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25 July 2019
Alleged Fraudster Indicted in Romance ScamRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Franklin Efijemueh was indicted on wire fraud charges related to an alleged romance fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.
In an indictment filed July 18, 2019, and unsealed today, a federal grand jury charged Efijemueh, 37, of Lawrenceville, Ga., with participating in a scheme to defraud a San Francisco victim. According to the indictment, the fraud began in April 2018 when a man going by the name “Allen Green” developed a romantic relationship electronically with the female victim. The indictment describes how “Allen Green” told the victim he had traveled to Bahrain and was having financial issues while there. In reality, the indictment alleges, “Allen Green” was in Nigeria. Based on Green’s representations, the victim sent him money. Then, in June of 2018, Green began to refer to another individual named “Rashad Cosmos” who purportedly could provide funds for the victim. The indictment alleges that “Rashad Cosmos” was actually Efijemueh.
The indictment charges Efijemueh with receiving three payments from the victim in connection with the fraudulent promise to provide the victim money. First, Efijemueh, using the “Rashad Cosmos” moniker, agreed to travel to San Francisco to provide money to the victim if she first would agree to pay him in advance. Based upon this representation, the victim sent money to accounts designated by Efijemueh. Second, Efijemueh arranged to meet the victim in a San Francisco hotel room if she brought additional cash to the meeting. The victim brought the additional cash to the meeting and gave it to Efijemueh when they met. Third, when the victim arrived at the San Francisco hotel room, Efijemueh showed the victim a safe and claimed that the safe contained large amounts of currency that would have to be cleaned before it could be used. Efijemueh agreed to clean the currency for an additional fee. Based on those representations, the victim sent Efijemueh more money. According to the indictment, the safe actually contained primarily pillows.
In sum, the indictment charges Efijemueh with three counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, for his part in the scheme. Efijemueh was arrested today in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He made his initial appearance in Atlanta and was released on bond. His next appearance is scheduled to be on August 9, 2019, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero in San Francisco.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine on each count of wire fraud. In addition, the court also may order an additional term of supervised release, fines or other assessments, and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert David Rees is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Kathy Tat. This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
41-Year-Old Child Molester Committed to Federal Custody as a Sexually Dangerous PersonRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, N.C. – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that Senior United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard committed Jeremy E. Durkin, 41, to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
DURKIN has an extensive history of sexually molesting minors and failing to comply with the terms of incarceration and supervision. During his teenage years, DURKIN sexually molested multiple children, including a toddler as young as two years old. For years, DURKIN avoided detection of these assaults.
During his early twenties, DURKIN sexually molested a young boy on multiple occasions when the boy was between the ages of six and nine. DURKIN instructed the boy not to tell anyone about the assaults. These assaults were reported to law enforcement, and when DURKIN learned of this, he fled from the state of his residence and lived on the run for approximately four months. He was ultimately apprehended, prosecuted by the State of Idaho, convicted, and sentenced to serve three (3) to ten (10) years in the Idaho Department of Corrections.
In June 2009, DURKIN was released on parole. Within approximately six months of his release—and while on probation— DURKIN was at it again. He used his work computer to contact a fifteen-year-old boy in another state via Facebook, and the two began communicating via email, U.S. mail, and telephone. These conversations swiftly became sexual in nature, and by early January 2010—less than seven months after being released from prison—DURKIN was sending nude and sexually provocative photos to the boy and receiving similar images in return. During this period of parole, DURKIN also viewed child pornography on his work computer at a hotel front desk and began using methamphetamine, a drug he had used regularly before his prison sentence. After just fifteen months in the community, DURKIN was sent back to a prison for an unrelated parole violation, but his sexual communications with the teenaged boy had not yet been detected. Even while back in Idaho prison, DURKIN continued to send sexually charged letters to the fifteen-year-old boy. When these communications were discovered, DURKIN was federally prosecuted and convicted of using interstate facilities to transmit information about a minor. He was sentenced to 81 months and 8 days in federal prison.
While in federal custody, DURKIN continued to engage in problematic behavior demonstrating his inability to control his sexual behavior. DURKIN was discovered to possess material containing images of children, summaries of books and movies about children, and references to sexually explicit material and websites. Just two weeks after this discovery, DURKIN was again discovered with magazines depicting images of children with exposed torsos, newspapers containing images of children, and hand-written notes containing sexually suggestive comments. Prison staff received multiple allegations that he was having inappropriate sexual contact with other inmates while in a sex-offender treatment program. Ultimately, he was expelled from treatment for his failure to comply with program requirements. During a recent psychological evaluation performed by a court-appointed psychologist, DURKIN admitted to having continuing sexual fantasies involving children while in federal prison.
DURKIN was scheduled for release from federal prison on December 4, 2019, but the United States certified him as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. Congress passed this Act in order to provide another powerful legal mechanism for protecting the public from some of the most dangerous sexual offenders. The Act allows the United States to seek civil commitment of sexually dangerous persons who, because of a serious mental illness, abnormality, or disorder, would have serious difficulty refraining from sexually violent conduct or child molestation.
The United States believed that DURKIN met every element of that definition. On July 18, 2019, and based on clear and convincing evidence presented during a bench trial, Judge Howard agreed. He committed DURKIN to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person.
In a written order, Judge Howard explained how the government had proven that DURKIN was sexually dangerous. At trial, three separate expert witnesses concluded that DURKIN is sexually attracted to young children due to a serious mental disorder known as pedophilic disorder. DURKIN himself admitted that he was sexually attracted to children. Furthermore, Judge Howard found that DURKIN'S history of sexually offending against children, his difficulties in sex offender treatment, his sexual exploitation of a teenaged boy while on parole supervision, while being investigated for molesting his own son, and while back in state custody, as well as his possession of prohibited child-focused material while in a sex offender treatment program in prison together demonstrated that DURKIN would have serious difficulty refraining from sexually violent conduct or child molestation if released. The Court also explained that DURKIN inappropriately rationalizes and minimizes his sexual abuse of children, including claiming, as DURKIN did at trial, that he molested his victims because the victims, some as young as nine years old, wanted to engage in sexual behavior with him.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina litigates all Adam Walsh Act cases for the entire country. All sexually dangerous persons who are committed to federal custody are housed in a federal facility in that district, where intensive, residential treatment is offered to them. DURKIN is the eighty-fourth sexually dangerous person committed under the Adam Walsh Act.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael E. Lockridge and Assistant United States Attorney John E. Harris represented the government in this case.
24 July 2019
Woman Sent to Prison for Importing Nearly 2000 Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Kentucky woman has been ordered to federal prison after attempting to hide narcotics inside her body and within her undergarments, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Yenny Yamileth Pino pleaded guilty Feb. 4, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Pino a 30-month-term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the dangers of Fentanyl, how addictive it is and the problem it has become in the United States over the last few years.
On Aug. 12, 2018, Pino walked into the Hidalgo port of entry from Mexico. At primary, she began to give inconsistent statements and was sent to secondary inspection. Federal agents soon discovered nearly 900 fentanyl pills hidden in her undergarments.
She then admitted to having more inside her. Medical personnel assisted in the removal of an additional 1100 fentanyl pills hidden inside of her vagina, wrapped in a cylinder and covered by a condom.
Law enforcement ultimately discovered a total of 1981 hidden pills.
Pino was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Lindenmuth is prosecuting the case.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to MedicaidRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach woman pleaded guilty today to making a false statement to the Medicaid Program.
According to court documents, Mary Otto, 53, worked as the office manager for the Behavioral Neuropsychiatric Group, a psychiatric practice in Virginia Beach. While Otto was in charge of the administrative tasks of the practice, she had no medical training and was not licensed to practice medicine, nor prescribe medications in Virginia. Court records indicate that the psychiatrist who owned the practice traveled extensively overseas, sometimes for months at a time. During these times, patients of the practice required prescription medication refills. The psychiatrist provided Otto with blank pre-signed prescription pads for Otto to prescribe Schedule II and Schedule III controlled substances in the psychiatrist’s absence. In one particular instance, Otto prescribed Adderall, a Schedule II controlled substance, to a Medicaid patient. According to the court documents, Medicaid would not have paid for the medication had they known Otto prescribed it.
Otto faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison when sentenced on November 5. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, Robert Craig, Special Agent in Charge for Defense Criminal Investigative Service Mid-Atlantic Field Office, Nicholas DiGiulio, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is 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. 2:19-cr-101.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Large-Scale Narcotics Trafficking and Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Amir Gibreel, 30, of Northern Virginia, pled guilty yesterday for his role in a large-scale marijuana distribution enterprise, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Charles A. Dayoub, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Gibreel pled guilty before the Honorable Rudolph Contreras in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of possessing with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously under felony indictment. Gibreel faces up to five years of prison, up to three years of supervised release; and a fine up to $250,000. As part of his plea, Gibreel accepted responsibility for running a marijuana business and possessing with intent to distribute over 80 pounds of marijuana. This conviction represents Gibreel’s third marijuana-related conviction. Judge Contreras scheduled sentencing for October 24, 2019.
