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Wednesday 7 August 2019
Two Men Arrested at the Lewiston Queenston Bridge for Their Roles in Attempted Illegal EntryRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jason O. Garcia, 42, of Toronto, Ontario, and Jose Herrera-Galvaz, 43, a citizen and native of Chile, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with harboring an illegal alien and attempted illegal entry respectively. Garcia faces five years in prison if convicted; Herrera-Galvaz faces six months in prison if he is convicted.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 5, 2019, a commercial truck with Ontario, Canada plates, being driven by defendant Garcia, attempted to enter the United States at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry. During primary inspection, Garcia was asked if anyone else was present in the truck and he stated “No.” Garcia was then referred to the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) for a scan of the truck. Garcia appeared to drive toward the VACIS area, but instead of reporting directly to the VACIS exam area, he drove the truck in front of the warehouse. A CBP Officer saw the truck park for a brief moment in front of the warehouse, and saw an individual, later identified as Herrera-Galvaz, get out of the truck and walk directly into the entrance of the warehouse. The truck then turned around in the parking lot and headed towards the VACIS examination area.
The CBP officers alerted other officers who began to search the warehouse building for the person who exited the truck. Herrera-Galvaz was located in the hallway of the warehouse. Officers indicted that he appeared nervous and was speaking Spanish. It was determined that Herrera-Galvaz was the individual who exited the truck that had pulled in front of the warehouse. During a search of Herrera-Galvaz, officers found, concealed in Herrera-Galvaz’s pants, a Chilean passport, bearing his photograph and biographical information. Herrera-Galvaz and Garcia were referred to the secondary inspection area for further inspection.
A subsequent record check determined that Herrera-Galvaz was refused entry to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, at the Toronto, Ontario Pre-flight Inspection Station on August 4, 2019. Herrera-Galvaz was refused entry for failing to disclose an arrest in Chile on his Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application. As a result, he must obtain a Visa prior to attempting to enter the United States at any time.
The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and were detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Two Boston City Hall Aides Convicted of Conspiring to Extort Music Festival Production CompanyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The City of Boston’s Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Timothy Sullivan, and Kenneth Brissette, the Director of the City’s Office of Tourism, Sports and Entertainment were convicted today by a federal jury in Boston in connection with extorting a music festival production company operating on City Hall Plaza.
Brissette and Sullivan both were convicted of Hobbs Act conspiracy, and Brissette was also convicted of Hobbs Act extortion. The Court has not yet scheduled sentencing dates.
“This afternoon, a federal jury convicted Kenneth Brissette and Timothy Sullivan of extorting a private business to hire union labor that they did not want or need,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Private companies that want to do business in Boston have the right to hire anyone they want – union or not – without fear of being threatened with economic disaster by government officials. That is the law. This was a hard fought victory, and one that reaffirms our commitment to take on cases that are in the public interest.”
“The FBI thanks the jury for their service and thoughtful deliberations,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Today’s verdicts show that public officials cannot use their positions to extort those who choose to use non-union labor. The FBI will not stand idly by while hard-working individuals are bullied and strong-armed by public servants. Everyone deserves access to a level playing field, and the excuse of “business as usual” isn’t good enough to earnest citizens who rely on their own local governments to do right by them and their families. Let this case be a warning to municipal workers everywhere, it is the taxpayers they serve and answer to at the end of the day.”
“Today’s convictions affirm the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s commitment to protecting the American workers from extortion and unlawful influence. The defendants used threats of financial harm to obtain wages from a television production company for services that were not needed or required. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to combat this type of criminal activity,” said Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Between June and September 2014, while a music festival production company was awaiting the issuance of certain permits and approvals required for its event, and seeking an agreement from the City of Boston to use City Hall Plaza for events beyond 2017, Brissette and Sullivan repeatedly advised the company that it would need to hire members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 11 to work the event. Local 11 had attempted to obtain work from the production company since March 2013. The production company told Brissette and Sullivan that it had already entered into a contract with a non-union company and hired all of its labor. Nevertheless, on Sept. 2, 2014, three days before the music festival was scheduled to begin, Brissette and Sullivan insisted that half of the production company’s labor force consist of union members. The production company agreed to hire nine members of Local 11 and entered into a contract with the union because they feared the company would be financially ruined if they did not accede to the these City officials’ demands.
The charge of extortion provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to extort provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, 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.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, FBI SAC Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and DOL OIG SAC Mikulka made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura J. Kaplan and Kristina E. Barclay of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Three Defendants in MS-13 Racketeering Case Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Court accepted guilty pleas this week from three defendants in the
MS-13 racketeering case. Each defendant accepted responsibility for murder, including one homicide in Indianapolis investigated as part of this case.Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the pleas entered into before Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
In February 2018, 23 individuals were charged in a second superseding indictment and alleged to be members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
The second superseding indictment alleges that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a suspected confidential informant, in Perry County; 2) the November 2008 murder of Ramon Ramos on Lockbourne Road in Columbus; 3) the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, a suspected rival gang member, near Innis Road in Columbus; 4) the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus; and 5) the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.
Jose Manuel Romero-Parada (a/k/a Russo), 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon to a superseding information. Through his plea to racketeering conspiracy, he accepted responsibility for his role in the murders of Carlos Serrano-Ramos and Wilson Villeda. In addition, he accepted responsibility for his involvement in the murder of Israel Anibal Mejia-Martinez, who was killed with bladed weapons and buried in a park in Indianapolis in 2017. The parties in Romero-Parada’s case have recommended a sentence of 35 to 40 years in prison.
Jose Bonilla-Mejia (a/k/a Espia), 30, of Santa Maria, Calif., accepted responsibility for his role in the murders of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, Wilson Villeda and Salvador Martinez-Diaz. As part of his plea, he will serve life in prison without the possibility of release. Chief Judge Sargus accepted Bonilla-Mejia’s guilty plea this afternoon.
Juan Jose Alvarenga-Alberto (a/k/a Sailen), 30, of Columbus, pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon. He accepted responsibility for his role in the 2016 shooting death of Salvador Martinez-Diaz in Columbus.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with Bonilla-Mejia’s resolution.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Thirteen Defendants Charged in Cross-Bay Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged thirteen defendants with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. The charges were made in a complaint filed July 31, 2019, and unsealed today following the arrest of 11 defendants.
The complaint, described by U.S. Attorney Anderson in a press conference today, is one of the first steps in the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin (FIT). The initiative seeks to reduce crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and is described here.
The complaint describes a conspiracy involving a large-scale drug-trafficking organization with networks extending across the Bay Area. According to the complaint, from at least January 15, 2019, to July 31, 2019, Andy Reanos-Moreno worked with Karol Erazo-Reanos to rent housing throughout the Easy Bay for persons, including “redistributors,” who were part of the drug-distribution network. Reanos-Moreno, Erazo-Reanos, and Manuel Arteaga allegedly also supplied the redistributors with heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The redistributors, including Allan Josue Funez Osorto, Brayan Martinez, Josue Natanael Perdomo Moreno, Jose Franklin Rodriguez Garcia, Cesar Estrada Cruz, Arnold Cruz Rodriguez, Christian Rodriguez-Valle, Alex Gomez Barrientos, Eric Montoya Marquez, and Kevin Arteaga-Morales, allegedly traveled to the Tenderloin neighborhood to sell drugs, often by carpooling together across the Bay Bridge.
According to the criminal complaint, Reanos-Moreno, along with Arteaga, took drug orders on a nearly daily basis from the individuals living in houses across the East Bay. The persons living in the houses occasionally would negotiate prices and would specify daily the quantities of heroin, cocaine powder, cocaine base, and methamphetamine they wanted to receive. Reanos-Moreno and Arteaga would then deliver these drugs to redistributors who would travel to the Tenderloin neighborhood to sell the drugs, referring to the neighborhood as “Civic Cen.” The complaint describes numerous alleged seizures of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from houses where the redistributors lived as well as numerous seizures of drugs from the redistributors in the Tenderloin, including near several federal buildings.
All defendants are charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and between 3 years and a lifetime term of supervised release. Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The complaint contains allegations only and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Several of the defendants were arrested on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, as part of a criminal enforcement operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Garcia, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Ryan Rezaei are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, San Francisco Police Department, and Richmond Police Department.
