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19 July 2019
Gun and Meth Charges Lead to 18-Year Sentence for Jersey County ManRead the Press Release
Erickson Deck, 45, of Jerseyville, Illinois, has been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and federal firearm violations. Earlier this year, Deck pleaded guilty to a three-count indictment charging possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that, on January 28, 2018, Deck was found passed out in his car and blocking traffic in Alton, Illinois. Inside the car, investigators found methamphetamine for distribution, a digital scale, and a .357 revolver. At the time, Deck was prohibited from possessing a gun because of multiple prior felony convictions, including a 2009 domestic battery conviction in Jersey County.
Deck’s sentence includes three years of supervised release and forfeiture of the gun.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the
Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Alton Police Department.
Fort Pierre Man Indicted on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Pierre, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Frank Loring Miller, Jr., age 61, was indicted on July 16, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on July 18, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each Count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between February 1, 2019, and July 16, 2019, Miller did knowingly and intentionally, combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with persons known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Further, on June 23, 2019, a traffic stop was conducted wherein 236 grams of methamphetamine was located in the vehicle.
The charge is merely an accusation and Miller is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Miller was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Former Payroll Administrator Indicted for Embezzling More Than $200,000 from Non-Profit CompanyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Today, a federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a criminal bill of indictment against Susan Watson, 41, of Gastonia, N.C., charging her with wire fraud, for embezzling at least $200,000 from her employer, the North and South Carolina Division of a Non-Profit Company, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reginald A. DeMatteis, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office, joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to allegations contained in the indictment, beginning in July 2015, Watson was employed as a payroll administrator for the North and South Carolina Division of a Non-Profit Company (Company A), at their office in Charlotte, N.C. Company A’s employees received their paychecks through pre-paid debit cards, direct deposit, and by check. As payroll administrator, Watson knew which employees were paid by pre-paid debit card and which were paid by direct deposit and check. Watson was also responsible for providing payroll information to Company A’s payroll processors, who used the information to load the employees’ pre-paid debit cards by drawing funds from Company A’s bank account.
The indictment alleges that from 2015 through November 2018, Watson exploited her position as payroll administrator to embezzle money from her employer, by using the personal identification information of Company A’s current and former employees to create fraudulent pre-paid debit cards in their names. Once the pre-paid debit cards were created, Watson loaded funds onto the pre-paid debit cards by logging in and accessing the payroll processors’ dedicated web portals to transmit and submit payroll information. After activating the pre-paid debit cards, the indictment alleges that Watson used the pre-paid debit cards for her personal benefit, including to make ATM cash withdrawals. In total, Watson embezzled at least $200,000 from the non-profit.
A federal summons for Watson has been issued. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.
All charges contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the United States Secret Service for their investigation of this case, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Government Contractor Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Willful Retention of National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Harold Thomas Martin, III, age 54, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for willful retention of national defense information.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers; and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“For nearly 20 years, Harold Martin betrayed the trust placed in him by stealing and retaining a vast quantity of highly classified national defense information entrusted to him,” stated U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This sentence, which is one of the longest ever imposed in this type of case, should serve as a warning that we will find and prosecute government employees and contractors who flagrantly violate their duty to protect classified materials.”
“Harold Martin was entrusted with some of the nation’s most sensitive information,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Instead of respecting the trust given to him by the American people, Martin violated that trust and put our nation’s security at risk. This sentence will hold Mr. Martin accountable for his dangerous and unlawful actions.”
“Harold Martin took an oath to preserve and protect the nation's secrets, and violated that oath repeatedly over many years, causing damage with his unlawful mishandling of classified information,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone, FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Martin’s actions harmed Intelligence Community sources and methods. The vitality and integrity of the Intelligence Community requires the strictest adherence to the law for handling classified information. The FBI will be tireless in investigating cases like the Martin case.”
According to his plea agreement, from December 1993 through August 27, 2016, Martin was employed by at least seven different private companies and assigned as a contractor to work at a number of government agencies. Martin was required to receive and maintain a security clearance in order to work at each of the government agencies to which he was assigned. Martin held security clearances up to Top Secret and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) at various times. A Top Secret classification means that unauthorized disclosure reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States. An SCI designation compartmentalizes extremely sensitive information. Because of his work responsibilities and security clearance, Martin was able to access government computer systems, programs, and information in secure locations, including classified national defense information. Over his many years of holding a security clearance, Martin received training regarding classified information and his duty to protect classified materials from unauthorized disclosure.
Martin admitted that beginning in the late 1990s and continuing through August 31, 2016, he stole and retained U.S. government property from secure locations and computer systems, including documents in both hard copy and digital form relating to the national defense, that bore markings indicating that they were the property of the United States and contained highly classified information of the United States, including Top Secret/SCI information.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Martin retained the stolen documents and other classified information at his residence and in his vehicle. Martin knew that the hard copy and digital documents stolen from his workplace contained classified information that related to the national defense and that he was never authorized to retain these documents at his residence or in his vehicle. Martin admitted that he also knew that the unauthorized removal of these materials risked their disclosure, which would be damaging to the national security of the United States and highly useful to its adversaries.
In court documents and at today’s sentencing hearing, the government noted that crimes such as Martin’s not only create a risk of unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, highly classified information, but often require the government to treat the stolen material as compromised, resulting in the government having to take remedial actions including changing or abandoning national security programs. In addition, Martin’s criminal conduct caused the government to expend substantial investigative and analytical resources. The diversion of those resources resulted in significant costs.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the National Security Agency for its assistance. Mr. Hur and Mr. Demers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Harvey E. Eisenberg, and Trial Attorney David Aaron of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who prosecuted the case.
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Former Government Contractor Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Willful Retention of National Defense InformationRead the Press Release
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Harold Thomas Martin, III, age 54, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for willful retention of national defense information.
The sentence was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur, Assistant Director John Brown of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office.
“Harold Martin was entrusted with some of the nation’s most sensitive information,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Instead of respecting the trust given to him by the American people, Martin violated that trust and put our nation’s security at risk. This sentence will hold Mr. Martin accountable for his dangerous and unlawful actions.”
“For nearly 20 years, Harold Martin betrayed the trust placed in him by stealing and retaining a vast quantity of highly classified national defense information entrusted to him,” stated U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This sentence, which is one of the longest ever imposed in this type of case, should serve as a warning that we will find and prosecute government employees and contractors who flagrantly violate their duty to protect classified materials.”
“Whether an individual is a federal contractor or government employee, when given the privilege of holding a security clearance, the American people expect classified information to be protected,” said Assistant Director Brown. “That is essential to protecting our national security. In this case, Harold Martin was a serial offender in retaining national defense information for more than two decades. Today’s sentencing should signal that the FBI takes these violations extremely seriously and will vigorously investigate cases when people improperly handle classified information.”
“Harold Martin took an oath to preserve and protect the nation's secrets, and violated that oath repeatedly over many years, causing damage with his unlawful mishandling of classified information,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone, FBI Baltimore Field Office. “Martin’s actions harmed Intelligence Community sources and methods. The vitality and integrity of the Intelligence Community requires the strictest adherence to the law for handling classified information. The FBI will be tireless in investigating cases like the Martin case.”
According to his plea agreement, from December 1993 through Aug. 27, 2016, Martin was employed by at least seven different private companies and assigned as a contractor to work at a number of government agencies. Martin was required to receive and maintain a security clearance in order to work at each of the government agencies to which he was assigned. Martin held security clearances up to Top Secret and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) at various times. A Top Secret classification means that unauthorized disclosure reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security of the United States. An SCI designation compartmentalizes extremely sensitive information. Because of his work responsibilities and security clearance, Martin was able to access government computer systems, programs, and information in secure locations, including classified national defense information. Over his many years of holding a security clearance, Martin received training regarding classified information and his duty to protect classified materials from unauthorized disclosure.
Martin admitted that beginning in the late 1990s and continuing through Aug. 31, 2016, he stole and retained U.S. government property from secure locations and computer systems, including documents in both hard copy and digital form relating to the national defense, that bore markings indicating that they were the property of the United States and contained highly classified information of the United States, including Top Secret/SCI information.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Martin retained the stolen documents and other classified information at his residence and in his vehicle. Martin knew that the hard copy and digital documents stolen from his workplace contained classified information that related to the national defense and that he was never authorized to retain these documents at his residence or in his vehicle. Martin admitted that he also knew that the unauthorized removal of these materials risked their disclosure, which would be damaging to the national security of the United States and highly useful to its adversaries.
In court documents and at today’s sentencing hearing, the government noted that crimes such as Martin’s not only create a risk of unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, highly classified information, but often require the government to treat the stolen material as compromised, resulting in the government having to take remedial actions including changing or abandoning national security programs. In addition, Martin’s criminal conduct caused the government to expend substantial investigative and analytical resources. The diversion of those resources resulted in significant costs.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the National Security Agency for its assistance. Mr. Hur and Mr. Demers thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Harvey E. Eisenberg, and Trial Attorney David Aaron of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, who prosecuted the case.
Former CEO of Publicly Traded Manufacturer Charged with Fraud for Allegedly Misrepresenting Company’s Financial ConditionRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former Chief Executive Officer of a publicly traded engine manufacturer in a northwest suburb of Chicago has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly deceiving investors about the company’s financial performance.
GARY S. WINEMASTER served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of a Wood Dale-based manufacturing company. He was also the company’s largest shareholder. From 2014 to 2016, Winemaster schemed with the company’s vice president of sales, CRAIG M. DAVIS, its general manager, JAMES F. NEEDHAM, and others to fraudulently inflate – by millions of dollars – the revenue reported by the company to the investing public, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. In doing so, the trio deceived shareholders and other investors about the company’s financial health and performance, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Winemaster, 61, of Mundelein, with one count of securities fraud, ten counts of wire fraud, two counts of making false statements to an auditor, and one count of failing to certify financial reports. Davis, 45, of Batavia, and Needham, 57, of Leavenworth, Kansas, are each charged with one count of securities fraud and ten counts of wire fraud. U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman scheduled arraignments for July 25, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which filed a civil enforcement lawsuit against Winemaster, Davis, and Needham, provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Tzur and Heidi Manschreck.
According to the indictment, the defendants schemed to defraud shareholders and other investors in connection with the company’s common stock, which was listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The defendants concealed material information about special terms of sales to customers, causing the company’s accounting department to recognize inflated revenue figures for those transactions, the indictment states. Winemaster and Davis also authorized shipments of products to customers who had not agreed to accept delivery, the indictment states. The shipments falsely supported the accounting department’s treatment of the transactions as final sales, thus fraudulently causing the company to book revenue from the deals, the charges allege.
