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Monday 5 August 2019
U.S. Attorney Murray Encourages Participation in National Night Out EventRead the Press Release
CONCORD – U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray will join law enforcement, community leaders and residents on Tuesday, August 6th at Rollins Park, Concord from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm to celebrate the 36th annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event.
National Night Out is a community-building and crime prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Thousands of communities nationwide will participate in neighborhood block parties, festivals, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. Events such as these help to strengthen neighborhood spirit, police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for strong and safe communities.
“For 36 years, National Night Out has rallied neighborhood residents, law enforcement and community leaders in the common goal of strengthening relationships to help prevent and deter crime in our local community. I am proud to stand with my colleagues and my neighbors to support safer streets and work together to drive out crime,” said U.S. Attorney Scott W. Murray.
This year, National Night Out events will be held in several communities throughout New Hampshire. Registered events will take place in Auburn, Bedford, Belmont, Campton, Concord, Deerfield, Derry, Dover, Exeter, Gilford, Goffstown, Greenland, Hooksett, Hudson, Laconia, Lebanon, Lincoln, Merrimack, Milford, Nashua, Northfield, Northwood, Pittsfield, Portsmouth, Raymond, Rochester, Salem, Seabrook, Somersworth, Stratham, Thornton, Tuftonboro, Waterville Valley and Woodstock. For more information about National Night Out, visit their website www.natw.org.
National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday.
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U.S. Attorney Keefe Announces the Appointment of Three New Federal Prosecutors and Law Enforcement CoordinatorRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, today announced the appointment of three new Assistant United States Attorneys: Lazaro Fields, Meredith Steer, and Kaitlin Weiss, assigned to the Tallahassee Criminal Division; and the additional appointment of Corey Aittama to serve as the Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Northern District of Florida.
Mr. Fields graduated magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from the Florida State University College of Law, and magna cum laude from the Florida State University College of Education. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Fields was a litigation associate at Colson Hicks Eidson, P.A., where his practice focused primarily on complex commercial litigation and personal injury, products liability, and class action matters. Mr. Fields also clerked for United States District Judge Federico A. Moreno in the Southern District of Florida.
Ms. Steer earned her undergraduate degree from Penn State University and her law degree from George Mason University. After law school, Ms. Steer joined the United States Air Force JAG Corps, where she served on active duty for over 11 years. She began her career at Eglin Air Force Base, where she served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Florida. For the last two years, Ms. Steer was assigned as the Deputy Chief Counsel at Charleston AFB.
Ms. Weiss received a B.A. in International Studies from American University before obtaining her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Weiss was an Assistant Attorney General practicing in the Criminal Appeals Division of the Florida Attorney General’s Office. While at the Attorney General’s Office, Ms. Weiss handled direct criminal appeals and post-conviction motions in the First District Court of Appeal and the Florida Supreme Court. Ms. Weiss began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney in the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office.
Mr. Aittama is a law enforcement veteran with 26 years of experience in local, state, federal, and military law enforcement. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's Office, Mr. Aittama was a Law Enforcement Captain with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Inspector General. He has held positions on various task forces in Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Panama City, and Tallahassee, including the DEA Task Force, North Florida Healthcare Task Force, and Okaloosa Multi-Agency Drug Task Force. He begin his law enforcement career in the United States Air Force as a Security Forces officer at Eglin Air Force Base.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
U.S. Attorney Downing to Participate in National Night Out in MooreRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing will join law enforcement, community leaders, and residents on Tuesday, August 6, at the Warren Theater parking lot in Moore from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. to celebrate National Night Out.
National Night Out is a community-building and crime-prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Thousands of communities nationwide will participate in neighborhood block parties, festivals, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime- and drug-prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. Events such as these help strengthen neighborhood spirit, police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for strong and safe communities.
"For 36 years, National Night Out has rallied neighborhood residents, law enforcement, and community leaders in the common goal of strengthening relationships to help prevent and deter crime in our local community. I am proud to stand with my neighbors in Moore and cities and towns across the Western District of Oklahoma to support safer streets and drive out crime," said U.S. Attorney Downing.
National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday. Many, including the event in Moore, feature local vendors and demonstrations by local ambulance, fire, and police teams.
The City of Norman will also hold various neighborhood events on Tuesday in addition to its community-wide National Night Out event at the Norman Police Department, 201 West Gray Street, from 5:30 to 8:30.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito to Take Part in 36th Annual National Night OutRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito will join members of law enforcement, community leaders and residents on Tuesday, August 6th at West Side Park in Newark to celebrate the 36th annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event.
National Night Out is a community-building and crime prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Thousands of communities nationwide will participate in neighborhood block parties, festivals, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. Events such as these help to strengthen neighborhood spirit, police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for strong and safe communities.
“National Night Out has rallied neighborhood residents, law enforcement and community leaders in the common goal of strengthening relationships to help prevent and deter crime in our local community,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “I am proud to stand with my colleagues and my neighbors to support safer streets and work together to drive out crime.”
“The National Night Out celebration is a community/police awareness event, which is recognized throughout the United States and is held annually on the first Tuesday in August,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “It is a day that the Police Division promotes community/police partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie.”
The Newark event runs from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Other members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, will be participating in events in Carteret, Jersey City, Mount Olive, Plainfield, Millburn, Piscataway, Union, Chatham, Nutley, Robbinsville and Secaucus. National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday.
U.S. Attorney Bill Powell to take part in National Night OutRead the Press Release
WHEELING – U.S. Attorney Bill Powell and his staff will join law enforcement, community leaders and residents on Tuesday, August 6th at events in Martinsburg, Clarksburg, Bridgeport, and Wheeling to celebrate the 36th annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event.
“Reducing violent crime and promoting safety in American communities is a major focus of the Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys across the country,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “National Night Out is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds, the respect, and the camaraderie between neighbors and law enforcement officers. These relationships make our country stronger and safer.”
National Night Out is a community-building and crime prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Thousands of communities nationwide will participate in neighborhood block parties, festivals, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. Events such as these help to strengthen neighborhood spirit, police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for strong and safe communities.
“For 36 years, National Night Out has rallied neighborhood residents, law enforcement and community leaders in the common goal of strengthening relationships to help prevent and deter crime in our local community. I am proud to stand with my colleagues and my neighbors to support safer streets and work together to drive out crime,” said U.S. Attorney Powell.National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday.
U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis Encourages Public Participation in 36th Annual National Night OutRead the Press Release
BOISE – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis is encouraging the public to join law enforcement, community leaders and local residents on Tuesday, August 6th to celebrate the 36th annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event taking place in multiple cities across the state.
National Night Out is a community-building and crime prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Thousands of communities nationwide will participate in neighborhood block parties, festivals, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. Events such as these help to strengthen neighborhood spirit, police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for strong and safe communities.
“For 36 years, National Night Out has united neighborhood residents, law enforcement and community leaders in the common goal of strengthening relationships to help prevent and deter crime in our local communities. I am proud to stand with my colleagues and my neighbors to support safer streets and work together to drive out crime,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Participation in events like National Night Out strengthens community spirit and fosters trust between residents and those who are sworn to protect them.”
“Reducing violent crime and promoting safety in American communities is a major focus of the Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys across the country,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “National Night Out is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds, the respect, and the camaraderie between neighbors and law enforcement officers. These relationships make our country stronger and safer.”
National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday.
USA Davis encourages you to be a part of the 38 million neighbors who have strengthened their communities by participating in National Night Out. There are numerous events being held across Idaho. Participating cities include: Boise, Coeur d’Alene, Eagle, Idaho Falls, Lapwai, Meridian, Nampa, Pocatello, and Twin Falls, just to name a few. Visit your local city or police department’s website for more information and to find an event near you.
Please visit the City of Boise website for more information on National Night Out events taking place in more than 40 neighborhoods throughout Boise.
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U.s. Attorney Matthew Schneider to Take Part in 36th Annual National Night OutRead the Press Release
Detroit, MI – U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider will join law enforcement, community leaders and residents on Tuesday, August 6th at several locations throughout the Detroit to celebrate the 36th annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event.
National Night Out is a community-building and crime prevention campaign that promotes collaborative law enforcement-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie. Thousands of communities nationwide will participate in neighborhood block parties, festivals, cookouts, safety demonstrations, seminars, and activities that heighten crime and drug prevention awareness and generate support for and participation in local anticrime efforts. Events such as these help to strengthen neighborhood spirit, police-community partnerships, and demonstrate a shared commitment for strong and safe communities.
