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17 July 2019
Wilkinsburg Felon Charged with Federal Drug and Gun Law ViolationsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment named Jerome Solomon, 39, formerly of Wilkinsburg, PA.
According to the Indictment, on or about February 19, 2019, Solomon possessed with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. On the same date, Solomon is also charged with possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, and possession of that firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Federal law prohibits a felon from possessing a firearm.
The law provides for a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne M. Saadi is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania Fugitive Task Force, the Wilkinsburg Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
West Haven Man Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison for Distributing CrackRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RASHAAN WOOLFOLK, also known as “Booka,” 27, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a New Haven drug trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2017, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force initiated an investigation into a New Haven drug trafficking organization. The investigation, which included physical surveillance, 13 controlled purchases of narcotics, and court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, revealed that Woolfolk and other members of the organization were distributing crack cocaine and oxycodone in the New Haven area.
Woolfolk and several other members of the organization were arrested on federal criminal complaints on February 6, 2018. On February 8, 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 30-count indictment charging Woolfolk and 18 other individuals with various offenses.
Woolfolk has been detained since his arrest. On March 18, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, cocaine base (“crack”).
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, which includes members from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, West Haven Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and David C. Nelson.
Washington, DC Drug Dealers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Jamila Kibibi Hargrove, a/k/a Ms. Bossy, age 42; and Lonnell Staton, a/k/a Papi Chulo, age 38, both of Washington, D.C., to five years and eleven years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a cocaine distribution conspiracy. Hargrove and Staton each pleaded guilty in September 2018 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
The sentences, which were imposed yesterday, were 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; Special Agent in Charge Jesse Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Field Office; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and St. Mary’s County Sheriff Timothy K. Cameron.
According to their plea agreements, Staton and Hargrove conspired with James Ronnell Davis and others to distribute at least three kilograms of cocaine. Specifically, Staton and Hargrove purchased cocaine from Davis, who used his business, Shades, Suds and Sounds LLC (SS&S), as a front to distribute cocaine.
Staton, Hargrove, and Davis used disposable, prepaid cellular telephones, commonly referred to as “burner phones,” and frequently switched phones in an effort to thwart law enforcement. Hargrove purchased and provided the burner phones to Staton and Davis in furtherance of the drug conspiracy.
During several phone calls that were intercepted by law enforcement, Davis, Staton, and Hargrove made arrangements to meet in order for Staton and Hargrove to purchase drugs. Those purchases were made at SS&S as well as at other locations including in Temple Hills, Maryland.
Search warrants executed at Hargrove’s residence, an apartment used by the couple, and vehicles driven by Staton and Hargrove resulted in the seizure of numerous cellular telephones, over $8,200 in cash, and three identically packaged bricks found in a backpack, with each brick containing approximately one kilogram of cocaine, as well as packaging material which had Staton’s fingerprints on it, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia.
On November 7, 2018, a federal jury convicted James Ronnell Davis, a/k/a Twin, Slim and Slick, age 41, of Springfield, Virginia, for a cocaine distribution conspiracy, two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Hazel has not set a date for Davis’ sentencing.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the DEA, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Dick, who is prosecuting the case.
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Unlicensed Pharmacy Technician Sentenced for Working at New England Compounding CenterRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New England Compounding Center (NECC) employee was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with working as an unlicensed pharmacy technician at the compounding pharmacy in Framingham.
Scott M. Connolly, 47, of East Greenwich, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 24 months of probation. In August 2018, Connolly pleaded guilty to 10 counts of mail fraud. In December 2014, Connolly was indicted along with 13 others in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak originating from NECC. Connolly cooperated with the government and testified during co-defendants’ trials.
Connolly was a licensed pharmacy technician from September 2007 to January 2009, when he voluntarily surrendered his license in connection with a disciplinary action against him. Under Massachusetts regulations, pharmacy technicians filling drug orders are required to be licensed. Nevertheless, Connolly was hired at NECC and worked as a pharmacy technician from 2010 through October 2012. Connolly was assigned to Clean Room 2 making cardioplegia solutions that are used to stop patients’ hearts during heart surgeries. For more than two years, Connolly produced thousands of cardioplegia solutions that were sent to customers throughout the country. Connolly’s unlicensed status was known to his supervising pharmacists, Barry Cadden, Glenn Chin, and Gene Svirskiy.
To mask his presence from regulators, Connolly used Cadden’s username and password to log into the computerized pump so that his name would not appear on any paperwork generated when he filled the cardioplegia orders. He also did not perform any of the required validation tests other pharmacy technicians were required to do. Connolly’s employment file falsely listed him as a warehouse employee.
The NECC criminal case arose from the nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis that was traced back to contaminated vials of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. The outbreak was the largest public health crisis caused by a pharmaceutical product.
