacLeod is scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2020.
“Armed drug dealers are a menace to the public,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “I am grateful for the work of the Rochester Police Department and the FBI in removing this threat from our streets. Close cooperation by law enforcement is essential to addressing the opioid crisis.”
"Each and every day, the FBI and our law enforcement partners are working hard targeting armed drug dealers like Mr. MacLeod, who illegally contribute to the opioid crisis that continues to devastate communities all over the Granite state. By finally accepting responsibility for his criminal conduct, he's one step closer to being held accountable for poisoning our streets with dangerous drugs and putting residents in harm's way," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rochester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
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Rapid City Man Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Luis Antonio Medina, age 26, was sentenced on September 13, 2019, to 77 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Medina was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2017. The conviction stems Medina and at least one other person distributing at least 50 grams, but less than 200 grams, of methamphetamine in Rapid City and elsewhere between 2016 and 2018.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Medina was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Qui Tam Lawsuit and Federal Investigation Result in $1.45 Million Settlement by Vaughan Regional Medical Center, a LifePoint Health Subsidiary, Integrity Emergency Care, Inc. and Selma, Alabama Physicians Phillip Alan Hicks and Sai S. NamburuRead the Press Release
United States (U.S.) Attorney Richard W. Moore, of the Southern District of Alabama, announces that Vaughan Regional Medical Center, a community hospital located in Selma, Alabama, along with emergency room physicians Dr. Phillip Alan Hicks and Dr. Sai S. Namburu, also of Selma, have agreed to pay $1.45 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act. Dr. Hicks, former Vaughan Chief of Staff and Director of Emergency Services, owned and operated Integrity Emergency Care, Inc., also a named and settling Defendant.
The allegations resolved by this settlement arose from a whistleblower lawsuit filed under the False Claims Act by Dr. Samuel Clemmons. He alleged residents who were not fully licensed were independently covering shifts in the Vaughan Emergency Department (Vaughan ER Department). According to Dr. Clemmons, he communicated with Vaughan and LifePoint Health about the illegal use of these residents in the Vaughan Emergency Department, and no action was taken. The whistleblower will receive $275,000.00 of the recovered funds.
“The significance of this case highlights the responsibilities of medical professionals and healthcare administrators to protect their patients from harm, and to prevent fraud against any federal health insurance program during the performance of their duties,” said U.S. Attorney Richard W. Moore for the Southern District of Alabama. “The citizens of the Selma community are entitled to quality healthcare administered by fully licensed physicians, and actions taken to put patient care in jeopardy and to circumvent state and federal law will not be tolerated.”
Per the investigation by the U.S., from mid-2009 to March 31, 2012, residents were recruited from the UAB-Selma Family Medicine Residency Program to independently treat patients in Vaughan’s ER Department outside the course and scope of their residency program. The residents were not fully licensed and credentialed physicians, yet per the investigation, were paid $50 per hour cash along with licensed emergency room physicians who were also paid an extra $50 per hour to co-sign the residents’ charts. This illegal moonlighting was perpetuated by falsifying medical records and submitting false claims to Medicare as if the services were provided by licensed physicians.
“Patients expect treatment by fully qualified medical professionals, and taxpayers should never be paying for healthcare provided fraudulently by an unlicensed physician–as alleged in this case,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners in pursuit of those who would defraud government health programs and the individuals they serve.”
The investigation and litigation were conducted by the Office of Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The FCA claims settled are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama at http://www.justice.gov/usao/als/. The case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Clemmons v. Vaughan Regional Medical Center, et al., Civil Action No. 2:14-cv-416-TFM-C (S.D. Ala.).Project Safe Neighborhoods Update: Three Appear in Federal Court on Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that three defendants appeared in federal court this week on gun crimes.