“Reducing violent crime and promoting safety in American communities is a major focus of the Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys across the country,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “National Night Out is an opportunity to strengthen the bonds, the respect, and the camaraderie between neighbors and law enforcement officers. These relationships make our country stronger and safer.”
“For 36 years, National Night Out has rallied neighborhood residents, law enforcement and community leaders in the common goal of strengthening relationships to help prevent and deter crime in our local community. I am proud to stand with my colleagues and my neighbors to support safer streets and work together to drive out crime,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Mr. Schneider will appear at the following Detroit Police precincts throughout the afternoon: 9th Precinct, (Heilmann Recreation Center), 5th Precinct (Jamison Temple), 6th, 8th & 12th Precincts (Peterson Park), 4th Precinct (Patton Park) and 11th Precinct (Neighborhood Policing Unit).
National Night Out organizers are expecting over 16,000 communities and 38 million people nationwide to take part in community events on Tuesday.
Two Chicago Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Carjacking and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two Chicago men who carjacked a sport-utility vehicle at gunpoint in the city’s Goose Island neighborhood have each been sentenced to eleven years in federal prison.
JASON DORTCH, 20, and DAVONTAE JONES, 20, forcibly took the Jeep Grand Cherokee on Nov. 13, 2017. During the carjacking, the Jeep’s owner was struck on the back of the head with a gun, while a second gun was pointed at the heads of both the owner and a passenger.
Dortch and Jones pleaded guilty earlier this year to carjacking and weapons offenses. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., on Thursday sentenced Dortch and Jones to eleven years apiece in federal prison.
The sentencings were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Oak Park Police Department, and Illinois State Police provided valuable assistance.
The case was investigated by the Chicago 11th District Violent Crimes Task Force, which consists of agents and officers from the FBI, CPD, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.
“In a city that has seen carjackings and shootings in staggering numbers, violent crimes like the ones the defendants committed should not be tolerated,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeannice W. Appenteng and Kalia Coleman argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The defendants’ conduct demonstrates profound disrespect for the law and complete disregard for fellow citizens and the community.”
According to evidence in the case, the owner of the Jeep complied with the defendants’ demands for the keys, and also handed over $40. About 30 minutes later and a mile away, a CPD officer observed the defendants in the stolen Jeep. Dortch and Jones refused to stop and instead led police on a high-speed chase onto the Eisenhower Expressway. The defendants eventually lost control of the vehicle, crashing it just east of the Harlem Avenue exit in Oak Park. They were arrested nearby after a foot chase.
Tracy Resident Convicted of 21 Counts of “H-1B” Visa Fraud and Two Counts of Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal jury convicted Abhijit Prasad, 52, of Tracy, of 21 counts of visa fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft today. The case originated in Sacramento when the grand jury there indicted Prasad in 2016, but the case was ultimately tried in San Francisco following a court order transferring the case there.
U.S. Attorney David Anderson for the Northern District of California and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.
According to the evidence at trial, Prasad filed 19 petitions for H-1B nonimmigrant visas containing false statements, made under penalty of perjury, as to purported work projects to be performed at locations in California, including Cisco Systems. The evidence at trial showed that Cisco had no expectation that the foreign workers who were the beneficiaries of the visa petitions would actually work at Cisco on an existing work project. The evidence at trial further showed that the defendant knowingly submitted forged Cisco documents to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in support of his claims that the beneficiaries would work at Cisco.
Finally, the evidence at trial showed that Prasad fraudulently used the digital signature of a Cisco employee, who was not authorized to sign Cisco employment documents, to create a document that would leave the impression that two of the H-1B workers had an existing work project at Cisco. Prasad obtained two of the H-1B visas using this fraudulent document that purports to be a fully executed Cisco contract.
“This verdict sends a strong message: the Diplomatic Security Service is committed to making sure those who commit visa fraud face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the DSS San Francisco Field Office. “Diplomatic Security’s strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and with the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations remains laser focused to conduct document and benefit fraud investigations, arresting and bringing to justice individuals, like Prasad, who seek to undermine and abuse the laws of the United States,” said Tatum King, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (San Francisco and Northern California). “These types of fraudulent activities pose a severe threat to national security and public safety as it creates vulnerabilities for terrorists and other criminals to exploit. HSI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate such criminal activities and will hold violators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service’s representative to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), overseen by Homeland Security Investigations. The DBFTF is a multi-agency task force that coordinates investigations into fraudulent immigration documents. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and Michael A. Rodriguez are prosecuting the case.
Prasad is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 16 by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer. Prasad faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the visa fraud. He faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence and a $250,000 fine for the aggravated identity theft counts. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Tracy Resident Convicted of Visa Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A federal jury convicted Abhijit Prasad of 21 counts of visa fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Attorney David Anderson for the Northern District of California and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott for the Eastern District of California made the announcement. The verdict was handed down today after a one-week trial before Charles R. Breyer, United States District Judge.
According to the evidence at trial, Prasad, 52, of Tracy, filed 19 petitions for H-1B nonimmigrant visas containing false statements, made under penalty of perjury, as to purported work projects to be performed at locations in California, including Cisco Systems. The evidence at trial showed that Cisco had no expectation that the foreign workers who were the beneficiaries of the visa petitions would actually work at Cisco on an existing work project. The evidence at trial further showed that the defendant knowingly submitted forged Cisco documents to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in support of his claims that the beneficiaries would work at Cisco. The evidence at trial also showed that Prasad fraudulently used the digital signature of a Cisco employee, who was not authorized to sign Cisco employment documents, to create a document that would leave the impression that two of the H-1B workers had an existing work project at Cisco. Prasad obtained two of the H-1B visas using this fraudulent document that purports to be a fully executed Cisco contract.
“This verdict sends a strong message: the Diplomatic Security Service is committed to making sure those who commit visa fraud face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the DSS San Francisco Field Office. “Diplomatic Security’s strong relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and with the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations remains laser focused to conduct document and benefit fraud investigations, arresting and bringing to justice individuals, like Prasad, who seek to undermine and abuse the laws of the United States,” said Tatum King, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (San Francisco and Northern California). “These types of fraudulent activities pose a severe threat to national security and public safety as it creates vulnerabilities for terrorists and other criminals to exploit. HSI and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate such criminal activities and will hold violators accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Judge Breyer scheduled Prasad’s sentencing hearing for October 16, 2019. Prasad faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the visa fraud. He faces a two-year mandatory prison sentence and a $250,000 fine for the aggravated identity theft counts. 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and Michael A. Rodriguez are prosecuting the case. The case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service’s representative to the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), overseen by Homeland Security Investigations. The DBFTF is a multi-agency task force that coordinates investigations into fraudulent immigration documents. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security also assisted with the investigation.
Three Maryland Defendants Indicted on Federal Sex Trafficking and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging the following individuals with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and kidnapping, for allegedly forcing a woman to engage in commercial sex acts for the financial benefit of the defendants. Charged in the indictment are:
Lakeya N. Aldridge, a/k/a Keys and Keya, age 39, of Federalsburg, Maryland;
Joshua I. Lankford, a/k/a 20-20, 20, Light Bright, and Yellow, age 30, of Manchester,
Maryland; and
Kevonne L. Murphy, a/k/a Humble and Shackles, age 27, of Federalsburg.The indictment was returned on August 1, 2019. All three defendants have had an initial appearance. Lankford and Aldridge have detention hearings scheduled for August 5 and August 6, 2019, respectively, each at 2:30 p.m. Murphy consented to be detained pending trial.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Michael McDermott of the Federalsburg Police Department; Colonel Nathaniel McQueen, Jr. of the Delaware State Police; and Attorney General Kathy Jennings of the Delaware Department of Justice.
According to the four-count indictment, from approximately October 1 to October 30, 2018, the defendants conspired to, and engaged in the business of recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, advertising, and maintaining the victim, K.A., an adult female, to engage in commercial sex acts for their financial benefit. Specifically, the indictment alleges that Aldridge, Lankford, and Murphy rented hotel rooms for the victim to engage in commercial sex acts, as well as transporting the victim to “out calls” to hotel rooms and other locations to engage in commercial sex acts, including transporting her across state lines. Aldridge allegedly provided narcotics, including heroin, to the victim to recruit, entice, and maintain the victim throughout the course of her engaging in commercial sex acts.
