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13 August 2019
Meth Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Thomas Clifford Johnston, 36, of Saraland, Alabama, was sentenced in federal court for his participation in the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He pled guilty to the charge in October of 2018.
United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade imposed a sentence of 60 months imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release. The judge imposed standard conditions of supervision on record with the court for Johnston’s supervised release term, but added a special condition that he be tested and treated for drug and alcohol abuse. No fine was imposed, but the judge ordered that Johnston pay the $100 mandatory special assessment.
The case was investigated by the Saraland Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria A. Bedwell.
Massachusetts Construction Management Company, Owner, Pay $1.3M to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney John H. Durham and officials from the U.S. Small Business Administration and U.S. General Services Administration today announced that CLASSIC SITE SOLUTIONS, INC. (“CSS”) and its owner, CHERYL SADY, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States in which they will pay $1.3 million dollars to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act.
CSS is a Massachusetts corporation that performs construction management and general contracting services for various federal agencies. The government alleges that CSS and Sady made false statements to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to obtain certification as a Historically Underutilized Business Zone (“HUBZone”) company. One of the central purposes of the HUBZone program is to support small businesses that locate in geographic areas that have historically been unable to attract businesses and jobs. The government awards certain contracts only to HUBZone-certified businesses and applies a price preference to HUBZone contractors making bids on other contracts.
The government alleges that CSS and Sady falsely claimed to the SBA that CSS’s principal office was located in a designated HUBZone when, in fact, it was not. Using the fraudulently obtained HUBZone certification from the SBA, CSS bid on and was awarded government contracts worth millions of dollars that had been set aside for qualified HUBZone companies, as well as contracts for which a price preference was available to HUBZone companies. After CSS’s fraudulently procured HUBZone certification was discovered, CSS and Sady made further false statements to federal agents about CSS’s HUBZone eligibility and the location of its principal office.
To resolve the government’s allegations, CSS and Sady have agreed to pay $1.3 million for conduct occurring between 2009 and 2015.
“Companies that make false representations to take advantage of federal government contract programs for which they don’t qualify will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “We thank the SBA’s Office of Inspector General and Office of General Counsel, and the GSA Office of Inspector General, for their diligent work on this case and their efforts to protect both the integrity of the HUBZone program and taxpayer money.”
“The outcome in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other federal law enforcement partners to detect procurement fraud and prosecute those individuals and companies that engage in such activities,” said SBA’s General Counsel Christopher M. Pilkerton.
“A small business wishing to participate in SBA’s HUBZone Program must fulfill all the program requirements, which are designed to encourage economic development and increase employment opportunities in the distressed area,” said SBA Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “SBA OIG will continue to aggressively pursue parties that undermine Americans’ confidence in preferential federal contracting programs for small businesses. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication to enforcing compliance in SBA’s contracting programs.”
“Entities must be truthful in their dealings with the federal government,” said Inspector General Carol Ochoa of the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General. “The GSA OIG will aggressively pursue those who make false representations to obtain federal contracts.”
Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties of $11,181 to $22,363 for each false claim.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Gruber, with the assistance of Auditor Susan N. Spiegel.
Maryland man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kevin E. Burley, Jr., of Parkville, Maryland, was sentenced today to 27 months incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Burley, also known as “Breeze,” age 34, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” in April 2019. Burley, having been previously convicted of three felonies, admitted to having a 9mm pistol and four.380 caliber pistols in September 2016 in Preston County.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Preston County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Marijuana Smuggler IndictedRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican national has been indicted for conspiracy and importation of 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Joel Eduardo Martinez-Garcia was originally charged by criminal complaint. Today, the grand jury returned the two-count indictment. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga in the near future.
On or about July 23, 2019, Martinez-Garcia and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, conspired to import more than 100 kilograms of marijuana in metal pumpkins.
The complaint alleges that on or about July 23, 2019, Martinez-Garcia arrived at the Columbia Solidarity Bridge in Laredo driving a red Ford F-150. In the bed of the truck were numerous metal pumpkins, according to the charges. Further inspection allegedly revealed anomalies within them.
Authorities soon found 10 bundles of marijuana, according to the charges. They allegedly had a total combined weight of 109.42 kilograms.
If convicted, Martinez-Garcia faces up to 40 years in prison and a maximum $5 million fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam E. Harper is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.Macy Man Sentenced to 18 Months for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Taylor Morris, age 21, was sentenced in federal court Monday in Omaha, Nebraska, for assault causing serious bodily injury. Senior United States District Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Morris to 18 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Morris will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
During the early morning hours of August 18, 2018, in Macy, Nebraska, within the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation, Morris was intoxicated and assaulted a 67-year-old male in the street. Morris kicked and punched the victim. After Morris assaulted the victim and left the scene, emergency personnel arrived and transported the victim to the hospital. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered brain bleeding, a skull fracture, and a stroke.
The case was investigated by the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lexington Park Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Drugs that Resulted in a Victim’s DeathRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Keino Ferrez Dorsey, a/k/a B, age 46, of Lexington Park, Maryland, to 186 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and carfentanil, resulting in the death of a victim, and possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, para-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl, and cocaine. Dorsey had previously been convicted of a felony drug distribution offense.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron; and Chief Barry M. Barnard of the Prince William County (Virginia) Police Department.
“The drugs distributed by Keino Dorsey were mixed with fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, unbeknownst to the victim, who died almost immediately after ingesting the drugs,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Dorsey will now face more than 15 years in federal prison, where there is no parole—ever. Drug traffickers are on notice that dealing in fentanyl increases their odds of federal prosecution. We must do everything we can to reduce overdose deaths from fentanyl and from all opioids.”
According to Dorsey’s plea agreement, Dorsey and Victim A had known each other for approximately three years, during which Dorsey sold heroin and other drugs to Victim A. On October 17, 2017, Dorsey and Victim A communicated via text message and phone calls. Victim A and others traveled to Dorsey’s apartment to purchase narcotics. At about 12:45 p.m. Victim A went inside the apartment building to conduct the narcotics transaction and the other individuals stayed inside the vehicle. Less than five minutes later, Victim A texted one of the individuals waiting in the vehicle: “Gimmi a min he wants me to try sumthin…” The individuals inside the vehicle attempted to contact Victim A, but left the area to return home after several unanswered calls and text messages.
Dorsey admitted that at 1:08 p.m. he contacted 911 using Victim A’s cellular telephone to report an emergency and then hung up. The 911 dispatcher called Victim A’s phone three times between 1:08 and 1:16 p.m., but no one answered. The 911 dispatcher also texted Victim A’s phone during that time, but with no response. At 2:22 p.m. Dorsey again contacted 911, this time informing the dispatcher that Victim A was unresponsive. Emergency medical personnel responded to Dorsey’s apartment and attempted lifesaving measures, but were not successful, and Victim A was pronounced dead.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the State of Maryland subsequently determined that the cause of Victim A's death was heroin, fentanyl, carfentanil, cyclopropyl fentanyl, and despropionyl fentanyl intoxication. Victim A died as a result of ingesting the narcotics Dorsey provided to Victim A.
From April through June 2018, law enforcement conducted eight controlled buys of narcotics from Dorsey, who traveled from Maryland to Virginia to conduct the transactions. At the direction of law enforcement, purchases totaling of 111 grams of heroin and 78 grams of a mixture of heroin and other drugs, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and/or cocaine were made from Dorsey.
On July 13, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Dorsey’s residence and recovered narcotics containing heroin, fentanyl and cocaine; 12 boxes/bottles of cutting agents for heroin; and drug paraphernalia. From Dorsey’s vehicle, law enforcement recovered a black vacuum sealed foil package containing heroin from inside a magnetic box in the rear floorboard.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the DEA, HSI, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, and the Prince William County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer R. Sykes and Gregory Bernstein, who prosecuted the case.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Role in Health Care Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – On Monday, a Lexington man was sentenced, by Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph M. Hood, for his involvement in a health care fraud conspiracy. Samuel L. Ford, 40, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and 36 months of supervised release, for his role in submitting fraudulent claims for urine drug testing to insurers that administer the Kentucky Medicaid program.
Ford previously admitted to the conspiracy with Mason Routt, the owner of a toxicology laboratory in Nicholasville, Kentucky, known as C.A.L. Laboratory Services (“CAL”), and Dinesh Goyal, the owner of a separate toxicology laboratory in Owensboro, Kentucky known as Tristate Medical Laboratory (“Tristate”). CAL provided urine drug testing services for physician clients. Beginning in late 2015, health care organizations who administer the Kentucky Medicaid program placed payment restrictions on CAL’s claims seeking reimbursement for urine drug tests, due to concerns about the legitimacy of those claims. Ford acknowledged that these payment restrictions dramatically reduced CAL’s revenue.
Ford admitted that in order to evade these payment restrictions, in October 2016, he, Goyal, and Routt agreed that urine drug tests referred to and performed by CAL would be billed to the health insurance programs using Tristate’s billing information, falsely representing that the tests were performed by Tristate. In this way, CAL received reimbursements to which it was not entitled. Ford admitted in his plea agreement that these fraudulent claims caused Humana Caresource, Aetna Coventry Cares, and Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield Medicaid to suffer a combined loss of $1,378,449. As part of the sentence imposed today, Ford was ordered to repay that $1,378,449 as restitution, and will not be allowed to work in the medical billing field during his three years of supervised release.
Dinesh Goyal pled guilty to the same offense in July 2019, and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15, 2019.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Louisville Field Office; and Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Atlanta Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and HHS-OIG. The United States was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul McCaffrey.