According to the Government’s evidence, in the summer of 2018, law enforcement associated with the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force began investigating the defendant for the illegal distribution of marijuana. The FBI learned that Gibreel was operating a website called JetpackDC. The website specifically sells marijuana through an online distribution system. Much like Uber Eats or other internet delivery services, a user would obtain contact information from the internet, and then contact a telephone number to coordinate the sale and drop-off of various packages of marijuana, ranging from small sales in the low-dollar amount, or high sales in the hundreds of dollars. The FBI learned that Gibreel operated stash houses to prepare and market his product. Gibreel also utilized Airbnb, a housing internet rental company, to store his marijuana. Gibreel and his associates were making $80,000 to $100,000 monthly.
In September and October of 2018, the FBI conducted three separate controlled purchases to identify the defendant’s Airbnb safe house. Based on the controlled purchases and coordinated surveillance, FBI was able to identify two locations as possible premises associated with the distribution of marijuana: 18 N Street N.W. (an Airbnb apartment used by the defendant) and 230 Rhode Island Avenue N.E. (Gibreel’s leased apartment).
On October 30, 2018, FBI executed search warrants at both locations. The defendant was present at the 18 N Street apartment, along with four other individuals who stated that they did not reside at the location. Law enforcement identified one individual as one of the delivery drivers from the earlier controlled purchases.
During the search of 18 N St. N.W., law enforcement found several of Gibreel’s personal belongings in an upstairs bedroom, including a blue backpack with the JetpackDC label. Law enforcement found several documents, mail matter, and notebooks inside the backpack, which belonged to the defendant. In the same bedroom, law enforcement found approximately $17,230 in cash on the closet shelf, and another $1,939 in cash in the front right pocket of a pair of blue jeans that Gibreel identified as his own. On a folding table in the same room, law enforcement found Gibreel’s bankcard and $352 in cash. On the bed, law enforcement found two ledger books containing information pertaining to the sale of marijuana. In a second upstairs bedroom, law enforcement located multiple bins, cardboard boxes, and canisters containing various amounts of marijuana, a suitcase containing marijuana vape cartridges, and marijuana packaging materials, such as a label maker and heat-sealing equipment. In total, the approximate weight of the marijuana found in the second bedroom was 80 pounds, with a street value of over $100,000.
During the search of 230 Rhode Island Avenue N.E.—no one was present during the warrant’s execution—law enforcement found a black 9mm Springfield XD semi-automatic pistol (Serial No. US8499099), which contained 16 rounds of ammunition, in the sole bedroom. Underneath the firearm was mail matter addressed to the defendant, $15,000 in cash, and medical cannabis stickers. In the kitchen, law enforcement also seized an extended magazine, marijuana packaging materials, grinders, four ledgers (containing information pertaining to marijuana sales in the thousands of dollars per day), bank statements, nine cell phones, additional mail matter, four laptops, a money counter, three tablets, and a bag containing JetpackDC paraphernalia. Law enforcement also recovered approximately 900 grams of marijuana from the kitchen and living room.
Both the firearm and ammunition possessed by Gibreel had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce and in fact, the defendant had purchased the firearm through an intermediary in Northern Virginia.
Finally, on October 30, 2018, the defendant was aware that on April 30, 2018, he had been indicted by a grand jury in Arlington County, Commonwealth of Virginia, in case number CR18000582 (Sale/Distribute Marijuana) and CR18000583 (Possession of a Controlled Substance). Both of the indicted charges are felony offenses in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and are punishable by a prison term not exceeding one year.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dayoub, and Special Agent in Charge Benedict commended the assistance provided by our joint law enforcement partners and the Arlington County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Rosen of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.
Virginia Beach Pump Company Pleads Guilty to Clean Water Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Virginia Beach company pleaded guilty today to violating the Clean Water Act.
According to court documents, Forrest Sewer Pump Service, Inc., a family owned and operated business headquartered in Virginia Beach, violated the Clean Water Act (CWA) in 2015 and 2016 by illegally discharging pollutants into unauthorized manholes and pump stations. The court records indicate Forrest Sewer has been a Virginia licensed wastewater hauler and provider of sewer pumping services and grease hauling for more than 20 years. Forrest Sewer maintained an industrial user wastewater discharge permit to discharge into the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) sewage treatment system. However, the records indicate that Forrest Sewer discharged at the unauthorized locations to, among other things, avoid paying dumping fees to HRSD.
The knowing introduction of trucked pollutants into undesignated locations is specifically prohibited by the CWA pretreatment prohibitions and the local HRSD Industrial Wastewater Discharge Regulations. Forrest Sewer was caught on video dumping the pollutants at an undesignated location in the Virginia Beach area.
Forrest Sewer faces a maximum sentence of five years of probation, as well as fine of up to $50,000 per day of violation for the Clean Water Act violations when sentenced on October 24. 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jennifer Lynn, Special Agent in Charge of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Criminal Investigation Division, Philadelphia Area Office, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Kosky is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of EPA attorneys and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Goldstein and David Lastra.
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. 2:19-cr-118.
U.S. Attorney’s Office to Host Meeting in the Community to Combat Hate CrimesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will host a D.C. Hate-Bias Crimes Task Force meeting today, at the Frank D. Reeves Center. The meeting will provide an opportunity for the community to come together to discuss hate-bias crimes in the District and share strategies for addressing such crimes.
The Hate-Bias Task Force comprises agency and community partners in the District that focuses on addressing crimes that impact various affinity groups in the city.
In 1995, the Office implemented the Community Prosecution Initiative, which involves not only prosecuting criminals and litigating cases, but connecting with stakeholders to understand and address the public safety needs of our local communities. This community-based strategy enables Community Prosecutors and Community Outreach Specialists to work directly with residents, local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other community stakeholders to develop a comprehensive approach to fighting crime and protecting those who live and work in the District of Columbia.
The Office’s present community outreach strategy focuses on building bonds of trust between the Office and the community; enhancing public safety through education; and increasing community participation in the criminal justice system.
The event is free and open to the public, and will be held at the Frank D. Reeves Center, located at 2000 14th Street NW on Wednesday, July 24, 2019, at 7:00 p.m. U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Pohlhaus for External Affairs will be present to answer questions.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the D.C. Center for the LGBT Community, and the D.C. Anti-Violence Project are partnering to organize the upcoming meeting. Please come learn about the law governing hate-bias crimes and how our Office prosecutes these crimes. For more information or special accommodations, please contact [email protected] or 202-252-6930.
Two Mississippi Men Plead Guilty in Odometer Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two Long Beach, Mississippi, men pleaded guilty today for their roles in a long-running odometer tampering scheme, the Department of Justice announced.
Oscar M. Baine, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to alter odometers and one count of odometer tampering. Jeffrey Lyn Savarese II, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to alter odometers. Both defendants appeared in federal court in Gulfport before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. The court set sentencing hearings for both defendants for Oct. 17.
As part of his plea agreement, Baine admitted that he purchased high-mileage vehicles from wholesale automobile auctions, dealerships, and individuals, and arranged to alter the vehicles’ odometers to reflect false, lower-mileage readings. Baine admitted that he paid Savarese and others to change or alter odometers at his used car lot in Gulfport. Baine then sold the rolled-back vehicles to unsuspecting consumers for inflated prices. Savarese admitted that he began altering odometers for Mississippi and Louisiana used-car dealers in 2011 and reset the odometers on at least 200 used vehicles for Baine.
“The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting auto dealers who defraud consumers by selling vehicles with unlawfully altered odometers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Consumers rely on mileage information to assess the value and safety of a vehicle, and that information must be accurate.”
“These criminals put the public at risk by rolling back odometers and defrauding hundreds of people out of one of their biggest investments. I commend the investigators and prosecutors for bringing these criminals to justice and for protecting the public from further fraudulent acts by these two. We will remain vigilant as to these types of crimes and continue working to make our roads and communities safer for everyone,” said Mike Hurst, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
In pleading guilty, Baine admitted that he and a co-conspirator caused at least 387 vehicles to be rolled back between 2011 and 2014, with resulting consumer losses of more than $600,000. Baine also admitted that, at times, the altered odometers and fraudulent titles included false mileages that were more than 100,000 miles less than the vehicles’ actual mileages.
Senior Litigation Counsel Linda I. Marks of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi are the prosecutors for the case. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation (NHTSA), assisted by the State of Mississippi Office of the Attorney General, investigated the case.
NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud in the United States results in consumer losses of more than $1 billion annually. Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call NHTSA’s odometer fraud hotline at (800) 424-9393 or (202) 366-4761.
