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Wednesday 24 July 2019
Slidell Woman Charged with Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that RACHEL E. LIPPS age 38, of Slidell, LA was charged on Friday, July 19, 2019 in an indictment for wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A.
According to the indictment, between January 2013 and October 2017, LIPPS served as a part-time bookkeeper for Business A. Business A was a Louisiana corporation domiciled in Slidell, Louisiana. LIPPS was entrusted with the daily accounting and her job functions included accessing and utilizing QuickBooks software to issue payroll checks and pay vendors on behalf of Business A. Using QuickBooks, LIPPS fraudulently printed checks made payable to herself and several of her creditors. LIPPS endorsed each check despite not having authority to sign the checks. Business A terminated LIPPS’s employment in October 2017.
Business A maintained a financial account with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“Chase Bank”) bearing number *****8595. The checks listed in the indictment were associated with this particular account. The check images received by Chase Bank either from a branch location, ATM, mobile app, computer, or other method were transmitted to computer servers located in Michigan, Illinois, or Delaware. The sum of the checks charged in the indictment is $50,387.88.
If convicted of wire fraud, LIPPS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of not more than $250,000, three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, LIPPS faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of two (2) years, a fine of no more than $250,000, supervised release term up to one (1) year following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the matter.
Sherman Oaks Man Arrested on Federal Narcotics Charge Alleging He Sold Fentanyl that Caused Two Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Sherman Oaks man has been arrested on federal narcotics trafficking charges related to the deaths of two people who suffered fentanyl overdoses at the same Woodland Hills residence.
Trent Michael Tomasovich, 28, was arrested on Tuesday by the Los Angeles Police Department. He is now in federal custody.
An indictment naming Tomasovich was unsealed this afternoon when he was arraigned in United States District Court. The indictment charges Tomasovich with one felony count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Tomasovich pleaded not guilty to the charge and his trial will be scheduled for a later date.
According to the indictment and a search warrant that was also unsealed this afternoon, Tomasovich sold fentanyl to a 24-year-old woman who took the drug at a Woodland Hills apartment and died during the early morning hours of July 14, 2018. The victim was visiting a friend, who found the woman unresponsive and then summoned paramedics.
Several hours later, the boyfriend of the woman who lived in the Woodland Hills apartment found the narcotics that the deceased woman had purchased, court documents state. Ignoring his girlfriend’s request to dispose of the drugs, the 38-year-old man consumed the fentanyl and suffered a fatal overdose.
“The two overdose deaths alleged in this case are a stark reminder that the explosion of fentanyl trafficking is causing death and misery across the nation,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “People who deal in fentanyl should be on notice that federal authorities are aggressively investigating deaths linked to illegal opioids, and we can seek stiff federal mandatory minimum prison sentences for dealers who sell narcotics that cause fatal overdoses.”
“The HIDTA Fusion Task Force will continue to aggressively target those who prey upon our community and dump lethal drugs onto our streets,” said DEA Deputy Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux. “The men and women of the DEA, as well as our federal, state and local counterparts, take seriously our commitment to stand up for victims of the opioid epidemic who can no longer speak for themselves.”
“The DEA will continue to aggressively target those who utilize online marketplaces to peddle fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. The outstanding relationships we maintain with other federal, state, local, and county law enforcement agencies make investigations such as this one possible,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William D. Bodner of the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division.
According to the affidavit in support of the search warrant that was unsealed today, “Tomasovich has a long history of being investigated by law enforcement for narcotics trafficking.” In 2017, Tomasovich was identified on wiretapped phone calls as being a customer of a heroin delivery service that was the subject of a federal grand jury indictment, but he was not charged in that case. In early 2018, after he offered heroin for sale on Craigslist, Tomasovich sold heroin during an undercover operation conducted by the Glendale Police Department, which led to him being convicted of drug trafficking offenses in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The narcotics-trafficking charge in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life without parole.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation into Tomasovich is being conducted by the HIDTA Fusion Task Force, which is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force and operates under the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Los Angeles Police Department (Van Nuys Homicide), the Glendale Police Department and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office provided substantial assistance in this matter.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Carley Palmer of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering and Racketeering Section and Benjamin R. Barron, chief of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Sex Offender Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for Failing to Register in IowaRead the Press Release
A convicted sex offender who lived and worked in Iowa for approximately a year without registering was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Shawn Hutson, age 38, from Gays Mills, Wisconsin, received the prison term after a November 13, 2018, guilty plea to failing to register as a sex offender.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that Hutson was required to register as a sex offender because he was previously convicted of sexual assault in Wisconsin. In 2011 and 2012, he was twice convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in Allamakee County, Iowa. While still on probation following the 2012 conviction, Hutson was convicted of failing to notify a school of his sex offender status. He also started living and working in Iowa in the summer of 2017, while still on probation. He continued to live and work in Iowa until May 2018, without ever registering as a sex offender.
Hutson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hutson was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Hutson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-CR-1039.
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Schenectady Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nashaan Howard, age 34, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his involvement in a heroin distribution ring that operated in Schenectady County.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Schenectady County Sheriff Dominic Dagostino.
As part of his guilty plea, Howard admitted that between December 2017 and April 2018, in conjunction with co-conspirators whom he used as “runners” to distribute controlled substances and collect payment on his behalf, he distributed approximately 235 grams of heroin to another individual in Schenectady County.
Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release, to begin after Howard’s release from prison.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Using and Trafficking in Unauthorized Access DevicesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that CONSTANTIN TANASE, age 40, of Bacau, Romania, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to using and trafficking in unauthorized access devices. As a result of his conviction, TANASE faces a term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his plea, from November 9, 2018 through November 15, 2018, TANASE was part of a group who traveled to the Baton Rouge area to conduct ATM fraud. The group distributed fraudulent debit cards to its members and instructed them to go to certain ATMs and withdraw money until the cards stopped working. The true owners of the debit cards were unaware of this activity and did not authorize the cash withdrawals.
Specifically, in the early morning of November 14, 2018, TANASE was a passenger in a car that drove up to a bank ATM in Gonzales, Louisiana. TANASE placed black tape over the ATM camera lens, where it remained while he conducted transactions, and then removed the tape before the car drove away. Over the course of 90 minutes, occasionally leaving to permit another customer to use the ATM and then returning, TANASE used over 40 unauthorized cards to fraudulently withdraw over $7,000 from the ATM.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “Access device fraud including the fraudulent use of personal financial information will not be tolerated in this district, and our office is committed to protecting consumers and businesses from these criminals. Special thanks to our prosecutor and to the dedicated professionals from the U.S. Secret Service and the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office who worked on this investigation and prosecution.”
