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26 August 2019
Dallas County Man Sentenced to 18 Months for Possession of a Firearm After Conviction of a FelonyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Dontaveous Benjamin, a 28 year old resident of Selma, Alabama was sentenced to 18 months of incarceration for possession of three pistols after felony conviction for possession of marijuana.
On May 17, 2019, Benjamin pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in Court that on January 17, 2019, Selma, Alabama police officers went to the home of Benjamin’s paramour to execute an arrest warrant for Benjamin after charges were filed against him for shooting into an unoccupied residence. Upon arrival at the residence, officers made contact with Benjamin and his paramour. Benjamin was arrested without incident. Officers then asked his paramour for consent to search her residence and she provided written consent. During the consent search, officers seized three firearms found in and on top of a dresser in the living room. The firearms are described as a Hi-Point, CF380, .380 caliber pistol, a Talon Industries, model T200, 9mm pistol, and a Taurus, model 80, .38 caliber revolver. Benjamin gave a post arrest Mirandized statement. He stated that, “those guns were inside my granddad’s house. I think one of them belonged to a cousin . . .” Benjamin also stated that the revolved was given to him two months ago be someone who wanted to keep it from the police. Benjamin made several additional statements relating to the firearms.
At that time, Benjamin had been convicted of a felony, namely, Unlawful Possession of Marijuana 1st on February 14, 2013, in the Circuit Court of Dallas County, Alabama, case number CC-2012-00277.
Officers of the Selma, AL Police Department and special agents of the ATF investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney's Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Daisy Man Sentenced to 51 Months for Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Douglas Walker III., age 39, of Daisy, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release for Felon in Possession of Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). The charges arose from an investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The Indictment alleges that on or about February 5, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed in and affecting commerce, ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
DEA Announces Steps Necessary to Improve Access to Marijuana ResearchRead the Press Release
The Drug Enforcement Administration today announced that it is moving forward to facilitate and expand scientific and medical research for marijuana in the United States. The DEA is providing notice of pending applications from entities applying to be registered to manufacture marijuana for researchers. DEA anticipates that registering additional qualified marijuana growers will increase the variety of marijuana available for these purposes.
Over the last two years, the total number of individuals registered by DEA to conduct research with marijuana, marijuana extracts, derivatives and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has increased by more than 40 percent from 384 in January 2017 to 542 in January 2019. Similarly, in the last two years, DEA has more than doubled the production quota for marijuana each year based on increased usage projections for federally approved research projects.
“I am pleased that DEA is moving forward with its review of applications for those who seek to grow marijuana legally to support research,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department of Justice will continue to work with our colleagues at the Department of Health and Human Services and across the Administration to improve research opportunities wherever we can.”
“DEA is making progress in the program to register additional marijuana growers for federally authorized research, and will work with other relevant federal agencies to expedite the necessary next steps,” said DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “We support additional research into marijuana and its components, and we believe registering more growers will result in researchers having access to a wider variety for study.”
This notice also announces that, as the result of a recent amendment to federal law, certain forms of cannabis no longer require DEA registration to grow or manufacture. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, which was signed into law on Dec. 20, 2018, changed the definition of marijuana to exclude “hemp”—plant material that contains 0.3 percent or less delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis. Accordingly, hemp, including hemp plants and cannabidiol (CBD) preparations at or below the 0.3 percent delta-9 THC threshold, is not a controlled substance, and a DEA registration is not required to grow or research it.
Before making decisions on these pending applications, DEA intends to propose new regulations that will govern the marijuana growers program for scientific and medical research. The new rules will help ensure DEA can evaluate the applications under the applicable legal standard and conform the program to relevant laws. To ensure transparency and public participation, this process will provide applicants and the general public with an opportunity to comment on the regulations that should govern the program of growing marijuana for scientific and medical research.
The Notice of Application is available here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/08/27/2019-18456/bulk-manufacturer-of-controlled-substances-applications-bulk-manufacturers-of-marihuana.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pleaded guilty today to possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
According to court documents, Shalik Mitchell, 26, was discovered sleeping inside of a car approximately 20-30 feet from the body of a homicide victim. Mitchell, a convicted felon, was sitting on an AK pistol. There is no evidence that Mitchell was involved with the homicide.
Mitchell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on November 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Holli R. Wood and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony 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-055.
Charlotte Woman and Her Mother-In-Law Are Sentenced to Prison for Sex Trafficking Three MinorsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Brianna Leshay Wright, 26, of Charlotte, and her mother-in-law, Tanya Fuentes, 56, of Charlotte, were sentenced today for their respective roles in the sex trafficking of three minor females, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr., sentenced Brianna Wright to 120 months in prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Tanya Fuentes was ordered to serve 24 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
According to filed court documents, statements made in court, and today’s sentencing hearing, between April 28, 2016 and May 8, 2016, Zerrell Fuentes, his wife Brianna Wright, and his mother Tanya Fuentes engaged in the sex trafficking of three minor victims. As Zerrell Fuentes previously admitted in court, while he was in jail on state charges, he recruited three underage victims, via telephone, to engage in prostitution to earn money for his bond. Zerrell Fuentes arranged for Brianna Wright to transport the minor victims from Charlotte to Myrtle Beach, S.C., for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts.
According to court records, Brianna Wright, accompanied by Tanya Fuentes, drove the three minors from Charlotte to Myrtle Beach. While in Myrtle Beach, Tanya Fuentes paid for lodging. Brianna Wright drove the minors to see clients for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts for money, and her phone was used to post prostitution advertisements for the minor victims on the Internet. While in Myrtle Beach, at least two minor victims committed sexual acts or had sexual contact.
On July 10, 2018, Zerrell Fuentes and Brianna Wright pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor. On July 16, 2018, Tanya Fuentes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
A sentencing date for Zerrell Fuentes has not been set. The penalty for sex trafficking is a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray praised the law enforcement agents and officers from ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department who are members of the FBI’s Human Trafficking Task Force for their investigation. U.S. Attorney Murray also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimlani Ford and Dallas Kaplan, of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Charlotte, is prosecuting the case.
Cape Coral Member of Drug Distribution Ring Sentenced to Ten YearsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber today sentenced Tafawah Horrobin (39, Cape Coral) to 10 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Horrobin had pleaded guilty on May 13, 2019. His uncle, co-defendant Michael Horrobin, was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months’ imprisonment on August 12, 2019. A third co-defendant, Travis Lee Watkins, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2019.
According to court documents, on five occasions between February and August 2018, law enforcement officers purchased heroin laced with fentanyl from Tafawah Horrobin in Cape Coral. During the investigation, officers learned that although Tafawah Horrobin resided in Cape Coral, he frequently visited a house in Lehigh Acres where Travis Lee Watkins and Michael Horrobin lived. Investigators determined that the Lehigh Acres residence served as a “safe house” for a drug distribution ring where large quantities of controlled substances were stashed for safekeeping.
On August 16, 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cape Coral Police Department simultaneously executed search warrants at Tafawah Horrobin’s Cape Coral residence and the Lehigh Acres safe house. Inside the Cape Coral residence, investigators found and arrested Tafawah Horrobin who confessed to distributing more than $10,000 in heroin and fentanyl for the organization monthly. From that house, law enforcement also seized various items used to facilitate the distribution of drugs, an illegally possessed firearm, and cash. Inside the Lehigh Acres safe house, law enforcement seized approximately one kilogram of heroin, approximately 400 grams of cocaine, smaller amounts of crack cocaine and methamphetamine, and four firearms.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cape Coral Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael V. Leeman.
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Selling FentanylRead 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 Miguel Figueroa, 33, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing, 10 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing butyryl fentanyl and furanyl fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Higgins and Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who handled the case, stated that on March 7, 2017, and April 11, 2017, the defendant sold drugs to a confidential source working for the DEA in exchange for $1,100 cash. Forensic testing determined that the controlled substance sold by Figueroa contained butyryl fentanyl, U-47700, furanyl fentanyl, and fentanyl.
On April 24, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a New York State search warrant at Figueroa’s residence on 15th Street in Buffalo. Officers recovered a plastic bag and five glassine envelopes containing butyryl fentanyl and other substances. Officers also recovered packaging materials, a digital scale, and approximately $3,137 in cash.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood.
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Berkeley County man sentenced to more than 12 years for selling fentanylRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Herman Terrell Govan, of Inwood, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 151 months incarceration for selling fentanyl, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
“Fentanyl continues to kill people across the country. The defendant has learned that bringing it into Berkeley County has significant consequences,” said Powell.
Govan, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Fentanyl” in April 2019. Govan admitted to selling fentanyl in January 2018 in Berkeley County.
This case is 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 prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Bank Robber from Hattiesburg Pleads Guilty After Multistate Bank Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Clifford Randell Montague, 53, of Hattiesburg, pled guilty Friday before U.S. District Sul Ozerden to bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
On February 23, 2019, Montague robbed a credit union in Gautier, Mississippi, by handing a teller a note threatening to shoot if she did not put money in a bag. Montague went on to rob a bank in Pace, Florida, on March 4, and another bank in Ellisville, Mississippi on March 18. Each time, Montague used a note. He was stopped in Memphis, Tennessee, driving a stolen car from Florida and confessed to FBI agents.