The defendants also arranged additional transactions by the company’s customers that were meant to fraudulently support the company’s accounting for earlier sales, the indictment states.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The maximum sentence for securities fraud is 25 years in prison, while wire fraud and making false statements to an auditor are each punishable by up to 20 years. Failing to certify financial reports is punishable by up to ten years and a fine of up to $1 million. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Former Bureau of Prisons Employee Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - Malik Swinton was sentenced to 37 months in prison for wire fraud in connection with various schemes to defraud the federal government for disability and workers’ compensation benefits, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson; U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, Special Agent in Charge James Wahleithner; U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Los Angeles Field Division, Special Agent in Charge James K. Cheng; Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Inspector General Special Agent in Charge Robb Stickley; Office of Personnel Management Office of Inspector General Acting Inspector Norbert Vint; and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General Acting Special Agent in Charge Quentin Heiden. The sentence was handed down today by the Hon. Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, U.S. District Judge.
Swinton pleaded guilty to the charge on May 9, 2019. According to his plea agreement, Swinton, 40, of Las Vegas, Nev., admitted he engaged in schemes to defraud the VA, the SSA, the DOL, and the Office of Personnel Management. In sum, the court found Swinton caused losses to the United States in excess of $600,000.
According to the plea agreement, Swinton submitted a fraudulent claim for benefits to the Department of Veterans Affairs in July 2012. Swinton admitted that he submitted a form in which he claimed he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of an incident that occurred while he was in the U.S. Army. In the form, Swinton claimed that his squad leader pulled out a weapon, shot his platoon sergeant in front of him, and then later threatened to kill or hurt Swinton or his family if Swinton told anyone about the shooting. In his plea agreement, Swinton admitted that the incident never occurred. Swinton acknowledged that as a result of this scheme, from June 2013 through April 2019 he received approximately $222,000.00 in fraudulently obtained disability benefits.
Further, Swinton admitted in his plea agreement that he improperly claimed and received dependency benefits from the VA. Although Swinton divorced his wife in April 2009, he continued to represent to the VA that he was married and he claimed his former wife as a dependent on his disability payment record through November 2018. As a result, Swinton received over $20,000 in improper dependency benefits.
Swinton also defrauded the SSA. Swinton falsely represented to the SSA that the VA determined he was unemployable. Swinton also wrote and submitted to the SSA a fraudulent letter that purported to be from VA doctor. The letter claimed that Swinton was unemployable due to various medical conditions including his alleged PTSD. In reality, the VA doctor did not write nor authorize Swinton to write the letter. As a result of his false statements, Swinton fraudulently convinced the SSA to pay him $98,431.30 in undeserved disability benefits from February 2013 to April 2019.
Finally, Swinton defrauded the DOL by submitting a fraudulent application for workers’ compensation benefits. Swinton admitted that to obtain the benefits, he failed to disclose to the agency that he was receiving VA benefits, testified falsely about the manner in which he supported himself, and wrote and signed letters in other people’s names to support his claim. Further, after he began receiving benefits, Swinton failed to disclose that he was receiving VA and SSA benefits and repeatedly wrote and submitted letters that purported to be from VA doctors to confirm that his alleged injuries prevented him from working.
On December 6, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Swinton charging him with seven counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(a)(1). Swinton pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and the remaining counts were dismissed at sentencing.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers ordered Swinton to pay $632,368.34 in restitution and to serve 3 years on supervised release following his prison term. Swinton has been in custody since his arrest in December 2018 and will begin serving his prison term immediately.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Vieira is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is a result of an investigation by the Offices of Inspectors General of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Social Security Administration, the Office of Personnel Management, and the Department of Labor.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for EscapeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Roger Stokes, 36, of Walnut Grove, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, to 21 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for escaping from federal custody, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and U.S. Marshal Mark B. Shepherd of the United States Marshals Service.
Stokes was previously convicted of illegal transportation of an alien and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola to two years in custody, followed by three years of supervised release. Following a revocation of his supervised release and the imposition of an additional two years in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Stokes was transferred to the Bannum Place Residential Reentry Center in Jackson to serve the remainder of his time with an anticipated release date of March 18, 2019. On January 11, 2019, after being confronted by facility personnel with a positive drug test, Stokes escaped from the facility and was caught by law enforcement in Attala County ten days later.
Stokes was indicted on February 6, 2019, for escaping from federal custody. Stokes pleaded guilty on April 5, 2019, before Chief Judge Jordan. In articulating the reasons for his sentence, Chief Judge Jordan cited to Stokes’s extensive criminal history and the need to deter other inmates from trying to escape in the future.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Federal Conviction and Sentence Imposed for Repeat Drug Trafficking OffenderRead the Press Release
On July 17, 2019, Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced LISA MARIE BROWN, 50, of Rio Linda, California to seventy-eight months in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine. Brown pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on May 8, 2019. She had previously been convicted of felony unlawful manufacture and possession with intent to deliver controlled substances under State law and was on probation at the time she was arrested on federal charges.
“Methamphetamine continues to be a significant problem in our communities across Wyoming,” said United States Attorney Mark A. Klaassen, “we understand the addiction that drives this problem, but as law enforcement our role is to continue to target those who add fuel to the fire by engaging in distribution of these dangerously addictive and destructive substances.” “I appreciate the joint effort of DEA and the Cheyenne Police Department as they work together to improve investigations and enforcement in this vital area.”
Brown will serve thirty-six months of supervised release after her prison term concludes and was ordered to pay $200.00 in community restitution and a $100.00 special assessment.
This case results from an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) joint investigation conducted by the Cheyenne Police Department, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Export Company Executive Pleads Guilty to Violating U.S. Sanctions against IranRead the Press Release
Mahin Mojtahedzadeh (Mahin), age 74, a citizen of Iran, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to unlawfully export gas turbine parts from the United States to Iran.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith for the Northern District of New York; Special Agent in Charge James N. Hendricks of the FBI’s Albany Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson of the New York Field Office of the Office of Export Enforcement, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), U.S. Department of Commerce.
Mahin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. She admitted that she was the President and Managing Director of ETCO-FZC (ETCO), an export company with an office in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. ETCO is a supplier of spare and replacement turbine parts for power generation companies in the Middle East, including Iran.
Mahin admitted that from 2013 through 2017, she worked with companies in Canada and Germany to violate and evade U.S. sanctions against Iran, by having these companies first acquire more than $3 million dollars’ worth of turbine parts from two distributors in Saratoga County, New York.
When the U.S. parts arrived in Canada and Germany, respectively, these companies and Mahin then arranged for the parts to be re-shipped to ETCO’s customers in Iran. At all times, U.S. law prohibited the export and re-export of U.S.-origin turbine parts to Iran without a license from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which neither Mahin nor her co-conspirators possessed.
“By supplying Iran with millions of dollars’ worth of illegally exported turbine machinery, the defendant provided equipment that is critically important for Iran’s infrastructure,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “This sort of sanctions violation allows the Iranian government to withstand the pressure of U.S. sanctions – pressure that is intended to end Iran’s malign behavior. We will continue to hold to account those who aid Iran in evading the United States’ comprehensive embargo.”
“Mahin Mojtahedzadeh worked for years to illegally acquire gas turbine parts for power plants in Iran,” said U.S. Attorney Jaquith. “She will now be punished for undermining the efficacy of economic sanctions that are intended to protect the national security of the United States.”
“The proliferation of sensitive U.S. technologies to Iran remains a clear threat to our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Hendricks. “The FBI, along with our interagency partners, will continue to identify, investigate, and eliminate proliferation efforts aimed at circumventing our export control laws and economic sanctions to illegally obtain sensitive technologies”
“HSI's export enforcement initiatives safeguard national security and protect our interests across the world,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly. “The defendant’s admission of willful attempts to thwart these efforts is inexcusable and her guilty plea is an example of the significant repercussions for such actions.”
“We will fully and aggressively enforce our nation’s restrictions on exports to Iran. Controls on exports to Iran help apply maximum pressure on Iran to end its promotion of instability and terrorism worldwide,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson, of U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement. “The Office of Export Enforcement will continue to leverage our unique authorities to pursue violators wherever they are, worldwide. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to achieve this goal.”
Mahin faces up to 20 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $1 million, when she is sentenced on Nov. 12, 2019 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. 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.
Two of Mahin’s co-conspirators have previously pleaded guilty.
Olaf Tepper, age 52, and a citizen of Germany, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate IEEPA. On Aug. 3, 2018, Judge D’Agostino sentenced him to 24 months in prison, and to pay a $5,000 fine. Tepper was the founder and Managing Director of Energy Republic GmbH (Energy Republic), based in Cologne, Germany, which re-exported U.S.-origin turbine parts to Iran, as part of a conspiracy with Mahin.
Mojtaba Biria, age 68, and a citizen of Germany, also pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate IEEPA, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 14, 2019. Biria was Energy Republic’s Technical Managing Director.
These cases are the result of a joint investigation by FBI, HSI and BIS, and are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Bellis and Michael Barnett, with assistance from Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence & Export Control Section.
Ex-Air Force member from Kalispell sentenced for sexually exploiting childrenRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A former U.S. Air Force service member who admitted using the internet to coerce minor boys into sending him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Raymond Larry Edward Kennedy, 24, of Kalispell, pleaded guilty in March to sexual exploitation of a child and to receipt of child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
An investigation began in February 2017, the prosecution said in court records, when the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls contacted an agent with Homeland Security Investigations and member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force seeking help with an online child exploitation case involving Kennedy. The Air Force discharged Kennedy on Feb. 6, 2017.
Investigators found that Kennedy met on Snapchat a minor boy who lived in Montana and ultimately determined that Kennedy had met five other minor boys who all lived in Montana. In Kennedy’s online communications with the boys from about July 2015 through June 2017, he coerced them into sending him images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The boys were all younger than 18 and lived in Kalispell, Big Fork and Great Falls.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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Dorchester Man Sentenced for Role in 2016 KidnappingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a 2016 kidnapping.
Vinh Quang Huynh, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (17 months in prison), three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $6,300. Judge Sorokin also ordered Huynh to forfeit property including cash, jewelry and a car. In December 2018, Huynh pleaded guilty to kidnapping, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means and operating an illegal gambling business.
Co-defendants Quang PT Le and Kim Nguyen previously pleaded guilty to kidnapping, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means, and illegal gambling business. Le was sentenced to six years in prison and three years of supervised release; and Kim Nguyen was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and two years of supervised release. Co-defendant Ban Tran pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and was sentenced to eight months in prison and one year of supervised release. In a related case, Tam V. Nguyen previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means and illegal gambling business and is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2019.