Two Mississippi Men Plead Guilty in Odometer Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Two Long Beach, Mississippi, men pleaded guilty today for their roles in a long-running odometer tampering scheme, the Department of Justice announced.
Oscar M. Baine, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to alter odometers and one count of odometer tampering. Jeffrey Lyn Savarese II, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to alter odometers. Both defendants appeared in federal court in Gulfport before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. The court set sentencing hearings for both defendants for Oct. 17.
As part of his plea agreement, Baine admitted that he purchased high-mileage vehicles from wholesale automobile auctions, dealerships, and individuals, and arranged to alter the vehicles’ odometers to reflect false, lower-mileage readings. Baine admitted that he paid Savarese and others to change or alter odometers at his used car lot in Gulfport. Baine then sold the rolled-back vehicles to unsuspecting consumers for inflated prices. Savarese admitted that he began altering odometers for Mississippi and Louisiana used-car dealers in 2011 and reset the odometers on at least 200 used vehicles for Baine.
“The Department of Justice is committed to prosecuting auto dealers who defraud consumers by selling vehicles with unlawfully altered odometers,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Consumers rely on mileage information to assess the value and safety of a vehicle, and that information must be accurate.”
“These criminals put the public at risk by rolling back odometers and defrauding hundreds of people out of one of their biggest investments. I commend the investigators and prosecutors for bringing these criminals to justice and for protecting the public from further fraudulent acts by these two. We will remain vigilant as to these types of crimes and continue working to make our roads and communities safer for everyone,” said Mike Hurst, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
In pleading guilty, Baine admitted that he and a co-conspirator caused at least 387 vehicles to be rolled back between 2011 and 2014, with resulting consumer losses of more than $600,000. Baine also admitted that, at times, the altered odometers and fraudulent titles included false mileages that were more than 100,000 miles less than the vehicles’ actual mileages.
Senior Litigation Counsel Linda I. Marks of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi are the prosecutors for the case. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Odometer Fraud Investigation (NHTSA), assisted by the State of Mississippi Office of the Attorney General, investigated the case.
NHTSA estimates that odometer fraud in the United States results in consumer losses of more than $1 billion annually. Individuals with information relating to odometer tampering should call NHTSA’s odometer fraud hotline at (800) 424-9393 or (202) 366-4761. More information on odometer fraud is available on the NHTSA website at https://www.nhtsa.gov/odometer-fraud and tips on detecting and avoiding odometer fraud are available at www.nhtsa.gov/staticfiles/nvs/pdf/811284.pdf.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at http://www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms.
Two Men Indicted on Armed Bank Robbery and Firearms Charges in Connection with North Greenbush Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – A federal grand jury today indicted two men in connection with a February 2019 armed robbery of an M&T Bank branch in which a bank employee was shot.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent of the New York State Police.
The indictment charges Christopher J. Cohn a/k/a “Wolf,” age 26, of Albany, and Ulysses Jessie Walls a/k/a “Guwala,” age 25, of Rensselaer, New York, with armed bank robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence. According to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint, Cohn and Walls entered an M&T Bank branch in North Greenbush on the morning of February 26, 2019, each wearing a ski mask and brandishing a gun. In the course of the robbery, Cohn fired multiple shots, including one that grazed an employee of the bank. Law enforcement arrested Cohn, Walls and their alleged getaway driver Quardel Valentine, at an Albany motel shortly after the robbery. Valentine remains charged by criminal complaint.
The charges are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted on the armed bank robbery charge, Cohn and Walls each face at least 10 years and as much as life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. If convicted of the firearm charge, Cohn and Walls each face at least 10 years and up to life in prison, to be served consecutive to the term of imprisonment for the armed bank robbery charge. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the New York State Police, the Town of North Greenbush Police Department, the Albany Police Department, and the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua R. Rosenthal and Wayne A. Myers.
Two Grundy County, Tennessee Sheriff’s Officers Charged with Federal Civil Rights OffensesRead the Press Release
Chief Deputy Anthony “Tony” Bean, 59, and Sergeant Anthony “T.J.” Bean, 29, of the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for using excessive force against arrestees, announced Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee J. Douglas Overbey, and FBI-Knoxville Special Agent in Charge Troy A. Sowers.
For an incident involving an arrestee identified by the initials F.M., the indictment charges Deputy Chief Tony Bean and Deputy T.J. Bean with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. The indictment alleges that the defendants, while serving with the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, used unreasonable force when they assaulted and injured arrestee F.M. in December 2017.
The indictment additionally charges Tony Bean with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 for an incident involving arrestee C.G. The indictment alleges that, while serving as Chief of Police with the Tracy City Police Department, Tony Bean used unreasonable force when he assaulted and injured arrestee C.G. in August 2014.
Each of the counts charging a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment. An indictment is merely an accusation and each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Knoxville Division of the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Rebekah J. Bailey and Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant United States Attorney Perry H. Piper of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.
Two Grundy County, Tennessee Sheriff's Officers Charged with Federal Civil Rights OffensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Chief Deputy Anthony “Tony” Bean, 59, and Sergeant Anthony “T.J.” Bean, 29, of the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for using excessive force against arrestees, announced U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Tennessee J. Douglas Overbey, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, and FBI-Knoxville Special Agent in Charge Troy A. Sowers.
The indictment charges Deputy Chief Tony Bean and Deputy T.J. Bean with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 for an incident involving an arrestee identified by the initials F.M.. The indictment alleges that the defendants, while serving with the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office, used unreasonable force when they assaulted and injured arrestee F.M. in December 2017.
The indictment additionally charges Tony Bean with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 for an incident involving arrestee C.G. The indictment alleges that, while serving as Chief of Police with the Tracy City Police Department,
Tony Bean used unreasonable force when he assaulted and injured arrestee C.G. in August 2014.
Each of the counts charging a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment. An indictment is merely an accusation and each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Knoxville Division of the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Perry H. Piper of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Rebekah J. Bailey and Kathryn E. Gilbert of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Tonawanda Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Michael Dudley, 31, of Tonawanda, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maura K. O’Donnell, who is handling the case, stated that between February 2013 and April 2015, Dudley worked for and with Alan Ceccarelli, the owner and manager of a debt collection business. During that time, the defendant engaged in a scheme to defraud debtors and purported debtors by false and fraudulent pretenses. Dudley tricked and coerced victims throughout the United States into paying supposed debts through a variety of false statements and threats. Because Ceccarelli did not actually own the debts on which he, Dudley, and other employees collected, payments made by victims went directly to Ceccarelli, rather than to satisfy any of the victims’ outstanding debts.
Dudley received approximately $72,250 of the fraud proceeds collected from victims as commission.
In addition, Dudley and Ceccarelli placed telephone calls to debtors involved in bankruptcy proceedings, in which they posed as attorneys or representatives of bankruptcy courts, and induced debtors to make payments to Ceccarelli, by falsely stating that such payments were necessary for the debtors to finalize their bankruptcy proceedings.
Alan Ceccarelli was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 72 months in prison.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 23, 2019, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Thirteen Individuals Indicted in July 2019 Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today the results of the July 2019 Federal Grand Jury.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. A Grand Jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A Grand Jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court. Federal prison sentences are non-parolable.
MARQUISE LEDON FONVILLE, age 33, of Eufaula, OklahomaFelon In Possession Of Firearm
The Superseding Indictment alleges that on or about February 8, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, MARQUISE LEDON FONVILLE, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit: One (1) Forjas Taurus, S.A., Model PT709 9mm caliber semi-automatic pistol, serial number TFP94054, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Eufaula Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris
CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL WHITAKER SR., age 44, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
A/K/A “UNC”CORNELIOUS JOSHUA JONES, age 30, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
A/K/A “CORN”DEVIN TREVON WHITAKER, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
TORRELL DSHAUN BOGAR, age 21, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
A/K/A “T REAL”AARON ONEAL BOGAR, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
A/K/A AARON ONEAL WILSON
A/K/A “AB”JASON DOUGLAS LEE, age 33, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
A/K/A “J ROCK”
A/K/A “DOUGLAS FRESH”DREW ALEXANDER RAGSDALE, age 21, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
A/K/A “DREW DOWN”KLAWAUN LYNELL SUTTON, age 38, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
A/K/A “O.G.G.”DERRICK CHRISTOPHER SEGUE, age 26, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
JASMINE DAZHA MCCOY, age 23, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
ALISON RACHEL MORGAN, age 28, of Muskogee, Oklahoma
Drug Conspiracy
Distribution Of Methamphetamine
Felon In Possession Of Firearm And Ammunition
Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine
Conspiracy To Tamper With A Witness
Felon In Possession Of Firearm
Possession Of Firearm In Furtherance Of Drug Trafficking CrimeThe Superseding Indictment alleges that on beginning on a date in June 2017, the exact date being unknown to the Grand Jury, and continuing until on or about the date of this Indictment, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, CHRISTOPHER MICHAEL WHITAKER, Sr. a/k/a “Unc”, CORNELIOUS JOSHUA JONES a/k/a “Corn”, DEVIN TREVON WHITAKER, TORRELL DSHAUN BOGAR a/k/a “T Real”, AARON ONEAL BOGAR a/k/a AARON ONEAL WILSON, JASON DOUGLAS LEE a/k/a “J Rock” a/k/a “Douglas Fresh”, DREW ALEXANDER RAGSDALE a/k/a “Drew Down”, KLAWAUN LYNELL SUTTON a/k/a “O.G.G.”, DERRICK CHRISTOPHER SEGUE, JASMINE DAZHA McCOY, and ALISON RACHEL MORGAN, defendants herein, did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. punishable by not less than 10 years imprisonment, and up to a $10,000,000 fine, or both.