Leader of anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A Bossier City man pleaded guilty today for his leadership role and participation in an anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy in the Shreveport/Bossier City area, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
Brant R. Landry, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, and manufacturing anabolic steroids. According to documents filed along with the guilty plea, from October 2016 to May 2018, Brant Landry was involved in a scheme to manufacture and distribute anabolic steroids in the Shreveport-Bossier City area along with his wife Julie Landry, 42, and Mike Mosura, 44, of Bossier City.
United States Postal officials in Benton, Louisiana, identified large volumes of mail that contained suspected drugs, many of which came from other countries, including China. On one occasion, a postal official observed Brant Landry using gloves and a towel to place parcels in a collection box. The parcels were examined and found to contain illegal drugs.
When a Bossier Parish deputy stopped Brant Landry’s vehicle on May 22, 2018, for a traffic violation, the deputy searched his vehicle and found a plastic bag containing 11 vials of a yellow liquid substance later identified as steroids. After questioning Landry further, he admitted to importing the drugs, distributing them and storing the drugs at his home. Deputies searched his residence and found numerous vials of liquid steroids, empty vials, labels, and an industrial size pill mixer and pill press apparatus. Residue on the pill press tested positive for steroids.
Brant Landry and Mosura face 10 years in prison for conspiracy, and Brant Landry faces 10 years for possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and manufacturing anabolic steroids. Additionally, they both face two years to life of supervised release and a $500,000 fine. Mosura pleaded guilty on August 8, 2019, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids. Foote set Brant Landry’s sentencing for December 4, 2019. Mosura’s sentencing date is set for December 5, 2019. Julie Landry is scheduled for trial on September 9, 2019.
The DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting case.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Four California Car Reconditioning CompaniesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with four car reconditioning companies in California: Automotive Creations, Inc., Dynamic Auto Images, Inc., Prestige Auto Specialists, Inc., and Expert Automotive Reconditioning, Inc. (collectively, the Companies). The settlement resolves the Department’s investigation into whether the Companies violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against lawful permanent residents when verifying their authorization to work in the United States.
“The Civil Rights Division remains committed to ensuring that employers do not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of citizenship, immigration status, or national origin when requesting documents to verify employees’ work authorization,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We commend the Companies for their commitment to ensuring that all future documentary requests will comply with the law.”
The Department’s independent investigation concluded that, from at least October 2015 through at least August 2018, the Companies requested that lawful permanent residents produce unnecessary and specific immigration documents to prove their work authorization, even when they had provided other legally acceptable documents. The anti-discrimination provision of the INA prohibits employers from requesting more or different documents than necessary to prove work authorization based on the employees’ citizenship, immigration status, or national origin. All work-authorized individuals, regardless of citizenship status, have the right to choose which legally acceptable documents to present to demonstrate their ability to work in the United States.
Under the settlement, the Companies will pay $159,000 in civil penalties to the United States and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements. Additionally, certain employees will be required to attend training on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits citizenship, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; and retaliation and intimidation.
More information on how employers can avoid unlawful discrimination is available here. Workers can find information about their rights under the anti-discrimination provision of the INA here. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under immigration laws, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; or discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Jury Convicts South Texas Man of Smuggling More Than Two Dozen AliensRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A Corpus Christi federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a Pharr man for unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. They deliberated for less than three hours before finding Heriberto Lerma guilty as charged.
During the two-day trial, the jury heard testimony that on April 15, 2019, Lerma drove a tractor trailer into the Border Patrol Checkpoint south of Sarita shortly after 1:00 a.m. Lerma told agents he was traveling alone and that he was hauling building materials. However, authorities noticed the bill of lading and the seal placed on the door of the trailer did not match.
The jury heard this is a common sign of tampering with the load.
Further, a canine had alerted to possible contraband in the trailer.
Authorities eventually located a total of 27 undocumented aliens in the trailer, all of whom were illegally present in the United States.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that the defendant did not know that the undocumented aliens were in his tractor trailer.
U.S District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 3, 2019. At that time, Lerma faces up to five years of imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Lerma was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Popejoy and Amanda Gould are prosecuting the case.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Jackson County man plead guilty to federal drug and firearm offenses, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Christopher Spaulding, 47, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking before Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office.
“Spaulding wanted to trade meth for a firearm and then he attempted to obstruct justice,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Two horrible wrongs don’t make a right – it just lands you in federal prison.”
Spaulding admitted that on December 19, 2018, in the Walmart parking lot in Ripley, West Virginia, he took possession of a firearm from a cooperating witness. At that time, Spaulding was in possession of methamphetamine and intended to trade the methamphetamine for the firearm. Spaulding further admitted that he made calls from the jail to ask individuals to approach the cooperating witness in an effort to get the witness to change their story.
Spaulding faces a minimum of five years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on December 16, 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders is handling the prosecution.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Inmate Charged with Assaulting a Staff Member at McKean-FCIRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - An inmate at the Allenwood United States Penitentiary in Allenwood, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Erie on a charge of infliction of bodily injury, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Lawrence W. Nelson, 44, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on or about July 10, 2019, Nelson assaulted a staff member while an inmate at the McKean Federal Correctional Institution.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Officers of the McKean Federal Correctional Institution and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Southeast Texas Drug Trafficking and Immigration ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A 37-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced to federal prison for immigration and drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Juan Jose Castro-Ayala pleaded guilty on April 3, 2019, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and unlawfully reentering the United States after having been deported. Castro-Ayala was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone to 80 months in federal prison for the drug conviction and 24 months for the immigration violation. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently.
According to information presented in court, on Sep. 12, 2018, Castro-Ayala was stopped for a traffic violation in Jefferson County, Texas. A search of the vehicle revealed seven kilograms of cocaine inside two five-gallon paint buckets. Castro-Ayala was transported to jail where a records check revealed he had been previously deported from the United States on three separate occasions in 2014 and again in 2015. Further investigation revealed Castro-Ayala was convicted in 2003 of assault causing bodily injury in Hidalgo County, Texas.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall L. Fluke.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced after Repeated Criminal ConvictionsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Guatemalan citizen was sentenced today to more than a year and a half in prison for illegally reentering the United States after removal for a felony conviction.
“Juarez-Garcia has continued to show his total disregard for our laws by illegally entering our country multiple times and committing serious criminal offenses,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Juarez-Garcia’s habitual criminal behavior, such as felony-level drunk driving and serious domestic assault, represents a clear threat to public safety.”
According to court documents, Esau Juarez-Garcia, 41, illegally entered the United States sometime around 2009, and was removed after illegally reentering twice. Juarez-Garcia’s criminal record includes 10 convictions over a 16-year period, including felony DWI and a conviction for serious domestic assault against one woman five times.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorney S. David Schiller prosecuted 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-59.
Guatemalan Man Charged with Illegally Using Social Security Number to Obtain EmploymentRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that WILMER A. GARCIA-LOPEZ, age 22, a native of Guatemala, was charged on August 8, 2019 in a one-count bill of information with Illegally using a Social Security number in order to obtain employment, in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(7)(B).
GARCIA-LOPEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, a fine of $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a bill of information 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations agents in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Government Contractor Pleads Guilty to Acting as a Pass-Through Minority Business EnterpriseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keith D. Forney, 60, formerly of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty today to mail fraud and money laundering in one federal court case, and tax fraud in another announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
The Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer scheduled sentencing for both cases on November 12, 2019. In the first case, Forney faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for mail fraud and 10 years for money laundering. As part of his plea, he agreed to a $400,000 forfeiture money judgment. In the second case, Forney faces a maximum sentence of three years for tax fraud. He agreed to pay $92,000 in restitution to the IRS.
According to the statement of offense submitted in the mail fraud and money laundering case, Forney was the sole owner of Forney Enterprises, Inc. (FEI). FEI was primarily engaged in the construction business as a general contractor. Its principal office was located in the District of Columbia.
As documented in the statement of offense, Forney participated in a scheme with John Vassos and the President of Sharp Business Systems (SBS) to obtain a contract with the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts (Maryland AOC) for copier maintenance and repair services throughout the state’s court system. In 2009, the Maryland AOC solicited bids for the contract. The contract required that at least 20% of the work be performed by a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE). SBS bid on the contract and identified FEI as the MBE. Forney, on behalf of FEI, signed a subcontracting agreement with the President of SBS. The Maryland AOC awarded the contract to SBS, and renewed the contract in 2010 and 2011.
As detailed in the statement of offense, FEI performed no work and provided no services during the three years that the contract was in effect. Forney falsely stated in a letter to the MBE compliance manager that FEI was providing “logistic support” to SBS. Forney signed monthly work force rosters to the Maryland AOC falsely claiming that an FEI employee was working as a “Logistics/IT Support Technician” on the contract. The FEI employee was in fact a Quality Control Manager for FEI’s construction projects.
FEI submitted monthly $12,500 invoices to SBS for FEI’s purported work as an MBE. Sharp Electronics, the parent company of SBS, then issued checks to FEI. In total, FEI received $400,000 for its purported work as the MBE. Forney provided the entire $400,000 to John Vassos, an SBS consultant.
According to the statement of offense, Forney and James Redding owned Stadium Club, an establishment in Southeast Washington. In May 2010, Vassos provided approximately $2 million to Forney and Redding to finance the purchase of the property where Stadium Club was built. Additionally, from 2011 until 2014, Vassos loaned hundreds of thousands of dollars to Forney and Redding. Vassos pled guilty in June 2017 to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, one count of tax fraud, and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He is awaiting sentencing. In May 2015, Redding pled guilty to Tax Evasion and Failure to Pay over Payroll Taxes. He was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
In the statement of offense for the tax fraud case, Forney acknowledged that he knowingly under-reported his income from FEI on his personal federal income tax returns for the 2009 and 2010 calendar years. Forney did so by fraudulently treating certain expenses as deductible business expenses. Those expenses included: FEI payments to reimburse individuals whom Forney had directed to make contributions from their personal funds to candidates for D.C. political offices and to D.C. Council members’ Constituent Services Programs; an FEI contribution to a mayoral campaign; an FEI payment to a law firm for its representation of a former foreign government official from a country where Forney owned investment property, in connection with the official’s trip to Washington, DC; FEI payments to Forney for “consulting” work; and FEI payments for his child’s college education.