On Nov. 14, 2016, Le, who was armed with a knife, and Kim Nguyen kidnapped a victim from the front of the victim’s residence and drove the victim to Dorchester, where they were joined by Huynh. Huynh and Le beat the victim in an attempt to collect a gambling debt of $40,000. Huynh, Le and Nguyen then drove the victim home and demanded a payment of $10,000 the next day. Tran was present during the beating and followed the kidnappers in his car in an attempt to hide the kidnapping. The next day, the victim went to law enforcement and, under the direction of law enforcement officers, made a series of controlled, recorded payments to Le and, on two occasions, Huynh. Over the course of eight months, the victim made payments totaling $22,350 to Le. In August 2017, law enforcement arrested the defendants before the last payment was due.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement today. The Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston and Massachusetts Department of Correction assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Yancarlos Mejia Gonzales, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Mejia Gonzales will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In April 2019, Mejia Gonzales pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
Between 2007 and 2008, Mejia Gonzales was arrested and convicted on three separate drug distribution matters. Following his convictions, Mejia Gonzales was ordered removed, and on Jan. 12, 2011, he was deported to the Dominican Republic. Sometime thereafter, Mejia Gonzales reentered the United States and was arrested in 2013 during the execution of a state search warrant. Mejia Gonzales was subsequently convicted in federal court in Boston of illegally reentering the United States after being deported and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. After completing his sentence, Mejia Gonzales was deported on Aug. 17, 2016. In January 2019, he was encountered by law enforcement in Massachusetts and determined again to be illegally present in the United States.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Marcos D. Charles, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Hal Abrahamson, a podiatrist with offices in Plainview, Long Island, and Rego Park, Queens, was sentenced by United States District Judge Denis R. Hurley to one year and a day in prison for his role in a health care fraud scheme. The Court also ordered Abrahamson to pay restitution of $869,651, a $50,000 fine and forfeit $177,000. On June 26, 2018, Abrahamson pleaded guilty to health care fraud in connection with the operation of his podiatry practice.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, New York Region (HHS-OIG), announced the sentence.
“Greed dictated this doctor’s billing practices,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The defendant stole a million dollars from Medicare and private insurance companies but has been brought to justice.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the FBI and HHS-OIG for their outstanding work on the case.
According to court documents and as established at the plea proceeding, Abrahamson’s health care fraud scheme was ongoing from January 2013 until January 2017. Abrahamson used several fraudulent billing techniques over the years, including: (i) billing for skin grafts and wound packing services never performed, (ii) billing for work purportedly done by another podiatrist whose reimbursement rate was higher, but which was in fact done by Abrahamson, or not at all, and (iii) billing for more expensive procedures than those actually performed. Regarding the fraudulent billing for skin grafts, Abrahamson billed for this procedure 1,092 times over a four year period in which a podiatrist with a comparable practice in Plainview billed only once and another podiatrist in the defendant’s office billed only five times.
Regarding the fraudulent billing for wound packing, Abrahamson billed for this procedure 757 times over a four-year period, and would routinely add this to his false billing under another podiatrist’s name.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
HAL ABRAHAMSON
Age: 57
Melville, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-314 (DRH)
District Man Pleads Guilty to Armed KidnappingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ethan Moye-Gordon, 22, of Maryland, pled guilty yesterday with respect to his participation in an armed kidnapping and robbery that began in the District of Columbia and continued into Maryland, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Charles A. Dayoub, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Moye-Gordon pled guilty before the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of kidnapping. He faces a sentence of up to life in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Jackson on October 4, 2019.
The government’s evidence established that late in the evening on November 10, 2018, and into the early morning hours of November 11, 2018, Moye-Gordon, along with two other men, abducted the victim at gunpoint near Logan Circle and forced the victim into their vehicle. The victim reported that during the course of the abduction, he was forced into the trunk of the vehicle; he ultimately was able to pull the latch in the trunk and attempted to escape, but was unable to obtain help before he was recaptured by his captors and forced back into the vehicle.
During the abduction, Moye-Gordon and his associates forced the victim at gunpoint to provide his ATM PIN code and made physical withdrawals from numerous ATMs in D.C. and Maryland. Moye-Gordon and his associates also withdrew funds from the victim’s accounts using online banking applications on the victim’s phone.
This case was investigated by the Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force (VCTF) in partnership with the Arlington County Police, Prince George’s County Police and the Washington Metropolitan Police Department. The VCTF is composed of FBI Agents, along with local and county law enforcement agencies within the National Capital Region, and focuses on investigating the most egregious and violent offenders.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dayoub, and Chief Newsham commended the work of FBI Agents from the Washington Field Office, MPD officers, Prince George’s County police officers, and Arlington County police officers who investigated the armed kidnapping. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Crane, Paralegal Specialist Rommel, and Legal Assistant Peter Gaboton.
Department of Justice Announces the Release of 3,100 Inmates Under First Step Act, Publishes Risk and Needs Assessment SystemRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced three major developments related to the implementation of the First Step Act of 2018 (FSA):
- Over 3,100 federal prison inmates will be released from the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) custody as a result of the increase in good conduct time under the Act. In addition, the Act’s retroactive application of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 (reducing the disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine threshold amounts triggering mandatory minimum sentences) has resulted in 1,691 sentence reductions.
- The prioritization of $75 million in existing resources to fully fund the FSA implementation from the 2019 budget. The Department will continue its work with Congress to ensure additional funding is appropriated for FY2020 and future years.
- The publication of the FSA Risk and Needs Assessment System (RNAS) that will help identify all federal prison inmates who may qualify for pre-release custody by participating in authorized recidivism reduction programming and/or productive activities.
“Our communities are safer when we do a better job of rehabilitating offenders in our custody and preparing them for a successful transition to life after incarceration,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “The Department is committed to and has been working towards full implementation of the First Step Act, which will help us effectively deploy resources to help reduce risk, recidivism, and crime.”
Implementation Progress, New and Expanded BOP Programs Under FSA
In preparation for the release, the BOP coordinated with US Probation Offices and created individualized release plans for every inmate to ensure a seamless transition.
The Department has taken active steps to implement the FSA:
Compassionate Release. The BOP updated its policies to reflect the new procedures for inmates to obtain “compassionate release” sentence reductions under 18 U.S.C. Section 3582 and 4205(g). Since the Act was signed into law, 51 requests have been approved, as compared to 34 total in 2018.
Expanded Use of Home Confinement. The FSA authorizes BOP to maximize the use of home confinement for low risk offenders. Currently, there are approximately 2,000 inmates on Home Confinement. The legislation also expands a pilot program for eligible elderly and terminally ill offenders to be transitioned to Home Confinement as part of a pilot program. Since enactment of the law, 201 inmates have qualified to be transitioned under the pilot program.
Drug Treatment. The BOP has always had a robust drug treatment strategy. Offenders with an identified need are provided an individualized treatment plan to address their need. About 16,000 BOP inmates are currently enrolled in drug treatment programs, including the well-regarded Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP).
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). The FSA requires BOP to assess the availability of and the capacity to treat heroin and opioid abuse through evidence-based programs, including medication-assisted treatment. In the wake of the opioid crisis, this initiative is important to improve reentry outcomes. Every inmate within 15 months of release who might qualify for MAT has been screened.
Effective Re-Entry Programming. FSA implementation includes helping offenders successfully reintegrate into the community – a critical factor in preventing recidivism and, in turn, reducing the number of crime victims. Finding gainful employment is an important part of that process. In furtherance of this goal, the BOP launched a “Ready to Work” initiative to connect private employers with inmates nearing release under the FSA.
Other BOP programs directed towards the full implementation of the FSA include the operation of twenty-one pilot dog programs, the development of a youth mentoring program, the identification of a dyslexia screening tool, and issuance of a new policy for its employees to carry and store personal weapons on BOP institution property. BOP has also updated existing guidance and training concerning the use of restraints on pregnant inmates, as well as verified that existing policies and contracts comply with the FSA requirement to provide sanitary products to female offenders free of charge. BOP also offers de-escalation training to its employees and officers in accordance with the Act. Finally, BOP has updated its mental health awareness training regarding inmates with psychiatric disorders, and more than 31,700 BOP employees have already received the updated training.
Funding For FSA Implementation
Congress has authorized $75 million for each fiscal year from 2019 to 2023 for the Justice Department to implement the First Step Act. The Department has re-directed $75 million in existing funds for FSA implementation from the 2019 budget. The Department will continue its work with Congress to ensure additional funding is appropriated for FY2020 and future years.
Re-directed funds in FY2019 for FSA implementation activities will include:
- Increasing Vocational Training Opportunities: Expands automotive vocational training and programs by providing opportunities for inmates to maintain and repair BOP vehicles and obtain CDL licenses; also expands the existing National Roofing and Paving Program.
- Expanding Education Programs: Updates and expands access to the computer-based Inmate Education Network computer-based courseware.
- Providing Certifications for Vocational Training: Enhances Career Technical Education job readiness services by purchasing both the programs and the industry recognized credentials for occupational and vocational training, such as production technician and mechanic.
- Increasing Volunteers/Partnership Opportunities: Provides resources for institutions to complete required background checks for volunteers and partner organizations.
- Enhancing Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT): Increases expertise and further develops evidence-based protocols in addition to expanding the types of treatment available to inmates.
- Providing English as Second Language (ESL) Workbooks and Textbooks: Enhances English literacy by providing educational services to inmates for are not English- proficient and standardizes teaching materials agency-wide.
- Meeting Needs of the Female Inmate Population: Expands inmate access to existing gender-responsive programs developed specifically to female inmates’ needs.
- Performing Evaluations for Evidence-Based Programs: Facilitates program evaluations of evidence-based programs by external organizations.
- Developing a Needs Assessment System: Provides resources to support a consultative meeting with practitioners who have expertise in needs assessment systems.
The Risk and Needs Assessment Tool – PATTERN
The Attorney General’s publication of a risk and needs assessment system was a key requirement of the FSA, signed into law by President Trump on Dec. 21, 2018. The publication of the RNAS report makes the changes in the law to good conduct time effective.
The RNAS is among several robust measures the Department has taken to implement the FSA, which seeks to reduce risk and recidivism among the prison population and assist inmates’ successful reintegration into society. The new system will be used to assess all federal inmates for risk and identify criminogenic needs that can be addressed by evidence-based programs, such as drug treatment, job training, and education. The system was developed in consultation with the FSA-established Independent Review Committee (IRC), the BOP, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the National Institute of Corrections, and over two dozen stakeholders groups.
The new tool to be used by the BOP is called the Prisoner Assessment Tool Targeting Estimated Risk and Needs (PATTERN). PATTERN is designed to predict the likelihood of general and violent recidivism for all BOP inmates. As required by the FSA, PATTERN contains static risk factors (e.g. age and crime of conviction) as well as dynamic items (i.e. participation or lack of participation in programs like education or drug treatment) that are associated with either an increase or a reduction in risk of recidivism. The PATTERN assessment tool provides predictive models, or scales, developed and validated for males and females separately.