St. Thomas Resident Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –Jeffrey Cole, 57, of St. Thomas, was sentenced yesterday on his conviction for failing to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Cole to six months incarceration, three years of supervised release and a Special Assessment of $100. Gomez also ordered Cole to perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court records, Cole was convicted for voyeurism in the State of Ohio in 2009. He moved to the Virgin Islands in 2018, and failed to register here.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshal Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to a bank fraud scheme to cash stolen and counterfeit checks.
Robert Simon Rees, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of bank fraud and one count of possessing stolen mail.
By pleading guilty today, Rees admitted that he engaged in a bank fraud scheme from April to July 3, 2017, to cash stolen and counterfeit checks and to use the stolen and counterfeit checks to purchase merchandise. The amount of the financial harm attempted during the bank fraud scheme totaled approximately $19,696 to 10 or more victims. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Rees must pay $1,607 in restitution to the three victims who suffered actual losses.
Rees, aided and abetted by others, stole checks, letters, and documents containing the personally identifying information of individuals from the mailboxes of individuals and businesses and from vehicles and residences. They created forged and counterfeit power of attorney documents that purported to give Rees authority to conduct financial transactions on behalf of the individuals and businesses that were payees listed on the stolen checks. Then, at businesses including Wal-Mart and Lend Nation, Rees attempted to cash the stolen checks, or use the stolen checks to purchase merchandise.
Rees, aided and abetted by others, also created forged and counterfeit checks payable to persons other than himself, as well as counterfeit identification (including Missouri temporary drivers’ licenses) matching the payee names on the counterfeit checks. Rees then falsely presented himself as the payee listed on the counterfeit checks, and attempted to cash the counterfeit checks, or use the counterfeit checks to purchase merchandise at businesses.
Under federal statutes, Rees is subject to a sentence of up to 35 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty August 6, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Julio Cesar Salais, age 45, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distributing methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a protected location. Salais was twice previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Northern District of Iowa District Court in 1996 and 2002.
At the plea hearing, Salais admitted that from May 2018 through March 2019, he and others conspired to distribute more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City, Iowa area. Salais further admitted that on two occasions he distributed more than 300 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. These distributions occurred within the protected locations of Irving Elementary School, Sioux City Alternative School and Opportunities School at the Boys and Girls home in Sioux City.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Salais remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Salais faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4024. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Schenectady County Man Indicted for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert Kirk, 36, of Schenectady, New York, was charged today in a five-count indictment for sexually exploiting a child by using a minor to create sexually explicit images on a cellular telephone, and distributing and possessing child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Kirk was initially charged by criminal complaint on July 26, 2018, and has remained in custody since. If convicted, Kirk faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison on the sexual exploitation counts, at least 5 and up to 20 years in prison on the distribution count, and up to 20 years in prison on each of the child pornography counts. Sentences of imprisonment may be concurrent or consecutive at the discretion of the Court. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. The Court also will impose a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of between 5 years and life.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by HSI, with assistance from the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Giglio Suarez.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Roxboro Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced ANDRE ALAN THORPE, 36, of Roxboro, North Carolina to 480 months’ imprisonment, followed by lifetime of supervised release.
THORPE was named in an Indictment filed on May 16, 2018, and pleaded guilty on May 2, 2019, to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
From around 2013 until April 29, 2016, THORPE sexually abused a minor boy. Using his position as a leader of a church pantomime group, THORPE developed a relationship with the victim and then used drugs and manipulation to groom and control the victim. The victim’s family eventually moved out of state in part to escape THORPE. In 2015, THORPE arranged for the victim to return to North Carolina, where he continued to sexually abuse the then-fifteen-year-old. The victim returned home, but THORPE again transported the victim back to North Carolina in February 2016. On April 25, 2016, while participating in a church event in Raleigh, THORPE took the victim to a Raleigh residence, where he had sexual contact with the victim and photographed it. The victim, age sixteen, was recovered in THORPE’s company on April 29, 2016. Law enforcement subsequently recovered the images of child pornography from THORPE’s cellular phone.
Mr. Higdon commented: “We are very pleased that the Court saw fit to sentence Andre Alan Thorpe to some 40 years in federal prison. The victim in this case – and the victim’s family – have been terrorized. As the result of the Court’s sentence this defendant’s life as a predator stops now!”
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and the Raleigh Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Blondel handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Rocky Mount Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that yesterday in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced MARCUS ANTONIO LUCAS 42, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 72 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
LUCAS was named in a five-count Indictment filed on February 6, 2019 charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin from January 24, 2018 until February 9, 2018; distribution of a quantity of heroin; distribution of a quantity of heroin, aiding and abetting; and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, aiding and abetting. On May 2, 2019, LUCAS pled guilty to the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, aiding and abetting, charges.
According to the investigation, LUCAS was a part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Law enforcement utilized a confidential informant and undercover officer to make several controlled buys of multiple bricks of heroin from LUCAS. One brick of heroin consists of 50 individual bags or dosage units. On February 9, 2018, officers attempted to stop LUCAS’ vehicle after he traveled to Henderson, North Carolina. LUCAS led officers on a chase in Nash County, North Carolina. Officers had to deploy stop sticks in order to get LUCAS to stop. LUCAS eventually jumped from his car and fled on foot. LUCAS was apprehended and officers located eight bricks of heroin, approximately 400 individual dosage units, in his car.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government.
Rocky Mount Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced NATHANIEL CLEVESTER CLARK, 28, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
CLARK was named in a five-count Indictment filed on September 11, 2018 charging him with distribution of a quantity of cocaine base (crack); distribution of twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (crack); distribution of a quantity of cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine. On May 2, 2019, CLARK pled guilty to distribution of twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (crack).
According to the investigation, CLARK was a part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed cocaine base (crack) and cocaine in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Law enforcement utilized a confidential informant and undercover officer to make several controlled buys of numerous ounces of cocaine base (crack) and cocaine from CLARK. On January 3, 2018, officers attempted to arrest CLARK before he was about to sell four ounces of cocaine. Upon seeing officers, CLARK ran into a convenience store and placed the drugs on a shelf in the store. Officers seized the drugs which were examined and determined to be over 110 grams of cocaine.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Tarboro Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty in Theft of over 90 Guns Taken During Gun Store BurglariesRead 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 Dakota J. Sarfaty, 22, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to theft of firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee and possession of stolen firearms. The charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that Sarfaty, along with co-defendants Luis D. Marcano-Agosto and Marcos D. Guzman, broke into Chinappi’s Firearms & Supplies, a gun store located at 5016 West Ridge Road in Spencerport, NY, in the early morning hours of August 16, 2018. Sarfaty entered the basement through a hole in the wall and, together with Marcano-Agosto and Guzman, stole approximately 87 firearms, almost all of which were handguns. Guzman, Sarfaty and Marcano-Agosto then sold many of the firearms on the streets of Rochester. Investigators recovered 14 of the stolen firearms in the days after the theft.
Sarafty also admitted to breaking into Chinappi’s Firearms & Supplies and stealing approximately seven firearms on August 12, 2018.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Million Dollar Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to embezzle over a million dollars from a Massachusetts company.
Michael H. Tran, 35, of Woonsocket, R.I., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. In September 2018, Tran was charged by indictment and arrested. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 5, 2019.
Tran and co-conspirator Darren Cormier, who worked as a product manager for a Bellingham, Mass., manufacturing company, worked together to embezzle millions of dollars from the company. From December 2013 to May 2016, Cormier told the company owners that he was purchasing equipment for the company using his PayPal account, which was linked to the company’s credit cards. Instead of making legitimate equipment purchases, however, Cormier used his PayPal account to pay Tran, who withdrew the money in cash and used it to pay for personal expenses. Tran and Cormier concealed the fraud by adjusting the names settings in Tran’s PayPal account to make it appear on account statements as if the payments were submitted to legitimate vendors. Tran and Cormier also submitted fraudulent invoices and purchase orders to the company in the name of some non-existent vendors, such as “A Plug Tool Supply,” and “MHT Industrial.”
Cormier was charged separately for his role in the conspiracy and wire fraud scheme and pleaded guilty in March 2019. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns.
