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Wednesday 31 July 2019
Toledo man indicted for allegedly taking cellular phone photos of himself sexually assaulting a 2-year old and another young girlRead the Press Release
A Toledo man was indicted in federal court after he allegedly took cellular phone photos of himself sexually assaulting a 2-year old child and another young girl.
William Robert Collins, 32, was indicted in U.S. District Court on two counts of production of child pornography and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.
“This defendant is accused of sexually abusing two very young girls and recording the crimes,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “The allegations are reprehensible and we will hold this defendant accountable for his crimes.”
"The abuse of a child is incomprehensible,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. “Individuals, such as Mr. Collins, that choose to engage in the despicable taking and sharing of sexually explicit photos of children will face a court of law. Law enforcement will continue efforts to protect our most precious resource, our children.”
Investigators determined earlier this year that a person using the screen name “biggdikkdaddy” was found to be a member of multiple online groups which shared thousands of images of children, including infants and toddlers, being sexually assaulted, according to court documents.
Subsequent subpoenas revealed the username was registered to William Collins of 633 E. Central Ave. in Toledo. It was determined Collins’ most recent address was 3326 Beaumont Drive in Toledo, according to court documents.
Collins posted numerous sexually explicit images of young girls, as well as images of himself holding his penis. The hand in that photo has unique tattoos with a skull on his left thumb and the word “dilligaf” written on his left hand. Subsequent investigation revealed Collins had tattoos matching the tattoos in the photos, according to court documents.
A federal search warrant was executed at 3326 Beaumont Drive in Toledo on July 10. Collins was present and his cell phone was examined. Investigators found approximately six images of child pornography believed to be produced by Collins. The images are depictions of Collins sexually assaulting a two-year-old and include his hand with the district tattoos, according to court documents.
Collins also sexually assaulted an unidentified female child on November 12, 2018 and created visual depictions of the conduct, according to the indictment.
The investigation is ongoing.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Charged in Del Rio with Trafficking a Boy Recovered in San AntonioRead the Press Release
In Del Rio this morning, federal authorities filed two criminal complaints charging three individuals for their roles in a human trafficking scheme involving a male child, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden.
Elida Kassandra Moreno, a 26-year-old American citizen residing in Piedras Negras, Mexico, is charge by complaint with bringing an illegal alien into the U.S. for profit and false statement to a federal agent. Moreno, Victor Manuel Monsivais, age 65 of San Antonio, and Nery Uriostegui Dominguez, a 26-year-old resident of Mexico, are charged in a separate complaint with conspiracy to transport an illegal alien.
According to the complaints, Zavala County Sheriff’s deputies, acting on law enforcement information they received and a request for assistance, executed a traffic stop yesterday in Batesville, TX, on a vehicle occupied by Moreno. Moreno was taken to the HSI office in Eagle Pass for questioning. While being questioned, Moreno told investigators she was approached by a friend’s neighbor in Piedras Negras to transport a boy to his family in San Antonio while using her own son’s birth certificate in exchange for $1,700. Moreno and the child crossed into the U.S. through Eagle Pass, rented a hotel room in Eagle Pass, then took a shuttle van the next day to San Antonio.
While in San Antonio, Moreno claims the friend’s neighbor told her to meet Uriostegui at Santa Rosa Park, collect $2,500 from him and deliver the child. Subsequently, Moreno said her friend’s neighbor told her not to hand over the child and a struggle between Moreno and Uriostegui ensued. SAPD officers arrived at the scene and took Uriostegui into custody. Moreno subsequently, at her friend’s neighbor’s bidding, met her father, Monsivais, at a truck stop on I-35 South in San Antonio and delivered the child to him.
Last night, HSI agents received information that Monsivais and the child would soon be at a location near Military Dr. and Goliad in San Antonio. When Monsivais arrived, HSI agents arrested him and took custody of the child.
Upon conviction, the defendants face up to ten years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine on the conspiracy charge. Moreno also faces up to ten years in federal prison for bringing an illegal alien into the U.S. for profit and up to five years in federal prison for making a false statement to a federal official upon conviction.
This continuing investigation is being conducted by HSI together with the San Antonio Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
It is important to note that a complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Third Member of Cocaine Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Timothy Hotchkiss, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. Hotchkiss pleaded guilty to this charge on May 14, 2019.
Hotchkiss was charged along with 11 other individuals for participating in a cocaine distribution scheme. The investigation revealed that Gregory Smith mailed packages containing cocaine from Houston, Texas, to Joseph Harper in Madison. Postal records from November 2017 to November 2018 showed 32 packages mailed from Smith to addresses in Wisconsin or Iowa associated with Harper. Based on witness statements and multiple cocaine seizures in the case, agents learned that each of the packages contained between a half kilogram and one kilogram of cocaine.
Intercepted communications during the wiretap investigation revealed that Hotchkiss was a highly trusted confidant of Harper and also a frequent cocaine customer. Surveillance showed that Hotchkiss regularly visited Harper at his cocaine stash house in Madison after the arrival of a suspected cocaine package. In addition, Hotchkiss would pool money with Harper in order receive larger shipments of cocaine from Smith. Hotchkiss also assisted Harper with travel arrangements to visit Smith in Houston.
In addition to Smith, Harper, and Hotchkiss, seven other defendants have pleaded guilty in the case. Earlier this month, Judge Conley sentenced Harper to 12 years in prison and Smith to 11 years in prison for their respective roles in the conspiracy.
The charge against Hotchkiss is the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Dane County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation was conducted and funded by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Wegner.
Texas Deputy Sheriff Arrested for Cyberstalking MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A law enforcement officer from Texas has been charged in federal court in Worcester for cyberstalking a minor female residing in Worcester County.
Pasquale T. Salas, 25, a/k/a Gino, a deputy sheriff with the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office, was arrested in Bay City, Texas, this morning. He will appear in federal court in the Southern District of Texas tomorrow and will appear in federal court in Worcester at a later date.
According to the charging document, Salas met the victim through an online video game website in 2014, when the minor was 12 years old. Salas and the girl communicated on a private chat room and then moved those communications to various other platforms, including text messaging, Skype and Snapchat. Salas repeatedly solicited the minor to transmit sexually explicit images and videos of herself.
Beginning as early as 2016, it is alleged that Salas intimidated the victim into maintaining contact with him and sending additional sexually explicit material by threatening that he would publish the minor’s sexually explicit images and videos to her family and her friends. As recently as May 2019, when the victim attempted to terminate contact with Salas, he repeatedly sent threatening communications to the victim, using web-based applications to disguise the source of the communications.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information about this case should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 617-748-3274.
The charge of cyberstalking carries a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Douglas Police Chief Nick Miglionico made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Houston Field Office, the Matagorda (Texas) County Sheriff’s Office, and the Worcester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto from Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sumner County Man Sentenced for Impersonating an FBI AgentRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Sumner County man was sentenced today to serve a year on probation and pay a $1,000 fine for trying to get out of a traffic ticket by pretending to be an FBI agent, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Jarrod M. Andra, 36, Milan, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of impersonating an agent. In his plea, he admitted that on Nov. 30, 2018, he was stopped for speeding in Sumner County by a Sumner County Sheriff’s Deputy. Andra claimed he was a special agent for the FBI and presented what appeared to be an FBI identification card with his photo.