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about May 14, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, JASON DOUGLAS LEE a/k/a “J Rock” a/k/a “Douglas Fresh”, did knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about May 29, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, JASON DOUGLAS LEE a/k/a “J Rock” a/k/a “Douglas Fresh”, did knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about July 5, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, JASON DOUGLAS LEE a/k/a “J Rock” a/k/a “Douglas Fresh”, did knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about August 18, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, JASON DOUGLAS LEE a/k/a “J Rock” a/k/a “Douglas Fresh”, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about August 18, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, DREW ALEXANDER RAGSDALE a/k/a “Drew Down”, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about August 10, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, JASON DOUGLAS LEE a/k/a “J Rock” a/k/a “Douglas Fresh”, did knowingly and intentionally distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about August 15, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, JASON DOUGLAS LEE a/k/a “J Rock” a/k/a “Douglas Fresh”, did knowingly and intentionally distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about August 18, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, AARON ONEAL BOGAR a/k/a AARON ONEAL WILSON, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about September 4, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, DEVIN TREVON WHITAKER, did knowingly and intentionally distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about September 13, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, DEVIN TREVON WHITAKER, did knowingly and intentionally distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about January 21, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant, CORNELIOUS JOSHUA JONES a/k/a “Corn”, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that from on or about January 30, 2019, and continuing until on or about January 31, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendants, CORNELIOUS JOSHUA JONES a/k/a “Corn”, KLAWAUN LYNELL SUTTON a/k/a “O.G.G.”, DERRICK CHRISTOPHER SEGUE, JASMINE DAZHA McCOY, and ALISON RACHEL MORGAN, did unlawfully, knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate and agree to commit the following offense against the United States, to wit: Tampering With a Witness, Victim, and Informant by conspiring to intimidate, threaten, and corruptly persuade another person with the intent to cause and induce any person to withhold testimony from an official proceeding, contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512(b)(1), 1512(k), and 1512(j).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about January 21, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, CORNELIOUS JOSHUA JONES a/k/a “Corn”, having previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, and knowing of such conviction, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2).
The Superseding Indictment further alleges that on or about January 21, 2019, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, CORNELIOUS JOSHUA JONES a/k/a “Corn”, did knowingly possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is, Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine as alleged in Count Twelve, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c).
The charges arose from a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, the Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Muskogee Police Department. Additionally, many different agencies that are members of the DEA High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (“HIDTA”) and the FBI Safe Trails Task Force played important roles in the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace
RUSTY SHAWN SUMMIT, age 38, of Bryan County, Oklahoma
Wire Fraud (6 Counts)
The Indictment alleges that from on or about May 27, 2016 to on or about March 7, 2017, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant, RUSTY SHAWN SUMMIT, devised a scheme to obtain money and property from others by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 2, punishable by not more than 20 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both, for each count.
First Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Wilson
Tax Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A self-employed tax preparer who filed fraudulent tax returns for his customers was sentenced July 23, 2019, to one year in federal prison.
Serge Cibuyi, age 49, a naturalized United States citizen originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, currently residing in Moline, Illinois, received the prison term after an October 25, 2018, guilty plea to one count of preparing and filing a false and fraudulent tax return, in violation of Title 26 U.S.C. § 7206.
In a plea agreement, Cibuyi admitted that, while living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he received an online certificate in tax-return preparation. Cibuyi admitted that when preparing returns for customers, he prepared fraudulent tax returns by claiming false deductions and credits or by inflating legitimate deductions and credits. As part of the scheme, Cibuyi paid individuals to allow Cibuyi to use their dependents on other taxpayers’ returns to boost refunds. Between 2014 and 2015, Cibuyi prepared and filed at least 36 false tax returns with a tax loss to the United States in excess of $100,000.
Cibuyi was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Defendant was sentenced to twelve months and one day imprisonment. He must also serve a one year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cibuyi was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Justin Lightfoot and Matthew J. Cole and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-81.
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Summerville Man Who Threatened Restaurant Staff Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Michael Stephen Strawn, 35, of Summerville, was sentenced to over four years in federal prison after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Evidence presented to the court showed that in March 2018, officers of the North Charleston Police Department responded to a disturbance at a North Charleston restaurant. Officers learned that Michael Steven Strawn had threatened to kidnap an employee and make her disappear after a credit card was declined. Police caught up with Strawn at another restaurant, where a bystander warned an officer that Strawn had a gun. The officer drew his weapon and ordered Strawn to show his hands. When Strawn pulled his hands from his pocket, a loaded .40 caliber Glock fell to the ground, and Strawn was arrested.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Strawn to 51 months in federal prison, to be followed by a 3-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the North Charleston Police Department. It was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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St. Croix Man Who Caused a Semi-Automatic Pistol to Be Shipped to the Territory Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI –William Payne, 39, of St. Croix, pled guilty on July 24, 2019, in District Court to one federal count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to court documents, on April 28, 2017, Payne and another individual traveled to Southern Oaks Gun & Pawn, a federally licensed firearms dealer, located in Orlando, Florida. Payne was present when the other individual purchased a KEL TEC PLR-16 Semi-Automatic Pistol.
On May 2, 2017, Payne caused the same firearm, two high-capacity magazines, and ammunition to be shipped by Tropical Shipping via seaborne container freight shipment from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, to St. Croix, Virgin Islands. The firearm, high capacity magazines, and ammunition thus traveled in or affected interstate commerce.
On May 16, 2017, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers conducted an inspection of an inbound Tropical Shipping freight container. Upon inspection of a pallet of commercial goods destined for a local St. Croix business, CBP officers located the KEL TEC PLR-16 Semi-Automatic Pistol, the two high-capacity magazines for the firearm, and 206 rounds of 5.56x45mm ammunition hidden amongst a larger shipment of items for commercial use. The box containing the firearm, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition bore a prior shipping label addressed to Payne at a Florida address.
On May 17, 2017, Homeland Security Investigations special agents and other federal special agents conducted a controlled delivery of the firearm, high-capacity magazines, and ammunition. Payne and the owner of the small business arrived at Tropical Shipping to receive the shipment. Payne was arrested after the pallet containing the KEL TEC PLR-16 Semi-automatic Pistol, high capacity magazines, and ammunition were loaded onto the pickup that was being used to transport the pallet from Tropical Shipping.
Payne was previously convicted of three felony offenses: in 2000, for Grand Theft of a Motor Vehicle; in 2001, for Resisting Officer with Violence, and in 2007, for Delivery of Cocaine, all in the Circuit Court for the Ninth Judicial Circuit, In and For Orange County, Florida.
This offense carries a possible sentence of incarceration of up to 10 years, a maximum fine of up to $250,000 dollars, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. Sentencing is scheduled for November 22, 2019.
The case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel H. Huston prosecuted the case.
South Bend, Indiana Man SentencedRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND - Dedric Strickland, age 41, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. upon his plea of guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Mr. Strickland was sentenced to 60 months imprisonment followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in January 2019, a search warrant was executed at a South Bend residence where Mr. Strickland and others were located. During the search, crack cocaine and a loaded handgun were found in the room where Mr. Strickland was staying. A loaded AK-47 rifle with the stock sawed off was located in a room on the first floor of the home. Mr. Strickland admitted to selling crack cocaine out of the residence. Strickland used these firearms to protect the drugs, proceeds of drug sales, and the people at the house where the drug dealing was taking place.
This case is being investigated by the ATF with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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Slidell Woman Charged with Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that RACHEL E. LIPPS age 38, of Slidell, LA was charged on Friday, July 19, 2019 in an indictment for wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343 and aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028A.
According to the indictment, between January 2013 and October 2017, LIPPS served as a part-time bookkeeper for Business A. Business A was a Louisiana corporation domiciled in Slidell, Louisiana. LIPPS was entrusted with the daily accounting and her job functions included accessing and utilizing QuickBooks software to issue payroll checks and pay vendors on behalf of Business A. Using QuickBooks, LIPPS fraudulently printed checks made payable to herself and several of her creditors. LIPPS endorsed each check despite not having authority to sign the checks. Business A terminated LIPPS’s employment in October 2017.
