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8 August 2019
Columbus, Macon Bank Robber Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON – A federal judge sentenced a bank robber to 48 months in prison for his crimes, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Clifford Terrell, 44, of Barnesville, GA previously pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery on May 2, 2019. U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell sentenced Mr. Terrell in Macon federal court on August 7, 2019. There is no parole in the federal system.
Mr. Terrell admitted to committing three bank robberies in the Middle District of Georgia. In each instance, the defendant used force and intimidation, threatening bank tellers verbally and using written demand notes. The first occurred on September 5, 2017 at the BB&T on North Lee Street in Forsyth. The second happened ten days later, on September 10, 2017, at the CB&T on Milgen Road in Columbus, and the third bank robbery was on September 22, 2017, at the SB&T on Zebulon Road in Macon. The defendant was arrested on September 27, 2017 at his Barnesville residence.
“Over a period of 17 days in September 2017, this individual terrorized hard working employees and citizens at three banks in the Middle District of Georgia. The defendant will now pay the consequence for his crime spree by spending the next four years in federal prison,” said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I want to commend the multiple law enforcement agencies that joined forces to quickly shut down and arrest this serial bank robber.”
The case was investigated by the Forsyth Police Department, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Will R. Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Chief Financial Officer of Norman Company Indicted for Employment Tax FraudRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging CHRISTINA ROCHELLE ANGLIN, of Burnsville, North Carolina, with six counts of failure to collect and pay over employment taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing.
According to the indictment, Anglin was the Controller and Chief Financial Officer for a group of companies owned by the Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town, located in Wetumpka, Oklahoma. In that role, Anglin was responsible for collecting and paying over to the IRS taxes withheld on behalf of the employees of Atmospheric Technology Services Company (ATSC), which was headquartered in Norman, Oklahoma.
The indictment alleges that Anglin failed to collect and pay over a total of $1,744,047.68 for the employees of ATSC from the second quarter of 2017 through the third quarter of 2018. Meanwhile, Anglin allegedly approved hundreds of thousands of dollars of non-tax expenditures, including salary and bonuses for herself and payments for the personal benefit of another person associated with the companies.
If found guilty, Anglin faces up to five years in prison and up to three years of supervised release for each count.
Agencies responsible for the multi-year investigation that led to the indictment include the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation, the FBI Oklahoma City Division, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the General Services Administration—Office of Inspector General, the Small Business Administration—Office of Inspector General, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and the Army Criminal Investigation Command.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
CEO of Miami Investment Management Companies Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors of over $7.5 MillionRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that FABIO BRETAS DE FREITAS pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Laura T. Swain to defrauding a group of investors (the “Victims”) by soliciting funds for investment in the commodity futures markets, but instead using the funds for personal and other expenses. BRETAS lulled his Victims and furthered the scheme by distributing fictitious financial statements to the Victims, purporting to show their investments’ position and growth under his management. When his companies were audited by regulators, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and the National Futures Association (“NFA”), BRETAS lied to the regulators in order to cover up his crimes, going so far as to steal the identity of one Victim and to impersonate that Victim in email communications with the NFA.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “Fabio Bretas De Freitas solicited investor funds from several companies he operated by touting his prolific ability to profit from his futures market trading strategies. In reality, Bretas’ core strategy was swindling investors, using the funds to line his own pockets while doing minimal trading for his investors. Bretas now faces serious time in prison, and this case is a prime example of the inevitability of getting caught when defrauding investors.”
According to the allegations in the criminal complaint, the indictment, and other documents filed in federal court, as well as statements made in public court proceedings:
BRETAS operated a group of investment companies, including Phynance Capital Management LLC (“Phy Cap”), Phy Global Partners Fund LLC (“PGP”), Absolute Experience LLC (“Absolute”), and Global Partners Investors LLC (“GPI”), that he used to solicit investments from. Phy Cap was a commodity pool operator and commodity trading advisor, registered with the NFA, as required by CFTC. In his companies’ marketing materials, BRETAS represented that he used “statistical analysis and mathematical modeling of historical data to develop quantitative systematic methodologies applied to managed futures strategies.” In fact, while BRETAS solicited more than $7.5 million from individual investors, he conducted only a minimal level of trading; his predominant use of his companies was the theft of investor money, using it to cover his personal expenses and transferring investor funds abroad. In order to continue the scheme, and solicit additional investments, BRETAS prepared false monthly statements, purporting to demonstrate the investments’ growth, and distributed them to the Victims. When his regulators, the CFTC and NFA, initiated an audit in 2017, BRETAS lied about his affiliation with Absolute, falsely claimed that the funds that the Victims invested in PGP were mere loans to his company, lied about the use of those funds and the solicitation of investments, and ultimately created a fraudulent email account for the purpose of impersonating one victim in communications with the NFA.
BRETAS, 53, of Miami, Florida, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and commodities fraud. That offense carries a maximum prison term of 25 years. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. BRETAS is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Swain on December 17, 2019.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Money Laundering Investigation Squad, and thanked the attorneys and investigators at the CFTC whose expertise and diligence were integral to the development of this investigation and today’s successful guilty plea.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Benet J. Kearney is in charge of the prosecution.
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Investment Scheme that Defrauded Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, John Cucinella, the former investment manager of Mackrow Asset Management Group (Mackrow), a purported asset management firm located in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to securities fraud. As part of his plea, Cucinella agreed to forfeit $948,530 that he misappropriated from investors. The guilty plea was before United States Magistrate Judge Steven L. Tiscione.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“John Cucinella represented himself to investors as a ‘financial concierge’, but rather than service the needs of elderly investors, he swindled them out of thousands of dollars and then spent the money on himself,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The Department of Justice and this Office are committed to prosecuting to the fullest extent of the law those who prey on vulnerable victims for their own selfish benefit.”
According to court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, between approximately March 2015 and April 2018, Cucinella falsely represented to Mackrow investors, many of whom were elderly, that their funds would be used to invest in pre-initial public offering (pre-IPO) shares of private companies, including a company purportedly that manufactured bug spray. In a brochure that Cucinella provided to clients, Mackrow was described as “providing you all the resources of a true financial concierge.” During the same time period, Cucinella transferred more than $400,000 from the Mackrow account to bank accounts he controlled, and spent approximately $108,000 for credit card payments and $40,000 at a Mercedes-Benz dealership in Brooklyn. More than 80 individuals invested approximately $778,000 with Mackrow, and received only $80,818 in return.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney David Gopstein is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JOHN CUCINELLA
Age: 41
Residence: Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-347 (RRM)
Brooklyn Man Charged with Stealing More than $80,000 from New York State Assemblyman’s Campaign AccountRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Maruf Alam with wire fraud in connection with his theft of more than $80,000 in campaign contributions from a New York State Assemblyman’s campaign account. Alam was arrested this morning, made his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sanket J. Bulsara, and was released on a $100,000 bond.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the charges.
“As alleged, Alam was caught red-handed using a New York State Assemblyman’s campaign account as his personal piggy bank,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Alam betrayed the trust placed in him to act honestly as the treasurer for the account, and then attempted to cover up his crime by filing false disclosure reports for years. Today’s arrest makes clear that dishonest public employees will face the consequences of their crimes and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the enforcement staff at the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) for their assistance during the investigation.
“As alleged, Alam violated the trust of an elected New York State Assemblyman by brazenly diverting more than $80,000 in campaign contributions to his own personal accounts,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Alam went to great lengths to conceal his fraud, including traveling to China to illicitly withdraw funds from a campaign account and then filing false disclosure reports with the New York State Board of Elections. Today’s action should serve as a reminder that the FBI will continue to bring to justice those who aim to exploit positions of public trust to satisfy their selfish greed.”
According to the complaint, since 2008 Alam was employed in various capacities, including chief of staff, for a New York State Assemblyman. Alam also acted on a voluntary basis as the treasurer for the Assemblyman’s campaign account, and was responsible for filing periodic disclosure reports with the NYSBOE to disclose contributions received and expenditures made by the Assemblyman’s campaign committee. From approximately January 2012 to January 2019, Alam allegedly stole campaign funds that had been contributed to support the candidacy of the Assemblyman, and deposited the cash into his personal account. For example, campaign account records disclose that on November 9, 2015 and November 13, 2015, two ATM withdrawals from the campaign account were made at two locations in China. Travel records reflect that Alam traveled to China on November 5, 2015, and returned to the United States on November 19, 2015. In total, during the relevant time period, the Assemblyman’s campaign account records reflect approximately $80,000 in cash withdrawals by Alam that were not reported to NYSBOE.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Alam faces a statutory maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Reilly and Maria Cruz Melendez are in charge of the prosecution
The Defendant:
MARUF ALAM
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-MJ-710
Boston Man Sentenced for Business Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with making false statements on a loan application.
Alexander Grinis, 47, of Jamaica Plain, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to nine months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $91,403.
