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6 August 2019
Swissvale Man Charged with Heroin PossessionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Allegheny County has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Tyler Caldwell, 33, formerly of Swissvale, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment presented to the court, on May 9, 2019, Caldwell intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute heroin.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Vasquez Schmitt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Western Pennsylvania Opioid Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Suspended City Commissioner Maddox & Associate Carter-Smith Plead Guilty to Corruption & Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Suspended Tallahassee City Commissioner Scott Charles Maddox and business associate Janice Paige Carter-Smith today each pleaded guilty to two honest services fraud counts and one tax fraud conspiracy count arising from a 47-count indictment. Maddox and Carter-Smith face up to 45 years in federal prison followed by supervised release, as well as $750,000 in fines. In addition, Maddox and Carter-Smith agreed to forfeit all interest in any property which was derived from proceeds of the crimes to which the defendants pled guilty and to a forfeiture money judgment in an amount to be determined by the Court.
The plea agreements were negotiated by the office of United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida Lawrence Keefe and the Public Integrity Section of the United States Department of Justice, and accepted by Senior United States District Judge Robert Hinkle. Maddox and Carter-Smith will be sentenced on November 19, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Tallahassee.
"Public office is the highest form of public trust, and the pattern of criminal activity by these defendants violated the sacred trust of the people. When Maddox should have been looking out for the best interest of the citizens of Tallahassee, he was instead lining his own pocket with Carter-Smith’s help. This U.S. Attorney’s Office places the utmost priority on rooting out and pursuing public corruption, and will continue to do so in order to restore the public’s trust in its government and elected officials," Keefe said.
Maddox and Carter-Smith pleaded guilty to one count each of honest services wire fraud, honest services mail fraud, and conspiracy to defraud the United States. In the statement of facts filed in support of his plea agreement, Maddox admits to having taken large sums of money in exchange for favorable actions on various issues that came before the City of Tallahassee. He participated in a scheme to defraud and deprive the City of Tallahassee and its citizens of its right to honest services through bribery. Carter-Smith admitted to participating with Maddox in these criminal acts.
A federal grand jury indicted Maddox and Carter-Smith in December, and a superseding indictment in May added defendant John Thomas Burnette in various counts.
"Abusing one's position for personal gain is a blatant disregard to the oath that every government employee takes," said Rachel L. Rojas of the FBI Jacksonville Division. "Corrupt public officials undermine the integrity of our government and violate the public’s trust, and rooting them out is among the most complex, tedious and significant work that the FBI does for the American public. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work together to ensure those who commit fraud and corruption are brought to justice."
The guilty plea acknowledges the allegations contained in the indictment that Maddox and Carter-Smith conspired to operate two companies, Governance Inc. and Governance Services LLC, as one entity they referred to as "Governance." Governance was part of a racketeering enterprise that accepted bribes and extorted money from Governance clients under color of Maddox’s office through fear of the economic harm Maddox could inflict through his influential position as a City Commissioner. Maddox and Carter-Smith pleaded guilty to charges of defrauding a bank of more than $250,000 through two fraudulent short sales of real property, lying to federal agents about Governance and other matters, and violating federal tax laws by conspiring to interfere with the IRS and filing false tax returns.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case against Maddox and Carter-Smith was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen M. Kunz, Gary K. Milligan, and Andrew J. Grogan of the Northern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys Simon J. Cataldo, Peter M. Nothstein, and Rosaleen T. O’Gara of the Department of Justice, Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Salvadoran National Sentenced for Failing to Register as A Sex Offender and Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously deported Salvadoran national was sentenced in federal court in Boston today for failure to register as a sex offender and unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Oscar Alfaro, 47, who is currently in state custody in connection with sexual assault charges stemming from a 2016 incident in Newbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 33 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Alfaro will also be subject to deportation. In April 2019, Alfaro pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender and one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
In 2008, Alfaro was convicted in Virginia state court of taking indecent liberties with a child. As a result, Alfaro is required to register as a sex offender in any jurisdiction where he lives or works. After serving a sentence for his 2008 conviction, Alfaro was deported.
At some point following his deportation, Alfaro illegally reentered the United States. In March 2016, it was reported that Alfaro had committed an indecent assault and battery, which qualifies as a sex offense under Massachusetts state law. After the assault was reported, Alfaro left Massachusetts. The U.S. Marshals Service located and apprehended Alfaro in Virginia in November 2017 and returned him to Massachusetts to face state sexual assault charges.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and John Gibbons, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office and the Newbury and Rowley Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Post Falls Woman Admits to Hiring HitmanRead the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Katrina (Katie) Lynn Danforth, 32, of Post Falls, Idaho, pled guilty this week to two counts of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Danforth was indicted by a federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene on December 18, 2018.
According to court records, Danforth admitted that in October 2018 she agreed to pay a “hitman” to murder someone. During October and November 2018, she met in person with the hitman, called him on the phone and mailed him a thank you card with a $2,500 cash down payment. The hitman was actually an undercover police officer and Danforth was arrested. Danforth has remained in custody since her arrest in December 2018.
Sentencing for Danforth is set for December 2, 2019 before U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
Each count of use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
This case was investigated by the North Idaho Violent Crime Task Force (NIVCTF). The NIVCTF is a FBI sponsored task force comprised of law enforcement from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Post Falls Police Department, Idaho Department of Correction, and Homeland Security Investigations.
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Philadelphia Man Admits to Armed Robbery of New Jersey BankRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, man today admitted robbing a bank in Carneys Point, New Jersey, in July 2018 while brandishing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Antwaine Thomas, 40, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to an indictment charging him with armed bank robbery and brandishing a firearm during a bank robbery.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Thomas admitted that on July 30, 2018, he and a co-conspirator walked into the Fulton Bank in Carneys Point, and that he pointed a loaded handgun at four bank employees while demanding cash. Thomas and the co-conspirator took $66,000 from the bank and fled. Thomas was arrested several hours later, and he was captured on surveillance video in a nearby residential area, ditching the cash, gun, and his clothing.
The armed bank robbery charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The brandishing a firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years which must be served consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 12, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster; the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Salem County Prosecutor John T. Lenahan; officers of the Carneys Point Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Gerald A. Krivda; and officers of the Penns Grove Police Department, under the direction of Chief John T. Stranahan, Sr., with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Harberg of the United States Attorney’s Office in Camden.
Defense Counsel: Robert C. Wolf, Esq., Westmont, New Jersey
Passadumkeag Man Sentenced to Three Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl and CrackRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Jason Mannix, a/k/a “Boston,” 40, of Passadumkeag, Maine, was sentenced in U.S. District Court by Judge John A Woodcock, Jr. to three years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He pled guilty on March 25, 2019.
According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Mannix conspired with others to acquire heroin, fentanyl and crack in Waterbury, Connecticut and to distribute it in the greater Bangor area. Mannix facilitated the drug dealing activities of other conspirators.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
O’Neill Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Thad N. Junge, 41, of O’Neill, Nebraska, was sentenced Monday in federal court in Omaha for conspiring to distribute and distributing methamphetamine. Senior United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Junge to 210 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Junge will be on supervised release for 10 years.
Junge was convicted after a jury trial. The evidence at trial demonstrated that a confidential informant purchased 3.3 grams of methamphetamine from Junge at his residence in O’Neill. Witnesses testified at trial to purchasing varying amounts of methamphetamine from Junge for distribution to others. Junge had a prior conviction on August 29, 2011 in the District Court of Holt County, Nebraska, for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Orlando Woman Convicted of Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury today found Deborah Carmona Antonsanti (43, Orlando) guilty of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Carmona Antonsanti faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison on each count. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 20, 2019.
Carmona Antonsanti was indicted on April 4, 2019, along with her husband, Jerry Sanchez Carrasquillo, who pleaded guilty on July 29, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Carmona Antonsanti and Sanchez Carrasquillo worked together to receive a package containing more than a kilogram of cocaine, which was sent from Puerto Rico. Carmona Antonsanti and Sanchez Carrasquillo were arrested as part of an operation involving an undercover officer disguised as a delivery person. As part of the arrest, the agents recovered a set of keys and a receipt to a nearby storage unit. The agents located an additional 247 grams of cocaine, inside a bag with the fingerprints of both Carmona Antonsanti and Sanchez Carrasquillo, from inside the storage unit.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Vincent S. Chiu.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to Orchestrating Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Andres Fernandez (37, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 30, 2019.
According to court documents, Fernandez orchestrated an investment scheme that defrauded at least 50 victims out of millions of dollars. Fernandez solicited individuals to invest in concert events that he claimed were being produced by his companies, Kadaae Entertainment Corporation and Kadaae LLC. He told victims that their investment would be used to fund specific concert events from artists, including Julio Iglesias and Pitbull, and promised a return on investment of up to 100 percent. Fernandez used fake contracts and other false documents to convince victims that he and his companies were under contract to produce the events. In fact, neither Fernandez nor his companies were involved in most of the events he had solicited to victims. Fernandez used portions of the funds sent by investors for his own personal use and to pay fraudulent “investment returns” to earlier investors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nathan W. Hill.
Operation Results in Federal Indictment Against 22 Defendants in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Louisiana State Penitentiary Inmates, Former Angola Guards, and OthersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today the recent unsealing of a federal grand jury indictment charging twenty-two defendants in Operation Jellystone, an extensive federal, state, and local investigation aimed at dismantling a large-scale cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine trafficking network based in the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, with suppliers in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, and Colton, California.
According to the indictment, which was filed under seal in July 2019 and recently unsealed by the Court, the defendants allegedly engaged in extensive drug trafficking with substantial amounts of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine being smuggled into Angola for distribution to dealers and users within Angola. The charged defendants are listed below, and each faces significant terms of imprisonment, fines, and the forfeiture of proceeds from the illegal activity:
Arthur Basaldua, a/k/a/ “Yogi,” “Big Bro,” “Big Mex,” and “Mex,” age 41, an inmate at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; aiding and abetting unlawful travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise; and unlawful use of communication facilities.