McAllister commended the FBI, the Sumner County Sheriff’s Department and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch for their work on the case.
Sulphur Springs Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Gregory Jobe, age 31, was sentenced today to 180 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Heroin. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, on September 4, 2018, the Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a medical emergency at a residence in Garfield, Arkansas. Deputies and the Fire Department arrived and found an unresponsive individual who later died at a local hospital. A family member of the deceased advised investigators that “black tar” heroin and methamphetamine was present in the residence and identified Jobe as the source of the drugs. Additionally, the family member stated that Jobe had distributed heroin to the deceased on September 4, 2018. On September 5, 2018, officers arrested Jobe at his residence and seized heroin and methamphetamine from the bedroom he shared with his son.
Jobe was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2018 and entered a guilty plea in March 2019.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon was sentenced on July 30, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Sylvan White Hat, Jr., a/k/a Bud White Hat, age 38, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
White Hat was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 13, 2018. He pled guilty on July 25, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on October 16, 2017. On that date, White Hat was intoxicated and went to the victim’s home in St. Francis, demanding to talk to the victim’s niece. When told the niece was not present, White Hat became aggravated and repeatedly punched the victim and kicked him in the face with shod feet. White Hat was previously employed as a police officer with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services from 2009 to 2015.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
White Hat was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for narcotics offenses related to his involvement in a drug trafficking organization that trafficked heroin and crack cocaine from Massachusetts to Vermont.
Oscar Rosario, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to four years in prison and four years of supervised release. In May 2019, Rosario pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine, and two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine.
Rosario and seven others were charged in a superseding indictment on Dec. 21, 2018. Co-defendants Dinelson Dinzey, 35, Joshua Foster, 41, Tracy Parsons, 46, Jamieson Gallas, 37, and Amanda Atkins, 35, all of Barre, VT., have pleaded guilty to related narcotics and money laundering charges. Co-defendants Nia Moore-Bush, a/k/a Nia Dinzey, 28, and Daphne Moore, 55, of Springfield, have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. Luis Niko Santos, 24, also of Springfield, remains a fugitive.
According to court documents, Moore-Bush and Dinzey obtained narcotics in the Springfield area, transported the drugs to Vermont themselves or via couriers, and distributed the drugs in the Barre area, where drug prices are much higher than in Springfield. Rosario pleaded guilty to supplying Moore-Bush and Dinzey with heroin, including on two specific dates: Nov. 17, 2017, and Dec. 8, 2017.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Services, Criminal Investigations, Boston Field Office, the ATF’s Burlington (VT) Field Office, the Massachusetts State Police, the Vermont State Police, and the Montpelier and Barre (VT) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine A. Wagner of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota woman convicted of conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine was sentenced on July 23, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Dixie Leigh Murphy, age 42, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Murphy was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on November 6, 2018. She pled guilty on April 30, 2019.
Murphy received several pounds of methamphetamine from co-conspirators that she distributed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.
Murphy was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 20 Years’ Imprisonment for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anibal Luis Rodriguez, age 28, who resided in Pottsville, Reading, and Allentown during the time of the offense, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 20 years’ imprisonment for participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the defendant previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine between July 2016 and May 2017.
Judge Mariani explained that he imposed the sentence because of the nature and extent of the drug trafficking operation headed by Rodriguez, including the torture of a woman who was held captive by members of the conspiracy for three days in a shed located on a co-conspirator’s property.
Judge Mariani also ordered Rodriguez to serve five years on supervised release following his prison sentence.
Rodriguez was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2017, as a result of an investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, investigators from the Pennsylvania State Police, and local police in Schuylkill County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Saint Francis Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Saint Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer was sentenced on July 30, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Myron Night Shield, age 34, was sentenced to 22 months and 15 days in custody, 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Night Shield was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 17, 2017. He pled guilty on May 3, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on September 9, 2017, when law enforcement was called to Night Shield’s residence due to Night Shield heavily drinking and not taking his medication. Night Shield was ultimately placed under arrest and began shouting death threats at the officer. When the officer and Night Shield got to the patrol car, Night Shield turned toward the officer, and spit in his face.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Night Shield was released upon sentencing.
SCDC Prisoner Sentenced to Consecutive Federal Prison Term for Role in Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jimmy Dunbar, Jr., age 37, of Bishopville, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and extortion.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Dunbar was involved in a scheme to extort and defraud Department of Defense service members. During the course of the scheme, Dunbar posed as females on a dating app and began communicating with service members. Posing as the females, Dunbar sent nude photographs of young females to the service members and solicited nude photographs in exchange. Dunbar then posed as the females’ father, claiming that the service member was in possession of child pornography and threatening to have him arrested if he did not pay money. The service member then transferred funds electronically to Dunbar’s associates. Dunbar utilized money mules, including a codefendant, who would receive the extorted funds via wire transfer directly from the service members, then transfer the money to Dunbar and other inmates. From September 2016 to January 2017, Dunbar received approximately $29,598.00 in extorted funds, which investigators traced to at least 17 victims. At the time of the scheme, Dunbar was serving a 30-year sentence for murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, and arson at the Lee Correctional Facility.
United States District Judge David C. Norton of Charleston sentenced Dunbar to a total of 46 months in federal prison, to be served consecutive to the 30-year state sentence he is currently serving. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Naval Criminal Investigative Services, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Services, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, U.S. Army Criminal Investigations Command, United States Marshals Service, South Carolina Department of Corrections, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Limehouse of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Rosebud Man Indicted on Sexual Abuse and Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
John Larvie, age 29, was indicted on June 11, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on July 30, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on November 20, 2018, Larvie knowingly engaged in, and attempted to engage in, a sexual act with a victim by use of force and assaulted the victim with shod feet, with the intent to do bodily harm.
The charges are merely accusations and Larvie is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Larvie was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Raytown Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for drug trafficking.
Dusty A. McSparran, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 19 years and six months in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 6, 2017, McSparran pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Independence, Mo., police officers saw McSparran driving a stolen GMC Acadia at a high rate of speed on Sept. 28, 2016. The officers activated their emergency lights and pursued the vehicle, which did not pull over but continued at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour throughout the city. Officers pursued the vehicle to a parking lot near U.S. 24 Highway and Bennington Avenue in Independence. McSparran jumped out of the driver’s seat and began running. Officers pursued McSparran on foot, deploying their Taser in order to stop McSparran and place him under arrest.
After arresting McSparran, officers found a small black bag in his front pocket that contained 2.5 grams of methamphetamine. Officers found a digital scale and a piece of paper that contained 2.5 grams of methamphetamine inside the vehicle. Officers also found a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol between the driver’s seat and the center console of the vehicle.
On June 26, 2017, a confidential law enforcement source made a controlled purchase of approximately seven grams of methamphetamine from McSparran, who was under court supervision, at his residence. Officers executed a search warrant at McSparran’s residence and found a loaded Jimenez Arms 9mm handgun with a defaced and obliterated serial number, a Hi-Point 9mm rifle, and various rounds of ammunition. According to court documents, the firearms were stolen during a home invasion.