The charging statute for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O'Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Raleigh County Couple Sentenced for Roles in Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County couple were sentenced today to prison for their roles in federal drug and gun charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Billy Joe Lesher, 40, of Beckley, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine. Kimberly York, 33, also from Beckley, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The drug trafficking crime involved the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Stuart commended the cooperative investigative efforts of the Beckley Police Department, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
“Meth dealers and guns. Different names, but the result is the same – lengthy federal prison sentences,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Lesher previously admitted that on October 24, 2018, members of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, and ATF executed a search warrant at his residence in Beckley, West Virginia. During the search, officers found approximately seven ounces methamphetamine that defendant admitted he possessed with the intent to distribute. Lesher also admitted that he possessed methamphetamine on March 10, 2018. On this date, Lesher admitted that he was the subject of a traffic stop in Beckley. After he was stopped, officers found approximately 38 grams of methamphetamine, a set of digital scales, two firearms, and almost $12,000 in cash in his car. After the traffic stop, officers also searched defendant’s residence and found approximately 33 ounces, or about two pounds, of methamphetamine. Lesher admitted that he intended to distribute this methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia. Further, as part of his plea, Lesher also admitted to distributing quantities of heroin on two different dates.
York previously admitted that on March 10, 2018, she was a passenger in a car driven by her companion and co-defendant, Billy Lesher. The car was stopped by police near Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley for speeding. During the traffic stop, officers found approximately 38 grams of methamphetamine, a set of digital scales, guns, and almost $12,000 in cash in the car. A Taurus .357 revolver was found in York’s purse along with a small amount of heroin. York admitted that she knew the methamphetamine found in the car was possessed with the intent to distribute it in and around Raleigh County. She also admitted that she possessed the firearm as protection for both her and Lesher as they engaged in drug trafficking activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecutions. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Roswell Man Arrested on Federal Firearms and Explosives ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Joshua Daniel Vaughn, 31, of Roswell, N.M., made his initial appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in federal court in Roswell on a criminal complaint charging him with being a user of controlled substances illegally in possession of firearms and making destructive explosive devices. Vaughn was ordered temporarily detained pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, which have yet to be scheduled, but will be held in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M.
The charges against Vaughn were announced by U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek III of the Dallas Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Roswell Police Chief Philip Smith, and New Mexico State Police Chief Tim Johnson.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation into Vaughn was initiated on Aug. 5, 2019, after the Roswell Police Department (RPD) received a tip about a man, later identified as Vaughn, who allegedly was observed loading multiple firearms into a vehicle. The tipster reportedly was concerned because the man allegedly was wearing latex gloves and camouflage. Acting on the tip, RPD officers executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Vaughn. During the traffic stop, the RPD officers allegedly recovered seven firearms from Vaughn and the vehicle, and verified with the New Mexico Department of Health that Vaughn was authorized to use medical marijuana.
The criminal complaint alleges that on Aug. 5, 2019, officers from the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Bomb Squad conducted a consensual search of Vaughn’s residence where they allegedly observed multiple explosive devices in a bedroom allegedly used by Vaughn. On Aug. 6, 2019, ATF obtained a federal search warrant for Vaughn’s residence, which was executed by ATF and the NMSP Bomb Squad. During the execution of the search, ATF and the NMSP Bomb Squad allegedly imaged multiple homemade improvised explosive devices, which they rendered safe. The agents and officers also allegedly seized three more firearms and ammunition while executing the search warrant.
ATF arrested Vaughn on Aug. 5, 2019, following the traffic stop and execution of the consensual search at Vaughn’s residence.
If convicted on the offenses in the criminal complaint, Vaughn faces a statutory maximum of ten years of imprisonment on the firearms possession charge, and a statutory maximum of ten years of imprisonment on the explosive devices charge. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation of this case, which is continuing, is being handled by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Roswell Police Department, and the New Mexico State Police Bomb Squad. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Las Cruces is prosecuting the case.
Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Hurricane man pled guilty to a federal firearm offense today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Johnny Ray Thacker, 63, pled guilty to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Charleston Police Department, the Dunbar Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“Drugs and guns by a two-time felon,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Drug trafficking is a violent business. Our law enforcement partners are placed in harm’s way every single day to get violent drug dealers off the streets and behind bars. There may be nothing more uncertain and, frankly, scary, than walking up to the side of a vehicle and not knowing what may be pointed back at you. A felon in possession of a firearm is against the law and we will prosecute each and every time we find a felon with a gun.”
On July 3, 2018, a Charleston Police Officer stopped Thacker for speeding 24 miles per hour over the speed limit on Sissonville Drive. Thacker told the officer he had a gun on the passenger seat, which the officer temporarily secured for their safety. Thacker was a two-time felon, whose rights to possess a firearm had not been restored. While retrieving Thacker’s gun, the officer spotted marijuana scattered on it. Officers then searched Thacker’s vehicle and recovered several grams of methamphetamine and heroin, baggies for drug packaging, and a scale.
On September 3, 2018, police officers were called to Dunbar Memorial Park regarding suspected drug trafficking out of a lime green colored vehicle. Officers spotted Thacker parked in a lime green car. After a specially-trained police dog detected the odor of drugs coming from Thacker’s car, police searched it and found approximately 4.5 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, a scale, a baggie of powdered sugar for cutting drugs, and a ledger documenting drug debts and sales. Thacker claimed the drugs.
Thacker faces a mandatory minimum five years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 7, 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is handling the prosecution.
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Prison Guards Charged with Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MICAH LYNNE WASCHER, 36, and TRAVIS EUGENE WASCHER, 42, both of Canute, Oklahoma, have been charged with methamphetamine distribution, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing. The defendants are married and, at the time of the alleged offenses, were Correctional Officers for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections at the North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre.
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed on July 30, Oklahoma Department of Corrections staff confiscated a cell phone from a North Fork inmate on May 27, 2019. It is alleged the Department’s Security Threats Intelligence group discovered the phone contained evidence of regular communications among the inmate who had the phone, another inmate, and Micah Lynne Wascher. The phone allegedly included evidence that the other inmate had been receiving money on a Green Dot prepaid credit card from Wascher. Both inmates at issue are allegedly members of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood.
According to the affidavit, Department of Corrections officers obtained a warrant and searched the defendants’ home in Canute. They discovered 72 grams of a white, crystal-like substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine, as well as eleven cell phones.
Both defendants were arrested on August 6, 2019. Today a federal grand jury returned an indictment that charges both of them with three crimes: conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.
"Oklahomans expect prison officials to enforce our laws, not to use their positions to introduce contraband such as drugs and cell phones," said U.S. Attorney Downing. "I am pleased to work with state corrections officials to ensure Oklahoma’s prisons are free of this sort of corruption."
If found guilty of either of the first two charges, each defendant faces a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000,000. This crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Each defendant would also be required to serve a term of supervised release of at least four years and up to life. If found guilty of the third charge, each could be imprisoned up to 20 years and be subject to a fine of up to $500,000, in addition to three years of supervised release.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections—Security Threats Intelligence, the Oklahoma District Attorney’s Drug Task Force for District 2, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Patterson and Jason Harley are prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Pittsburgh Man Charged in Series of Armed Robberies of Area BusinessesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal robbery laws, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The 16-count Second Superseding Indictment named George Wilson, III, age 37.
According to the Second Superseding Indictment, Wilson committed a series of armed robberies of businesses throughout the Pittsburgh area from November 2014 through December 2014. During that time, Wilson committed armed robberies of three stores called "The Exchange" and during one robbery, Wilson discharged a firearm. Wilson also committed armed robberies of two Sunoco stations and one Exxon station. Due to a prior conviction for a felony offense, Wilson is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 35years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000 at each count, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Troy Rivetti and Heidi M. Grogan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Monroeville Police Department, the Ross Township Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department and the Wilkins Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Second Superseding Indictment in this case.
A second superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Picayune Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Images of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Dannie Curlee, Jr., 46, of Picayune, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. to producing images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
In February 2017, Curlee produced images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Curlee was identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attache Vancouver, and HSI in Mississippi, as an individual, with a specific user name, involved with numerous individuals posting images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children utilizing a Canadian company’s instant messaging mobile app “Kik”.