Deanthony Ford, a/k/a D’Anthony Ford,” “D,” “Dee,” and “D Ant,” age 32, an inmate at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Nelson Tippen, age 39, an inmate at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Kevin Narcisse, age 34, an inmate at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and unlawful use of communication facilities.
Dudley Melancon, a/k/a “Murder,” age 31, an inmate at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Joshua Gonzalez, a/k/a “Joshua Gonzales” and “Ro,” age 35, an inmate at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and unlawful use of communication facilities.
Jared Graham, age 30, an inmate at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and unlawful use of communication facilities.
Jeffery Day, a/k/a “JD,” “Ray,” and “Ray Ray,” age 34, a former correctional officer at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Tommy Carter, Jr., a/k/a “TJ,” age 31, a former correctional officer at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
April Mathews, age 25, a former correctional officer at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Precious Shelvin, a/k/a “Precious Shelby,” age 33, a former correctional officer at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Tichina Williams, age 24, a former correctional officer at Angola, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Michael Augustine, age 39, of Erath, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and unlawful use of communication facilities.
Xavier Johnson, a/k/a “Ziggy” and “Zigg,” age 34, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Manuel Cadena, a/k/a “Joker,” age 38, of Colton, California, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Michael Cadena, a/k/a “Mikey,” age 29, of Hesperia, California, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Edgar Ochoa, a/k/a “Edgar Ochoa Contreras,” age 35, of Riverside, California, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Ismael Ochoa, a/k/a “Diablo” and “Ismael Contreras Ochoa,” age 32, of Riverside, California, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and unlawful travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise.
Quindale Smothers, age 23, of Lafayette, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Eryka Daniels, a/k/a “Mookie,” age 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Adrienne Capizzo, age 32, of Westwego, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and unlawful use of communication facilities.
Evelyn Valdes, a/k/a “Eve,” age 42, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, is charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “This indictment disrupts a drug distribution conspiracy which brought significant amounts of cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine into our district. Those charged include inmates at Angola serving either life or other significant terms of imprisonment, former Angola guards, and drug suppliers from California. We will continue our work with federal, state, and local law enforcement, throughout the country, to dismantle criminal networks, and bring offenders to justice in order to protect our citizens and promote respect for the law. I want to thank our prosecutor, the FBI, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the West Feliciana Sheriff, and the Louisiana Department of Corrections who worked tirelessly, and in constant coordination, to advance the goal of eliminating opioids and other harmful drugs from our district.”
Larry Karl, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI New Orleans Field Office, stated, “The FBI, in coordination with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, executed numerous arrest warrants in Louisiana and California on charges related to a drug conspiracy at Angola Prison. These arrests exemplify partnerships and cooperation across all agencies, especially from Angola Prison’s Investigations Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana Department of Corrections. The FBI New Orleans Field Office will continue to aggressively investigate federal violations of malfeasance, corruption, and illegal activity within all of our correctional facilities.”
“This indictment should serve as a warning to street criminals and corrupt public servants that our nation’s mail system is not for trafficking contraband,” said Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Houston Division. “Postal Inspectors are committed to safeguarding postal customers and Postal Service employees by working with our law enforcement partners to eliminate these prohibited substances from the U.S. Mail.”
West Feliciana Parish Sheriff J. Austin Daniel said, “We reached out to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for assistance during the course of this investigation and greatly appreciate their help and cooperation between agencies. Removing drugs and drug traffickers from our community is another way we protect and serve. Thank you to all who put their time and immense effort into Operation Jellystone to keep our citizens safe.”
"We continue to crackdown and fight contraband in our prisons,” said Department of Public Safety and Corrections Secretary Jimmy Le Blanc. “We are appreciative of our partnership during this investigation with the U.S. Attorney, the FBI, and the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office, which resulted in the arrests and indictments of these individuals, particularly those who chose to betray the public’s trust. This is not a reflection of the many hard working men and women in our Department who are dedicated to keeping our prisons and our public safe."
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Louisiana Department of Corrections and West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
The investigation that led to this indictment is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Operation Independence Day Leads to Federal Charges for Eight Men Attempting to Meet Minors for SexRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, ILL. – Eight men were federally indicted today after attempting to have sex with children under the age of 18, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today. The cases are part of "Operation Independence Day," a nationwide initiative to combat child sex trafficking.
"Those who exploit children gain access to kids through various means, including social media apps. Cases like these remind us that serious dangers are no further away than a child’s cell phone," U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft said. "The beginning of the new school year is a great opportunity for parents to take a closer look at their children’s internet activities and start a conversation about how to stay safe online."
This year, Operation Independence Day consisted of 161 law enforcement operations executed during the month of July throughout all 56 FBI field offices. In addition to working with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, the FBI collaborated on the initiative with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and over 400 federal, state, local, and tribal agencies who participate in the FBI’s child exploitation and human trafficking task forces. More information about Operation Independence Day is available at www.fbi.gov/oid2019.
The Department of Justice announced today that the FBI-led initiative resulted in the recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers nationwide. In Southern Illinois, Operation Independence Day led to the arrest and indictment of eight men. U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft said, "Sex trafficking and child exploitation continue to impact our communities, and we will aggressively enforce the law against those who would prey upon children."
Earlier today, the following eight men were indicted in the Benton Division of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois, each separately charged with attempting to entice a minor to engage in illicit sexual acts:
• Lawrence A. Bangs, 39, of Herrin, Illinois
• Jesse A. Cantu, 43, of Mt. Vernon, Illinois
• Jorge L. Leal, 34, of Marion, Illinois
• Bret M. Feldscher, 27, of Herrin, Illinois
• Neal J. Keane, 28, of Tucson, Arizona
• James M. Davis, 63, of St. Louis, Missouri
• Hank D. Yoast, 46, of Herrin, Illinois
• Rick E. Garner, 43, of Sesser, Illinois.
The men were all charged from July 19-21 in connection with an online, undercover investigation. No actual minors were harmed. Each of the offenses is alleged to have occurred in Williamson County, Illinois. If convicted, the defendants each face a minimum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and could receive as much as life behind bars. The offense also carries a possible lifetime term of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Pending trial, all eight men will be held without bond or released on electronic monitoring and other strict conditions mandated by the Adam Walsh Act.
An indictment is merely a charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of the charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
These cases fall under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service, the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department, and the Herrin Police Department.
Ohio Woman Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Columbus, Ohio, woman pled guilty to a federal drug trafficking offense today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Brandy Yvette Hodge, also known as “Jazz” or “Jazmine,” 27, pled guilty to distribution of methamphetamine before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Jackson County Sherriff’s Office.
“Going to prison for committing crimes for a boyfriend is not too smart,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The drug mules and distributors from places outside West Virginia are being prosecuted as quickly as we can process the cases and, in every instance, I push for the longest sentence permissible under the law.”
Based on information presented in public court records and hearings, Hodge began trafficking methamphetamine and heroin from Columbus to Jackson County, West Virginia, around January of this year, supplying multiple drug dealers. Police investigators subsequently arranged and executed six undercover buys of ounces of methamphetamine from Hodge on February 21, February 26, March 1, March 4, March 7, and March 13. Hodge admitted to selling at least around 40 ounces of methamphetamine in her plea agreement. Based on recorded jail calls and other evidence, investigators believe Hodge’s boyfriend was directing Hodge’s drug trafficking while he was incarcerated in Ohio.
Hodge faces up to 40 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on September 16, 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman is handling the prosecution.
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North Miami Beach Resident Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for $3.5 Million Fraud Scheme Targeting Orthodox Jewish CommunityRead the Press Release
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Rick Swearingen, Commissioner, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), announced that on August 6, 2019, Shayeh Dov, 49 years old, of North Miami Beach, Florida, was sentenced to eighty-seven (87) months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,087,972 in restitution to victims by Senior U.S. District William J. Zloch.
According to court documents, Dov pled guilty on February 7, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick M. Hunt, to the sole count of an Information that charged him with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349 (Case No. 19-60006-CR-ZLOCH). Dov’s guilty plea was accepted on February 20, 2019, by U.S. District Judge William J. Zloch.
According to the court record, beginning in May 2012, and continuing through May 2019, Dov was the mastermind behind an affinity fraud scheme that targeted members of the Orthodox Jewish community in South Florida and New York. Dov exploited the community’s close bonds of trust to obtain money for fraudulent investments. Dov presented investment opportunities in distressed or foreclosed mortgage notes through companies he owned and/or operated, including P&S Inc., Notez LLC, and Notes LLC. The mortgage note properties were located in Broward, Miami-Dade and other counties throughout the State of Florida, as well as other states. Dov would oftentimes engage investors in a legitimate transaction(s) and then conduct a fraudulent transaction.
Dov bought, sold and offered investors mortgage notes at a discount because these notes were attached to delinquent and/or foreclosed real estate. Dov used high pressure sales tactics to sell these discounted notes. Dov falsely claimed he maintained inside connections to financial institutions and told investors that they had a very limited window to purchase the notes, in order to induce individuals to invest.
Information in court records further revealed that the fraudulent transactions further involved selling notes to investors that Dov and/or the aforementioned companies did not own and were not actually for sale. Dov also would purport to sell notes that he previously sold to other purchasers years ago that were not available for sale. In at least one instance, Dov sold the same note to two different investors approximately five days apart.
In addition, Dov directed investors to wire the monies to bank accounts he controlled. The investors’ funds were used to pay Dov’s personal and travel expenses, including gambling, mortgage payments, luxury automobile loans, and, in limited circumstances, to pay back previous note investors who were defrauded. The monies were not, however, used to purchase the mortgage notes that were promised to investors.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and FDLE in this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Katz.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Defraud Consumers of Legal Advice and ServicesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOHN LAMBERT, a/k/a “Eric Pope,” pled guilty this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud consumers of legal advice and services.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “John Lambert represented himself to clients as a prominent New York attorney with a law degree from an elite law school. But Lambert’s de facto career was one of a grifter: he had never been to law school and certainly wasn’t an attorney. Today, Lambert admitted to his crimes and faces time in prison for his misdeeds.”