Resident Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service in Baton Rouge, Tara McLeese, stated, “This case is a perfect example of the strong partnerships between federal and local law enforcement, specifically those departments who are members of the Southwest Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force which is overseen by the Secret Service. The resources of the task force help bring criminals to justice with minimal impact to victims and the community.”
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service with critical assistance from the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth White.
Rocky Mount Tax Return Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax Refund ClaimsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today in Federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced AMBER GERNELL PORTER, 32, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, followed by 1 year of supervised release. PORTER was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,738.00.
PORTER was named in a Criminal Information filed on October 10, 2018 which charged her with making and presenting a false, fictitious and fraudulent claim for Federal income tax refund. On November 14, 2018, PORTER pled guilty to the charge.
According to the IRS investigation, PORTER was a tax return preparer at the now-defunct “Everyday Taxes” and “T & T Taxes” in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Between approximately 2011 and 2015, PORTER and other tax preparers prepared fraudulent tax returns by using false income, withholdings, education credits, and dependents for the purpose of artificially inflating the tax refund amount. In addition, PORTER used her mother’s identity to illegally obtain and use a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN).
Investigation of this case was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Toby Lathan prosecuted the case for the government.
Ringleader of Fraud Scheme Going to PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Sergiy Bezrukov, a/k/a Thomas Paris, a/k/a Chris Riley, a/k/a John Butler, 35, of Salamanca, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, was sentenced to serve 66 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,230,840.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wei Xiang, who handled the prosecution of the case, and Mary Clare Kane, who is handling the forfeiture and restitution, stated that Bezrukov, often using the alias “Thomas Paris” of “Corporate Restructure, Inc.,” solicited small businesses across the United States that were operating with merchant cash advances to “restructure” their “debt” with him. The defendant fraudulently induced the businesses to stop paying their original obligations, and to pay him instead. In total, Bezrukov defrauded approximately 200 victims out of more than $1,200,000.
The financial and emotional havoc that the defendant wreaked on the victims extended beyond losing money. Victims continue suffering long-lasting effects from bankruptcies, judgments, and damage to their credit history. In some of the family-owned and operated small businesses, Bezrukov shattered the victims’ marriages. As one victim wrote to Judge Vilardo, “It was so tempting to just end my life, but I couldn’t do it.”
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers learned that the defendant was planning to move his business out of Salamanca. As a result, federal search warrants were executed on Bezrukov’s office, home, vehicle and person. Officers found and seized approximately $393,000 in cash hidden in computer hard drives. Later in the investigation, a check for $729,000 dollars was seized. In addition, other checks, gift cards, and quantities of cash from the defendant’s operation were also seized. In total, more than $1,400,000 was seized from Bezrukov.
Co-defendants Mark Farnham, Dustin Walker, and Vanessa Cardona were previously convicted and sentenced.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
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Registered Sex Offender Indicted for Child Pornography Production in Wisconsin and CaliforniaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 23, 2019 a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Cort W. Davis (age: 31) of Rochester, New York.
Davis faces charges alleging he produced child pornography contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a). According to the indictment, the first production of child pornography occurred in California in early May of 2018. A visual depiction of his sexually explicit conduct with a minor, “Jane Doe A,” was then transported to the Eastern District of Wisconsin by Davis. The second incident occurred approximately two weeks later when Davis is alleged to have employed another minor, “Jane Doe B,” in the production of sexually explicit images, this time within the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Davis is further alleged to have possessed digital images of child pornography unrelated to his activities with “Jane Doe A” and “Jane Doe B.”
Davis was previously convicted in the State of New York of the crime of “attempted possession of a sexual performance by a child under the Age of 16.” He is currently a sex offender registrant under the laws of that state. As such, he faces an additional charge for the commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sexual offender contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2260A. If convicted of all of the charges, Davis will serve a mandatory 35 years in federal prison and up to a life sentence.
This case was investigated by the Appleton Police Department, the Grand Chute Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Raleigh Man Indicted on 4 Narcotics Distribution and 6 Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging JAVITS WILLIAMS, age 39, of Raleigh, with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute heroin, distribution of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, possession of ammunition by convicted felon, three counts of possession of firearm and ammunition by convicted felon, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), WILLIAMS would face a minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of the other drug counts, he would face a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of each felon in possession count, WILLIAMS would face a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of both firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking counts, he would face a minimum of 5 years imprisonment on each separate count, each separate count to run consecutively to any other count of conviction, up to a maximum punishment of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), City/County Bureau of Investigation, Apex Police Department, Raleigh Police Department, Garner Police Department, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Nash County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Crosby is prosecuting the case for the government.
Public Service Announcement Campaign | Violent Gun Crime Reduction PartnershipRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina -- The United States Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Columbia Police Department (CPD) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), will unveil the latest effort to reduce and prevent violent gun crimes in the City of Columbia and Richland County.
Under the Project Safe Neighborhoods national program, the three law enforcement agencies have developed a community outreach and public service campaign to reduce repeat violence and prevent and deter future violence from occurring.
U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon and representatives from each agency will outline the campaign and explain the overall impact it will have on citizens and their valued communities.
When: Thursday, July 25, 2019 | 10:00 a.m.
Where: 6100 David Street (Intersection of David and Luke Streets)
The Greenview Community – outdoor event
*Note to Media: Several visual aids will be available*
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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced for Participating in Conspiracy to Distribute CrackRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court yesterday for violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone sentenced Mark Fisher, 40, to serve two years and four months (28 months) in prison following his guilty plea on March 6, 2019, to one count of conspiracy.
In connection with the guilty plea, Fisher admitted that from in and around April 2016, and continuing thereafter to in and around October 2016, he conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack. During his plea colloquy, the defendant admitted that he obtained crack from a co-defendant on numerous occasions during the period of the conspiracy, and that on one occasion, he fled his vehicle, leaving five grams of crack on the floor, when law enforcement initiated a traffic stop.