The PATTERN assessment, modeled specifically for the federal prison population, achieves a higher level of predictability and surpasses what is commonly found for risk assessment tools for correctional populations in the U.S.
The RNAS report will be available on the department’s website later today at www.nij.gov.
The RNAS will be subject to a 45-day study period beginning with the publication of the System. Starting Monday, July 22, the public may send comments to [email protected]. This study period allows stakeholders to review and analyze the System. After the study period, NIJ will hold a special listening session on the RNAS in early September.
Danvers Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Danvers man was indicted yesterday in federal court on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography.
Joseph Corbett, 50, was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Corbett was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in June 2019, and was released by the Court on conditions.
According to the charging documents, on June 14, 2019, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Corbett’s home where they recovered an iPhone belonging to Corbett. An onsite forensic review of the phone revealed images of child pornography, including the sexual abuse of girls between the ages of 6 and 8 years old.
The distribution charge provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The possession charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison. Each charge provides for a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Danvers Police Chief Patrick M. Ambrose made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Dalton man pleads guilty to sex trafficking of minorsRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Brian Hernandez Acosta, the lead defendant in a child sex trafficking case, has pleaded guilty to charges of conducting a child exploitation enterprise, conspiring to engage, and engaging, in sex trafficking minors by force, fraud, or coercion, sex trafficking of children under 18 years old, interstate transport of a minor for prostitution, producing child pornography, and distributing cocaine to a person under 21 years old.
“The defendant produced child pornography and pursued a full range of child exploitation methods,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “The scheme in this case is especially egregious because they coerced their child victims into engaging in sexual activity in some instances through the use of alcohol and cocaine. We are hopeful that Hernandez Acosta’s guilty plea will encourage more victims to contact law enforcement.”
“This defendant and his friends preyed upon vulnerable teens, and in a scheme of cruelty and brutality coerced his victims to sell their bodies for his own gratification and profit,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI has zero tolerance for the sex trafficking of children and will continue to work with law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served for the victims.”
“I am very pleased that members of the Dalton Police Department were able to assist with this case. The hard work and efforts by the FBI and the task force members really paid off. Their efforts have helped to dismantle a group that was sexually exploiting minors,” said Dalton Police Chief Cliff Cason.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Hernandez Acosta conspired to traffic minor girls for commercial sex throughout North Georgia. Beginning in November 2015, and continuing until December 2016, the defendants allegedly caused at least six girls between 16 and 17 years old to engage in prostitution, through the use force, fraud, and coercion.
Hernandez Acosta, after pursuing some of the girls on Facebook and Snapchat, posted provocative photographs of them in the adult entertainment and escort sections of Backpage.com, a classified advertisement website seized by the Department of Justice. Hernandez Acosta used these ads to solicit men to engage in sex with the minors for money. The advertisements used fake names for the minors and falsely listed the girls’ ages as between 19 through 21 years old. For example, Hernandez Acosta forced one 16-year-old girl to engage in sex with men after driving her from Florida to Georgia after falsely offering the girl a place to live. The defendant required the young girls to engage in sex acts with multiple men each night and kept a large portion of the money they earned.
Between July 2016 and December 2016, co-defendants Anthony Joseph Lawhon and Brandi Rice Stumpe allegedly hosted numerous sex parties at their residence in Canton, Georgia, where they engaged in sex acts with minor girls or young women while plying them with alcohol and cocaine. Investigators recovered images of some of this conduct on Hernandez Acosta’s cellphone. Lawhon is alleged to have paid Hernandez Acosta thousands of dollars in exchange for commercial sex and cocaine. Investigators are working to identify other girls and young women allegedly victimized in this child exploitation scheme.
Hernandez Acosta’s guilty plea follows the previous guilty pleas of co-defendants Nilageo Alvarez Acosta and Jaime Adam Riano. The trial of co-defendants Anthony Joseph Lawhon and Brandi Rice Stumpe is currently scheduled for September 16, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr.
- Brian Hernandez Acosta, 28, of Dalton, Georgia, pleaded guilty on July 1, 2019, to the offenses of conducting a child exploitation enterprise, sex trafficking minors by force, fraud, or coercion, sex trafficking of children under 18 years old, transporting a minor in interstate commerce for prostitution, producing child pornography, and distributing cocaine to a person under 21 years old.
- Nilageo Alvarez Acosta pleaded guilty on April 11, 2019, to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, sex trafficking children under 18 years old, and interstate transport of a minor for prostitution.
- Jaime Adam Riano pleaded guilty on November 17, 2017, to sex trafficking children under 18 years old.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Dalton Police Department. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Murray County Sheriff’s Office also provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzette A. Smikle, Dashene Cooper, and Phyllis Clerk are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment concerning co-defendants Anthony Joseph Lawhon and Brandi Rice Stumpe only contains charges. Lawhon and Stumpe are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Convicted Sex Offender Charged with Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Greenfield man was charged in federal court in Springfield yesterday with sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography.
Charles Fox, 44, was indicted on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of receipt of child pornography. Fox was arrested on June 26, 2019, and charged by criminal complaint.
It is alleged that Fox induced a minor in the Philippines to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of that conduct. According to court documents, Fox induced the minor through Facebook messenger and also received the pornographic images through Facebook messenger. Fox paid for the images through Western Union payments sent to the Philippines.
The charges of sexual exploitation of children and attempted sexual exploitation of a child provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years and up to 50 in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon, with Lengthy Criminal History, Is Guilty on Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
MACON – A federal jury has found a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history guilty for an illegal gun possession charge, said U.S. Attorney Charles “Charlie” Peeler. Ronnie Lee Hughes, 39, of Griffin, Georgia was found guilty on one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The jury returned the guilty verdict Wednesday, July 17, 2019, following a day-long trial before the Honorable Marc Treadwell. The federal government has filed a notice of sentencing enhancement due to the defendant’s eight prior convictions (see below) and, therefore, the defendant faces a minimum 15 years imprisonment up to life in prison, five years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Mr. Hughes will be sentenced on October 22, 2019.
According to facts presented at trial, a Confidential Informant (CI) told Lamar County deputies that Mr. Hughes, a convicted felon on parole, was selling guns. Lamar County deputies worked with the CI to set up a meeting on August 31, 2016, with the intent of the CI to arrange a purchase of the guns from Mr. Hughes. Hughes thought the buyer would be an associate of the CI, and Hughes would pay the CI a commission for arranging the sale. In one conversation between the CI and Mr. Hughes, the defendant warned that the buyer arranged by the CI “better not be a cop” because he was a convicted felon and it was illegal for him to sell guns. At the appointed time and place for the sale, Lamar County deputies met Mr. Hughes and took him into custody, seizing four weapons and ammunition. Mr. Hughes has eight prior felony state convictions beginning in 1999, including four separate Entering Auto convictions, three separate Burglary convictions, and one Theft by Taking conviction. His past crimes occurred in Upson, Laurens, Pike and Monroe counties, all charged in Superior Court. Mr. Hughes last conviction was in Monroe County Superior Court in December 2008 for Burglary. Mr. Hughes was on parole when he was taken into custody by Lamar County deputies on August 31, 2016.
“We are making it a priority in Middle Georgia to get guns out of the hands of dangerous felons,” said U.S. Attorney Charlie Peeler. “To all convicted felons: DO NOT POSSESS A GUN. Law enforcement will find you and our office will prosecute you. The unlawful possession of guns by convicted felons leads to violence in the streets. Getting guns out of the hands of convicted felons is a proven strategy to reduce violence in communities. I want to thank the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and ATF for their hard work in this case.”
This prosecution is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Keyes and Paul McCommon are prosecuting the case for the Government. Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Controller Sentenced for Embezzling $550,000 from Providence Small BusinessRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The controller for a high-technology electronics manufacturer in Providence that has been in business for nearly 90 years was sentenced today to 33 months in federal prison and ordered to pay back more than a half-million dollars she embezzled from the small business.
Jill Martinho, 43, of Swansea, Mass., who was employed by Walco Electric Company for approximately 13 years beginning in 2005, was also ordered to pay the IRS more than $185,000 in back taxes, having failed to claim the embezzled funds on her tax returns.
Martinho pleaded guilty on April 1, 2019, to wire fraud and willfully making a false tax return.
According to information presented to the Court, Martinho was entrusted by the owner of Walco Electric to manage all of the company’s finances, including signing company checks, managing bank accounts, borrowing on the company’s line of credit, payroll, and creating monthly financial statements.
Ms. Martinho was also authorized to purchase supplies necessary for the company with the use of personal credit cards. She perpetrated the fraud by obtaining reimbursement twice for some purchases and by obtaining reimbursement for completely fictitious expenses.
From May 2015 through February 2018, although Martinho was entitled to reimbursements from the company totaling approximately $459,224, based on her fraudulent claims, including the use of fraudulently created card statements, she received approximately $1,017,295 from the company, causing the company a loss of approximately $557,974.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith ordered Martinho to serve 33 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years supervised release. Martinho was ordered to pay $557,974 in restitution to her former employer, of which $100,000 has already been reimbursed, and $185,466 owed to the IRS.
Martinho’s sentence is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Kristina O'Connell, and Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service Stephen Marks.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the FBI, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, and the United States Secret Service.
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Chicago Man Sentenced to 28 Months’ Imprisonment for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Pedro Hernandez, age 35, of Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced on July 17, 2019, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to 28 months’ imprisonment for participating in a conspiracy that transported heroin from Chicago to Carbon County and elsewhere in Pennsylvania.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hernandez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin. Hernandez admitted to acting as a courier for a Chicago-based heroin trafficking organization that shipped drugs to Pennsylvania during 2010 through 2015.
During the course of the investigation, thirteen defendants were charged and convicted, and more than 10 kilograms of heroin was seized by agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and members of the Pennsylvania State Police. Members of the drug ring also distributed other drugs during the course of the conspiracy, including cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and fentanyl.
Other members of the drug ring, which operated in Chicago and various locations in Pennsylvania, including Carbon, Monroe, Berks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, were sentenced by Judge Mariani as follows:
- Juan Mendez-Lazaro -156 months’ imprisonment;
- Romualdo Hermosillo - Avendano - 120 months’ imprisonment;
- Ramon Baez - 96 months’ imprisonment;
- Donald Patnelli, Jr. - 75 months’ imprisonment;
- Jose Hernandez-Tirado - 72 months’ imprisonment;
- Luis Linarez - 66 months’ imprisonment;
- Gilberto Bautista-Ocampo - 48 months’ imprisonment;
- Arnando Diaz-DeJesus - 37 months’ imprisonment;
- Richard Carvajal - 28 months’ imprisonment;
- Maria Pina - 11 months’ imprisonment;
- Stephen Krpata - 10 months’ imprisonment; and
- Stephen Nordmark - 6 months’ imprisonment.