According to the Information and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the plea proceedings:
From August 2016 through April 2018, LAMBERT perpetrated a scheme to defraud consumers of legal advice and services, by falsely representing, through web-based platforms for freelancing services, websites, emails, phones calls, and other means, that he was an experienced attorney who had attended an elite law school, when in fact he was not an attorney and had never attended law school. Having misled his victims into believing that he was a highly qualified attorney, LAMBERT then provided legal advice and services to his victims, in exchange for which his victims paid him money.
LAMBERT’s victims included at least six individuals and corporations who paid him money for purported legal advice and services. The victims hired LAMBERT to provide legal advice and services on a wide range of subjects, including issues with their credit reports, drafting a will, corporate and intellectual property law, and a dispute with a former employee. One of the victims withdrew money from his 401(k) account to pay LAMBERT.
LAMBERT used the alias “Eric Pope” when communicating with the victims, and falsely represented to at least some of them that he was an attorney at a law firm called “Pope and Dunn;” had attended an elite law school; was an expert in corporate, finance, and property law; had worked with hundreds of clients, including “tech moguls” and “entrepreneurs,” in the United States and Europe; and was located in New York City. But LAMBERT was not and had never been an attorney, and was not located in New York City.
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LAMBERT, 23, of Bristol, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. 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. LAMBERT is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Caproni on November 18, 2019.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Woodside Schrier is in charge of the prosecution.
Newark Man Indicted in Pittsburgh on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa - A resident of Newark, New Jersey has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on July 30 and unsealed yesterday, named Herbert L. Felder, age 50, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, in and around December 2018, and continuing to on or about May 1, 2019, the defendant conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years to a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Nashua Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Spencer O. Katsohis, 27, of Nashua, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 3, 2018, members of the Nashua Police stopped a vehicle, driven by Katsohis, for traffic violations. During the traffic stop, officers recovered over 15 grams of fentanyl. Katsohis was arrested and admitted to knowingly distributing fentanyl.
On January 30, 2019, Katsohis was arrested at his home and officers recovered additional fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.
Katsohis is scheduled to be sentenced on November 12, 2019.
“Even small amounts of fentanyl can be lethal,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Fentanyl traffickers have caused great harm to the health and safety of New Hampshire citizens. Through Operation S.O.S., we are working in close partnership with our local law enforcement colleagues to identify and prosecute those who are distributing this deadly drug in the Granite State.”
This case is part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.). In July of 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of S.O.S., which is being implemented in the District of New Hampshire and nine other federal districts. The goal of S.O.S. is to combat the large number of overdoses and deaths associated with fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. In New Hampshire, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is focusing its efforts on prosecuting synthetic opioid trafficking cases arising in Hillsborough County, which includes Manchester and Nashua.
This matter was investigated by the Nashua Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joachim H. Barth.
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Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime for CrossburningRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced that Graham Williamson pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges related to the commission of a crossburning on Oct. 24, 2017, in Seminary, Mississippi. Specifically, Williamson, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with housing rights, a federal civil rights violation, and one count of conspiring to use fire to commit a federal felony.
In his plea, Williamson admitted that he and a co-conspirator planned and carried out a racially motivated crossburning in a predominantly African-American residential area of Seminary, Mississippi. Specifically, Williamson admitted that he and the co-conspirator constructed a cross using materials from in and around the co-conspirator’s residence, placed the cross near the home of African-American residents of that area, including the home of a juvenile victim identified as M.H., and lit the cross on fire. Williamson further admitted that he built and burned the cross to threaten, frighten, and intimidate M.H. and other African-American residents because of their race and color of their skin, and because those individuals lived in the Keys Hill area of Seminary, Mississippi. Williamson acknowledged that he knew burning crosses have historically been used to threaten, frighten, and intimidate African-Americans.
Williamson faces a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on the two charges. Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 5.
“The defendant used a violent symbol of racial intimidation to threaten these victims and inspire fear, while they resided in the security of their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice does not tolerate these hateful and historically egregious acts, and will continue to vigorously prosecute criminals who violate the civil rights of peaceful community members.”
“Those who commit criminal acts based on race to intimidate and scare our fellow citizens will face swift and certain justice from this U.S. Attorney’s Office. These types of hateful actions have no place in our communities, and we will continue to fight for and uphold the civil rights of all throughout our State,” said Mike Hurst, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
“Crimes motivated by hate are intended to intimidate their victims and spread fear in the community, undermining societal values,” said FBI Jackson Division Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin. “The FBI will continue its aggressive investigations of acts like these in pursuit of justice for the victims and the integrity of civil rights for all.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Hattiesburg Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Gregory Mayberry for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime for CrossburningRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that Graham Williamson pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges related to the commission of a crossburning on Oct. 24, 2017, in Seminary, Mississippi. Specifically, Williamson, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of interference with housing rights, a federal civil rights violation, and one count of conspiring to use fire to commit a federal felony.
In his plea, Williamson admitted that he and a co-conspirator planned and carried out a racially motivated crossburning in a predominantly African-American residential area of Seminary, Mississippi. Specifically, Williamson admitted that he and the co-conspirator constructed a cross using materials from in and around the co-conspirator’s residence, placed the cross near the home of African-American residents of that area, including the home of a juvenile victim identified as M.H., and lit the cross on fire. Williamson further admitted that he built and burned the cross to threaten, frighten, and intimidate M.H. and other African-American residents because of their race and color of their skin, and because those individuals lived in the Keys Hill area of Seminary, Mississippi. Williamson acknowledged that he knew burning crosses have historically been used to threaten, frighten, and intimidate African-Americans.
Williamson faces a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on the two charges. Sentencing has been scheduled for Nov. 5.
“The defendant used a violent symbol of racial intimidation to threaten these victims and inspire fear, while they resided in the security of their own homes,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice does not tolerate these hateful and historically egregious acts, and will continue to vigorously prosecute criminals who violate the civil rights of peaceful community members.”
“Those who commit criminal acts based on race to intimidate and scare our fellow citizens will face swift and certain justice from this U.S. Attorney’s Office. These types of hateful actions have no place in our communities, and we will continue to fight for and uphold the civil rights of all throughout our State,” said Mike Hurst, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
“Crimes motivated by hate are intended to intimidate their victims and spread fear in the community, undermining societal values,” said FBI Jackson Division Special Agent in Charge Michelle A. Sutphin. “The FBI will continue its aggressive investigations of acts like these in pursuit of justice for the victims and the integrity of civil rights for all.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Hattiesburg Resident Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Gregory Mayberry for the Southern District of Mississippi and Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer from the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
For more information about Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.
Merced Couple Operating Dark Web Vendor Accounts “Best Buy Meds,” “Trap Mart” and “House of Dank” Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Jabari Monson, 32, of Merced, California, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute controlled substances, and Saudia Monson, 39, also of Merced, pleaded guilty today to a violation of the Travel Act, using the mail and internet to distribute controlled substances, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from July 2018 through January 2019, Jabari Monson and Saudia Monson operated several vendor accounts on the dark-web marketplace Dream Market, through which they sold cocaine, cocaine base, methamphetamine, and marijuana.
As part of the plea agreement, the defendants agreed to forfeit cryptocurrency that was the proceeds of the drug distribution, including bitcoin and bitcoin cash.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant B. Rabenn and Paul Hemesath are prosecuting the case.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Nov. 19. Jabari Monson faces a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, and a $5 million fine. Saudia Monson faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Member of Bronx Gang Pleads Guilty to Ordering 2009 MurderRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that STEVEN BROWN, a/k/a “BI,” pled guilty today to participating in a murder in connection with a drug crime for his role in the August 2, 2009, murder of Derrick Moore in the Bronx. BROWN pled before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “Almost 10 years ago to the day, Steven Brown, the leader of a violent, drug-dealing street crew, ordered the killing of rival street crewmember, Derrick Moore. We are committed to combating gang violence, and today’s guilty plea shows that no passage of time will stop us from bringing perpetrators of violence to justice.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in court:
The Taylor Avenue Crew was a criminal enterprise that operated principally in and around the Bronx from at least 2007 up to and including 2015. The Taylor Avenue Crew sold cocaine base, commonly known as “crack cocaine,” primarily in and around Taylor Avenue in the Bronx. The Taylor Avenue Crew controlled crack cocaine sales within this area by prohibiting and preventing non-members, outsiders, and rival narcotics dealers from distributing crack cocaine in the area controlled by the Crew. The Taylor Avenue Crew also committed acts of violence in the area against rival gangs, including assaults, attempted murder, and murder.
Members and associates of the Taylor Avenue Crew also allied themselves with crews from nearby areas of the Bronx. One such crew included the Creston Avenue Crew, a criminal enterprise that operated principally in and around the Bronx, New York, from at least 2003 up to and including 2011 and whose members sold cocaine and marijuana primarily in and around Creston Avenue in the Bronx. Members of the Taylor and Creston Avenue Crews associated with each other and assisted each other by, among other things, carrying out acts of violence on each other’s behalf upon request by the leaders of the respective crews. One such act of violence was the murder of 22-year-old Derrick Moore. In August 2009, after escalating violence between the Taylor Avenue Crew and a rival crew, BROWN, who was the head of the Taylor Avenue Crew, ordered the murder of Moore. To carry out the murder, BROWN requested the assistance of the Creston Avenue Crew, whose members then shot and killed Moore.
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BROWN, 40, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of murder while engaged in a narcotics trafficking offense, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. He will be sentenced by Judge Failla on December 4, 2019.
Luis Ortiz, one of BROWN’s co-defendants, pled guilty on July 24, 2019, to murder through use of a firearm in connection with a drug crime, and faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Ortiz is scheduled to be sentenced on October 18, 2019.