Following McSparran’s detention and preliminary hearings at the Charles Evans Whittaker Courthouse on July 5, 2017, he was taken back to one of the holding cells. He immediately approached another detainee, and began physically assaulting him by striking and beating him. McSparran was removed from the cell and relocated to another cell. While in custody on this case, McSparran was found in possession of a metal shank, engaged in multiple fights, and assaulted a corrections officer.
McSparran has 45 prior convictions, including 11 felony convictions involving property damage, conspiracy to defraud the United States, driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, domestic assault, and possessing controlled substances.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender was sentenced on July 30, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Kameron Lamont Jackson, age 26, was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Jackson was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2018. He pled guilty on May 9, 2019.
Jackson was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in October 2013. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. Between October 3, 2018, and November 14, 2018, Jackson failed to register and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the case.
Jackson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Randolph County woman sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Christine Kay Woods, of Elkins, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 46 months incarceration for methamphetamine distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Woods, age 58, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute More than 5 Grams of Methamphetamine” in January 2019. Woods admitted to distributing more than five grams of methamphetamine in Randolph County from the fall of 2016 to July 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; and the Elkins 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.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Plainville Electrical Contractor Admits Stealing More Than $3.3 Million from EmployeesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LEE FERGUSON, 62, of Farmington, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to one count of money laundering stemming from a scheme in which he stole more than $3.3 million from his employees.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ferguson owns and operates Ferguson Electric and Ferguson Mechanical, both headquartered in Plainville. Between approximately 2013 and 2017, Ferguson caused to be deducted approximately $1.60 to $3.15 per hour from each of his employee’s fringe benefits package as a “third party administrator fee” for the employees’ pension plans. Ferguson knew that the funds were not used to cover any administrative fees for the employees’ pension plans. Instead, this “third party administrator fee” was paid over to TPA of Connecticut, a company that Ferguson established and controlled. TPA of Connecticut, in turn, sent the monies to DJS Associates, a Florida company that Ferguson formed for the purported purpose of performing business-consulting services for him and his companies. However, no such services were performed and Ferguson used the funds for personal expenses.
Through this scheme, Ferguson stole a total of $3,357,516 from more than 300 employees.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for October 24, 2019, at which time Ferguson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Ferguson is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Dawn Rose Dowty, age 29, was sentenced on July 29, 2019, to 10 years in federal prison, 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Dowty was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2018. The charge related to Dowty and at least one other person distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere between 2012 and 2018.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Task Force, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gina Nelson prosecuted the case. Additional co-conspirators are pending trial.
Dowty was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Prison for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Robert Little, age 35, was sentenced on July 29, 2019, to 5 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Little was found guilty of the charge following a federal jury trial in Rapid City on April 17, 2019. Evidence at trial established that Little failed to arrive at the Community Education Center facility in Rapid City on February 6, 2019, which was the time and place designated by the United States Bureau of Prisons upon his release from their facility.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama prosecuted the case.
Little was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pierre Woman Indicted on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Melissa Jean Scull, age 38, was indicted on July 16, 2019. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on July 29, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory 5 years up to 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between February 1, 2019 and July 16, 2019, Scull did knowingly and intentionally, combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with persons known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more methamphetamine. Further, on June 23, 2019, a traffic stop was conducted wherein 236 grams of methamphetamine were located in the vehicle.
The charge is merely an accusation and Scull is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Scull was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Pierre Man Sentenced on Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on July 30, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Darrell Hamann, age 25, was sentenced to 8 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, a fine in the amount of $1,000, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Hamann was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 12, 2019. He pled guilty on May 14, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy that occurred between September 1, 2018 and September 5, 2018, wherein Hamann knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance. The fentanyl distribution resulted in the individual using the fentanyl needing emergency medical care, including two doses of Narcan.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Hamann was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Owner of High-End Wine Storage Facility Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzling from His CustomersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced William Lamont Holder, age 54, of Hanover, Maryland, to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing between $550,000 and $1.5 million worth of wine from his clients, primarily private collectors and commercial establishments. Judge Blake also ordered that Holder pay restitution of $1.5 million.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare.
According to his plea agreement, William Lamont Holder was the sole owner and operator of Safe Harbour Wine Storage, LLC (“Safe Harbour”). Through Safe Harbour, Holder stored and transported upscale wines for private collectors and commercial establishments. In return for a monthly fee, Holder would arrange for the transportation of a customer’s wine to Safe Harbour’s storage facility in Glen Burnie, Maryland, where it would be inventoried and stored. Holder did not possess a license to sell wine in the State of Maryland.
From January 2013 through December 2017, Holder developed a scheme to obtain payments and wine from the customers of Safe Harbour for his own personal financial gain. Unbeknownst to his customers, he offered their wine for sale to wine retailers and brokers around the country, including in Napa, California, all the while continuing to collect the customers’ monthly storage fees and accept additional wine for storage.
Holder represented to potential third-party buyers that he was the lawful owner of the wine that he was offering to sell. By e-mail and facsimile, he sent them lists of bottles of wine stored in his warehouse with detailed descriptions of the winery, vintage, and asking price. After the buyers selected the bottles they wanted to purchase, Holder boxed and shipped the wine, and sent his bank account information. After inspecting the shipment of wine, the buyers would either wire the money directly into Holder’s bank account or send a check. Holder kept the proceeds from the sales and spent it on personal expenses.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in this investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Martin Clarke, who prosecuted the federal case.
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Norris Man Sentenced for Assault, Failure to Appear, and Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Norris, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Failure to Appear, and Distribution of a Controlled Substance, was sentenced on July 29, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Brandon Jones, age 25, was sentenced to a total of 36 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, $300 in restitution, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $300.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2017 for the Assault charge, August 13, 2018, for the Failure to Appear Charge, and on January 23, 2019, for the Distribution charge. He pled guilty to all three charges on March 5, 2019.
The Assault conviction stemmed from an incident on May 6, 2017, when Jones was driving under the influence of methamphetamine at speeds of 100 miles per hour or more, and rear-ended another vehicle causing serious bodily injury to three individuals in the vehicle.
The Failure to Appear conviction stemmed from an incident July 16, 2018, when Jones was summoned to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno for a scheduled hearing for his Assault charge and failed to appear for the court as directed.
The Distribution conviction stemmed from an incident on September 10, 2018, when Jones sold 2.1 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Jones was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
New Haven Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDRE JOHNSON, also known as “Cuzz Crip” and “Cuzzy Blue,” 30, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 28, 2019, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of a handgun an extended magazine from Johnson in exchange for $900. After the transaction, investigators seized a Taurus model PT 24/7 Pro DS 9mm, a loaded extended magazine and a loaded standard magazine that Johnson transferred during the purchase.
Johnson’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for illegal possession of an assault weapon and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Johnson has been detained since his arrest on April 11, 2019.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for October 23, 2019, at which time Johnson faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New Haven Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter D. Markle and Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Montgomery Felon Sentenced to Prison for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A convicted felon from Montgomery, West Virginia, who was caught in possession of a firearm was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Timothy Gibbs II, 29, previously entered a guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the South Charleston Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
On March 13, 2018, officers responded to a call regarding a man who had been shot in the back. After a thorough investigation, officers were able to determine that the shooter was Timothy Gibbs II. Gibbs had previously been convicted of forgery in Kanawha County, West Virginia, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Assistant United States Attorney Alex Hamner and former Assistant United States Attorney Matt Davis handled the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Mission Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on July 30, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Shelbyjo Two Eagle, a/k/a Shelbyjo Larvie, age 24, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, 4 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Two Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 11, 2018. She pled guilty on May 3, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from an incident beginning on December 1, 2017, and continuing through December 11, 2018, wherein Two Eagle conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case.