In April 2019, Forney was convicted of eleven counts of campaign finance violations, three counts of fraud, two counts of perjury, and one count of corrupt election practices following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced to six months in prison for the 11 illegal campaign violations and an additional 36 months, suspended, for fraud, perjury, and corrupt election practices.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu praised the efforts of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and IRS. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including financial analyst, Bryan J. Snitselaar, paralegal specialists C. Rosalind Pressley and Amanda Rohde, former paralegals Toni Anne Donato, Kristy Penny, and Joshua Fein, and former U.S. Attorney’s Office investigator Juan Juarez. Finally she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Saler and Michael Marando who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Gilmer County man admits to drug distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jerry Lee Boyers, of Glenville, West Virginia, has admitted to drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Boyers, age 41, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Methamphetamine Within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location.” Boyers admitted to selling methamphetamine near Glenville State College in Gilmer County in September 2018.
Boyers faces not less than one and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Lakes Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Franklin, Tennessee Man and Three Others Sentenced to Prison for Engaging in Global Child Exploitation EnterpriseRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 12, 2019 - The creator and lead administrator of a highly sophisticated “The Onion Router” (TOR)-network-based website dedicated to the sexual abuse of children was sentenced Friday, along with three others, for their roles in a global child exploitation enterprise.
Patrick D. Falte, 29, of Franklin, Tennessee, was sentenced to 35 years in prison for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, three counts of advertising child pornography, and three counts of distributing child pornography. Benjamin A. Faulkner, 28, of Ontario, Canada, was sentenced to 35 years in prison; Andrew R. Leslie, 24, of Middleburg, Florida, was sentenced to 30 years in prison; and Brett A. Bedusek, 35, of Cudahy, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, all for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise. Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw of the Middle District of Tennessee also sentenced each defendant to a lifetime of supervised release. All were indicted in March 2017 and pleaded guilty to the charges last year.
“The sentences imposed on these despicable individuals should insure that they never have another opportunity to abuse another child,” said U.S. Attorney Don Cochran. “With all that we have, we will continue to hunt down the evil and abominable like-minded individuals who delight in abusing children and will bring them to justice.”
“The Giftbox Exchange proved a haven for sophisticated predators to produce and spread deplorable depictions of child sexual abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentences affirm that layers of anonymity on the dark web will not prevent the Department of Justice from identifying and holding accountable those who exploit children.”
In July 2015, Falte created a website called “The Giftbox Exchange” and operated it on the TOR network as a hidden service, meaning it could only be accessed by users through the TOR anonymity network. Falte paid for the operation of the site using the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. He acted as the lead administrator of the site and established rules that required users to upload and share images and videos depicting pre-teen children being sexually abused before being allowed access to the site.
The site was organized into different forums for posting different types of child pornography, categorized by age range of the minor victims, including a sub-forum for “Babies & Toddlers.” By the time the site was shut down by law enforcement in November 2016, it had over 72,000 registered users and 56,000 posts. In addition to operating the site on the TOR network, which masks the internet protocol addresses of the users, Falte and his co-conspirators used other advanced technological means to thwart law enforcement detection and investigative efforts, including file encryption and cryptography.
Faulkner joined The Giftbox Exchange in September 2015 and became an administrator of the site. In addition to his administration of The Giftbox Exchange, he created and administered another TOR network-based hidden service website dedicated to child sexual exploitation, which grew to host over 1 million members. Leslie, in addition to his membership on the The Giftbox Exchange, ran yet another TOR network-based hidden service website, which explicitly allowed images and videos depicting graphic and violent sexual abuse of children. Bedusek, who has a prior federal conviction for receipt of child pornography and engaged in activity on The Giftbox Exchange while on federal supervised release for that offense, was a VIP member, which gave him access to a special area of the site reserved for users who uploaded new or originally produced child pornography.
Falte and Faulkner were previously charged and convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of operating an online network dedicated to child sexual exploitation, in connection with their sexual abuse of a toddler-aged minor to whom they gained access through an individual they met through The Giftbox Exchange. Both traveled to abuse that minor on multiple occasions and were sentenced in September 2017 to life in prison by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr.
In addition, Andrew Leslie was previously charged and convicted in the Middle District of Florida, in connection with his sexual abuse and production of child pornography involving multiple children, including an infant and a toddler. In March 2018, Leslie was sentenced to 60 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations and the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the Department of Justice. Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Carran Daughtrey and Byron M. Jones of the Middle District of Tennessee and CEOS Trial Attorney Lauren E. Britsch prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Fort Wayne Man Ordered to Pay $566,618.50 in RestitutionRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Robin C. Opper, age 36, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Opper was sentenced to 12 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. Opper was ordered to pay $566,618.50 in restitution.
“This is one of the last defendants to be sentenced in an massive fraud scheme involving federal charges against 31 former BAE employees arising out of false submissions for reimbursement from the employer’s tuition assistance program. All 31 defendants have been convicted of various charges of wire fraud and ordered to pay restitution to BAE for its loss which, as a result of the scheme, totaled $806,241.09. We, along with our law enforcement partners take financial fraud seriously and will take measures to obtain restitution for the victim of these offenses,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
"This sentence sends a clear message that the FBI will aggressively pursue those who commit financial fraud and vigorously investigate this criminal activity,” said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to use all the resources at our disposal to ensure those who believe they can profit from defrauding others face the full consequences of their actions.”
According to documents in the case, between June 13, 2013 and April 25, 2016, while employed at BAE Systems in Fort Wayne, Opper devised a scheme to defraud his employer. The scheme was used to obtain fraudulent reimbursement payment from BAE’s tuition assistance program. Opper perpetrated the scheme by submitting false documentation regarding college course enrollment in order to obtain reimbursement for tuition payments for courses he was neither registered for nor completed. In addition, Opper recruited other employees to participate in the scheme and provided them with fraudulent documentation so that they too could receive payments to which they were not entitled. Opper required those employees whom he recruited to pay him a fee for his assistance. Opper received $37,500 from BAE for fraudulent tuition reimbursements for himself and BAE paid $529,118.50 to other employees that Opper recruited into the fraud scheme.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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Former U.S. Probation Officer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of DENNIS EDWARD BRESNAHAN, 56, a former United States Probation Officer, to 30 months in prison for making false statements to the FBI regarding his sexual exploitation of probationers. The sentence reflects a significant upward departure from the advisory sentencing guideline range of zero to six months in prison. BRESNAHAN, who pleaded guilty on March 1, 2019, was sentenced today before Judge Robert W. Pratt in U.S. District Court in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Before handing down the sentence, Judge Pratt remarked that this case “exemplifies public corruption and disrespect for the law,” and defined BRESNAHAN’s inappropriate sexual conduct as “loathsome and appalling.”
United States Attorney Erica MacDonald stated, “Mr. Bresnahan abused the trust of the Court, the probation office, and the community when he sought to gratify his own sexual desires at the expense of the probationers under his supervision. His deplorable actions brought harm not only to his victims, but also violated the public’s trust and undermined the integrity of the judicial system.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Allyn said, "The defendant’s despicable conduct would never have come to light but for the women who courageously spoke out about what they endured. Today the Court sent a strong message that those who would abuse their protected position of power will still be held accountable under the law."
This case demonstrates a reprehensible misuse of public trust that could have been hard to detect without the assistance of the victims,” said Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge of the Minneapolis Division of the FBI. “This is an example of why public corruption is a top criminal priority for the FBI as it erodes public confidence and undermines the strength of our democracy. We are grateful to the victims for bravely coming forward to help us in this investigation,” she said.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, for more than twenty-five years, and until August 22, 2016, BRESNAHAN was employed as a United States Probation Officer for the District of Minnesota. In his role, BRESNAHAN was responsible for supervising and maintaining communication with defendants on federal pretrial and supervised release. BRESNAHAN also had access to medical records, financial records, email accounts, home addresses, and other personal information belonging to individuals under his supervision. Beginning in early 2015, BRESNAHAN began engaging in sexually inappropriate conduct with an individual (identified as “Witness A”) under his supervision, including repeated phone and email discussions of a sexual nature.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, on August 22, 2016, FBI agents interviewed BRESNAHAN regarding both his sexually inappropriate conduct in his role as a United States Probation Officer and his relationship with Witness A. BRESNAHAN admitted to engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior and to receiving one topless photograph from Witness A. When FBI agents asked BRESNAHAN whether he had asked for additional sexual photographs from Witness A, BRESNAHAN lied and said that he had not. FBI agents then asked BRESNAHAN if he had engaged in any similar inappropriate sexual conduct with other probationers, including asking for sexual photographs, to which BRESNAHAN again lied and claimed that he had not. However, upon further investigation, it was revealed that BRESNAHAN had in fact asked for sexual photographs from other probationers, specifically an individual identified as Witness B. Witness B was under BRESNAHAN’S supervision from July 2013 until approximately February 2014. During that time, BRESNAHAN engaged in multiple email exchanges of a sexual nature with Witness B, including extremely explicit conversations about specific sex acts and asking for sexual photographs. Subsequent investigation by the FBI revealed additional individuals previously supervised by BRESNAHAN, since approximately 1994, with whom he was sexually inappropriate.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie E. Allyn and Allen A. Slaughter prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
DENNIS EDWARD BRESNAHAN, 56
Forest Lake, Minn.