Trial for an additional co-defendant, Rafael Reyes, is scheduled to begin on September 30, 2019. The description of the offense set forth in this release are merely allegations and Reyes is innocent until proven guilty.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI. Mr. Berman also thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for their assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maurene Comey, Jessica Lonergan, and Jason Swergold are in charge of the prosecution. The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.
McKees Rocks Felon Indicted for Possessing Multiple Guns and DrugsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A McKees Rocks resident has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh for violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment, returned on July 16 and unsealed today, named Joseph Alexander, 38, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about September 11, 2018, Alexander possessed with the intent to distribute quantities of heroin, fentanyl, acetyl fentanyl, N–Ethylpentylone, and Tramadol. The Indictment further alleges that Alexander possessed four firearms in furtherance of this drug trafficking crime and that Alexander was prohibited from possessing these firearms because he is a convicted felon.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,500,000 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, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Mark V. Gurzo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Pennsylvania State Police, with assistance from the Allegheny County Police Department, Allegheny County Port Authority Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and Stowe Township Police, conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case. The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man pleads guilty to stealing more than $300,000 in healthcare fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Michael Bang has pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud charges related to a fraudulent reimbursement scheme targeting the Colorado Public Employees Retirement Association (“COPERA”).
“Bang’s stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a public entity that was at the same time providing him with medical and other benefits,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Schemes like this can ultimately cost other customers precious resources to which they are entitled.”
“Falsifying prescriptions in order to generate illicit profits at the expense of tax payers will not be tolerated and the FBI will pursue anyone who chooses to do so,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Bang was driven by greed and he will now be held accountable for his transgressions.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Bang, who from at least 2014 to 2017 was a resident of Atlanta, Georgia, received retiree health benefits from COPERA’s self-funded health insurance program, PERACare. The prescription coverage portion of the program was administered by Express Scripts. PERACare provided insurance for current and former Colorado public employees no matter where they lived.
As part of the healthcare fraud scheme, Bang, who at the time was a resident of Atlanta, sought reimbursement for medications through the submission of fraudulent reimbursement forms for medication that he was either not receiving or that was more expensive than the medications he was receiving. Bang’s scheme involved three Atlanta-area pharmacies.
The reimbursement claim forms that Bang faxed to Express Scripts were fraudulent for a number of reasons:
- The forms themselves were fabricated and submitted by Bang—they were not created by the pharmacies;
- Pharmacists’ signatures on each form were forged or unauthorized reproductions of the signatures of each pharmacist;
- Certain forms contained claims for medications that Bang never received and that never would have been prescribed simultaneously;
- The forms contained prescription numbers that did not match the medication claimed under that number;
- Many reimbursement forms claimed a “fill date” for prescriptions on dates when the pharmacies have no records of filling any prescriptions for Bang; and
- The forms claimed out-of-pocket expenses that were never incurred by Bang.
Between May 2014 and December 2017, Bang stole at least $300,000 from COPERA through his fraudulent reimbursement scheme.
On November 7, 2018, Bang, 58, of Mesa, Arizona, was indicted on twenty counts of healthcare fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. He pleaded guilty to one count of healthcare fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for October 24, 2019, at 3:00 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones.
In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Man Indicted for Armed Robbery of Sprint StoreRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Norfolk man with the armed robbery of a Sprint Store in Colonial Heights.
According to the indictment, on January 7, Tajh Rodgers, 29, allegedly committed a violent armed robbery of a Sprint Store in Colonial Heights, stealing more than 70 Sprint Store products. To facilitate stealing these products, Rodgers threatened the lives of two Sprint employees, with the use of the firearm he was carrying. In total, 70 items were stolen from the store, including 22 Apple iPhones, 8 LG cellular telephones, 6 Samsung cellular telephones, and an Apple Watch.
Rodgers is charged with robbery affecting commerce, using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Colonel Jeffrey W. Faries, Chief of Colonial Heights Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gill and Kenneth Simon are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-111.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Macy, NE Man Sentenced for Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Dalton L. Webster, age 27, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for Aggravated Sexual Abuse. United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Webster to 121 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Webster will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On or about August 18, 2018, within the Omaha Reservation, Webster physically assaulted an adult female victim causing a non-displaced nasal fracture with extensive soft-tissue swelling. Webster then sexually assaulted the victim while threatening to kill her.
This case was investigated by the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Leader of Conspiracy to Illegally Unlock Cell Phones for Profit Extradited from Hong KongRead the Press Release
A 34-year-old citizen of Pakistan, who is alleged to have paid insiders at telecommunications giant AT&T to plant malware and otherwise misuse computer networks to unlock cellphones, was charged in a 14-count federal indictment unsealed yesterday following his extradition from Hong Kong to the Western District of Washington.
Muhammad Fahd was arrested in Hong Kong on Feb. 4, 2018, at the request of the United States, and was extradited to the United States on Aug. 2, 2019. The second superseding indictment, filed in March 2018, alleges how Fahd recruited and paid AT&T insiders to use their computer credentials and access to disable AT&T’s proprietary locking software that prevented ineligible phones from being removed from AT&T’s network. The scheme resulted in millions of phones being removed from AT&T service and/or payment plans, costing the company millions of dollars. Fahd allegedly paid the insiders tens of thousands of dollars – paying one coconspirator $428,500 over the five-year scheme.
Muhammad Fahd is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to violate the Travel Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, four counts of wire fraud, two counts of accessing a protected computer in furtherance of fraud, two counts of intentional damage to a protected computer, and four counts of violating the Travel Act.
“This arrest illustrates what can be achieved when the victim of a cyber attack partners quickly and closely with law enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When companies that fall prey to malware work with the Department of Justice, no cybercriminal—no matter how sophisticated their scheme—is beyond our reach.”
“This defendant thought he could safely run his bribery and hacking scheme from overseas, making millions of dollars while he induced young workers to choose greed over ethical conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran for the Western District of Washington. “Now he will be held accountable for the fraud and the lives he has derailed.”
According to the indictment, between 2012 and 2017, Fahd recruited various AT&T employees to the conspiracy. Some early recruits were paid to identify other employees who could be bribed and convinced to join the scheme. So far, three of those coconspirators have pleaded guilty, admitting they were paid thousands of dollars for facilitating Fahd’s fraudulent scheme.
Initially, Fahd allegedly would send the employees batches of international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) numbers for cell phones that were not eligible to be removed from AT&T’s network. The employees would then unlock the phones. After some of the co-conspirators were terminated by AT&T, the remaining co-conspirator employees aided Fahd in developing and installing additional tools that would allow Fahd to use the AT&T computers to unlock cell phones from a remote location. Fahd and a second co-conspirator, who is now deceased, allegedly delivered bribes to the AT&T employees both in person and via payment systems such as Western Union.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Counsel Anthony V. Teelucksingh of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Francis Franze-Nakamura, Andrew Friedman and Michelle Jensen of the Western District of Washington. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs was instrumental in the successful extradition. The U.S. Marshals Service transported Fahd to the United States.
Leader and Member of Drug Trafficking Organization Going to Prison for Selling DrugsRead 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 Andre Cunningham, 25, and Terrence Morgan, aka Young, 24, both of Rochester, who were convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, and heroin, were sentenced to serve 135 months and 87 months in prison respectively by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. McGrath, who handled the case, stated that Cunningham and co-defendant Michael Wyatt were leaders of a drug trafficking organization that distributed significant quantities of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine base throughout the Rochester area. Wyatt would obtain bulk quantities of those controlled substances from various suppliers. Wyatt and Cunningham then supervised and directed the distribution and sale of those controlled substances to individual drug users, at various drug houses maintained for that purpose. The drug houses were operated by members of the conspiracy, including Wyatt, Cunningham, and others. The locations of the drug houses included 218 Emerson Street, and 131 Saratoga Avenue, both in Rochester.
At the direction of Wyatt or Cunningham, members of the conspiracy, including Morgan, would process, break down, and re-package the controlled substances into smaller quantities to be sold to individual drug users. Morgan was also responsible for selling the controlled substances to individual buyers. The proceeds from these individual sales were collected from Morgan and others by Wyatt and/or Cunningham at regular intervals. Morgan was compensated for his role in the conspiracy.
In addition, between July 2018 and August 7, 2018, Morgan possessed a firearm in connection with the narcotics conspiracy.
Michael Wyatt was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & 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 K. Baxter; and the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief La’Ron D. Singletary.
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KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for taking pornographic photos and video of a 7-year-old victim.
Dennis Lamont Everette, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years and four months in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Everette to a lifetime of supervised release following incarceration.
On Jan. 4, 2019, Everette pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. He admitted that he used his cell phone to take pornographic images of a 7-year-old victim.
According to court documents, the investigation began when the mother of the child victim notified law enforcement that pornographic images of her daughter were found on Everette’s cell phone. An older daughter had borrowed Everette’s phone and found at least 10 photographs and a video of her sister, the child victim, on the phone.
The child victim told investigators that Everette told her to take off her clothes and instructed her on how to pose for the photos and video. He rewarded her with gum. The child victim also indicated on an anatomical drawing several places in which Everette had touched her either on top of her clothes, or under her clothes.
A witness told investigators that Everette bought snacks and drinks for kids in his neighborhood and played games with the kids.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."KC Man Sentenced for Stolen Vehicle ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Missouri, man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to steal high-end sport utility vehicles and pick-ups from out-of-state dealerships and transport them to Kansas City for sale on the black market.
Timothy Hood, 38, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to three years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Hood to pay $212,998 in restitution.
On March 22, 2019, Hood pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport stolen vehicles across state lines and one count of aiding and abetting the transportation of stolen vehicles across state lines. Hood admitted that he participated in a conspiracy from Dec. 1, 2015, to Feb. 2, 2016, to steal at least 10 high-end sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks from three out-of-state auto dealerships and deliver them to Kansas City.