Fisher is one of nine co-defendants who were indicted for their roles in the conspiracy on August 1, 2017. To date, all nine defendants have entered guilty pleas, and seven have been sentenced.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and comprises members drawn from the Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The Stowe Township Police Department also provided assistance in this investigation. 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.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Time Served and Home Confinement for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 23, 2019, Kevin Rhodes, age 25, of New Columbia, Pennsylvania, received a sentence of time served and two years of supervised release, including six months of home confinement, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for conspiring to commit bank fraud.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Rhodes and several other individual conspired to commit bank fraud between October 1, 2016 and December 7, 2017. The conspirators purchased relatively low-value money orders, worth between approximately $3 and $18, and altered their values to be $1,000. The altered money orders were deposited into bank accounts owned and controlled by the defendants and their conspirators, and subsequently withdrawn in cash. The scheme resulted in approximately $141,000 worth of altered money orders being deposited, including $15,000 worth of altered money orders in Rhodes’s bank account. Rhodes also was connected to another $5,000 worth of altered money orders deposited in another individual’s account.
Judge Mannion also ordered Rhodes to pay $14,890.72 in restitution.
Rhodes’s co-defendant, Trae Reed, was previously sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in the scheme. Two other codefendants, Dominique Brown and Jayla Johnson, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspectors. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
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Orleans Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ARNOLD TREVELL WILLIAMS, age 37, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 to one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft before United States District Court Judge Susie Morgan today.
According to court documents, the defendant conspired with others to obtain personal information, such as names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, from real persons in order to create fake driver’s licenses. The information was then used to apply for loans in order to buy vehicles. Specifically, WILLIAMS used the identity of another person on or about May 11, 2017, to buy a 2014 BMW Series 7 car for the sum of $44,994.10.
Sentencing is set for October 29, 2019. WILLIAMS is facing imprisonment of up to three years, a maximum $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser also praised the agencies that contributed to this guilty plea. This prosecution represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department, and the New Orleans Police Department. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Strasser thanked the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Edward J. Rivera is in charge of the prosecution.
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Ontario Woman Sentenced for Her Role in Financial Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Sheila Offor, 42, of Scarborough, Ontario, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to serve a three year term of probation and ordered to pay restitution totaling $134,172.60 by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who handled the case, stated that between July 2005 and May 2011, the defendant and others conspired to defraud individuals seeking loans and to obtain money from these individuals seeking loans.
In furtherance of the scheme, a number of individuals established websites for fictitious financial services companies offering to arrange loans to U.S. residents with credit problems. Applicants provided their names, phone numbers, state of residence, requested loan amount, and approximate credit scores. Applicants were then contacted by persons posing as company representatives and told that a lender would be contacted for approval. When informed that a loan was arranged, applicants were instructed to sign and return a loan agreement, provide bank account information, and pay an “insurance deposit” for the lender to process the loan. Applicants were provided wire instructions for the lender’s “insurance deposit,” including the name of the company representative (payee), the amount, date, and Western Union location.
Offor served as a payee in this scheme and traveled from Canada to the United States, picked up wired funds, and transported them back to Canada. The monies were then delivered to other individuals who were managing the scheme. Applicants never received the loans, but they were often coerced into making multiple deposits under various pretexts.
In total, the defendant received $134,172.60 in fraudulent “insurance deposits” from 77 different victims.
A total of 32 defendants were charged and convicted in this case.
Today’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy; the Canada Border Services Agency; and the Federal Trade Commission.
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One Guilty in Violent Crime Spree; Another Remains a FugitiveRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 24-year-old resident of Corpus Christi has been convicted of robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Leonard Reyna entered a guilty plea today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby.
Reyna admitted he participated in an aggravated robbery at the Corpus Christi Trade Center and another at a Stripes convenience store which involved the shooting of an innocent bystander.
On Aug. 26, 2018, Reyna approached a local jewelry store displaying a handgun and demanded several items of jewelry. After that robbery, he fled on foot and headed to the Stripes location on the 6000 block of Ayers. There, two men pointed a gun at a victim and demanded the keys to his truck. The victim refused and was later found inside the store where reported he had been shot in the left arm and stomach.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos will impose sentencing Oct. 17, 2019, at which time, Reyna faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the robbery and another possible 10 years for the felon in possession conviction. He will also receive a minimum seven-year-term for brandishing a firearm which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. All counts also carry the possibility of a $250,000 maximum fine.
Reyna has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing.
He was originally indicted along with Carlos Moreno, 25, also of Corpus Christi who is charged with being involved in both robberies and with discharging a firearm. He is considered innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law, but remains a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals service at 1-800-336-0102.
The Corpus Christi Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Ohio Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Asbestos-Related OffenseRead the Press Release
John Riazzi of Dayton, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court today to a felony charge stemming from the illegal removal of asbestos-containing roofing material from a building located in downtown Dayton (known as the “Steam Plant”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2015, Riazzi, the sole owner and operator of St. Peters Partners LLC, purchased the Steam Plant from the City of Dayton for $10. Later, after being told by his contractor that the roof of the Steam Plant contained asbestos and would cost approximately $20,000 to remove, Riazzi hired two men to remove the roofing over a weekend for $5000 – without warning them about the asbestos. Riazzi admitted that he knew, or should have known, that the roof contained asbestos. He also admitted that he did not have the roof inspected for asbestos prior to its removal, as the law required.
“Mr. Riazzi purposefully cut corners and endangered the health of those performing the roof removal. To make matters worse, he then lied to and misled investigators when asked about his wrongdoing” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice is committing to prosecuting all who deliberately harm the environment and risk public health in order to save money.”
“Renovating old buildings is great. Doing so without regard to air safety is not. And knowingly declining to inspect a roof before removing it, after having been warned that the original materials contained asbestos, is a federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio. “This case is a good example of federal and state authorities working together to hold accountable someone who jeopardized his workers’ safety, as well as the quality of the air in Dayton, just to save a few bucks in construction costs.”
As part of his plea, Riazzi also acknowledged that he had personally used a leaf blower to blow roofing debris from the outside of the Steam Plant into the median of Third Street and had dumped a load of roofing material in some bushes opposite the Steam Plant. He likewise admitted to making several false statements to the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA), which was investigating the roof removal.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations, with the assistance of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Laura Clemmens of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, and Adam Cullman, Trial Attorney for the Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section.