The indictment further alleges that Aldridge, Lankford, and Murphy caused the victim to communicate with and solicit potential sex customers via the Internet, including social media, on their cellular phones. On October 29, 2018, after the victim performed commercial sex acts in Maryland at the direction of the defendants, Aldridge, Lankford, and Murphy used force, threats of force, and physically assaulted the victim in order to transport her, against her will, from Federalsburg, Maryland, to a motel in Laurel, Delaware, to continue the sex trafficking conspiracy.
Each of the defendants faces a maximum of life in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking; a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of life in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; and a maximum of life in prison for kidnapping conspiracy and for kidnapping.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was investigated by the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, the Federalsburg Police Department, the Delaware State Police, and the Delaware Department of Justice for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary W. Setzer and Matthew DellaBetta, who are prosecuting the case.
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Streamwood Man Admits Enticing Underage Boy to Produce Sexually Explicit VideosRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Streamwood man has pleaded guilty to a federal child pornography charge and admitted enticing a 16-year-old boy to produce sexually explicit videos of himself.
MICHAEL LIEDTKE, 34, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of receipt of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years. U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo set sentencing for Oct. 28, 2019, at 10:30 a.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kevin Keithley, Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and Robert Berlin, DuPage County State’s Attorney. The Carol Stream Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abigail Peluso.
Liedtke admitted in a plea agreement that in December 2016 he enticed the 16-year-old boy to create two sexually explicit videos and send them to Liedtke via cellphone. During a court-authorized search of Liedtke’s home earlier this year, law enforcement discovered an external disk drive that contained 29 images and six videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, the plea agreement states. Each of the children depicted in the images and videos was identified as a known child victim by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Liedtke also admitted in the plea agreement that in January 2019 he possessed and operated a video camera that he intentionally hid in the ceiling of a public restroom at the DuPage County Training Academy in Carol Stream. Recordings from the camera depicted the unclothed body parts of approximately 400 people using the restroom, including approximately 300 children under the age of 18, the plea agreement states. Liedtke acknowledged in the plea agreement that he placed the video camera in the restroom to obtain the lewd images.
“This office will continue to prosecute and hold accountable those individuals who prey upon our youth,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “This plea agreement does just that, as Mr. Liedtke now stands as a convicted felon. We appreciate the outstanding work of our colleagues at the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, as well as our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, who worked together to bring justice to Mr. Liedtke.”
“Mr. Liedtke betrayed our community by victimizing children entrusted to his care,” said FBI Deputy Special Agent-in-Charge Keithley. “The FBI is charged with protecting our most vulnerable citizens from exploitation, and this guilty plea demonstrates our commitment to working with law enforcement partners to ensure that predators like Mr. Liedtke answer for their crimes.”
“Mr. Liedtke violated the trust placed in him by the parents of the athletes he trained,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Berlin said. “I would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in holding Mr. Liedtke responsible for his vulgar behavior. Today’s plea in federal court is an outstanding example of state and federal authorities working together to protect the public.”
As set forth in the federal plea agreement, now that the defendant has pleaded guilty and stipulated to a wide range of criminal conduct, the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office will move to dismiss the parallel state criminal charges pending against Liedtke.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Stanislaus County Man Convicted of Home Invasion Robberies Targeting Marijuana GrowersRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — On Thursday, Aug. 1, after a three–day trial, a federal jury found Jose Jesus Carbajal, 33, of Waterford, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce, one count of interference with commerce by robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, from at least October 2014 until December 2017, Carbajal was part of a robbery crew that targeted and robbed marijuana growers of their marijuana and cash. Carbajal and the crew posed as law enforcement officers to gain access to the property, announced they had a search and seizure warrant, then tied up the victims and held them at gunpoint while robbing them of marijuana, cash, and other items.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Colusa County Sheriff’s Department, the Central Valley Gang Impact Task Force, the Turlock Police Department, the Rio Dell Police Department, and the Hollywood Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. Forensic expertise and investigative assistance were provided by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Forensic Services and the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie L. Alsworth and Geoffrey D. Wilson are prosecuting the case.
Carbajal is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on Oct. 28. Carbajal faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on counts one and two, and mandatory consecutive sentence of seven years to life on count three. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
St. Croix Man Apprehended at St. Thomas Cyril E. King Airport Pleads Guilty to Trafficking over 18 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Mikhail Munoz, 31, originally of St. Croix, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court documents, on May 20, 2019, Munoz checked himself and a suitcase in for a flight bound from St. Thomas to Miami. When Munoz’s checked luggage passed through inspection with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), it set off an alarm, leading to the discovery of 18 "brick like" items, each of which was wrapped in aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and vacuum-sealed. Each of the brick-like bundles contained a white powdery substance that field-tested positive for cocaine. Collectively, the bricks weighed approximately 19 kilograms.
This offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, with a maximum of life; a term of supervised release of at least 5 years; and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Sentencing is scheduled for December 5, 2019.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the TSA, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
South Carolina women sentenced for fentanyl distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Peggy Louise Farrington and Jacqueline Lee Weigland, both of Galivants Ferry, South Carolina, were sentenced today for distributing fentanyl, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Farrington, age 54, was sentenced to 24 months incarceration. Weigland, age 58, was sentenced to 57 months incarceration. Each pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl” in April 2019. The women admitted to possessing fentanyl in January 2019 in Berkeley County.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Martinsburg Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Soda Springs Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for Running Drug Trafficking Organization in Eastern IdahoRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Ryan Fitzgerald Dalley, 44, of Soda Springs, was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court to 17 years in federal prison for continuing criminal enterprise and conspiracy to launder money, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ordered that Dalley be placed on supervised release for ten years following his prison sentence. Dalley pleaded guilty on June 25, 2018.
According to court records, Dalley admitted that from September 2013 to October 2017, he acted as an organizer, supervisor or manager over at least five other individuals who conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Idaho and other states. He further admitted that he received substantial income from the sales of methamphetamine and laundered $100,000 in drug proceeds.
“Idaho has a methamphetamine problem that permeates every community,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “My office is dedicated to working with local, state, and federal agencies to ensure that individuals like Mr. Dalley, who repeatedly attempt to enrich themselves through the suffering of others, receive justice and are removed from society.”
“Mr. Dalley’s drug trafficking organization flooded Eastern Idaho with hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine,” said Idaho State Police Detective Lee Edgley. “This organization operated in Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Arizona. The Idaho State Police will continue to work with local and federal law enforcement to bring to justice those individuals and organizations who seek to profit from selling dangerous controlled substances that tear at the very fabric of our community.”
At sentencing, Judge Winmill noted that he has presided over a significant share of the drug sentencings in federal court in Pocatello for the past 24 years and he believes that Dalley’s drug trafficking organization is “one of, if not the largest, drug trafficking operation in Eastern Idaho.”
Judge Winmill also ordered Dalley to pay a $1,500 fine and forfeit $88,623 in seized U.S. currency and at least $25,000 of unrecovered cash proceeds and/or facilitating property.
The case was investigated by the Idaho State Police, Pocatello Police Department, Bingham County Sheriff’s Office, Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, The BADGES Drug Task Force, and the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Program participants include the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation; and the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 179 Months for Trafficking Heroin into Southeastern ConnecticutRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDDY PENA, 30, of Providence, Rhode Island, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 179 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.
On February 20, 2019, a jury found Pena guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, one kilogram or more of heroin. Prior to his trial, on February 4, 2019, Pena pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of heroin with intent to distribute.
According to court documents, statements made in court and the evidence introduced during the trial, this matter stems from an investigation that began after several heroin overdoses in southeastern Connecticut, including two overdose deaths involving a heroin and fentanyl mix that occurred in January, 2016. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that Pena regularly supplied Michael Luciano, of New London, with large quantities of heroin. Luciano, who also received heroin from sources in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, distributed the drug through a network of street-level dealers in southeastern Connecticut. The evidence at trial also indicated that Pena supplied heroin to individuals in Providence, Rhode Island, and Fall River, Massachusetts, as early as 2012. Based on the trial evidence, Judge Shea found that Pena was responsible for the trafficking of at least 10 kilograms of heroin but less than 30 kilograms of heroin, and that Pena was the leader of a conspiracy that was extensive and involved five or more participants.
Pena has been detained since his arrest on November 14, 2017. On that date, investigators executed 12 federal search warrants and seized more than three kilograms of heroin from other members of the conspiracy, and approximately $14,000 in cash from Pena.
On December 12, 2017, a grand jury in Hartford returned a 25-count superseding indictment charging Pena, Luciano and 19 other individuals with various heroin trafficking offenses.