In May 2019, Grinis pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements on loan applications. In June 2018, Grinis was arrested and charged with co-defendant Igor Moiseev, 59, of Newton, who previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Grinis was the manager of Eastern Bank in Auburndale. His responsibilities included assisting customers with opening and closing accounts and applying for loans and lines of credit. In approximately February 2015, Grinis assisted Moiseev in opening a checking and savings accounts at Eastern Bank with the license and Social Security card of another individual, without the knowledge or consent of that person. Later that year, Grinis assisted Moiseev in adding the individual to a business account in the name of TFC Enterprises, LLC. Thereafter, Moiseev forged the individual’s name on applications for two purported business loans. On each loan application, Grinis falsely certified that he had complied with all bank procedures and, as a result, the loans were approved. The proceeds of the two loans were subsequently distributed to the business checking account and Moiseev forged the individual’s name on checks and withdrew money from the account to pay for his own personal expenses. In addition, Moiseev, with Grinis’ assistance, caused proceeds from the business checking account to be wire transferred to Russia, Canada, and elsewhere overseas using the individual’s name. Both loans defaulted and were never paid back to Eastern Bank, resulting in a loss of over $90,000.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura J. Kaplan of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Bossier Parish School Board member pleads guilty to anabolic steroid distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Caddo Parish School Board member pleaded guilty today for his role in an anabolic steroid distribution scheme. Mike Mosura, 44, of Bossier City, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
From January 2016 to May 2018, Mosura was involved in a scheme to distribute anabolic steroids in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, along with co-defendants Brant R. Landry, 39, and wife Julie Landry, 42, both of Bossier City. When a Bossier Parish deputy stopped Brant Landry’s vehicle on May 22, 2018, for driving erratically, Brant Landry told the deputy that he had a .45-caliber pistol and medication inside the vehicle. After searching it, the deputy found a plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance that was later identified as Xanax and 11 vials of yellow liquid, later determined to be anabolic steroids.
Further investigation revealed that Brant Landry distributed steroids to Mosura, who in turn consumed and distributed the steroids to third parties. Mosura admitted to receiving and distributing the steroids.
Mosura faces 10 years in prison, two years to life of supervised release and a $500,000 fine. Judge Foote set Mike Mosura’s sentencing date for December 5, 2019. Brant Landry and Julie Landry are 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.
Birmingham Man Sentenced to 241 months for Drug and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – On Tuesday, a federal judge sentenced Jarrett Denard Boykins, of Birmingham, to serve 241 months in prison for convictions related to drug trafficking and gun possession, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
“This sentence demonstrates that felons in possession of firearms while dealing deadly narcotics will continue to be prosecuted and continue to do time behind bars,” Town said. “Drug dealers who arm themselves to further their illegal drug trade have bed space waiting for them in federal prison.”
“ATF’s Crime Gun Intel partnerships are working together more effectively than any combination of criminal enterprises that attempt to endanger the safety of our communities,” Watson said.
In March, a federal jury found Boykins guilty of one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine, one count of possession with the intent to distribute 152 methamphetamine tablets, two counts of carrying a gun in relation to a drug-trafficking crime, and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Evidence at the trial proved that on October 2, 2017, Boykins, was found in the Pleasant Grove City Park after dark with more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and a firearm. Approximately six months later, Boykins was stopped by a Homewood police officer and found to have 152 methamphetamine tablets in a diaper bag in the back seat of his vehicle next to his infant child. Officers also found a pistol inside the diaper bag. On October 2, 2018, ATF agents along with officers from the Birmingham Police Department travelled to a Birmingham residence to arrest Boykins. Upon entering the residence, agents found Boykins in possession of another firearm, a non-controlled substance that was packaged for sale to appear like methamphetamine, and a large quantity of various calibers of ammunition scattered throughout the residence.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, along with the Pleasant Grove Police Department, Homewood Police Department, and Birmingham Police Department investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorneys Brad Felton and Alan Baty prosecuted.
Billings man sentenced for illegal gun possessionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings man who admitted to illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced today to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Kenneth Clarence Altman, 26, pleaded guilty in March to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
Billings Police officers arrested Altman after responding to a suspicious activity call on Sept. 15, 2018, the prosecution said. Officers learned there was a warrant for Altman and asked if he had any weapons. Altman replied he had a gun, a 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, in his pants pocket. Altman was convicted in 2015 of a crime punishable by more than a year and was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Tatarka prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Bail Bondsman Pleads Guilty to Mail FraudRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Matthew G.T. Martin, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, announced today that MICHAEL KIRK SCHON pleaded guilty to a felony charge of mail fraud relating to a forfeiture of a bail bond.
SCHON, age 48, of Spotsylvania, Virginia, pleaded guilty before Chief United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder in federal court in Winston-Salem.
SCHON was licensed as a surety bail bondsman by the North Carolina Department of Insurance in 2014 and was employed by All American Bail Bonds, LLC, in Randleman, North Carolina. Bankers Insurance Company underwrote and served as surety on bail bonds issued by All American Bail Bonds, LLC. In 2013, All American Bail Bonds wrote $250,000 secured bond underwritten by Bankers Insurance Company, to secure release of an individual whose initials are F.S.L., in the alias name “Renaildo Santiago Dominguez.” F.S.L. had been arrested and charged with trafficking and other state drug charges in Superior Court in Guilford County. However, F.S.L. failed to appear and as a result the bail bond was declared forfeited on October 29, 2013.
Under state law, the Guilford County Board of Elections receives payment on forfeited bail bonds issued to secure the appearance of defendants charged in the District and Superior Courts in Guilford County. In March 2014, the Guilford County Board of Education and Banker’s Insurance Company, through SCHON, entered into a settlement agreement establishing a schedule for payments on the forfeited bond. The settlement agreement provided that scheduled payments would be waived if F.S.L. died before the due date of any payment. After the first scheduled payment of $80,000, SCHON procured and provided to the Guilford County Board of Education a false death certificate showing that F.S.L. had died on May 12, 2014, in Sinaloa, Mexico, when in fact F.S.L. was not dead. Relying on the false death certificate, the Board of Education issued a satisfaction of judgment cancelling the remaining $170,000 in payments.
The defendant faces a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, or both, and a term of supervised release of not more than three years. He may also be ordered to pay restitution. Sentencing will occur in Winston-Salem on November 19, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the North Carolina Department of Insurance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank J. Chut.
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Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Federal District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson sentenced FRANCISCO GONZALES-DIAZ, 29, of Mexico on July 20, 2019 for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien into the United States. Gonzales-Diaz was arrested in Casper, Wyoming. He received time served plus ten days to allow for deportation proceedings. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security investigated this case.
Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced TERRY TERRILL BLANKS, 36, of Murray, Utah on August 5, 2019 for two counts of transportation in interstate commerce for the purpose of prostitution. Blanks was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He received forty months of imprisonment, to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200.00 special assessment. The Cheyenne Police Department and the FBI investigated this case.
Federal District Court Judge Nancy D. Freudenthal sentenced SAMANTHA BROOKE SCHIEFER, 23, of Gillette, Wyoming on August 5, 2019 for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Schiefer was arrested in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She received forty-one months of imprisonment, to be followed by thirty-six months of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $200.00. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation investigated this case.
A Morgan County Man Who Faked His Death Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A Morgan County man who faked his death pled guilty today in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Rod Owens.
Jackson Matthew Hall, 28, of Lacey Springs, AL, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor to charges of Social Security fraud and aggravated identity theft. The indictment was unsealed on May 21st.
“Mr. Hall thought he could get lost in Thailand and avoid federal prosecution,” Town said. “Instead - because of the hard work and dedication of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the United States Marshal Service, the State Department, and the Morgan Country Sheriff’s office - justice found him.”
According to Hall’s plea agreement, Hall was facing criminal charges of rape 1st degree and sodomy 1st degree (a child under 12 years of age) in Cullman County, Alabama, and an aggravated child abuse charge in Madison County, Alabama. Hall had pending court dates in both counties in March 2016 and April 2016. Between December 2015 and February 2016, Hall used another person’s identifiers to obtain a social security card, Alabama Driver’s license, and U.S. passport. He then faked his death and used those documents to travel out of the country. In September 2017 Hall was apprehended in Koh Samui, Thailand, by Thai authorities. In October 2017, the U.S. Marshals Service, along with a Madison County task force officer assigned to the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force traveled to Bangkok, Thailand, and took custody of Hall and transported him back to the United States of America.
The maximum penalty for Social Security fraud is five years in prison and maximum fine of $250,000.
The penalty for aggravated identity theft is two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, along with U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, State Department, and the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis Barlow is prosecuting.
7 August 2019
Wetzel County man indicted for firearms violationsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Harrison, of Pine Grove, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Harrison, age 49, is charged with one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” and one count of “Possession of a Firearm with an Obliterated Serial Number.” Harrison, who is not permitted to have a firearm because of a prior convictions, is accused of having a .45 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number and ammunition in June 2019 in Wetzel County.