Subsequent investigation and the identification of an internet protocol or “IP” address linked to Curlee led to the execution of a federal search warrant in July of 2018 at Curlee’s Picayune residence and his subsequent arrest. Curlee admitted when interviewed that he had produced images of a minor child. He was charged in a federal indictment in April, 2019.
Curlee will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on November 14, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force with assistance from the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 14 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph Richard, age 26, of Philadelphia, was sentenced on August 6, 2019, to 168 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann, for drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, from 2015 through 2017, Richard transported bulk heroin from Philadelphia to associates in Danville and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, who would then repay Richard using a credit union account he held.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Portales Man Indicted on Federal Production of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Augustin Gallegos, 34, of Portales, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court in Roswell, N.M., yesterday on an indictment charging him with production of child pornography. Gallegos remains in federal custody pending arraignment and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for August 13, 2019, in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M.
A federal grand jury sitting in Albuquerque returned an indictment against Gallegos under seal on July 25, 2019. The indictment was unsealed after the FBI arrested Gallegos earlier today.
The indictment charges Gallegos with persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing a child under the age of 18 years to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. According to the indictment, Gallegos committed the crime between March 2018 and May 2019, in Roosevelt County, N.M.
At the time of his arrest on the federal indictment, Gallegos was in state custody on related state charges filed by the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The state charges will be dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Gallegos faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment. Charges in indictments are only accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Roswell and Albuquerque offices of the FBI and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory with assistance from the Texico (New Mexico) Police Department, the Portales Police Department, and the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Mease is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Nine Defendants Charged in International Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged nine defendants, many members of the same family, with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. The charges were made in a complaint filed July 26, 2019, and unsealed today following the arrest of eight defendants.
The complaint, described by U.S. Attorney Anderson in a press conference today, is one of the first steps in the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin (FIT). The initiative seeks to reduce crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and is described here.
The complaint describes a conspiracy involving a large-scale drug trafficking organization a network extending across the Bay Area. According to the complaint, between March 4, 2019, and July 26, 2019, Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos, a/k/a “Rojo”, worked with his family members Victor Viera-Chirinos, a/k/a “Mojarra”; Jorge Alberto Viera-Chirinos; Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera, a/k/a “Enrique”; and Karen Castro-Torres, a/k/a “Delany Ellieth Cardona Velasquez”, a/k/a “Belanie Elyzabeth Artiaga”, to obtain drugs. The defendants brought the drugs from Mexico through Los Angeles to the Bay Area. The defendants then repackaged the drugs for redistribution both in the Bay Area and in Seattle. The complaint also describes the execution of search warrants in June 2018 by the Richmond and San Francisco Police Departments and how Jorge Alberto Viera-Chirinos thereafter remained in the Bay Area to run the family drug-trafficking business while Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos and his partner, Karen Castro-Torres, moved to Seattle.
Also described in the complaint is how Karen Castro-Torres, Cilder Velasquez, and Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera coordinated housing for individuals who redistributed drugs for the drug-trafficking organization. Drug redistributors, including Gustavo Adolfo Gamez-Velasquez and Luis Almicar Erazo-Centeno, allegedly placed orders for drugs on a regular basis from Cilder Velasquez and Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera. The complaint includes excerpts from calls and text messages intercepted over federally authorized wiretaps. According to the complaint, the Viera family obtained drugs in Los Angeles, packaged them for local redistribution in Livermore, Calif., and then shipped the drugs to the Seattle area. Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos, speaking with an individual using a Honduras-based area code, also allegedly plotted to murder an individual in Honduras. The complaint also describes a traffic stop in Washington State during which Alexander Gonzalez-Vasquez and Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos allegedly concealed cocaine and heroin in a hidden compartment inside Gonzalez’s truck.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen stated, “Street-level drug dealing has, unfortunately, become somewhat 'normalized' in the Tenderloin. As for me and my law enforcement partners, and I suspect most people in this community, we are tired of drug traffickers preying on and profiting from the vulnerable. This case and the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin is a sustained effort, and we are focused on drug dealers, their sources of supply and anyone else who assists them, while keeping in mind we need to help those suffering from addiction. Our message is simple: we will continue to do our best to prevent these bold criminals from destroying any more lives. There is much work to be done.”
All defendants are charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and between 3 years and a lifetime term of supervised release. Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The complaint contains allegations only, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Several of the defendants were arrested on July 26, 2019, as part of a criminal enforcement operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Garcia, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Ryan Rezaei are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, San Francisco Police Department, and Richmond Police Department.
Niagara Falls Man Arrested, Facing Cocaine and Fentanyl Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jake Seright, 40, of Niagara Falls, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession with the intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that on July 19, 2019, investigators obtained a federal search warrant for the defendant’s Zito Drive apartment in Niagara Falls. In anticipation of executing the search warrant, investigators conducted surveillance in the vicinity during the afternoon and evening hours of August 5, 2019. At approximately 11:20 p.m., a vehicle stop was conducted of a vehicle the defendant was driving. A quantity of marijuana was recovered from Seright, who was arrested at that time.
On August 6, 2019, investigators executed the search warrant at the Zito Drive apartment and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine and 88 grams of suspected fentanyl from the apartment.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and are being held pending a detention hearing on August 9, 2019.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Newington Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Labor Union FundsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS POPILLO, 61, of Newington, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Hartford to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union funds while serving as the president of the Communications Workers of America Local 81266.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2003 through 2017, Popillo served as the president of the Communications Workers of America Local 81266 (“CWA 81266”). He also served as the secretary-treasurer of CWA 81266 from approximately 2003 until 2015. During his tenure as a CWA 81266 officer, Popillo embezzled approximately $37,568.68 of labor union funds by receiving unauthorized checks from CWA 81266’s bank account, and by making unauthorized purchases with CWA 81266’s debit card.
When he is sentenced, Popillo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Popillo is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Maigret.
Multi-pound meth dealer sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Laurel man accused of providing at least 15 pounds of methamphetamine for distribution in the community as part of a large trafficking organization was sentenced today to six and one-half years in prison and five years of supervised release, said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Tyson Allen Gilmore, 27, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
Gilmore was among individuals in a drug trafficking conspiracy that included Billings resident Joshua Clause, who was sentenced in April to 15 years in prison for conviction on meth and firearms crimes, the prosecution said. After Clause’s arrest in August 2018, a source told law enforcement that Clause directed him to go to his house and remove 12 pounds of meth. Clause’s co-conspirators gave the meth to the Gilmore. One of Clause’s co-conspirators told agents that Gilmore provided him with 15 pounds of meth for distribution in the Billings area, while another co-conspirator admitted getting one and a half pounds of meth from Gilmore for re-distribution. Sixteen and a half pounds is the equivalent of about 59,796 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Billings Police Department, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Montana Highway Patrol.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Humberto Martinez-Vega, 48, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, one kilogram or more of heroin. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that beginning sometime in 2018 and continuing until July 26, 2018, the defendant conspired with co-defendant Giovani Ramirez-Soto, 27, also a citizen of Mexico, to sell heroin.
On July 26, 2018, a New York State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop of a red Honda Accord, with Alabama license plates, driving on Route 20A in the Town of Warsaw in Wyoming County. The trooper approached the vehicle, which was being driven by Martinez-Vega with Ramirez-Soto as a passenger. Martinez-Vega gave the trooper an expired Georgia identification card, and told the trooper he was looking for work.
Martinez-Vega gave the trooper consent to search the vehicle. A NYSP K9 Trooper was brought to the scene. The K9 alerted to several areas of the vehicle and a subsequent search recovered 1,200 grams of suspected heroin, and approximately 421 grams of suspected methamphetamine hidden behind the front dashboard of the vehicle.
Further investigation determined that the defendants were illegally present in the United States.
Co-defendant Giovani Ramirez-Soto was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 20, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
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Metairie Man Sentenced to 121 Months Imprisonment after Previously Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of 14-Year-Old FemaleRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that PASCAL CALOGERO, III, age 60, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1594(c). CALOGERO was sentenced to 121 months imprisonment, five (5) years of supervised release, a $5,100 special assessment fee and payment of restitution to the victim, which will be determined within 90 days. Additionally, CALOGERO must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, between at least May 9, 2017, and June 5, 2017, CALOGERO conspired with others to traffic a fourteen-year-old female from Metairie, Louisiana. Specifically, J.B. met the victim on May 9, 2017 and recruited her to work for him as a prostitute. She worked for J.B. from about May 9 through about May 23. J.B. required her to turn over all, or most, of the money she earned from prostitution to him. J.B. then created advertisements on online classified advertisement services commonly used to advertise sexual services in exchange for money, through which J.B. received telephone calls and text messages inquiring about, scheduling, and arranging prostitution dates with the victim. J.B. scheduled the time, location, and other logistics of prostitution dates with the victim.