The matter was investigated by DEA, HSI, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Charlotte Man Sentenced to Nine Years on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Robert Pantori, Jr., 51, of Charlotte, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. to 108 months in prison on child pornography charges. Judge Conrad also ordered Pantori to serve twenty years of supervised release and to register as a sex offender following his release from prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2017, law enforcement became aware that Pantori was using a peer to peer program to transport child pornography from his computer to another user’s computer via the internet. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pantori’s residence, seizing his computer, and other electronic devices. A forensic examination of those devices revealed that Pantori possessed numerous images and videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including children as young as four.
In July 2018, Pantori pleaded guilty to transportation and possession of child pornography. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of this case.
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Judge Conrad also sentenced today Patrick Hinson, 34, of Dallas, N.C. to 97 months in prison, followed by twenty years of supervised release, for receiving child pornography. Hinson was also ordered to register as a sex offender upon completion of his sentence.
According to court records, for more than a decade, Hinson used several peer to peer programs to search for and download child pornography. Court records show that on or about December 19, 2015, Hinson knowingly used a peer to peer program to receive a child pornography video on his computer via the internet. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hinson’s residence, seizing his computer. A forensic examination of those devices revealed that Hinson possessed numerous images and videos of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
In August 2018, Hinson pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cortney Randall, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, handled both prosecutions.
Both cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood mars060hals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Businessman Pleads Guilty to $5 Million Tax Fraud and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Ashburn businessman pleaded guilty today to employment tax fraud and illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, Lawrence Robert Gazdick, Jr., 54, operated his audio visual equipment rental business under multiple names, including National Technology Rentals, NTL Technology Leasing Services, AV Rental Solutions, and others from 2013 through 2018. During this time, Gazdick withheld payroll taxes from his employees’ paychecks, but failed to file payroll tax returns and failed to pay over the withheld funds to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In total, Gazdick failed to pay over the IRS approximately $5.35 million of payroll taxes. Additionally, Gazdick admitted to possessing a firearm recovered from his business office, despite the fact that he was previously convicted of a felony.
As part of the plea agreement, Gazdick agreed to pay over $200,000 in restitution for premiums he failed to pay for health insurance provided to his employees.
Gazdick pleaded guilty to willful failure to collect, account for, and pay over taxes; and unlawfully possessing a firearm. He faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment on the tax offense and ten years of imprisonment on the firearm offense when sentenced on October 18. 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, Richard E. Zuckerman, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Charles Dayoub, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar K. Walker and Trial Attorney Kimberly Shartar of the Tax Division 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. 1:19-cr-200.
Bronx Man Charged with 2018 ShootingRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging RAKIM BROWN, a/k/a “Ra,” with the January 28, 2018, shooting of a woman in connection with a drug conspiracy, resulting in injuries to her face and leg. BROWN will be presented and arraigned today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Working with the NYPD and our other law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute drug trafficking and the violence that so often accompanies it. The indictment of Rakim Brown for a drug-related shooting demonstrates that link between drugs and guns.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “The NYPD and its law enforcement partners pursue – unrelentingly and with precision – those who carry guns and those who traffic illegal drugs. I want to thank the investigators and prosecutors who worked to obtain today’s indictment. Their work helps make our city safer.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
Between 2016 up to and including 2018, RAKIM BROWN, a/k/a “Ra,” was involved in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine. Between April 2017 up to and including 2018, BROWN used, carried, and discharged a firearm during and in furtherance of that drug conspiracy, including on January 28, 2018, when, in connection with a dispute with a rival drug crew, he shot at a woman and caused injuries to her face and leg.
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BROWN, 24, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of using and carrying a firearm, which was brandished and discharged, in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Bronx Brothers Charged with 2018 ShootingRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of an Indictment charging ANTONIO MORA, a/k/a “Chucky,” and BRIAN MORA, a/k/a “Dottie,” with the September 17, 2018, shooting of a rival drug dealer in connection with a drug conspiracy, after pulling his daughter from his hands. ANTONIO MORA will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox. BRIAN MORA is already in federal custody. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Antonio and Brian Mora dealt heroin and crack cocaine in the Bronx. During a dispute with a rival drug crew, the defendants allegedly ripped the victim’s daughter out of his arms before shooting him. Thanks to our partners at the NYPD, the defendants now face federal charges for their brazen and callous crimes.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill stated: “This case illustrates the extreme violence that too often accompanies gang activity and the drug trade, and why we must be vigilant in keeping our communities safe. I want to thank the law enforcement professionals whose hard work and dedication secured these federal indictments.”
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
Between 2016 and 2018, ANTONIO MORA and BRIAN MORA were involved in a conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin. During that same time period, ANTONIO MORA and BRIAN MORA used, carried, and discharged a firearm during and in furtherance of that drug conspiracy, including on September 17, 2018, when, in connection with a dispute with a rival drug crew, they shot a man after they pulled his daughter from his arms.
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ANTONIO MORA, 25, of the Bronx, New York, and BRIAN MORA, 24, of the Bronx, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and heroin and one count of using and carrying a firearm, which was brandished and discharged, in connection with the narcotics conspiracy, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Danielle R. Sassoon is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Boston Man Sentenced for Laundering Nearly $500,000 in Drug ProceedsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for money laundering.
Juan Peguero, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2019, Peguero pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering. Peguero was charged in August 2018 and released on conditions.
On two occasions in 2015, Peguero transferred almost $500,000 worth of drug proceeds - over $398,000 in April and $90,000 in June.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Bonanno Crime Family Captain Sentenced to over 7 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOSEPH SABELLA, a/k/a “Joe Valet,” was sentenced to 87 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein for his role as a captain in the Bonanno Organized Crime Family of La Cosa Nostra.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman stated: “As he admitted in open court, Joseph Sabella was an active member of the Bonanno Crime Family who engaged in numerous racketeering acts. He will now spend years in prison for his crimes. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively prosecute members of La Cosa Nostra who intimidate, threaten, and harm members of our community.”
According to the Indictment, documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
La Cosa Nostra (“LCN”), also known as the “Mob” or the “Mafia,” operates through entities known as “Families.” In the New York City area, there are five LCN Families, namely, the Bonanno Family, the Genovese Family, the Luchese Family, the Colombo Family, and the Gambino Family. Members and associates of one La Cosa Nostra family at times work together with other La Cosa Nostra families in jointly undertaken criminal ventures.
The Bonanno Family, like other LCN Families, operates through a group of individuals known as “crews,” each of which is led by a “capo” or “captain.” The crews are composed of “made” members, called “soldiers,” and trusted non-members called “associates.” Above the capos are the highest-ranking members – the boss or acting boss, the underboss, and the consigliere, or counselor – who oversee the Family.
Between 2012 and January 2018, SABELLA acted as soldier and then captain in the Bonanno Family. As a member of the Bonanno Family, SABELLA engaged in numerous racketeering acts, including extortion, fraud, and physical assaults. In particular, SABELLA participated in the long-term extortion of a New York-based demolition company (“Company-1”) that netted the Bonanno Family thousands of dollars a year for nearly three decades. SABELLA also participated in the physical assault of the owner of a strip club (“Victim-1”) and the subsequent extortion of Victim-1 out of his legitimate and illegitimate business interests.
SABELLA, 54, of Monroe, New Jersey, previously pled guilty on February 12, 2019, to conspiracy to commit racketeering. As part of his guilty plea, SABELLA admitted to his involvement in the extortion of Company-1, the extortion of Victim-1, a large-scale, multi-year fraud at a construction site on Staten Island, and the physical assaults on Victim-1 and one of Sabella’s former business partners, all as part of his participation in the Bonanno Family.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Labor, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason M. Swergold, Gina Castellano, and Jacob R. Fiddelman are in charge of the prosecution.
Billings meth dealer sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Steven Amundson, a Billings man who admitted selling methamphetamine as part of a larger trafficking conspiracy, was sentenced on Thursday to 48 months in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Amundson pleaded guilty in October 2018 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
In April 2018, law enforcement began investing a meth conspiracy that was importing large quantities of meth into the Billings area, the prosecution said in court records. A confidential informant led agents to Amundson, from whom the informant bought ounce quantities of meth on multiple occasions. Agents also bought an ounce of meth from Amundson in a controlled buy. Amundson’s supplier was co-defendant Wilfrido Varelas-Rubio, who repeatedly brought multiple pound quantities of meth to Billings and provided multiple ounces to Amundson for redistribution. In a search of Varelas-Rubio’s hotel room and vehicle in Billings, agents found nearly 4.5 pounds of meth. Varelas-Rubio was convicted in the case and sentenced to nine years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, EMHIDTA and FBI.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Billings man sentenced to eight years for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Billings resident Christopher Robert Hamilton, who admitted to trafficking methamphetamine in the community, was sentenced today to eight years in prison and five years of supervised release, said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Hamilton, 39, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
For about two months beginning in December 2017, Hamilton sold multi-gram quantities of meth on several occasions to an undercover agent as part of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigations, the prosecution said in court records.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Baltimore Pimp Convicted on Federal Charges of Sex Trafficking of a Child and Using the Internet to Promote a Prostitution BusinessRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Ryan Russell Parks, a/k/a Dinero, age 26, of Baltimore, Maryland, for two counts of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of using the Internet to promote a business enterprise involving prostitution. The verdict was returned late on July 18, 2019, after a four-day trial.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
“Ryan Parks preyed on vulnerable girls in order to profit by selling them for sex. When an adult profits from sex with a child, that is human trafficking, period,” said Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Through the Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force and the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, local, state, and federal law enforcement partners are working with non-profit organizations to help human trafficking victims and prosecute the traffickers. Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
According to the evidence presented at his trial, Parks trafficked two vulnerable minor victims—a 16-year-old girl (Girl 1) and a 15-year-old girl (Girl 2)—for commercial sex. According to trial testimony, Parks met Girl 1 online. During their communications Parks learned that she was hungry and had no real place to live, and he offered Girl 1 a place to stay. Parks sent a car to pick up Girl 1, and within a day, he caused advertisements to be posted on a website that marketed commercial sex workers. These advertisements contained photographs and descriptions of Girl 1 and offered Girl 1 for commercial sex acts. Parks stayed with Girl 1 in the motel room, along with another woman he was advertising on the Internet for commercial sex. Parks would leave the room for short periods of time, when men would come to the room to have sex with Girl 1, and he would return to the room shortly after the men left the room. Parks paid for additional advertisements on the website offering Girl 1 for commercial sex on August 1, and August 2, 2017. Girl 1 did not get to keep the money that she was paid by the men who came to the room to have sex with her. One of Girl 1’s customers returned to the room the next day to rescue her, and he took her to live in a different city with his sister.