Tristan Monroe Baldwin, 23, of Charleston, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Following his prison sentence, Baldwin must complete an in-patient drug treatment program as part of his three year term of supervised release. According to public court hearings and documents, on October 11, 2017, the pastor of Baber-Agee United Methodist Church entered a building on church property and found Baldwin, who had broken into the building through a window. Baldwin fled into the woods. Later the same day, Baldwin burglarized several vehicles on a property on Dutch Creek Road in Charleston, before the property owners’ dogs chased Baldwin away. Police investigators ultimately found Baldwin carrying a duffle bag that held a loaded .40 caliber pistol, a methamphetamine pipe, and various stolen items. Baldwin admitted to investigators that he had been heavily using methamphetamine for three years. As an unlawful drug user, Baldwin was federally prohibited from possessing a firearm. The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman handled the prosecution.
Melvin Peters, 32, of Charleston, pled guilty to prohibited possession of a firearm. Peters admitted that during a traffic stop near the Greyhound Bus Station in Charleston, he threw a Rossi Model 46102, .357 Magnum revolver underneath the car he was driving. Peters had a previous conviction of domestic battery. Peters faces up to ten years in prison when sentenced on December 11, 2019. The ATF and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.
Keanna Carter, of Charleston, pled guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Carter admitted that she possessed 251 oxycodone pills at her house with the intent to distribute them for money. Carter further admitted that she possessed firearms for the purpose of assisting her with the drug trafficking. Carter faces a minimum five year sentence in prison when sentenced on December 11, 2019. The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Joseph Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Arthur is handling the prosecution.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Pittsburgh Man on Supervised Release Sentenced to Nearly 3 Years in Prison for Drug SalesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 18 months imprisonment and six years supervised release on his conviction of violating the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today. Bryant was also sentenced today in federal court to an additional 15 months’ imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release by, among other ways, selling illegal narcotics.
Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentences on Tory Bryant, age 32.
According to information presented to the court, on March 13, 2018, Bryant possessed with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, a quantity of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and a quantity of crack cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. An undercover officer arranged to make a purchase of narcotics from Bryant, and when the officers attempted to arrest Bryant at the scene of the arranged transaction, Bryant fled. The officers recovered the narcotics that Bryant intended to sell to the undercover officers on the path of Bryant’s flight.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Wilkinsburg Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bryant.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Nearly 32 Years in Federal Prison for Second Degree Murder and ArsonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Second Degree Murder and Arson was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Emery Arapahoe III, age 19, was sentenced on September 17, 2019, to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund on the Second Degree Murder charge. Arapahoe was also sentenced to 10 additional years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and another $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for the Arson charge, for a total of 31 years and 10 months.
Arapahoe was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2019. During the early morning hours of October 16, 2017, Arapahoe stole a truck from a residence at Pine Ridge and drove to a trailer in Allen, South Dakota. Inside the trailer he observed the victim, Ray Waters, Jr., sleeping on a couch in the living room. Arapahoe picked up an axe and struck the victim multiple times in the head and neck, killing him. Arapahoe then went into one of the bedrooms in the trailer and started a fire with materials from that room. When Arapahoe fled from the house fire, he crashed the truck containing items from the homicide.
“This was an unimaginably violent crime, like something out of a horror movie,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “I am relieved for us all that this offender has been removed from society and committed to federal prison.”
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Ben Patterson prosecuted the case.
Arapahoe was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Palm Coast Felon Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida, – U.S. District Judge G. Kendall Sharp today sentenced Robert Wells (37, Palm Coast) to 18 months in federal prison for possessing a loaded handgun and ammunition as a convicted felon. The court also ordered Wells to forfeit the firearm and ammunition.
Wells was convicted on May 1, 2019, following a bench trial.
According to the stipulated facts and court documents, on the morning of February 3, 2018, a citizen contacted the Daytona Beach Police (DBPD) and reported that Wells was behaving suspiciously near her home and carrying a gun. DBPD identified Wells and, with the help of another citizen, determined that Wells had hidden the loaded firearm he had been carrying behind a trash can at a nearby shopping mall. Wells later admitted that he had come to Daytona Beach for drugs and had found the firearm. At the time of the incident, Wells had prior convictions for multiple felony offenses, including aggravated battery (2006); possession of cocaine (2008); battery on a law enforcement officer (2008); and resisting an officer with violence (2008).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
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.