Convicted:
- Making false statements or representations to an agency of the United States, 2 counts
Sentenced:
- 30 months in prison
- Two years of supervised release
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Former Student Sentenced for Destroying Computers at the College of St. RoseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - Vishwanath Akuthota, age 27, of Albany, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison, to be followed by 1 year of supervised release, for intentionally damaging computer equipment owned by The College of St. Rose. Akuthota was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $58,471.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Chief Eric Hawkins of the Albany Police Department (APD).
In pleading guilty, Akuthota admitted that on February 14, 2019, he inserted a “USB Killer” device into 66 computers, as well as numerous computer monitors and computer-enhanced podiums, owned by the college in Albany. The “USB Killer” device, when inserted into a computer’s USB port, sends a command causing the computer’s on-board capacitors to rapidly charge and then discharge repeatedly, thereby overloading and physically destroying the computer’s USB port and electrical system.
Akuthota is a citizen of India, residing in the United States on a student visa. He has been in custody since he was arrested in North Carolina on February 22, 2019.
This case was investigated by the FBI and APD, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Myers.
Former G.E.O. Guard in San Antonio Sentenced to Federal Prison for Attempting to Provide Contraband to PrisonersRead the Press Release
In San Antonio today, a federal judge sentenced 38-year-old former Central Texas Detention Facility – G.E.O. employee Jewel Roberto Jefferson to 40 months in federal prison for attempting to provide contraband to inmates inside the federal detention facility, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, Houston Division, and U.S. Marshal Susan Pamerleau.
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez ordered that Jefferson be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term.
On September 11, 2018, Jefferson pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to provide contraband in prison. By pleading guilty, Jefferson admitted that he agreed to smuggle crystal methamphetamine and heroin into the facility and give it to a detainee in exchange for $1,000. On November 21, 2017, DEA agents arrested Jefferson immediately after he accepted payment but before he could smuggle in the contraband.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Jefferson now gets to spend time behind the same bars he once guarded. Crime and corruption have no place in our federal detention facilities, and DEA will continue to work with our partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute these cases,” said DEA SAC Glaspy.
The detainee, 40-year-old Brian Keith Gonzalez was sentenced to 63 months imprisonment on December 12, 2018, for his role in this scheme. He pleaded guilty to the same charge as Jefferson on May 10, 2018.
The DEA and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wannarka prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
Former Foreign Service Officer Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Production and Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm today sentenced Steven Hadley Hassan, age 52, of Frederick, Maryland, to 40 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexually abusing minors to produce child pornography and transporting those images to the United States. Judge Grimm also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Hassan must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). Hassan has been detained since his arrest on June 8, 2018.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); U.S. Department of State Inspector General Steve A. Linick; and Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins.
“Steven Hassan preyed on vulnerable young girls, including foreign nationals, while representing the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This sentence demonstrates that we will find and bring to justice those who victimize children.”
“Steven Hadley Hassan exploited his position as a U.S. government official abroad to victimize children over the course of several years in a certain perversion of public trust,” said HSI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge John Eisert. “Today’s sentencing ensures that Hassan will serve a just sentence and not again have access to additional victims.”
“I appreciate the hard work and dedication of the special agents who worked on this important case,” said Inspector General Steve Linick.
According to his guilty plea, from October 2010 and continuing until mid-2013, Hassan admitted that he sexually abused Jane Doe 1 in government housing in the Philippines and South Africa, where Hassan was stationed in connection with his work as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department.
During the time Hassan was stationed in the Philippines he also sexually abused two prepubescent minor sisters who resided in Manila, Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3, and produced images of the abuse. Hassan met Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3 in 2010, when the girls were seven and 11 years old, respectively, when he offered them food from a local restaurant near where they lived. Hassan then transported Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3 in his vehicle to a local hotel and sexually abused them. Hassan had Jane Doe 3 take photos while Hassan sexually abused Jane Doe 2. Hassan also brought Jane Doe 3 and two other minor girls to a local Manila hotel on at least three occasions and sexually abused them. Hassan most recently sexually abused Jane Doe 2 in 2015 when he briefly visited the Philippines.
Sometime after November 2015, Hassan transported his camera and the Secure Digital (SD) memory card within it, which contained the photos documenting the sexual abuse of the minor girls, back to the United States. Hassan eventually deleted the images of the child pornography he produced from the SD card.
From October 2014 through March 2018, Hassan, under a number of different usernames, used an online file-sharing network to distribute child pornography, including images documenting the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors, as well as to engage in online chats. On January 22, 2018, an undercover investigator downloaded thousands of depictions of child pornography and child erotica from the “shared folder” of the file-sharing program that Hassan made available for download. Search warrants were subsequently obtained for Hassan’s residence in Frederick. Law enforcement seized a laptop computer, camera, and various digital media.
An HSI Computer Forensics Analyst forensically examined all of the digital evidence and discovered thousands of images of child pornography, including the images that depict Hassan, whose face is visible in some of the images, sexually abusing Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3. The Analyst also recovered online chats in which Hassan repeatedly discussed his abuse of Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, and others, and repeatedly sent the images he produced documenting the sexual abuse of Jane Doe 2 and Jane Doe 3 to other users of the file-sharing program. In other chats, Hassan provided tips to others about how to meet and abuse minors in the Philippines.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI-Baltimore and HSI-Philippines, the U.S. Department of State Office of Inspector General, and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who is prosecuting the federal case.
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Former Floridian, 71, Sentenced to Prison for Robbing 2 Pittsburgh-area Banks and Doing so While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pompano Beach, Florida, has been sentenced for two armed robberies of Pittsburgh area banks, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Court Judge Cathy Bissoon sentenced Robert Stiver, age 71, on two counts of armed bank robbery to 6½ years (78 months) in federal prison and ordered that he pay restitution for the money he stole from both banks. In addition, Judge Bissoon also ordered that Stiver serve an additional 2 years and 9 months (33 months) for committing the bank robberies while on federal supervised release. Stiver was on federal supervised release at the time of the bank robberies for a 1992 federal narcotics conviction. Stiver has been detained since his arrest at the Pittsburgh International Airport on December 22, 2016.
According to information presented to the court, on November 2, 2016, Robert Stiver walked into the Allegheny Valley Bank in Shaler, PA wearing an orange construction vest, a duffel bag around his neck, a homemade face mask, and a long wig. He approached a teller brandishing a large revolver and announced to everyone in the bank not to try anything or he'd have to shoot. He then told the teller to hand over the money from her drawers. The teller complied and Stiver placed the money in the bag draped around his neck. Stiver then walked out of the front door of the bank and fled southbound in a black Toyota Versa Sedan. Stiver netted approximately $2,063 in cash from the robbery.
On December 9, 2016, Stiver walked into the First Commonwealth Bank in Harmarville, PA. Stiver was wearing light color blue jeans, white shoes, and a dark hooded jacket, and, orange construction vest, a homemade face mask and a long wig. Once again Stiver had a large duffel bag around the front of his person. He approached the teller holding a large revolver in his right hand and demanded money from the drawers without any dye packs. The teller complied and handed over approximately $5,732 in US currency. Stiver fled out of an employee entrance in the back. Surveillance footage captured Stiver fleeing the scene in a small white Ford Focus.
On December 22, 2016, Special Agents of Pittsburgh’s Violent Crimes Task Force stopped and arrested Stiver at Pittsburgh International Airport while he was attempting to board a plane. Pursuant to a search warrant, Special Agents recovered money stolen from the Harmarville, PA bank in Stiver’s bag. Stiver was arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint at the time.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The FBI Pittsburgh’s Violent Crimes Task Force, Allegheny County Police, Allegheny County Sherriff’s Department, the Shaler Township Police Department, and the Harmar Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the sentence in this case.
Former Corrections Officer Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A former corrections officer pled guilty to a federal drug trafficking offense today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. John Edward Roach, II, 47, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the Boone County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
“Roach abused his position as a Corrections Officer to deal meth inside the jail,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Instead of upholding the law, he broke the law. We are holding him accountable for this total breach of public trust.”
According to public court filings and other documents, an inmate at the South Central Regional Jail paid Roach $2,000 to smuggle contraband into the jail in early April 2019. Police investigators then arranged a sting operation, where undercover agents posed as a drug traffickers attempting to smuggle methamphetamine into the jail. On April 11, 2019, Roach met with an undercover agent and received $2,000 payment and four ounces of methamphetamine. Investigators arrested Roach before he could transport the methamphetamine to the jail.
Roach faces up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 6, 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is handling the prosecution.
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Five Defendants Plead Guilty in Federal Court to Traveling to Have Sex with MinorsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that five different defendants appeared in federal court during the past week to plead guilty to traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of having sex with a minor.
“These are heinous crimes that prey on our most vulnerable,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The five convictions obtained within just the last week demonstrate the high volume of these cases that we prosecute. We are working tirelessly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to protect our children from predators.”
On August 5, 2019, Bruce Ward, 34, of Huntington, West Virginia, pled guilty before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers to traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Ward admitted that during January 2019 he communicated via a social messaging application and text message with a minor he believed to be a 15-year-old girl in Huntington, West Virginia. During the conversations, Ward discussed arranging for the minor to meet him in order to engage in sexual intercourse. In late January 2019, Ward traveled from South Point, Ohio, to Huntington, West Virginia, to meet the purported minor to engage in sexual activity. Ward faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 18, 2019.