Montague will be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on November 25, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Attorney General William P. Barr Invites Romanian Minister of Justice Ana Birchall for Meeting in SeptemberRead the Press Release
Attorney General Barr today invited Romanian Minister of Justice Ana Birchall to meet with him in Washington this coming September. The Department of Justice has worked closely with Ana Birchall and views her as a vital and trusted partner in the fight against corruption. Her leadership comes at a vital time for Romania, where controversies have raised questions about Romania’s commitment to rule of law values and have diminished public trust and caused increasing concern in the international community. Under Birchall’s leadership, Romania can once again be a model in the region for progress on anti-corruption issues.
The Attorney General and Minister Birchall first met in June in Bucharest, Romania, where Minister Birchall hosted the U.S./EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial, during the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
In a bilateral meeting, the Attorney General and Minister discussed the U.S.-Romania Strategic Partnership, which is important for both our nations’ continued security and prosperity. The close collaborative relationship between the law enforcement agencies of Romania and the United States has resulted in significant joint successes in the fight against transnational crime, particularly in the areas of cybercrime-related fraud, narcotics trafficking, and human trafficking. These successes have protected citizens in both our countries.
In particular, during their June meeting, Minister Birchall emphasized her commitment to ensuring that Romania takes all steps necessary to strengthen its anti-corruption laws and processes. In their meeting in September, the Attorney General and Minister will discuss how the U.S. Department of Justice can assist the Minister, and her Ministry, in this vital task. The Department of Justice welcomes this opportunity to meet again with a valued and trusted partner who is committed to fighting for the rule of law.
Asheville Man Pleads Guilty to First Degree Murder and Aggravated Sexual Abuse Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Derek Shawn Pendergraft, 22, of Asheville, N.C., has pleaded guilty to one count of first degree murder and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse resulting in death. U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Carleton Metcalf accepted Pendergraft’s guilty plea in federal court in Asheville.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division; Neal D. Labrie, Chief Ranger of the Blue Ridge Parkway; and Robert Schurmeier, Director of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to plea documents and today’s hearing, on July 24, 2018, Pendergraft, who worked at the Pisgah Inn, murdered his co-worker, Sara Ellis, during the perpetration of aggravated sexual abuse. The murder occurred on the Blue Ridge Parkway, within the special territorial jurisdiction of the United States, and within the Western District of North Carolina.
Pendergraft’s plea agreement, which the Court has accepted, provides that the defendant will receive a sentence of life in prison without any possibility of parole for his crimes.
Pendergraft remains in federal custody. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the National Park Service, the FBI, the SBI, the Transylvania County Sheriff's Office, the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cruso Fire Department for their respective work and assistance in this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and John Pritchard, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, are in charge of the prosecution.Arlington, Texas Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Distribution of Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Cocaine BaseRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jalen Jewaun Glass, age 24, of Arlington, Texas, was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine, and Cocaine Base. The sentencings for each count will be served concurrently. The charges arose from an investigation by the McAlester Police Department, the District 18 Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The three counts in the Indictment alleged that on or about August 18, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine, and 28 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base. Methamphetamine, cocaine, and cocaine base are Schedule II controlled substances.
“This investigation and prosecution is indicative of the results we can achieve for the communities we serve when agencies work together. This type of collaboration is common for law enforcement agencies serving McAlester and Pittsburg County,” said United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester. “Thousands of dosage units of dangerous drugs did not reach the destination intended by the defendant and he is being held accountable.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton represented the United States.
Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute More Than 30 Kilograms of Fentanyl, Heroin & Cocaine in Central OhioRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A defendant pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today after law enforcement officials discovered more than 30 kilograms of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, as well as nearly $75,000 in cash, in his motorcycle.
Jorge Sanchez Montes, 33, of Phoenix, Ariz., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiring to possess more than 400 grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Montes faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in prison.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and law enforcement officials with the Central Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force announced the plea entered into this morning before Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents, officers conducted a traffic stop on Montes in June near mile marker 78 on Interstate 70, near Plain City. During the stop, a K9 positively alerted to narcotics and Montes’ motorcycle was subsequently searched. Officers discovered approximately 30 packages of narcotics and more than $74,300 in cash.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the Central Ohio HIDTA Task Force and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Hunter, who is representing the United States in this case.
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Arizona Man Arrested After Traveling from Arizona to New Orleans on Amtrak Train with Heroin Was Sentenced to 52 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – ADRIAN F. DANIEL, 25, a resident of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Wednesday, August 21, 2019 to 52 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to the charge of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to court documents, on June 11, 2018, a detective with the Amtrak Police Department in New Orleans reviewed the manifests for incoming passengers to the Amtrak Station in New Orleans and noticed DANIEL’S train travel patterns. In his review, the detective noticed a train reservation for DANIEL, who was travelling one way from Tucson, Arizona to New Orleans then to New York City the following day. The detective also noticed that DANIEL made the reservation on June 11, 2018, one day prior to the scheduled travel date. The detective’s review of DANIEL’S train travel patterns revealed that beginning in January 2018, DANIEL made multiple train trips from Tucson, Arizona to New Orleans. The trips were paid for in cash and were usually booked the day before DANIEL’S departure from Tucson. Also, DANIEL used a different telephone number each time he booked a reservation.
When the train arrived at the station on June 12, 2018, the detective approached DANIEL and asked to speak to him. DANIEL agreed to speak and became noticeably nervous. When questioned about his prior train trips, DANIEL lied about the frequency of the trips further arousing suspicions.
The detective asked to search DANIEL’S bags and DANIEL consented. Among DANIEL’S belongings were bags containing 1.9 kilograms of heroin.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, and the Amtrak Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.
Alma, Arkansas Man Sentenced to 157 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Darrell Dewayne Roberts Jr., age 31, of Alma, Arkansas, was sentenced to 157 months’ imprisonment and 5 years of supervised release for Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A). The charges arose from an investigation by the Roland Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”).
The Superseding Indictment alleges that on or about December 31, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “This prosecution began with an investigation by members of the Roland Police Department on December 31, 2018. As a result of their work, with assistance from agents from the DEA, thousands of dosage units were prevented from being distributed into communities in Eastern Oklahoma and Western Arkansas. This case is a great example of how collaborative law enforcement benefits the communities we serve.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
57-Year-Old Pedophile Committed to Federal Custody as a Sexually Dangerous PersonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan committed CHARLES TODD STOKES, 57, to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
STOKES, a former elementary school teacher, has a history of sexually molesting prepubescent and post-pubescent boys in the United States and Thailand. Florida records alleged that between 1994 and 1998, STOKES molested six students or other minors. STOKES denied the allegations and argued that the allegations were “unsubstantiated.” Between 1995 and 1997, STOKES, then in his 30s, engaged in sexual behavior “several times” with the 13 to 15-year-old son of a divorced woman he dated and whose family he befriended prior to the parents’ divorce. The boy’s father filed a complaint with state officials alleging STOKES molested his son, which STOKES denied. The Florida state case was dismissed. STOKES admitted at the civil commitment hearing that when questioned by Florida law enforcement authorities and state education officials after the complaint was filed he denied molesting the boy because he deemed it in his “best interest” to do so.
Florida law enforcement officials arrested STOKES in August 1998 and charged him with two counts of lewd and lascivious assault on a child. The allegations involved STOKES inappropriately touching two nine-year-old boys. STOKES denied the allegations but, in February 2000, pled no contest to simple battery and was sentenced to one year probation. STOKES also surrendered his teacher’s license and teaching certificate.
One month into his probationary period, STOKES applied for permission to resume teaching in Thailand and his request was granted. According to STOKES, he chose to teach in Thailand, in part, because of its “looser sexual mores.” STOKES taught in Thailand between 2000 and 2006. In 2002, STOKES was fired from a school in Thailand after his coworkers reported that he encouraged a young boy to hug and kiss him and after inappropriately touching a young boy in a pool. His coworkers also reported that STOKES was living with a 15 year-old male prostitute. STOKES was not charged with a crime and denied living full-time with a 15-year-old male prostitute but admitted a 15-year-old male prostitute occiasionally lived with him during that period.
Based on the allegations, law enforcement officials in the United States and Thailand began investigating STOKES. A search warrant was executed at STOKES’ residence in October 2003 and numerous items were recovered, including printed photographs of clothed young children, a pair of children’s swimming trunks, a video camera, a video cassette tape, and a digital camera. The digitial camera contained a photograph of a Thai boy, who appeared approximately 10 to 13 years old, lying naked on a bed. STOKES admitted at the hearing that he engaged in sex with the boy the night before the search warrant was executed.
In 2006, law enforcement authorities arrested STOKES in Thailand on unspecified criminal charges and extradited STOKES to the United States approximately one year later. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois initially charged STOKES with three counts of child trafficking but later indicted STOKES on one count of traveling in interstate and foreign commerce for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act with a person under age 18. STOKES pled not guilty and went to trial on the charge.
Two of STOKES’ victims from Thailand testified at the criminal trial in Illinois. The victims testified that they were 11 years old when STOKES invited them to his home where they would play video games. They further testified that STOKES molested them and took nude photographs of them simulating sexual intercourse. A federal investigator also testified at the criminal trial that she recovered approximately 6,000 images from the electronic devices seized during the execution of the 2003 search warrant. According to the investigator, some of the images depicted prepubescent boys engaged in sexual behavior. Other images depicted STOKES engaging in sex acts with prepubescent or pubescent boys. The investigator estimated that STOKES had molested 60 minors of which 30 were approximately less than 12 years old with the youngest victim appearing to be 7 years old. The jury found STOKES guilty of all counts and the federal judge in Illinois sentenced STOKES to 180 months’ imprisonment, the maximum under law.