North Texans Charged with Health Care Fraud ViolationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – Three North Texas residents have been indicted on health care fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Demetrius Cervantes, 44, of McKinney, Texas, Amanda Lowry, 39, of Sherman, Texas, and Lydia Henslee, 27, of Denison, Texas, were named in a federal indictment returned by a grand jury on Sep. 11, 2019. The defendants were each charged with conspiracy to obtain information from a protected computer and conspiracy to unlawfully possess and use a means of identification
Cervantes, Lowry, and Henslee were indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 11, 2019. If convicted, they each face up to 15 years in federal prison.
The indictment was announced today during a press conference held in Dallas with Texas U.S. Attorneys and the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. A total of 58 individuals across all four federal districts in Texas were charged for their alleged involvement in Medicare fraud schemes and networks of “pill mill” clinics resulting in $66 million in loss and 6.2 million pills. Of those charged, 16 were doctors or medical professionals, and 20 were charged for their role in diverting opioids.
According to the indictment, the defendants are alleged to have breached a health care provider’s electronic health record (EHR) system in order to steal protected health information and personally identifiable information belonging to patients of the provider. The information that was stolen from the provider was “repackaged” in the form of false and fraudulent physician orders and sold to durable medical equipment (DME) providers and contractors. Within approximately eight months, the defendants obtained more the $1.4 million in proceeds from the sale of the stolen information. The proceeds of the offenses were traced, and the following forfeitable assets were identified: a 2019 Land Rover Range Rover SC; a 2019 Dodge Durango; a 2018 Polaris RZR XP4 1000 EPS; a 2019 Can-Am Outlander 450; a 2019 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 W; a 2019 Sea-Doo RXT-X 300 W; and a 2019 Karavan Sea-Doo Move.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld and L. Frank Coan, Jr.
It is important to note that a complaint, arrest, or indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
North Carolina Man Charged with Defrauding Employer's Charity Matching Gift ProgramRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that STEVEN KENT STRANGE, 49, of Bailey, North Carolina, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with defrauding his employer’s charity matching gift program.
According to the criminal complaint, Strange is employed by Collins Aerospace, which is a business unit of United Technologies Corporation (“UTC”), based in Farmington, Connecticut. UTC has a Matching Gift Program, through which the company will match an employee donation, up to $25,000 annually, to a charity. In 2008, Strange established the Housing Development Foundation of North Carolina, Inc., and listed his residence at the principal office for the charity. Strange began working for Collins Aerospace in 2014.
The complaint alleges that, between approximately 2016 and June 2019, Strange defrauded UTC’s Matching Gift Program by submitting fraudulent records of donations, including fabricated cashiers checks, he and coworkers purportedly made to the Housing Development Foundation. Between 2017 and 2019, UTC transferred approximately $367,000 in matching funds to the Housing Development Foundation of North Carolina. A review of the foundation’s bank records reveal that a large portion of the foundation’s expenditures appears to be personal expenditures.
The complaint charges Strange with wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Strange appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge James E. Gates in Raleigh, North Carolina, and was released pending his court appearance in the District of Connecticut.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina for its assistance with yesterday’s arrest and court proceeding.
New York Man Is Sentenced to Six Years for Investment Scheme That Defrauded Retired Victims of More Than $440,000Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Rudolph Carryl, 68, formerly of Oyster Bay, N.Y., was sentenced today to 74 months in prison and two years of supervised release for executing an investment scheme that defrauded retired victims of more than $440,000. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr. also ordered Carryl to pay $444,500 in restitution.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Office joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to plea related documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Carryl held himself out as an investment advisor to his victims and operated Carryl Capital Management (CCM), an investment management firm with offices in New York City. CCM maintained a website that purported the firm adhered to rigorous risk control measures, and was dedicated to achieving the investment goals for its clients.
In or about February 2015, Carryl induced a victim identified as “M.G.” to hand over money which he promised to invest in stocks. Over the course of two years, M.G., who was Carryl’s childhood friend and a retired nurse living in North Carolina, wired more than $90,000 to an account controlled by Carryl, based on Carryl’s misrepresentations that M.G.’s money would be used to purchase stocks on M.G.’s behalf. Similarly, in or about May 2015, Carryl solicited victims “W.B.,” a retired, decorated United States Air Force veteran, and his wife “A.B.,” both of North Carolina, to invest approximately $350,000 in a purported investment fund that was managed by Carryl. To induce the retired couple to part with their money, Carryl claimed that he was a successful investment adviser who managed investments for the country of Saudi Arabia and that he was friends with wealthy celebrities.