On June 27, 2018, Luciano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. On January 29, 2019, he was sentenced to 12 years of imprisonment.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force East and the New London, Norwich, Waterford, Attleboro (Mass.) and Freetown (Mass.) Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Dave Vatti and Geoffrey M. Stone.
Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Clean Water Act Violation for Discharging Oil into Willamette RiverRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man pleaded guilty today in federal court for violating the Clean Water Act by negligently discharging oil into the Willamette River in Portland.
Robert La Rue Webb, II, 59, pleaded guilty to one count of negligently discharging harmful quantities of oil into a water of the U.S.
According to court documents and disclosures at the hearing, on January 22, 2018, Webb, an employee of the engineering firm Mott MacDonald, was pumping oil into a 10,000-gallon used-oil tank at the Union Pacific Albina Railyard in Portland. While operating the pump, Webb walked away to make a phone call and was still distracted by his cell phone as the tank overflowed. More than 1,000 gallons of oil entered a storm water drain and were discharged into the Willamette River, resulting in a sheen and discoloration of the river’s surface.
Webb faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a $25,000 per day fine and one year of supervised release. He will be sentenced on October 28, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael W. Mosman.
This case was investigated by the EPA Criminal Investigation Division. It is being prosecuted by Ryan W. Bounds, an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Oregon, and Will McLaren, a special assistant U.S. attorney for the district and criminal enforcement counsel for EPA Region 10.
Port Townsend, Washington Man Arrested for Engaging in Illicit Sexual Conduct in a Foreign PlaceRead the Press Release
A 62-year-old Port Townsend, Washington, man was arrested today on a complaint charging him with two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. JOHN TIMOTHY WHICHER will make his initial appearance on the complaint in U.S. District Court in Tacoma at 2:30 today.
According to the criminal complaint, in August 2017 WHICHER took the 6-year-old child to Canada to stay at a family cabin in Ontario. WHICHER allegedly planned the trip as a surprise and purchased the trip without informing the child’s custodial parent. When the child returned from the trip the child disclosed to the parent the sexual molestation, saying WHICHER said to keep it a secret. The parent confronted WHICHER and reported the conduct to the Port Townsend Police.
Engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place is punishable by up to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the criminal complaint are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Hampton.
Philadelphia man sentenced for fentanyl distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David Anthony Richardson, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 63 months incarceration for distributing fentanyl, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Richardson, age 33, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl” in April 2019. Richardson admitted to having more than 40 grams of a substance containing fentanyl in Ohio County in August 2018.
Richardson faces no less than five years and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wheeling Police Department investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Orlando Woman Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Committing Fraud While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Senior U.S. District Judge Gregory A. Presnell today sentenced Lavitress Williams (39, Orlando) to six years in federal prison for wire fraud, passing counterfeit checks, and violating her supervised release.
On May 14, 2019, Williams had pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and five counts of passing counterfeit checks. On June 4, 2019, she admitted that she had violated her federal supervised release by committing those crimes.
According to court documents, in 2013, Williams was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for participating in a scheme involving counterfeit travelers’ checks that were passed at Target stores located throughout the southeastern United States. After she was released from prison, and while serving on federal supervised release, Williams engaged in another check fraud scheme in which she passed counterfeit checks at Walgreens and CVS stores in Central Florida.
Over the course of more than five months, Williams passed, or attempted to pass, counterfeit checks at more than 40 drugstores. The total amount of actual and attempted losses associated with the scheme was more than $70,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, with assistance from the Eatonville Police Department, the Maitland Police Department, the Orlando Police Department, the Winter Park Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg.
Newton Accountant Charged with Wire Fraud and Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newton man was charged today in federal court in Boston with wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
Jeffrey Kellem, 49, was charged by Information with four counts of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return.
As alleged in charging documents, from December 2016 through February 2018, Kellem used his position an accountant for an elderly client and the estate of a deceased client to steal more than approximately $1.6 million for his own use. It is alleged that Kellem transferred his clients’ funds, without their authorization, to bank accounts he opened and controlled.
Kellem also failed to report more than $500,000 in income from the funds he took on his tax returns. As a result, in 2017, Kellem avoided paying taxes totaling more than $150,000.
The charge of wire fraud carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. The charge of filing a false tax return carries a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $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 Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the Information are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Newport Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Jail for Pharmacy Burglary and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that, on August 2, 2019, Daniel Greenwood, age 43, was sentenced to 90 months in jail in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont. Greenwood had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon in October 2017 and to committing a burglary of the Kinney Drugs in Cambridge, Vermont that same month. At the time of offenses, Greenwood had absconded from state supervision and was a fugitive during late 2017. He was arrested in late 2017 in Massachusetts and charged in connection with another burglary offense for which he is currently serving a sentence.
The firearms possession charge relates to a burglary of a residence in Thetford, Vermont, on October 21, during which Greenwood attempted to steal the homeowner’s hunting rifle. The homeowner, however, arrived home during the burglary and forcibly took back his rifle as Greenwood was fleeing the scene. Greenwood has a prior federal firearms conviction, according to the charges. The pharmacy burglary charge is a federal crime because Greenwood is alleged to have stolen over $500 in controlled substances during the burglary, which occurred on the night of October 15 when the pharmacy was closed.
The indictment against Greenwood was the culmination of a multi-agency investigation. The collaborative effort was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Vermont State Police, with the assistance of United States Marshals Service; the Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations; the Newport Police Department; the Lamoille and Orleans County Sheriffs; and the Holyoke, Massachusetts, Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Van de Graaf was prosecuting the case. Greenwood was represented by Attorney Karen Shingler.
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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Quinton Spinks, a/k/a “Q,” a/k/a “Travis,” 35, of Rochester, New York, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to court records, between November 2016 and September 2017, Spinks conspired with others from Rochester and Central Maine to acquire heroin and crack in Rochester and to distribute the drugs in Augusta and surrounding communities.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release, and a $1,000,000 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, with significant assistance provided by the Maine State Police. The case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New Jersey Man Arrested for Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of several Boston-based investment companies was arrested yesterday at Logan Airport on charges of operating a Ponzi-like fraud scheme.
Tanmaya Kabra, 25, who resided most recently in Weehawken, N.J., was charged in a criminal complaint unsealed today with wire fraud and bank fraud.
According to the criminal complaint, Kabra conducted business through a company called LaunchByte.IO LLC and several affiliated companies. He held himself out to investors as a successful serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and angel investor in start-up companies. Offering lucrative and low or no-risk returns on investments, Kabra allegedly lured investors with representations that their funds would be used to foster the growth and development of start-up companies, to prepare those companies for sale, or for other legitimate business opportunities. In reality, Kabra used the money that he received from investors to pay off existing debts to prior investors in his scheme and to fund his lavish personal expenses.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The Securities & Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney of Lelling’s Criminal Division Chris Looney is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Braunfels Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, 20-year-old Benjamin Joost Bogard was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.
In addition to the prison term, Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ordered that Bogard be placed under supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On February 2, 2019, federal authorities arrested Bogard. The investigation showed that Bogard possessed visual depictions of the sexual abuse of children. On May 1, 2019, Bogard pleaded guilty to one count of possession of obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
“We are grateful that the court recognized the serious threat the defendant poses to the safety of the public. Testimony and evidence presented in this case demonstrated the defendant’s fixation with committing barbaric and inhumane acts of violence against children and others. The FBI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and use every investigative tool to protect the public from acts of violence. We remind the public of the important role they play in keeping our communities safe, by immediately reporting potential public safety threats to law enforcement,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs.
The FBI San Antonio’s Child Exploitation Human Trafficking Task Force investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the 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, 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.
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Mississippi man sentenced for internet stalking of young Evansville womenRead the Press Release
Evansville – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler, announced today the sentencing of Orlando Webber, 44, of Columbus, Mississippi for interstate stalking of young women from the Evansville area. Webber was sentenced to forty-six (46) months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release following the term of imprisonment by United States District Judge Richard Young in Evansville following a sentencing hearing on July 31, 2019.
For over four years, Webber used the moniker “Lando” to stalk as many as 30 high school-aged young women using various social media outlets. Most victims recall receiving vulgar and sexually explicit communications from Webber when they were 15-16 years old. Each time victims received the stalking messages, they would block him from their accounts, only to have Webber use a different account name to resume the stalking.
“This case should be a warning to anyone considering using social media platforms to sexually harass and stalk others,” said Minkler. “I want to commend the victims in this case for coming forward and assisting the investigators in identifying Webber and finally putting an end to his harassment. The cooperation of the victims not only ended their own harassment, it also prevented others from having to experience Webber’s abusive social media communications in the future.”