Hood and co-conspirators organized small groups to steal 10 vehicles, worth approximately $710,933, from three dealerships in Nebraska and Iowa. Co-conspirator Joshua Walker, 43, of Kansas City, Missouri, affixed fraudulent vehicle identification numbers (VINs) onto the dashboard of the stolen vehicles. Many of the fraudulent VINs used during the conspiracy were true VINs from other vehicles owned by car dealerships and were utilized so that the stolen vehicles would be difficult to trace and could be sold on the black market.
All of the stolen vehicles have been recovered by law enforcement officers and sold as salvage. Two of the stolen vehicles were recovered at the residence of Hood’s girlfriend. On Sept. 22, 2016, Hood was pulled over for a traffic infraction while he was driving one of the stolen vehicles with a fraudulent VIN. Investigators searched Hood’s laptop, which was in the vehicle. The computer contained scanned images of templates for temporary Kansas license plates, insurance cards, notary stamps, bills of sale, release of liens, and bar code labels of VINs. The search of the computer also revealed searches of legitimate VINs that were fraudulently used or affixed to other stolen vehicles in this case.
Walker pleaded guilty in a separate, but related, case to his role in the conspiracy and to being a felon in possession of a firearm. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by the FBI and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
International drug traffickers plead guilty to smuggling heroin through Atlanta airportRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Guatemalan nationals Paola Valenzuela Arevalo and Herbert Jonathan Castillo Juarez, who are husband and wife, have pleaded guilty to eight federal charges for their roles in an international heroin and cocaine trafficking conspiracy. Valenzuela and Castillo employed and coordinated the operations of numerous couriers who imported heroin and cocaine into and through the United States as well as throughout Europe on behalf of Valenzuela, Castillo, and their drug-trafficking organization.
“This case continues our efforts to combat the devastating impact of opiates in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. Pak. “Atlanta’s status as a major transportation hub and the location of the world’s busiest airport makes our city a target for criminal organizations seeking to import heroin and other dangerous drugs. Disrupting drug trafficking organizations and seizing their narcotics as well as getting their members off the streets is one of our highest priorities.”
“The drug trafficking organization overseen by Valenzuela and Castillo contributed significantly to the Opioid plague sweeping across this country. Taking these individuals, and their illicit narcotics off the streets, is a small step in making this country a safer place and we will continue our relentless pursuit of any and all who would choose to follow in their path,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge, Nick Annan.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division said of the guilty pleas, “DEA’s mission is to eradicate the distribution of drugs at the highest level and to follow the far-reaching tentacles of drug trafficking. DEA, its law enforcement counterparts and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to use every available resource to dismantle, disrupt, and destroy drug distribution networks. This case was successful because of the collaborative efforts between law enforcement authorities on all levels.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: From at least October 2015 until August 2016, Valenzuela and Castillo engaged in a conspiracy to import heroin and cocaine from Guatemala to and through the United States and to Europe for distribution. They recruited, managed, and oversaw numerous couriers who trafficked these drugs from Guatemala, including exploiting minors under the age of 18 as drug couriers. Much of the heroin that Valenzuela and Castillo trafficked was routed through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and ultimately was destined for major Northeastern U.S. cities, including New York City, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Valenzuela and Castillo also trafficked cocaine from Guatemala to several European countries, including Switzerland, Norway, and elsewhere.
Among the many instances in which couriers trafficked drugs at Valenzuela’s and Castillo’s direction include following:
- On July 15, 2016, a Guatemalan citizen flew on a Delta flight from Guatemala City to Atlanta carrying heroin hidden inside luggage that he had received from Valenzuela, Castillo, and their source of supply. During an inspection of the man and his luggage, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) discovered more than two kilograms of heroin. A female minor aboard the same flight also was trafficking heroin at Valenzuela’s and Castillo’s direction. She, too, was arrested carrying more than two kilograms of heroin.
- On four trips to the United States between June 2016 and August 2016, at Valenzuela and Castillo’s direction, a U.S. citizen carried narcotics on flights departing Guatemala City and delivered the narcotics in the United States. The man concealed the heroin he carried either internally (by swallowing it) or that hidden in luggage. He delivered the heroin to Philadelphia and New York. On August 4, 2016, he was arrested at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport internally carrying approximately one kilogram of heroin that he had swallowed at Valenzuela and Castillo’s direction. The man also transported cocaine at Valenzuela and Castillo’s direction, from Guatemala through Miami, Florida, to Zurich, Switzerland on October 24, 2015 and from Guatemala through Atlanta to Norway on February 13, 2016.
- On July 24, 2016, a U.S. citizen was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after a CBP inspection found that he was carrying more than two kilograms of heroin hidden in bags also at the direction of Valenzuela, Castillo, and their source of supply. The man was supposed to deliver the narcotics to a buyer in New York.
- On August 13, 2016, a Guatemalan citizen flew from Guatemala City to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and was arrested after a CBP inspection found that he was carrying 952.9 grams of heroin hidden in pellets that he was internally carrying, also having swallowed them. The man also was recruited by Valenzuela and Castillo who coordinated and oversaw his drug trafficking trip.
On August 18, 2016, Swiss authorities, acting on a tip by U.S. law enforcement, arrested Valenzuela and Castillo attempting to import cocaine that they had swallowed into Zurich Switzerland. After serving sentences on the Swiss drug charges, Valenzuela and Castillo were extradited to the United States to face the drug-trafficking charges to which they pleaded guilty.
In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.
On January 22, 2019, Valenzuela, 39, and Castillo, 42, both of Guatemala, were indicted on eight counts each of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and the importation of heroin into the United States, as well as conspiracy to commit both of those offenses by trafficking heroin and cocaine to the United States and Europe. They pleaded guilty to all counts. Sentencing is scheduled for January 7, 2020, at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs is also providing assistance with this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan J. Huschka and Ryan M. Christian are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is being brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s drug supply reduction strategy. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
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.
Innocence Lost National Initiative and Operation Independence Day 2019Read the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day. This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.
Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.
Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them. To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.
The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority. To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed. Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.
“This initiative has two crucial goals: rescuing children being sold for sex and prosecuting their adult traffickers,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society. Perpetrators victimize children in communities throughout the country, and we are determined to find and rescue them. Through the FBI’s leadership, we have recovered thousands of child victims, and this latest operation adds to the success of that decades-long effort.”
“Make no mistake, the FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking. Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives.”
“The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership with the FBI. The FBI and the Department of Justice have been instrumental in spearheading multi-agency collaboration between organizations to locate and provide resources to victims of child sex trafficking,” said John Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. “We know this horrendous crime impacts communities across our country every day and we applaud the FBI for continuing to work tirelessly to locate these victims and hold accountable those who are selling children for sex.”
In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI). This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs. These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.
Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation. This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims. The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking. Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers. The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.
The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program. The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation. For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/operation-independence-day-2019.
Innocence Lost National Initiative and Operation Independence Day 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day. This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.
Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.
Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them. To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.
The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority. To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed. Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.
“This initiative has two crucial goals: rescuing children being sold for sex and prosecuting their adult traffickers,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society. Perpetrators victimize children in communities throughout the country, and we are determined to find and rescue them. Through the FBI’s leadership, we have recovered thousands of child victims, and this latest operation adds to the success of that decades-long effort.”
“Make no mistake, the FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking. Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives.”
“The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership with the FBI. The FBI and the Department of Justice have been instrumental in spearheading multi-agency collaboration between organizations to locate and provide resources to victims of child sex trafficking,” said John Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. “We know this horrendous crime impacts communities across our country every day and we applaud the FBI for continuing to work tirelessly to locate these victims and hold accountable those who are selling children for sex.”
In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI). This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs. These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.
Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation. This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims. The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking. Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers. The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.
The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program. The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation. For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/oid2019.
Innocence Lost National Initiative and Operation Independence Day 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day. This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.
Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.
Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them. To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.
The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority. To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed. Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.
“This initiative has two crucial goals: rescuing children being sold for sex and prosecuting their adult traffickers,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society. Perpetrators victimize children in communities throughout the country, and we are determined to find and rescue them. Through the FBI’s leadership, we have recovered thousands of child victims, and this latest operation adds to the success of that decades-long effort.”
“Make no mistake, the FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking. Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives.”
“The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership with the FBI. The FBI and the Department of Justice have been instrumental in spearheading multi-agency collaboration between organizations to locate and provide resources to victims of child sex trafficking,” said John Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. “We know this horrendous crime impacts communities across our country every day and we applaud the FBI for continuing to work tirelessly to locate these victims and hold accountable those who are selling children for sex.”
In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI). This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs. These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.
Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation. This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims. The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking. Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers. The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.
The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program. The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation. For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit https://www.fbi.gov/oid2019.
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19-842
Inmate at United States Penitentiary at Canaan Pleads Guilty to Possession of Contraband and is Sentenced to Serve an Additional Six Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Charles Elegalam, age 31, formerly of Washington, D.C., currently an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Canaan (USP Canaan), Waymart, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on August 5, 2019, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, to possession of contraband by inmate.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Elegalam admitted to obtaining several small packages of marijuana from his co-defendant, Tianna Thompson, age 25, also of Washington D.C., during a social visit at USP Canaan on July 1, 2017. The marijuana packages were subsequently seized from Elegalam by prison staff members. After entering his guilty plea, Elegalam was immediately sentenced by Senior Judge Munley to serve an additional six months in prison, which will be served after Elegalam completes his current sentence.
Thompson is currently awaiting sentencing.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
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Innocence Lost National Initiative and Operation Independence Day 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced today the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day. This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.
Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.
Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them. To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.
The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority. To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed. Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.
"This initiative has two crucial goals: rescuing children being sold for sex and prosecuting their adult traffickers,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society. Perpetrators victimize children in communities throughout the country, and we are determined to find and rescue them. Through the FBI’s leadership, we have recovered thousands of child victims, and this latest operation adds to the success of that decades-long effort.”
“Make no mistake, the FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking. Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives.”