According to court records, rather than invest the victims’ funds as promised, Carryl used the money to pay for personal and other expenses, to repay his other victims other misconduct, and to make substantial cash withdrawals.
Unbeknownst to his victims, Carryl was being investigated and ultimately was convicted of federal wire fraud charges related to a separate investment scheme at the same time he was defrauding his victims in North Carolina. Carryl was sentenced in August 2017 by a federal judge in New York to 12 months and one day in prison for the other fraud. After his sentencing but before he reported to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence, Carryl continued to be in contact with W.B., assuring W.B. that his investments were doing ok, all the while failing to disclose any information about his conviction or his impending report date to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Carryl previously pleaded guilty to securities fraud, and he is currently detained. In sentencing Carryl today, Judge Cogburn emphasized the tremendous impact that Carryl’s “avarice and greed” had on his victims and the fact that Carryl continued to lie to his victims while being prosecuted in New York for his previous crime.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the FBI for leading the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Ryan and William Bozin, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, prosecuted the case.
In March 2019, U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced the Office’s Elder Justice Initiative, which aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid becoming victims of financial fraud; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners. For more information please visit: /usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement of Union FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – MARK DOUGLAS, age 72, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty on September 17, 2019 to a one-count bill of information for embezzlement of union funds before the Honorable Greg G. Guidry, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser. Sentencing is scheduled for January 20, 2019.
According to court documents, between November 11, 2011 and January 17, 2015, DOUGLAS acted as President of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1101. DOUGLAS was responsible for the local’s grievances with the Domino Sugar Company and running the day to day operations of the union.
Union officers were permitted to file “lost time” claims to be reimbursed for conducting union business. Lost time is generally taken for arbitrations, attorney visits, accountant visits, or negotiations with Domino Sugar Company. During his time as President, DOUGLAS filed fraudulent “lost time” claims with the union, totaling approximately $6,280.91.
DOUGLAS faces 5 years of imprisonment, a $10,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the U.S Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards, in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney G. Dall Kammer, Supervisor, General Crimes.
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New Jersey Man Indicted for Terrorist Activities on Behalf of Hizballah’s Islamic Jihad OrganizationRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that Alexei Saab, 42, of Morristown, New Jersey, also known as Ali Hassan Saab, Alex Saab, or Rachid, was charged today in a nine-count indictment for offenses related to his support for Hizballah and separate marriage-fraud offenses. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.
“According to the allegations, while living in the United States, Saab served as an operative of Hizballah and conducted surveillance of possible target locations in order to help the foreign terrorist organization prepare for potential future attacks against the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “Such covert activities conducted on U.S. soil are a clear threat to our national security and I applaud the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation and prosecution.”
“As a member of the Hizballah component that coordinates external terrorist attack planning, Alexei Saab allegedly used his training to scout possible targets throughout the U.S,” said U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman. “Even though Saab was a naturalized American citizen, his true allegiance was to Hizballah, the terrorist organization responsible for decades of terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including U.S. citizens and military personnel. Thankfully, Saab is now in federal custody, and faces significant prison time for his alleged crimes.”
“As alleged, Saab began his training with Hizballah operatives overseas and, while living in the U.S., surveilled multiple locations in major cities,” said FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. “Today’s announcement highlights the persistent efforts of a sophisticated international terrorist organization to scout targets at home and abroad, identifying vulnerabilities, and gathering essential details useful for a future attack. In the city that never sleeps, neither do the FBI agents, detectives, and analysts who work on the JTTF to protect it, and because of their work, Saab’s future surveillances will be limited to a cell. We cannot do this work alone. I would like to thank the countless private security professionals who protect many of these sites, remind them to remain vigilant in order to make the enemy’s job more difficult, and I would ask the general public to continue to report suspicious activity to law enforcement like you have so many times in the past.”