The evidence also proved that in November 2017, Parks met Girl 2 online, and he learned that she had run away from her foster home. On November 16, 2017, Parks paid a driver through an application on his cell phone to pick up Girl 2 and bring her to his home. Girl 2, who was 15 years old, told Parks that she was 17 years old, in foster care, and was in an unhappy situation. Parks provided Girl 2 with marijuana and had sex with her. He talked to her about making money through prostitution, and he took her to the same motel in Baltimore where Parks had harbored Girl 1. Because she had run away from her foster home without a coat, a purse, or change of clothing, Parks purchased a bra, panties, and condoms for Girl 2. Parks took photographs of Girl 2 and paid for an online advertisement offering Girl 2 for commercial sex using his cell phone. Several of the photos that Parks uploaded to the website were rejected, because they contained nudity and were too explicit. Less revealing photos of Girl 2, wearing the bra and panties purchased by Parks, were accepted and uploaded to the online advertisement. As he had with Girl 1, Parks then set the prices and time limits for the sex acts to be performed on Girl 2, and he instructed her on the process of checking a man for a wire when he came into the motel room. Parks stayed in the motel room with Girl 2 when other men were not present, but he left the room and stood outside in a stairwell when men arrived to have sex with Girl 2. Parks offered Girl 2 for commercial sex from November 16 through November 20, 2017. During this time, over 300 individuals contacted the phone number placed by Parks on the advertisement, to inquire about commercial sex with Girl 2. On November 21, 2017, Girl 2 contacted her foster care social worker, who dispatched police to the motel. According to trial testimony, Parks reviewed Girl 2’s phone while she was in the shower and saw that she had contacted her social worker. Parks became angry, told her to delete information from her phone and to remove the chip from her phone, and then he left the motel. Girl 2 went to the lobby and turned herself in to police.
While law enforcement was investigating the trafficking of the two minor victims, they discovered evidence regarding the extent of Parks’ prostitution business. Evidence at trial proved that from February 25, 2017, through the date that he was arrested on January 10, 2018, Parks paid over $1,000 for approximately 295 commercial sex advertisements placed on the Internet. Parks advertised approximately 27 different women and girls for commercial sex. Parks also paid over $6,000 for hotel rooms in Baltimore County and Baltimore City, during the course of his prostitution enterprise.
As a result of his conviction, Parks will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
Parks faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison for each of the two counts of sex trafficking a minor; and a maximum of five years in prison for using the Internet to promote a business enterprise involving prostitution. U.S. District Judge Thomas E. Johnston has not yet scheduled a date for sentencing. Parks remains detained.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from 10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.
MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI and Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Duey and Matthew Maddox, who are prosecuting the case.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 188 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Nathaniel Hall, 54, has been sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for possession of firearm by a convicted felon. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 13, 2018, Memphis Police Officers were patrolling the area of Looney Avenue and Leath Street when they were flagged down by a shooting victim, who told officers that Hall had chased and shot her in the leg. Officers noticed an injury to the victim’s lower right leg. The victim directed officers to a residence at 785 Looney. When officers saw Hall on the balcony of that address, the victim yelled, "That's him."
Officers ordered Hall out of the home and took him into custody. Subsequently, officers recovered an Arminis .38 special caliber revolver that was hidden under a hot water tank in a utility room of the residence. This was determined by investigators to be the same weapon used to shoot the victim.
Hall has previously been convicted on three separate occasions of burglary. He has also has a prior conviction of robbery with a deadly weapon. Because of these previous felony convictions, Hall was determined to be an armed career criminal and subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 180 months.
On July 19, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Hall to 188 months imprisonment followed by 3 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to community, and in this case, Hall was an armed career criminal who continued to commit senseless gun violence despite his prior felony conviction history. There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this sentence is just punishment for such violent victimization of an innocent citizen. Gun Crime is Max Time."
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In 2017, PSN was reinvigorated as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The case was investigated by the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force, which includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office; the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Memphis Police Department; and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, who have all joined together to address gun-related crimes through targeted investigations and aggressive prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marques Young prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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American Citizen who became an ISIS Sniper and Trained Other ISIS Members in the Use of Weapons Charged with Providing Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in the Eastern District of New York charging Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Kazakhstan with providing and attempting to provide material support, including training, services and personnel, to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. Asainov was detained overseas by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and recently transferred into FBI custody. Asainov’s initial appearance is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold at the United States Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York.
The charges were announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director Mike McGarrity for the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division, Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. of the FBI’s New York Field Office FBI and Commissioner James P. O’Neill of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
As alleged in the complaint and other court filings, the defendant resided in Brooklyn, New York. In December 2013, the defendant traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, which is a common transit point to obtain entry into Syria. He subsequently entered Syria, joined ISIS, and became a sniper for the terrorist organization. Over time, the defendant rose through the ranks to become an ISIS “emir” in charge of training other ISIS members in the use of weapons. He also attempted to recruit another individual to travel from the United States to Syria to fight for ISIS.
In March 2015, Asainov asked a confidential informant to send him approximately $2,800 so that he could purchase a scope for his rifle. Asainov subsequently sent the confidential informant two photographs depicting the defendant holding an assault rifle fitted with a scope. He messaged one associate exclaiming, in reference to ISIS, “we are the worst terrorist organization in the world that has ever existed” and stating that he wished to die on the battlefield.
“The United States is committed to holding accountable those who have left this country in order to fight for ISIS,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “As alleged in the court filings, Asainov traveled overseas, joined ISIS, and became a fighter and a sniper for the terrorist organization. He was ultimately detained overseas, turned over to the FBI, and will now face justice in an American courtroom. We hope countries around the world, including our European allies and partners, will likewise repatriate and prosecute their own citizens for traveling to support ISIS.”
“The defendant, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Brooklyn, turned his back on the country that took him in and joined ISIS, serving its violent ends in Syria and attempting to recruit others to its cause,” stated U.S. Attorney Donoghue. “Our counterterrorism prosecutors and law enforcement partners will continue working relentlessly to hold accountable those like the defendant who have supported ISIS’s violent agenda.”
“As this case shows, the FBI remains committed to doing our part to ensure that justice is served to those who travel, or attempt to travel, to join and fight with ISIS” said Assistant Director Mike McGarrity. “Combatting terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority and we will continue working with our U.S. government partners and foreign law enforcement entities around the world to do so.”
“Some go to great lengths to join groups, such as ISIS, to fight on behalf of terrorist ideologies, and to recruit others to travel in support of their misguided principles,” said Assistant Director in Charge Sweeney. “As we allege today, Asainov left this country to do just that. He turned his back on the ideals we value, and he’ll now be made to face our justice system head-on.”
“This arrest serves as a warning to anyone anywhere in the world who intends to support or conduct attacks on behalf of terrorist groups against the United States – you will be brought to justice,” said NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “I would like to thank our investigators and law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in taking Mr. Asainov off the battlefield and placing him into American custody.”
The charges in the complaint are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s. Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas M. Pravda, Saritha Komatireddy, and J. Matthew Haggans are in charge of the prosecution of the Eastern District of New York’s National Security and Cybercrime Section with assistance from Trial Attorney Jacqueline L. Barkett of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division.
American Citizen Who Became ISIS Sniper and Weapons Instructor Charged with Providing Material Support to Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
A criminal complaint was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Ruslan Maratovich Asainov, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Kazakhstan, with providing and attempting to provide material support, including training, services and personnel, to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Asainov was detained overseas by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and transferred into the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Wednesday. Asainov’s initial appearance is scheduled for today before United States Magistrate Judge Steven M. Gold.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Michael McGarrity, Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division, FBI; William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, FBI, New York Field Office; and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges.
As alleged in the complaint and other court filings, the defendant is a naturalized U.S. citizen who resided in Brooklyn. In December 2013, Asainov traveled to Istanbul, Turkey, a common transit point to obtain entry into Syria. He subsequently entered Syria, joined ISIS and became a sniper for the terrorist organization. Over time, Asainov rose through the ranks to become an ISIS “emir” in charge of training other ISIS members in the use of weapons. He also attempted to recruit another individual to travel from the United States to Syria to fight for ISIS.
In March 2015, Asainov asked a confidential informant to send him approximately $2,800 so that he could purchase a scope for his rifle. Asainov subsequently sent the confidential informant two photographs depicting the defendant holding an assault rifle fitted with a scope. He messaged one associate exclaiming, in reference to ISIS, “we are the worst terrorist organization in the world that has ever existed,” and stating that he wished to die on the battlefield.
“The defendant, a naturalized U.S. citizen residing in Brooklyn, turned his back on the country that took him in and joined ISIS, serving its violent ends in Syria and attempting to recruit others to its cause,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Our counterterrorism prosecutors and law enforcement partners will continue working relentlessly to hold accountable those like the defendant who have supported ISIS’s violent agenda.”
“The United States is committed to holding accountable those who have left this country in order to fight for ISIS,” stated Assistant Attorney General Demers. “As alleged in the court filings, Asainov traveled overseas, joined ISIS, and became a fighter and a sniper for the terrorist organization. He was ultimately detained overseas, turned over to the FBI, and will now face justice in an American courtroom. We hope countries around the world, including our European allies and partners, will likewise repatriate and prosecute their own citizens for traveling to support ISIS.”
“As this case shows, the FBI remains committed to doing our part to ensure that justice is served to those who travel, or attempt to travel, to join and fight with ISIS” stated FBI Assistant Director McGarrity. “Combatting terrorism remains the FBI’s top priority and we will continue working with our U.S. government partners and foreign law enforcement entities around the world to do so.”
“Some go to great lengths to join groups, such as ISIS, to fight on behalf of terrorist ideologies, and to recruit others to travel in support of their misguided principles. As we allege today, Asainov left this country to do just that. He turned his back on the ideals we value, and he’ll now be made to face our justice system head-on,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
“This arrest serves as a warning to anyone anywhere in the world who intends to support or conduct attacks on behalf of terrorist groups against the United States – you will be brought to justice. I would like to thank our investigators and law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in taking Mr. Asainov off the battlefield and placing him into American custody,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas M. Pravda, Saritha Komatireddy and J. Matthew Haggans are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance provided by Trial Attorney Jacqueline L. Barkett of the Counterterrorism Section of the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.
The Defendant:
RUSLAN MARATOVICH ASAINOV
Age: 42
Syria and Bay Ridge, BrooklynE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-MJ-606
20-Year Sentence for Granite City Man Who Downloaded Child Pornography, Destroyed EvidenceRead the Press Release
David C. Hogue, 32, of Granite City, Illinois, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for receiving child pornography and destroying evidence of his crimes, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today. Chief United States District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel handed down the 240-month sentence, which includes a 10-year term of supervised release. Hogue pleaded guilty to a three-count superseding indictment late last year.