In April 2016, Victim 1 contacted the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Cyber Tip Line to report that she and several other Evansville area high school girls were being harassed through their Twitter accounts. The messages included nude photographs of an adult male asking for sexual favors.
Federal law enforcement officials subpoenaed subscriber records and were able to locate Webber, who lived with his mother in Columbus, Mississippi. FBI agents used facial recognition technology to identify Webber after capturing images from a “Lando” social media account based on a tip from one of the victims.
At the time of Webber’s sentencing hearing, some of Webber’s victims appeared in court to describe the negative impact Webber had on their lives by placing them in fear because of his persistent stalking. As many as 30 different young women made reports about Webber’s stalking to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Evansville Police Department. The victims attending the sentencing hearing told the Judge that they finally felt safe again after Webber’s arrest on the stalking charges in May of 2018. Webber has been in custody since his arrest.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Evansville Police Department. The case was prosecuted on behalf of the government by Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to prosecuting those who exploit children through the use of social media and to work closely with Project Safe Childhood. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 4.1 and 4.
Mineral County woman sentenced for role in a drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brittany Baker, of Elk Garden, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months incarceration for her involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Baker, age 22, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in April 2019. Baker admitted to distributing methamphetamine in June 2018 in Mineral County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, The West Virginia State Police, and the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Methamphetamine Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Distributing Drugs and Discharging a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Josue Balbino Ruiz-Reyes, age 25, of Adelphi, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamines and to using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense.
The guilty plea 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 Acting Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from about 2016 through November 21, 2018, Ruiz-Reyes conspired with others, including Individual 1, to distribute methamphetamine. During that time, Ruiz-Reyes distributed crystal methamphetamine to individuals in and around Maryland in exchange for cash, services, or items of value, such as hotel stays. In October or November 2018, Ruiz-Reyes paid Individual 1 approximately $500 in cash for a future delivery of methamphetamine. Despite repeated requests from Ruiz-Reyes, Individual 1 failed to deliver the methamphetamine or repay the money.
As detailed in his plea agreement, late on November 15 or early November 16, 2018, Ruiz-Reyes drove a silver-colored vehicle to a house on Twig Road in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he knew Individual 1 often stayed with Individual 2. Ruiz-Reyes repeatedly fired a 9mm semi-automatic pistol at the Twig Road House in retaliation for Individual 1’s failure to pay the drug debt, and to induce Individuals 1 and 2 to repay the drug debt. In the evening of November 16, 2018, Ruiz-Reyes returned to the house in his silver vehicle and again discharged his weapon at the house over the drug debt owed to him by Individual 1. Ruiz-Reyes also sent threatening messages over social media to Individual 2 regarding the drug debt.
On November 21, 2018, Ruiz-Reyes was arrested in Hanover, Maryland, as he returned to his car in the parking lot of a casino/hotel. Officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered: the 9mm semi-automatic pistol used in the shooting, as well as spent shell casings from the exterior windshield and floorboard of the car; 20 small bags of crystal methamphetamine, weighing a total of 19.02 grams; a digital scale; empty clear plastic bags; two glass pipes; a knife; and a ski mask.
Ruiz-Reyes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years in prison for the drug conspiracy; and a mandatory minimum of 10 years, consecutive to any other sentence, and up to life in prison for discharging a weapon in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for October 30, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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 Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Catherine K. Dick and Leah B. Grossi, who are prosecuting the case.
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Men Charged with Conspiring to Interfere with Commerce by RobberyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Eric Mercado, 32, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was arrested in Georgia, and Steven Hardy, 42, of Maynard, Massachusetts, was arrested in Maynard, and both were charged today by criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in Maine with conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery.
According to the complaint, on May 10, 2019, Mercado, Hardy and others drove from outside of Maine to a residence in York, Maine in order to commit an armed home invasion robbery to steal marijuana and marijuana sales proceeds. Both men, wearing face masks, entered the residence armed with firearms which they discharged during the attempted robbery. After discharging the firearms, they fled.
If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Mercado’s initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Savannah, Georgia and Hardy’s initial appearance in Worcester, Massachusetts, have not yet been scheduled.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI, in conjunction with the York Police Department.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Martinsburg residents indicted for fentanyl, cocaine, heroin distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Tinesha Joann Burrows, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was arrested and had an initial appearance Friday after being indicted July 23, 2019 by a federal grand jury sitting in Martinsburg, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
“Exceptional law enforcement efforts led to seizure of fentanyl in quantities that could kill everyone in Berkeley County twice over. When combined with the seizure of firearms, the result is a very dangerous combination. Luckily, none of it will get on our streets. We remain steadfast in our mission to prosecute these cases,” said Powell.
Burrows, age 36, was indicted on one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base,” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base.”Dwayne Paige, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, is also charged in the indictment. He is currently in custody. Paige, age 45, was indicted on two counts of “Distribution of Fentanyl,” one count of Distribution of Cocaine Base,” one count of “Distribution of Heroin,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.”
Burrows and Paige are accused of having more than 400 grams of fentanyl, 500 grams of cocaine, and 28 grams of cocaine base. Paige, a person prohibited from having a firearm, is also accused of having two .45 caliber handguns and a .40 caliber handgun. The crimes are alleged to have occurred December 2018 to February 2019 in Berkeley County.
Burrows faces ten years to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000 for the aiding and abetting fentanyl count, and five to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for each of the other aiding and abetting counts. Paige faces 10 years to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000 for the aiding and abetting fentanyl count, five to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000 for each of the other aiding and abetting counts, and up to 20 years incarceration and fine of up to $1,000,000 for each of the distribution counts. Paige is also facing up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms 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.
The government is also seeking forfeiture of the following in connection to the alleged crimes:• $51,157.00 in U.S. currency
• 18K White Gold Diamond Ring
• 14K Yellow Gold Diamond Necklace Featuring 1988 1 Ounce Gold Eagle
• 14K Rose Gold Diamond Padlock Necklace
• 14K White Gold Hamsa Diamond Pendant Necklace
• Hi-Point .45 caliber magazine with 9 rounds ammunition
• Beretta .40 caliber magazine with 11 rounds ammunition
• Glock .45 caliber magazine with 13 rounds ammunitionAssistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Washington County, Maryland Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Settlement with Construction Company for Underpaying Workers and Submitting False Payroll Reports on Two Federally Funded ProjectsRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Mark H. Watson Jr., U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) Wage and Hour Division Northeast Regional Administrator, announced today a settlement of a civil fraud lawsuit against NAGAN CONSTRUCTION, INC. (“NAGAN”), a construction contractor based in Inwood, New York, for underpaying workers on two federally funded construction projects and submitting false certified payroll reports that misclassified thousands of hours of work performed by these workers. The United States’ Complaint alleges that NAGAN violated federal prevailing wage requirements by paying 20 employees the wage rate applicable to “laborer” work – which typically involves unskilled tasks such as cleaning and transporting materials and equipment – when the employees had performed skilled work, such as carpentry and bricklayer tasks, which entitled them to a substantially higher wage rate.
As part of the settlement approved by U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres, NAGAN has agreed to pay the United States a sum of $435,000, $242,375.60 of which will be distributed to the current and former NAGAN employees who were underpaid. In addition, NAGAN admitted and accepted responsibility for conduct alleged in the Complaint, including underpaying its employees and improperly misclassifying thousands of hours of work they performed. NAGAN also agreed to implement specific measures designed to ensure future compliance with applicable federal prevailing wage laws, including conducting periodic internal compliance audits and ensuring that supervisors are fully trained on federal labor standards.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “On two large construction projects funded by the government, Nagan Construction violated federal labor laws – as well as its contracts – by failing to pay skilled employees the wages they were owed and then falsely describing the nature of the employees’ work in reports submitted to the government. This office will hold companies accountable when they cheat workers out of the wages they rightfully earn and then submit false reports to the government to justify the lower wage rate.”
DOL Wage and Hour Division Regional Administrator Mark H. Watson Jr. said: “Federal contractors must properly classify their employees and pay them the correct required rates and benefits. Not doing so not only denies workers their hard-earned wages, it also places law-abiding employers at a competitive disadvantage. The U.S. Department of Labor will utilize all available legal options and work cooperatively with our fellow law enforcement agencies to hold those who commit violations accountable. We encourage all employers to reach out to us for guidance, and to use the wide variety of tools we provide to help them comply with the law and avoid violations like those found in this case.”