Between May 16, 2017 and May 22, 2017, J.B. transmitted sexually explicit photographs of the victim to CALOGERO via email and text message for the purpose of offering and encouraging CALOGERO to arrange a prostitution date with the victim. CALOGERO engaged in prostitution dates with the victim on at least four separate days, paying less than $120 per occasion. In addition to engaging in prostitution dates with the victim, CALOGERO occasionally drove her to prostitution dates with other individuals. On numerous occasions, CALOGERO also attempted to facilitate the prostitution of the victim to multiple adult men by, among other things, taking and transmitting sexually explicit pictures of the fourteen year old to them, negotiating prices, arranging the times and locations of prostitution dates, and providing his personal residence as the location of a prostitution date he arranged. CALOGERO successfully brokered prostitution dates with the victim on at least three occasions.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter, and specifically the FBI New Orleans Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Kenner Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police, with the assistance of the City of New Orleans Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
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Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to 41 Months for Orchestrating Fraudulent Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jessica M. Teixeira, 41, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges related to a fraudulent investment scheme, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2015 and November 2017, Teixeira defrauded two New Hampshire investors by selling them a series of securities that she claimed were guaranteed to generate high rates of return. Teixeira represented herself as a solicitor of high-yield investment funds with connections to investment groups raising funds associated with domestic and foreign real estate developments, who solicited financing through private investors rather than banks. In fact, Teixeira's claims about being connected to high-level investment groups were false. The investment contracts and notes she sold were worthless and they generated no returns. Teixeira simply converted the invested funds to her own personal use and benefit, without returning any of the invested funds. In total, the Teixeira obtained approximately $296,250 from the two investors.
Teixeira, who previously pleaded guilty on March 13, 2019, also was ordered to pay restitution of $296,250 to her victims.
“The defendant’s criminal pursuit of self-interest inflicted a substantial loss on two victims” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “She used a series of false promises to take advantage of her victims and steal their funds. Those who engage in this type of scheme should understand that they will face substantial prison sentences because federal law enforcement agencies are working together to identify and prosecute those who commit financial fraud.”
“Much like a house of cards, this investment scheme wasn’t built on a solid foundation of integrity and honesty,” said Special Agent in Charge Kristina O’Connell, of IRS Criminal Investigations in Boston. “The sentence imposed today should serve as a clear warning - those who defraud investors of their hard-earned money will ultimately be held accountable.”
“Jessica Teixeira took advantage of innocent investors by knowingly and wittingly creating a fraudulent investment scheme for her own personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, she is finally held accountable for her criminal conduct and the FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to find fraudsters like her and hold them accountable.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Davis and Anna Dronzek.
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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Sean Anderson, 39, of Peabody, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court records, on May 7, 2019, a Maine State Police trooper stopped the defendant for speeding northbound on I-95 in York. The trooper recovered a package containing about 9 grams of fentanyl from the ground just outside the defendant’s car, where the defendant had thrown it after pulling over. While the defendant was being booked into the York County Jail, jail personnel found two additional packages containing about 52 grams of fentanyl in the defendant’s underwear.
The defendant faces up to 40 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine State Police; and the York County Sheriff’s Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.
Marshall County man indicted for firearms violationsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Justin Michael Fuller, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Fuller, age 32, is charged with two counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Fuller, who is not permitted to have a firearm because of a prior conviction, is accused of having a 12-gauge shotgun and a 10mm pistol in Marshall County in May 2019, and having a .25 caliber pistol in Ohio County in May 2019.
Fuller faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the West Virginia State Police, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
MEDIA ADVISORY: United States Attorney Mike Stuart to Hold Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Mike Stuart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, joined by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will hold a press conference on Thursday, August 8, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. to announce an important development.
Where: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse - 4th floor (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
300 Virginia Street East
Charleston, WV 25301
When: Thursday, August 8, 2019 @ 9:30 a.m.
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Lyon County, Iowa Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced August 8, 2019, to four years in federal prison.
Jose Ignacio Leanos, age 29, from Inwood, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 18, 2019, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Leanos admitted that from about 2017 through April 2018, he and others distributed more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine in the Lyon County, Iowa area. In April 2018, Leanos distributed nearly a pound of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement, and at the time possessed more than five pounds. Evidence at the sentencing further showed that Leanos and others imported methamphetamine from Mexico to distribute in Iowa.
Leanos was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Leanos was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Leanos is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4034. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Lobelville, Tennessee Woman Sentenced to 120 Months Imprisonment for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Tammy Ranger, 55, has been sentenced to 120 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
This is the latest sentencing in a case involving multiple defendants including Rolando Lopez, Saul Vega Flores, Virginia Torres, Ronald Lynn Parham, Daniel Ranger, Kennett Garrett, Marcus Jones, and Xavier Demetrius James on charges of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. Roland Lopez, the leader of the Drug Trafficking Organization, was previously sentenced August 6, 2019 to life imprisonment.
According to information presented in court, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began an investigation into Rolando Lopez and his drug trafficking organization in March of 2017. Agents discovered that Lopez and other co-conspirators were trafficking in methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana and other illegal substances from Mexico to Tennessee. Investigators used "wiretaps" along with other surveillance, confidential sources, traffic stops, and search warrants to investigate this organization.
In April 2017, agents received information from a confidential informant regarding a home in Davidson County, Tennessee, where Lopez and his brother were conducting drug related activity. A search warrant was executed at the residence where over $500,000 in cash, a money counter, and a vacuum sealer were recovered. As the investigation developed, on February 28, 2017, it was learned that Daniel Ranger was stopped in Lawrence County, TN with $10,241, a gun, body armor, and 5 grams of ICE. On October 7, 2017, Ranger was arrested by Perry County, TN law enforcement officers with $98,360 dollars in United States currency, a few grams of meth, and some legend drugs. Then on October 24, 2017, while operating a motor vehicle, Ranger fell asleep while driving and had an automobile accident. He was observed hiding items from his vehicle in the woods.
Ranger then called his wife to come to the scene of the accident to retrieve the remainder of the narcotics he could not hide. Within 10-12 yards of the wreck a cooler with 222 grams of 95% pure ICE, weed, $20,000 and a drug ledger was recovered at the accident scene.
Agents were notified about the accident and set up surveillance on the Lobelville home of Daniel and Tammy Ranger. Agents observed several people visiting the location for short periods, consistent with drug deals. While at the location, Tammy Ranger pulled up in a car where both methamphetamine and firearms were recovered in the vehicle. Both Tammy and Daniel Ranger gave consent to agents to search their residence. Found during this search was 734 grams of methamphetamine, (approximately a pound and a half of 96% pure ICE), 208 grams of fentanyl, and 12 firearms. Also recovered were several more firearms, an AR-15 and a shotgun which were located under the stairwell. Tammy was advised of her Miranda rights and agreed to make a statement. Tammy stated that they were getting their ICE from a Mexican named "TT." It was learned during the investigation that "TT" was Rolando Lopez.
Tammy Ranger was held responsible for between 10,000 kilograms and 30,000 kilograms of converted drug weight to include 1.28 kilograms of marijuana, 14,680 kilograms of methamphetamine, ICE, and 520 kilograms of Fentanyl, for a total of 15,201.28 kilograms. Tammy also received a firearm enhancement.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Drug distribution conspiracies are not victimless crimes. Methamphetamine causes significant human pain, loss, and destruction in countless ways, including addiction, injuries, and deaths. Those who choose to engage in such lawlessness will pay the price with a long prison sentence."