Fuller faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Washington Parish Men Plead Guilty to Gun and Heroin OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ALEX MILLER, age 37 and LARRY DAVIS, age 40, both from Washington Parish, Louisiana pled guilty to heroin and gun charges.
Both DAVIS and MILLER pled guilty to conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and to being felons in possession of a firearm. MILLER also pled guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. DAVIS pled guilty yesterday, and MILLER pled guilty on July 23, 2019.
For the drug charge, DAVIS and MILLER face a sentence of imprisonment of at least five years and up to forty years in prison. For the charge of possessing a firearm as a felon, MILLER faces up to ten years in prison, while DAVIS may face at least fifteen years and up to life in prison, as a result of the Armed Career Criminal Act. For the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, MILLER faces at least five years, consecutive to any other sentence, and up to life in prison.
Judge Wendy B. Vitter set sentencing for MILLER on October 15, 2019, and for DAVIS on October 29, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Washington Parish Sheriff’s Office Drug Task Force, and the Bogalusa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas D. Moses and André Jones are in charge of the prosecution.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
The investigation was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF) program, the keystone drug enforcement program of the Department of Justice.
United States Files Suit Against Montgomery County Psychiatrist for Alleged Improper Opioid PrescribingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that the United States filed a civil lawsuit against Elizabeth N. Kuh, a psychiatrist practicing in Montgomery County, alleging that she wrote improper opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions for two of her patients. According to the complaint, Kuh wrote 30 opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions to a husband and wife couple which lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were issued outside the usual course of professional practice, and many of which resulted in false claims to Medicare.
The complaint filed by the United States alleges that Kuh had no specialization or training in pain management, but she repeatedly prescribed the couple 80mg OxyContin and benzodiazepine controlled substances. The prescriptions were allegedly issued to the couple frequently by mail without an in-person physical examination, without urine drug screens or diagnostic testing, frequently not recorded in Kuh’s records, and frequently while the wife’s pain management and other conditions were managed by other providers. Kuh’s improper prescribing continued for years, even after she learned that the wife’s opioids could be harming her mental health and contributing to hallucinations.
The complaint alleges that this prescribing by Kuh only ended shortly after the husband committed suicide. Kuh had allegedly sent multiple prescriptions of OxyContin through the mail to the husband—once again, without physical examination, urine drug screen, diagnostic testing, or attempting less dangerous alternatives. Kuh allegedly responded by mailing additional OxyContin prescriptions to the wife at her request. The United States’ suit seeks damages for the alleged false claims to Medicare, civil penalties for the improper prescriptions, and injunctive relief to restrict Kuh’s controlled substance registration.
The United States and Kuh have entered into a Stipulated Order and Consent Judgment, subject to the Court’s approval, which would resolve the matter without litigation. If approved by the Court, the Judgment would require Kuh to pay $250,000 to the United States, prohibit Kuh from ever writing another opioid prescription, and would treat any future violation as contempt of court.
“While all healthcare providers have a duty to ensure the well-being of their patients, psychiatrists have the responsibility of treating and caring for particularly vulnerable patients,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Psychiatrists who write opioid or benzodiazepine prescriptions to their patients must ensure that the prescriptions are appropriate and comply with federal and state law. My Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement Strike Force will continue to aggressively pursue improper opioid and controlled substance prescribing, hold providers accountable, and protect the citizens of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.”
“All registrants, to include Dr. Kuh, have an obligation to prescribe controlled substances such as opioids and benzodiazepines solely for a legitimate medical purpose and within the course of professional medical practice,” said Jonathan A. Wilson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division. “The allegations against Kuh, who repeatedly prescribed these powerful drugs without any training in pain management and without conducting routine physical examinations, are deeply concerning.”
“Civil enforcement is an important tool to recover funds when physicians cause improper claims to the Medicare program,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General. “HHS-OIG will continue to work with the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Strike Force and our other law enforcement partners to ensure the integrity of the Medicare program.”
This investigation was conducted with the Philadelphia Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania Department of State’s Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. For the United States Attorney’s Office, Assistant United States Attorney Anthony D. Scicchitano and Auditors Dawn Wiggins and Denis Cooke handled the matter.
The complaint contains allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors AUSA Michael Elmore as Part of Purple Heart Recognition DayRead the Press Release
PIERRE, S.D. – At the request of the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has proclaimed Wednesday, August 7, 2019, as “Purple Heart Recognition Day,” calling on all South Dakotans to honor those men and women who are recipients of the Purple Heart Medal.
Our nation’s oldest military medal, the Purple Heart is awarded to those men and women who have been wounded or killed as the result of enemy action while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The Purple Heart was created on August 7, 1782, by the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, General George Washington, whose likeness is now featured on the medal.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota is pleased to honor Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore, a federal prosecutor in our Pierre office, who was awarded the Purple Heart while serving overseas in the United States Marine Corps.
AUSA Elmore was born and raised in Gillette and Campbell County, Wyoming, where his family still resides. He grew up working the family cattle ranch. From 2007 to 2011, he was in the United States Marine Corps, serving as a Scout Sniper, conducting operations as part of combat reconnaissance and surveillance teams. He had three deployments in support of the Global War on Terror, including to Southeast Asia, Africa, and Afghanistan. In 2010, Elmore was awarded the Purple Heart as a result of injuries sustained in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Helmand Province, Afghanistan.
In 2011, Elmore was honorably discharged having attained the rank of Sergeant. After his honorable discharge, he attended St. Edward’s University, Austin, Texas, and graduated from Baylor Law School in Waco, Texas, in 2015. While in Texas, Elmore worked extensively with non-profit agencies to promote awareness and raise money for wounded veteran and memorial groups.
From 2016 to 2018, he served as a Deputy County Attorney in Custer County, Montana. In 2018, Elmore joined the Pierre branch of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota. He is a member of the South Dakota Bar Association and the United States District Court Bar. He is assigned to work cases arising on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, and his present work includes prosecuting violent crime, firearm, and methamphetamine offenses arising in Central South Dakota.
“We are pleased to honor our friend and colleague, Michael Elmore, for his heroism and sacrifice on behalf of our country,” said United States Attorney Ron Parsons.
U.S. Attorney Announces “Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin” A New Federal Law Enforcement Partnership to Address Crime in San Francisco’s Tenderloin DistrictRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – In his first press conference since being sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, the Honorable David L. Anderson announced a new federal initiative to address crime in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. The program, called the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin, brings together the resources of more than 15 federal law enforcement agencies to combat endemic drug trafficking, firearms offenses, robberies, and other crime in the neighborhood. At today’s press conference, U.S. Attorney Anderson also announced charges against 32 individuals as the first steps in implementing the new program.
Since being sworn in on January 15, 2019, U.S. Attorney Anderson has been the lead law-enforcement officer in the Northern District of California. At today’s press conference, he was flanked by 13 law-enforcement partners including representatives from such agencies as the U.S. Marshal Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The full list of federal participants is below. Each partnering agency has pledged resources to investigate federal crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood, as well as to prioritize investigations and support the resulting prosecutions that follow. For his part, U.S. Attorney Anderson announced that his office will devote 15 Assistant United States Attorneys (“AUSAs”) to the initiative.
The Tenderloin neighborhood encompasses about 50 square blocks of downtown San Francisco. Generally, it is bounded on the north by Geary Street, on the east by Powell Street, on the south by Mission Street, and on the west by Van Ness Avenue. U.S. Attorney Anderson described the Tenderloin as ethnically, socially, and racially diverse; relatively more affordable than other neighborhoods in San Francisco; and having one of the highest concentrations of school-aged children in San Francisco according to published reports. These attributes, argued U.S. Attorney Anderson, make for a wonderful neighborhood being “smothered by lawlessness.” “Innocent residents, commuters, tourists, and persons with business in one of the four major federal buildings in the Tenderloin should not be required to run a gauntlet of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson.
During the press conference, U.S. Attorney Anderson also described some of the parameters of the initiative. The initiative will prioritize federal charges for criminal misconduct with a nexus to the Tenderloin including drug trafficking, firearms offenses, escape, Hobbs Act robberies, false passports and visas, postal crimes, crimes on federal land, human trafficking, identity theft, and benefits fraud. The initiative will not be directed against innocent homelessness. The initiative will not be focused on drug use or possession without distribution. The initiative will persist for a minimum of one year.
“The Tenderloin neighborhood deserves the benefits of the rule of law every bit as much as other neighborhoods in this city.” U.S. Attorney Anderson said.
U.S. Attorney Anderson also announced the existence of a number of law enforcement actions that already have taken place in connection with his plan. The cases include the following:
Case Name
Case Number
U.S. v. Eduar Ramos et al.