“I would like to thank the efforts of the investigators and our Counter-Terrorism law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to assemble the case that prevents this individual from caring out his plans,” said NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “This case sends a clear message of deterrence to all those who plot to promote violence here in the U.S. and abroad.”
According to the Indictment and Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
Hizballah is a Lebanon-based Shia Islamic organization with political, social, and terrorist components. Hizballah was founded in the 1980s with support from Iran after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and its mission includes establishing a fundamentalist Islamic state in Lebanon. Since Hizballah’s formation, the organization has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including United States citizens and military personnel. In 1997, the U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah a Foreign Terrorist Organization, pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it remains so designated today. In 2001, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Hizballah a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. In 2010, State Department officials described Hizballah as the most technically capable terrorist group in the world, and a continued security threat to the United States.
The Islamic Jihad Organization (IJO), which is also known as the External Security Organization and “910,” is a component of Hizballah responsible for the planning and coordination of intelligence, counterintelligence, and terrorist activities on behalf of Hizballah outside of Lebanon. In July 2012, an IJO operative detonated explosives on a bus transporting Israeli tourists in the vicinity of an airport in Burgas, Bulgaria, which killed six people and injured 32 others. Law enforcement authorities have disrupted several other IJO attack-planning operations around the world, including the arrest of an IJO operative surveilling Israeli targets in Cyprus in 2012, the seizure of bomb-making precursor chemicals in Thailand in 2012, and a seizure of similar chemicals in May 2015 in connection with the arrest of another IJO operative. In June 2017, two IJO operatives were arrested in the United States and charged with terrorism-related offenses in the Southern District of New York. In May 2019, a jury convicted one of those two IJO operatives on all counts.
Saab joined Hizballah in 1996. Saab’s first Hizballah operation occurred in Lebanon, where he was tasked with observing and reporting on the movements of Israeli and Southern Lebanese Army soldiers in Yaroun, Lebanon. Among other things, Saab reported on patrol schedules and formations, procedures at security checkpoints, and the vehicles used by soldiers.
In approximately 1999, Saab attended his first Hizballah training. The training focused on the use of firearms, and Saab handled and fired an AK-47, an M16 rifle, and a pistol, and threw grenades. In 2000, Saab transitioned to membership in Hizballah’s unit responsible for external operations, the IJO, and he then received extensive training in IJO tradecraft, weapons, and military tactics, including how to construct bombs and other explosive devices. In 2004 and 2005, Saab attended explosives training in Lebanon during which he received detailed instruction in, among other things, triggering mechanisms, explosive substances, detonators, and the assembly of circuits.
In 2000, Saab lawfully entered the United States using a Lebanese passport. In 2005, Saab applied for naturalized citizenship and falsely affirmed, under penalty of perjury, that he had never been “a member of or in any way associated with . . . a terrorist organization.” In August 2008, Saab became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
While living in the United States, Saab remained an IJO operative, continued to receive military training in Lebanon, and conducted numerous operations for the IJO. For example, Saab surveilled dozens of locations in New York City—including the United Nations headquarters, the Statue of Liberty, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, the Empire State Building, and local airports, tunnels, and bridges—and provided detailed information on these locations, including photographs, to the IJO. In particular, Saab focused on the structural weaknesses of locations he surveilled in order to determine how a future attack could cause the most destruction. Saab’s reporting to the IJO included the materials used to construct a particular target, how close in proximity one could get to a target, and site weaknesses or “soft spots” that the IJO could exploit if it attacked a target in the future. Saab conducted similar intelligence gathering in a variety of American cities. The FBI recovered photographs from Saab’s electronic devices reflecting his surveillance activities, including photographs of New York City landmarks.
In addition to his attack-planning activities in the United States, Saab conducted operations abroad. For example, Saab attempted to murder a man he later understood to be a suspected Israeli spy. Saab pointed a firearm at the individual at close range and pulled the trigger twice, but the firearm did not fire. Saab also conducted intelligence-gathering for Hizballah in Istanbul, Turkey.