Two Eagle was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Possession of an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Houston, Minnesota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Jacob Jurisch, age 32, was sentenced on July 26, 2019, to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to forfeit a firearm.
Jurisch was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2019. The charge related to Jurisch being a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by law enforcement in Rapid City on November 17, 2019, while in possession of a shotgun that he knew was stolen.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Jurisch was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Consuelo Azeneth Garcia Lopez, 39, a legal permanent resident in the United States from Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 60 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Brad L. Byerley, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Orleans Field Division.
On September 27, 2016, Garcia Lopez was traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 when she was pulled over for a traffic violation by a Gulfport Police Detective. She informed the officer that she was tired, having driven all day, but could not give a location to where she was traveling. Instead, she said she would be told where to go when she arrived in Alabama. The officer learned that Garcia Lopez had several border crossings into and out of Mexico. The officer asked and obtained consent to search the vehicle and located almost 5 kilograms of pure methamphetamine hidden in the vehicle.
Garcia Lopez was legally in the country but is not a U.S. citizen. She pled guilty on April 30, 2019 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gulfport Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Almost 6 Years in Federal Prison for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Jose Ramon Romero Deloera, 24, a legal permanent resident in the United States from Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 70 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing with intent to distribute heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
On December 3, 2018, after negotiating a sale of heroin, Deloera was arrested when he traveled to Gulfport to deliver the drugs. The heroin was located under the rear floor mat of Deloera’s vehicle. There were seven taped bundles each weighing more than a pound. A DEA laboratory confirmed that the packages contained approximately 3.5 kilograms of heroin.
Deloera pled guilty on April 19, 2019 to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Meth Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Gerald Dewayne Griffin, 42, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced today in federal court for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine ice. Griffin pled guilty to the charge in January of 2019.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele sentenced Griffin to 105 months imprisonment, to be followed by a supervised release term of five years. During his imprisonment, Griffin will undergo drug abuse counseling and treatment. After he is released under supervision, the judge ordered that Griffin will continue drug abuse counseling and treatment. No fine was imposed, but Griffin was ordered to pay the $100 mandatory special assessment.
The case was investigated by the MCSENT Task Force, the Mobile Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria A. Bedwell.
Men from Shaker Heights and Cleveland indicted for using a firearm while robbing a bank in Richmond HeightsRead the Press Release
Two men from Northeast Ohio were indicted in federal court for using a firearm while robbing a bank in Richmond Heights last year.
I’ziah Clark, 20, of Shaker Heights, and Joseph Kyle Sanders, 19, of Cleveland, were both indicted on one count of armed bank robbery and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
Clark and Sanders used a firearm on June 1, 2018, when they robbed the Citizens Bank at 690 Richmond Road in Richmond Heights, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by FBI and Richmond Heights Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Maryland man sentenced for falsifying firearms dealer recordsRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Jarrud Michael Dixon, of New Market, Maryland, was sentenced today to one year probation for falsifying a record during a gun purchase, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Dixon, age 29, made a false statement on a firearms transaction record to purchase a .223 caliber pistol and an A-15 assault rifle in March 2014. He pled guilty to one count of “False Statement in Firearms Dealer Records” in February 2016.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen D. Warner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Additional Distribution of More Than $469 Million to Victims of Madoff Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Attorney General Bill Barr, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that the Madoff Victim Fund established by the Department of Justice began its fourth distribution to victims funds forfeited to the United States Government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (“BLMIS”) fraud scheme. The distribution will include $469.6 million in additional funds, bringing the total distributed to date to approximately $2.4 billion. The funds will be sent to more than 25,000 victims worldwide, the fourth of four payments to victims that will bring their total recovery from all source of compensation to 66.85% of their losses. The Madoff Victim Fund will ultimately return to victims more than $4 billion in assets that have been recovered as compensation for losses suffered by the collapse of BLMIS, following the largest fraud in history. Another $5 billion in assets recovered by the U.S. Attorney’s Office are being separately paid to Madoff victims through the BLMIS Customer Fund administered by the Securities Investor Protection Act Trustee.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Bernie Madoff committed the largest Ponzi scheme in history. Today’s additional payment of more than $469 million by this Office and the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section represents the fourth in an on-going series of distributions that will leave victims with compensation for more than 65 percent of their losses. This extraordinary level of recovery represents this Office’s tireless commitment to compensating the victims who suffered as a result of Madoff’s heinous crimes.”
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski said: “The upheaval and devastation wrought by Bernie Madoff’s massive fraud continue to reverberate across the United States and the globe. This fourth distribution of payments shows that the Department remains steadfast in its pursuit of proceeds of that fraud through civil forfeiture. Madoff’s victims, many of whom once believed they had lost everything, have now seen close to a 67 percent recovery of their loss amounts.”
Since the early 1970s, BERNARD L. MADOFF (“MADOFF”) used his position as Chairman of BLMIS, the investment advisory business he founded, to steal billions from his clients. On March 12, 2009, MADOFF pled guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle. On June 29, 2009, United States District Judge Denny Chin sentenced MADOFF to 150 years in prison for running the largest fraudulent scheme in history. Judge Chin ordered MADOFF to forfeit $170,799,000,000 as part of MADOFF’s sentence.
The Madoff Victim Fund is funded through recoveries by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in various criminal and civil forfeiture actions, and is overseen by Richard Breeden, the former Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, in his capacity as Special Master appointed by the Department of Justice to assist in connection with the victim remission proceedings.
Of the approximately $4.05 billion that will be made available to victims through the Madoff Victim Fund, approximately $2.2 billion was collected as part of the civil forfeiture recovery from the estate of deceased MADOFF investor Jeffry Picower. An additional $1.7 billion was collected as part of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. for MADOFF-related Bank Secrecy Act violations. Additional funds were collected through criminal and civil forfeiture actions against MADOFF and his co-conspirators, and certain MADOFF investors.
Mr. Berman praised the work of the FBI and the Madoff Victim Fund, and thanked the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division for their assistance.
For more information about the Madoff Victim Fund, compensation to victims of BLMIS, eligibility criteria, and payment information, please visit www.madoffvictimfund.com.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Louis A. Pellegrino is in charge of the case. The remission of these forfeited funds is being handled by the Office and the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.
Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking, ID Theft and Computer HackingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Culpeper County man pleaded guilty today to cyberstalking, unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information, and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Satyasurya Sahas Thumma, 23, engaged in cyberstalking of two women he had dated after each broke up with him.
From February to April 2018, Thumma dated and had a sexual relationship with Victim 1. During their dating period, Victim 1 sent Thumma multiple nude photos of herself. In April 2018, Victim 1 broke up with Thumma, and Thumma did not take the break up well. After a failed effort to get Victim 1 back, Thumma began an unsettling cyber harassment campaign. Posing as an unknown person, Thumma began sending Victim 1 anonymous text messages via a messaging app that allows users to make text messages appear to come from numbers other than their actual cell phone number. He threatened to post her nude photos to the public, created a Snapchat account to post the nude photos online and invited many of her friends to join the account, and threatened to send the nude photos to Victim 1’s parents, which he eventually did.