North Canton man indicted for lying about previous domestic violence convictions while purchasing firearms and for illegally having firearms after being convicted of domestic violenceRead the Press Release
A North Canton man was indicted for lying about numerous previous domestic violence convictions while purchasing firearms and for illegally having firearms after being convicted of domestic violence.
Bruce Kraemer, 60, was charged with two counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm and two counts of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms.
Kraemer, twice in 2018, made false statements while purchasing firearms from Fin, Feather and Fur in Canton. The statements were intended to deceive the store about the lawfulness of Kraemer purchasing firearms. He provided a false address and indicated he had not been convicted of the misdemeanor crime of domestic violence when, in fact, he had been convicted of domestic violence, according to the indictment.
Kraemer possessed a Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun and a Taurus 9 mm pistol on December 8, 2018, despite three previous convictions for domestic violence, according to the indictment.
Kraemer possessed a Ruger .380-caliber pistol on February 24, 2018, despite three previous convictions for domestic violence, according to the indictment.
“People who hurt their spouses or partners are not allowed to have a firearm, and we are committed to prosecuting those abusers who ignore the law,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said.
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 ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly.
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.
Niagara Falls Man Going to Prison for Five Years on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Milton Williams, Jr., 35, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, was sentenced to serve five years in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that on December 12, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a New York State search warrant at the defendant’s residence at 1364 Pierce Avenue in Niagara Falls. Officers recovered three loaded firearms and additional assorted rounds of ammunition. In addition, officers recovered marijuana and a large quantity of cocaine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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New Orleans Resident Sentenced in Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JEFFREY CLINES, age 53, of New Orleans, was sentenced on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced CLINES to a term of imprisonment of 42 months, followed by five years of supervised release.
CLINES is one of eleven defendants charged in a 23-count federal indictment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that CLINES conspired to sell large quantities of methamphetamine with codefendants Stefen Daigle, Peter Giandalone, Paul Melancon, Julien Polk, James Hatch, Angel Renee Vidaure, Eulalio Torres-Cadenas, Delio Alfredo Lopez-Lopez, Lindsey Lopez, and Jacob Higginbotham. The indictment also alleges a number of individual acts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as firearm offenses for codefendants Hatch, Vidaure, and Lopez-Lopez. Law enforcement developed evidence against this group of defendants using controlled purchases of methamphetamine, traffic stops and seizures, consensually recorded text messages and phone calls, search warrants, cooperator information, and self-incriminating statements.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Ketamine Which Resulted in the Death of A Teenager Whose Body Was Found Floating in A Texas BayouRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that WILLIAM HARRISON FARRIS, age 39, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine which resulted in the death of a Slidell, Louisiana teenager. The eighteen year old’s dead body was found floating in a Texas bayou.
As described in court documents, FARRIS, along with KACIE DOUCET, age 37, and LEILANI ASPURIA, age 25, conspired to incapacitate the teenager with drugs so that he could be transported to Texas law enforcement authorities. FARRIS, DOUCET, and ASPURIA did so in the hope of receiving free drugs from two large scale Texas-based methamphetamine dealers. These dealers, a married couple, had told their New Orleans customers that they wanted the teenager so they would not lose the $6000 bond they had posted for him months earlier.
FARRIS faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, a possible fine of 500,000, and at least 2 years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for FARRIS on October 23, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Houston Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long and David Howard Sinkman are in charge of the prosecution.
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New Jersey Resident Sentenced to A Year and A Half in Prison for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Paul Colvard was sentenced to 18 months in prison for social security fraud, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Robb Stickley. The sentence was handed down today by the Honorable James Donato, United States District Judge.
Colvard, 66, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to the charge on April 17, 2019. According to his plea agreement, Colvard and his mother jointly owned a bank account into which her Social Security retirement benefits were being deposited. Colvard’s mother died on December 23, 1987, and Colvard did not disclose that fact to the SSA. Instead, Colvard continued to let the SSA deposit his mother’s Social Security retirement benefits into the bank account so he could collect his mother’s benefits. Colvard acknowledged that his decision to conceal his mother’s death caused the SSA to pay retirement benefits that she was not entitled to receive and that the loss to the United States attributed to his fraud exceeded $400,000.
A federal grand jury indicted Colvard on November 6, 2018, charging him with one count of social security fraud, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(4), and one count of theft of government property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641. Colvard pleaded guilty to the fraud count and the theft count was dismissed at sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Donato sentenced the defendant to a 3-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay $407,007.00 in restitution. Judge Donato ordered Colvard to begin serving his prison term on August 7, 2019.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Vieira is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the SSA Office of the Inspector General.
Motorcycle Gang Member Convicted of Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Corpus Christi resident who was involved in a shooting at a local convenience store has admitted to unlawful ammunition possession, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Billy Boortz is a member of the Homietos outlaw motorcycle gang.
On May 11, 2019, Boortz was engaged in a physical altercation with another man. He then returned to a vehicle, retrieved a weapon and fired several rounds at the victim, hitting him in the foot.
Agents were able to identify Boortz using video footage. He had been taken into custody at a local hospital on May 26, 2019, where he was treated for a gunshot wound he received after another shooting.
Boortz was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses, including assault on a public servant, evading arrest with a vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He is, therefore, prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Sentencing has been set for Oct. 22, 2019, before U.S. District Judge David S. Morales. At that time, Boortz faces up to 10 years in prison.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department Gang Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton is prosecuting the case.
Monmouth County Man Charged with Operating an Unlicensed Bitcoin ExchangeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was indicted today by a federal grand jury for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business through which he charged customers fees to convert more than $2 million in cash into the digital currency Bitcoin.
William Green, 46, of Wall Township, was charged by indictment with one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled to appear before a United States District Judge on a date to be scheduled. He was previously charged with the same offense by criminal complaint on February 28, 2019.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Green maintained a business that operated a website called “Destination Bitcoin.” Through the Destination Bitcoin website, Green received money from members of the public (the “customers”), deposited such money into bank accounts maintained by Green, and then converted such money into Bitcoin in accordance with the customers’ instructions. Green charged the customers a fee for this service.