On August 6, 2019, United States Chief District Court Judge Thomas S. Anderson sentenced Tammy Ranger to 120 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Nashville, Jackson, Atlanta DEA offices, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, 23rd Judicial Drug Task Force, Metro Nashville Police Department, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Lawrenceburg Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Jackson Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, and Obion County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Largest Single-State Worksite Enforcement Action in Nation’s History Conducted by ICE and DOJ at Various Sites Across MississippiRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, executed multiple federal criminal search warrants this morning for evidence relating to various federal crimes, as well as administrative search warrants searching for individuals illegally present in the United States, at seven sites across the State of Mississippi, announced Acting Director of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Matthew Albence, Jere Miles, HSI Special Agent in Charge in New Orleans, and Mike Hurst, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
“HSI’s worksite enforcement efforts are equally focused on aliens who unlawfully seek work in the U.S. as well as the employers who knowingly hire them,” said HSI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Miles.
“The execution of federal search warrants today was simply about enforcing the rule of law in our state and throughout our great country. I commend these federal agents, our state and local law enforcement partners, and our federal prosecutors for their professionalism and dedication to ensure that those who violate our laws are held accountable. We are a nation of laws, and we will remain so by continuing to enforce our laws and ensuring that justice is done,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
As a result of today’s operation, approximately 680 aliens were detained by HSI special agents. Some are being identified as being eligible for an alternative to detention based on humanitarian reasons. These individuals will be physically returned by HSI to their original place of detention and will still be required to appear before a federal immigration judge who will ultimately determine whether or not they will be deported. Currently, all cases are being handled via administrative law procedures at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Family members of those detained can call ICE’s toll-free detainee locator hotline for information about an individual’s detention location and status, as well as information about the removal process. This hotline operates in English and Spanish. The phone number is 1-888-351-4024.
All of those detained are being interviewed, fingerprinted and photographed by ICE agents, processed for removal from the United States, and transported to an ICE facility in Jena, Louisiana.
This operation is part of multiple ongoing criminal investigations.
Large-scale Philadelphia Drug Trafficker Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Alan Womack, 44, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was convicted today at trial with conspiracy to distribute over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Between 2005 and 2016, the defendant was an integral part of a drug trafficking organization that arranged for thousands of pounds of marijuana to be shipped on tractor-trailers across the country, from Phoenix to Philadelphia, on a monthly basis. The organization also arranged for truck drivers and people known as “mules” to transport hundreds of thousands of dollars from Philadelphia to Phoenix so they could pay for bulk orders of marijuana supplied by a cartel in Mexico.
The defendant and nine co-defendants were charged in a second superseding indictment in 2017 for their roles in the conspiracy which included illegal acts such as organizing the marijuana shipments, renting storage lockers where bales of marijuana would be held before transport, smuggling large amounts of cash on tractor-trailers and on airplanes, operating stash houses in Philadelphia, and possessing illegal firearms to protect their illicit business. In total, the organization was responsible for smuggling more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana across the country, while making millions of dollars over the course of a decade.
At trial, the government presented evidence in the form of testimony from cooperating witnesses, civilian witnesses and law enforcement agents. The physical evidence included recorded phone calls, video surveillance, phone records, various business records and hundreds of pounds of marijuana seized during the course of the investigation.
“Womack and other members of this drug organization pumped huge quantities of marijuana into our community for years,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Drug trafficking is an inherently dangerous business and the traffickers ultimately deliver destruction to our communities. Our office is determined to investigate and convict these criminals, and put them behind bars.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin Ashenfelter.
Kanawha County Woman Sentenced for Meth DistributionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A woman from Chesapeake was sentenced to 8 months in prison, followed by 9 to 12 months of in-patient drug treatment, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Ashley Nichole Rhodes, 24, previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“We’re tough on drug dealers. But we also understand that incarceration presents a critical opportunity for people with substance use disorder to get treatment,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Rhodes will get much drug treatment while serving her federal prison sentence and continue in-patient treatment upon her release.”
As established by public court filings and hearings, on August 16, 2018, a man reported to Kanawha County deputies that his house in Rand, West Virginia, had been burglarized. The burglars stole firearms, digital cameras, vehicle titles, $1,000 in savings bonds, and various other personal items.
Later that day, a Kanawha County deputy found some of the stolen items in a backpack outside of an empty, abandoned house on Church Drive, less than two blocks from the victim’s house. The deputy entered another dilapidated, abandoned house nearby, which was open. After announcing his presence, the deputy found Mason Laviro Scragg lying on a mattress. A stolen 12 gauge shotgun was protruding from under the mattress directly beneath Scragg. Many other stolen items were strewn throughout the house, including more stolen firearms on top of the exposed ceiling rafters.
The deputy also found Rhodes hiding in a bedroom closet. Rhodes was carrying close to five grams of methamphetamine in her purse at the time.
Scragg was previously sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for possessing the stolen firearms. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., imposed the sentences. The cases against Scragg and Rhodes were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman.
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KC Man Sentenced for Trafficking Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing crack cocaine to distribute.
James E. Lee, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole.
On Dec. 10, 2018, Lee pleaded guilty to possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute. Lee admitted that he sold crack cocaine to an undercover police detective and a confidential informant on three occasions. On July 26, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lee’s residence. Lee jumped out a second story window when officers entered the residence and was taken into custody after a short foot chase. Officers seized a Springfield .40-caliber handgun, a Taurus .45-caliber revolver, 18 grams of crack cocaine, $710 (found in the same kitchen cabinet as the crack cocaine), and two digital scales.
Lee has five prior felony convictions for distributing crack cocaine, including a prior federal conviction.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Justice Department Launches National Public Safety Partnership with Anniston and Oxford Police DepartmentsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, AL - Today, officials from the Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, the United States Attorney's Office, Northern District of Alabama, and the Anniston and Oxford Police Departments convened in Oxford, AL to initiate the National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) program with the Anniston and Oxford Police Departments. This Justice Department program is a three-year engagement that seeks to leverage department assets in support of a local jurisdictions' commitment to drive down violent crime.
On June 3, 2019, Attorney General William Barr announced the selection of the Anniston and Oxford Police Departments as two of ten FY 2019 PSP sites where the Justice Department will work collaboratively to provide training and technical assistance in areas such as crime analytics, emerging technology and community engagement.
Since 2017, the Justice Department has directed nearly $14.9 million in customized training and technical assistance to help build crime fighting capacity in PSP sites, including $6.6 million to support the FY 2019 sites through FY 2022. PSP seeks to bring law enforcement stakeholders together to work collaboratively in reducing violent crime attributed to felonious firearm use, drug trafficking and human trafficking.
“Today our team is on-site in Oxford, AL, to collaborate with local law enforcement officials in their mission to improve public safety and drive down violent crime,” said Jon Adler, Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance. "Through the Public Safety Partnership, we are committed to fulfilling the Attorney General's priority of supporting local law enforcement to combat violent gangs, felonious firearms use and drug trafficking," added Adler.
“The Public Safety Partnership will continue to make our communities more secure, our partnerships more robust, and our law enforcement agencies more impactful,” U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town said. “We look forward to surging our federal, state and local law enforcement partners into the Anniston and Oxford areas to reduce violent crime and to return these communities back to their rightful owners…the law-abiding citizens. State and federal prison beds have been reserved for the alpha criminals operating in Calhoun County…and we are coming.”
“Criminals respect no jurisdictional boundaries,” Anniston Police Chief Shane Denham said. “Through cooperation and aggressive pursuit and prosecution, we can make a difference in our region. The Anniston Police Department is looking forward to working together with our local and federal partners through this initiative. Together we can make a difference through the Public Safety Partnership initiative.”
“We are looking forward to working with our federal partners along with the East Metro Area Crime Center to drive down gun crimes and violent crime in general, this is a great partnership,” Oxford Police Chief Partridge said.
Since 2017, the Justice Department has worked with more than 30 local jurisdictions under the nationwide PSP program. Many participating cities have already seen dramatic reductions in violent crime. New Orleans ended 2018 with 146 murders, the lowest number of murders since the early 1970s. In Milwaukee, homicides declined in 2018 for a third straight year after hitting a deadly peak in 2015.
Agencies in attendance at this meeting will include the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Alabama; the Office of Justice Programs; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Anniston Police Department; the Oxford Police Department; the Calhoun and Cleburne Counties District Attorney’s Office; the Talladega County District Attorney’s Office; Anniston Mayor Jack Draper’s Office; Oxford Mayor Alton Craft’s Office; Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office and the 7th Judicial Major Crimes Unit.