On August 7, 2019, Gary Wayne Lilly, 39, of Josephine, Raleigh County, West Virginia, pled guilty before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger to traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Lilly admitted that beginning in late May 2019 he communicated via a social messaging application and telephone with a minor he believed to be a 13-year-old girl in Bluefield. During the conversations, Lilly discussed meeting the minor female to engage in oral sex and sexual intercourse. On June 1, 2019, Lilly traveled from Josephine, West Virginia, to Bluefield, Virginia, to meet the purported 13-year-old minor. Lilly stopped in Princeton on his way to Bluefield in order to purchase condoms. Lilly faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 13, 2019.
On August 8, 2019, Johnathan Matthew Taylor, 24, of Chesapeake, Ohio, pled guilty before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger to traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Taylor admitted that on June 1, 2019, he communicated via a social messaging application with a minor he believed to be a 15-year-old girl he understood to be located in Bluefield, West Virginia. Despite knowing her age, Taylor discussed traveling to Bluefield from Ohio to meet the minor to engage in sexual intercourse, but the plans were canceled by the purported minor due to the late hour at which he would arrive. Two days later, on June 3, 2019, Taylor arranged to meet the minor female in Saint Albans, Kanawha County, West Virginia, in order to engage in sexual intercourse. On that same date he traveled from Chesapeake, Ohio to West Virginia, where he purchased condoms before arriving at the location to meet the purported 15-year-old female. Taylor faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on January 23, 2020.
On August 12, 2019, Kevin Lee Boston, 58, of Woodsfield, Ohio, pled guilty before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin to traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Boston admitted that from on May 31, 2019 through June 5, 2019, he communicated via a social messaging application with a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl he understood to be located in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Despite knowing her age, Boston discussed traveling to Parkersburg from Ohio to meet the minor to engage in sexual intercourse. On June 5, 2019, Boston traveled from Woodsfield, Ohio to an arranged meeting location in Parkersburg in order to engage in sexual intercourse with the purported 14-year-old girl. Boston faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 4, 2019.
Also on August 12, 2019, Ryan Scott Kibble, 33, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, pled guilty before Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber to traveling in interstate commerce in order to engage in illicit sexual activity with a minor. Kibble admitted that on March 1, 2019, he began communicating via a social messaging application and text messages with a minor he believed to be a 14-year-old girl located in Parkersburg, West Virginia. Despite knowing her age, Kibble discussed meeting the minor to engage in sexual intercourse. On the evening of March 1, 2019, Kibble also spoke with the purported minor on the phone, further discussing plans to meet the next day in Parkersburg in order to engage in oral sex and sexual intercourse with the minor in his vehicle. On March 2, 2019, Kibble traveled from his work in Belpre, Ohio to an arranged meeting location in Parkersburg in order to engage in sexual intercourse with the purported 14-year-old girl. Per the terms of his plea agreement, Kibble will be sentenced to between 46 and 78 months in prison when he is sentenced on December 16, 2019.
Upon release from prison, all five defendants will be required to serve a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life. They will also be required to register as sex offenders. The investigations were all conducted by the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force and the West Virginia States Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with additional assistance from the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Parkersburg Police Department, and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecutions.
These cases were prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Federal grand jury indicts Chrisley Knows Best stars Todd and Julie ChrisleyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A federal grand jury has indicted Todd and Julie Chrisley, the stars of the reality television show Chrisley Knows Best, on multiple counts of conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The Chrisleys’ accountant, Peter Tarantino, has also been indicted on tax-related offenses.
“Todd and Julie Chrisley are charged not only with defrauding a number of banks by fraudulently obtaining millions of dollars in loans, but also with allegedly cheating taxpayers by actively evading paying federal taxes on the money they earned,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Celebrities face the same justice that everyone does. These are serious federal charges and they will have their day in court.”
“The reality of this indictment is that the FBI takes allegations of bank fraud and wire fraud very seriously and devotes many resources to protecting the institutions and citizens affected by those crimes,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The Chrisleys’ will now have their day in court, but anyone else considering this type of alleged activity should take notice.”
“The tax charges in this indictment serves notice that the Internal Revenue Service has zero tolerance for individuals who attempt to shirk their tax responsibilities. This action is also part of a much larger and coordinated effort by the IRS and Department of Justice to aggressively find and crack down on individuals who try to conspire with others to hide their income and then lie to federal agents when confronted. Honest and law abiding taxpayers are fed up with the likes of those who use deceit and fraud to line their pockets at their expense,” said Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: from at least as early as 2007 through approximately 2012, Todd and Julie Chrisley allegedly conspired to defraud numerous banks by providing the banks with false information such as personal financial statements containing false information, and fabricated bank statements when applying for and receiving millions of dollars in loans.
After fraudulently obtaining these loans, the Chrisleys allegedly used much of the proceeds for their own personal benefit. In 2014, two years after the alleged bank fraud scheme ended, Todd and Julie Chrisley allegedly used fabricated bank statements and a fabricated credit report that had been physically cut and taped or glued together when applying for and obtaining a lease for a home in California.
Todd Chrisley, 51, and Julie Chrisley, 46, both of Nashville, Tennessee are also charged with conspiring with their Roswell, Georgia-based accountant, Peter Tarantino, 56, of Milton, Georgia to defraud the Internal Revenue Service.
In February 2017, Todd Chrisley publicly claimed on a national radio program “obviously the federal government likes my tax returns because I pay 750,000 to 1 million dollars just about every year so the federal government doesn’t have a problem with my taxes.” However, Todd and Julie Chrisley allegedly did not timely file income tax returns for the 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 tax years or timely pay federal income taxes for any of those years.
Instead, the Chrisleys and Tarantino allegedly took steps to obstruct IRS collection efforts, which included hiding income, lying to third parties about their tax returns, and – in Tarantino’s case – lying to FBI and IRS-CI Special Agents.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas J. Krepp and Annalise K. Peters are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Federal authorities uncover sexual abuse and online exploitationRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS - United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced today that Bennie Schuck II and Amber Talley, both from Indianapolis, have been arrested and charged with the Sexual Exploitation of a Child for their acts against a child who was less than 12 years old. Schuck was also charged with the Distribution of Child Pornography using Kik Messenger. According to the criminal complaint, both Schuck and Talley sexually abused a minor female, who reported that the abuse had been on-going for at least a year. Schuck and Talley created images of the abuse, which they sent to each other, depending on who took the images. Schuck admitted to police that he had exploited the child “fewer than 20 times.” Schuck also sent the sexually explicit images of the child to a woman through Kik Messenger, which led to the detection of Schuck and Talley’s crimes.
“People who prey on children and are brazen enough to share evidence of their crimes online must be held accountable,” said Minkler. “At a time when parents proudly share their children’s ‘First Day of School’ photos, we found evidence that the photos that Schuck and Talley created and shared were of the depraved abuse of an innocent little girl. Our children deserve to enjoy their childhood, free of sexual abuse and exploitation.”
This investigation began in April of 2019, when police in Louisiana investigated the online activities of another individual, who distributed and received sexually explicit images online. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement officers discovered Schuck was using a Kik screen name to distribute images containing the sexual exploitation of a child to whom Schuck had access.
Using social media and public records, law enforcement identified Talley as a female whom participated in the sexual exploitation. The Indiana Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search warrant on August 8, 2019. According to the Complaint, both Shuck and Talley admitted to engaging in illegal sexual conduct with the child. Both parties admitted to creating images of the sexual conduct, and Schuck admitted to distributing images online.
“We want to take this opportunity to recognize the bravery of this child, who, after being repeatedly betrayed by adults in her life, still had the courage to trust that the police would help her,” Minkler said. “This child pulled up on the search warrant scene in a car with 2 people who had abused her, but she left that night with people who worked to ensure her safety. We are proud to stand with our ICAC partners in rescuing children from sexual abuse and online exploitation.”
According to Assistant United States Attorney Kristina M. Korobov, who is prosecuting the case for the government, defendants each face a possible sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
A complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All parties are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the office’s firm commitment to utilize and partner with law enforcement agencies to prosecute individuals engaged in the sexual exploitation of children. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan Section 4.1 and 4.2.
Federal Jury Convicts Pittsburgh-area Felon of Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – After deliberating for approximately three hours, a former resident of East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was convicted by a jury of seven men and five women for violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Douglas Tyrone Williams, Jr., aka "Chrome", 39, was convicted late yesterday of four counts before Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak.
The evidence presented at trial established that on or about July 20, 2016, Williams possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance. In addition, Williams conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin.
Williams was also charged with possessing a (stolen) 9 mm caliber semi-automatic Ruger pistol; a 9 mm caliber semi-automatic Beretta pistol with an obliterated serial number; a (stolen) .45 caliber semi-automatic Para-Ordnance pistol; a (stolen) .22 caliber semi-automatic American Tactical Imports military-style rifle; and a (stolen) .22 caliber semi-automatic CBC military-style rifle along with various ammunition. The jury found Williams guilty of possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug-trafficking offenses, as well as possessing a firearm and/or ammunition after having been convicted of crimes punishable by more than one year in prison. Williams’ prior convictions include Aggravated Assault, Illegally Possessing a Firearm, and Third Degree Murder. Under federal law, a person convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in jail is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Chief Judge Hornak indicated that sentencing would be scheduled for a future date. The defendant remains incarcerated pending his sentencing date. The law provides for a total sentence of at least 10 years and up to life, a fine of up to $12,500,000, or both for his drug and firearm offenses. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt and Special Assistant United States Attorney Chad Parks, a prosecutor with the Beaver County District Attorney’s Office, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Williams, Jr. with significant assistance from many other law enforcement departments including the Pennsylvania State Police, the Coraopolis Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department, the Monessen Police Department, the Robinson Township Police Department, the Canonsburg Police Department and the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Federal Jury Convicts Memphis Man for Armed Business Robbery and Illegal Possession of Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –After a four-day jury trial, Samuel Culp, 21, was found guilty Hobbs Act Business robbery, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a robbery, and possession of stolen firearms. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on the morning of July 12, 2018, Stacy Houston, Samuel Culp, and a third suspect entered the Pawn Plus pawnshop on Winchester Road in Memphis armed with firearms. The men pointed their guns at the 84-year old manager and one customer who was inside the business. They ordered both men on the ground and struck the manager in the head with a firearm when he did not move fast enough. The men took a total of 47 firearms and assorted jewelry, including rings and a Rolex watch, as well as the cash from the pocket of the elderly manager.