The Davis-Bacon Act (the “DBA”) requires workers on federally funded construction projects in excess of $2,000 to be paid the local “prevailing wage.” The DOL issues wage determinations setting forth the applicable local prevailing wages for different work classifications on a project. The DBA requirements and applicable wage determinations are incorporated into project contracts. The construction contractor must submit certified payroll records to the federal contracting agency reflecting the employees who worked on a project each day, the hours each employee worked, the classification of the work performed, and the rate and total amount each employee was paid.
As alleged in the Complaint filed in Manhattan federal court:
In 2012, NAGAN entered into a contract with the United States Merchant Marine Academy (“USMMA”) to renovate a dining facility called Delano Hall located in Kings Point, New York (the “Delano Hall Project”). In 2014, NAGAN entered into a contract with the DOL to renovate the South Bronx Job Corps Center located in Bronx, New York (the “Job Corps Center Project”). NAGAN served as the prime contractor on the Delano Hall Project and the Job Corps Center Project, which were completed in or about March 2015 and February 2018, respectively.
During the course of the projects, NAGAN submitted monthly reports to the USMMA and the DOL requesting payment and describing the work performed during the month. NAGAN regularly submitted false certified payroll reports that misclassified thousands of hours of skilled work as “laborer” work.
NAGAN knowingly underpaid 20 employees working on the two projects and failed to pay them the prevailing wages they were entitled to based on the nature of the work the employees performed. NAGAN routinely paid its employees the wage rate applicable to “laborer” work – which typically involves unskilled tasks such as cleaning and transporting materials and equipment – when in fact the employees had performed skilled work, such as carpentry and bricklayer tasks. The prevailing wage rates for carpentry, bricklayer, and other skilled work were substantially higher than the wage rate for laborer work on both projects.
In the settlement agreement, NAGAN admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct:
- NAGAN’s president and CEO, as well as other senior NAGAN managers, were aware of the requirement to pay workers the prevailing wage rates listed in the applicable wage determinations.
- NAGAN underpaid 20 employees who worked on the Delano Hall Project and the Job Corps Center Project. NAGAN improperly misclassified thousands of hours of the work these employees performed on the two projects. NAGAN paid these employees for this work using the prevailing laborer wage, instead of the higher prevailing wage to which they were entitled for the carpentry, bricklayer, and other skilled work the employees had actually performed.
- NAGAN failed to adequately train its supervisors and managers on how to properly classify work in order to comply with DBA requirements.
- NAGAN failed to implement effective systems and mechanisms to verify that the company properly classified its employees and consistently paid them the correct prevailing wage as required by federal law.
In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government intervened in a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act.
Mr. Berman thanked DOL’s Wage and Hour Division for its investigative efforts and significant assistance with the case.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey K. Powell is in charge of the case.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 20 Months for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Joshua Hooper, 36, of Manchester, was sentenced to 20 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers obtained information that Hooper was selling firearms. At the time, Hooper was prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition as a result of at least one prior felony conviction. On July 15, 2017, Hooper possessed a Noveski Rifleworks, Model N4, lower receiver, and sold that firearm to another individual. On March 23, 2018, law enforcement officers obtained a search warrant for Hooper’s residence. While executing the search warrant, officers recovered a large quantity of ammunition and other firearm accessories.
Hooper previously pleaded guilty on May 2, 2019.
“Convicted felons who violate federal law by possessing firearms should expect to spend time in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Working through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we coordinate with ATF and our other law enforcement partners to reduce crime by keeping firearms out of the hands of criminals.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski. The case was previously prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Kelbley.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Madison Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jeffrey Campton, 30, Elkhorn, Wisconsin, was sentenced on August 2 by U.S. District Judge William Conley to seven years in federal prison for robbing three banks in Madison in 2018.
On June 3, 2019, Campton pleaded guilty to robbing Home Savings Bank on East Washington Avenue on September 4, 2018, and stipulated to robbing the Cottage Grove Road Associated Bank on August 25, 2018, and the West Broadway Street Associated Bank on August 31, 2018.
Campton had just been released from Wisconsin state prison on June 7, 2018, after completing the Earned Release Program, an intensive substance abuse treatment program. Judge Conley noted that this program had no impact on Campton’s return to drug use and subsequent string of bank robberies that terrorized the victims. Judge Conley found Campton’s actions outrageous and warned him that if he does not clean up his act when released from this sentence, he will be going back to federal prison. Campton was also ordered to pay restitution.
The charge against Campton was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan.
Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute heroin and possessing a gun.
According to court documents, Jameel Malik Simmons, 37, was observed by various Chesapeake police officers selling heroin to a customer outside of his apartment. After the police arrested Simmons, they obtained a search warrant for his residence and found more heroin and a loaded firearm in a kitchen cabinet.
Simmons pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with the intent to distribute and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and maximum sentence of life in prison when sentenced on November 7. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Muhr and William B. Jackson are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-138.
Man Pays VA Employee $1 Million in Illegal GratuitiesRead the Press Release
DENVER – Roland Vaughn, age 58, of Clearwater, Florida, pled guilty late last week to paying illegal gratuities of more than a million dollars to an employee with the Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”). In exchange, Vaughn received referrals for his company, Legacy Home Health, which in turned billed the VA more than $3 million for ineligible home health services. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, Special Agent in Charge Gregg Hirstein of the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General, Dean Phillips, Special Agent in Charge of the Denver FBI, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Caramucci of the IRS—Criminal Investigation.
According to the stipulated facts in the defendant’s plea agreement, Vaughn and the VA employee were long-time friends when, in September 2017, they worked together to help Vaughn establish a company called Legacy Home Health (“Legacy”). The VA employee told Vaughn how to set the company up to submit claims for home health services to the VA’s Spina Bifida Health Care Benefits Program. For certain veterans who have children with spina bifida, the program provides for health services in the home.
The VA employee incorrectly told program beneficiaries that their family members and friends could be paid for providing home health services to the beneficiaries, even though these individuals were not “authorized providers” as required by VA regulations because, with only one exception, they did not hold certified nursing assistant licenses or other medical licensure. The VA employee told these individuals they simply had to sign up through Vaughn’s company – Legacy – the health agency that would bill for their services.
Legacy then submitted claims for home health services on behalf of the family members and friends, billing the VA as much as $88 an hour, but paying the individuals approximately $16 an hour. The VA, in turn, paid Legacy $3,039,761.36 for such claims. In exchange for the referrals to Legacy, Vaughn paid the VA employee $1,007,205.00 in illegal gratuities.
Vaughn’s plea agreement requires him to pay restitution to the VA in the full amount of the illegal payments he made to the VA employee. Vaughn’s sentencing is set for December 6, 2019.
This case was investigated by the VA’s Office of the Inspector General as well as the FBI and IRS-CI. The defendants are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Edgar.
The VA employee referenced in this press release has been indicted by a federal grand jury. The charges pending against that defendant are allegations, and that defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Gets 15 Years in Federal Prison on Armed Robbery and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A 20-year old man from Hawaii was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison after having pleaded guilty in March to robbing a gun shop and using the stolen firearms to commit armed robberies, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge James Deir, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Sentenced was Jeffrey Able.
According to court records, on July 6, 2018, Able broke into the Wicked Trigger Gun Shop in Waterford, Michigan and stole more than 10 firearms. Over the course of approximately four weeks, Able used the stolen firearms to commit armed robberies of several locations in Oakland County.
During his robbery spree, Able would enter the locations brandishing one of the stolen firearms and demand money. Out of fear for their lives, the victims complied and gave Able the money. Able robbed the following locations:
• July 13, 2018 7-Eleven located at 1795 Scott Lake Rd, Waterford;
• July 16, 2018 Mobile Gas Station in Highland Township, Michigan
• July 23, 2018 Alliance Catholic Credit Union in Rochester, Michigan
• August 8, 2018 TCF Bank in Lathrup Village, Michigan
Able took $5,349 from the four locations affected by his robbery spree.
The investigation was led by members of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI Oakland County Gang and Violent Crime Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jihan Williams.