For more information about PSP, visit https://www.nationalpublicsafetypartnership.org.
Innocence Lost National Initiative and Operation Independence Day 2019Read the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced Tuesday the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day. This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.
Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.
Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them. To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.
The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority. To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed. Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.
“This initiative has two crucial goals: rescuing children being sold for sex and prosecuting their adult traffickers,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society. Perpetrators victimize children in communities throughout the country, and we are determined to find and rescue them. Through the FBI’s leadership, we have recovered thousands of child victims, and this latest operation adds to the success of that decades-long effort.”
“Make no mistake, the FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking. Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives.”
“The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership with the FBI. The FBI and the Department of Justice have been instrumental in spearheading multi-agency collaboration between organizations to locate and provide resources to victims of child sex trafficking,” said John Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. “We know this horrendous crime impacts communities across our country every day and we applaud the FBI for continuing to work tirelessly to locate these victims and hold accountable those who are selling children for sex.”
As part of Operation Independence Day, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma and the FBI Oklahoma City Division announced charges against nine individuals in U.S. District Court.
“I have zero tolerance for child predators and will use every tool available to identify and prosecute them. They will feel the full weight of law. Child victims will be given a voice. Justice for these victims will be our constant pursuit,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Operation Independence Day was a success because of the multi-jurisdictional partnerships who came together in common cause and mission. For that, I am grateful, and I know that children in northern Oklahoma are safer as a result.”
"The law enforcement actions taken by the FBI and our law enforcement partners, in support of Operation Independence Day, epitomizes our dedication to apprehending those who choose to engage in criminal activity that exploits innocent children," said Melissa Godbold, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Oklahoma City Division. "The alleged actions exhibited by each of these subjects not only violate the law but have the potential to cause irreparable harm to the mental and physical well-being of their victims."
Individuals charged federally are as follows:
Christopher Cervantes, 48, of Skiatook: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor
Thomas Dustin Daughtry, 42, of Sperry: Sexual Exploitation of a Child, Possession of Child Pornography, and Coercion and Enticement.
Carnell Lovette Matthews, 43, of Tulsa: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor
Casey Adam Parker, 39, of Afton: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor
Jason Ray Smith, 40, of Sapulpa: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor
Carl Thomas Spaeth, 35, of Broken Arrow: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor
Lucas Shane Vann, 18, of Salina, Oklahoma: Sexual Exploitation of a Child
Corey Daniel Vessar, 30, of Skiatook, Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor
Thomas Kyle Williams, 40, of Sand Springs: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Receipt of Child Pornography; Possession of Child Pornography
As part of the operation, the Tulsa County District Attorney’s Office has charged multiple other defendants for alleged sex crimes against children.
In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI). This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs. These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.
Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation. This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims. The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking. Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers. The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.
The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program. The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking and pursuing those who exploit them.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation. For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit www.fbi.gov/oid2019.
Independence Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography.
Travis Howard White, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 16 years and three months in federal prison without parole.
White, who pleaded guilty on July 12, 2018, admitted that he used a 13-year-old victim to produce child pornography. White met the child victim on Facebook and they engaged in sexually explicit online chats. During one of those chats, White directed the child victim to produce a pornographic image, which she sent to him.
According to court documents, this was part of an enticement scheme, which soon culminated in the then-14-year-old child victim moving from Kansas to live with White in September 2016.White had sexual contact with the child victim on numerous instances between September 2016 and March 2017, when the child victim was recovered.
According to court documents, the child victim was one of many victims preyed upon by White. By his own admissions, White engaged in “sexting” activity with between 50 to 100 females (including under-aged females). At least a dozen were identified as reported victims.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Daly. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Houston Resident Sentenced in Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that EULALIO TORRES-CADENAS, age 42, of Houston, was sentenced on August 6, 2019 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced TORRES-CADENAS to a term of imprisonment of 60 months. TORRES-CADENAS, who was an illegal alien, also faces deportation at the conclusion of his sentence.
TORRES-CADENAS is one of eleven defendants charged in a 23-count federal indictment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that TORRES-CADENAS conspired to sell large quantities of methamphetamine with codefendants Stefen Daigle, Peter Giandalone, Paul Melancon, Julien Polk, James Hatch, Angel Renee Vidaure, Jeffrey Clines, Delio Alfredo Lopez-Lopez, Lindsey Lopez, and Jacob Higginbotham. The indictment also alleges a number of individual acts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as firearm offenses for codefendants Hatch, Vidaure, and Lopez-Lopez. Law enforcement developed evidence against this group of defendants using controlled purchases of methamphetamine, traffic stops and seizures, consensually recorded text messages and phone calls, search warrants, cooperator information, and self-incriminating statements.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
* * *Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry.
Hermes Noel Vasquez-Espinal, 42, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. Vasquez-Espinal will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In February 2019, Vasquez-Espinal was charged and has been in custody since.
Between March 2006 and July 2015, Vasquez-Espinal was deported from the United States on four separate occasions. Sometime after a July 2015 deportation, Vasquez-Espinal reentered the United States, and in January 2019, he was encountered by law enforcement in Lawrence and determined to be illegally present in the country.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Marcos D. Charles, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Honduran Citizen Known as "Rittenhouse Rapist" Convicted of Federal Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Milton Mateo Garcia-Vasquez, 32, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and a citizen of Honduras, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond on the charge of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported.
The defendant was previously deported and removed from the United States on June 18, 2013, and never requested or received authorization to re-enter the country. Nonetheless, he broke the law by re-entering the country and then proceeded to commit burglary, kidnapping and rape in Philadelphia. The defendant was arrested on June 23, 2014 by Philadelphia Police officers and charged with these and other crimes in connection with a rape near Rittenhouse Square. The defendant pleaded guilty to those charges in 2015 and was sentenced to a total of 22-44 years in prison.
“This case is a law-abiding citizen’s nightmare: an illegal alien who has been previously deported comes back into the country illegally and commits appalling crimes. And it is a reminder of why we are a nation of laws and why those laws – including immigration laws – should be respected and enforced. My Office will continue to enforce federal law in a neutral, non-partisan manner, which is the only way to ensure public safety. And I call on Philadelphia city officials and the District Attorney to stop treating the criminal justice system like a game in which they play political favorites. There is simply too much at stake for that sort of nonsense. The public deserves better.”
“ICE deportation officers not only identify and arrest dangerous criminals in our communities, they also remove them, thereby protecting public safety,” said Simona Flores-Lund, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia. “ICE continues to face significant obstacles with policies created by local officials which hinder cooperation between ICE and local law enforcement. Yet, the tireless efforts of the men and women of ICE directly contribute to making our communities safer.”
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.
Gwynn Oak Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Firearms from a Halethorpe Federal Firearms LicenseeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Byron Keith Goines, age 25, of Gwynn Oak, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charge of theft of firearms from a federal firearms licensee’s inventory, in connection with the burglary of a Halethorpe, Maryland gun dealer on January 21, 2019.
The guilty was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on January 21, 2019, at 1:08 a.m., Baltimore County police officers were dispatched to a licensed gun dealer, located on Hollins Ferry Road in Halethorpe, in response to a break-in. When the officers arrived, they found a hole in the roof leading into the vault where the guns were stored. Surveillance footage indicated that the suspect, later identified as Byron Keith Goines, had used a saw to cut a hole in the roof before dropping into the vault. The suspect then filled a white trash bag with firearms. After several failed attempts to remove the trash bag of guns from the vault, the suspect exited through the roof carrying several guns on his person. When police arrived, a total of six guns had been removed from the vault, littered on the ground behind the store.
Immediately after the theft, responding officers saw Goines fleeing in the direction of and then hiding inside a nearby warehouse; Goines’ flight was also captured on surveillance video footage. K9 officers similarly traced a human smell from the direction of the firearms dealer to the warehouse. Officers eventually entered the warehouse and found Goines inside. The next day, warehouse employees found two soiled sweatshirts, a soiled pair of pants, and a crowbar in the area where Goines had been hiding.