As the men were fleeing the business, one of them fired shots at an employee who was outside the business calling 911. The employee’s vehicle was hit, but he avoided injury. Houston and Culp proceeded thereafter to traffic the stolen firearms throughout the city. During the resulting investigation, ATF agents recovered several stolen firearms. At the time of his arrest, Culp was found in possession of two of the firearms stolen during the robbery, as well as a bag of stolen jewelry. A duffle bag containing seven additional stolen firearms was recovered from Culp’s mother’s home on the following day.
The jury found Culp guilty of all counts as charged in the indictment. Sentencing is scheduled for November 8, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker. Culp faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for the Hobbs Act business robbery, a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 7 years for the brandishing count, and a maximum sentence of 10 years for the theft from a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) and possession of the stolen firearms.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Armed business robbery that threatens and harms store owners must be dealt with swiftly and certainly. Likewise, the theft of dozens of firearms is especially dangerous, and threatens the lives of countless citizens. We are thankful that many of the stolen firearms were recovered due to the quick action and outstanding investigation by federal law enforcement. Any robbery of a FFL will be met with aggressive prosecution in order to protect public safety."
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Hartridge prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced for Beaumont Prison EscapeRead the Press Release
Clemente Valdez, Jr., 36, of Dallas, pleaded guilty on April 11, 2019, to escape and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. This sentence will be added to the remainder of the federal sentence Valdez was serving as a result of his 2012 conviction on federal drug trafficking charges at the time of his escape from federal custody earlier this year.
According to information presented in court, on Jan. 12, 2019, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a citizen near the Bureau of Prison Camp Facility in west Jefferson County reporting they had witnessed inmates crossing a pasture and getting picked up by a vehicle on Hillebrandt Road. A Jefferson County Sheriff’s Deputy pulled over the vehicle shortly afterwards and found Valdez and another escapee inside. The inmates were transported back to the prison facility by law enforcement officers and indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 6, 2019.
“This is one of several inmates who have walked away in recent months from the prison camp, which is a minimum security facility for low risk inmates, usually serving the final portion of their sentences,” said United States Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “Regardless of the circumstances, they escaped from a prison facility and anyone who does so will be prosecuted, along with anyone on the outside that helps the escape.”
Valdez was sentenced to over 17 years in federal prison in 2012 for conspiracy to commit money laundering and conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Valdez was also convicted of marijuana trafficking in 2003 and served state prison time in North Carolina for that offense.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.
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Federal Gun Prosecutions Stemming from the Western District's Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative Result in Prison Terms for Five Repeat OffendersRead the Press Release
STATESVILLE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that federal gun prosecutions stemming from the Western District’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative have resulted in prison terms for five repeat offenders, for illegally possessing firearms or ammunition despite having prior felony convictions.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell sentenced Wayne Lamont Johnson, 39, of Statesville, to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon. According to plea documents and statements made in court, on September 13, 2017, officers with the Statesville Police Department recovered a firearm from inside the vehicle Johnson was driving. Johnson has a prior Sale of Cocaine felony conviction and he is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Judge Bell also ordered Patrick Maurice Anto Curruth, 27, of Statesville, to serve 50 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. According to court records, on April 11, 2013, Curruth was convicted of multiple state charges, including Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury, and received a sentence of up to 84 months in prison. On February 9, 2018, investigators with the Statesville Police Department executed a search warrant at Curruth’s residence, and recovered a loaded Ruger, model P94, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Curruth pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon on January 10, 2019.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn, Jr., sentenced Aldrick Newt Taylor, 21, of Charlotte, to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon. Court records show that on March 7, 2018, Taylor knowingly and intentionally possessed a stolen Taurus PT 111 G2 9mm pistol. The firearm was loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and four rounds in the attached magazine. According to court records, Taylor possessed the firearm in connection with another felony offense, that being possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
In a separate case, on Monday, Judge Cogburn also ordered Kendrell Sanders, 29, of Charlotte, to serve 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release on charges of possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of ammunition by a felon. As Sanders previously admitted in court, on June 8, 2018, Sanders was found to be in possession of a Glock 43 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a Taurus 605 357 Magnum revolver. On August 1, 2018, Sanders knowingly and intentionally possessed 115 rounds of firearm ammunition. At the time Sanders possessed the firearms and the ammunition he was prohibited under federal law from doing so.
Judge Cogburn also sentenced today Eric Lorenzo Davis, 28, of Charlotte, to 15 months in prison and one year year of supervised release. Court records show that on July 27, 2018, Davis possessed a Smith and Wesson, model M&P 9, 9mm caliber pistol. Davis was previously convicted of one or more felony offenses and he is therefore prohibited form lawfully possessing a firearm.
In announcing today’s sentences, U.S. Attorney Murray commended the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), the Statesville Police Department, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, and the State Bureau of Investigation for their continued work and coordination on PSN cases.
Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Erik Lindahl prosecuted the case against Johnson. The prosecution against Curruth was handled by AUSA Cortney Randall. AUSA David Kelly was in charge of both Taylor and Sanders’ prosecutions, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh prosecuted the case against Davis.
Federal Court Shuts Down Palm Beach County, Florida Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
A federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, has issued an order permanently barring Jeffrey Cadet, Kersh Tax Service, LLC, and Kersha Lewis from preparing federal tax returns for others, or owning or operating a tax preparation business, the Justice Department announced today.
The court also ordered the defendants to mail copies of the court order and complaint to all persons or entities for whom they prepared federal tax returns after Jan. 1, 2014.
The complaint filed by the government alleged that defendants prepared tax returns containing fictitious itemized deductions and/or fictitious business expenses. The complaint also alleges that the defendants filed returns containing fictitious and/or inflated education expenses to improperly claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) and Lifetime Learning Credit on behalf of customers. According to the complaint, the defendants circumvented due diligence requirements for claiming the AOTC and the Earned Income Tax Credit, charged deceptive and/or unconscionable fees to customers, failed to provide customers with complete copies of their tax returns, and failed to sign or identify themselves as the preparer on many returns they prepared.
The injunction against Cadet, Kersh Tax Service, and Kersha Lewis was entered by default because those defendants failed to defend against the government’s allegations. Saglenda Johnson, who was also named as a party to the lawsuit, consented to a similar injunction entered earlier in the case.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’s Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Intending to Distribute DrugsRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Bruce Wayne Billingsley, age 63, was sentenced yesterday to 78 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release for possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in April 2018, the Veterans Administration (VA) Police Department received information that Billingsley, a VA employee, was distributing methamphetamine to other VA employees. On June 9, 2018, the defendant traveled to the Cherokee Casino to purchase a quarter pound of methamphetamine for $2,000. Detectives made contact with him and seized approximately four (4) ounces of methamphetamine upon his return from West Siloam Springs.
A federal grand jury indicted Billingsley in December 2018, and he entered a guilty plea in March 2019.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police, the 4th Judicial Drug Task Force, and the Fayetteville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Denis Dean prosecuted the case for the United States.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jermaine Donald, age 35, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in 2018, detectives received information that Donald was distributing methamphetamine in the northwest Arkansas area. On three separate occasions, detectives set up a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Donald. Upon executing a search warrant of Donald’s residence, detectives located $8,790.00 in U.S. currency, cocaine, crack cocaine, digital scales, and 336 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Donald was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2018, and he entered a guilty plea in March 2019.
This case was investigated by the 4th Judicial Drug Task Force and the DEA. Assistant United States Attorney David A. Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
Essex County Man Indicted for Making a False Statement to the VARead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alex Cheney, age 55, of Moriah, New York, was arraigned today on an indictment alleging he made a false statement to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in order to receive Individual Unemployability benefits.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge Sean J. Smith, VA Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office.
The indictment alleges that in September 2016, Cheney falsely certified on an employment questionnaire that he was not employed at any time during the prior 12 months when he was, in fact, working in construction and earning wages. The charge in the indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Cheney was arraigned today before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel and released on his own recognizance. Cheney faces a maximum of 5 years in prison and up to 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release. He also faces a maximum $250,000 fine. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the VA Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
East Side Realtor Convicted of Attempting to Engage in Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. - A realtor from the East Side of Providence has been found guilty by a federal court jury in Providence of attempting to entice a 10 year-old girl into sexual activity.
The jury convicted Thomas McLucky Hammond, 52, of one count of attempting to persuade, entice, induce or coerce a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, in June 2017, Hammond responded to an advertisement in the “casual encounters” section of Craiglsist.com. Over a period of three days, Hammond communicated with a man he believed was the step-father of a 10 year-old girl in Warwick. Hammond asked the step-father if he was sexually abusing the 10 year-old, and proposed joining in the abuse at a pool party at the family’s residence. Hammond agreed to meet the step-father in a parking lot on Post Road in Warwick before returning to the home for the pool party. When Hammond arrived at the parking lot on June 21, 2017, he was arrested by members of the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federal and state task force designed to investigate and prevent online child sexual exploitation. The purported step-father was actually a member of the ICAC operating in an undercover capacity.