Thumma’s relationship with Victim 2 started in the summer of 2018 after they met through an online dating site. Victim 2 also sent Thumma multiple nude photos and videos during the several months they dated. When Victim 2 broke up with Thumma, Thumma used the same anonymizing messaging app that he used with Victim 1 to send harassing and disturbing texts to Victim 2 and her mother. Thumma manipulated Victim 2 with a conspiracy story purportedly involving violent individuals who were threatening him and who had hacked into his online accounts to steal Victim 2’s nude photos. He sent Victim 2 multiple emails from secure, overseas providers that included extortion demands, threats of death, and gruesome photos of women who were dead or being tortured. To add credibility to his violent conspiracy charade, Thumma included his own true phone number and email address on various messages to make it appear that “they” were threatening him as well. In March 2018, Thumma was involved in a DUI accident in Richmond that resulted in him being transported by EMS to the hospital. While lying on a hospital bed wearing a gown that appeared to be spattered with some blood, Thumma feigned being unconscious and took a selfie photograph. Several hours after being released from the hospital, Thumma used the anonymous texting application to send his hospital selfie photo to Victim 2 and her mom with the message, “Ur next.” During the Thumma’s harassment of Victim 2, he sent her nude photos to both her mom and dad, and to their family’s church email address. In addition, Thumma hacked into Victim 2’s Twitter account and sent approximately 30 messages containing her nude photos to her Twitter friends. He also hacked into her Facebook account and changed the password, and claimed in messages to Victim 2 that the violent conspirators were responsible for the Twitter and Facebook hacks.
Thumma faces a maximum penalty of 17 years in prison and $500,000 in fines 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian R. Hood is 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. 3:19-cr-103.
MS-13 Member Apprehended after Being Placed on FBI’s 10 Most-Wanted Fugitives List Sentenced to 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An MS-13 member previously named one of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives was sentenced today to 300 months in prison for killing a Plainfield, New Jersey, man on behalf of the gang, and agreeing that a conspirator would commit multiple violent acts for the gang, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Walter Yovany-Gomez, a/k/a “Cholo,” 35, who was a fugitive residing in the Maryland/Virginia area from 2011 to 2017, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to an information charging him with one count of racketeering conspiracy. Judge Chesler imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
“This defendant committed a vicious murder and conspired with another MS-13 member to commit further acts of violence,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “When he fled New Jersey and became a fugitive, our partners at the FBI diligently pursued and eventually captured him. Today’s sentence ensures that he will now remain behind bars for a substantial period of time, thus preserving the safety of the community and punishing him appropriately for his actions.”
“Walter Yovany-Gomez thought he could steal someone’s life and escape unscathed. He obviously underestimated the men and women of the FBI,” Special Agent-in-Charge Gregory W. Ehrie, FBI-Newark, said. “Members of blood-thirsty gangs, like MS-13, who devalue life as part of their business model, need to know that our life’s work is dedicated to keeping our citizens safe and we won't rest until we accomplish that mission.”
According to documents filed in this and other cases and statements made in court:
In September 2013, a Newark grand jury indicted Yovany-Gomez for murder in aid of racketeering and conspiracy to commit murder in an indictment that charged 14 members of Plainfield Locos Salvatrucha (PLS), a New Jersey branch of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) transnational gang, with various gang-related offenses. The charges against Yovany-Gomez focused on the May 2011 murder of Julio Matute, whom law enforcement officers discovered beaten and stabbed to death in Matute’s Plainfield apartment. Yovany-Gomez fled New Jersey after officers went to Yovany-Gomez’s residence to question him.
In April 2017, the FBI placed Yovany-Gomez on its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List. On Aug. 12, 2017, he was arrested without incident in Woodbridge, Virginia, based on tips received from the public.
Between 2014 and 2016, all 13 of Yovany-Gomez’s co-defendants charged in the September 2013 federal indictment were convicted, including eight MS-13 members who were convicted following a 16-week trial that ended in June 2016.
In May 2011, MS-13 leaders, members, and associates, including Yovany-Gomez, plotted to murder Matute, a PLS recruit, because they believed Matute had been socializing with rival gang members.
On May 8, 2011, Yovany-Gomez and fellow MS-13 member Cruz Flores, a/k/a “Bruja” traveled to Matute’s Plainfield apartment to carry out the murder, meeting Matute and another individual at the residence. After consuming alcohol and controlled substances with the other three individuals, Matute retired to his bedroom to sleep. When Matute attempted to leave the apartment several hours later for work, Yovany-Gomez and Flores assaulted and killed Matute. During the attack, Yovany-Gomez and Flores struck Matute in the head with an aluminum baseball bat, sliced Matute’s throat with a knife, and stabbed Matute in the back 17 times with a screwdriver. Yovany-Gomez and Flores threatened to harm the individual who witnessed the murder if that person went to the police.
Several weeks after the murder, officers went to question Yovany-Gomez at his residence. When they knocked on his door, Yovany-Gomez jumped out of a second-floor window and fled. PLS members and associates later drove Yovany-Gomez to the Maryland/Virginia area so he could avoid being arrested and prosecuted in connection with the murder. Yovany-Gomez remained in the Maryland/Virginia area until his arrest in August 2017, adopting an alias to further avoid law enforcement detection.
Flores was found guilty of the murder during the trial described above.
In addition to the Matute murder, Yovany-Gomez agreed as part of the racketeering conspiracy that another conspirator would commit multiple acts of violence on behalf of MS-13.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Yovany-Gomez to five years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ehrie; and officers of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, under the direction Newark Field Office Director John Tsoukaris. He also thanked the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo, for its assistance. The FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force, the Fairfax County Police Department’s Gang Unit, and the Northern Virginia Gang Task Force coordinated the local search for and arrest of Yovany-Gomez. U.S. Attorney Carpenito also acknowledged the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Virginia and the District of Maryland for their assistance in the ongoing investigation.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Jamari Buxton and James Donnelly, Chief of the Violent Crimes Unit of the U.S Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to $1 Million Bank Loan and Credit Card Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Marcello Sozio, the former operator of Andi Hyperbarics LLC, a hyperbaric oxygen chamber business based in Great Neck, New York, and Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty earlier today to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud banks and a customer of his business. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Steven I. Locke at the federal courthouse in Central Islip. When sentenced, Sozio faces up to 20 years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, Sozio agreed to pay approximately $1.1 million in restitution.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the guilty plea.
“Sozio committed a fraud trifecta by duping lenders, cheating his business partners and stealing from the parent of a child for treatment he never provided,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The defendant now faces the consequences for pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in unauthorized loans and fraudulent credit card charges.”
“Stealing from anyone is criminal, however stealing from a parent seeking treatment for a child is unconscionable,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “It may often seem as though white collar crimes don’t really impact people because it is mostly about money. However this case proves the devastating real life consequences criminals can have on their victims, and the FBI works diligently every day to bring justice to everyone who is unfortunately impacted by fraudsters like Mr. Sozio.”