Business A maintained a financial account with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“Chase Bank”) bearing number *****8595. The checks listed in the indictment were associated with this particular account. The check images received by Chase Bank either from a branch location, ATM, mobile app, computer, or other method were transmitted to computer servers located in Michigan, Illinois, or Delaware. The sum of the checks charged in the indictment is $50,387.88.
If convicted of wire fraud, LIPPS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of not more than $250,000, three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee. If convicted of aggravated identity theft, LIPPS faces a mandatory consecutive sentence of two (2) years, a fine of no more than $250,000, supervised release term up to one (1) year following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee.
United States Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter was handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the matter.
Sherman Oaks Man Arrested on Federal Narcotics Charge Alleging He Sold Fentanyl that Caused Two Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Sherman Oaks man has been arrested on federal narcotics trafficking charges related to the deaths of two people who suffered fentanyl overdoses at the same Woodland Hills residence.
Trent Michael Tomasovich, 28, was arrested on Tuesday by the Los Angeles Police Department. He is now in federal custody.
An indictment naming Tomasovich was unsealed this afternoon when he was arraigned in United States District Court. The indictment charges Tomasovich with one felony count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Tomasovich pleaded not guilty to the charge and his trial will be scheduled for a later date.
According to the indictment and a search warrant that was also unsealed this afternoon, Tomasovich sold fentanyl to a 24-year-old woman who took the drug at a Woodland Hills apartment and died during the early morning hours of July 14, 2018. The victim was visiting a friend, who found the woman unresponsive and then summoned paramedics.
Several hours later, the boyfriend of the woman who lived in the Woodland Hills apartment found the narcotics that the deceased woman had purchased, court documents state. Ignoring his girlfriend’s request to dispose of the drugs, the 38-year-old man consumed the fentanyl and suffered a fatal overdose.
“The two overdose deaths alleged in this case are a stark reminder that the explosion of fentanyl trafficking is causing death and misery across the nation,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “People who deal in fentanyl should be on notice that federal authorities are aggressively investigating deaths linked to illegal opioids, and we can seek stiff federal mandatory minimum prison sentences for dealers who sell narcotics that cause fatal overdoses.”
“The HIDTA Fusion Task Force will continue to aggressively target those who prey upon our community and dump lethal drugs onto our streets,” said DEA Deputy Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux. “The men and women of the DEA, as well as our federal, state and local counterparts, take seriously our commitment to stand up for victims of the opioid epidemic who can no longer speak for themselves.”
“The DEA will continue to aggressively target those who utilize online marketplaces to peddle fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. The outstanding relationships we maintain with other federal, state, local, and county law enforcement agencies make investigations such as this one possible,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William D. Bodner of the DEA’s Los Angeles Field Division.
According to the affidavit in support of the search warrant that was unsealed today, “Tomasovich has a long history of being investigated by law enforcement for narcotics trafficking.” In 2017, Tomasovich was identified on wiretapped phone calls as being a customer of a heroin delivery service that was the subject of a federal grand jury indictment, but he was not charged in that case. In early 2018, after he offered heroin for sale on Craigslist, Tomasovich sold heroin during an undercover operation conducted by the Glendale Police Department, which led to him being convicted of drug trafficking offenses in Los Angeles County Superior Court.
The narcotics-trafficking charge in the indictment carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a potential sentence of life without parole.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation into Tomasovich is being conducted by the HIDTA Fusion Task Force, which is part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force and operates under the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Los Angeles Police Department (Van Nuys Homicide), the Glendale Police Department and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office provided substantial assistance in this matter.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Carley Palmer of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering and Racketeering Section and Benjamin R. Barron, chief of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Sex Offender Sentenced to over Two Years in Prison for Failing to Register in IowaRead the Press Release
A convicted sex offender who lived and worked in Iowa for approximately a year without registering was sentenced today to more than two years in federal prison.
Shawn Hutson, age 38, from Gays Mills, Wisconsin, received the prison term after a November 13, 2018, guilty plea to failing to register as a sex offender.
Information from the sentencing hearing showed that Hutson was required to register as a sex offender because he was previously convicted of sexual assault in Wisconsin. In 2011 and 2012, he was twice convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in Allamakee County, Iowa. While still on probation following the 2012 conviction, Hutson was convicted of failing to notify a school of his sex offender status. He also started living and working in Iowa in the summer of 2017, while still on probation. He continued to live and work in Iowa until May 2018, without ever registering as a sex offender.
Hutson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Hutson was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Hutson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-CR-1039.
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Schenectady Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Nashaan Howard, age 34, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his involvement in a heroin distribution ring that operated in Schenectady County.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); and Schenectady County Sheriff Dominic Dagostino.
As part of his guilty plea, Howard admitted that between December 2017 and April 2018, in conjunction with co-conspirators whom he used as “runners” to distribute controlled substances and collect payment on his behalf, he distributed approximately 235 grams of heroin to another individual in Schenectady County.
Senior United States District Judge Gary L. Sharpe also imposed a 4-year term of supervised release, to begin after Howard’s release from prison.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O’Hanlon.
Romanian National Pleads Guilty to Using and Trafficking in Unauthorized Access DevicesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that CONSTANTIN TANASE, age 40, of Bacau, Romania, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to using and trafficking in unauthorized access devices. As a result of his conviction, TANASE faces a term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his plea, from November 9, 2018 through November 15, 2018, TANASE was part of a group who traveled to the Baton Rouge area to conduct ATM fraud. The group distributed fraudulent debit cards to its members and instructed them to go to certain ATMs and withdraw money until the cards stopped working. The true owners of the debit cards were unaware of this activity and did not authorize the cash withdrawals.
Specifically, in the early morning of November 14, 2018, TANASE was a passenger in a car that drove up to a bank ATM in Gonzales, Louisiana. TANASE placed black tape over the ATM camera lens, where it remained while he conducted transactions, and then removed the tape before the car drove away. Over the course of 90 minutes, occasionally leaving to permit another customer to use the ATM and then returning, TANASE used over 40 unauthorized cards to fraudulently withdraw over $7,000 from the ATM.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “Access device fraud including the fraudulent use of personal financial information will not be tolerated in this district, and our office is committed to protecting consumers and businesses from these criminals. Special thanks to our prosecutor and to the dedicated professionals from the U.S. Secret Service and the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office who worked on this investigation and prosecution.”
Resident Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service in Baton Rouge, Tara McLeese, stated, “This case is a perfect example of the strong partnerships between federal and local law enforcement, specifically those departments who are members of the Southwest Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force which is overseen by the Secret Service. The resources of the task force help bring criminals to justice with minimal impact to victims and the community.”
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Secret Service with critical assistance from the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth White.
Rocky Mount Tax Return Preparer Sentenced for Filing False Tax Refund ClaimsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today in Federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced AMBER GERNELL PORTER, 32, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 12 months and 1 day imprisonment, followed by 1 year of supervised release. PORTER was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $14,738.00.
PORTER was named in a Criminal Information filed on October 10, 2018 which charged her with making and presenting a false, fictitious and fraudulent claim for Federal income tax refund. On November 14, 2018, PORTER pled guilty to the charge.
According to the IRS investigation, PORTER was a tax return preparer at the now-defunct “Everyday Taxes” and “T & T Taxes” in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. Between approximately 2011 and 2015, PORTER and other tax preparers prepared fraudulent tax returns by using false income, withholdings, education credits, and dependents for the purpose of artificially inflating the tax refund amount. In addition, PORTER used her mother’s identity to illegally obtain and use a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN).
Investigation of this case was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Toby Lathan prosecuted the case for the government.
Ringleader of Fraud Scheme Going to PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Sergiy Bezrukov, a/k/a Thomas Paris, a/k/a Chris Riley, a/k/a John Butler, 35, of Salamanca, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, was sentenced to serve 66 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,230,840.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wei Xiang, who handled the prosecution of the case, and Mary Clare Kane, who is handling the forfeiture and restitution, stated that Bezrukov, often using the alias “Thomas Paris” of “Corporate Restructure, Inc.,” solicited small businesses across the United States that were operating with merchant cash advances to “restructure” their “debt” with him. The defendant fraudulently induced the businesses to stop paying their original obligations, and to pay him instead. In total, Bezrukov defrauded approximately 200 victims out of more than $1,200,000.
The financial and emotional havoc that the defendant wreaked on the victims extended beyond losing money. Victims continue suffering long-lasting effects from bankruptcies, judgments, and damage to their credit history. In some of the family-owned and operated small businesses, Bezrukov shattered the victims’ marriages. As one victim wrote to Judge Vilardo, “It was so tempting to just end my life, but I couldn’t do it.”