Federal law provides that any person who owns or controls a money transmitting business shall register the business (whether or not the business is licensed as a money transmitting business in any State) with the Secretary of the Treasury. However, Green did not register, either in his own name or in the name of his business, with the Secretary of the United States Treasury as a money transmitting business.
The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, as well as special agents of the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Michael Gilberti, Esq.
Maryland man admits to child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Paul Glen Hamilton, Jr., of Bowie, Maryland and Melbourne, Florida, has admitted to a child pornography charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hamilton, age 23, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Hamilton admitted to having child pornography that was transported by computer in September 2018 in Berkeley County.
Hamilton faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Maryland Man Found Guilty of Drug Conspiracy in Which Narcotics, a Firearm, and Cash Were SeizedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Cook, 48, of Waldorf, Maryland, was found guilty yesterday by a jury of four felony narcotics charges in regard to a conspiracy to traffic narcotics in Northeast, D.C. and Maryland. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Cook was tried before U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg and was convicted following a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, cocaine, and heroin, as well as standalone charges for possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, heroin, and cocaine. A sentencing date has not been set. Cook faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to life in prison.
As established at trial, on June 7, 2017, MPD received reliable information that Cook and his partner Cornelia Rice were trafficking narcotics in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Based on the information provided, officers conducted surveillance of Rice, performed a stop on one of her vehicles, and recovered narcotics. During the stop, Rice, a D.C. Public School Bus Driver, asked an individual on the street to call “her mother,” to tell her that she was being stopped for tinted windows. Rice, in fact, had the passerby call Cook who was at home with Rice’s minor child. About six minutes after the call to Cook’s cellphone, with MPD officers surveilling Rice’s residence, Cook came to the front door and anxiously looked up and down the street outside of the apartment building. Almost immediately after Cook peered outside the door, Rice’s then 11-year-old son walked out the building with a backpack and headed down the street by himself. Officers ultimately stopped the child. Inside the backpack were large amounts of cocaine base, cocaine, heroin, a pistol, and $11,235.000 in U.S. currency. Officers then executed a search warrant at the apartment after finding Cook attempting to leave the location. Inside the apartment, officers recovered additional quantities of cocaine, and extensive drug paraphernalia for the manufacturing and packaging of narcotics. In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 50 grams of cocaine base, 270 grams of cocaine, 15 grams of heroin, 133 grams of marijuana, a .22 caliber pistol, $11,235.00.
In a subsequent search of Cook’s Maryland residence following his arrest, law enforcement recovered extensive drug paraphernalia that contained drug residue, a commercial money counter, and an extensive amount of jewelry as well as Rice’s D.C. Public School Bus Driver Identification Card. At the time of the offense, Cook had multiple prior drug trafficking convictions. During the trial, in addition to MPD officers, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office assisted and testified regarding the items recovered from Cook’s Maryland residence.
On July 3, 2019, Judge Boasberg sentenced Cook’s partner and coconspirator Rice to five years in prison following her guilty plea to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of all of those involved in the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Christopher Macchiaroli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, Paralegal Specialists Katie Thomas, Rommel Pachoca, and Teesha Tobias, and Legal Assistants Kate Abrey and Emma Atlas.
Marshall County man sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Charles J. Chambers, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 33 months incarceration for drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Chambers, age 44, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Chambers admitted to selling methamphetamine in July 2018 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Man Convicted for Making False Statements and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Henrico man yesterday on charges of making a false statement when acquiring a firearm and was also convicted of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in January 2018, Richmond Police and Virginia State Police confronted Jawuan House, 22, on suspicion that one of his associates stole a firearm from a vendor table at a gun show in Richmond. When VSP and RPD made contact with House, they found him in the company of Yamin Maxey. Law enforcement ultimately followed House to his vehicle in the parking lot in order to try and gain information to find the person that stole the firearm.
In the course of speaking with House and Maxey, law enforcement learned from Maxey that he had straw purchased two firearms for House at the gun show. House also purchased a third firearm, an AK pistol, at the gun show. When law enforcement searched House’s vehicle for those firearms, they found, in total, five firearms. Three of which were purchased from the gun show, including the straw-purchased firearms, and two of which were previously purchased and which belonged to House and Brian Samuels, who was sentenced to five years in prison on June 24. Law enforcement also found in the trunk of the vehicle 40 grams of marijuana in two mason jars and a digital scale. House stated he and friends were using the marijuana at a party.
House faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for his conviction on making a false statement in acquiring a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana when sentenced on November 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, William C. Smith, Interim Chief of Richmond Police, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr., accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Janet Jin Ah Lee are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-46.
Livingston Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Connection with Major Disaster Declarations and Theft of Disaster Assistance FundsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin, who also serves as the Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster Fraud, announced today that ERVIN PAYNE, JR., age 44, of Livingston, Louisiana, pled guilty to fraud in connection with a major disaster declaration and theft of $42,365.31 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds in relation to the 2016 flooding that affected numerous local areas, to include Livingston Parish. As a result of his conviction, PAYNE faces a significant term of imprisonment, fine, and period of supervised release.
Following the 2016 flooding that affected 12 parishes in south Louisiana, FEMA funds were available to people who had emergency needs for food, shelter, transportation expenses, and clothing because of the flood. In order to qualify for assistance based on home ownership, an individual must have, among other things, resided in the home at the time of the storm.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, PAYNE submitted false applications for FEMA assistance for a Livingston residence that he did not own at the time of the March 2016 and August 2016 floods. In his applications, he also asserted that, because of the damage to the residence, he needed transportation and rental assistance.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Federal disaster assistance funds are available and owed to individuals affected by a disaster, and who meet the eligibility criteria to receive specific benefits available from the Government. Assistance is designed to return eligible applicants to the lives they lived before being victimized by disaster. Fraud in connection with disaster benefits not only results in wasting valuable government assets to process false claims and monetary loss to FEMA; it also delays the distribution of funds to authorized disaster victims. My office, together with the National Center for Disaster Fraud and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those who seek to steal disaster assistance funds and impair the Federal Government’s ability to assist true victims of a disaster.”
Special Agent in Charge David Green, Houston Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, stated, “The DHS OIG continues to successfully investigate disaster fraud and will continue to partner with U.S. Attorney Offices to seek justice. Funds stolen from United States’ taxpayers through fraudulent means deprive deserving recipients and will not be tolerated.”