“The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership with the FBI. The FBI and the Department of Justice have been instrumental in spearheading multi-agency collaboration between organizations to locate and provide resources to victims of child sex trafficking,” said John Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. “We know this horrendous crime impacts communities across our country every day and we applaud the FBI for continuing to work tirelessly to locate these victims and hold accountable those who are selling children for sex.”
In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI). This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs. These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.
Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation. This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims. The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking. Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers. The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.
The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program. The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation. For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit www.fbi.gov/oid2019.
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Innocence Lost National Initiative and Operation Independence Day 2019Read the Press Release
Memphis, TN – The Department of Justice announced today the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day. This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.
Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.
Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them. To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.
The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority. To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed. Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.
"This initiative has two crucial goals: rescuing children being sold for sex and prosecuting their adult traffickers," said Attorney General William P. Barr. "Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime that preys on the most vulnerable in our society. Perpetrators victimize children in communities throughout the country, and we are determined to find and rescue them. Through the FBI’s leadership, we have recovered thousands of child victims, and this latest operation adds to the success of that decades-long effort."
"Make no mistake, the FBI is fiercely focused on recovering child victims and arresting the sex traffickers who exploit them," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "Through operations like this, the FBI helps child victims escape the abusive life of sex trafficking. Our agents, intelligence analysts, professional staff, and victim specialists work tirelessly before, during and after these operations to make sure that victims get the help they need to reclaim their lives."
"The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to be part of this extraordinary partnership with the FBI. The FBI and the Department of Justice have been instrumental in spearheading multi-agency collaboration between organizations to locate and provide resources to victims of child sex trafficking," said John Clark, President and CEO of NCMEC. "We know this horrendous crime impacts communities across our country every day and we applaud the FBI for continuing to work tirelessly to locate these victims and hold accountable those who are selling children for sex."
In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI). This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs. These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.
Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation. This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims. The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking. Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers. The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.
The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program. The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation. For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit www.fbi.gov/oid2019.
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INNOCENCE LOST NATIONAL INITIATIVE AND OPERATION INDEPENDENCE DAY 2019 FBI Announces New Program Focusing on the Recovery of Child Victims from Commercial Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
DETROIT – The Department of Justice announced today the FBI-led recovery or identification of 103 child victims and the arrest of 67 sex traffickers through Operation Independence Day. This initiative — a revamping of a previously successful program — was executed during the month of July through 161 operations conducted nationwide.
Operation Independence Day relied on the 86 FBI-led Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces (CEHTTFs), which leveraged the resources and intelligence of other federal, state, local, and tribal partners. Overall, more than 400 agencies participate in these task forces.
In Detroit alone, nine juveniles were recovered and identified, two adult victims of sex trafficking were encountered, three pimps/exploiters were arrested and three federal investigations were initiated. Detroit had the third highest number of juveniles recovered and identified in the country. Several local law enforcement agencies participated in the operation which include, Michigan State Police, Detroit Police Department, Romulus Police Department, Canton Police Department, Highland Park Police Department, Madison Heights Police Department, Huron Township Police Department, Livonia Police Department, Roseville Police Department, Southfield Police Department, and the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office.
“Child sex traffickers prey on the most vulnerable members of our society – young girls and boys. Through threats, violence and false promises, these traffickers compel their young victims to engage in sex acts for profit”, stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. “I commend the hard work and dedication of the FBI, as well as all the state and local law enforcement agencies who took part in this very important operation. We are committed to rescuing victims and putting the perpetrators behind bars.”
"The sale of our children and unsuspecting victims as mere commodities by traffickers is unacceptable and remains one of the highest priorities with the Detroit Division of the FBI," FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Rainer S. Drolshagen said. “Partnerships established with local, state and federal entities through our Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes (SEMTEC) Task Force, it is evident that combating sex trafficking in our communities is of the highest priority and we are honored to be able to lead that charge.”
Operation Independence Day prioritized locating and rescuing missing minors who are at great risk for sexual exploitation, and arresting the traffickers exploiting them. To that end, through its partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), FBI special agents and intelligence analysts reviewed information provided through NCMEC’s CyberTipline, to identify missing minor children at risk for sexual exploitation, and then worked with state and local partners to execute law enforcement activity designed to recover those children and arrest traffickers.
The health and welfare of recovered minor and adult trafficking victims was a further priority. To facilitate these efforts, the FBI’s Victim Services Division and victim specialists stationed in each of our 56 field offices also worked closely with the task forces during the operation to ensure recovered children received the help they needed. Victim specialists put internal and external resources in place before the operation to ensure victim assistance was a priority in the aftermath of the law enforcement operations.
In June 2003, the FBI, in conjunction with the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and NCMEC, launched the Innocence Lost National Initiative (ILNI). This combined effort was aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States. In the years since its inception, the ILNI has expanded to 86 dedicated CEHTTFs. These task forces, with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the FBI’s Victim Services Division, have worked successfully to rescue thousands of children.
Through ILNI, the FBI, along with its local law enforcement partners, uses task forces to leverage resources and intelligence to identify and recover child victims and prosecute those responsible for their exploitation. This collaborative effort has led to the recovery or identification of more than 6,600 child victims. The initiative has also led to more than 2,750 convictions, including more than 15 life sentences and many other sentences ranging from 25 years to life.
In 2008, the ILNI initiated Operation Cross Country (OCC)—a focused, national campaign that targeted the venues where children were the victims of commercial sex trafficking. Since 2008, there have been 11 iterations of OCC, recovering more than 900 child victims and arresting nearly 1,400 traffickers. The last operation was held in October 2017 with 78 task forces participating.
The FBI determined that after 11 years of OCC success, it was time to re-evaluate the program. The newly renamed Operation Independence Day was conducted over an entire month, rather than a few days, but continued to focus on the recovery of child victims from commercial sex trafficking.
The FBI’s Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit and DOJ coordinated the operation. For additional information on Operation Independence Day and the Innocence Lost initiative, please visit: https://www.fbi.gov/oid2019
Houston, TX Man Pleads Guilty to Mailing Misbranded Prescription Drugs to Oldham CountyRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Dhaval Jerambhai Dholaria, 39, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty to two counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce and one count of using a fictitious name to conduct an unlawful business, United States Attorney Russell Coleman announced today. Dholaria was originally indicted on June 7, 2017.
According to the plea agreement, from March 19, 2016, to March 23, 2016, Mr. Dholaria illegally shipped zolpidem tartrate (Ambien), a Schedule IV controlled substance used for sleep problems, from a location in Texas to a P.O. Box in Oldham County, Kentucky. The medication he shipped was misbranded, in that it was dispensed without a prescription and its labeling did not contain required directions for use. He shipped this medication with the intent to defraud and mislead, by avoiding the FDA requirements for prescription drugs.
To accomplish his introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, Dholaria used a stamps.com shipping account registered in the name of “Sam H,” a false name he used for the purpose of conducting his unlawful business by means of the Postal Service.
During the course of the investigation, federal agents seized over thirty (30) packages of prescription pills sent to Dholaria from India. Those packages contained approximately: 52,000 tramadol pills (a Schedule IV opioid), 2,300 diazepam pills (a Schedule IV anti-anxiety medication, also known as Valium), 2,200 zolpidem tartrate pills, 1,200 clonazepam pills (a Schedule IV anti-anxiety medication, also known as Klonopin), and 1,500 carisoprodol pills (a Schedule IV muscle relaxant, also known as Soma). Agents also seized nearly thirty (30) packages containing nearly 5,000 prescription pills of various types that agents witnessed Dholaria placing in the mail for delivery to United States residents. Based on shipping records it appears that Dholaria shipped tens of thousands of prescription pills throughout the United States before he was caught.
The charges Dholaria pleaded guilty to carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 11 years, a combined maximum fine of $750,000, and a one year term of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Madison Sewell and David Weiser, and is being investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Haverford College Student Pleads Guilty to Attempt to Access President Trump’s Tax InformationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Justin Hiemstra, 22, from St. Paul Park, Minnesota, entered a plea of guilty before United States District Judge Cynthia M. Rufe on charges related to violations of 18 U.S.C. § 1030 for using a school computer and someone else’s username without that person’s permission in an attempt to illegally obtain President Donald Trump’s tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service.
These charges arose out of a plot between the defendant, then a student at Haverford College, and another Haverford College student, to use computers at the school’s computer lab and the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) website to illegally access the tax returns. The defendant opened a false FAFSA application in the name of a member of the Trump family, and found that someone else had already obtained a username and password for Donald Trump. In order to reset the password, the defendant was prompted to answer challenge questions, which the original person had created when setting up the account. The defendant was able to answer the questions and reset the password, and then used the President’s personal identifier information, including his social security number and date of birth, to attempt to import the President’s federal tax information into the bogus FAFSA application. Ultimately, this illegal attempt failed.
“No matter what you think about the President’s tax returns, clearly this kind of illegal activity cannot be tolerated or condoned. Unauthorized or false attempts to obtain any citizen’s IRS filings are a serious violation of privacy rights and a federal crime, and there’s nothing funny about it,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Now this defendant is being held accountable for his actions, as he should be.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Education – Office of Inspector General and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony J. Wzorek.
Garnett James Lloyd, Jr. Sentenced to Five Years on Charge of CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Garnett James Lloyd, Jr. age 48, of Morganton, North Carolina, was sentenced today after earlier pleading guilty to a count charging violation of 18 USC Section 2261A(2)(b), Cyberstalking.
As part of his plea agreement, Lloyd admitted that he posed on Facebook as a young female, Taylor Smiths. As Taylor Smiths, he contacted a girl from Mary G. Montgomery School whose mother had listed a formal dress for sale on Facebook Market place. The mother believed the contact to be suspicious and reported it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.The same day, another mother contacted the FBI concerned that her daughter had received a friend request from Taylor Smiths and that she was inquiring about a dress for sale. The mother gave the FBI permission to assume her daughter’s Facebook account.