19-CR-0305 RS
U.S. v. Francisco Padilla
19-CR-0306 WHO
U.S. v. Carlos Vargas
19-CR-0360 CRB
U.S. v. Jose Vasquez Arteaga et al.
19-CR-0287 CRB
U.S. v. Julio Viera-Chirinos
19-mj-71156
U.S. v. Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos et al.
19-mj-71145
U.S. v. Andy Reanos-Moreno et al.
19-mj-71162
U.S. v. Moyses Raudales
19-mj-71171
U.S. v. Henry Jovany Sevilla Sevilla
19-mj-71192
U.S. v. Jose Diaz
19-mj-71169
Separate press releases for these cases can be found here:
- Thirteen Defendants Charged In Cross-Bay Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
- Nine Defendants Charged In International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
“Today,” U.S. Attorney Anderson announced, “we announce the unsealing of ten cases. So far, there have been 32 individuals charged with more to come. While making no promises about the number or types of cases to be brought or the specific outcomes to be achieved, I can say that we intend to devote substantial federal resources over an extended period of time toward this initiative and the neighborhood that it will serve.”
PARTICIPANT REPRESENTATIVES
David L. Anderson, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California
Chris Nielsen, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Jay Bieber, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal
Jennifer Cicolani, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Scott Schelble, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Tatum King, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations
Timothy McHugh, Deputy Regional Director, Federal Protective Service
Thomas Edwards, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service
Mike Sena, Director, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area/Northern California Regional Intelligence Center
Kareem Carter, Special Agent In Charge, Oakland Field Office, U.S Internal Revenue Service- Criminal Investigation
Steve Ryan, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General
Don Hoang, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Forest Service
Richard Sheehan, Assistant Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service
Julie Ryer, Special Agent, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Garrett Shore, Special Agent, U.S. Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General
Two defendants sentenced for operating clandestine PCP laboratory that exploded in 2013 fireRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Coleman Warnock and Adrian Banks have been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to manufacture and possess phencyclidine, a psychedelic controlled substance commonly known as “PCP” and “angel dust,” with intent to distribute. The concealed drug lab they operated in Fulton County exploded in July 2013, and burned for two days.
“Their clandestine laboratory put an entire community at risk through their illicit enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “That risk became reality when the chemicals they were using to produce the poison exploded, causing an inferno that lasted for two days. The fire that destroyed the home could have injured neighbors nearby but thankfully, it did not. Nor did it destroy the evidence that landed these two long federal sentences.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said of the sentencings, “The clandestine PCP manufacturing site in South Fulton County was one of the largest ever discovered on the east coast. When these defendants chose to manufacture PCP, the subsequent explosion and fire proved to be a recipe for disaster. Not only was the structure burned to the ground, but surrounding neighbors were put at risk and were inconvenienced for several days as public safety and law enforcement officials worked tirelessly to snuff out the two-day burning fire. Because of the collective efforts between DEA, its local, state and federal law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these defendants will spend well-deserved time in prison.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Warnock, a multi-convicted felon whose criminal history stretches back to the early 1990s, and Banks, a convicted drug trafficker, conspired to manufacture large quantities of PCP in the basement of a Fairburn, Georgia home.
On July 6, 2013, while Warnock and Banks were working in the laboratory, some of the chemicals ignited and caused the laboratory to catch fire. Over the next two days, the home that concealed the lab burned to the ground. Investigators who responded to the scene of the fire recovered numerous barrels and canisters of chemicals, as well as protective equipment such as suits, gloves, and respiratory masks.
Based on the quantity of chemicals recovered by law enforcement, DEA determined that the illicit lab was one of the largest in the country. DNA taken from some of the protective equipment matched the DNA of Warnock and Banks.
The co-conspirators sentenced by U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg are:
- Coleman Warnock, 46, of Powder Springs, Georgia, and Compton, California, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $85,000. Warnock pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and manufacture phencyclidine on March 27, 2019, and was sentenced on July 23, 2019.
- Adrian Banks, 44, of Douglasville, Georgia, was sentenced to 20 years and two months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $85,000. Banks pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and manufacture phencyclidine on August 28, 2014, and was sentenced on June 30, 2017.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Numerous other state and local agencies, including the former Fulton County Fire & Rescue Department, the Fulton County Police Department, the Georgia State Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Atlanta Fire Department, provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Valerie Verduce prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
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.- Coleman Warnock, 46, of Powder Springs, Georgia, and Compton, California, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $85,000. Warnock pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and manufacture phencyclidine on March 27, 2019, and was sentenced on July 23, 2019.
Two Men Arrested at the Lewiston Queenston Bridge for Their Roles in Attempted Illegal EntryRead 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 Jason O. Garcia, 42, of Toronto, Ontario, and Jose Herrera-Galvaz, 43, a citizen and native of Chile, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with harboring an illegal alien and attempted illegal entry respectively. Garcia faces five years in prison if convicted; Herrera-Galvaz faces six months in prison if he is convicted.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 5, 2019, a commercial truck with Ontario, Canada plates, being driven by defendant Garcia, attempted to enter the United States at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry. During primary inspection, Garcia was asked if anyone else was present in the truck and he stated “No.” Garcia was then referred to the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) for a scan of the truck. Garcia appeared to drive toward the VACIS area, but instead of reporting directly to the VACIS exam area, he drove the truck in front of the warehouse. A CBP Officer saw the truck park for a brief moment in front of the warehouse, and saw an individual, later identified as Herrera-Galvaz, get out of the truck and walk directly into the entrance of the warehouse. The truck then turned around in the parking lot and headed towards the VACIS examination area.
The CBP officers alerted other officers who began to search the warehouse building for the person who exited the truck. Herrera-Galvaz was located in the hallway of the warehouse. Officers indicted that he appeared nervous and was speaking Spanish. It was determined that Herrera-Galvaz was the individual who exited the truck that had pulled in front of the warehouse. During a search of Herrera-Galvaz, officers found, concealed in Herrera-Galvaz’s pants, a Chilean passport, bearing his photograph and biographical information. Herrera-Galvaz and Garcia were referred to the secondary inspection area for further inspection.
A subsequent record check determined that Herrera-Galvaz was refused entry to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program, at the Toronto, Ontario Pre-flight Inspection Station on August 4, 2019. Herrera-Galvaz was refused entry for failing to disclose an arrest in Chile on his Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application. As a result, he must obtain a Visa prior to attempting to enter the United States at any time.
The defendants made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and were detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Two Boston City Hall Aides Convicted of Conspiring to Extort Music Festival Production CompanyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The City of Boston’s Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Timothy Sullivan, and Kenneth Brissette, the Director of the City’s Office of Tourism, Sports and Entertainment were convicted today by a federal jury in Boston in connection with extorting a music festival production company operating on City Hall Plaza.
Brissette and Sullivan both were convicted of Hobbs Act conspiracy, and Brissette was also convicted of Hobbs Act extortion. The Court has not yet scheduled sentencing dates.
“This afternoon, a federal jury convicted Kenneth Brissette and Timothy Sullivan of extorting a private business to hire union labor that they did not want or need,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Private companies that want to do business in Boston have the right to hire anyone they want – union or not – without fear of being threatened with economic disaster by government officials. That is the law. This was a hard fought victory, and one that reaffirms our commitment to take on cases that are in the public interest.”
“The FBI thanks the jury for their service and thoughtful deliberations,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Today’s verdicts show that public officials cannot use their positions to extort those who choose to use non-union labor. The FBI will not stand idly by while hard-working individuals are bullied and strong-armed by public servants. Everyone deserves access to a level playing field, and the excuse of “business as usual” isn’t good enough to earnest citizens who rely on their own local governments to do right by them and their families. Let this case be a warning to municipal workers everywhere, it is the taxpayers they serve and answer to at the end of the day.”
“Today’s convictions affirm the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General’s commitment to protecting the American workers from extortion and unlawful influence. The defendants used threats of financial harm to obtain wages from a television production company for services that were not needed or required. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to combat this type of criminal activity,” said Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
Between June and September 2014, while a music festival production company was awaiting the issuance of certain permits and approvals required for its event, and seeking an agreement from the City of Boston to use City Hall Plaza for events beyond 2017, Brissette and Sullivan repeatedly advised the company that it would need to hire members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 11 to work the event. Local 11 had attempted to obtain work from the production company since March 2013. The production company told Brissette and Sullivan that it had already entered into a contract with a non-union company and hired all of its labor. Nevertheless, on Sept. 2, 2014, three days before the music festival was scheduled to begin, Brissette and Sullivan insisted that half of the production company’s labor force consist of union members. The production company agreed to hire nine members of Local 11 and entered into a contract with the union because they feared the company would be financially ruined if they did not accede to the these City officials’ demands.