Members of the public who suspect fraud involving disaster relief efforts, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected]. Learn more about the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at http://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
Ligonier, Indiana Man Sentenced 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Billy J. Moore, age 32, of Ligonier, Indiana, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady upon his plea of guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing an unregistered destructive device, and distributing methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Mr. Moore was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, Moore sold unregistered destructive devices, or “zip guns,” on two occasions to an individual, and when search warrants were served later in the investigation, Moore possessed at least 10 firearms and approximately 11,000 rounds of ammunition as a convicted felon. Also during the investigation, Moore sold methamphetamine to an individual.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Allen County Drug Task Force. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Geller.
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Lafayette felon sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for illegally possessing handgun and rifleRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Shelby Jude Darby, 27, of Lafayette, was sentenced Tuesday to 100 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for illegally possessing a 9 mm pistol and an AK-47 style rifle. He pleaded guilty on March 27, 2019, to possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
Lafayette Police Department officers pulled over Darby’s vehicle on November 1, 2017, because of illegally dark tint on the vehicle’s windows. Darby stepped out of the vehicle and immediately fled on foot down an alley between a residence and a garage. Officers chased him, placed him under arrest and found an SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on the ground where Darby had been laying. The officers then returned to Darby’s vehicle where they saw a Romarm/Cugir, Model WASR 10/63 UF, 7.620-caliber semi-automatic rifle, which was located between the driver’s seat and center console along with various illegal narcotics.
Darby is a felon who was previously convicted in February of 2016 for possession of Hydrocodone. According to federal law, a convicted felon is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and the Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Judge Sentences Felon with Multiple Convictions to Prison in Project Safe Neighborhoods CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of four years and seven months (55 months) to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence yesterday on Ambrose J. Sample, II, age 39.
According to information presented during a bench trial, on June 17, 2017, Sample pulled a firearm from his waistband and fired shots into the air after a dispute with neighbors. He then fled the area on foot and was stopped by police a short distance from his home. Sample agreed to submit to a gunshot residue test of his hands and it was found that he had components of primer-gunshot residue on both of his hands. Sample had been drinking heavily that day and he had also ingested prescription Percocet. Officers obtained search warrants for several locations, including the defendant’s residence. In the defendant’s residence, officers recovered one GFL .380 ammunition. The exact firearm that the defendant discharged was not recovered. Sample has been previously convicted of the charges of murder of the third degree, aggravated harassment by a prisoner, simple assault, fleeing and eluding police and tampering with physical evidence, all of which preclude him from possessing ammunition or firearms.
Assistant United States Attorneys Shanicka L. Kennedy and Yvonne Saadi prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Pittsburgh Police conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sample.
Jayson Lane Sentenced to 110 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Jayson Lane, 41 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Lane was sentenced to 110 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on September 11, 2017, Lane was in possession of a firearm after having previously being convicted of felony offenses, including Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Robbery and Burglary.
This case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Indiana State Police Department and the Wells County Sheriff’s Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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Inmate Sentenced for Murder-For-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An inmate was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a murder-for-hire scheme.
Mason Stickney, 21, of Byfield, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2019, Stickney pleaded guilty to three counts of using a facility of interstate commerce in the commission of murder-for-hire. Stickney was indicted in November 2017; he is currently in state custody on unrelated charges.
In October 2017, Stickney, who was in custody at the Essex County House of Corrections, approached a fellow inmate and solicited his assistance in the murders of a police officer, a restaurateur from New Hampshire and a student. The fellow inmate reported Stickney’s solicitation to authorities. Thereafter, at the request of investigators, the inmate provided Stickney with the phone number of a would-be hitman, who was actually an undercover agent.
In recorded conversations between Nov. 3 and Nov. 8, 2017, both on the phone and in person at the jail, Stickney described to the undercover agent the individuals he wanted killed and how he wanted the murders committed. Stickney promised to pay the undercover agent $10,000 upon his release from jail, as well as to “get rid of three people for you guys.”
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Richardson of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Indictments: Postal Employees Stole from MailRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A grand jury today returned indictments against two Kansas postal employees charged in separate cases with stealing mail, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Stacy A. Vasko, 31, Salina, Kan., was charged with two counts of theft by a postal employee. The indictment alleged she stole gift cards from the mail. The crimes were alleged to have occurred in February and April 2019 in Brookville, Kan.
In a separate case, Timothy J. Pacha, 28, Herkimer, Kan., was charged with one count of stealing mail and one count of destroying or detaining mail. The crimes are alleged to have occurred from January to April 2019 in Marysville, Kan.
If convicted, the defendants face up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Illya Tyler, 53, Indianapolis, Ind., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred July 11, 2019, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle McFarlane are prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Immigration Attorney Arrested for BriberyRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Federal authorities have arrested a Weslaco attorney following the return of an indictment alleging conspiracy and bribery involving immigration detention employees, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Today, law enforcement took Roel Alaniz, 39, of Weslaco, into custody. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III tomorrow at 10:00.
The seven-count indictment, returned yesterday, alleges he obtained “alien detainee roster lists” from immigration detention employees who received cash payments in return.
In May 2019, a federal grand jury also indicted Benito Barrientez, 42, of Lyford, Damian Ortiz, 30, of Weslaco, and Exy Adelaida Gomez, 42, of Los Fresnos. Barrientez and Ortiz were employed at the Willacy County Regional Detention Center, while Gomez was employed at the El Valle Detention Center. Both facilities are located in Raymondville.
Barrientes, Ortiz and Gomez allegedly obtained these lists from the El Valle Detention Center and the Port Isabel Detention Center while employed in their capacities as classification clerk, senior program director and corrections officer, respectively.
These three are charged with providing the lists which contained names, dates of birth, country of origin and “A-numbers” of alien detainees to Alanis. The indictment alleges Alanis, an attorney with a practice in in the Rio Grande Valley, paid money in return. He would then visit, or instruct others to visit, illegal aliens for the purpose of hiring his law firm as their attorney in immigration proceedings, according to the charges.
If convicted, Alanis faces up to 15 years for bribery and a maximum of five years for the conspiracy. The charges also carry a possible penalty of $250,ooo.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation along with Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
A indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful Reentry by an Alien After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Miguel Angel Garcia-Escobar, 26, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to “time served” (132 days) and one year of supervised release for unlawful reentry by an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Scott Sutterfield, Acting Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations in New Orleans.