Finally, unrelated to his IJO activities, in July 2012, Saab married another individual (CC-1) so that CC-1 could apply for naturalized citizenship in the United States based on their marriage. On March 13, 2015, Saab and CC-1 jointly filed a petition seeking to obtain naturalized citizenship for CC-1. In doing so, Saab and CC-1 falsely claimed under penalty of perjury that their marriage was “not for the purpose of procuring an immigration benefit.”
Saab is charged with providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; receiving military-type training from a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a sentence of 10 years in prison or a fine; conspiracy to receive military-type training from a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization to facilitate an act of international terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison; marriage fraud conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years; citizenship application fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years; naturalization fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years; and making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD. They also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Krouse and Jason A. Richman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Bridget Behling and Alexandra Hughes of the Counterterrorism Section.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New Haven Man Convicted Following 4-Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Adonnis Carswell, age 34, of New Haven, Indiana was found guilty by a jury on 4 counts as charged in a Superseding Indictment; maintaining a drug involved premises, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady, presided over this four day jury trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, in June 2017, a search warrant was executed on a residence in New Haven, Indiana where Carswell lived. During the search agents found numerous firearms, to include a Smith and Wesson pistol, a Scorpion Pistol and a rifle which contained a 100 round drum magazine, 124 rounds of ammunition, over 60 grams of heroin, along with other indicia of drug distribution (packaging, scales, and over $25,000 in cash). While agents were executing the search warrant, Carswell attempted to bribe an agent by offering the agent money to dispose of heroin, which did not happen.
Carswell’s sentencing will be set at a later date.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the Indiana State Police with the assistance of the New Haven Police Department as well as the Drug Enforcement Administration and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony Geller and Sarah Nokes.
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New Britain Woman Admits Role in Counterfeit Check Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LILIBETH PEREZ, 20, of New Britain, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a conspiracy charge related to her role in a counterfeit check bank fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately December 2017 and December 2018, Perez and others obtained access to bank accounts in the name of other individuals, deposited counterfeit checks into those accounts, and withdrew money from the accounts before the banks discovered the checks to be counterfeit. The investigation revealed that Perez and others obtained access to the bank accounts by recruiting individuals through social media and persuading the individuals to share their account information, including debit cards and associated PIN numbers.
Perez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. She is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on January 3, 2020.
Perez was arrested on a criminal complaint on January 9, 2019. She is released on a $100,000 bond.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Nebraska Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Omaha, Nebraska, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Bank Robbery.
Ferris Valentine, age 53, was indicted on August 6, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on September 9, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 25 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on or about November 15, 2016, Valentine aided and abetted by another person, took and attempted to take money belonging to the First National Bank located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and assaulted and put in jeopardy the life of another person by the use of a firearm.
The charge is merely an accusation and Valentine is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Jeremy R. Jehangiri are prosecuting the case.
Valentine was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for November 12, 2019.
NDTX Round-Up September 19, 2019Read the Press Release
SENTENCING – Noe Pineda-Castro, Junior
On September 12, Noe Pineda-Castro, Junior, 23 was sentenced to 7 years and 5 months in federal custody for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams of methamphetamine. Court documents reflect that the defendant engaged in this conspiracy from on or about January 20, 2017, to on or about October 17, 2017. The Defendant was illegally in the United States at the time of his arrest. The case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case that was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dallas Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by AUSA George Leal.
SENTENCING – Claudia Gomez Lara
On September 9, Claudia Marcela Gomez-Lara, 33 was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in federal custody conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Court documents reflect on or about January 9, 2019, the defendant delivered approximately 668 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in exchange for $3,700.00 at a Home Depot parking lot in Balch Springs, Texas. The Defendant was illegally in the United States at the time of her arrest. The case an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) case that was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Dallas Police Department, the Balch Springs Police Department, and the Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by AUSA George Leal.
SENTENCING – Juan Carlos Macedo-Benitez
On September 12, Juan Carlos Macedo-Benitez was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in federal custody for illegal reentry after removal from the United States. Macedo-Benitez was originally removed from the United States in April 2017. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations. This case was prosecuted by AUSA Cathy Richardson.