The charge of extortion provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to extort provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, FBI SAC Joseph R. Bonavolonta, and DOL OIG SAC Mikulka made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura J. Kaplan and Kristina E. Barclay of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Three Defendants in MS-13 Racketeering Case Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Court accepted guilty pleas this week from three defendants in the
MS-13 racketeering case. Each defendant accepted responsibility for murder, including one homicide in Indianapolis investigated as part of this case.Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced the pleas entered into before Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
In February 2018, 23 individuals were charged in a second superseding indictment and alleged to be members and associates of MS-13 in Columbus.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
The second superseding indictment alleges that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a suspected confidential informant, in Perry County; 2) the November 2008 murder of Ramon Ramos on Lockbourne Road in Columbus; 3) the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, a suspected rival gang member, near Innis Road in Columbus; 4) the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus; and 5) the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.
Jose Manuel Romero-Parada (a/k/a Russo), 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon to a superseding information. Through his plea to racketeering conspiracy, he accepted responsibility for his role in the murders of Carlos Serrano-Ramos and Wilson Villeda. In addition, he accepted responsibility for his involvement in the murder of Israel Anibal Mejia-Martinez, who was killed with bladed weapons and buried in a park in Indianapolis in 2017. The parties in Romero-Parada’s case have recommended a sentence of 35 to 40 years in prison.
Jose Bonilla-Mejia (a/k/a Espia), 30, of Santa Maria, Calif., accepted responsibility for his role in the murders of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, Wilson Villeda and Salvador Martinez-Diaz. As part of his plea, he will serve life in prison without the possibility of release. Chief Judge Sargus accepted Bonilla-Mejia’s guilty plea this afternoon.
Juan Jose Alvarenga-Alberto (a/k/a Sailen), 30, of Columbus, pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon. He accepted responsibility for his role in the 2016 shooting death of Salvador Martinez-Diaz in Columbus.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance with Bonilla-Mejia’s resolution.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Thirteen Defendants Charged in Cross-Bay Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged thirteen defendants with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. The charges were made in a complaint filed July 31, 2019, and unsealed today following the arrest of 11 defendants.
The complaint, described by U.S. Attorney Anderson in a press conference today, is one of the first steps in the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin (FIT). The initiative seeks to reduce crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and is described here.
The complaint describes a conspiracy involving a large-scale drug-trafficking organization with networks extending across the Bay Area. According to the complaint, from at least January 15, 2019, to July 31, 2019, Andy Reanos-Moreno worked with Karol Erazo-Reanos to rent housing throughout the Easy Bay for persons, including “redistributors,” who were part of the drug-distribution network. Reanos-Moreno, Erazo-Reanos, and Manuel Arteaga allegedly also supplied the redistributors with heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine. The redistributors, including Allan Josue Funez Osorto, Brayan Martinez, Josue Natanael Perdomo Moreno, Jose Franklin Rodriguez Garcia, Cesar Estrada Cruz, Arnold Cruz Rodriguez, Christian Rodriguez-Valle, Alex Gomez Barrientos, Eric Montoya Marquez, and Kevin Arteaga-Morales, allegedly traveled to the Tenderloin neighborhood to sell drugs, often by carpooling together across the Bay Bridge.
According to the criminal complaint, Reanos-Moreno, along with Arteaga, took drug orders on a nearly daily basis from the individuals living in houses across the East Bay. The persons living in the houses occasionally would negotiate prices and would specify daily the quantities of heroin, cocaine powder, cocaine base, and methamphetamine they wanted to receive. Reanos-Moreno and Arteaga would then deliver these drugs to redistributors who would travel to the Tenderloin neighborhood to sell the drugs, referring to the neighborhood as “Civic Cen.” The complaint describes numerous alleged seizures of heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from houses where the redistributors lived as well as numerous seizures of drugs from the redistributors in the Tenderloin, including near several federal buildings.
All defendants are charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and between 3 years and a lifetime term of supervised release. Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The complaint contains allegations only and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Several of the defendants were arrested on Tuesday, August 6, 2019, as part of a criminal enforcement operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Garcia, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Ryan Rezaei are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, San Francisco Police Department, and Richmond Police Department.
St. Thomas Resident Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –Jeffrey Cole, 57, of St. Thomas, was sentenced yesterday on his conviction for failing to register as a sex offender, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Cole to six months incarceration, three years of supervised release and a Special Assessment of $100. Gomez also ordered Cole to perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court records, Cole was convicted for voyeurism in the State of Ohio in 2009. He moved to the Virgin Islands in 2018, and failed to register here.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshal Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Missouri, man pleaded guilty in federal court today to a bank fraud scheme to cash stolen and counterfeit checks.
Robert Simon Rees, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to one count of bank fraud and one count of possessing stolen mail.
By pleading guilty today, Rees admitted that he engaged in a bank fraud scheme from April to July 3, 2017, to cash stolen and counterfeit checks and to use the stolen and counterfeit checks to purchase merchandise. The amount of the financial harm attempted during the bank fraud scheme totaled approximately $19,696 to 10 or more victims. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Rees must pay $1,607 in restitution to the three victims who suffered actual losses.
Rees, aided and abetted by others, stole checks, letters, and documents containing the personally identifying information of individuals from the mailboxes of individuals and businesses and from vehicles and residences. They created forged and counterfeit power of attorney documents that purported to give Rees authority to conduct financial transactions on behalf of the individuals and businesses that were payees listed on the stolen checks. Then, at businesses including Wal-Mart and Lend Nation, Rees attempted to cash the stolen checks, or use the stolen checks to purchase merchandise.
Rees, aided and abetted by others, also created forged and counterfeit checks payable to persons other than himself, as well as counterfeit identification (including Missouri temporary drivers’ licenses) matching the payee names on the counterfeit checks. Rees then falsely presented himself as the payee listed on the counterfeit checks, and attempted to cash the counterfeit checks, or use the counterfeit checks to purchase merchandise at businesses.
Under federal statutes, Rees is subject to a sentence of up to 35 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Mohlhenrich. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty August 6, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Julio Cesar Salais, age 45, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distributing methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a protected location. Salais was twice previously convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Northern District of Iowa District Court in 1996 and 2002.
At the plea hearing, Salais admitted that from May 2018 through March 2019, he and others conspired to distribute more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Sioux City, Iowa area. Salais further admitted that on two occasions he distributed more than 300 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. These distributions occurred within the protected locations of Irving Elementary School, Sioux City Alternative School and Opportunities School at the Boys and Girls home in Sioux City.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Salais remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Salais faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-4024. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Schenectady County Man Indicted for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Robert Kirk, 36, of Schenectady, New York, was charged today in a five-count indictment for sexually exploiting a child by using a minor to create sexually explicit images on a cellular telephone, and distributing and possessing child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Kirk was initially charged by criminal complaint on July 26, 2018, and has remained in custody since. If convicted, Kirk faces at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison on the sexual exploitation counts, at least 5 and up to 20 years in prison on the distribution count, and up to 20 years in prison on each of the child pornography counts. Sentences of imprisonment may be concurrent or consecutive at the discretion of the Court. 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. The Court also will impose a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of between 5 years and life.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by HSI, with assistance from the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Giglio Suarez.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Roxboro Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced ANDRE ALAN THORPE, 36, of Roxboro, North Carolina to 480 months’ imprisonment, followed by lifetime of supervised release.
THORPE was named in an Indictment filed on May 16, 2018, and pleaded guilty on May 2, 2019, to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
From around 2013 until April 29, 2016, THORPE sexually abused a minor boy. Using his position as a leader of a church pantomime group, THORPE developed a relationship with the victim and then used drugs and manipulation to groom and control the victim. The victim’s family eventually moved out of state in part to escape THORPE. In 2015, THORPE arranged for the victim to return to North Carolina, where he continued to sexually abuse the then-fifteen-year-old. The victim returned home, but THORPE again transported the victim back to North Carolina in February 2016. On April 25, 2016, while participating in a church event in Raleigh, THORPE took the victim to a Raleigh residence, where he had sexual contact with the victim and photographed it. The victim, age sixteen, was recovered in THORPE’s company on April 29, 2016. Law enforcement subsequently recovered the images of child pornography from THORPE’s cellular phone.
Mr. Higdon commented: “We are very pleased that the Court saw fit to sentence Andre Alan Thorpe to some 40 years in federal prison. The victim in this case – and the victim’s family – have been terrorized. As the result of the Court’s sentence this defendant’s life as a predator stops now!”
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and the Raleigh Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Erin Blondel handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Rocky Mount Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that yesterday in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced MARCUS ANTONIO LUCAS 42, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 72 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
LUCAS was named in a five-count Indictment filed on February 6, 2019 charging him with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin from January 24, 2018 until February 9, 2018; distribution of a quantity of heroin; distribution of a quantity of heroin, aiding and abetting; and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, aiding and abetting. On May 2, 2019, LUCAS pled guilty to the conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of heroin, aiding and abetting, charges.