The defendant contacted the undercover FBI agent and asked for pictures of the dresses for sale. This eventually progressed to Lloyd asking for specific poses in the dresses claiming that he was considering wearing them for a pageant. He then asked for certain voyeur type photos and offered to pay $700 for them. The undercover agent refused to send additional photos and Lloyd said he would contact her friends and family and “destroy her good girl status.” He later claimed that he had edited other pictures to simulate her topless and that he would send those pictures to her family. He also demanded that she respond only with “Yes, Master” or “No, Master.”FBI agents tracked the messages to Lloyd in Morganton, North Carolina.
At sentencing, Judge William H. Steele, noted that the defendant had a significant criminal history which was not captured in his sentencing guideline calculations. This included three convictions for sexual battery and one conviction for breaking and entering into a sorority house in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The Court also considered the arguments of the United States Attorney’s Office that the true nature of the charged crime reflected dangerous predatory behavior and that the defendant should be sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence and be required to register as a Sex Offender.
Most significantly, the Court heard the statements of the young victim in this case and her mother. The very accomplished young woman told the court that she was now afraid to practice her running events unless she was accompanied by coaches or friends. The mother stated that her daughter frequently had anxiety about attending public events and that the entire family was now extremely cautious of strangers. They both stated that they intended to be advocates for victims of these crimes and to spread the word for education of the dangers of the internet.Judge Steele thanked the family for speaking and noted that they illustrated the ripple effect of these crimes as they impacted not only the intended victim but also her family, friends and coaches. After considering all the factors, Judge Steele found that a fair and just sentence required a sentence at the statutory maximum. He sentenced the defendant to 60 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. He is also required to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office and AUSA Maria E. Murphy.
Gang Member Sentenced to 30 Years for Role in Drug Distribution Conspiracy and Attempted Robbery Ordered by the Mexican MafiaRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd Robinson (619) 546-7994 and Kareem Salem (619) 546-8904
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – August 5, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Jose Hernandez, aka “Chapo,” a member of the Otay River Bottom Locos gang, was sentenced today in federal court to 30 years in prison for his aggravated role in a drug distribution conspiracy as well as his participation in an attempted armed robbery ordered by the Mexican Mafia.
The charges stem from an investigation by the FBI-led Violent Crimes Task Force, Gang Group (VCTF-GG) into drug trafficking, firearms and violent crimes being committed by certain gang members and their associates in San Diego.
“This sentence is a big win for public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “This defendant, a violent drug trafficker and gang member, will be unable to menace the community for decades to come.” The U.S. attorney praised prosecutors Kareem Salem and Todd Robinson as well as the FBI and members of the Violent Crimes Task force-Gang Group for their hard work.
“This significant 30-year sentence sends a message that the FBI and its partner agencies on the Violent Crimes Task Force-Gang Group will relentlessly pursue gang members involved in violent crime, firearms offenses and drug trafficking,” said FBI SAC Scott Brunner. “Cases like this one, focusing on dangerous gang members, deter and reduce gang-related violence and drug trafficking in Southern California. We thank all the federal, state, and local agencies that participated in this long term investigation and are proud to share the success and impactful results with our partners.”
The defendant was convicted by a federal jury on May 21, 2019 (18cr3424-LAB) of being a felon in possession of a firearm; attempting to commit a Hobbs Act Robbery; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He pleaded guilty on May 9, 2019 (18cr4217) to one count of conspiring with others to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to evidence presented at trial, agents intercepted communications of the defendant and two of his co-defendants who discussed their intention to commit an armed robbery and assault on behalf of the Mexican Mafia. In response, San Diego Police Department Gang Suppression Officers stopped the vehicle in which Jose Hernandez was the front passenger as they drove to their intended victim. Ultimately, officers recovered four firearms, 56 rounds of ammunition and zip ties, which officers believe were for restraining the intended victim.
In addition to his role in the attempted robbery, the defendant was sentenced for his role, organization, and distribution of multiple pounds of methamphetamine.
Intercepted communications also revealed that the defendant was engaged in the distribution of methamphetamine to several customers, including an individual who on two occasions flew from Florida to purchase pounds of methamphetamine from the defendant. But for the quick response from members of the VCTF-GG, pounds of methamphetamine, which were packaged and shipped via the United States Postal Service, would have found its way to drug users in the Florida area.
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 922(g)
Maximum Penalty: Ten years in prisonAttempted Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1951
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prisonPossession of firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 924(c)
Maximum Penalty: Five years mandatory minimum in prisonConspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. Sections 841 (a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty: Up to life in prison; Ten year mandatory minimumDEFENDANT Case Numbers: 18CR3424-LAB & 18CR4217-LAB
Jose Hernandez Age: 38 San Diego
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Violent Crimes Gang Task Force
Task Force agencies include:
FBI, ATF, DEA, BOP, USPIS, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Diego District Attorney's Office, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sheriff's Department, National City Police Department, Chula Vista Police Department, La Mesa Police Department, El Cajon Police Department and Federal Bureau of Prisons- Joint Intelligence Sharing Initiative.
Former High-Ranking Member of Sinaloa Drug Cartel Sentenced to 28 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former high-ranking member of the Sinaloa drug cartel in Mexico was sentenced today to 28 years in federal prison for his role in transporting large amounts of illegal drugs to the Chicago area and throughout the United States.
From at least 2009 until his arrest in November 2014, JESUS RAUL BELTRAN LEON conspired with other Sinaloa Cartel members to transport multi-ton quantities of illegal drugs into the United States. Beltran Leon invested in shipments comprising hundreds of kilograms of drugs that were purchased in Central and South America, imported into Mexico, and eventually smuggled into the U.S. for distribution in Chicago and throughout the country. Beltran Leon also sought to acquire from other cartel members numerous kilograms of drugs that already had been imported into the U.S. so that he could further distribute those narcotics to his own wholesale drug customers in Chicago and throughout the country.
Beltran Leon, 35, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a drug conspiracy charge. U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo imposed the sentence in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Brian McKnight, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Valuable assistance was provided by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew C. Erskine and Erika L. Csicsila.
Beltran Leon is one of more than 20 members of the Sinaloa or Beltran-Leyva drug cartels to be charged in federal court in Chicago. The investigation has resulted in seizures of approximately $30.8 million, approximately eleven tons of cocaine, 265 kilograms of methamphetamines, and 78 kilograms of heroin.
Former Coraopolis Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Fentanyl and Accepts Responsibility for Causing Death of VictimRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Coraopolis, PA, has plead guilty to a federal narcotics charge, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Cleo Maurice Bronaugh, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl before United States District Court Judge Nora Barry Fischer. As part of his guilty plea, Bronaugh also accepted responsibility for causing the death of victim L.T. Bronaugh has been detained since his initial appearance in federal court and will remain detained pending sentencing.
According to information presented to the court, on March 5, 2017, Bronaugh delivered a quantity of fentanyl to an individual identified as L.T. in Moon Township, PA. Later L.T. ingested the fentanyl and died as a result of fentanyl toxicity.
Judge Fischer scheduled his sentencing for Dec. 19, 2019 at 9 a.m. The law provides for a maximum sentence of not more than 30 years in prison and/or a fine of not more than $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Moon Township Police, Allegheny County Police, and the Drug Enforcement Agency conducted the investigation that led to the Indictment in this case.
Florida Man Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 20 Years in Prison for Mailing 16 Improvised Explosive Devices in Connection with October 2018 Domestic Terrorist AttackRead the Press Release
Cesar Altieri Sayoc was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison in connection with his mailing of 16 improvised explosive devices to victims across the country. SAYOC pled guilty to a 65-count Superseding Information on March 21, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, who also imposed today’s sentence.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers said: “Time and again, we have seen individuals attempt to express political views and resolve political disagreements through violence. Cesar Sayoc has now been sentenced for acts of domestic terrorism that are repulsive to all Americans who cherish a society built on respectful and non-violent political discourse. Our democracy depends on our debating our strongly held views peacefully and respectfully, and when someone does not, on our prosecuting and punishing those who do not abide by these values. I applaud the efforts of so many in our law enforcement community whose alertness and tirelessness led to the prompt arrest of the defendant before he was able to injure anyone, as well as those whose efforts led to this sentence.”
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Cesar Sayoc assembled and mailed explosive devices to high-ranking officials and former elected leaders to incite fear and to terrorize his victims. Though thankfully no one was hurt by his actions, Sayoc’s domestic terrorism challenged our nation’s cherished tradition of peaceful political discourse. For his wanton disregard of the safety of so many people, Sayoc will now spend 20 years in prison.”
“I could not be more proud of the work by our Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country, our partners including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Secret Service, and the FBI’s Laboratory and Counterterrorism Divisions to bring Cesar Sayoc to justice,” said Assistant Director Michael McGarrity of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. "This case should serve as a warning to anyone looking to intimidate or hurt those they disagree with that the FBI will stop at nothing to protect the communities we serve from the threat of domestic terrorism."
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Sayoc’s crimes were intended to incite fear among his targets and uncertainty among the general public, leading to a significant deployment of various law enforcement resources in a nationwide search to find him. When called upon, our FBI JTTFs across the country – along with our partner agencies – did what we do best, working swiftly, and side by side, to bring him to justice. Unlike most of our investigations, this case played out in plain view from beginning to end. Today's sentencing is as good a time as any to remind the public that our JTTFs are working behind the scenes on a daily basis, in much the same way, to keep our communities safe.”
According to the Superseding Information, court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:
In October 2018, Sayoc mailed from Florida 16 padded envelopes, each containing an improvised explosive device (IED), to addresses in New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Georgia, and California. In alphabetical order, Sayoc’s intended victims (the Victims) were former Vice President Joseph Biden, Senator Cory Booker, former CIA Director John Brennan, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, CNN, Robert De Niro, Senator Kamala Harris, former Attorney General Eric Holder, former President Barack Obama, George Soros, Thomas Steyer, and Representative Maxine Walters. Between October 22 and Nov. 2, 2018, the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service recovered all of the 16 IEDs mailed by Sayoc.