During the civil commitment hearing here in Eastern North Carolina, STOKES admitted he molested the victims of the crimes for which he received his federal conviction. STOKES testified, however, that he believed the victims were both 15 years old, the legal age of sexual consent in Thailand. STOKES denied that any of the males depicted in the 6,000 photographs recovered from the various electronic devices were pre-pubescent and that only 12 of the male prostitutes he sought after were under 18 years old.
STOKES was scheduled for release from federal prison on July 19, 2019, but the United States certified him as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. Congress passed this Act in order to provide another powerful legal mechanism for protecting the public from some of the most dangerous sexual offenders. The Act allows the United States to seek civil commitment of sexually dangerous persons who, because of a serious mental illness, abnormality, or disorder, would have serious difficulty refraining from sexually violent conduct or child molestation.
The United States believed that STOKES met every element of that definition. The Court agreed. On August 5, 2019, after a hearing, the Court committed STOKES to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina litigates Adam Walsh Act cases nationwide. All sexually dangerous persons who are committed to federal custody are housed in a federal facility in the Eastern District of North Carolina, where intensive, residential treatment is offered to them. STOKES is the eighty-fourth sexually dangerous person committed under the Adam Walsh Act.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael G. James represented the government in this case.
214 Arrested as Part of a Combined Law Enforcement Operation “Bluff City Blues” in West TennesseeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant and U.S. Marshal Jeffrey Holt announced today that a two-week-long joint federal, state and local law enforcement initiative has resulted in the arrests of 214 individuals in West Tennessee. These individuals were arrested on a variety of criminal charges, including homicide, aggravated assault, robbery, carjacking, arson, drug distribution, illegal gun crimes and failure to register as sex offenders. Operation "Bluff City Blues" was a coordinated violence reduction initiative led by the U.S. Marshals Service that brought together federal, state and local law enforcement partners in an effort to reduce crime in West Tennessee by identifying and arresting violent fugitives, targeting violent gang activity, and collecting intelligence to allow for the systematic removal of individuals who have been charged with committing violent crimes in West Tennessee.
In addition to the arrests, Operation "Bluff City Blues" resulted in the seizure of 28 firearms, approximately 771.9 grams of marijuana, cocaine, heroin and crack, $17,240 in U.S. currency, as well as the recovery of 4 stolen vehicles.
Operation "Bluff City Blues" commenced on August 12, 2019, and concluded on August 23, 2019. As a part of the coordinated and targeted initiative, those arrested for outstanding state and federal warrants included a total of 79 identified gang members, 65 individuals for aggravated assault, 34 individuals for homicide, 69 individuals for weapons offenses, and 40 individuals for drug offenses. In addition, a total of 78 registered sex offenders living in Madison and Shelby Counties were checked for compliance with sex offender registration requirements. Thirteen were found to be in violation.
During the two-week operation, law enforcement efforts took place primarily in the cities of Memphis and Jackson, TN, and focused on fugitive apprehension investigations, firearms and narcotics investigations, gang-related intelligence gathering, and proactive sex offender compliance. All of these cases will be prosecuted in either state or federal court, and it is expected that many of the arrests and investigations in this operation will result in future additional arrests in the pursuit of dismantling the criminal element in the Western District of Tennessee.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Because the U.S. Marshals Service is the preeminent federal law enforcement agency for fugitive investigations and apprehensions, I called upon them to plan and execute this violence reduction operation in West Tennessee. Together with our other dedicated federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the USMS has successfully located and arrested some of the most dangerous fugitives and violent gang members that are the primary crime-drivers in our communities. Operation ‘Bluff City Blues’ sends two very important and powerful messages: 1. The citizens of West Tennessee can be assured that their safety and security is our highest priority, and that we can and will do something about crime in their communities, and 2. Violent criminals and gang members can be assured that we will use our highest and best resources to remove them from our streets and impose consequences for their criminal conduct. I thank and commend the outstanding work and tireless efforts of all of our law enforcement partners, and I am confident that this operation will have both an immediate and a long-term positive effect on public safety in West Tennessee."
U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Tennessee Jeff Holt thanks all the federal, state and local agencies that participated in this operation. "The excellent cooperation and hard work of all these law enforcement officers over this two week period is a prime example of agencies working hand-in-hand to make a difference in our communities. I am very proud of the men and women who put in long hard hours to make this a highly successful operation. Many of these investigations have led to other arrests and investigations that will further dismantle the criminal structure in the Western District of Tennessee."
Deputy Commander Mike Quarles of the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force praised the efforts of all of the participating agencies that made this operation a success. Quarles stated, "Since 1789, the U.S. Marshals Service has been forming posses and task forces to apprehend the most violent of all fugitives. Our historical foundation was built upon the investigatory knowledge of skilled fugitive hunters. The successes of the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force are directly related to our partnerships." Quarles further commented, "Without these agencies coming together as a force multiplier, many of these violent criminals would still be walking our streets. It was exciting to see this many agencies efficiently and effectively come together for the singular mission of making West Tennessee safer. I am confident that a strong message was sent, that violent crime is not welcomed in the Western District of Tennessee."
The following agencies participated in Operation "Bluff City Blues":
United States Marshals Service
United States Attorney’s Office
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
United States Probation Service
District Attorney General’s Office (Shelby County)
District Attorney General’s Office (Madison County)
Memphis Police Department
Jackson Police Department
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office
Madison County Sheriff’s Office
Tennessee Department of Correction
Tennessee Highway Patrol (Jackson Office)
Tennessee Highway Patrol (Memphis Office)
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov
For operational still photos, please visit:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/usmarshals/U857Z0
For B Roll operational footage, please visit: https://www.dropbox.com/s/kp96maxbpsy1vck/Operation%20Bluff%20City%20B-roll.mpeg?dl=0
25 August 2019
Washington Man Indicted on Cocaine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Spokane, Washington, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Jamecus Lushawn Hodges, age 40, was indicted on February 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 21, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $1,000,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on December 8, 2018, in Brule County, South Dakota, Hodges knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly receive and possess a firearm. The charges are merely accusations and Hodges is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Hodges was released pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
St. Francis Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal Officer and Child AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer, and Child Abuse.
Cameron Fanning, age 21, was indicted on August 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 22, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 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 25, 2019, in Todd County, South Dakota, Fanning did forcibly assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with two law enforcement officers who were employed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and that such conduct involved the use of a dangerous weapon. The indictment further alleges that at the same time and place, Fanning did abuse, expose, torture, torment, and cruelly punish a child who had not attained the age of seven.
The charges are merely accusations and Fanning is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Fanning was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Rosebud Man Charged with Burglary and LarcenyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Third Degree Burglary and Larceny.
Tevin Lapointe, age 25, was indicted on August 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 22, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 5 years in custody 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 June 17, 2019, in Rosebud, Lapointe unlawfully entered the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Employment and Contracting Rights Office and stole property valued over $1,000.
The charges are merely accusations and Lapointe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.
Lapointe was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Mitchell Man Charged with Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mitchell, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Felon in Possession of Firearm.
David Edward Petersdorf, age 50, was indicted on August 6, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on August 14, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 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 or about May 7, 2019, Petersdorf, knowing he had been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, knowingly possessed a 9mm caliber semi-automatic handgun which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce.
The charge is merely an accusation and Petersdorf is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Nash is prosecuting the case.
Petersdorf was released on bond pending trial, which has been set for October 22, 2019.
Fort Thompson Man Charged with Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Involuntary Manslaughter.
Antoine Medicine Crow, Jr., age 37, was indicted on August 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 19, 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 April 26, 2019, Medicine Crow unlawfully killed a human being by operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent manner.
The charge is merely an accusation and Medicine Crow is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Medicine Crow was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Edgemont Man Indicted for Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Edgemont, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor.
Francis James Kistler, age 60, was charged on August 13, 2019. Kistler appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on August 19, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 up to 30 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Kistler, an Edgemont police officer, sexually exploiting two underage females between January 2019 and July 2019. The charges are merely an accusation and Kistler is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins is prosecuting the case.
Kistler was detained pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
24 August 2019
Charleston Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegal Distribution of MethadoneRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston doctor who practiced at Neurology & Pain Center, PLLC pled guilty to illegal distribution of controlled substances that were not for legitimate medical purposes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Muhammed Samer Nasher-Alneam admitted to writing prescriptions in July 2014 for oxycodone and methadone pills that were not within the bounds of professional medical practice or for legitimate medical purposes. Pursuant to his guilty plea, Nasher agreed to permanently surrender both his medical license and DEA registration. He further agreed to never seek reinstatement of a license to practice as a medical doctor in any other state.
“Nasher is now an admitted felon and faces up to ten years - TEN YEARS- in a federal prison. A drug dealer in a lab coat is still just a drug dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Nasher will never practice medicine again. Ever. Nasher will never write another prescription. Ever. And Nasher will never treat another patient. Ever. We’re cracking down hard across the board - medical professionals, doctors, pharmacists, street dealers and traffickers – in a multi-pronged aggressive approach intended to cut the head off the snake. Medical professionals should take note that if they abuse the prescribing privileges of their profession, and I stress that they are a privilege, my office will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law and I will seek the maximum sentence in every case.”