According to the investigation, LUCAS was a part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Law enforcement utilized a confidential informant and undercover officer to make several controlled buys of multiple bricks of heroin from LUCAS. One brick of heroin consists of 50 individual bags or dosage units. On February 9, 2018, officers attempted to stop LUCAS’ vehicle after he traveled to Henderson, North Carolina. LUCAS led officers on a chase in Nash County, North Carolina. Officers had to deploy stop sticks in order to get LUCAS to stop. LUCAS eventually jumped from his car and fled on foot. LUCAS was apprehended and officers located eight bricks of heroin, approximately 400 individual dosage units, in his car.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government.
Rocky Mount Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced NATHANIEL CLEVESTER CLARK, 28, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 60 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
CLARK was named in a five-count Indictment filed on September 11, 2018 charging him with distribution of a quantity of cocaine base (crack); distribution of twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (crack); distribution of a quantity of cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine. On May 2, 2019, CLARK pled guilty to distribution of twenty-eight (28) grams or more of cocaine base (crack).
According to the investigation, CLARK was a part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed cocaine base (crack) and cocaine in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Law enforcement utilized a confidential informant and undercover officer to make several controlled buys of numerous ounces of cocaine base (crack) and cocaine from CLARK. On January 3, 2018, officers attempted to arrest CLARK before he was about to sell four ounces of cocaine. Upon seeing officers, CLARK ran into a convenience store and placed the drugs on a shelf in the store. Officers seized the drugs which were examined and determined to be over 110 grams of cocaine.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Office’s Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office, Tarboro Police Department, Nash County Sheriff’s Office, and the Tar River Regional Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Dena King represented the government.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty in Theft of over 90 Guns Taken During Gun Store BurglariesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Dakota J. Sarfaty, 22, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to theft of firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee and possession of stolen firearms. The charges each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Harvey, who is handling the case, stated that Sarfaty, along with co-defendants Luis D. Marcano-Agosto and Marcos D. Guzman, broke into Chinappi’s Firearms & Supplies, a gun store located at 5016 West Ridge Road in Spencerport, NY, in the early morning hours of August 16, 2018. Sarfaty entered the basement through a hole in the wall and, together with Marcano-Agosto and Guzman, stole approximately 87 firearms, almost all of which were handguns. Guzman, Sarfaty and Marcano-Agosto then sold many of the firearms on the streets of Rochester. Investigators recovered 14 of the stolen firearms in the days after the theft.
Sarafty also admitted to breaking into Chinappi’s Firearms & Supplies and stealing approximately seven firearms on August 12, 2018.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division; the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter; and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron Singletary.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Million Dollar Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to embezzle over a million dollars from a Massachusetts company.
Michael H. Tran, 35, of Woonsocket, R.I., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. In September 2018, Tran was charged by indictment and arrested. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 5, 2019.
Tran and co-conspirator Darren Cormier, who worked as a product manager for a Bellingham, Mass., manufacturing company, worked together to embezzle millions of dollars from the company. From December 2013 to May 2016, Cormier told the company owners that he was purchasing equipment for the company using his PayPal account, which was linked to the company’s credit cards. Instead of making legitimate equipment purchases, however, Cormier used his PayPal account to pay Tran, who withdrew the money in cash and used it to pay for personal expenses. Tran and Cormier concealed the fraud by adjusting the names settings in Tran’s PayPal account to make it appear on account statements as if the payments were submitted to legitimate vendors. Tran and Cormier also submitted fraudulent invoices and purchase orders to the company in the name of some non-existent vendors, such as “A Plug Tool Supply,” and “MHT Industrial.”
Cormier was charged separately for his role in the conspiracy and wire fraud scheme and pleaded guilty in March 2019. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 18, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns.
The charging statute for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O'Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Raleigh County Couple Sentenced for Roles in Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – A Raleigh County couple were sentenced today to prison for their roles in federal drug and gun charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Billy Joe Lesher, 40, of Beckley, was sentenced to 96 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine. Kimberly York, 33, also from Beckley, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The drug trafficking crime involved the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Stuart commended the cooperative investigative efforts of the Beckley Police Department, the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
“Meth dealers and guns. Different names, but the result is the same – lengthy federal prison sentences,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Lesher previously admitted that on October 24, 2018, members of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, and ATF executed a search warrant at his residence in Beckley, West Virginia. During the search, officers found approximately seven ounces methamphetamine that defendant admitted he possessed with the intent to distribute. Lesher also admitted that he possessed methamphetamine on March 10, 2018. On this date, Lesher admitted that he was the subject of a traffic stop in Beckley. After he was stopped, officers found approximately 38 grams of methamphetamine, a set of digital scales, two firearms, and almost $12,000 in cash in his car. After the traffic stop, officers also searched defendant’s residence and found approximately 33 ounces, or about two pounds, of methamphetamine. Lesher admitted that he intended to distribute this methamphetamine in the Southern District of West Virginia. Further, as part of his plea, Lesher also admitted to distributing quantities of heroin on two different dates.
York previously admitted that on March 10, 2018, she was a passenger in a car driven by her companion and co-defendant, Billy Lesher. The car was stopped by police near Robert C. Byrd Drive in Beckley for speeding. During the traffic stop, officers found approximately 38 grams of methamphetamine, a set of digital scales, guns, and almost $12,000 in cash in the car. A Taurus .357 revolver was found in York’s purse along with a small amount of heroin. York admitted that she knew the methamphetamine found in the car was possessed with the intent to distribute it in and around Raleigh County. She also admitted that she possessed the firearm as protection for both her and Lesher as they engaged in drug trafficking activity.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecutions. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentences.
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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Roswell Man Arrested on Federal Firearms and Explosives ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Joshua Daniel Vaughn, 31, of Roswell, N.M., made his initial appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in federal court in Roswell on a criminal complaint charging him with being a user of controlled substances illegally in possession of firearms and making destructive explosive devices. Vaughn was ordered temporarily detained pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, which have yet to be scheduled, but will be held in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M.
The charges against Vaughn were announced by U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek III of the Dallas Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Roswell Police Chief Philip Smith, and New Mexico State Police Chief Tim Johnson.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation into Vaughn was initiated on Aug. 5, 2019, after the Roswell Police Department (RPD) received a tip about a man, later identified as Vaughn, who allegedly was observed loading multiple firearms into a vehicle. The tipster reportedly was concerned because the man allegedly was wearing latex gloves and camouflage. Acting on the tip, RPD officers executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Vaughn. During the traffic stop, the RPD officers allegedly recovered seven firearms from Vaughn and the vehicle, and verified with the New Mexico Department of Health that Vaughn was authorized to use medical marijuana.
The criminal complaint alleges that on Aug. 5, 2019, officers from the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) Bomb Squad conducted a consensual search of Vaughn’s residence where they allegedly observed multiple explosive devices in a bedroom allegedly used by Vaughn. On Aug. 6, 2019, ATF obtained a federal search warrant for Vaughn’s residence, which was executed by ATF and the NMSP Bomb Squad. During the execution of the search, ATF and the NMSP Bomb Squad allegedly imaged multiple homemade improvised explosive devices, which they rendered safe. The agents and officers also allegedly seized three more firearms and ammunition while executing the search warrant.
ATF arrested Vaughn on Aug. 5, 2019, following the traffic stop and execution of the consensual search at Vaughn’s residence.
If convicted on the offenses in the criminal complaint, Vaughn faces a statutory maximum of ten years of imprisonment on the firearms possession charge, and a statutory maximum of ten years of imprisonment on the explosive devices charge. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation of this case, which is continuing, is being handled by the Las Cruces office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Roswell Police Department, and the New Mexico State Police Bomb Squad. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Y. Armijo of the U.S. Attorney’s office in Las Cruces is prosecuting the case.
Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Hurricane man pled guilty to a federal firearm offense today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Johnny Ray Thacker, 63, pled guilty to carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Charleston Police Department, the Dunbar Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“Drugs and guns by a two-time felon,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Drug trafficking is a violent business. Our law enforcement partners are placed in harm’s way every single day to get violent drug dealers off the streets and behind bars. There may be nothing more uncertain and, frankly, scary, than walking up to the side of a vehicle and not knowing what may be pointed back at you. A felon in possession of a firearm is against the law and we will prosecute each and every time we find a felon with a gun.”
On July 3, 2018, a Charleston Police Officer stopped Thacker for speeding 24 miles per hour over the speed limit on Sissonville Drive. Thacker told the officer he had a gun on the passenger seat, which the officer temporarily secured for their safety. Thacker was a two-time felon, whose rights to possess a firearm had not been restored. While retrieving Thacker’s gun, the officer spotted marijuana scattered on it. Officers then searched Thacker’s vehicle and recovered several grams of methamphetamine and heroin, baggies for drug packaging, and a scale.