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement officers learned that the defendant was planning to move his business out of Salamanca. As a result, federal search warrants were executed on Bezrukov’s office, home, vehicle and person. Officers found and seized approximately $393,000 in cash hidden in computer hard drives. Later in the investigation, a check for $729,000 dollars was seized. In addition, other checks, gift cards, and quantities of cash from the defendant’s operation were also seized. In total, more than $1,400,000 was seized from Bezrukov.
Co-defendants Mark Farnham, Dustin Walker, and Vanessa Cardona were previously convicted and sentenced.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge; and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
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Registered Sex Offender Indicted for Child Pornography Production in Wisconsin and CaliforniaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on July 23, 2019 a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Cort W. Davis (age: 31) of Rochester, New York.
Davis faces charges alleging he produced child pornography contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2251(a). According to the indictment, the first production of child pornography occurred in California in early May of 2018. A visual depiction of his sexually explicit conduct with a minor, “Jane Doe A,” was then transported to the Eastern District of Wisconsin by Davis. The second incident occurred approximately two weeks later when Davis is alleged to have employed another minor, “Jane Doe B,” in the production of sexually explicit images, this time within the Eastern District of Wisconsin. Davis is further alleged to have possessed digital images of child pornography unrelated to his activities with “Jane Doe A” and “Jane Doe B.”
Davis was previously convicted in the State of New York of the crime of “attempted possession of a sexual performance by a child under the Age of 16.” He is currently a sex offender registrant under the laws of that state. As such, he faces an additional charge for the commission of a felony sex offense by an individual required to register as a sexual offender contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Section 2260A. If convicted of all of the charges, Davis will serve a mandatory 35 years in federal prison and up to a life sentence.
This case was investigated by the Appleton Police Department, the Grand Chute Police Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Raleigh Man Indicted on 4 Narcotics Distribution and 6 Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an indictment charging JAVITS WILLIAMS, age 39, of Raleigh, with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute heroin, distribution of heroin, possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, possession of ammunition by convicted felon, three counts of possession of firearm and ammunition by convicted felon, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
If convicted of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack), WILLIAMS would face a minimum of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 40 years imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of the other drug counts, he would face a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
If convicted of each felon in possession count, WILLIAMS would face a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. If convicted of both firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking counts, he would face a minimum of 5 years imprisonment on each separate count, each separate count to run consecutively to any other count of conviction, up to a maximum punishment of life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), City/County Bureau of Investigation, Apex Police Department, Raleigh Police Department, Garner Police Department, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Durham County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Nash County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Tom Crosby is prosecuting the case for the government.
Public Service Announcement Campaign | Violent Gun Crime Reduction PartnershipRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina -- The United States Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Columbia Police Department (CPD) and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), will unveil the latest effort to reduce and prevent violent gun crimes in the City of Columbia and Richland County.
Under the Project Safe Neighborhoods national program, the three law enforcement agencies have developed a community outreach and public service campaign to reduce repeat violence and prevent and deter future violence from occurring.
U.S. Attorney Sherri Lydon and representatives from each agency will outline the campaign and explain the overall impact it will have on citizens and their valued communities.
When: Thursday, July 25, 2019 | 10:00 a.m.
Where: 6100 David Street (Intersection of David and Luke Streets)
The Greenview Community – outdoor event
*Note to Media: Several visual aids will be available*
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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced for Participating in Conspiracy to Distribute CrackRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court yesterday for violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone sentenced Mark Fisher, 40, to serve two years and four months (28 months) in prison following his guilty plea on March 6, 2019, to one count of conspiracy.
In connection with the guilty plea, Fisher admitted that from in and around April 2016, and continuing thereafter to in and around October 2016, he conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack. During his plea colloquy, the defendant admitted that he obtained crack from a co-defendant on numerous occasions during the period of the conspiracy, and that on one occasion, he fled his vehicle, leaving five grams of crack on the floor, when law enforcement initiated a traffic stop.
Fisher is one of nine co-defendants who were indicted for their roles in the conspiracy on August 1, 2017. To date, all nine defendants have entered guilty pleas, and seven have been sentenced.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. The task force is headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration and comprises members drawn from the Borough of Baldwin Police Department, McKees Rocks Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The Stowe Township Police Department also provided assistance in this investigation. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Time Served and Home Confinement for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 23, 2019, Kevin Rhodes, age 25, of New Columbia, Pennsylvania, received a sentence of time served and two years of supervised release, including six months of home confinement, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion, for conspiring to commit bank fraud.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Rhodes and several other individual conspired to commit bank fraud between October 1, 2016 and December 7, 2017. The conspirators purchased relatively low-value money orders, worth between approximately $3 and $18, and altered their values to be $1,000. The altered money orders were deposited into bank accounts owned and controlled by the defendants and their conspirators, and subsequently withdrawn in cash. The scheme resulted in approximately $141,000 worth of altered money orders being deposited, including $15,000 worth of altered money orders in Rhodes’s bank account. Rhodes also was connected to another $5,000 worth of altered money orders deposited in another individual’s account.
Judge Mannion also ordered Rhodes to pay $14,890.72 in restitution.
Rhodes’s co-defendant, Trae Reed, was previously sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment for his involvement in the scheme. Two other codefendants, Dominique Brown and Jayla Johnson, have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspectors. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
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Orleans Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Commit Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ARNOLD TREVELL WILLIAMS, age 37, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 to one count of conspiracy to commit identity theft before United States District Court Judge Susie Morgan today.
According to court documents, the defendant conspired with others to obtain personal information, such as names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers, from real persons in order to create fake driver’s licenses. The information was then used to apply for loans in order to buy vehicles. Specifically, WILLIAMS used the identity of another person on or about May 11, 2017, to buy a 2014 BMW Series 7 car for the sum of $44,994.10.
Sentencing is set for October 29, 2019. WILLIAMS is facing imprisonment of up to three years, a maximum $250,000.00 fine, and up to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser also praised the agencies that contributed to this guilty plea. This prosecution represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Department, and the New Orleans Police Department. Additionally, U.S. Attorney Strasser thanked the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Edward J. Rivera is in charge of the prosecution.
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Ontario Woman Sentenced for Her Role in Financial Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Sheila Offor, 42, of Scarborough, Ontario, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to serve a three year term of probation and ordered to pay restitution totaling $134,172.60 by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan P. Cantil, who handled the case, stated that between July 2005 and May 2011, the defendant and others conspired to defraud individuals seeking loans and to obtain money from these individuals seeking loans.
In furtherance of the scheme, a number of individuals established websites for fictitious financial services companies offering to arrange loans to U.S. residents with credit problems. Applicants provided their names, phone numbers, state of residence, requested loan amount, and approximate credit scores. Applicants were then contacted by persons posing as company representatives and told that a lender would be contacted for approval. When informed that a loan was arranged, applicants were instructed to sign and return a loan agreement, provide bank account information, and pay an “insurance deposit” for the lender to process the loan. Applicants were provided wire instructions for the lender’s “insurance deposit,” including the name of the company representative (payee), the amount, date, and Western Union location.
Offor served as a payee in this scheme and traveled from Canada to the United States, picked up wired funds, and transported them back to Canada. The monies were then delivered to other individuals who were managing the scheme. Applicants never received the loans, but they were often coerced into making multiple deposits under various pretexts.
In total, the defendant received $134,172.60 in fraudulent “insurance deposits” from 77 different victims.
A total of 32 defendants were charged and convicted in this case.
Today’s sentencing is the culmination of an investigation on the part of Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy; the Canada Border Services Agency; and the Federal Trade Commission.
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One Guilty in Violent Crime Spree; Another Remains a FugitiveRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 24-year-old resident of Corpus Christi has been convicted of robbery, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Leonard Reyna entered a guilty plea today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby.
Reyna admitted he participated in an aggravated robbery at the Corpus Christi Trade Center and another at a Stripes convenience store which involved the shooting of an innocent bystander.
On Aug. 26, 2018, Reyna approached a local jewelry store displaying a handgun and demanded several items of jewelry. After that robbery, he fled on foot and headed to the Stripes location on the 6000 block of Ayers. There, two men pointed a gun at a victim and demanded the keys to his truck. The victim refused and was later found inside the store where reported he had been shot in the left arm and stomach.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos will impose sentencing Oct. 17, 2019, at which time, Reyna faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the robbery and another possible 10 years for the felon in possession conviction. He will also receive a minimum seven-year-term for brandishing a firearm which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. All counts also carry the possibility of a $250,000 maximum fine.
Reyna has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing.
He was originally indicted along with Carlos Moreno, 25, also of Corpus Christi who is charged with being involved in both robberies and with discharging a firearm. He is considered innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law, but remains a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals service at 1-800-336-0102.