Nasher was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal pending his December 2, 2019 sentencing. Nasher has remained in custody since his arrest on July 27, 2018 - 393 days – as a result of the United States moving to detain him. He faces at least 5 and up to 10 years in prison, as well as a $1 million fine at sentencing. As part of his plea agreement, Nasher agreed to forfeit $149,480.75 in United States Currency and an Acura RDX Sport Utility Vehicle.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, the West Virginia State Police and the West Virginia Insurance Commission conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorneys Alan McGonigal, Jennifer Herrald and Steve Loew, and former Assistant United States Attorneys C. Haley Bunn and Meredith Thomas handled the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted by the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU), a Department of Justice initiative that uses data to identify and prosecute individuals that are contributors to the national opioid crisis. The Southern District of West Virginia is one of 12 districts nationally to participate in the pilot program.
The OFADU falls under the Appalachian Regional Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force which is made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the HCF Unit, prosecutors with the ten U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. The ARPO Strike Force operates out of two hubs based in the Cincinnati, Ohio/Northern Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee areas, supporting the ten districts that make up the ARPO Strike Force region. In addition, the APRO Strike Force works closely with other state and federal law enforcement agencies, including State Medicaid Fraud Control Units.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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23 August 2019
Winchester Man Pleads Guilty to Armed Hobbs Act Robbery of Martin's Foods PharmacyRead the Press Release
Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – A Winchester man, who in January 2019 committed an armed robbery at Martin's Foods in Winchester, Virginia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg to a pair of related federal charges, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.
“In our efforts to assist our state and local partners reduce violent crime, we have substantially increased the number of federal prosecutions for offenses involving firearms, including robbery,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “We will continue to work closely with these partners to identify violent offenders in specific communities and put them in federal prison.”
Today in District Court, Carl William Morris II, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of Armed, Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
According to court documents, on January 18, 2019, Morris approached a pharmacy clerk at the cash register at Martin's Foods on Gateway Drive in Winchester. While the clerk was ringing up a purchase, Morris pulled a black handgun that was tucked in his waistband and directed the clerk to “give me all your pain meds.” The clerk complied with Morris’ demand and handed over multiple bottles of controlled substances, including Oxycontin valued at over $2,000.
The defendant took four bottles of the medication and fled the store. A second pharmacy clerk followed Morris out of the store and into the parking lot. Upon seeing the second clerk, Morris discharged his firearm in the clerk’s direction. The bullet did not strike the clerk. After firing his weapon, Morris fled into a nearby wooded area where he was tracked by a police canine and ultimately apprehended by law enforcement.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeb Terrien is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Westwood Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Federal Narcotics, Money Laundering Charges for Running Unlicensed Bitcoin Exchange and ATMRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Westwood man has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges for owning and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business where he exchanged up to $25 million in cash and virtual currency for individuals, including Darknet drug dealers and other criminals, some of whom used his Bitcoin ATM kiosk.
Kunal Kalra, 25 – who was also known as “Kumar,” “shecklemayne” and “coinman” – was charged today in a four-count criminal information filed in United States District Court and is expected to make his initial court appearance next month. Pursuant to a plea agreement also filed today, Kalra agreed to plead guilty to four felonies: distribution of methamphetamine, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, laundering of monetary instruments, and failure to maintain an effective anti-money laundering program.
This is believed to be the first federal criminal case charging an unlicensed money remitting business that used a Bitcoin kiosk.
According to the court documents, from May 2015 through October 2017, Kalra knowingly operated a virtual currency exchange business where he exchanged U.S. dollars for Bitcoin and vice versa. Kalra charged commissions for exchanging dollars for Bitcoin, and he only dealt with high-volume customers willing to exchange at least $5,000 per transaction. Kalra admitted in his plea agreement that he exchanged Bitcoin for cash from criminals, including those who received Bitcoin from selling narcotics on the Darknet.
Kalra established bank accounts in the names of others, including fake businesses, which allowed him, for a time, to conceal his illicit business activities, court papers state. Kalra also admitted to operating a kiosk – essentially an ATM – where his customers could exchange Bitcoin for cash and vice versa. Kalra profited from every transaction conducted on the ATM. Customers who sought to do an exchange using this ATM were not required to provide their identities and Kalra did not install a camera or implement any features requiring customers to identify themselves, the plea agreement states.
Kalra also admitted that in 2017 he exchanged approximately $400,000 in cash for Bitcoin for an undercover agent who contacted him online and later met him in person on multiple occasions at a coffee shop in Los Angeles. The undercover agent told Kalra that his virtual currency were proceeds of drug trafficking, and Kalra continued with various transactions, according to the plea agreement.
In June 2017, Kalra sold nearly two pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement official in exchange for $6,000. Kalra and the undercover agent later met at a coffee shop in Signal Hill to exchange $50,000 in Bitcoin for cash, which the undercover agent represented to Kalra was the proceeds of the sales of the methamphetamine that Kalra had sold to the agent, the plea agreement states.
Law enforcement seized nearly $889,000 in cash from Kalra’s bank accounts and vehicle, as well as approximately 54.3 Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
The maximum possible sentence Kalra could receive for these charges is life in federal prison.
Kalra also faces federal criminal charges in San Antonio, Texas, that were filed earlier this month. That case alleges Kalra conspired to commit money laundering for a drug trafficking network that sold fraudulent prescription tablets, including some laced with methamphetamine and fentanyl. In the plea agreement filed today, Kalra agreed to plead guilty to those charges in Los Angeles federal court.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Los Angeles Police Department. The Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Puneet V. Kakkar of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Westerville Man Sentenced for Brandishing Firearm in Relation to Xanax Drug Ring OperationsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Bilal A. El Yousseph, 27, of Westerville, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 102 months in prison for conspiring to distribute controlled substances and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler announced the sentence handed down today by Senior U.S. District Judge James L. Graham.
According to court documents, from January to June 2018, El Yousseph engaged in a conspiracy to distribute Xanax, Adderall and marijuana. El Yousseph was a leader of the conspiracy and recruited other individuals, including at least one juvenile, to sell controlled substances.
In February 2018, El Yousseph and other members of the conspiracy believed an individual had stolen Xanax from them and had lied to them about who had stolen it.
El Yousseph confronted the individual at his house in Westerville, and El Yousseph’s cell phone was used to video record the confrontation. During the confrontation, El Yousseph and others brandished firearms and repeatedly threatened to kill the individual and his family.
For example, one video that is 20 minutes long shows the victim in his own basement writing a confession with at least two guns pointed to his head. El Yousseph directs the individual to write faster and in big letters. He tells a co-conspirator to “Google, What’s the most painful place to get shot?” then places his Glock on the base of the victim’s skull.
Throughout the confrontation, firearms were racked and rounds were ejected, showing that the guns were loaded. At one point, one of the juveniles discharged one of the firearms, though the bullet did not hit anyone.
In June 2018, El Yousseph was stopped by law enforcement in Westerville for driving erratically. He had nearly hit another vehicle and driven into a curb. Officers found El Yousseph to be impaired and found 285 Xanax pills as well as Adderall and Fentanyl tablets and marijuana in the vehicle. El Yousseph also had a loaded handgun and the victim’s confession letter in the car.
El Yousseph pleaded guilty in June 2019 to conspiring to distribute drugs and to brandishing a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI and Westerville Police Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, who is representing the United States in this case.
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West Monroe felon sentenced to nearly 4 years in prison for illegally possessing a pistol, ammunitionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Devin Dewayne Williams, 27, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty to serve 46 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Williams pleaded guilty on April 11, 2019.
During a traffic stop on Williams’ vehicle on September 24, 2017, a West Monroe Police officer found a handgun magazine in Williams’ front pocket and a Beretta, Model 21A, .25-caliber pistol under the driver’s seat. Williams is a felon who was convicted in Ouachita Parish on March 8, 2013, of simple kidnapping and on November 12, 2015, of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and West Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford 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.
Webster City Man Sentenced for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced August 23, 2019, to 10 years in federal prison.
Jeremy Alan Frye, age 35, from Webster City, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 18, 2019, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Frye admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine from July 2017 through August 2018 in Webster City, Iowa. Frye also admitted that on four occasions in 2018 he distributed more than 53 grams of pure meth to law enforcement within a public park zone in undercover drug operations. During a search warrant at Frye’s residence, located within 1000 feet of Nokomis Park and East Twin Park, law enforcement seized over 37 grams of pure meth. Frye further admitted that he intended to distribute this methamphetamine.
Frye was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Frye was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Frye is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster City Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3035. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
United States Settles with Southeastern Grocers to Reduce Ozone-Depleting Emissions at Grocery Stores in the Southeastern StatesRead the Press Release
Southeastern Grocers Inc. and its subsidiaries BI-LO LLC and Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. (together, “SEG”), owners and operators of regional grocery store chains BI-LO LLC, Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket, have agreed to reduce emissions of potent ozone depleting gases from refrigeration equipment at 576 stores under a proposed settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to resolve alleged violations of the Clean Air Act. Under the settlement, SEG will spend an estimated $4.2 million over the next three years to reduce coolant leaks from refrigerators and other equipment and improve company-wide compliance. SEG will also pay a $300,000 civil penalty.
The United States alleged that SEG violated the Clean Air Act by failing to promptly repair leaks of class I and class II refrigerants, ozone-depleting substances used as coolants in refrigerators. SEG also failed to keep adequate servicing records of its refrigeration equipment and failed to provide information about its compliance record.