Hogue was initially charged in February 2017 with one count of receiving child pornography after an FBI investigation traced an IP address that was sharing child pornography over the internet back to Hogue’s house. Hogue was released on pretrial supervision with a number of conditions, including the remote monitoring of his internet activity by the U.S. Probation Office. Within two months of his release, the Probation Office observed Hogue downloading and viewing more child pornography videos, and Hogue was rearrested.
A federal search warrant was issued for Hogue’s computer, and a forensic search showed that Hogue was regularly running software programs that erased his hard drive contents, in an attempt to cover up his child pornography downloads. When questioned about specific images and videos he had downloaded and viewed while on bond, Hogue responded, “How could you see that? I deleted all of those files.” Hogue’s bond was revoked and a superseding indictment was filed that added a second count of receiving child pornography and also charged Hogue with obstruction of justice, for destroying evidence while under investigation.
During Hogue’s sentencing hearing, the FBI testified that the computer wiping programs Hogue used were uncommonly sophisticated. The court also heard evidence about certain admissions Hogue made after his arrest – that he had once briefly fondled an 11 year old girl and that he had entertained sexual fantasies involving a young female relative. In imposing sentence, Judge Rosenstengel explained that the 20-year prison term was needed to protect the public, noting that Hogue presented a high risk of reoffending and that she had serious concerns about what might happen if Hogue was ever allowed to be near a child unsupervised.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hoell prosecuted the case.
18 July 2019
“Deadliest Catch” Cast Member Sentenced to 51 Months Imprisonment for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Jason King, 43, has been sentenced to 51 months imprisonment on federal charges for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
The sentencing in this case involved King, a former employee and cast member of the TV series, the "Deadliest Catch," for his possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. King received a sentencing enhancement for also being in possession of over 14 pounds of marijuana. "Deadliest Catch" is a Discovery Channel documentary series chronicling the real-life high-sea adventures of the Alaskan crab fishermen in what is described as the deadliest profession in the world. King appeared as himself as a deckhand on the Cornelia Marie fishing vessel, and is known on the show as Jason "Tennessee" King.
According to information presented in court, on April 20, 2017, officers with the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the 15th Judicial District Drug Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives (ATF) executed a search warrant and felony arrest warrant at the residence of Jason King in Counce, Tennessee. Found during the search were multiple bags of marijuana totaling over 14 pounds hidden under the residence. Also recovered was a fully loaded Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver in the kitchen drawer. Because King had an extensive prior criminal history, he was sentenced to the maximum sentence within the guideline range for these offenses.
On July 16, 2019, United States District Court Chief Judge Thomas Anderson sentenced King to 51 months in federal prison followed by 3 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms in connection with illegal drugs are inherently dangerous individuals. Our outstanding federal, state, and local law enforcement partners were able to catch this outlaw, and his prior criminal record finally caught up with him. This conviction and sentence will remove a repeat offender from the community, and will protect public safety in West Tennessee.
ATF Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson stated, "Reducing the potential for violent crime in this case was critical due to ATF partnering with our local, state and federal partners".
This case was investigated by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, the 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the 15th Judicial District Drug Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and ID Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman pleaded guilty today to charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft stemming from her scheme to steal personal checks from residential mailboxes in Richmond.
According to court documents, Katina Everett, 45, executed a mail theft and bank fraud scheme over approximately a three-month period in late 2018 and early 2019. During that time period, Everett traveled throughout Richmond’s Fan neighborhood, stealing mail from residents’ mailboxes. Everett was looking for personal checks, which she would then alter to reflect her name, or that of an individual acting at Everett’s direction as the payee, as well as an often significantly higher payment amount. Prior to this federal conviction, Everett had already been convicted of more than 20 other felonies, including more than a dozen larceny and fraud convictions.
Everett pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, and faces a mandatory sentence of two years on the aggravated identity theft conviction, and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the bank fraud conviction, when sentenced on October 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett 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. 3:19-cr-81.
Willie Somerville Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus 10 Years; Four Other Tipton County Men Sentenced for Roles in 2017 Home Invasion Robbery and Murder of Timothy Edwards in Covington, TNRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Today, three Tipton County men were sentenced for their roles in a 2017 home invasion murder in Covington, TN, and two others pled guilty for their roles in the attempted robbery resulting in death. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentences today.
According to information presented in court, on January 19, 2017, Willie Somerville, 21, Armoni Hall, 21, Eddie Poindexter, 21, Christian Sherrill, 24, and Darrell Owens, 32, participated in the robbery of Timothy Edwards at his home located at 1229 Douglas Street in Covington, Tennessee. They planned to rob him of drugs and drug proceeds. Somerville was armed with a 9 mm pistol and Hall with a twelve-gauge shotgun. Somerville, Hall, and Poindexter went to Edwards’ residence and kicked in the door, while Sherrill and Owens waited nearby in a getaway car. As Hall entered Edwards’ residence, Edwards grabbed him and they struggled over the shotgun. Somerville opened fire with the pistol, killing Edwards and seriously injuring Hall. Edwards’ wife was in the back of the house and called 911. By the time police arrived a few minutes later, Edwards was already dead. Hall was found lying in the street a block away with gunshot injuries.
On December 19, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted the five men for robbery affecting interstate commerce; possession, use and discharge of firearms during a crime of violence; and use of a firearm to cause the death of Timothy Edwards. On March 5, 2019, after a week-long trial, the jury convicted Somerville of all counts, and Poindexter and Sherrill were convicted of the robbery and use of the firearm during the robbery. Hall previously pled guilty to all counts. On April 2, 2019, Hall was sentenced to 190 months along with 3 years supervised release. Owens previously pled guilty to the robbery and firearms offenses. On March 27, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Owens to 96 months followed by 3 years supervised release.
At sentencing, the Court determined that all five defendants had prior adult criminal convictions and/or juvenile delinquent histories. Further, the Court found that Somerville was a member and leader in the Kitchen Crips street gang, and that Hall, Poindexter, and Owens were also members of the Kitchen Crips gang in Covington. During the sentencing hearing for Somerville, Timothy Edwards’ wife, Katrice Edwards made a statement to the Court, calling Somerville an "evil monster" who had no remorse for what he had done, and that Somerville is a "natural born killer" who changed her life forever, and who needs to spend the rest of his life behind bars. The Court also found that after his arrest and trial, Somerville continued to threaten and intimidate cooperating witnesses who gave information and testimony against him.
On July 18, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Somerville to life imprisonment plus ten years; Poindexter was sentenced to 330 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release; and Sherrill was sentenced to 330 months imprisonment and 4 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Willie Somerville and his fellow Kitchen Crips gang members have terrorized Covington and Tipton County for years with their brazen violence, robbery crews, trigger-pullers, and general lawlessness. The violent nature of these offenders’ criminal acts underscores the serious threat that this group posed to the community as a whole. Somerville sowed the destructive winds of gang violence, and he shall now reap the whirlwind of a life sentence. The 4 other members of his crew had no regard for human life and no respect for the law, and will now be removed from the Covington community for decades. We commend the outstanding investigative work by our law enforcement partners, and we are pleased that justice has been achieved for the Edwards family."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Covington Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pritchard and Elizabeth Rogers prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Wausau Doctor Pleads Guilty to Diverting FentanylRead the Press Release
Madison, Wis. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Thomas Strick, 60, Wausau, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Madison to five counts of obtaining fentanyl by use of misrepresentation and fraud. Strick faces a maximum penalty of four years in prison. District Judge William Conley scheduled sentencing for October 9, 2019 at 1:00 p.m.
During the time frame of the government’s investigation, Strick was employed as a family practice physician for Aspirus Health Care in Wausau. In this capacity, Strick worked at Aspirus Wausau Hospital and the Aspirus Wausau Family Clinic. The government’s investigation revealed that Strick regularly prescribed fentanyl patches to patients without a medical need. Strick instructed the patients to fill the prescriptions and return the fentanyl patches to him for personal use. The investigation into Strick’s patients’ records revealed over 100 suspected diversions of fentanyl patches between 2011 and 2018.
“The U.S. Department of Justice continues to make prosecution of those who divert or distribute lethally addictive substances such as fentanyl a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Blader. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold these individuals accountable, especially medical practitioners who violate their oaths.”
“Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the value of local and federal law enforcement working alongside prosecutors to hold rogue practitioners accountable for their actions. Every day the men and women of DEA work to improve public health and safety and bring to justice those responsible for the illicit trade and diversion of DEA controlled substances,” remarked Drug Enforcement Administration Associate Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Bell.
The charges against Strick are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Wausau Police Department. The prosecution of this case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron D. Wegner.
Waterbury Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GLENN JAMISON, 37, of Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 25 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents and statement made in court, on January 10, 2018, Jamison possessed a loaded 9mm Ruger LC9 handgun in Waterbury. At the time, he was on state probation and had two outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Jamison’s criminal history includes numerous felony convictions. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Jamison has been detained in state custody since his arrest on January 10, 2018. On April 24, 2019, he pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Jamison will not receive federal credit for approximately 16 months he served in state custody since his arrest.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Waterbury Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha Freismuth.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Wanblee Man Sentenced for Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Benjamin Sitting Up, Jr., age 33, was sentenced on July 16, 2019, to 3 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sitting Up was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2018. The charge related to Sitting Up electronically sending the minor victim multiple obscene images of adults engaging in sexual acts through Facebook Messenger. Sitting Up also repeatedly propositioned the minor to engage in sexual acts through messages.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Sitting Up was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Vicksburg Felon Sentenced to Almost 6 Years in Federal Prison for International Gun Trafficking Conspiracy and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Maurice Taylor, 33, of Vicksburg, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Tom S. Lee to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to violate the Arms Export Control Act and being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Kirk Thielhorn, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. Taylor was also ordered to pay a $2,500 fine.
Maurice Taylor carried out a scheme in which he shipped stolen firearms from Mississippi to a co-conspirator in London, England. He prepared two separate packages containing stolen firearms concealed within children’s toys, and mailed the packages to London, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act. DNA evidence confirmed that Taylor, who is a convicted felon, was one of the people who handled the firearms. The firearms had been stolen days earlier during a burglary of a pawn shop in Natchez, Mississippi. Taylor texted with his co-conspirator messages and photographs of the guns he would mail, and received back from London confirmation numbers for wired payments for the guns, through a mobile phone application. After the London Metropolitan Police arrested Taylor’s partner, the LMP seized his phone and several firearms from his car. Evidence of the communications and the electronic payments were retrieved from the co-conspirator’s phone.
Taylor pled guilty before Judge Lee on March 28, 2019 to conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has prior felony convictions for burglary and grand larceny in Sharkey County, Mississippi.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the London Metropolitan Police Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Theodore M. Cooperstein and Charles W. Kirkham.