SENTENCING – Jon Anthony Terry
On September 11, Jon Anthony Terry was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for the production of child pornography. Terry was found in possession of several child pornography files, and admitted to sexually abusing one of the children who was residing with him at the time of the arrest. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Ozark Arkansas Police Department. AUSA Camilla Sparks prosecuted the case as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative. To learn more about this case, click here.
SENTENCING – Asif Ali
On September 11, Asif Ali, 48, was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud. Ali emailed various investors with fraudulent documents that showed wire transfers from several organizations. He repeated this scheme multiple times from 2009 to 2017, collecting over 3 million dollars, claiming to use this money to further the business interests of a fraudulent limousine company. This case was prosecuted by AUSA David Jarvis and investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation Dallas Field Office.
GUILTY PLEA – Ciera Washington
On September 12, Ciera Washington pled guilty to robbery. Washington served as a get-away driver in the robbery of a Valero Gas Station in Mesquite, Texas. Her co-defendants threatened the store owner at gunpoint and stole cash and tobacco products. The Mesquite Police Department was able to track a device in the stolen currency to find the trio. Upon discovery, Washington led the police on a high-speed chase. After crashing the car, Washington was arrested by the police. The stolen goods were found in the vehicle. Washington faces a sentence of up to 20 in federal custody. This case was prosecuted by AUSA Cara Pierce and AUSA Rachael Jones.
Monroeville Man Sentenced to More Than 14 Years for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Marcus Antoine Bivins, 30, of Monroeville, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court on two charges—carjacking and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Bivins pled guilty to the charges in May of 2019.
According to court documents filed in connection with his guilty plea, Bivins admitted that on January 2, 2018, he and another man were in a GMC Yukon driven by the victim. Bivins was directing the victim where to go, ostensibly to pick up the other man’s truck. Bivins told the victim to drive down a dirt road that Bivins said led to his grandmother’s house, but was in fact a dead end. At the end of the road, Bivins pulled a pistol and pointed it at the victim’s head. The victim heard a click, which was Bivins pulling the trigger. The gun did not fire. The victim tried to escape from the car, and found the doors were locked. The second man tried to put a nylon cooler over the victim’s head, but ultimately the victim escaped the car. As he ran through the woods, the victim heard several shots. The victim found help and reported the incident to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The next day, Sheriff’s deputies responded to a wreck involving the GMC Yukon taken from the victim. At the scene of the wreck were Bivins and the other man, who both complained that they needed medical attention. Deputies asked Bivins if he was armed, and Bivins claimed he was not. However, during the process of treating Bivins, medical personnel in the ambulance found a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol between his legs. The other man was interviewed and corroborated the victim’s account of Bivins taking the vehicle at gunpoint and shooting at the victim as he ran away. The second man said he and Bivins used the victim’s Yukon to attempt to burglarize businesses, including by ramming the car into the wall of one business. The man reported he and Bivins had wrecked the Yukon in a confrontation with another subject.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed a sentence of 177 months imprisonment, consisting of 57 months on the carjacking charge and 120 months on the gun charge, ordering that they run consecutively. Bivins will serve a term of 5 years on supervised release upon the completion of his sentence, during which he will undergo drug and alcohol abuse treatment and mental health treatment. Bivins was not ordered to pay a fine, but the judge ordered that he pay the victim of the carjacking $6,425 in restitution. Bivins was also ordered to pay $100 in special assessments. Bivins faces pending charges in Monroe County Circuit Court for murder and robbery first degree.
The case was investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Mobridge Woman Indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mobridge, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Shanna Michelle Pleets, age 40, was indicted on July 16, 2019. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on September 16, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 40 years in federal prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that beginning at a time unknown, but no later than March 1, 2018, and continuing to June 17, 2018, Pleets knowingly and intentionally, combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed with persons to knowingly and intentionally distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
The charge is merely an accusation and Pleets is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Pleets was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Missouri, Colorado Residents Plead Guilty to $1.7 Million Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Five Missouri residents and two Colorado residents have pleaded guilty to their roles in a conspiracy to distribute more than $1.7 million of marijuana that was mailed from Colorado to Missouri.