“This consent decree will help assure SEG’s future compliance with the Clean Air Act’s ozone-depletion program — by requiring leak monitoring, centralized computer recordkeeping, and searchable electronic reporting to EPA,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
“Through this settlement, Southeastern Grocers will implement concrete steps to reduce leaks of ozone depleting gases from the refrigeration equipment in their stores,” said EPA Assistant Administrator for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Susan Bodine. “These steps will not only help to prevent damage to the environment, but should also help save energy.”
SEG will now implement a corporate refrigerant compliance management system to comply with federal stratospheric ozone regulations and to detect and repair leaks through a new bi-monthly leak monitoring program. In addition, SEG will achieve and maintain an annual corporate-wide average leak rate of 17.0 percent through 2022, well below the grocery store sector average of 25 percent. SEG must also use non-ozone depleting advanced refrigerants at all new stores, and an additional 15 existing, non-advanced refrigerant stores.
EPA regulations issued under the Clean Air Act require that owners or operators of commercial refrigeration equipment that contain over 50 pounds of ozone-depleting refrigerants repair any leaks within 30 days. Damage to the ozone layer results in dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet solar radiation, increasing skin cancers and cataracts. An added benefit of repairing refrigerant leaks is improved energy efficiency of the system, which can save electricity.
The settlement is the fourth in a series of national grocery store refrigerant cases, including cases previously filed against Safeway Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp., and Trader Joe’s Co.
Southeastern Grocers Inc., and its subsidiaries BI-LO LLC and Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., all headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, are privately held companies which own and operate regional grocery store chains BI-LO LLC, Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., Fresco y Más and Harveys Supermarket in the southeastern U.S., with 576 stores located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina and have a projected revenue of $8.45 billion in for the 2019 fiscal year.
The settlement was lodged today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. It will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
U.A. Attorney Kennedy and D-A Swanson Announce Overdose Response InitiativeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S Attorney James P. Kennedy. Jr. and Chautauqua County District Attorney Patrick Swanson announced today the creation of the Overdose Response Initiative (ORI). Modeled after similar initiatives across the state and country, this program aims to examine overdose deaths in an effort to track down drug dealers and offer support to victims’ relatives.
The Overdose Response Initiative aims to coordinate local law enforcement and compile information from a multitude of sources to find the origin of the drugs that lead to overdoses. “We then will work with our federal partners, including the US Attorney’s Office and the FBI, to put these cases together for federal prosecution,” D-A Patrick Swanson stated. “Until now, the partnership has been an informal one, however, today, we are formalizing that partnership and making public our efforts to combat overdose deaths.”
The partnership announcement follows a training session, organized by D-A Swanson and presented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler, the Opioid Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Over 40 investigators and top level administrators from law enforcement agencies across Chautauqua County attended the training hosted by SUNY Fredonia and its new Campus Police Chief Brent Isaacson. Swanson said, “The level of participation today is a testament to the commitment by our law enforcement leaders to fight this problem in our community.”Defendants who sell drugs that lead to an overdose death can be charged federally and face up to life in prison if convicted. For example, in November 2018, in a first of its kind verdict, a federal jury convicted Dontrell Wise of supplying the drugs that led to November 2017 death of a young Cheektowaga, NY woman. Wise was sentenced in March of this year to life in prison. The prosecution resulted from the combined efforts of the FBI, DEA, Buffalo Police, and Cheektowaga Police. DA Swanson offered, “Collaboration at that level is what is needed to bring these peddlers of poison to justice.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Adler handled the prosecution of that case.
The initiative’s multistep, multi-agency approach, begins when an overdose occurs. Overdoses are being investigated like crime scenes. Investigating officers will work with the newly appointed Chautauqua County Narcotics Prosecutor to collect facts concerning the time, place and identity of the deceased and whether or not there is evidence of value at the scene. Another critical component is the cooperation of family and friends of the deceased. Investigators will interview those closest to the victim in hopes of discovering the source of the fatal drugs. All of this information, along with a toxicology analysis, will be compiled and relayed to the District Attorney’s Office, which will then develop a prosecution strategy in conjunction with the US Attorney’s Office.“I commend District Attorney Swanson for his proactive leadership in seeking to address the opioid crisis in Chautauqua County and the greater Southern Tier region,” stated U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “We know that in areas where public health and public safety come together, death rates are reduced and communities make positive strides in the opioid battle. The residents of Chautauqua County should be encouraged by this new collaborative partnership. However, let this also serve as a warning to those peddling these deadly drugs that we are one team and we will find you and prosecute you.”
D-A Swanson further stated, “We are able to take these steps because our U.S. Attorney, James P. Kennedy, Jr. is committed to holding those who deal drugs accountable for the havoc they wreak. This is also possible in part because of an additional attorney being added to my staff. With the right resources we are able to accomplish more. One of my current priorities is to request the funds for an investigator to work side-by-side with my Narcotic Prosecutor. I am eager to give these cases the attention they deserve. Our citizens are dying and it needs to stop. This initiative is a much needed response to a tragic crisis that is gripping Chautauqua County and destroying countless lives throughout the county.”
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Two Queens Women Plead Guilty in Connection with Plan to Build Explosive Devices Similar to Those Used in Prior Terrorist Attacks in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Asia Siddiqui and Noelle Velentzas, both citizens of the United States and residents of Queens, pleaded guilty to teaching and distributing information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive, destructive device, and weapon of mass destruction, intending that it be used to commit a federal crime of violence. The guilty pleas were entered before United States District Court Judge Sterling Johnson Jr. When sentenced, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison.
“Inspired by radical Islam, Velentzas and Siddiqui researched and taught each other how to construct bombs to be used on American soil against law enforcement and military targets,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers. “They were thwarted by the excellent work of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation and prosecution. For this, we are grateful.”
“In an effort to implement their violent, radical ideology, the defendants studied some of the most deadly terrorist attacks in U.S. history, and used them as a blueprint for their own plans to kill American law enforcement and military personnel,” stated United States Attorney Richard P. Donoghue. “Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, they were stopped before they could bring their murderous plans to fruition.”
“Velentzas and Siddiqui were intent on waging violent jihad here in the United States, researching at length historical terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, educating themselves on how to turn propane tanks into explosive devices, and dreaming up plans to kill Americans on our own turf,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. “Today’s plea is not only a welcome end to this years-long investigation, but a credit to the FBI’s JTTF in New York and our many law enforcement partners who saw this through to the end.”
“This investigation and the subsequent guilty pleas are yet another example of how each day the NYPD and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force remain vigilant and relentless in their efforts to protect New York City and keep America safe,” stated NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “I want to commend our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District for helping to bring these individuals to justice.”
Between approximately 2013 and 2015, Velentzas and Siddiqui planned to build a bomb for use in a terrorist attack in the United States. In furtherance of their plan, the defendants taught each other chemistry and electrical skills related to creating explosives and building detonating devices; conducted research on how to make plastic explosives and how to build a car bomb; and shopped for and acquired materials to be used in an explosive device. They discussed similar devices used in past terrorist incidents, including the Boston Marathon bombing, Oklahoma City bombing and 1993 World Trade Center attack, and they researched potential targets of attack, focusing on law enforcement and military-related targets.
Siddiqui’s interest in violent terrorist-related activities was reflected in her written submissions to a radical jihadist magazine edited by Samir Khan, a now-deceased prominent figure and member of the designated foreign terrorist organization, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Velentzas similarly espoused violent rhetoric, praising the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and stating that being a martyr through a suicide attack guaranteed entrance into heaven. Velentzas specifically singled out government targets stating, “you go for the head” when you commit a terrorist attack.
When the defendants were arrested, law enforcement officers seized propane gas tanks, soldering tools, car bomb instructions, jihadist literature, machetes and several knives from their residences.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Heeren, Jennifer M. Sasso, Michael T. Keilty, Josh Hafetz and Jonathan E. Algor are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Two Queens Women Plead Guilty in Connection with Plan to Build Explosive, Destructive Devices Similar to Those Used in Prior Terrorist Attacks in the United StatesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Asia Siddiqui and Noelle Velentzas, both citizens of the United States and residents of Queens, pleaded guilty to teaching and distributing information pertaining to the making and use of an explosive, destructive device, and weapon of mass destruction, intending that it be used to commit a federal crime of violence. The guilty pleas were entered before United States District Court Judge Sterling Johnson, Jr. When sentenced, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty pleas.
“In an effort to implement their violent, radical ideology, the defendants studied some of the most deadly terrorist attacks in U.S. history, and used them as a blueprint for their own plans to kill American law enforcement and military personnel,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement, they were stopped before they could bring their murderous plans to fruition.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which comprises a large number of federal, state and local agencies from the region, for its outstanding work during the investigation.
“Inspired by radical Islam, Velentzas and Siddiqui researched and taught each other how to construct bombs to be used on American soil against law enforcement and military targets,” stated Assistant Attorney General Demers. “They were thwarted by the excellent work of the agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation and prosecution. For this, we are grateful.”
“Velentzas and Siddiqui were intent on waging violent jihad here in the United States, researching at length historical terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, educating themselves on how to turn propane tanks into explosive devices, and dreaming up plans to kill Americans on our own turf,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Today’s plea is not only a welcome end to this years-long investigation, but a credit to the FBI’s JTTF in New York and our many law enforcement partners who saw this through to the end.”
“This investigation and the subsequent guilty pleas are yet another example of how each day the NYPD and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force remain vigilant and relentless in their efforts to protect New York City and keep America safe,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “I want to commend our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District for helping to bring these individuals to justice.”