“Liars, cheats and scammers should know that karma is always a handcuff away. Today’s plea represents the hard work and dedication of law enforcement to follow the facts and the money in investigations like these to ensure there is justice for victims,” stated USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Bartlett.
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, between March 2014 and December 2016, Sozio applied for and obtained approximately $770,000 in loans for a business offering hyperbaric oxygen services as a form of medical treatment. In the applications submitted to lenders, Sozio falsely represented that his business partners had authorized him to apply for these loans on their behalf. Sozio used the loan proceeds for his personal benefit, leaving his former partners liable for the full amount.
Additionally, between September 2016 and December 2016, Sozio charged the parent of a minor child, who had received some hyperbaric oxygen treatments, approximately $230,000 for services that he falsely claimed had been provided.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley T. King and Madeline M. O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
MARCELLO SOZIO
Age: 62
Huntington, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-58 (DRH)
Lincoln Man Sentenced on Methamphetamine and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Donald James Cox, Jr., 43, of Lincoln, was sentenced July 31, 2019, to 15 years in federal prison by Senior United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf. Cox was sentenced to 10 years for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual/pure methamphetamine, cocaine, tetrahydrocannabinols (THC), cocaine and marijuana. He received a five-year sentence for using, carrying and possessing a firearm in connection with the drug offense. That sentence was ordered to be served consecutive to (after) the sentence for the drug offense. Following the prison term, Collins will serve five years on supervised release. He was also ordered to forfeit more than $19,000 in cash.
On August 6, 2018, a Lincoln Police officer contacted Cox for a traffic violation. Cox gave the officer consent to search his person. Cox was found in possession of three bags containing methamphetamine weighing a total of approximately 16 grams. The Nebraska State Patrol laboratory later found that one of those bags contained at least 13 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine. More than $5,000 cash was found on Cox’s person. A digital scale was found behind the driver’s seat of his vehicle, and a loaded .357 Rossi revolver was found in the center console.
Cox waived his rights and told officers that the methamphetamine found on his person belonged to him. He said he had recently acquired the revolver found in his vehicle from his methamphetamine source. He admitted obtaining about ½ ounce of methamphetamine every couple of weeks and selling to about five customers.
A search warrant was executed at Cox’s Lincoln residence. Three bags of methamphetamine weighing a total of just under 400 grams were found which contained at least 190 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine. Officers also found a total of approximately 184 grams of cocaine, 30 grams of marijuana, approximately 577 grams of THC chewables, three additional handguns, a shotgun, ammunition and more than $14,000 in cash.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Lightfoot DTO Member Pleads Guilty to Guarding and Maintaining Drug Premises in Penn Hills, PA where Hundreds of Pounds of Drugs Were Later RecoveredRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A member of the Lightfoot-Mendoza Drug Trafficking Organization has pleaded guilty to a federal narcotics charge, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Chace Johnson, 21, formerly of Verona, PA pleaded guilty to one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises before Chief United States District Court Judge Mark R. Hornak. Judge Hornak scheduled his sentencing for December 13, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.
According to information presented to the court, in August and September of 2017, Chace Johnson lived at a residence on Harvest Drive in Verona, PA (Penn Hills), the home of Jamie Lightfoot, Jr. During that time, Chace Johnson helped to maintain the premises that was used as one of the centers of the Lightfoot-Mendoza Drug Trafficking Organization. During this time, Johnson guarded large sums of drug proceeds in the house and helped to gather drug paraphernalia and other supplies in order to aid in the distribution of narcotics that came into the home. Later on November 5, 2017, an FBI and Pennsylvania State Police Task Force executed a search warrant at the residence netting 52 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, 85 pounds of marijuana, illegal steroids, three firearms, and nearly $1 million dollars in cash.
The law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than 20 years in prison and/or a fine of not more than $500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Lanni and Shaun Sweeney are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the South Strabane Police Department, the Elizabeth Borough Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department and the Perryopolis Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case.
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.
Kanawha County Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that a Kanawha County woman pled guilty to a federal drug charge in Charleston. Stephanie Lawhorn, 39, from Belle, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, and marijuana.
“121 grams of meth. 14 grams of fentanyl. 53 grams of marijuana. Over $9,000 in cash,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Lawhorn’s car was a rolling smorgasbord of powerful drugs – an illegal smorgasbord – that we shut down.”
Lawhorn admitted that on September 27, 2018 law enforcement officers found her in possession of about 121 grams of methamphetamine, 14 grams of fentanyl, 53 grams of marijuana and $9,139 when they stopped the vehicle in which she was driving in Belle, West Virginia. Lawhorn admitted to officers that she intended to sell the drugs.
She faces up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced on October 23, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Belle Police Department and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Arthur is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided at the plea hearing.
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Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Maryland Produce DistributorRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it reached a settlement agreement with Pete Pappas and Sons Inc. (Pappas and Sons), a produce distribution company located in Jessup, Maryland. The settlement resolves claims that Pappas and Sons violated the antidiscrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by unlawfully requesting specific work authorization documents from non-U.S. citizens based on their citizenship or immigration status.
“Employers cannot reject valid work documentation based on the citizenship, immigration status, or national origin of their employees,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate Pete Pappas and Sons’ cooperation and look forward to working with the company to ensure compliance with the settlement.”
The Department of Justice initiated an investigation after a refugee filed a charge alleging that Pappas and Sons required him to present an unnecessary immigration document during onboarding, even though he had already presented a driver’s license and unrestricted Social Security card, which were sufficient to prove his identity and work authorization. The investigation concluded that a human resources employee at Pappas and Sons rejected valid documents and routinely requested unnecessary immigration documents from non-U.S. citizens because of their citizenship or immigration status, which, in the refugee worker’s case, delayed his start date. The INA prohibits employers from rejecting valid documents and making unnecessary requests for additional work eligibility documentation based on a worker’s citizenship, immigration status, or national origin.
Under the settlement, Pappas and Sons will pay a civil penalty to the United States, provide back wages to the injured worker, train the company’s human resources personnel on the requirements of the INA’s antidiscrimination provision, and be subject to Department compliance monitoring.
The Civil Rights 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 discrimination against individuals who are authorized to work based on citizenship, immigration status, and national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Employers can find information on how to avoid unlawful discrimination in the Form I-9 and E-Verify processes here. Employers can find additional information on how to avoid unlawful discrimination based on citizenship, immigration status, or national origin here. Workers can find information about their rights under the antidiscrimination provision of the INA here. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under the INA, 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. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
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; 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 Requires Structural Relief to Resolve Antitrust Concerns in Nexstar’s Merger with TribuneRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it will require Nexstar Media Group Inc. and Tribune Media Company to divest broadcast television stations in thirteen markets as a condition of resolving a challenge to the proposed $6.4 billion merger between Nexstar and Tribune.
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division, along with the offices of three state Attorneys General, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed merger. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the suit by remedying the competitive harms alleged in the complaint, through the divestitures and related conditions. The participating state Attorneys General offices represent Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
“Without the required divestitures, Nexstar’s merger with Tribune threatens significant competitive harm to cable and satellite TV subscribers and small businesses,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “I am pleased, however, that we have been able to reach a resolution of the Division’s concerns, thanks in part to the parties’ commitment to engage in good faith settlement talks from the outset of our investigation.”