On September 3, 2018, police officers were called to Dunbar Memorial Park regarding suspected drug trafficking out of a lime green colored vehicle. Officers spotted Thacker parked in a lime green car. After a specially-trained police dog detected the odor of drugs coming from Thacker’s car, police searched it and found approximately 4.5 grams of methamphetamine, baggies, a scale, a baggie of powdered sugar for cutting drugs, and a ledger documenting drug debts and sales. Thacker claimed the drugs.
Thacker faces a mandatory minimum five years and up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on November 7, 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is handling the prosecution.
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Prison Guards Charged with Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MICAH LYNNE WASCHER, 36, and TRAVIS EUGENE WASCHER, 42, both of Canute, Oklahoma, have been charged with methamphetamine distribution, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Downing. The defendants are married and, at the time of the alleged offenses, were Correctional Officers for the Oklahoma Department of Corrections at the North Fork Correctional Facility in Sayre.
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed on July 30, Oklahoma Department of Corrections staff confiscated a cell phone from a North Fork inmate on May 27, 2019. It is alleged the Department’s Security Threats Intelligence group discovered the phone contained evidence of regular communications among the inmate who had the phone, another inmate, and Micah Lynne Wascher. The phone allegedly included evidence that the other inmate had been receiving money on a Green Dot prepaid credit card from Wascher. Both inmates at issue are allegedly members of the Universal Aryan Brotherhood.
According to the affidavit, Department of Corrections officers obtained a warrant and searched the defendants’ home in Canute. They discovered 72 grams of a white, crystal-like substance that field tested positive for methamphetamine, as well as eleven cell phones.
Both defendants were arrested on August 6, 2019. Today a federal grand jury returned an indictment that charges both of them with three crimes: conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, and maintaining a drug-involved premises.
"Oklahomans expect prison officials to enforce our laws, not to use their positions to introduce contraband such as drugs and cell phones," said U.S. Attorney Downing. "I am pleased to work with state corrections officials to ensure Oklahoma’s prisons are free of this sort of corruption."
If found guilty of either of the first two charges, each defendant faces a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000,000. This crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Each defendant would also be required to serve a term of supervised release of at least four years and up to life. If found guilty of the third charge, each could be imprisoned up to 20 years and be subject to a fine of up to $500,000, in addition to three years of supervised release.
This case is a result of an investigation by the Oklahoma Department of Corrections—Security Threats Intelligence, the Oklahoma District Attorney’s Drug Task Force for District 2, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Patterson and Jason Harley are prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Pittsburgh Man Charged in Series of Armed Robberies of Area BusinessesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal robbery laws, using a firearm during a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The 16-count Second Superseding Indictment named George Wilson, III, age 37.
According to the Second Superseding Indictment, Wilson committed a series of armed robberies of businesses throughout the Pittsburgh area from November 2014 through December 2014. During that time, Wilson committed armed robberies of three stores called "The Exchange" and during one robbery, Wilson discharged a firearm. Wilson also committed armed robberies of two Sunoco stations and one Exxon station. Due to a prior conviction for a felony offense, Wilson is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 35years and up to life in prison, a fine of $250,000 at each count, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Troy Rivetti and Heidi M. Grogan are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Monroeville Police Department, the Ross Township Police Department, the Penn Hills Police Department and the Wilkins Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Second Superseding Indictment in this case.
A second superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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.
Picayune Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Images of a Minor Engaged in Sexually Explicit ConductRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Dannie Curlee, Jr., 46, of Picayune, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. to producing images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
In February 2017, Curlee produced images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Curlee was identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Attache Vancouver, and HSI in Mississippi, as an individual, with a specific user name, involved with numerous individuals posting images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children utilizing a Canadian company’s instant messaging mobile app “Kik”.
Subsequent investigation and the identification of an internet protocol or “IP” address linked to Curlee led to the execution of a federal search warrant in July of 2018 at Curlee’s Picayune residence and his subsequent arrest. Curlee admitted when interviewed that he had produced images of a minor child. He was charged in a federal indictment in April, 2019.
Curlee will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on November 14, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. in Gulfport. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Border Enforcement Security Task Force with assistance from the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
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 the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 14 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Joseph Richard, age 26, of Philadelphia, was sentenced on August 6, 2019, to 168 months’ imprisonment by United States District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann, for drug trafficking and money laundering.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, from 2015 through 2017, Richard transported bulk heroin from Philadelphia to associates in Danville and Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, who would then repay Richard using a credit union account he held.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case also was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Portales Man Indicted on Federal Production of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Augustin Gallegos, 34, of Portales, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court in Roswell, N.M., yesterday on an indictment charging him with production of child pornography. Gallegos remains in federal custody pending arraignment and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for August 13, 2019, in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M.
A federal grand jury sitting in Albuquerque returned an indictment against Gallegos under seal on July 25, 2019. The indictment was unsealed after the FBI arrested Gallegos earlier today.
The indictment charges Gallegos with persuading, inducing, enticing, and coercing a child under the age of 18 years to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. According to the indictment, Gallegos committed the crime between March 2018 and May 2019, in Roosevelt County, N.M.
At the time of his arrest on the federal indictment, Gallegos was in state custody on related state charges filed by the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. The state charges will be dismissed in favor of federal prosecution.
If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Gallegos faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment. Charges in indictments are only accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Roswell and Albuquerque offices of the FBI and the Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory with assistance from the Texico (New Mexico) Police Department, the Portales Police Department, and the 9th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah J. Mease is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Nine Defendants Charged in International Drug-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged nine defendants, many members of the same family, with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. The charges were made in a complaint filed July 26, 2019, and unsealed today following the arrest of eight defendants.
The complaint, described by U.S. Attorney Anderson in a press conference today, is one of the first steps in the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin (FIT). The initiative seeks to reduce crime in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco and is described here.
The complaint describes a conspiracy involving a large-scale drug trafficking organization a network extending across the Bay Area. According to the complaint, between March 4, 2019, and July 26, 2019, Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos, a/k/a “Rojo”, worked with his family members Victor Viera-Chirinos, a/k/a “Mojarra”; Jorge Alberto Viera-Chirinos; Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera, a/k/a “Enrique”; and Karen Castro-Torres, a/k/a “Delany Ellieth Cardona Velasquez”, a/k/a “Belanie Elyzabeth Artiaga”, to obtain drugs. The defendants brought the drugs from Mexico through Los Angeles to the Bay Area. The defendants then repackaged the drugs for redistribution both in the Bay Area and in Seattle. The complaint also describes the execution of search warrants in June 2018 by the Richmond and San Francisco Police Departments and how Jorge Alberto Viera-Chirinos thereafter remained in the Bay Area to run the family drug-trafficking business while Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos and his partner, Karen Castro-Torres, moved to Seattle.
Also described in the complaint is how Karen Castro-Torres, Cilder Velasquez, and Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera coordinated housing for individuals who redistributed drugs for the drug-trafficking organization. Drug redistributors, including Gustavo Adolfo Gamez-Velasquez and Luis Almicar Erazo-Centeno, allegedly placed orders for drugs on a regular basis from Cilder Velasquez and Jorge Enrique Torres-Viera. The complaint includes excerpts from calls and text messages intercepted over federally authorized wiretaps. According to the complaint, the Viera family obtained drugs in Los Angeles, packaged them for local redistribution in Livermore, Calif., and then shipped the drugs to the Seattle area. Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos, speaking with an individual using a Honduras-based area code, also allegedly plotted to murder an individual in Honduras. The complaint also describes a traffic stop in Washington State during which Alexander Gonzalez-Vasquez and Eduardo Alfonso Viera-Chirinos allegedly concealed cocaine and heroin in a hidden compartment inside Gonzalez’s truck.
DEA Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen stated, “Street-level drug dealing has, unfortunately, become somewhat 'normalized' in the Tenderloin. As for me and my law enforcement partners, and I suspect most people in this community, we are tired of drug traffickers preying on and profiting from the vulnerable. This case and the Federal Initiative for the Tenderloin is a sustained effort, and we are focused on drug dealers, their sources of supply and anyone else who assists them, while keeping in mind we need to help those suffering from addiction. Our message is simple: we will continue to do our best to prevent these bold criminals from destroying any more lives. There is much work to be done.”
All defendants are charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C). If convicted, defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment and between 3 years and a lifetime term of supervised release. Further, additional fines, forfeitures, and restitution may be ordered; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The complaint contains allegations only, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Several of the defendants were arrested on July 26, 2019, as part of a criminal enforcement operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Garcia, Sailaja Paidipaty, and Ryan Rezaei are prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA, San Francisco Police Department, and Richmond Police Department.
Niagara Falls Man Arrested, Facing Cocaine and Fentanyl Distribution ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jake Seright, 40, of Niagara Falls, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession with the intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Misha A. Coulson, who is handling the case, stated that on July 19, 2019, investigators obtained a federal search warrant for the defendant’s Zito Drive apartment in Niagara Falls. In anticipation of executing the search warrant, investigators conducted surveillance in the vicinity during the afternoon and evening hours of August 5, 2019. At approximately 11:20 p.m., a vehicle stop was conducted of a vehicle the defendant was driving. A quantity of marijuana was recovered from Seright, who was arrested at that time.