Between approximately 2013 and 2015, Velentzas and Siddiqui planned to build a bomb for use in a terrorist attack in the United States. In furtherance of their plan, the defendants taught each other chemistry and electrical skills related to creating explosives and building detonating devices; conducted research on how to make plastic explosives and how to build a car bomb; and shopped for and acquired materials to be used in an explosive device. They discussed similar devices used in past terrorist incidents, including the Boston Marathon bombing, Oklahoma City bombing and 1993 World Trade Center attack, and they researched potential targets of attack, focusing on law enforcement and military-related targets.
Siddiqui’s interest in violent terrorist-related activities was reflected in her written submissions to a radical jihadist magazine edited by Samir Khan, a now-deceased prominent figure and member of the designated foreign terrorist organization, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (“AQAP”). Velentzas similarly espoused violent rhetoric, praising the attacks of September 11, 2001, and stating that being a martyr through a suicide attack guaranteed entrance into heaven. Velentzas specifically singled out government targets stating, “you go for the head” when you commit a terrorist attack.
When the defendants were arrested, law enforcement officers seized propane gas tanks, soldering tools, car bomb instructions, jihadist literature, machetes and several knives from their residences.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Craig R. Heeren, Jennifer M. Sasso, Michael T. Keilty, Josh Hafetz and Jonathan E. Algor are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The Defendant:
NOELLE VELENTZAS
Age: 31
Queens, New YorkASIA SIDDIQUI (also known as “Najma Samaa” and “Murdiyyah”)
Age: 35
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-213 (SJ)
Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for StabbingRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Jerome Leen-Whitewater, 34, of Post Falls, Idaho, and co-defendant Chauncey Franklin Whitright IV, 40, of Worley, Idaho, were sentenced this week in U.S. District Court for assault resulting in serious bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Leen-Whitewater to 63 months in prison and Whitright to 55 months in prison. Both defendants, upon completion of their time, were ordered to serve three years on supervised release.
According to court records, on August 18, 2018, law enforcement officers responded to a stabbing that occurred at a home in Worley. Officers soon learned that the Leen-Whitewater and Whitright had entered the home, separated the residents into different areas, and then physically assaulted the victim. During the assault, Leen-Whitewater used a knife to stab the victim in the stomach, and Whitright punched the victim several times in the face. Officers who arrived at the home provided aid to the victim, who was ultimately transported to a local hospital and treated for his injuries.
The case was investigated by the Coeur d’Alene Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Two Coweta County men sentenced for illegally possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
NEWNAN – Nicholas Ryan Carden and Michael Andrews have each been sentenced for possessing firearms after being convicted of felony offenses. Together, Carden’s and Andrew’s criminal histories involve prior convictions for burglaries and multiple theft offenses.
“Repeat offenders like Carden and Andrews, who possess firearms, pose a serious threat to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Their continual return to criminal activity represents a lack of fear of consequences for their action. Citizens deserve safety and a drug-free community. Our office will continue prosecuting and removing repeat offenders like these two from our streets as part of our commitment to Project Safe Neighborhoods.”
“Making a conscious choice to possess firearms and narcotics after you have been previously convicted of felony crimes shows a complete disregard for our laws,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Arthur Peralta. “People who have no regard for themselves clearly do not care about their community and in many instances; they provide firearms and narcotics to others, leading them down a path that many cannot recover from.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: On January 26, 2018, Coweta County, Georgia, police officers were checking locations known for drug activity in Grantville, Georgia, when they observed Carden sitting in a vehicle in a McDonald’s restaurant parking lot. When the officers approached, Carden sped off. As he fled, officers saw Carden throw a North American Arms .22 caliber pistol and suspected drugs from a window of the car.
On February 22, 2018, Coweta County officers again encountered Carden after he ran a stop sign. After the traffic stop, the officers found a large sharpie pen next to Carden’s seat. The pen contained four small individual bags of methamphetamine. Michael Andrews was a passenger in the vehicle with Carden. Andrews was arrested after officers found a loaded F.I.E. .25 caliber pistol hidden in his waistband, and small bags of methamphetamine in his pockets.
U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Batten Sr. sentenced Carden to two years, five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Carden received credit for five months of time served. Andrews was sentenced to two years, one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Andrews also received credit for five months timed served. On May 24, 2019, Carden and Andrews each pled guilty to the offenses of felon-in-possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected].
Three Men Sentenced for Attempting to Smuggle $28 Million of Cocaine on the High SeasRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 23, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Three South American cocaine traffickers were sentenced in federal court this week after being convicted of transporting approximately 1,230 kilograms (2,706 pounds) of cocaine—worth more than $28 million USD—on the high seas. The sentencing hearings followed a week-long trial in April in which a federal jury convicted all three defendants on all charges.
U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez handed down significant custodial sentences for defendants Adrian Andres Cortez-Quinonez, Segundo Marcial Dominguez-Caicedo, and Victor Gaspar-Chichande, sentencing them to 228 months, 216 months, and 160 months, respectively. Cortez-Quinonez and Gaspar-Chichande were sentenced today; the court handed down Dominguiz-Caicedo’s sentence on Tuesday.
At trial, the United States proved that on December 31, 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton responded to a report of a suspicious go-fast vessel traveling in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 100 nautical miles north of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. The Stratton launched a helicopter and two small boats to intercept the vessel.
As the helicopter closed in, the defendants stopped their vessel to avoid detection. But as the helicopter circled the vessel, the defendants took off, and soon a high-speed chase on the high seas ensued.
The defendants eventually brought their vessel to a stop when they could not outrun the Coast Guard helicopter. Dramatic video from the helicopter captured the defendants jettisoning dozens of bales of cocaine overboard. The defendants sped away again. With the go-fast vessel barreling through the high seas, and the helicopter in pursuit, a Coast Guard precision marksman hanging from the side of the helicopter took five shots at the vessel’s engines, disabling the vessel. Defendants were ultimately detained by the Coast Guard, and other Coast Guard boats recovered the jettisoned cocaine. After the defendants were transported to the United States, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration continued the investigation.
“Defendants were not a haphazardly thrown-together motley crew. They operated a well-oiled machine,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari at sentencing. “But for the incredible skill, training and acumen of the United States Coast Guard, defendants might well be celebrating a successful cocaine venture.”
“This prosecution required precision targeting of a speeding vessel during a dramatic high seas chase,” said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer, Jr. “From the capture at sea to the terrific presentation at trial this was the epitome of a team effort and I commend the U.S. Coast Guard, DEA, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Mokhtari and our former Coast Guard Special Assistants, Ari Fitzwater and Emily Gibbons”
“Coast Guard crews who risk their lives interdicting multi-ton shipments of cocaine at sea are gratified to see another successful prosecution of smugglers,” said Rear Adm. Peter W. Gautier, Commander of the 11th Coast Guard District. “I’m proud of what our people on patrol accomplish, and appreciate the U.S. Attorneys who bring these drug traffickers to justice and make Coast Guard actions worthwhile. Together our law enforcement crews at sea, investigators ashore, and prosecutors in courtrooms are working to disrupt the criminal networks behind the deadly flow of illegal drugs that threaten our nation.”
“These men tried to bring over 24 million dosage units of cocaine into the United States. That is so much cocaine that the 1.4 million residents of San Diego City each could have gotten over 17 dosages units. That is crazy. Cocaine is a dangerous drug and while it was not meant to stay in San Diego, it would have crushed the city had it made it through,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Karen Flowers. “In this case, DEA teamed up with the U.S. Coast Guard and our law enforcement partners to save lives and protect the homeland. These men wanted to profit off of their greed, with utter disregard for other people’s lives. Now they will pay for their actions with 13 to 19 years of their lives.”
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 18cr0421-BEN
Adrian Andres Cortez-Quinonez Age: 25 Ecuador
Segundo Marcial Dominguez-Caicedo Age: 36 Colombia
Victor Gaspar-Chichande Age: 30 Ecuador
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Onboard a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States – Title 46, U.S.C., Section 70503, 70506(b)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Onboard a Vessel Subject to the Jurisdiction of the United States – Title 46, U.S.C., Section 70503
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
AGENCY
U.S. Coast Guard
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)Texas Man Sentenced for Traveling for Sex with Kansas TeenagerRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Texas man was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for taking a Hutchinson, Kan., girl across state lines for sex, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Juan Carlos Carmona, 37, Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of traveling from Texas to Kansas to have sex with a minor and one count of transporting a minor from Kansas to Texas to have sex with her.
In his plea, Carmona admitted that in mid-2017 he began communicating over the internet with a minor female. In April 2018, he traveled from Houston to Hutchinson, Kan., to meet the 15-year-old. His purpose was to obtain a hotel room and to have sex with the girl. After doing so, he returned to Houston.
In May 2018, Carmona returned to Kansas and picked up the 15-year-old girl. He transported her to Houston, where he intended to have sex with her.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
Tax Accountant Pleads Guilty to Scamming Clients in Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that SALVATORE ARENA pled guilty before United States District Judge Katherine Polk Failla to defrauding clients who trusted him to prepare and pay their taxes. ARENA misappropriated over $780,000 of client money for his own use.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As he admitted today, Salvatore Arena defrauded his clients and the United States by misappropriating money his clients intended would be used to pay their taxes. Arena now awaits sentencing for his serious crimes.”