According to the complaint, without the divestitures the merger would eliminate head-to-head competition between Nexstar and Tribune in the thirteen local markets in which the divestitures are being required. These markets are centered in Davenport, Iowa; Des Moines, Iowa; Ft. Smith, Arkansas; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Hartford, Connecticut; Huntsville, Alabama; Indianapolis, Indiana; Memphis, Tennessee; Norfolk, Virginia; Richmond, Virginia; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
As a result of the merger, the combined company would likely charge cable and satellite companies higher retransmission fees to carry the combined company’s broadcast stations, resulting in higher monthly cable and satellite bills for millions of Americans.
The merger would also enable the company to charge local businesses and other advertisers higher prices for spot advertising in the divestiture markets. Businesses that rely on broadcast advertising benefit from price competition among broadcast station owners. Nexstar and Tribune compete with one another for the business of local advertisers, and the proposed merger would eliminate that competition, harming local businesses.
The Antitrust Division has determined that the divestitures would resolve aforementioned antitrust concerns related to the licensing of retransmission consent and the sale of broadcast television spot advertising that would otherwise result from the merger. The divestitures required under the settlement announced today would, if approved by the court, require Nexstar to sell one or more stations currently owned by either Nexstar or Tribune in each of the thirteen markets. The settlement requires that the divestitures be accomplished in such a way as to satisfy the United States that the divested stations, in consultation with the Attorneys General of Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and associated assets will be used by the buyers as part of a viable and competitive commercial television broadcasting business.
Nexstar is a Delaware corporation with its headquarters in Irving, Texas. Nexstar owns 171 television stations in 100 local markets. In 2018, Nexstar reported revenues of $2.8 billion.
Tribune is a Delaware corporation with its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. Tribune owns 44 television stations in 33 local markets. In 2018, Tribune earned revenues of more than $2.0 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Owen Kendler, Chief, Media, Entertainment, and Professional Services Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 4000, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
Jury Convicts Man of Transporting AliensRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A federal jury has returned guilty verdicts against a 43-year-old man for his involvement in a conspiracy involving the transportation of illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
The jury deliberated for less than four hours following a three-day trial before convicting Anthony Terrele McCalebb, of Meridian, Mississippi, of conspiracy to transport and two counts of transporting undocumented aliens for financial gain.
On March 11, 2019, McCalebb and McKinley Lavell Young, 54, also of Meridian, Mississippi, loaded 10 undocumented aliens into the sleeper compartment of their tractor-trailer in Laredo. They then attempted to smuggle them through the Freer Checkpoint on Highway 59.
Upon arrival, a Border Patrol (BP) canine alerted to the vehicle Young was driving.
During trial, the jury heard that authorities had found McCalebb and the aliens hiding in the sleeper compartment of the trailer. The 10 illegal aliens were sitting on two bunk beds which were covered with blankets.
McCalebb and Young had agreed to transport the aliens to San Antonio in return for $10,000. Law enforcement recovered $5,400 of those proceeds upon their arrest. They had expected the remainder upon delivery.
Young pleaded guilty July 29, 2019, and testified at trial. He explained how McCalebb recruited him to smuggle aliens through Laredo. He confirmed he and McCalebb picked up undocumented aliens and attempted to transport them through the checkpoint and abut being paid to do so.
Two of the smuggled aliens - both women - told the jury about their journey from Brazil to Texas. They testified about being smuggled into the United States across the Rio Grande River on an inflatable raft, staying in a stash house in Laredo and being transported in the sleeper compartment of the McKinley’s truck.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Young and the alien witnesses were lying to secure benefits from the government and that McCalebb was merely present but not guilty of actually transporting illegal aliens. They did not believe his claims and found McKinley guilty as charged.
Sentencing will be set for a later date. At that time, McKinley faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
McKinley and Young both remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation along with Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony J. Evans and Francisco Rodriguez are prosecuting the case.
Inmate at United States Penitentiary at Canaan Sentenced to Serve an Additional Fifteen Months in Prison for Striking Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Orlando Hernandez, age 33, formerly of Florida, was sentenced on July 30, 2019, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, to serve an additional fifteen months in prison on the charge of assault on a corrections officer.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hernandez, an inmate at USP Canaan, previously admitted to kicking and “head-butting” a corrections officer on January 27, 2017, during a disciplinary hearing at the prison. Hernandez is presently serving a sentence of 188 months resulting from his conviction in the Southern District of Florida for the charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The sentence imposed by Judge Mannion will be served after Hernandez completes the sentence imposed in the Southern District of Florida.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
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Indictment: Five Pounds of Heroin Was Headed for Kansas CityRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A man from Mexico was indicted here today on federal charges of heroin trafficking, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Orlando Alexis Gaxiola-Guevara, 23, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. On June 26, 2019, the defendant was a passenger in a 2008 Ford Fusion eastbound on I-70 when a deputy with the Logan County Sheriff’s Office stopped the car. According to court documents, investigators found approximately five pounds of black tar heroin and brown powder heroin hidden in the quarter panels of the car.
If convicted, the defendant faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Logan County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Asenath Roland, 43, Kansas City, Kan., former president of the Kansas Postal Workers Union, is charged with stealing more than $4,700 that belonged to the union. The crime is alleged to have occurred in May and June 2017 in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.
Mark D. Young, 27, is charged with one count of escaping from the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. A criminal complaint filed earlier shows he was serving the latter part of a sentence at a residential re-entry center in Leavenworth and failed to return on July 10, 2019, after leaving on a work pass.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.
Richey Farmer, 26, is charged with one count of escaping from federal custody at the Grossman Community Corrections Center in Leavenworth. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 9, 2019.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.
Christopher Lee Cowan, Sr., 47, is charged in a superseding indictment with unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 3, 2019, in Shawnee County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough is prosecuting.
Samantha Jo Case, 27, Wichita, Kan., and Robert Lee Forgie, 28, Wichita, Kan., each are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 23, 2019, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years on the drug charge and not less than five years on the gun charge. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Andrusak is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Indianapolis woman sentenced to 37 months in prison for tax fraud and identity theftRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that Irene Woods, 35, of Indianapolis was sentenced to 37 months in prison by United States District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt for Tax Fraud and Identity Theft.
The case began when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) identified 69 tax returns with suspicious deductions filed from an I.P. address belonging to Woods. These returns sought over $350,000 in tax refunds. The IRS determined that 46 of the taxpayers who purportedly filed some of the returns, were the victims of identity theft and had never in fact filed the tax returns in question.
The IRS executed search warrants at Woods’ address in May of 2013, where they found significant evidence of identity theft, including approximately 100 debit cards in over 80 different names and approximately 70 business credit applications that contained victim names, social security numbers, dates of birth, driver license numbers, addresses and phone numbers. In total, over 100 different names and corresponding social security numbers were found. Woods admitted to filing fraudulent tax returns for both the 2011 and 2012 tax years, for people she knew and for herself using the stolen identities.