Leader of Conspiracy to Illegally Unlock Cell Phones for Profit Extradited from Hong KongRead the Press Release
A 34-year-old citizen of Pakistan, who allegedly paid insiders at telecommunications giant AT&T to plant malware and otherwise misuse computer networks to unlock cellphones, made an initial appearance today on a 14-count federal indictment, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. MUHAMMAD FAHD was arrested in Hong Kong on February 4, 2018, at the request of the United States, and was extradited to the U.S. on Friday August 2, 2019. The second superseding indictment, filed in March 2018, describes how FAHD recruited and paid AT&T insiders to use their computer credentials and access to disable AT&T’s proprietary locking software that prevented ineligible phones from being removed from AT&T’s network. The scheme resulted in millions of phones being removed from AT&T service and/or payment plans, costing the company millions of dollars. FAHD allegedly paid the insiders hundreds of thousands of dollars – paying one coconspirator $428,500 over the five-year scheme.
MUHAMMAD FAHD is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to violate the Travel Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, four counts of wire fraud, two counts of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, two counts of intentional damage to a protected computer, and four counts of violating the Travel Act.
“This defendant thought he could safely run his bribery and hacking scheme from overseas, making millions of dollars while he induced young workers to choose greed over ethical conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. “Now he will be held accountable for the fraud and the lives he has derailed.”
"This arrest illustrates what can be achieved when the victim of a cyber attack partners quickly and closely with law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When companies that fall prey to malware work with the Department of Justice, no cybercriminal—no matter how sophisticated their scheme—is beyond our reach.”
According to the indictment, between 2012 and 2017, FAHD recruited various AT&T employees to the conspiracy. Some early recruits were paid to identify other employees who could be bribed and convinced to join the scheme. So far, three of those coconspirators have pleaded guilty admitting they were paid thousands of dollars for facilitating FAHD’s fraudulent scheme.
Initially, FAHD allegedly would send the employees batches of international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) numbers for cell phones that were not eligible to be removed from AT&T’s network. The employees would then unlock the phones. After some of the co-conspirators were terminated by AT&T, the remaining co-conspirator employees aided FAHD in developing and installing additional tools that would allow FAHD to use the AT&T computers to unlock cell phones from a remote location. FAHD and a second co-conspirator, who is now deceased, allegedly delivered bribes to the AT&T employees both in person and via payment systems such as Western Union.
The crimes charged are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the ultimate sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Francis Franze-Nakamura, Andrew Friedman, Michelle Jensen and Senior Counsel Anthony V. Teelucksingh of DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. DOJ’s Office of International Affairs was instrumental in the successful extradition. The U.S. Marshals Service transported FAHD to the United States.
fahd_second_superseding_indictment.pdfLast Defendant Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Harmful Marijuana Cultivation Operation in Kiava Wilderness in Sequoia National ForestRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Mauricio Vaca Bucio, 32, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced today to two years in prison for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Vaca’s sentence follows his guilty plea earlier this year. According to court documents, Vaca and his co-defendants Felipe Angeles Valdez Colima, 35, and Rodolfo Torres Galvan, 29, both Mexican nationals, were apprehended after a two-month investigation in the Kiavah Wilderness, a federally designated wilderness area in the Sequoia National Forest. Law enforcement officers saw Torres and Valdez emerge from the forest and enter a Camaro driven by Vaca. They were subsequently stopped in Weldon. Officers found freshly harvested marijuana in the Camaro and located over 1,800 marijuana plants at the grow site on the trail that led to the drop point. The officers also found deadly illegal pesticides, including carbofuran and zinc phosphide, in both the vehicle and at the grow site. U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd also ordered Vaca to pay $7,620 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the damage he caused to the National Forest.
The United States Congress designated the Kiavah Wilderness in 1994, and it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. This wilderness area is part of the National Cooperative Land and Wildlife Management Area and the Bureau of Land Management’s Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern.
This case was the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from Enforcement and Removal Operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California National Guard, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and Kern County Probation Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.
Valdez and Torres pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 10 years and three years and 10 months in prison, respectively.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Texas Fast Food FranchiseeRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with R.E.E. Inc., which owns and operates McDonald’s restaurants in the Texas Rio Grande Valley. The settlement resolves a claim that the restaurants R.E.E. operated violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens when verifying their work authorization.
“Employers should not impose discriminatory restrictions on the choice of valid, legally acceptable documents workers can present to prove they are authorized to work,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We are pleased that R.E.E. will work with the Division to ensure that, in the future, it doesn’t impose unlawful discriminatory barriers on workers during the employment eligibility verification process.”
The Department’s investigation concluded that from at least Oct. 14, 2015, to at least Dec. 31, 2017, R.E.E. required non-U.S. citizens to provide specific documentation issued by the Department of Homeland Security to prove their work authorization because of their citizenship or immigration status, even though some had already presented other valid proof of their authorization to work. The Department also concluded that R.E.E. improperly rejected valid documents some non-U.S. citizens tried to present to prove their work authorization, such as their state IDs and unrestricted Social Security cards. All work-authorized individuals, regardless of citizenship status, have the right to choose which valid, legally acceptable documents to present to demonstrate their ability to work in the United States.
Under the settlement, R.E.E. will pay $82,800 in civil penalties to the United States, pay $8,746.43 in back pay to a worker who lost work as a result of R.E.E.’s hiring practices, and be subject to departmental monitoring, training, and reporting requirements.
The Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits citizenship status and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation and intimidation.
More information on how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination is available here. Workers can find information about their rights under the anti-discrimination provision of the INA here. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; or discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Justice Department Announces Resolution with LLB Verwaltung (Switzerland) AGRead the Press Release
LLB Verwaltung (Switzerland) AG, formerly known as “Liechtensteinische Landesbank (Schweiz) AG” (LLB-Switzerland), a Swiss-based private bank, reached a resolution with the United States Department of Justice, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division today. As part of the agreement, LLB-Switzerland will pay a penalty of $10,680,554.64 to the United States.
“This resolution is another step forward in the Department of Justice’s pursuit of tax evaders, who use foreign bank accounts to commit criminal activity, and those institutions, who enable such criminal tax activity,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman. “The Department is dedicated to holding both financial institutions and individual offenders accountable for tax evasion.”
According to the terms of the non-prosecution agreement, in addition to paying a penalty, LLB-Switzerland has agreed to cooperate in any related criminal or civil proceedings in return for the Department’s agreement not to prosecute the company for tax-related criminal offenses committed by LLB-Switzerland.
According to the statement of facts agreed to by the parties, LLB-Switzerland and some of its employees, including members of the bank’s management, conspired with a Swiss asset manager and U.S. clients to conceal those U.S. clients’ assets and income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) through various means, including using Swiss bank secrecy protections and nominee companies set up in tax haven jurisdictions. At its peak, LLB-Switzerland had approximately one hundred U.S. clients holding nearly $200 million in assets. The majority of those accounts were in the names of nominee entities.
In 1997, Liechtensteinische Landesbank AG (LLB-Vaduz), a bank headquartered in Liechtenstein, acquired LLB-Switzerland (LLB-Vaduz reached a separate agreement with the Justice Department in 2013 that excluded LLB-Switzerland from the resolution). At that time, LLB-Switzerland provided banking and asset management services to individuals and entities, including citizens and residents of the United States, principally through private bankers based in Zurich, Geneva and Lugano, Switzerland. LLB-Switzerland also acted as a custodian of assets managed by third-party external investment advisers.
In 2003, LLB-Switzerland began a relationship with a Swiss asset manager. The asset manager offered to create nominee structures, including corporations, foundations, and trusts, to conceal accounts owned by his U.S. clients at Swiss financial institutions. LLB-Switzerland delegated to the Swiss asset manager the authority to prepare account opening and “know your customer” (KYC) documents.
The Swiss asset manager provided prospective customers with a sales letter, pitching his ability to conceal a client’s assets and income from taxing authorities through the use of multiple layers of sham offshore entities and nominee directors in countries or regions that the Swiss asset manager thought would resist requests for information and assistance from foreign law enforcement, including law enforcement in the United States. LLB-Switzerland and its management knew that the Swiss asset manager was marketing structures to clients as a means of tax evasion as the bank kept a copy of the manager’s sales letter in the bank’s files.
In 2008, after it became publicly known that UBS AG, Switzerland’s largest bank, was the target of a U.S. criminal investigation focusing on tax and other violations, the amounts that LLB-Switzerland held for U.S. clients swelled. At the end of 2007, the Bank had 72 U.S. clients with almost $80 million in assets. By the end of the next year, the number of U.S. clients increased to 107, but the assets more than doubled to over $176 million. LLB-Switzerland’s management knew that many of the U.S. clients coming to LLB‑Switzerland were bringing undeclared funds with them.