According to allegations in the criminal complaint, the information, and other documents filed in federal court, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
During the relevant time period, SALVATORE ARENA purported to offer tax services, including the preparation and payment of taxes, to clients of an accounting firm in Manhattan. Instead of making payments on behalf of those clients, as ARENA represented he would, he diverted client funds for his own use. ARENA executed this fraudulent scheme in two primary ways – first, by diverting pre-payments of taxes to his own tax account and later claiming illegitimate refunds, and second, by misappropriating tax payments clients had wired into a bank account controlled by ARENA.
ARENA defrauded numerous victims during the period from January 2014 through March 2019, and agreed as part of his guilty plea to forfeit $789,195.35 in United States currency, representing proceeds traceable to the charged offenses, and to pay restitution as ordered by the court.
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ARENA, 47, of Queens, New York, pled guilty to one count each of mail fraud, money laundering, and wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress, and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. ARENA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Failla on December 13, 2019.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Office of Investigations, the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Office of Internal Affairs, and the New York City Department of Finance, Office of Tax Enforcement.
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If you believe you have been a victim of the scheme described above, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900, or [email protected]. You may also report it to Criminal Investigator John Patterson at (518) 451-1566 or [email protected].
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod L. Schaeffer is in charge of the prosecution.
Synthetic Drug Distributor Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL YOUNG, 48, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for importing, manufacturing and distributing synthetic cannabinoids.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified a suspicious package destined for Young’s Bridgeport residence. The package had been shipped from a California business that purportedly marketed and sold herbal products for smoking. A court-authorized search of the package revealed a leafy plant-like substance commonly used as a base to absorb synthetic drugs dissolved in liquid form. Investigators learned that Young has a state criminal conviction from 2015 related to the distribution of synthetic drugs, and that two international shipments containing synthetic drugs destined for Young’s residence had been seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in November 2016 and July 2018.
On August 21, 2018, a court-authorized search of Young’s residence revealed more than a kilogram of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, approximately 21 grams of Phencyclidine (PCP) in liquid form, drug packaging materials and $1,700 in cash. He was arrested on that date.
Young admitted to investigators that he had purchased the drugs online, including from suppliers in China, and that he produced and sold “K2,” which is a street name for synthetic cannabinoid. Some of Young’s customers resided outside Connecticut and found his product by viewing his advertisements on Craigslist.
Young has been detained since his arrest. On May 30, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison in Project Safe Childhood CaseRead the Press Release
A Denton County sexual predator was sentenced today to 50 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Adam Donald Bennet, 36, pleaded guilty in April to one count of sexual exploitation of children following an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations. He was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John McBryde.
“Homeland Security Investigations’ tentacles extend globally, and in this case, resulted in the lengthy federal prison sentence of a previously convicted sex offender,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “With HSI attaché offices worldwide, we routinely share leads with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate many different types of crimes — including and especially those targeting the most vulnerable members of society, our children.”
According to court documents, authorities began investigating Mr. Bennett in June 2018, when he began online chatting with an undercover officer. During their communications, Mr. Bennett acknowledged committing sexual acts with minors, according to the criminal complaint. He also sent the undercover officer video recordings of his abuse of a minor child residing in north Texas.
This case involved the coordinated efforts of the Eastern District of Texas and Northern Districts of Texas, Homeland Security Investigations, the Flower Mound Police Department, Denton County Sheriff’s Office, Denton County District Attorney’s Office, Wise County District Attorney’s Office, and Bridgeport Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative designed to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
SCDC Inmate and Four Others Convicted on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges After Eight-Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Glenn Pernell, 41, his sister Whitney Pernell, 29, and their cousin Fatima Ford, 33, all of Marion County, and Santerrio Smith, 31, and Terrence Dunlap, 25, of Columbia, on drug trafficking charges. These five defendants were charged along with 11 others in a 53-count Superseding Indictment alleging drug conspiracy and related charges.
“This case shows once again that the unfettered use of contraband cell phones enables inmates to continue committing crimes that harm the public even while they are behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “In partnership with the South Carolina Department of Corrections, we will continue to fight the public safety threat caused by contraband cell phones in our prisons. We applaud the FBI’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force and the trial team for their tireless work in dismantling this drug trafficking ring, which was responsible for pouring cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroin into our neighborhoods.”
According to the evidence, agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF) began investigating Smith in 2016 for drug trafficking. Wiretaps on Smith’s phones revealed a network of individuals with whom Smith was heavily involved, including Terrence Dunlap, Smith’s “right-hand man,” who stored cocaine and heroin for Smith and who cooked cocaine into crack cocaine for sale on the streets of Richland County. Agents discovered that one of Smith’s primary drug suppliers was Glenn Pernell, an inmate at Lieber Correctional Institution in Ridgeville. Pernell used contraband cell phones to communicate with Smith and arrange for deliveries of cocaine and heroin to Smith. Pernell relied on family members and close friends, including his sister Whitney Pernell and his cousin Fatima Ford, to store drugs and money for his drug trafficking organization.
Three other women testified that, while he was incarcerated, Glenn Pernell contacted them through Facebook. After he made a personal connection with the women, Pernell sent each of them gifts and money to help pay their bills. Eventually, Pernell began asking for favors in return; the women began making drug and money runs for Pernell until July 3, 2017, when one of the women was stopped by law enforcement while on her way to deliver a large amount of cocaine to Smith.
After deliberating for nearly a day, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all charges:
Glenn Pernell was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. He was also convicted of four counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Whitney Pernell was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. She was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin. She was also convicted of one count of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Fatima Ford was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. She was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 1 kilogram or more of heroin.
Santerrio Smith was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, 280 grams or more of cocaine base, and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was also convicted of two counts of use of a communication facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin.
Terrence Dunlap was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and heroin. He was attributed 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 100 grams or more of heroin. He was also convicted of one count of use of a communications facility in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base.
As a result of the convictions, each of the defendants faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in federal prison. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis of Columbia presided over the trial and will impose a sentence on each of the defendants after receiving and reviewing pre-sentence reports prepared by the United States Probation Office.
“Dismantling drug trafficking organizations is a continuing priority for the FBI,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jody Norris. “These verdicts are the results of the commitment and perseverance of our Agents and partners within the Violent Crime Task Force, to include the dedicated staff of the United States Attorney’s Office. Together, we will continue to work to make South Carolina a safer and better place to live.”
“This is another example of why we need to allow state prisons to jam cell phone signals,” said South Carolina Department of Corrections Director Bryan Stirling. “Inmates are physically locked away behind bars, but with a contraband cell phone, they are virtually out amongst us. They are able to continue their criminal activity, and they keep wrecking lives in the process.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s CVGTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington County Sheriff’s Department, Lexington Police Department, Sumter Police Department, and the South Carolina National Guard, with assistance from the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jane B. Taylor, Benjamin N. Garner, and Christopher D. Taylor of the Columbia office.
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Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Nationwide ATM Skimming ActivityRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GEORGE DRAGUSIN, also known as “Georgio Anderini” and “Einstein,” 63, a citizen of Romania, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to conspiracy and identity theft charges related to extensive ATM skimming activity that defrauded banks from coast to coast.
According to court documents and statements in court today, between February and June 2017, People's United Bank locations in Connecticut experienced approximately 35 incidents of ATM skimming at their branches. A joint law enforcement investigation revealed that Dragusin and others placed skimming devices at the ATMs to capture account numbers and personal identification numbers (“PIN numbers”) from customers who used their ATM cards at the ATMs while the devices were in place. Members of the conspiracy used the captured information to make substitute ATM cards, and then obtained money and made purchases using those cards.
People’s United Bank suffered losses of approximately $286,069 as a result of this scheme.
In pleading guilty, Dragusin admitted that he installed and removed ATM skimming equipment at several People’s United Bank locations, and used re-encoded cards and PINs to obtain money from several bank locations. Dragusin further admitted that, between March and September 2018, he participated in ATM skimming activity in Nevada, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and California, causing multiple banks to suffer total losses of more than $645,000.
Dragusin was arrested in Hayward, California, in September 2018. He has been detained since his arrest.
Dragusin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of imprisonment of two years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on November 15, 2019.
The investigation is being conducted by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force; the U.S. Secret Service in New Haven and Las Vegas; the Greenwich Police Department; the Monroe Police Department; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the New York Police Department; the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department; the Dixon (Calif.) Police Department, and the Hayward (Calif.) Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
Raleigh Credit Repair Orchestrator Indicted on Charges of Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that MICHAEL ANTHONY GRIFFIN, SR., 51, of Knightdale, North Carolina, has been charged by a federal grand jury in a five-count indictment. The indictment includes three counts of Wire Fraud, one count of Aggravated Identity Theft, and one count of Access Device Fraud.
The indictment charges that GRIFFIN, operating from his business location in Raleigh and home in Knightdale, accepted fees from clients for alleged credit repair services. The indictment alleges that, in reality, GRIFFIN was creating fictitious credit profiles and fraudulently altering client credit data through the use of fictitious police reports. In doing so, GRIFFIN unlawfully commandeered the identities of his clients by placing their names upon fraudulent police reports without their knowledge.
The indictment also alleges that in 2017 the defendant presented a fraudulent social security card and number to Johnson Automotive to purchase a Hyundai Genesis, a vehicle with a purchase price of more than $72,000.
At a hearing following the search of the defendant’s home, office, and Maserati, and after the defendant’s arrest, the Government presented evidence that the defendant used a front business in North Raleigh to carry out the scheme to the tune of at least one million dollars. Evidence was also presented that the defendant maintained electronic templates for the creation of fraudulent police reports, social security cards, and bank statements. A thumb drive found in the Maserati contained numerous client files, including false police reports and other documents sent to credit reporting agencies.