“Tax preparation individuals, such as Irene Woods, who prepare and intentionally file fraudulent tax returns in order to defraud the federal government and maliciously steal personal identifying information from innocent persons, thereby threatening their financial security, should be prosecuted fully in accordance with federal law,” said Minkler.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Tara Sullivan, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge said, “Ms. Woods’ sentence, ordered by Judge Pratt, shows the serious consequences of stealing identities to violate federal tax law. The IRS has successfully taken many steps in recent years to prevent Stolen Identify Tax Refund Fraud; these results are a reflection of those efforts. Taxpayers can rest safer knowing fraudsters like Ms. Woods are being removed from the streets of Indianapolis.”
According to Assistant United States Attorney Bradley P. Shepard who prosecuted the case, Woods will be on supervised release for 2 years following her release from prison.
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 utilize and partner with the law enforcement agencies to prosecute individuals engaged in income tax fraud. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 5.4.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Uber Driver's CarRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Robert W. Rives, 37, of New Baden, IL, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence. Rives appeared today before U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel who accepted his plea and set his sentencing date for October 25, 2019.
According to the plea agreement, on October 3, 2018 in the City of St. Louis, Rives was a passenger in a Chevy Impala vehicle which had immediately turned in front of a Mitsubishi vehicle and stopped. Rives exited the passenger side and approached the driver of the Mitsubishi vehicle who was driving for UBER Eats making a delivery. He produced a firearm and demanded the driver to give him his vehicle. The victim complied and Rives then entered the victim’s Mitsubishi and drove off following the Impala. Numerous items in the stolen car included a Rock River AR-15 rifle and two handguns.
Later that day, Rives was arrested in the same type of vehicle he had stolen and officers recovered the AR-15 rifle and handguns.
Carjacking carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000; and the use of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a minimum penalty of five years and a fine of $250,000.
The Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating this case.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 1 ½ Years for Third Federal Illegal Re-Entry ConvictionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Fernando Antonio Garcia-Bonilla, 27, of Quinlan, Texas, was sentenced to eighteen months in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg. The defendant was convicted of re-entering the United States illegally after being deported on two prior occasions and after having committed three DUIs while in the country unlawfully. After he serves his sentence, the defendant will be deported to Mexico.
On August 16, 2018, the defendant, an illegal alien, native and citizen of Mexico, was charged in an indictment with one count of re-entry into the United States after previously being deported and removed from the country on or about March 2, 2017 and February 15, 2018. On March 18, 2019, the defendant pleaded guilty to the indictment.
While illegally present in the United States, the defendant was convicted of driving while intoxicated by three different Texas courts, the last of which sentenced him to serve ten years in prison, all but two of which were suspended. Additionally, this federal conviction is the defendant’s third conviction for violating this nation’s immigration laws, as he was previously federally convicted of illegal entry into the United States on February 17, 2017, in the District of New Mexico, and then convicted of illegal re-entry into the United States on August 11, 2017 in the same district. He was sentenced to serve ten months’ imprisonment following his most recent federal conviction.
“The defendant in this case has no respect for the laws of this country, be they state or federal,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “After being removed on two prior occasions, Garcia-Bonilla decided yet again to scorn our immigration system by entering the United States illegally, even after serving state and federal time for his crimes. He is clearly a danger to the public and does not deserve the privilege of being in our country.”
“Mr. Garcia-Bonilla’s sentencing sends a clear message that criminal aliens who illegally re-enter the United States will face criminal prosecution for flagrantly disregarding our laws,” said Simona L. Flores-Lund, Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia. “It should also serve as a warning to others contemplating re-entering this country illegally that ERO officers will seek to affect their removal and preserve the integrity of our immigration laws.”
The case was investigated by ICE-ERO and the Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Scheme Involving Postal EmployeesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who helped organize a scheme to mail marijuana from California to Huntington over a period of several years pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. James Waylon Molinaro ,43, entered a guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute marijuana in federal court in Huntington. Molinaro also entered a guilty plea to prohibited possession of a firearm by a felon stemming from an unrelated investigation. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the West Virginia State Police – Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Barboursville Police Department.
“Marijuana is and remains illegal under federal law,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “This United States Attorney prosecutes all Federal lawbreakers including marijuana offenses and will continue to do so. The collaborative work of law enforcement agencies in this case got a violent drug dealer -- Molinaro – off the streets.”
On March 15, 2018, agents located two parcels at the Huntington Post Office which had been mailed from the State of California to Huntington which were found to contain marijuana. Agents conducting surveillance observed a postal employee load the parcels into a postal delivery truck and drive to the Dollar General store located in the 800 block of Norway Avenue in Huntington. At that location, the postal employee provided the parcels to Molinaro who arrived in a separate vehicle. A trooper with the West Virginia State Police subsequently conducted a traffic stop of Molinaro’s vehicle in the 1000 block of 9th Street in Huntington and recovered the parcels. The parcels were found to contain a total of 16 pounds of marijuana which Molinaro admitted that he intended to distribute.
As part of his plea, Molinaro further admitted that between 2012 and March of 2018, he conspired with multiple postal employees to ship marijuana from California to Huntington for distribution. During the conspiracy, Molinaro acquired marijuana in California and arranged for it to be shipped through the United States mail to Huntington. Once the parcels arrived in Huntington, Molinaro paid multiple postal employees to deliver the parcels on their assigned delivery routes or to meet Molinaro at other locations to provide the parcels to him. Molinaro admitted that he was responsible for the shipment and distribution up to 400 kilograms of marijuana during the conspiracy.
Molinaro also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on July 29, 2018. On that date, Molinaro was at a night club on Route 60 in Barboursville when he was asked to leave after a club employee observed him possessing a firearm. Molinaro exited the club, fired multiple shots in the club’s parking lot, briefly left the scene, and then returned. A Barboursville police officer responding to a call for assistance at the club subsequently located Molinaro in possession of .38 caliber revolver. Molinaro was prohibited from possessing a firearm based on multiple prior felony convictions for distribution of cocaine and possession of cannabis for sale.
Molinaro faces up to 15 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 4, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man who was arrested after a drug investigation pled guilty to federal drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. David Bond, 38, entered guilty pleas to two counts of distribution of heroin and one count of distribution of fentanyl. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.
“Drug overdoses skyrocketed in Huntington because of heroin and fentanyl,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Together with our law enforcement partners we have focused our strategic enforcement and prosecution efforts on the drug traffickers responsible for spreading these dangerous and powerful drugs throughout our communities. They must be held accountable.”
Bond admitted that on three separate occasions between February 7, 2018, and February 20, 2018, he sold heroin and what he believed to be heroin, but in fact turned out to be fentanyl, to a confidential informant working with the DEA/HIDTA Task Force. The drugs sold on these dates were tested by the DEA Lab and confirmed to be heroin and fentanyl.
Bond now faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 4, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Keefe and Monica D. Coleman are handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pled guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. George Gordon, Jr., 46, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with possession with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
“Gordon had 67 grams of fentanyl that he planned to distribute,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “If law enforcement had not intervened before he could do so, tens of thousands of lives could have been lost. Proud of my team for stopping this before he could wreak havoc, pain and death.”
On December 19, 2018, officers with the Huntington Police Department executed a search warrant at Gordon’s residence at 416 30th Street in Huntington. Officers recovered 67 grams of fentanyl from a jar in the kitchen.
Gordon faces between five and forty years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 4, 2019.
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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