The Corpus Christi Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Ohio Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Asbestos-Related OffenseRead the Press Release
John Riazzi of Dayton, Ohio, pleaded guilty in federal court today to a felony charge stemming from the illegal removal of asbestos-containing roofing material from a building located in downtown Dayton (known as the “Steam Plant”).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2015, Riazzi, the sole owner and operator of St. Peters Partners LLC, purchased the Steam Plant from the City of Dayton for $10. Later, after being told by his contractor that the roof of the Steam Plant contained asbestos and would cost approximately $20,000 to remove, Riazzi hired two men to remove the roofing over a weekend for $5000 – without warning them about the asbestos. Riazzi admitted that he knew, or should have known, that the roof contained asbestos. He also admitted that he did not have the roof inspected for asbestos prior to its removal, as the law required.
“Mr. Riazzi purposefully cut corners and endangered the health of those performing the roof removal. To make matters worse, he then lied to and misled investigators when asked about his wrongdoing” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The Department of Justice is committing to prosecuting all who deliberately harm the environment and risk public health in order to save money.”
“Renovating old buildings is great. Doing so without regard to air safety is not. And knowingly declining to inspect a roof before removing it, after having been warned that the original materials contained asbestos, is a federal crime,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin Glassman for the Southern District of Ohio. “This case is a good example of federal and state authorities working together to hold accountable someone who jeopardized his workers’ safety, as well as the quality of the air in Dayton, just to save a few bucks in construction costs.”
As part of his plea, Riazzi also acknowledged that he had personally used a leaf blower to blow roofing debris from the outside of the Steam Plant into the median of Third Street and had dumped a load of roofing material in some bushes opposite the Steam Plant. He likewise admitted to making several false statements to the Regional Air Pollution Control Agency (RAPCA), which was investigating the roof removal.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, and the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations, with the assistance of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Laura Clemmens of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, and Adam Cullman, Trial Attorney for the Department of Justice, Environmental Crimes Section.
North Canton man indicted for lying about previous domestic violence convictions while purchasing firearms and for illegally having firearms after being convicted of domestic violenceRead the Press Release
A North Canton man was indicted for lying about numerous previous domestic violence convictions while purchasing firearms and for illegally having firearms after being convicted of domestic violence.
Bruce Kraemer, 60, was charged with two counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm and two counts of being a prohibited person in possession of firearms.
Kraemer, twice in 2018, made false statements while purchasing firearms from Fin, Feather and Fur in Canton. The statements were intended to deceive the store about the lawfulness of Kraemer purchasing firearms. He provided a false address and indicated he had not been convicted of the misdemeanor crime of domestic violence when, in fact, he had been convicted of domestic violence, according to the indictment.
Kraemer possessed a Stoeger 12-gauge shotgun and a Taurus 9 mm pistol on December 8, 2018, despite three previous convictions for domestic violence, according to the indictment.
Kraemer possessed a Ruger .380-caliber pistol on February 24, 2018, despite three previous convictions for domestic violence, according to the indictment.
“People who hurt their spouses or partners are not allowed to have a firearm, and we are committed to prosecuting those abusers who ignore the law,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by ATF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter E. Daly.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Niagara Falls Man Going to Prison for Five Years on Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Milton Williams, Jr., 35, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity, was sentenced to serve five years in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that on December 12, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a New York State search warrant at the defendant’s residence at 1364 Pierce Avenue in Niagara Falls. Officers recovered three loaded firearms and additional assorted rounds of ammunition. In addition, officers recovered marijuana and a large quantity of cocaine.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
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New Orleans Resident Sentenced in Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JEFFREY CLINES, age 53, of New Orleans, was sentenced on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. United States District Judge Susie Morgan sentenced CLINES to a term of imprisonment of 42 months, followed by five years of supervised release.
CLINES is one of eleven defendants charged in a 23-count federal indictment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that CLINES conspired to sell large quantities of methamphetamine with codefendants Stefen Daigle, Peter Giandalone, Paul Melancon, Julien Polk, James Hatch, Angel Renee Vidaure, Eulalio Torres-Cadenas, Delio Alfredo Lopez-Lopez, Lindsey Lopez, and Jacob Higginbotham. The indictment also alleges a number of individual acts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as firearm offenses for codefendants Hatch, Vidaure, and Lopez-Lopez. Law enforcement developed evidence against this group of defendants using controlled purchases of methamphetamine, traffic stops and seizures, consensually recorded text messages and phone calls, search warrants, cooperator information, and self-incriminating statements.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Ketamine Which Resulted in the Death of A Teenager Whose Body Was Found Floating in A Texas BayouRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that WILLIAM HARRISON FARRIS, age 39, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ketamine which resulted in the death of a Slidell, Louisiana teenager. The eighteen year old’s dead body was found floating in a Texas bayou.
As described in court documents, FARRIS, along with KACIE DOUCET, age 37, and LEILANI ASPURIA, age 25, conspired to incapacitate the teenager with drugs so that he could be transported to Texas law enforcement authorities. FARRIS, DOUCET, and ASPURIA did so in the hope of receiving free drugs from two large scale Texas-based methamphetamine dealers. These dealers, a married couple, had told their New Orleans customers that they wanted the teenager so they would not lose the $6000 bond they had posted for him months earlier.
FARRIS faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years, a possible fine of 500,000, and at least 2 years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set sentencing for FARRIS on October 23, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Houston Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long and David Howard Sinkman are in charge of the prosecution.
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New Jersey Resident Sentenced to A Year and A Half in Prison for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Paul Colvard was sentenced to 18 months in prison for social security fraud, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Robb Stickley. The sentence was handed down today by the Honorable James Donato, United States District Judge.
Colvard, 66, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to the charge on April 17, 2019. According to his plea agreement, Colvard and his mother jointly owned a bank account into which her Social Security retirement benefits were being deposited. Colvard’s mother died on December 23, 1987, and Colvard did not disclose that fact to the SSA. Instead, Colvard continued to let the SSA deposit his mother’s Social Security retirement benefits into the bank account so he could collect his mother’s benefits. Colvard acknowledged that his decision to conceal his mother’s death caused the SSA to pay retirement benefits that she was not entitled to receive and that the loss to the United States attributed to his fraud exceeded $400,000.
A federal grand jury indicted Colvard on November 6, 2018, charging him with one count of social security fraud, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(4), and one count of theft of government property, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 641. Colvard pleaded guilty to the fraud count and the theft count was dismissed at sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Donato sentenced the defendant to a 3-year period of supervised release and ordered him to pay $407,007.00 in restitution. Judge Donato ordered Colvard to begin serving his prison term on August 7, 2019.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Vieira is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the SSA Office of the Inspector General.
Motorcycle Gang Member Convicted of Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Corpus Christi resident who was involved in a shooting at a local convenience store has admitted to unlawful ammunition possession, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Billy Boortz is a member of the Homietos outlaw motorcycle gang.
On May 11, 2019, Boortz was engaged in a physical altercation with another man. He then returned to a vehicle, retrieved a weapon and fired several rounds at the victim, hitting him in the foot.
Agents were able to identify Boortz using video footage. He had been taken into custody at a local hospital on May 26, 2019, where he was treated for a gunshot wound he received after another shooting.
Boortz was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses, including assault on a public servant, evading arrest with a vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He is, therefore, prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Sentencing has been set for Oct. 22, 2019, before U.S. District Judge David S. Morales. At that time, Boortz faces up to 10 years in prison.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department Gang Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton is prosecuting the case.
Monmouth County Man Charged with Operating an Unlicensed Bitcoin ExchangeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Monmouth County, New Jersey, man was indicted today by a federal grand jury for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business through which he charged customers fees to convert more than $2 million in cash into the digital currency Bitcoin.
William Green, 46, of Wall Township, was charged by indictment with one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled to appear before a United States District Judge on a date to be scheduled. He was previously charged with the same offense by criminal complaint on February 28, 2019.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Green maintained a business that operated a website called “Destination Bitcoin.” Through the Destination Bitcoin website, Green received money from members of the public (the “customers”), deposited such money into bank accounts maintained by Green, and then converted such money into Bitcoin in accordance with the customers’ instructions. Green charged the customers a fee for this service.
Federal law provides that any person who owns or controls a money transmitting business shall register the business (whether or not the business is licensed as a money transmitting business in any State) with the Secretary of the Treasury. However, Green did not register, either in his own name or in the name of his business, with the Secretary of the United States Treasury as a money transmitting business.
The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business carries a maximum penalty of 5 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, as well as special agents of the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Torntore of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrimes Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Michael Gilberti, Esq.
Maryland man admits to child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Paul Glen Hamilton, Jr., of Bowie, Maryland and Melbourne, Florida, has admitted to a child pornography charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hamilton, age 23, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Hamilton admitted to having child pornography that was transported by computer in September 2018 in Berkeley County.