GRIFFIN has been detained on the charges pending trial.
If convicted, the maximum punishment for committing Wire Fraud, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, is not more than 20 years imprisonment. The maximum penalty for committing Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A(a)(1), is not less than two years imprisonment, consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. The penalty for Access Device Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(1), is not more than 10 years imprisonment.
An indictment is only an allegation of a crime. The defendant is presumed under the law to be innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney William M. Gilmore represents the United States.
Previously Convicted Armed Carjacker Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Vincent Taylor McGee, 32, of Raymond, Mississippi, pled guilty today before District Judge Henry T. Wingate to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Michelle A. Sutphin, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On September 7, 2016, while fleeing from officers attempting to conduct a traffic stop, McGee tossed a Ruger .22 caliber pistol from his vehicle. Officers recovered the pistol after the vehicle lost a tire and the chase ended. McGee was previously convicted of armed carjacking and armed robbery in Hinds County, possession of a cell phone by an offender in Lauderdale County and Sunflower County, and conspiracy in Sunflower County. Last December, he was also convicted of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a detectable amount of methamphetamine, and sentenced by then-Senior U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour, Jr. to serve 120 months in federal prison.
McGee will be sentenced by Judge Wingate on November 5, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie.
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.
Pen Gun Possessor Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
MACON – A Macon, Georgia man who admitted to making and concealing a small, single-round gun in the shape of a pen entered a guilty plea to a federal firearm charge, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Billy Christopher Evans, 28, of Macon, Georgia, entered a guilty plea on August 22, 2019 to one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell. The charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both. Sentencing has been scheduled for November 20, 2019.
According to the proffer of facts presented at court Thursday, Bibb County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call on November 12, 2017 involving a man waving a lawn mower blade and acting erratically outside a local hotel. Deputies found Mr. Evans waving the blade, and the defendant promptly dropped the blade when instructed by officers. Mr. Evans was placed in handcuffs for the officers safety, and during a pat-down for weapons, deputies discovered a small pen gun, powered by a spring and trigger mechanism. The pen gun was approximately 4 and 5/8 inches in length and did not have any brand, mark of identification, or serial number displayed. It had a cocking handle, spring, bolt with a fixed firing-pin, bolt handle, and a blue cap measuring approximately 3/4 of an inch in length which held a .22 caliber round in place. This device was successfully test fired at the ATF test range in Martinsburg, West Virginia on February 28, 2018.
“This case illustrates the variety of dangers that officers face every day while keeping us safe,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney. “I want to thank all officers that serve the citizens of the Middle District of Georgia for their bravery, professionalism, and commitment to protecting all of us.”
The case was investigated by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will R. Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Olive Branch Man Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay More than $2 Million in Restitution for Stealing from VolvoRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. –An Olive Branch man was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison on Thursday for Mail Fraud and for Making a False Statement in Connection with the Purchase of a Firearm. U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced David Quarles, 35, to serve the 51-month prison term and to pay $2,606,529.87 in restitution to US Volvo Group and Chubb Insurance Company.
Quarles was employed at the Volvo distribution center in Byhalia, Mississippi and over the course of two years, from 2015 to 2017, Quarles embezzled auto parts from Volvo and sold them online. Quarles used his position in the warehouse to alter shipping labels and inventory records and conceal his theft of the auto parts. After his Indictment for fraud in October 2018, Quarles attempted to purchase a Micro Draco, 7.62 x 39 mm caliber pistol from the Double Barrel Gun Store in Olive Branch, Mississippi, and in the process of attempting the purchase, he made a false statement on the Form 4473, claiming that he was not under indictment for a felony.
U.S. Attorney William C. Lamar noted that this prosecution was important for several reasons. “When residents of North Mississippi attempt to make a quick buck by defrauding their employers, it does harm to this State, the companies that chose to do business here, and our honest, law-abiding citizens. We will do everything we can to hold these individuals accountable for their actions. Furthermore, we will continue to prioritize the prosecution of individuals who possess or attempt to possess firearms when they are prohibited by law from doing so.” Lamar remarked.
This case was investigated by both the Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and was prosecuted by AUSA Parker Kline.
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Nine Southern Missouri Residents Indicted for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Nine individuals, primarily from West Plains, Mo., have been indicted by a federal grand jury for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties.
Shirley J. Hicks, 61, Raymon F. Ortega, 63, Benny D. Griffin, 57, Jose I. Gonzales, 37, Jordan W. Gutierrez, 25, and Shaun M. Ross, 39, all of West Plains, Missouri; Fontella J. Noose, 38, of Springfield, Missouri; James E. Cooper, 52, of Mountain View, Missouri; and Luis Ortiz Rodriguez, 36, address unknown, were charged in a 19-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Springfield on Tuesday, Aug. 20. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon the arrests and initial court appearances of Hicks, Ortega, Griffin, Cooper, and Ross.
The federal indictment alleges that each of the nine defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Howell, Greene, and Texas counties from Dec. 31, 2015, to June 21, 2019.
In addition to the criminal conspiracy, Hicks is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Hicks allegedly was in possession of a Rohm .22-caliber revolver, a Lorcin .380-caliber pistol, a Hi-Point .40-caliber pistol, an FMJ .45-caliber derringer, a Jimenez Arms .22-caliber pistol, a Marlin .22-caliber rifle, a Browning 16-gauge shotgun, and a Remington .30-06 caliber rifle on July 24, 2018.
Ortega also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms. Ortega, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Jennings (Bryco) .380-caliber pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a Jennings (Jimenez Arms) 9mm pistol on May 7, 2018. Ortega allegedly was also in possession of a Ruger .22-caliber rifle, two Marlin .22-caliber rifles, and two Browning .22-caliber pistols on June 21, 2019.
Griffin also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Griffin, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Ruger .22-caliber pistol on Nov. 26, 2018.
Rodriguez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rodriguez, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Taurus .410-caliber revolver on Jan. 4, 2019.
Noose also is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine in Greene County and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Noose, who has previously been convicted of at least one felony offense, allegedly was in possession of a Taurus .38-caliber revolver on Feb. 11, 2019.
Gonzalez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County. Gutierrez also is charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Texas County. Ross and Cooper also are each charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in Howell County.
The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Ortega to forfeit to the government $10,924 that was seized by law enforcement officers; Hicks to forfeit to the government $20,393 that was seized by law enforcement officers; and Griffin to forfeit $16,078 that was seized by law enforcement officers. Ortega, Hicks, and Griffin would also be required to forfeit to the government a money judgment representing the proceeds obtained as a result of their participation in the alleged drug-trafficking conspiracy.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica R. Keller. It was investigated by the South Central Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Howell County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the West Plains, Mo., Police Department, and the Mountain View, Mo., Police Department.
New York and Maine Men Plead Guilty to Heroin and Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Akeem Cruz, a/k/a “Vybe” and “Mello”, 29, and Lamale Lawson, a/k/a “Bishop” and “King Bishop”, 28, both of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” Lawson also pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms. Christopher Rickett, 32, of Portland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and to distributing heroin.
According to court records, from 2015 until September 2017, Cruz and Lawson conspired to acquire heroin and crack in New York and to distribute it in the Portland and Lewiston areas. On about July 31, 2016, agents searched an apartment in Portland and recovered a loaded 9mm semiautomatic pistol, 9mm ammunition and a .22 revolver belonging to Lawson. Rickett conspired to acquire heroin in Massachusetts and to distribute it in the Portland area. On December 11, 2018, conspirator Sierrha Frisbie, a/k/a “Cici”, 27, of Portland, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin in the Portland and Lewiston areas.
Cruz and Lawson face between five and 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine and between four years and life on supervised release. Lawson also faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the firearms offense. Rickett and Frisbie face up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and between three years and life on supervised release. The defendants will be sentenced following the completion of presentence investigation reports by the U.S. Probation Office.
The investigation was conducted by the Portland and South Portland Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and the FBI and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that defendant LARMONDO ALLEN, a/k/a “Nino,” 22 years of age, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced on Thursday, August 22, 2019 by U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
ALLEN pled guilty on June 13, 2019, to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 922(g)(1).
Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon sentenced ALLEN to 37 months in the Bureau of Prisons, as well as 3 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the New Orleans Gang Task Force of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Privitera was in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Indicted for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that STEVEN ROLAND HANSEN, age 63, was charged on Thursday, August 22, 2019 in a five-count indictment for wire fraud in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343.
According to the indictment, STEVEN ROLAND HANSEN (“HANSEN”), started a fraudulent company, “The Reference Source, Inc.” in order to procure a postal meter from Company “A,” a national postage meter company located in Utah. HANSEN applied for credit with Company “A” to have postage installed on the meter. HANSEN then intentionally created inflated postage on envelopes and turned these envelopes in at post offices in the New Orleans area. Postal money orders were issued to refund the inflated envelopes. It was part of HANSEN’S scheme that by turning in the envelopes to the post office, he turned Company “A’s” credit into postal money orders which he could use as cash. If convicted, HANSEN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years per count, a maximum fine of $250,000, restitution, a maximum term of supervised release of up to three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment
HANSEN used the interstate wire system at least five times to further his scheme by making fraudulent representations to Company “A” in Utah. Company “A,” according to the indictment lost over $2,500.00 in this scheme.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Carter K. D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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