At trial, Hammond claimed that he is a gay man with no sexual interest in female children. Hammond testified he receives sexual gratification from talking to straight men who talk about sexually abusing children. Hammond claimed he was merely engaged in sexual fantasy and would not have gone through the sexual activity.
The jury rejected this defense and found Hammond guilty after approximately 3 hours of deliberation.
Hammond is scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2019, by Chief Judge William E. Smith, who presided over the four-day trial. Hammond is currently detained at the Wyatt Detention Center.
Attempted enticement of a minor is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, up to 30 years; lifetime supervised release; and a $250,000 fine.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John P. McAdams and Christine D. Lowell, with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly.
The case was investigated by the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, including the Rhode Island State Police and Homeland Security Investigations.
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Dayton Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Possessing Firearm After Felony ConvictionsRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Henry B. Essick, III, 34, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 72 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced the sentence handed down today by Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Rose.
According to court documents, in September 2018, Essick possessed a Bolt Action Rifle. At that time, Essick was on post-release control with the State of Ohio. During a parole visit, authorities searched Essick’s residence on Harvard Boulevard in Dayton and located the rifle in a downstairs closet.
Essick has previously been convicted of felonies, including attempted aggravated arson, rape and kidnapping. He is currently in state custody after being convicted of forgery charges. Essick will serve his federal prison sentence consecutive to his current state one.
Essick pleaded guilty in May 2019 to one count of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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 Glassman commended the investigation by the ATF, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Amy M. Smith, who is representing the United States in this case.
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D.C. Felon Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Federal Prison for Three Armed Robberies of BusinessesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Leroy Percell Burrell, age 32, of Washington, D.C., to 162 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for three armed robberies in which Burrell brandished a firearm. Judge Hazel also entered an order requiring Burrell to pay restitution of $2,680.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department
“We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to get guns out of the hands of criminals and off of our streets, in order to reduce violent crime in our neighborhoods.” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “If you use a gun, you could face federal time, where there is no parole—ever. Please, put down the guns and save a life—maybe even your own.”
According to his guilty plea, between July 30 and November 3, 2017, Burrell committed three armed robberies of businesses, brandishing a firearm in each of the robberies. All of the robberies were captured on video surveillance. Specifically, on July 30, 2017, Burrell robbed Business 1 in Greenbelt, Maryland. Burrell entered through the front door of the store, locked the door behind him, and then confronted an employee behind the counter. The employee opened the cash register but did not remove any cash. Burrell forced the employee to the back of the store, displayed a handgun to the employee, and threatened to shoot if the employee did not give Burrell all the money. In the rear room, where there was no video, Burrell forced the employee to open and give him money from the safe. Returning to the main store, the employee emptied the cash register and gave the money to Burrell, who left through the rear door. Burrell stole a total of $700 from the store and $80 from the employee.
On August 10, 2017, Burrell and another man robbed Business 2 in Anne Arundel County. Burrell entered the business and immediately brandished a gun, pointing it at the head of an employee, who handed Burrell the cash from the register. Burrell then forcefully pushed the employee toward the back of the store, still at gunpoint. Burrell's accomplice followed him into the store, pulled down a ski mask, and locked the front door. The accomplice also headed to the back of the store, confronting a second employee who was in the office. Burrell and his accomplice then fled out the front door. The robbery took approximately one minute, and Burrell and his accomplice stole an undetermined amount of money.
On November 3, 2017, Burrell again robbed Business 1 in Greenbelt. At the time of the robbery, two employees were working. Video surveillance of the store captured Burrell locking the front door and removing a pistol from his pocket. Burrell pulled back the slide of the pistol, ejecting a single round of ammunition from the firearm, then brandished the pistol, waving it and pointing it at the employees. While one employee was held at gunpoint, the other emptied the cash register and handed cash to Burrell, who took the money and put it in his pocket. Burrell gave handcuffs that were wrapped in a bright blue hand washcloth to the employee he was holding at gunpoint. The employee took out the handcuffs, dropped the towel, and placed the handcuffs on himself. Burrell motioned the two employees to the back room of the store where Burrell ordered one of the employees to open the safe, threatening the victim’s life, but the employee did not know the combination to the safe. Burrell again left through the rear door of the store, stealing approximately $1,900. The towel and handcuffs were left at the scene and recovered as evidence.
On November 9, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Burrell’s residence in Washington, D.C. Officers encountered Burrell in the foyer of the apartment building and arrested him. Law enforcement officers recovered a loaded .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol from Burrell. From Burrell’s apartment law enforcement recovered a black jacket matching the jacket seen in the video of the August and November robberies; two blue washcloths matching the distinctive color and brand of the washcloth recovered from the scene at the November robbery; two pairs of handcuffs; a pair of distinctive red and black high-top shoes matching those seen on the video of the July and August robberies; a red jacket matching the one seen in video footage of the July robbery; and various ammunition rounds. Burrell had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Metropolitan Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the case.
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Crack Dealer Sentenced to More than Fifteen Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who sold crack cocaine near a park and an elementary school was sentenced August 12, 2019, to more than fifteen years in federal prison.
Mohamed Andrew Haidar, age 31, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an April 8, 2019 guilty plea to distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location.
In a plea agreement, Haidar admitted he sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant on three separate occasions with one sale taking place near a park and an elementary school. Haidar also admitted that he possessed a pistol with an obliterated serial number in connection with his drug dealing. Haidar had previously been convicted of multiple felony drug offenses.
Haidar was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Haidar was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kyndra Lundquist and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-1002.
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Convicted Felon, Arrested on Fort Benning, Sentenced for Gun, Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS – A Macon, Georgia resident with a violent criminal history in Muscogee County, Georgia was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison for gun and drug charges, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Johmar Chandler, 40, of Macon, Georgia pleaded guilty to one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. Today, U.S. District Judge Clay Land sentenced Mr. Chandler to 13 years in federal prison for his crimes. Mr. Chandler has two prior convictions in Muscogee County Superior Court and one prior conviction in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.
Mr. Chandler was taken into custody by an officer with Fort Benning’s Directorate of Emergency Services on July 31, 2018, after the defendant was pulled over for driving at a high rate of speed on Highway 520, a public-access highway located on the perimeter portion of Fort Benning, just outside Columbus, Georgia. Mr. Chandler was carrying a 9mm pistol holding seven rounds of ammunition. Inside the car, a bag full of various drugs was discovered, including two smaller bags containing a total of 145 methamphetamine pills. Mr. Chandler admitted to agents, and in his signed plea agreement, that the gun and the drugs belonged to him, and that he knew it was illegal for a convicted felon to possess a gun.
“We are cracking down on convicted felons in possession of dangerous weapons in the Middle District of Georgia. It is illegal for convicted felons to have a gun, and if they are caught with one, they will be prosecuted,” said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I want to thank the law enforcement agents with Fort Benning and ATF for their assistance with this case.”
The defendant was convicted in Muscogee County Superior Court on December 4, 2003 for Criminal Damage in the Second Degree and November 29, 2004 for Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Crime, and Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. The defendant was convicted in U.S. District Court, Middle District of Georgia on April 9, 2012 for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Possession of Cocaine with the Intent to Distribute.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Williams prosecuted 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.
Convicted Felon Charged with Illegally Possessing Semi-Automatic Rifle at Veterans Affairs Hospital in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A convicted felon has been charged with a federal firearm violation for allegedly illegally possessing a semi-automatic rifle at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago.
BERNARD HARVEY, JR., 40, of Indianapolis, Ind., is charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Harvey illegally possessed the rifle on Aug. 12, 2019, at the medical center, 820 S. Damen Ave. in Chicago, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Harvey is scheduled to make an initial court appearance today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox.
The complaint was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The Jesse Brown VA Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey B. Rubenstein.
Holding convicted felons accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategy. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, including by prosecuting individuals who illegally possess firearms.
According to the complaint, Harvey entered the Taylor Street entrance of the medical center while holding the rifle. Law enforcement officers saw Harvey in the clinic area and ordered him to drop the rifle, which he did, the complaint states. The officers then ordered Harvey to the ground and placed him under arrest.
Harvey was previously convicted in the Circuit Court of Cook County of multiple felonies, including gun offenses, and he was not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm. The rifle in Harvey’s possession at the VA medical center had been reported stolen last month from a federal firearms licensee in Indiana, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon is punishable by up to ten years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Convicted Felon and Former Gang Member Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – A former gang member with eight prior felony convictions and a prior conviction for domestic battery was sentenced yesterday to six years and six months for unlawful possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich.
Miguel Rodriguez-Franco, 32, pleaded guilty in May 2019, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. United States District Judge Larry R. Hicks imposed an upward variance from the sentencing guideline and sentenced Rodriguez-Franco to 78 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On November 28, 2018, officers from the Sparks Police Department responded to the Western Village Inn & Casino. When officers arrived on scene Rodriguez-Franco was detained by security after passing a fraudulent check at a casino cashier cage. Rodriguez-Franco was placed under arrest. Medics were called after Rodriguez-Franco complained of being short of breath. Officers searched him prior to allowing him into the ambulance. During the search, they found a loaded .380 semi-automatic pistol in the jacket pocket Rodriguez-Franco was wearing.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sparks Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Rachow prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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Connecticut Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Colchester, Connecticut, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography was sentenced on July 22, 2019, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Kevin Carney, age 32, was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Carney was one of nine men who were arrested and federally indicted as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2017 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting persons willing to pay to have sex with underage girls or boys obtained through the Internet. The conviction stemmed from Carney communicating with someone he believed to be a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts, and requesting that the minor send pornographic images to Carney.