Although LLB-Switzerland’s management monitored the United States’ investigation of UBS, LLB-Switzerland failed to take actions to cease assisting U.S. taxpayers to evade their taxes. While in August 2008, LLB-Vaduz prohibited U.S. persons from becoming clients of the Liechtenstein bank, LLB-Switzerland did not implement a similar policy. Despite press reports, indicating the Swiss asset manager was under investigation for helping clients evade U.S. taxes, LLB-Switzerland waited two years – until a grand jury had indicted the Swiss asset manager - to close the accounts he managed.
LLB-Switzerland’s remediation efforts since 2012 have been comprehensive. It halted and terminated all U.S. cross-border business with U.S. clients. All of LLB-Switzerland’s U.S. clients and its relationship with the Swiss asset manager ended. It also dismissed its managers and employees implicated in the Department’s investigation of the bank’s U.S. cross-border business, and LLB-Vaduz has shut down the operations of LLB-Switzerland. In 2013, LLB-Vaduz closed LLB-Switzerland and returned LLB-Switzerland’s banking license to the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman thanked Senior Litigation Counsel Mark F. Daly and Assistant Chief Jason Poole of the Tax Division, who served as counsel on this matter. Zuckerman also thanked the Internal Revenue Service for its assistance.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Illegal alien sentenced for drug chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Rogelio Santacruz Godinez, also known as “Tramposo,” also known as “Trampa,” Citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to 60 months incarceration for a drug charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Godinez, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine” in August 2018. Godinez worked with others to distribute cocaine in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties from August 2017 to February 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug & Gang Task Force , the West Virginia State Police, the Virginia State Police, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department. Other agencies that assisted in the investigation are the Winchester City Police Department; and Frederick County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Pittsylvania County; Virginia Sheriff’s Office; and the Henry County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Huntington Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base or “crack,” announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
“Crack is back,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Sadly, crack is making a comeback. We aren’t going to tolerate another crack crisis like the 90s. We prosecute crack dealers just like we do any other drug dealer and we try to lock them up for as long as possible.”
Samuel Crawford, 40, previously admitted that on December 4, 2016, officers with the Huntington Police Department conducted a search warrant at Crawford’s residence at 204 West 6th Avenue in Huntington. Officers seized approximately 12 grams of crack cocaine. Crawford admitted he intended to sell the cocaine for money.
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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Huntington Man Sentenced for Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man was sentenced today to 32 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute oxycodone, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Anthony Saunders, 45, previously admitted that on April 28, 2018, officers with the Huntington Police Department conducted a traffic stop in the 1000 block of 28th Street in Huntington. Officers located approximately 562 oxycodone pills hidden under the carpet of the driver’s side of the vehicle.
“562 oxycodone pills,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Pills remain a serious problem. Diverting prescription opioids remains a serious problem in our communities and if we catch those violating the law, we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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Huntington Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A Huntington man, Juan Isom, 55, was sentenced today to 57 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Isom previously admitted that on July 13, 2018, Troopers with the West Virginia State Police Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West executed a search warrant at his residence. Troopers located a Taurus .38 caliber revolver on the shelf of Isom’s nightstand. Isom was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because of a 2006 felony drug conviction in Gaston County, North Carolina.
The Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Hays Woman Sentenced for Mail Fraud in Dispute OverRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman was sentenced today to a year of supervised probation for mail fraud in a scheme to make it appear her employer left her half his estate when he died, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, she was ordered to make monthly payments of $100 to Fort Hays State University during her probation.
Wanda Oborny, 66, Hays, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. In her plea, she admitted that in 2013 she mailed a fraudulent purported codicil to Kansas banker Earl O. Field’s will to Ft. Hays State University. The document falsely claimed Field had left a fourth of his estate to the university, a fourth to his lawyer and half to Oborny. In fact, Field left the majority of the estate to the university.
McAllister commended the FBI, Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Gurney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.
Hampshire County man sentenced for Clean Water Act violationsRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Timothy Peer, of Springfield, West Virginia, was sentenced to five years probation and fined $24,000 for violating permits and discharging untreated sewage from his sewage treatment plant, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Peer, age 56, was the owner of Mountainaire Village Utility, LLC, a sewage water treatment plant serving the residents of Mountainaire Village near Ridgeley, West Virginia. Peer owned and operated this business from early 2008 to July 2016. Peer pled guilty to one count of “Knowing Violation of Permit Conditions” and one count of “False Statements on Discharge Monitoring Reports” in April 2019.
From 2014 to 2016, Peer admitted to failing to maintain the treatment plant, resulting in untreated and undertreated sewage being discharged into the North Branch of the Potomac River, violating the Clean Water Act and his permit. Peer also admitted to falsely reporting quarterly testing on the wastewater from the plant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri and Special Assistant United States Attorney Perry McDaniel, with the Southern District of West Virginia U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environment Protection investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
HSI Employee Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to InvestigatorsRead the Press Release
On August 5, 2019, Ivette Dominguez, 33 years old, an Investigative Assistant with the United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), pled guilty to an Information charging her with making material false statements to Special Agents from DHS, Office of Inspector General (“DHS-OIG”), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”), Office of Professional Responsibility (“ICE-OPR”), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). Dominguez is scheduled for sentencing on October 11, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. before United States District Judge Beth Bloom, where she faces a possible maximum sentence of five (5) years in prison. In addition, Ms. Dominguez will resign from her position with HSI as part of her Plea Agreement.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jay H. Donly, Special Agent in Charge, DHS-OIG, Miami Field Office, and Michael Moreland, Special Agent in Charge, ICE-OPR, SAC Southeast, made the announcement.
According to the facts admitted at the change of plea, Dominguez, in her position as an Investigative Assistant, provided support to the HSI Special Agents investigating various criminal offenses, including drug trafficking and immigration crimes. Dominguez was assigned to HSI’s Homestead Investigative Group (“HIG”), where her duties included conducting database and criminal history checks to further the criminal investigations being done by that group. In her position, Dominguez was aware that the HIG was conducting a proactive criminal investigation into illegal steroids distribution at the Homestead Air Reserve Base, and played an administrative supporting role in that investigation. Using the information she learned in her official position, in December 2017, she alerted a target about this investigation.
In May 2018, Dominguez contacted that target in advance of the target being interviewed by HIG agents and advised the target that the investigation was weak and that the target was under no obligation to cooperate with the HIG agents. In March 2019, Dominguez exchange a series of text messages with an individual who portrayed herself as a friend of the target. In reality, that individual was a DHS-OIG undercover agent (“UCA”). After the UCA told Dominguez that the target was going to be interviewed by DHS-OIG and ICE-OPR agents, Dominguez asked the UCA to tell the target to lie to the interviewing agents to protect her by denying that Dominguez had given her any warning about the investigation.
On April 26, 2019, Dominguez was interviewed by DHS-OIG and ICE-OPR agents, who informed her that they had received allegations that she had alerted that target about the steroids investigation. During this interview, Dominguez initially denied any wrongdoing, but after she was confronted with the text messages she exchanged with the UCA, she admitted that she had alerted the target about the investigation, had provided her with advice and information about the investigation, had warned her not to sell steroids to a person who would approach that target, and had asked that target to lie to interviewing DHS-OIG and ICE-OPR agents to protect her.
Ms. Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of DHS-OIG and ICE-OPR. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward N. Stamm.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Guatemalan National Pleaded Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced that on August 1, 2019 ISAIAS MENDOZA-AILON, age 24, pleaded guilty 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) and was sentenced thereafter.
According to the bill of information, ISAIAS MENDOZA-AILON (“MENDOZA-AILON”), re-entered the United States after being previously deported on October 3, 2018.
MENDOZA-AILON 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. MENDOZA-AILON was sentenced to be imprisoned for a term of 6 months and then would be 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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Guatemalan Citizen Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to Time Served for Being Found in the United States After Previously Being RemovedRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Jerson Otoniel Osorio-Lopes, 32, of Guatemala, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker to time served (70 days) for being found in the United States after previously being removed.
According to court records, on May 14, 2019, federal authorities were notified that the defendant had been arrested by the Fairfield, Maine police department. The defendant’s immigration records revealed that on June 8, 2009, he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the United States. The defendant admitted being a citizen of Guatemala, was ordered removed by an Immigration Judge on June 30, 2009, and was removed to Guatemala on July 16, 2009. On October 7, 2009, the defendant was arrested again by U.S. Border Patrol agents in the United States. He was issued a Reinstated Removal Order from June 30, 2009 and removed to Guatemala on October 21, 2009.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.