Garcia-Escobar will also be administratively detained for Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings. If he were to unlawfully return to the United States after removal, he would be subject to up to ten years in prison and other consecutive penalties if he returned during the one year period of supervised release. Garcia Escobar pled guilty and was convicted of the felony offense by Judge Ozerden on April 25, 2019.
On January 11, 2019, Garcia-Escobar was arrested by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and was taken to the Harrison County Adult Detention Facility. Harrison County officials notified the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO). An ERO Deportation Officer interviewed Garcia-Escobar and filed a federal detainer due to the defendant being an illegal alien in the United States. Records revealed that Garcia-Escobar was a 26-year old citizen of Mexico, who had been removed from the United States on May 18, 2018, and had unlawfully returned to the United States after official removal.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris was the prosecutor for the case.
House Painter Admits to Stealing $186,000 in SSDI Benefits While Earning $400,000 in WagesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man who collected approximately $186,000 on Social Security disability insurance benefits while at the same time earning nearly $400,000 in wages as a house painter pleaded guilty today in federal court to fraud and theft charges.
Jose L. Gaza, 66, admitted to the Court that from July 2005 – July 2015, he worked under a fictitious name and Social Security number for a painting contractor, while fraudulently collecting a monthly Social Security disability benefit payment of approximately $1,399.
Gaza admitted to fraudulently collecting approximately $186,000 in Social Security disability benefits while earning wages totaling approximately $393,000.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Gaza pleaded guilty to Social Security Fraud and theft of government funds, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Scott E. Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Office of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
Gaza is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2019.
Social Security fraud is punishable by statutory penalties of up to five years imprisonment followed by three years supervised release. Theft of government funds is punishable by statutory penalties of up to ten years imprisonment followed by three years supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.
The matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General/Office of Investigations.
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Hattiesburg Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Mitchell Dewayne May, Jr., 28, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kirk Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 2, 2018, May was found in possession of a firearm when Hattiesburg Police officers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle he was driving. May was previously convicted of armed robbery in Forrest County in 2006.
May will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on November 5, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Hattiesburg Police Department investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN RIVERA, also known as “Gitto,” 26, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 5, 2018, Rivera was arrested in Hartford’s South End after he sold 25 bags of fentanyl mixed with crack cocaine to another individual. A subsequent search of Rivera’s Fairfield Avenue residence revealed more than 15,000 bags containing a similar mix of fentanyl and crack.
Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for October 16, 2019, at which time Rivera faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Rivera, who was released on bond, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of today’s court proceeding.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
Harrold Woman Charged with ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Harrold, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Manslaughter.
Kiya Rojas, age 23, was indicted on July 16, 2019. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on July 23, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 8 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 9, 2018, Rojas unlawfully killed an individual while operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.
The charge is merely an accusation and Rojas is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Rojas was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Hancock County man admits to drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lavel L. Hicks, of Weirton, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 37 months for drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hicks, age 44, pled guilty to two counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Base,” four counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Hydrochloride,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in May 2019. Hicks admitted to distributing the drugs in November and December 2017 and December 2018 in Brook and Hancock Counties. Hicks, having previously been convicted or murder in the second degree in Brooke County Circuit Court, also possessed a 9mm pistol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Hammond Man Charged with Firearm and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on Friday, July 19, 2019 a federal grand jury charged LARRY GREEN, age 36, of Hammond, LA, in an indictment for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A) and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846.
If convicted, GREEN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, at least three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
This matter was handled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the matter.
Greeley Company Agrees to a $214,706 Payment to Resolve Allegations that It Removed Federally-Owned Oil and Gas Without PermissionRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced today that Mineral Resources, Inc., an oil and gas company located in Greeley, Colorado, has agreed to a $214,706 payment to resolve allegations that it drilled an oil and gas well in Weld County, Colorado, to extract federal minerals without seeking and obtaining the required federal leases and permits. Matt Kirsch, Attorney for the United States, acting under authority conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, made the announcement on behalf of the office.
Before a company may drill for oil, gas, or other minerals owned by the United States and managed by the United States Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”), a company must obtain a lease from BLM to pay for the minerals. It must also obtain a BLM-issued permit to drill an oil and gas well. The United States contends that in 2012, Mineral Resources, Inc. (“MRI”) drilled an oil and gas well into railroad right-of-way C668, which is located north of Greeley, Colorado. The minerals beneath the railroad right-of-way belonged to the United States. Before drilling, MRI failed to seek and obtain a federal lease, or to file, and obtain approval for, an application for permit to drill with the Bureau of Land Management. Federal investigators, working with the United States Attorney’s Office, pursued a mineral trespass investigation against MRI but did not determine that the trespass was willful.
Ron Gonzales, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Interior, Office of Inspector General's Energy Investigations Unit, stated, “This settlement is the direct result of multiple federal agencies working collaboratively and diligently to ensure that mineral resources removed from public ownership are properly accounted for on behalf of the American taxpayers.”
BLM Office of Law Enforcement and Security, Acting Deputy Director Shannon Tokos adds, “This case demonstrates the Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement program's support of the Secretary's goals of ensuring that the public receives fair market value for resources, recovers costs where appropriate, and fosters partnerships to achieve balanced stewardship and use of public lands.”
This case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Wang.
Grant County residents admit to fentanyl and methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Melanie Lyn Outen, Ted Alexander Voss, and Michael Dean Smith, all of Petersburg, West Virginia, have admitted to their roles in a fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Outen, age 47, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.” Outen admitted to distributing more than 64 grams of fentanyl and more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from January to June 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Voss, age 29, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.” Voss, age 29, admitted to distributing more than 64 grams of fentanyl and more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine from January to June 2019 in Grant County and elsewhere.
Smith, age 49, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Smith admitted to distributing more than 69 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine in May 2019 in Berkeley County.
Outen and Voss each face at least five years and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Smith faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Helman is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, West Virginia State Police, and the Charles Town Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Grand Island Man Going to Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Anthony Weber, 36, of Grand Island, NY, who was convicted of attempted receipt of child pornography, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to serve 75 months in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who handled the case, stated that on April 9, 2017, the defendant engaged in a online conversation with Victim 1, a 15 year-old female. On April 12, 2017, Weber invited Victim 1 to a bonfire, stating they would drink alcohol and smoke marijuana. Victim 1 responded, “Im 15.”