Hamilton faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Maryland Man Found Guilty of Drug Conspiracy in Which Narcotics, a Firearm, and Cash Were SeizedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Cook, 48, of Waldorf, Maryland, was found guilty yesterday by a jury of four felony narcotics charges in regard to a conspiracy to traffic narcotics in Northeast, D.C. and Maryland. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Cook was tried before U.S. District Court Judge James E. Boasberg and was convicted following a jury trial of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, cocaine, and heroin, as well as standalone charges for possession with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, heroin, and cocaine. A sentencing date has not been set. Cook faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to life in prison.
As established at trial, on June 7, 2017, MPD received reliable information that Cook and his partner Cornelia Rice were trafficking narcotics in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Based on the information provided, officers conducted surveillance of Rice, performed a stop on one of her vehicles, and recovered narcotics. During the stop, Rice, a D.C. Public School Bus Driver, asked an individual on the street to call “her mother,” to tell her that she was being stopped for tinted windows. Rice, in fact, had the passerby call Cook who was at home with Rice’s minor child. About six minutes after the call to Cook’s cellphone, with MPD officers surveilling Rice’s residence, Cook came to the front door and anxiously looked up and down the street outside of the apartment building. Almost immediately after Cook peered outside the door, Rice’s then 11-year-old son walked out the building with a backpack and headed down the street by himself. Officers ultimately stopped the child. Inside the backpack were large amounts of cocaine base, cocaine, heroin, a pistol, and $11,235.000 in U.S. currency. Officers then executed a search warrant at the apartment after finding Cook attempting to leave the location. Inside the apartment, officers recovered additional quantities of cocaine, and extensive drug paraphernalia for the manufacturing and packaging of narcotics. In total, law enforcement recovered approximately 50 grams of cocaine base, 270 grams of cocaine, 15 grams of heroin, 133 grams of marijuana, a .22 caliber pistol, $11,235.00.
In a subsequent search of Cook’s Maryland residence following his arrest, law enforcement recovered extensive drug paraphernalia that contained drug residue, a commercial money counter, and an extensive amount of jewelry as well as Rice’s D.C. Public School Bus Driver Identification Card. At the time of the offense, Cook had multiple prior drug trafficking convictions. During the trial, in addition to MPD officers, officers from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office assisted and testified regarding the items recovered from Cook’s Maryland residence.
On July 3, 2019, Judge Boasberg sentenced Cook’s partner and coconspirator Rice to five years in prison following her guilty plea to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of all of those involved in the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Christopher Macchiaroli of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, Paralegal Specialists Katie Thomas, Rommel Pachoca, and Teesha Tobias, and Legal Assistants Kate Abrey and Emma Atlas.
Marshall County man sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Charles J. Chambers, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 33 months incarceration for drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Chambers, age 44, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Chambers admitted to selling methamphetamine in July 2018 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Man Convicted for Making False Statements and Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Henrico man yesterday on charges of making a false statement when acquiring a firearm and was also convicted of possession with the intent to distribute marijuana.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in January 2018, Richmond Police and Virginia State Police confronted Jawuan House, 22, on suspicion that one of his associates stole a firearm from a vendor table at a gun show in Richmond. When VSP and RPD made contact with House, they found him in the company of Yamin Maxey. Law enforcement ultimately followed House to his vehicle in the parking lot in order to try and gain information to find the person that stole the firearm.
In the course of speaking with House and Maxey, law enforcement learned from Maxey that he had straw purchased two firearms for House at the gun show. House also purchased a third firearm, an AK pistol, at the gun show. When law enforcement searched House’s vehicle for those firearms, they found, in total, five firearms. Three of which were purchased from the gun show, including the straw-purchased firearms, and two of which were previously purchased and which belonged to House and Brian Samuels, who was sentenced to five years in prison on June 24. Law enforcement also found in the trunk of the vehicle 40 grams of marijuana in two mason jars and a digital scale. House stated he and friends were using the marijuana at a party.
House faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for his conviction on making a false statement in acquiring a firearm and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana when sentenced on November 12. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, William C. Smith, Interim Chief of Richmond Police, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr., accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Janet Jin Ah Lee are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-46.
Livingston Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud in Connection with Major Disaster Declarations and Theft of Disaster Assistance FundsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin, who also serves as the Executive Director of the National Center for Disaster Fraud, announced today that ERVIN PAYNE, JR., age 44, of Livingston, Louisiana, pled guilty to fraud in connection with a major disaster declaration and theft of $42,365.31 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds in relation to the 2016 flooding that affected numerous local areas, to include Livingston Parish. As a result of his conviction, PAYNE faces a significant term of imprisonment, fine, and period of supervised release.
Following the 2016 flooding that affected 12 parishes in south Louisiana, FEMA funds were available to people who had emergency needs for food, shelter, transportation expenses, and clothing because of the flood. In order to qualify for assistance based on home ownership, an individual must have, among other things, resided in the home at the time of the storm.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, PAYNE submitted false applications for FEMA assistance for a Livingston residence that he did not own at the time of the March 2016 and August 2016 floods. In his applications, he also asserted that, because of the damage to the residence, he needed transportation and rental assistance.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Federal disaster assistance funds are available and owed to individuals affected by a disaster, and who meet the eligibility criteria to receive specific benefits available from the Government. Assistance is designed to return eligible applicants to the lives they lived before being victimized by disaster. Fraud in connection with disaster benefits not only results in wasting valuable government assets to process false claims and monetary loss to FEMA; it also delays the distribution of funds to authorized disaster victims. My office, together with the National Center for Disaster Fraud and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will continue to hold accountable those who seek to steal disaster assistance funds and impair the Federal Government’s ability to assist true victims of a disaster.”
Special Agent in Charge David Green, Houston Field Office, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, stated, “The DHS OIG continues to successfully investigate disaster fraud and will continue to partner with U.S. Attorney Offices to seek justice. Funds stolen from United States’ taxpayers through fraudulent means deprive deserving recipients and will not be tolerated.”
Members of the public who suspect fraud involving disaster relief efforts, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. The telephone line is staffed by a live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected]. Learn more about the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at http://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
Ligonier, Indiana Man Sentenced 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Billy J. Moore, age 32, of Ligonier, Indiana, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Holly A. Brady upon his plea of guilty to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, possessing an unregistered destructive device, and distributing methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Mr. Moore was sentenced to 70 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, Moore sold unregistered destructive devices, or “zip guns,” on two occasions to an individual, and when search warrants were served later in the investigation, Moore possessed at least 10 firearms and approximately 11,000 rounds of ammunition as a convicted felon. Also during the investigation, Moore sold methamphetamine to an individual.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Allen County Drug Task Force. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Geller.
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Lafayette felon sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for illegally possessing handgun and rifleRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Shelby Jude Darby, 27, of Lafayette, was sentenced Tuesday to 100 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for illegally possessing a 9 mm pistol and an AK-47 style rifle. He pleaded guilty on March 27, 2019, to possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
Lafayette Police Department officers pulled over Darby’s vehicle on November 1, 2017, because of illegally dark tint on the vehicle’s windows. Darby stepped out of the vehicle and immediately fled on foot down an alley between a residence and a garage. Officers chased him, placed him under arrest and found an SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on the ground where Darby had been laying. The officers then returned to Darby’s vehicle where they saw a Romarm/Cugir, Model WASR 10/63 UF, 7.620-caliber semi-automatic rifle, which was located between the driver’s seat and center console along with various illegal narcotics.
Darby is a felon who was previously convicted in February of 2016 for possession of Hydrocodone. According to federal law, a convicted felon is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and the Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Judge Sentences Felon with Multiple Convictions to Prison in Project Safe Neighborhoods CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of four years and seven months (55 months) to be followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence yesterday on Ambrose J. Sample, II, age 39.
According to information presented during a bench trial, on June 17, 2017, Sample pulled a firearm from his waistband and fired shots into the air after a dispute with neighbors. He then fled the area on foot and was stopped by police a short distance from his home. Sample agreed to submit to a gunshot residue test of his hands and it was found that he had components of primer-gunshot residue on both of his hands. Sample had been drinking heavily that day and he had also ingested prescription Percocet. Officers obtained search warrants for several locations, including the defendant’s residence. In the defendant’s residence, officers recovered one GFL .380 ammunition. The exact firearm that the defendant discharged was not recovered. Sample has been previously convicted of the charges of murder of the third degree, aggravated harassment by a prisoner, simple assault, fleeing and eluding police and tampering with physical evidence, all of which preclude him from possessing ammunition or firearms.
Assistant United States Attorneys Shanicka L. Kennedy and Yvonne Saadi prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This case was prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Pittsburgh Police conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Sample.
Jayson Lane Sentenced to 110 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Jayson Lane, 41 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Holly Brady after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Lane was sentenced to 110 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on September 11, 2017, Lane was in possession of a firearm after having previously being convicted of felony offenses, including Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, Robbery and Burglary.
This case was investigated by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Indiana State Police Department and the Wells County Sheriff’s Department, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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