Each of the IEDs mailed by Sayoc contained a mix of explosive powder from fireworks, shards of glass, and pool chemicals, designed to maximize potential injuries, damage, and the burning of his intended Victims’ skin. On the outside of each IED, Sayoc placed photographs of each of the Victims, and sometimes their families and others, with a red “X” over their faces. Sayoc also affixed black flags, similar in appearance to banners used by ISIS and other foreign terrorist organizations, to the outside of the IEDs.
Sayoc had posted incendiary comments about liberal political figures online since at least 2011. In the months prior to mailing the IEDs, Sayoc incited violence against the Victims, conveyed direct threats against them, and researched where and how to carry out his attack. For example, in April 2016, he wrote that former President Barack Obama’s “head need[ed] to be chopped off” and he wished “death” to George Soros and former Attorney General Eric Holder. In April 2017, Sayoc wished “Death” to “all Clintons” and in November 2017 posted “Your days are number[ed] Steyer[].” Beginning in December 2017, Sayoc researched the Victims and their addresses. For example, on Dec. 23, 2017, Sayoc searched for the address of Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and, over the course of the ensuing months, Sayoc repeatedly searched for the “home address” or “address” of several of the Victims, and Sayoc intensified these searches in the days before his attack. Finally, Sayoc researched online how to make a “letter bomb” and watched videos depicting explosions.
The FBI arrested Sayoc in Plantation, Florida, on Oct. 26, 2018—less than five days after the October 22 recovery of the first IED, which Sayoc mailed to Soros in New York.
In addition to his prison sentence, Sayoc, 57, of Florida, was sentenced to five of supervised release.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the New York City Police Department, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Berman also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida, the District of Columbia, the District of Delaware, the District of New Jersey, the Central District of California, the Eastern District of California, the Northern District of California, and the Northern District of Georgia for their assistance in the investigation.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg, Emil J. Bove III, Jane Kim, and Jason A. Richman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney David Cora of the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Final Defendant in Baltimore Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland –U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Davien Major Ewing, a/k/a Fat Boy, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to eight years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin. His three co-conspirators were previously sentenced to between 18 and 174 months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“This case has taken four drug dealers off the streets of Baltimore, cut off a pipeline of heroin, fentanyl, and other drugs, and removed three guns from the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Drug traffickers are on notice that dealing in fentanyl and using a gun increases their odds of federal prosecution. Working together with our local, state, and federal partners, we are determined to reduce the number of opioid overdose deaths in Maryland.”
According to his guilty plea, in June 2017, law enforcement began an investigation targeting Eric Brandon McKnight, a/k/a E, who was distributing large quantities of heroin and suppling heroin to multiple individuals in Baltimore. During the investigation, Ewing was identified as one of the individuals who assisted McKnight. Law enforcement overheard conversations between McKnight and Ewing discussing narcotics transactions, including the prices for street-level distribution of narcotics.
As detailed in court documents, search warrants were executed on February 26, 2018 at locations that were identified as stash locations for the conspiracy. Law enforcement recovered 704 grams of fentanyl, 48 grams of heroin, 24.95 grams of crack cocaine, more than 2.5 kilograms of marijuana, three firearms, drug packaging and processing materials, cutting agents, and cellular telephones.
Eric McKnight, age 35, of Baltimore pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 174 months in federal prison. Co-defendants Jamal Dunn, a/k/a Greenie, age 32, and Michael Lambirth, a/k/a Big Mike, age 29, both of Baltimore, each pleaded guilty to the heroin distribution conspiracy and Dunn also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin. Dunn was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and Lambirth was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the DEA, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samika N. Boyd and Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Felon Who Fired Shots Outside A Greece Residence Going to Federal PrisonRead 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 Christopher Rivers, 23, of Holley, NY, who was convicted of being a felon-in-possession of a firearm, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that during the early morning hours of January 25, 2019, the defendant fired a shotgun multiple times outside an apartment window at 1221 Affinity Lane in Greece, NY.
Rivers was previously convicted of Criminal Possession of a Firearm in Orleans County Court, and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. 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.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick D. Phelan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
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Federal jury finds former Fort Polk soldier guilty for sexually abusing a minorRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a federal jury handed down a guilty verdict on all counts against a former Fort Polk U.S. Army soldier who sexually abused a minor beginning when the minor was under the age of 12 years old.
Ronald W. Allen Jr., 40, of Fort Polk, Louisiana, was convicted after a two-day jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey. The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before the defendant was found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 and sexual abuse of a minor.
Testimony presented during the trial showed that from April 2012 until June 2016 the defendant sexually abused the minor on numerous occasions on the Fort Polk Military Base, where the defendant lived. The abuse was exposed when the minor gave details to an individual at a school she was attending in a community near Fort Polk. Local law enforcement agents were later notified, the victim was interviewed and a warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence. Agents obtained DNA evidence from where abuse occurred and matched it to the defendant’s DNA.
Allen faces 30 years to life in prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child under the Age of 12, and 15 years in prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The defendant also faces no less than five years to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court did not set a sentencing date.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Those concerned may leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Lake Charles FBI office number is (337) 433-6353.
The FBI, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.
Fake Prince from Philadelphia Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that David Milliner, 50, of Philadelphia, PA entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Court Judge Petrese Tucker to four counts of online enticement of a minor, six counts of manufacturing/attempted manufacturing of child pornography, four counts of receipt of child pornography, one count of transfer of obscene material to a minor, and one count of possession of child pornography.
The charges arise out of the defendant’s sexually explicit online communications with four boys, ages 8 through 12, between September and December of 2017, during which the defendant pretended to be a prince from the royal “DeRothschild” family and enticed his victims to self-produce images of child pornography and send them to him over Instagram. At the time of the defendant’s arrest, he was in possession of images of child pornography of these victims and other children.
“Child exploitation is a pervasive problem – made more so by the accessibility of the Internet and digital media – that demands an aggressive response,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Child predators typically lie and manipulate children in order to get what they want, and this case is a prime example of that. We urge parents and guardians to monitor what their children do online, and we stand ready with our federal and local partners to identify and prosecute those who would prey upon minor children.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department Special Victims Unit, and the Wayland, Michigan Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.
Everett, Pa. Resident Charged with Selling Firearms Stolen from Federal FacilityRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Bedford County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Johnstown on various counts related to firearms stolen from the National Firearms and Ammunition Destruction Branch (NFAD), United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The eight-count indictment named Richard Adam Schreiber, 38, of Everett, Pennsylvania.
According to the indictment presented to the court, between August 30, 2016, and March 4, 2019, Schreiber purchased multiple stolen firearms, firearm components and ammunition from Christopher Lee Yates. Yates was an employee of Allied Security and worked at NFAD, which was a facility used by ATF and other law enforcement agencies to have firearms and ammunition destroyed. The firearms at NFAD had been seized during criminal investigations or were retired by the agencies. The investigation by ATF began in February of 2019 when a firearm was seized in Philadelphia with different serial numbers, one of which was for a "slide" or firearm component that had purportedly been destroyed at NFAD. ATF learned that Yates stole in excess of five machineguns, 115 pistols and/or revolvers, 3,000 slides and ammunition. The indictment further alleges that Schreiber then sold the firearms and components over the internet from his residence in Everett, Pa. During the investigation, ATF Agents seized nine firearms from Yates, including a machinegun stolen from NFAD and an additional 11 firearms and rifles from individuals that Yates sold the stolen weapons to. ATF Agents also seized 101 firearms, 1,352 slides and 123,229 rounds of ammunition from Schreiber and an additional 28 firearms, including three machineguns, from individuals to whom Schreiber sold the stolen weapons. Yates has been charged with similar offenses in the Northern District of West Virginia.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 65 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Schreiber and Yates.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Evansdale Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who received child pornography pled guilty on August 5, 2019, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Derek Clemens, age 31, from Evansdale, Iowa, was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Clemens admitted that, between March 2018 and October 2018, he knowingly received child pornography.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Clemens remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Clemens faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, $5,100 in special assessments, and supervised release for 5 years to life following any imprisonment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Evansdale Police Department, the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office, the Waterloo Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 19-2030.
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Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative Recognized for InnovationRead the Press Release
Today, in a ceremony held at the Embassy Club in Des Moines, the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative was recognized for developing innovative solutions to combat the opioid epidemic. The Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative is funded by the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area and is a joint venture of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. The Initiative was formed in 2015 to combat the rise of opioid overdose and death in Iowa by using a three‑part strategy of enforcement, prevention, and treatment.
The award was given by the Addiction Policy Forum, which is a nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating addiction as a major health problem. The Addiction Policy Forum is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with resources and services in every state. The Addiction Policy Forum’s Innovation Now forum at https://www.addictionpolicy.org/innovation-now contains numerous state studies of innovative programs developed to address the opioid crisis.
“Through innovative strategies like the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative, we can reduce overdose injuries and deaths in Iowa while bringing drug dealers to justice,” said United States Attorney Peter Deegan. “I credit the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the members of my office whose hard work has made this Initiative successful.”
Cedar Rapids Police Chief Wayne Jerman said, “Deaths from opioid-related symptoms reached a 10-year low last year in Iowa. The innovative efforts of the Cedar Rapids Police Department, United States Attorney’s Office for Northern District of Iowa, and Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area to develop one of only two comprehensive opioid awareness and outreach programs in the country is impactful. By continuing to work with other organizations in the community, we hope to see the number of victims of overdose continue to decline.”
Since 2015, the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative has conducted numerous town hall events to raise community awareness, training events for first responders to correctly handle an overdose scene and conduct a responsive investigation, naloxone (Narcan) administration training, training to medical professionals, and training to drug treatment and prevention specialists. As part of the enforcement efforts, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has prosecuted over 100 defendants for various felony-level opioid charges since October 2015 throughout the district. These prosecutions involved trafficking in opioids, including heroin, fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. Many of the cases involved drug distributions that resulted in overdose death or injury.
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