Although Goines had successfully disabled one of the firearms dealer’s rear cameras, the neighboring business’s cameras and the cameras inside the vault were still operable. The footage shows that the shoes worn by the suspect were distinctive high-top Air Jordans. Those sneakers match the sneakers worn by Goines when he was caught several hours later. Surveillance video footage captured an individual attempting to cut the surveillance camera’s wires bearing a tattoo on his wrist. That tattoo also matched a tattoo on Goines’ wrist. Officers also recovered trash bags that matched those used by Goines in the robbery in the back of the vehicle used to transport Goines to the police station, as well as in the U-Haul that he used that was parked near the firearms dealer.
Goines faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for December 11, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Goldsticker, who is prosecuting the case.
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Guatemalan National Pleaded Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that DARLYS BARRIOS-HERRERA, age 29, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a one-count bill of information for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a) on Monday, August 6, 2019.
According to the bill of information, DARLYS BARRIOS-HERRERA (“BARRIOS-HERRERA”), re-entered the United States after being previously deported on September 17, 2014.
BARRIOS-HERRERA faced a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. BARRIOS-HERRERA was sentenced to credit for time served (one month) and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment fee before being transferred to United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Madison Man Charged with Drug Crimes Involving Heroin
D’Angelo Smith, 42, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 100 grams or more of heroin with the intent to distribute. The indictment alleges that he possessed the heroin at his residence in Madison on June 17, 2019. The indictment also charges Smith with possessing heroin with intent to distribute, alleging he possessed heroin in a vehicle on June 17, 2019.
If convicted, Smith faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison on the charge alleging 100 grams or more of heroin, and 20 years on the second charge. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Sun Prairie Police Department and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Charged with Gun & Drug Crimes
Reginald Lawrence, 52, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of firearms, possessing heroin with intent to distribute, and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that he possessed heroin, a loaded 9mm pistol, and a .380 caliber pistol on July 22, 2019.
If convicted, Lawrence faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the felon in possession charge, and 20 years in federal prison on the heroin charge. The charge of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, which would be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
The charges against Lawrence are the result of an investigation by the Madison Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita M. Rumbelow is handling the prosecution.
Janesville Man Charged with Being a Felon In Possession of a Firearm & Ammunition
Antonio Sims, 39, Janesville, Wisconsin, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment alleges that he possessed a .40 caliber pistol and ammunition on July 4, 2019.
If convicted, Sims faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Janesville Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. United States Attorney Scott C. Blader is handling the prosecution.
Madison Man Faces Additional Charges
Jeremiah Edwards, 33, Madison, Wisconsin is charged in a superseding indictment with the armed robbery of a Dane County business, brandishing a firearm during this crime of violence, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possessing marijuana with intent to distribute, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The superseding indictment alleges that on November 8, 2018, he robbed O’Reilly Auto Parts in the Town of Blooming Grove, Wisconsin, that he did so while brandishing a firearm, and that he possessed marijuana and a loaded 9mm handgun.
Edwards was previously charged with the armed robbery and brandishing a firearm during this crime of violence in an indictment returned by the grand jury on November 28, 2018.
If convicted, Edwards faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the armed robbery charge, 10 years on the felon in possession charge, and five years on the marijuana charge. The charge of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years, and the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years, to be served consecutive to each other and to any sentence imposed on any other charge.
The charges against Edwards are the result of an investigation by the Madison and Middleton Police Departments, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber is handling the prosecution.
The indictments against Lawrence, Sims, and Edwards have been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, and violent crimes and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to More Than 24 Years for Dealing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Gregory Apicella (54, Fort Myers) to 24 years and 4 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in death and, for distributing methamphetamine.
Apicella had pleaded guilty on February 26, 2019.
According to court documents, on December 29, 2017, and January 18, 2018, Apicella sold fentanyl to a 21-year-old male (J.Y.) from his home on South Entrada Drive in Fort Myers. J.Y. ingested the fentanyl and quickly died of an overdose. During the execution of a search warrant at Apicella’s house, deputies from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office recovered a large quantity of fentanyl, paraphernalia, and methamphetamine from Apicella’s bedroom.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Schmitz and Kyle Cohen.
Former bookkeeper for Apex Equipment Inc. sentenced to 2 years in prison for $148,000 embezzlement schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDNRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Otavia L. Lewis, 38, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $148,735.28 for stealing from her former employer, Apex Equipment Inc. Lewis, who pleaded guilty on May 1, 2019, to wire fraud, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea and documents filed in court, Lewis was employed as the office manager and bookkeeper for Apex Equipment Inc., a privately-held company located in Crowley. As bookkeeper, Lewis was responsible for initiating direct deposits of Apex employees’ paychecks into their respective bank accounts. Lewis used her position and access to the company’s accounting software between May 2014 and May 2016 to defraud Apex out of $148,735.28. As part of the scheme, Lewis used Quickbooks’ direct deposit feature to transfer funds from Apex’s bank account to bank accounts and prepaid debit cards controlled by herself and others, and concealed her fraud in Quickbooks by using other employees’ names to make the transfers.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips prosecuted the case.
Former South Texas Police Officer Gets 14 years for Participation in Drug Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas - A former law enforcement officer has received a significant sentence following his conviction of conspiracy to possess and distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Ramon “Ramey” Delacruz, 39, of Rio Grande City, was a former Rio Grande City police officer, Starr County Sheriff’s Office deputy and former investigator assigned to the Starr County District Attorney’s Violent Crime Task Force. He pleaded guilty April 4, 2017.
Today, following a nearly six-hour hearing, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced Delacruz to 168 months of federal imprisonment to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony regarding the depths of corruption Delacruz reached in his support of the Rio Grande City-based Beltran Drug Trafficking Organization. Witnesses testified Delacruz escorted loads of marijuana through Starr county while on duty. He also assisted in the theft of marijuana loads from other traffickers by producing fictitious police reports of law enforcement interdictions that never took place and assisted in the theft of drug proceeds with mock law enforcement takedowns. Further, the court heard he provided the organization with a stolen law enforcement radio and a Starr county seal embosser and disposed of weapons taken from the Beltran ranch previously used in other violent felonies. Delacruz was paid for his services with racehorses, drugs and drug proceeds.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted Delacruz had not only participated in the conspiracy but also used his service-issued firearm and issued threats of violence in the commission of drug smuggling activities and assumed a leadership role in the organization. “Today is a sad day for your family and a sad day for law enforcement,” said Rainey. The court also noted Delacruz has a debt to pay society given his abuse of trust that was placed in him by the people in his community.
The investigation began in January 2013 after a Victoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy interdicted approximately 600 pounds of marijuana concealed in a horse trailer.
That event prompted a lengthy, multiple-agency, multi-jurisdictional investigation that would ultimately uncover information and evidence demonstrating the illegal activities of the Beltran drug trafficking organization. The organization used horse ranches in Rio Grande City to receive, repackage and conceal thousands of kilograms of marijuana in horse trailers, flat-bed trailers and tractor trailers to ship the marijuana to all points north. They used the sport of horse racing to facilitate drug smuggling and to launder illicit proceeds.
The organization also utilized violence, intimidation, bribery and public corruption to facilitate and perpetuate their illicit activities for nearly a decade with virtual impunity. The investigation demonstrated the organization’s dealings with ranking members of the Gulf and Zeta Cartels and the Starr County Chicano Brotherhood.
During his support of this conspiracy, Delacruz used his official capacity as well as municipal and county resources to assist the Beltran organization to smuggle thousands of pounds of marijuana into and throughout the U.S. Delacruz also used his peace officer authority to intimidate, threaten and coerce other drug traffickers as well as to protect drug loads to ensure their dominance in the region.
The six-year investigation has resulted in the arrest and conviction of 23 persons, the seizure and forfeiture of an American Quarter horse racing quarter horse, Black Patriot and three horse ranches.
Following the sentencing today, Delacruz was remanded to custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prison facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patti Hubert Booth and Vincent Carroll are prosecuting the case.
Former Real Estate Employee Guilty of EmbezzlementRead 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 James Walton, 48, formerly of Webster, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to bank fraud. The charge carries maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that Walton worked in the finance department of a local real estate business that owned and operated numerous apartments and mobile home parks. In that capacity, the defendant was responsible for processing security deposits and security deposit refunds for tenants. Between 2011 and 2014, Walton took advantage of his position to embezzle security deposit refunds payable to tenants of the business. In total, he stole approximately $53,786.98 from the business.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Special Agents with the Rochester Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 6, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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