On August 6, 2019, investigators executed the search warrant at the Zito Drive apartment and seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine and 88 grams of suspected fentanyl from the apartment.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and are being held pending a detention hearing on August 9, 2019.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Newington Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Labor Union FundsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS POPILLO, 61, of Newington, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Hartford to one count of embezzlement and theft of labor union funds while serving as the president of the Communications Workers of America Local 81266.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from 2003 through 2017, Popillo served as the president of the Communications Workers of America Local 81266 (“CWA 81266”). He also served as the secretary-treasurer of CWA 81266 from approximately 2003 until 2015. During his tenure as a CWA 81266 officer, Popillo embezzled approximately $37,568.68 of labor union funds by receiving unauthorized checks from CWA 81266’s bank account, and by making unauthorized purchases with CWA 81266’s debit card.
When he is sentenced, Popillo faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
Popillo is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret E. Maigret.
Multi-pound meth dealer sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Laurel man accused of providing at least 15 pounds of methamphetamine for distribution in the community as part of a large trafficking organization was sentenced today to six and one-half years in prison and five years of supervised release, said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Tyson Allen Gilmore, 27, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
Gilmore was among individuals in a drug trafficking conspiracy that included Billings resident Joshua Clause, who was sentenced in April to 15 years in prison for conviction on meth and firearms crimes, the prosecution said. After Clause’s arrest in August 2018, a source told law enforcement that Clause directed him to go to his house and remove 12 pounds of meth. Clause’s co-conspirators gave the meth to the Gilmore. One of Clause’s co-conspirators told agents that Gilmore provided him with 15 pounds of meth for distribution in the Billings area, while another co-conspirator admitted getting one and a half pounds of meth from Gilmore for re-distribution. Sixteen and a half pounds is the equivalent of about 59,796 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Billings Police Department, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Montana Highway Patrol.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Drug 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 Humberto Martinez-Vega, 48, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute, and to distribute, one kilogram or more of heroin. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy C. Lynch, who is handling the case, stated that beginning sometime in 2018 and continuing until July 26, 2018, the defendant conspired with co-defendant Giovani Ramirez-Soto, 27, also a citizen of Mexico, to sell heroin.
On July 26, 2018, a New York State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop of a red Honda Accord, with Alabama license plates, driving on Route 20A in the Town of Warsaw in Wyoming County. The trooper approached the vehicle, which was being driven by Martinez-Vega with Ramirez-Soto as a passenger. Martinez-Vega gave the trooper an expired Georgia identification card, and told the trooper he was looking for work.
Martinez-Vega gave the trooper consent to search the vehicle. A NYSP K9 Trooper was brought to the scene. The K9 alerted to several areas of the vehicle and a subsequent search recovered 1,200 grams of suspected heroin, and approximately 421 grams of suspected methamphetamine hidden behind the front dashboard of the vehicle.
Further investigation determined that the defendants were illegally present in the United States.
Co-defendant Giovani Ramirez-Soto was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Edward Kennedy, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 20, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. before Judge Skretny.
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Metairie Man Sentenced to 121 Months Imprisonment after Previously Pleading Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of 14-Year-Old FemaleRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that PASCAL CALOGERO, III, age 60, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1594(c). CALOGERO was sentenced to 121 months imprisonment, five (5) years of supervised release, a $5,100 special assessment fee and payment of restitution to the victim, which will be determined within 90 days. Additionally, CALOGERO must register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, between at least May 9, 2017, and June 5, 2017, CALOGERO conspired with others to traffic a fourteen-year-old female from Metairie, Louisiana. Specifically, J.B. met the victim on May 9, 2017 and recruited her to work for him as a prostitute. She worked for J.B. from about May 9 through about May 23. J.B. required her to turn over all, or most, of the money she earned from prostitution to him. J.B. then created advertisements on online classified advertisement services commonly used to advertise sexual services in exchange for money, through which J.B. received telephone calls and text messages inquiring about, scheduling, and arranging prostitution dates with the victim. J.B. scheduled the time, location, and other logistics of prostitution dates with the victim.
Between May 16, 2017 and May 22, 2017, J.B. transmitted sexually explicit photographs of the victim to CALOGERO via email and text message for the purpose of offering and encouraging CALOGERO to arrange a prostitution date with the victim. CALOGERO engaged in prostitution dates with the victim on at least four separate days, paying less than $120 per occasion. In addition to engaging in prostitution dates with the victim, CALOGERO occasionally drove her to prostitution dates with other individuals. On numerous occasions, CALOGERO also attempted to facilitate the prostitution of the victim to multiple adult men by, among other things, taking and transmitting sexually explicit pictures of the fourteen year old to them, negotiating prices, arranging the times and locations of prostitution dates, and providing his personal residence as the location of a prostitution date he arranged. CALOGERO successfully brokered prostitution dates with the victim on at least three occasions.
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 United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter, and specifically the FBI New Orleans Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes members of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Kenner Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police, with the assistance of the City of New Orleans Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, was in charge of the prosecution.
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Massachusetts Woman Sentenced to 41 Months for Orchestrating Fraudulent Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jessica M. Teixeira, 41, of Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 41 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges related to a fraudulent investment scheme, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between December 2015 and November 2017, Teixeira defrauded two New Hampshire investors by selling them a series of securities that she claimed were guaranteed to generate high rates of return. Teixeira represented herself as a solicitor of high-yield investment funds with connections to investment groups raising funds associated with domestic and foreign real estate developments, who solicited financing through private investors rather than banks. In fact, Teixeira's claims about being connected to high-level investment groups were false. The investment contracts and notes she sold were worthless and they generated no returns. Teixeira simply converted the invested funds to her own personal use and benefit, without returning any of the invested funds. In total, the Teixeira obtained approximately $296,250 from the two investors.
Teixeira, who previously pleaded guilty on March 13, 2019, also was ordered to pay restitution of $296,250 to her victims.
“The defendant’s criminal pursuit of self-interest inflicted a substantial loss on two victims” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “She used a series of false promises to take advantage of her victims and steal their funds. Those who engage in this type of scheme should understand that they will face substantial prison sentences because federal law enforcement agencies are working together to identify and prosecute those who commit financial fraud.”
“Much like a house of cards, this investment scheme wasn’t built on a solid foundation of integrity and honesty,” said Special Agent in Charge Kristina O’Connell, of IRS Criminal Investigations in Boston. “The sentence imposed today should serve as a clear warning - those who defraud investors of their hard-earned money will ultimately be held accountable.”
“Jessica Teixeira took advantage of innocent investors by knowingly and wittingly creating a fraudulent investment scheme for her own personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the FBI Boston Division. “With today’s sentence, she is finally held accountable for her criminal conduct and the FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to find fraudsters like her and hold them accountable.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Davis and Anna Dronzek.
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Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Sean Anderson, 39, of Peabody, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court records, on May 7, 2019, a Maine State Police trooper stopped the defendant for speeding northbound on I-95 in York. The trooper recovered a package containing about 9 grams of fentanyl from the ground just outside the defendant’s car, where the defendant had thrown it after pulling over. While the defendant was being booked into the York County Jail, jail personnel found two additional packages containing about 52 grams of fentanyl in the defendant’s underwear.
The defendant faces up to 40 years in prison, between three years and life on supervised release, and a $5,000,000 fine. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the Maine State Police; and the York County Sheriff’s Department and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge, a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids.
Marshall County man indicted for firearms violationsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Justin Michael Fuller, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Fuller, age 32, is charged with two counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Fuller, who is not permitted to have a firearm because of a prior conviction, is accused of having a 12-gauge shotgun and a 10mm pistol in Marshall County in May 2019, and having a .25 caliber pistol in Ohio County in May 2019.
Fuller faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the West Virginia State Police, the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
MEDIA ADVISORY: United States Attorney Mike Stuart to Hold Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. –Mike Stuart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia, joined by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), will hold a press conference on Thursday, August 8, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. to announce an important development.
Where: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse - 4th floor (U.S. Attorney’s Office)
300 Virginia Street East
Charleston, WV 25301
When: Thursday, August 8, 2019 @ 9:30 a.m.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
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Lyon County, Iowa Man to Federal Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced August 8, 2019, to four years in federal prison.
Jose Ignacio Leanos, age 29, from Inwood, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 18, 2019, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the guilty plea, Leanos admitted that from about 2017 through April 2018, he and others distributed more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine in the Lyon County, Iowa area. In April 2018, Leanos distributed nearly a pound of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement, and at the time possessed more than five pounds. Evidence at the sentencing further showed that Leanos and others imported methamphetamine from Mexico to distribute in Iowa.
Leanos was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Leanos was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Leanos is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4034. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.