The undercover operation and arrests were a joint effort between the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Collins prosecuted the case.
Carney was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Clifton Park Doctor Arrested for Unlawful Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Scott McMahon, age 50, of Clifton Park, New York, was arrested today and charged with distributing controlled substances outside the course of professional practice and for no legitimate medical purpose.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division.
McMahon practices in Clifton Park, having previously maintained offices in Albany and other locations within the Capital Region. According to a criminal complaint (copy attached), McMahon prescribed controlled substances, including Ritalin and its generic equivalents, for non-medical purposes and outside the usual course of professional practice, often with the intent of having his patients kick back a portion of each prescription to him for his own personal use.
The complaint alleges that McMahon prescribed controlled substances to people who were never his patients, including three young children of one patient, and the boyfriend of another patient. The activity alleged in the complaint occurred between December 2018 and April 2019.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
McMahon appeared today in Albany before United States Magistrate Judge Christian F. Hummel, who ordered him detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for tomorrow, August 14.
If convicted, McMahon faces up to 20 years in prison, at least 3 years of post-imprisonment supervised release, and a maximum $1 million fine. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the DEA Albany District Office’s Tactical Diversion Squad and its Capital District Drug Enforcement Task Force, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Also assisting in the investigation are the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the New York State Police, the New York State Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and the DEA Resident Office in Burlington, Vermont.
Charleston Man Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Charleston man was sentenced to 52 months in prison for a federal drug crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Steven Craig Coleman, 31, previously pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Charleston Police Department, South Charleston Police Department, and Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT).
“Tragic,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Coleman, who has a 2016 involuntary manslaughter conviction for distributing heroin to a woman who suffered a fatal overdose, was at it again. Too many West Virginians have lost their lives because of these deadly drugs and poison peddlers like Coleman.”
As established by public court filings and hearings, in July 2017, police investigators learned from a confidential source that Coleman was selling several ounces of heroin from his house on 7th Avenue in Charleston. On July 20, 2017, Coleman sold a confidential informant a substance containing fentanyl. A week later, investigators executed a search warrant at Coleman’s house, where they found several thousand dollars in drug proceeds and over 30 grams of methamphetamine outside of an open window near Coleman.
On August 8, 2018, police again met Coleman at his house and he gave them permission to search his room. Coleman directed an investigator to where he was hiding his drugs. Police ultimately found close to 10 grams of drug mixtures containing heroin, fentanyl, and acetyl fentanyl, a deadly fentanyl analogue. Coleman was previously convicted for involuntary manslaughter in 2016 for distributing heroin to a woman, causing a fatal overdose.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman.
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Cartel-connected illegal alien drug trafficker and associate sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, GA: Two drug traffickers, including an illegal alien with ties to a Mexican drug cartel, will spend more than a decade in federal prison after sentencing in a methamphetamine conspiracy.
Ricardo Santana-Hernandez, a/k/a “Richard Hernandez,” a/k/a “Armond,” a/k/a “Armani,” 32, of C’daltimairano, Guerroro, Mexico, was sentenced to 135 months in prison, and Ryon Bland, 32, of Douglas, Ga., was sentenced to 110 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lisa Godbey Wood, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Both were sentenced for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute large quantities of crystal methamphetamine. After completion of their sentences, Santana-Hernadez will be deported, and Bland will be placed on court-supervised release for three years. There is no parole in the federal system.
Santana-Herndandez, Bland and nine other conspirators pled guilty after their indictment by a federal grand jury in October 2018 for drug trafficking and firearms-related offenses.
According to court filings and testimony, in early 2018, the Telfair County Sheriff’s Office received information that Donna Bazemore, a/k/a “Dirty D,” 45, of McRae, Ga., was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine from her residence in Telfair County. Investigators searched the residence and seized 16 bags of methamphetamine, a bag of cocaine, two bags of MDMA (a/k/a Ecstasy), at least six firearms, a video security system, and other drug trafficking tools. Agents arrested Bland, who was at the location breaking down methamphetamine into smaller bags for distribution.
The investigation revealed that Santana-Hernandez was a source of supply for the drug trafficking organization that operated in Telfair County and elsewhere. Santana-Hernandez, who resided in the Atlanta area illegally, received kilograms of methamphetamine from the “La Familia” cartel in Mexico. In August 2018, Santana-Hernandez delivered two kilograms of methamphetamine to the Southern District of Georgia via a courier. Federal agents then arrested Santana-Hernadez when he came to a Dublin, Ga., restaurant to collect payment.
In addition to Santana-Hernandez, Bland and Bazemore, the following people also have been convicted for their roles in the conspiracy:
Enio Camacho-Pineda, a/k/a “Tony,” a/k/a “Tony Montana,” 31, of Atlanta;
Enrique Lopez, a/k/a “Ricky,” 44, of Douglas, Ga.;
Eugene Wright, a/k/a “Burt,” 52, of Millwood, Ga.;
Cristian Jesus Martinez, 19, of Mexico;
Angela Hurst, 38, of Douglas, Ga.;
Kristel Merritt, 43, of Douglas, Ga.;
Angie McCoy, a/k/a “Angie Woods,” 24, Douglas, Ga.; and,
Kenneth Woodrow Mancil, 53, Sylvania, Ga.
“These sentences demonstrate that our partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement are the key to targeting and dismantling organized crime,” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “With hard time for their crimes, two drug traffickers will pay the penalty for spreading poison in our communities.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “This sentencing is a great example of what can be achieved when DEA works hand-in-hand with its law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This trafficker was clearly working under the direction of the La Familia drug cartel based in Mexico. Consequently, he will spend in excess of a decade in federal prison.”
“Narcotic traffickers have no regard for the well-being or safety of our Georgia communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Art Peralta. “Narcotic trafficking and violence go hand in hand, and these sentences prove that our efforts to identify and arrest those individuals who promote violent crime through the distribution of narcotics is having a positive impact.”
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations, and was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the U.S. Marshals Service, Telfair County Sheriff’s Office, Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office, the Douglas-Coffee Drug Unit, and other local law enforcement agencies. The case also falls under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Harper and E. Greg Gilluly, Jr.
California man charged with interstate stalkingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A California man was arraigned today on an indictment accusing him of using the Internet and cell phones to harass individuals and to threaten to damage the reputations of two persons unless they paid him money, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Bryan Gregg Waterfield Nash, 54, of Woodside, CA, pleaded not guilty to interstate stalking and to interstate communication with intent to extort. If convicted of the most serious crime, Nash faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Nash was released pending further proceedings.
An indictment is merely an accusation. Nash is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The indictment alleges that from December 2013 through June 2019 in Whitefish and in California, Nash used a computer, cell phone, email and the Internet to harass or intimidate approximately 33 persons. The indictment further alleges that Nash sent electronic messages to two individuals threatening to damage their reputations by releasing information about alleged behavior to law enforcement and to the media if the individuals refused to pay him substantial sums of money.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Racicot is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
Pacer reference No. 19-30.
The progress of the case may be monitored through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Buffalo Man Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Prison for Being A Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead 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 Andre Baker, 28, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuel O. Ulubiyo, who handled the case, stated that on March 25, 2018, two Buffalo Police Officers were flagged down by an unidentified civilian yelling and screaming, “he has a gun,” while simultaneously pointing his hands in the direction of a parking lot in the vicinity of Jefferson Avenue and Genesee Street. The officers observed another civilian pointing a firearm at the defendant as well as a firearm on the ground next to the defendant’s feet. After making eye contact with the officers, the defendant jumped into the rear seat of a vehicle. Seconds later, the defendant exited the vehicle and fled on foot. The defendant was quickly apprehended in the vicinity of Virginia and Cherry Streets by the officers.
One of the civilians, who identified himself as a sworn Peace Officer and licensed gun owner, reported that he observed and later broke up a physical fight between the defendant and an unidentified male and a female outside Arthur’s Pub in the vicinity of Jefferson Avenue and Genesee Street. After the fight, defendant went across the street and got into the aforementioned vehicle. The civilian observed the female who had been involved in the fight approach the car and spit in the defendant’s face. The defendant got out, approached the rear bumper, and removed a gun. The civilian withdrew his concealed firearm from his holster, pointed the gun at Baker and gave a verbal command to the defendant to drop his gun. Baker complied.
Officers subsequently recovered a loaded, .380 caliber pistol, on the ground next to where the defendant was standing prior to fleeing. Officers also recovered a loaded 12 gauge shotgun from the vehicle.
Baker was previously convicted of Attempted Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd degree in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
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Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Sex Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Samuel Walker, 69, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to engage in the sex trafficking of minors, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Fabian, who handled the case, stated that in January and February of 2015, the defendant conspired with co-defendant D'Angelo Conner to engage in sex trafficking of minors. Connor managed an escort business which advertised two victims (Victim 1 and Victim 2) on backpage.com. At Connor’s request, Walker acted as a driver for the business, transporting Victim 1 and Victim 2 to prostitution appointments. The defendant was paid $25 per trip. Walker did so knowing or recklessly disregarding that both Victim 1 and Victim 2 were minors who engaged in commercial sex acts during the appointments.
On February 25, 2015, the defendant drove Victim 1 to a prostitution appointment at a hotel in Cheektowaga, NY. On that date, as well as on the two preceding days, February 23 and 24, 2015, Connor used the defendant’s cell phone to exchange text messages with Victim 1 regarding prostitution appointments and activities.
D'Angelo Conner was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 90 months in prison.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
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