Vacaville Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possessing Methamphetamine for DistributionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Christian Henry Dorsch Jr., 50, of Vacaville, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to seven years in prison for possessing methamphetamine for distribution, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Dorsch pleaded guilty on January 10, 2019. According to court documents, on September 6, 2018, police stopped Dorsch while he was driving in Fairfield. A search warrant allowed them to search Dorsch, his cars, and his home in Vacaville for evidence of drug-trafficking and firearms. When the officers searched Dorsch’s car, they found approximately one-half pound of methamphetamine in the center console. Later, during an interview, Dorsch said that he intended to sell the narcotics.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Vacaville Police Department, with special assistance from the FBI’s Solano County Violent Crimes Task Force and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office.
Ute Mountain Ute Man Found Guilty of RapeRead the Press Release
DURANGO – Wambli Mills, age 23, of Towaoc, Colorado, was found guilty today of federal sexual assault charges following a four-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. Mills appeared at trial in custody and was remanded at the trial’s conclusion.
Mills was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 11, 2018, for one count of Sexual Abuse of an Incapable Victim and one count of Aggravated Sexual Abuse within the exterior boundaries of the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation, in Towaoc, Colorado. According to court documents, as well as facts presented during trial, Mills used physical force to sexually assault an intoxicated friend at a relative’s house. The victim escaped and made an immediate report to the police. Law enforcement located Mills hiding in a nearby field with the victim’s leggings wrapped around his neck and the victim’s underwear on his person. DNA testing conducted by the FBI showed the victim’s DNA on the interior of Mills’ underwear.
Mills will be sentenced by Judge Blackburn on October 7, 2019, in Durango, Colorado. Mills faces up to life in prison. He has also been indicted in a separate case for Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer related to an incident from April 8, 2018. That case is pending.
“Sexual violence on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Our office is committed to prosecuting anyone who commits sexual assault within Indian Country. Wambli Mills thought he could get away with a brutal assault. He was wrong.”
This case was investigated by Bureau of Indian Affairs with support from the FBI. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Graves, R. Josh Player, and Peter McNeilly.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Partners with AARP and FBI to Promote DOJ’s Elder Justice InitiativeRead the Press Release
RALEIGH –The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina partnered with the FBI and AARP to promote the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Iniative by conducting outreach and educating older adults about the latest scams so they do not fall victim. Approximately 2,500 seniors in the Eastern District dialed-in to an interactive telephone town hall to learn about the latest financial scams affecting seniors.
The Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Iniative aims to combat the financial exploitation of our senior citizens by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid getting ripped off by scammers; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners.
According to statistics collected by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center victims lost $2.71 billion dollars to fraud in 2018, and victims over the age of 60 lost $649,227.724.
Some examples of financial fraud targeting seniors dicussed during the telephone townhall were:
- Affinity Fraud – in which the scammer pretends to have some connection to the senior or a basis for establishing trust, such as being a member of the same cultural, racial, ethnic, or religious community.
- Prize Scam – also known as “lottery scam” in which the scammer claims you won a prize or lottery money but you have to pay a “processing fee” or taxes before you can claim the prize.
- Grandparent Scam – where the scammer convinces seniors that their grandchild is in trouble and needs money to pay rent, bills, unexpected car repairs, or even money for bail.
- Tech Support Scam – in which seniors may be surfing the internet and a pop-up appears claiming the computer is infected with a virus and is designed to get access to your computer.
- Romance Scam – which scammers start an online romatic relationship and lull victims into believing they need funds for a visit to the U.S. or some other purpose.
Some tips shared with the participants on how to avoid falling victim to a financial scam were:
- Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
• Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
• Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
• Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
• Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank account information to a stranger.
• Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
• If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
• Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
• Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
• A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.
Robert J. Higdon, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, notes “the elderly are some of the most vurnerable people in our society and we are committed to arming them with the proper knowledge to recognize the signs of financial fraud schemes so they will not become a victim. This is a priority of the Department of Justice and of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.”
For more information about DOJ’s efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, please visit the Elder Justice Website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. You can also contact the Victim Connect Hotline between 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, at: 1- 855-4VICTIM (1-855-4842846), or contact the Elder Justice Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina at (919) 856-4530.
U.S. Attorney, Federal Law Enforcement to Announce Charges Against Wholesale Pharmaceutical Company & Its ExecutivesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged a pharmaceutical distributor, two of its former officials and two pharmacists with conspiring to distribute millions of painkiller pills in an indictment returned here yesterday. Defendants were arrested by federal agents this morning.
The briefing will be held:
TODAY: THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2019
WHEN: 2:30 P.M.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office
Library
221 E. 4th Street, Fourth Floor
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
WHO: U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman
Kathy Federico, Diversion Program Manager, DEA
Mauricio Jimenez, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, DEA
Verne Waldow, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, HHS-OIG
Room available beginning at 2:15 P.M. No TV lighting will be available. ID will be required for entrance at Security on the fourth floor.
# # #
U.S. Attorney Announces Arrest and Money Laundering Charges Against Dark Web Narcotics TraffickerRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Angel M. Melendez, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced the arrest and unsealing of a complaint charging HUGH BRIAN HANEY with money laundering, derived from the proceeds of his narcotics trafficking on the Dark Web site known as “Silk Road,” where illegal drugs and other illicit goods and services were regularly bought and sold by the site’s vendors and customers. HANEY was arrested this morning near Columbus, Ohio, and was presented before a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Ohio.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Working side by side with our law enforcement partners, our Office has shut down Silk Road, the secret online marketplace for illegal drugs, hacking services, and a whole host of other criminal activity. As alleged, Hugh Haney used Silk Road as a means to sell drugs to people all over the world. Then he allegedly laundered his profits – more than $19 million – through cryptocurrency. Today’s arrest should be a warning to dealers peddling their drugs on the dark web that they cannot remain anonymous forever, especially when attempting to legitimize their illicit proceeds.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “In 2013, Silk Road was put out of business, and as a result of that, cyber criminals sought ways to continue their criminal activities and more importantly launder their illicit digital currency. Haney was allegedly one of those criminals who was still holding on to a stash of cyber gold. HSI special agents employed blockchain analytics to uncover and seize bitcoins valued at $19 million and usher Haney out of the dark web shadows to face justice in the Southern District of New York.”
As alleged in the Complaint to be unsealed today[1]:
Silk Road was designed to be an online criminal marketplace outside the reach of law enforcement or governmental regulation. All transactions on Silk Road could be completed only through use of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. During its two-and-a-half years in operation, Silk Road was used by several thousand drug dealers and other unlawful vendors to distribute hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs and other illicit goods and services to more than 100,000 buyers, and to launder hundreds of millions of dollars derived from these unlawful transactions. All told, the site generated sales revenue totaling more than approximately 9.5 million Bitcoins.
One prominent narcotics vendor on Silk Road was called “Pharmville.” The operators of Pharmville supplied a dedicated community of individuals who often traded illicit narcotics. Agents and officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration made multiple controlled purchases of narcotics, including oxycontin, from Pharmville in 2011 and 2012. Pursuant to a judicially authorized search of HANEY’s house in Ohio in 2018, agents with HSI found evidence that HANEY was a high-ranking member or administrator of Pharmville, involved in large-scale narcotics trafficking on Silk Road.
Because Silk Road’s payment system essentially involved a Bitcoin “bank” internal to the site, every user had to hold an account in order to conduct transactions on the site. Vendors seeking to sell items, including narcotics, on Silk Road each had a Silk Road Bitcoin address, or multiple addresses, associated with the user’s Silk Road account. Once a transaction was complete, a vendor who had been paid by another user through the transfer of the user’s Bitcoins could then withdraw Bitcoins from the vendor’s Silk Road Bitcoin address by sending them to a different Bitcoin address, outside Silk Road, such as the Bitcoin addresses the vendor personally controlled.
In 2017 and 2018, HANEY transferred Bitcoins representing narcotics proceeds he had earned through his control of Pharmville from Silk Road to an account held at a company involved in the exchange of Bitcoins and other digital currency (“Company-1”). In correspondence with Company-1, HANEY claimed falsely that the source of these Bitcoins was his own “mining” of Bitcoins – which is the process by which new Bitcoins are created cryptographically – and from “individuals [he] met online,” while in truth and in fact, the Bitcoins were derived from transfers from Silk Road. After HANEY transferred the Bitcoins to cash worth more than $19 million through Company-1, HSI seized the money pursuant to a judicially authorized seizure warrant from a custodial account at a bank (“Bank-1”) that was located in the Southern District of New York.
* * *
HANEY, 60, of Columbus, Ohio, is charged with one count of concealment money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of engaging in a financial transaction in criminally derived property, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Samuel L. Raymond and Tara M. La Morte are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
_____________________
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Two from Northeast Ohio indicted on firearms chargesRead the Press Release
Two people from Northeast Ohio were indicted on firearms charges.
Demann Wilson, 30, of Elyria, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
Wilson possessed fentanyl and an American Arms 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition on July 11. Wilson was prohibited from having the firearm because of previous convictions for drug trafficking, according to the indictment.
Cortezes Diming, 49, of Cleveland, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Diming possessed a loaded RG Industries .22-caliber pistol on March 13, despite previous convictions for felonious assault, attempted felonious assault, burglary and other crimes, according to the indictment.
The Wilson case was investigated by the FBI and Elyria Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Kolansky. The Diming case was investigated by the ATF and the Cleveland Division of Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Kane.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal records, if any, the defendants’ 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.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry Charges, False Representation of Social Security Number, and Document FraudRead 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 Greenville has returned indictments charging JORGE ALBERTO NATIVI, age 29, of Guatemala, with illegal reentry of a deported alien.
Additionally, the grand jury returned an indictment charging SEBASTIAN CORONEL-LEON, age 29, of Mexico, with illegal reentry of a deported alien, false representation of social security number and document fraud.
If convicted of illegal reentry of a deported alien, NATIVI, previously deported and found in Granville County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
CORONEL-LEON, previously deported twice and found in Wake County, if convicted, would face a maximum imprisonment term of 17 years, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.
Tucson Man Convicted of Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Christopher James Preston, 52, of Tucson, Arizona, was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child by a federal jury in Tucson. The case was tried before U.S. District Judge James A. Soto on July 10-16, 2019. The defendant is being held in custody pending sentencing, which is currently set before Judge Soto on September 26, 2019.
The evidence at trial showed that in the summer of 1998, Preston sexually abused the 10-year-old victim at Preston’s home in Tucson, in the San Xavier District of the Tohono O’odham Nation. At the time, Preston was the victim’s coach in the Thornydale Little League. Preston is a member of the Tohono O’odham Nation.
A conviction for aggravated sexual abuse of a child carries a maximum penalty of lifetime incarceration.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Tohono O’odham Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Matthew C. Cassell and Rui Wang, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.