Christopher E. Buckingham, 42, of Versailles, Missouri, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to participating in the conspiracy from Aug. 28, 2015, to July 10, 2018.
Co-defendants Natalie J. McNeil, 34, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri; her brother, Tanner L. McNeil, 29, of Denver, Colorado; and Benjamin T. Parker, 29, also of Denver, also have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Additionally, they have pleaded guilty to their roles in a related money-laundering conspiracy.
In separate but related cases, Eva N. Johnston, 44, Brian E. McIntyre, 25, and Brian C. Miller, 29, all of Kansas City, Missouri, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the marijuana-trafficking conspiracy.
Tanner McNeil and Parker shipped the marijuana to co-conspirators in Missouri for further distribution. The marijuana was shipped in sealed packages inside plastic protein containers, and each shipment usually contained between four to six pounds. A total of 121 packages (484 to 726 pounds of marijuana) were shipped during the conspiracy.
Natalie McNeil deposited cash in structured amounts (to avoid federal transaction reporting requirements) in the bank accounts of Tanner McNeil and Parker. The cash deposits were made in bank branches in Missouri then withdrawn shortly afterward by Tanner McNeil and Parker at bank branches in Colorado.
A total of $1,769,244 in deposits of drug proceeds were made in Missouri, with $1,033,788 being made into Tanner McNeil’s bank account and $735,456 being made into Parker’s bank account. Investigators determined that $1,295,063 of the deposited drug proceeds were withdrawn by Tanner McNeil and Parker in Colorado shortly after the deposits were made in Missouri. They knew that these financial transactions were conducted in order promote illegal marijuana trafficking, were designed at least in part to conceal the nature, location, and source of the proceeds of the illegal marijuana trafficking, and were designed at least in part to avoid financial transaction reporting requirements under state or federal law.
Buckingham admitted today that he received four packages that contained a total of 16 to 24 pounds of marijuana.
Under federal statutes, Buckingham is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Tanner and Natalie McNeil and Parker are each subject to a sentence of up to 40 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jess E. Michaelsen and Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon and Drug UserRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Staples, Minnesota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon and Drug User was sentenced on September 9, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Mark Schmidt, age 54, was sentenced to 5 months in federal prison, followed by 5 months of home confinement, 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Schmidt was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 23, 2019. He pled guilty on June 19, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on December 5, 2018, where Schmidt, a convicted felon and user of marijuana, was stopped while driving on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation and knowingly possessed a .357 Magnum caliber revolver and twenty-three rounds of ammunition.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Schmidt was ordered to report to his designated prison on October 1, 2019.
Millinocket Man Sentenced to Two Years for Theft of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Randolph Bourgoin, III, 32, of Millinocket, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to two years in prison and three years of supervised release for theft of a firearm from a federally licensed dealer. He was also ordered to pay $430 in restitution. Bourgoin pleaded guilty on April 3, 2019.
According to court records, on November 27, 2018, Bourgoin stole the firearm from a display case at a gun dealer in Milo. The theft was caught on surveillance video, and Bourgoin later admitted to the theft.
The case was investigated by the Milo Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. This case was brought as part of 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.
McKeesport Sex Offender Admits to Coercing a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of McKeesport, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Scott Joseph Payne, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of each of the above-described offenses before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. In addition to the guilty plea, Payne accepted responsibility for two additional counts of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and three counts of production of images depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on June 10, 2017, Payne, while pretending to be a teenage female, engaged in an Internet conversation with a 12-year-old male using a chatting application known as "KIK", during which Payne persuaded the minor victim to produce and share still images and videos of the minor engaging in sex acts. The court was further informed that evidence established that Payne engaged in similar communications with a 15-year-old male in New Jersey and a 16-year-old male in Louisiana, and was in possession of sexually explicit photographs and videos of the three minor victims when law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at his residence on June 19, 2017. Payne has a 2012 conviction involving sexual abuse of children and possession of child pornography for which he was serving a term of probation at the time of his arrest and for which he was required to register as a Megan’s Law sex offender.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for February 20, 2020, at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Payne remains under detention pending the resolution of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Carolyn J. Bloch is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Western Pennsylvania Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Bloomfield, New Jersey Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Payne.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.