On August 10, 2017, the defendant again engaged in an online conversation with Victim 1, offering to provide cocaine to Victim 1 in exchange for sexual intercourse. Victim 1 agreed to consider having sex with Weber in exchange for cocaine. The defendant then requested that Victim 1 send him sexually explicit pictures.
Victim 1 subsequently reported this incident to the City of Tonawanda Police Department. After the incident was reported, the Federal Bureau of Investigation assumed Victim 1’s online identity and continued to engage in online conversations with the defendant. On October 11, 2017, Weber agreed to meet the person he believed was a minor female to engage in sexual activity. The defendant arrived at a retail store parking lot believing he was going to meet and have sexual intercourse with the minor.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the City of Tonawanda Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Strassburg; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; and the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack.
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Gary Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Joseph Taylor, 35, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced before District Court Judge Joseph S. Van Bokkelen following his plea of guilty to possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Taylor received a sentence of 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents filed in this case, in Portage, Indiana in July 2018, Taylor possessed a short barreled shotgun following a prior felony conviction for burglary. In August 2018, in Michigan City, Indiana, Taylor distributed more than 5 grams of methamphetamine to another individual.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with the assistance of the Michigan City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath.
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Fulton County Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Unlawful Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kenneth Kindlon, age 47, of Caroga Lake, New York, was sentenced yesterday to 36 months in prison for possessing an unregistered, short-barreled rifle.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; John B. Devito, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), New York Field Division; and Kevin Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.
Kindlon admitted that on June 22, 2016, he knowingly possessed a 5.56 caliber rifle with a barrel length of approximately 10.5 inches, and showed the firearm to an individual seeking to purchase firearms and firearm parts. Kindlon never registered the firearm in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by federal law.
Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue also sentenced Kindlon to 3 years of supervised release, to be served following Kindlon’s release from prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF and HSI, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Giglio Suarez.
Freeland Woman Sentenced to 36 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 22, 2019, Liza Robles, age 35, of Freeland, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Robles was convicted following a 13-day jury trial of conspiring to distribute 15 grams of heroin (which is equivalent to approximately 600 individual doses of heroin) from June 2, 2015 and June 8, 2015, and for distributing five grams of heroin on June 8, 2015. Robles also was convicted of providing and conspiring to provide firearms to Roberto Torner, a convicted felon. From May 12, 2012 to August 28, 2017, Robles obtained numerous firearms that she maintained for Torner’s use. Judge Mannion also found that Robles attempted to obstruct justice by lying on the stand at trial about her drug and gun activities.
Robles’s codefendants, Roberto Torner and David Alzugaray-Lugones, also were convicted at trial of heroin trafficking offenses. Alzugaray-Lugones previously was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. Torner was convicted of firearms and explosives charges, and awaits sentencing.
Judge Mannion ordered Robles to pay a $25,000 fine. Judge Mannion also ordered the forfeiture of the ammunition and firearms seized during the investigation, which included:
- Magnum Research 1911U .45acp;
- Hi-Point JHP .45acp;
- Stag Arms STAG-15, .223 cal., which is capable of accepting a high capacity magazine;
- Mossberg 500 12-gauge shotgun;
- Norinco MAC90, 7.62x39, which is capable of accepting a high capacity magazine; and
- Tikka T3, 30.06.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Weatherly Police Department, the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Pennsylvania State Police, and other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorneys Phillip Caraballo and Todd Hinkley prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Former Owner of Giovanni’s Roast Beef & Pizza Pleads Guilty to Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner of Giovanni’s Roast Beef & Pizza in Saugus pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to failing to report $800,000 in corporate and personal income to the IRS.
Steve Konis, 70, pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in filing false corporate tax returns. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Oct. 24, 2019.
Konis was the sole owner of Giovanni’s Roast Beef & Pizza in Saugus. From 2012 through October 2016, Konis underreported the gross receipts of Giovanni’s in order to reduce the federal income taxes owed by Konis and Giovanni’s. Konis accomplished this by diverting some of the restaurant’s cash receipts for his own benefit, paying for some supplies with cash, and paying a portion of his employees’ wages in cash. In addition, Konis failed to report all of Giovanni’s business expenses in order to make the false gross receipts he reported appear more realistic. As a result, Konis failed to report on cash receipts totaling approximately $800,000 and cash expenses of $312,000 on Giovanni’s tax returns. As a result, for tax years 2012 through 2015, Konis avoided paying corporate and personal taxes totaling $178,169.
The charge of aiding and assisting the filing of false tax returns provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives Sentenced After Conviction for Fraud and Campaign Finance ViolationRead the Press Release
A former candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives was sentenced today after pleading guilty to wire fraud and willfully violating the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) by operating fraudulent and unregistered political action committees.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Harold Russell Taub, 30, of Cranston, Rhode Island, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge William E. Smith for the District of Rhode Island. Taub was also ordered to pay $1,102,439 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
According to Taub’s guilty plea, in late 2016, Taub began soliciting donations to an organization he called Keeping America in Republican Control (KAIRC), which he represented to be a legitimate political committee organized in accordance with federal law to support Republican candidates at the state and federal level. In March 2018, Taub began soliciting donations to another purported political action committee, Keeping Ohio in Republican Control (KOIRC), with the stated purpose of supporting Republican candidates in Ohio. Taub collected a total of approximately $1,630,439 in contributions to KAIRC and KOIRC, but never registered either entity with the FEC or made required reports to the FEC, as required by FECA.
Taub admitted as part of the plea that he held KAIRC and KOIRC out as legitimate, federally-registered political actions committees on his website, in social media posts, and in email solicitations that reached hundreds of donors. Taub represented that all of KAIRC and KOIRC’s staff were volunteers and that “100 percent” of donations were used to support candidates. However, of the more than $1.6 million in contributions to KAIRC and KOIRC, Taub used more than $1 million for purely personal expenses. In furtherance of his fraudulent scheme, Taub also repeatedly used the name of a former Ambassador and high-level military officer without the knowledge or permission of the person, even after being instructed not to do so.
The FBI investigated the case. Trial Attorney Peter M. Nothstein of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section is prosecuting the case.