In March 2017, Cadden was convicted by a federal jury of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with the intent to defraud and mislead. He was sentenced in June 2017 to 108 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2017, Chin was convicted of the same charges and sentenced in January 2018 to eight years in prison and two years of supervised release. In December 2018, Svirskiy was convicted of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, 10 counts of mail fraud, and two counts of introduction of adulterated drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead. He was sentenced in May 2019 to 30 months in prison and one year of supervised release.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; FDA Acting Commissioner Norman E. Sharpless, M.D.; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; Sean Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda P.M. Strachan, Chief of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney George P. Varghese of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Twenty Baltimore Men Charged for a Federal Drug Conspiracy Allegedly Distributing Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Marijuana in Northwest BaltimoreRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted 19 Baltimore men on federal charges related to an alleged drug distribution conspiracy operating in Northwest Baltimore near the intersection of Liberty Heights Avenue and Garrison Boulevard. The indictment was returned on June 27, 2019, and was unsealed today upon the execution of search warrants and the arrests of the defendants. The following defendants, all from Baltimore, are charged in the indictment:
Brandon Crawford, a/k/a Goat, age 38; Robert Anderson, a/k/a Rock, age 46; Daryl Burke, age 23; Linwood Davis, age 23; Marcus Hall, a/k/a Pill, age 18; Lewis Hayward, a/k/a Junebug, age 59; Antonio Johnson, a/k/a Sosa and Tony, age 26; Christopher Jones, age 24; Robert Jones, age 37; Moses Lewis, a/k/a Moe, age 35; Ronald McCormick, a/k/a Sleezy, age 36; Donald McNeill, age 35; Michael Mercer, age 32; James Murray, a/k/a Crazy James, age 21; Jermaine Porter, a/k/a Pistol, age 27; Ivan Potts, a/k/a Spottie, age 33; Sean Weston, age 52; Donte White, age 30; and
Michael Williams, a/k/a Mega, age 28.Another defendant, also named Michael Williams, age 28, of Baltimore was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint.
The federal charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Armed drug traffickers are on notice that federal, state and local law enforcement are working together to target leaders and key members of violent gangs operating in Baltimore City,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will not tolerate those who peddle death through drugs and gun violence in our neighborhoods. Gun crime can lead to federal time, where there is no parole—ever. Please put down the gun. You’ll save a life, maybe even your own.”
According to the indictment and court documents, beginning no later than 2018 and continuing through the filing of the indictment, the defendants allegedly operated a drug distribution operation in Northwest Baltimore, distributing heroin, crack and powder cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana in the area of Liberty Heights Avenue and Garrison Boulevard. The indictment further alleges that several of the defendants illegally possessed firearms in relation to drug trafficking. Before the indictment was returned, more than a dozen guns were seized from these defendants during the investigation.
Although not alleged in the indictment, the affidavit filed in support of the search warrants executed today alleges that the defendants are part of an organization called LNG. According to the affidavit, LNG is comprised of two allied groups who work together: the Yellow Bus Gang (YBG) Crips and the Black Guerilla Family (BGF). The affidavit alleges that LNG members participate in violent acts, including a gunfight on January 19, 2019, that occurred at approximately 11 a.m.
Fifteen of the 20 defendants have been arrested and law enforcement executed search warrants at 14 locations today, seizing electronic devices, guns, drugs, drug paraphernalia, drug packaging materials, and cash. Law enforcement is still searching for Antonio Johnson, Ivan Potts, Daryl Burke, Robert Anderson, and Christopher Jones.
If convicted, all of the defendants except C. Jones face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for the drug conspiracy. C. Jones faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison for the drug conspiracy. McNeill and Mercer each face a maximum of 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin, respectively, and R. Jones faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. For illegal possession of a firearm by a prohibited person Porter, White, Davis, C. Jones, and Mercer each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; McNeill and Lewis face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison; and R. Jones faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. Lewis and McNeill each face a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison for possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime, while Mercer and R. Jones face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison for the same charge. Finally, Sean Weston faces a maximum of three years in prison for selling drug paraphernalia
The defendants began having initial appearances today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Hall, Davis, McNeill, and Porter have been detained pending detention hearings which are scheduled to begin tomorrow.
An indictment or criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment or criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation, and recognized the U.S. Marshals Service, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, the IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Enforcement and Removal Operations for their assistance with today’s arrests and search warrants. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew DellaBetta and James T. Wallner, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Three Members of Almighty Vice Lords Nation Gang IndictedRead the Press Release
Three members of the Almighty Vice Lords Nation (AVLN) gang were indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances such as marijuana, heroin, cocaine, and suboxone; and use of a communication facility to commit the drug conspiracy offense, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. The indictment was unsealed yesterday.
Joining Schneider in the announcement was James M. Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), Michigan State Police (MSP) and Detroit Police Chief James Craig.
"Our office, along with our State and Federal partners, is committed to aggressively prosecuting members of violent street gangs involved in drug trafficking," stated United States Attorney Matthew Schneider. "We are especially committed to stopping the flow of drugs into the Michigan prison system, especially when it is fueled by gang members of the Vice Lords, and this case is just one example of our teamwork."
"The Michigan State Police, Second District will continue to provide resources to multi-agency task forces consisting of Federal and local partners," stated F/Lt. Michael Shaw, Second District Public Information Officer. "It is through these multi-agency task forces that we can continue to make Michigan a safer place for everyone to work, live and play."
Charged were Johnnie Ross Jr., 47, of Redford, Rishard Collins, 31, of Detroit, and Keith Spann, 39, an inmate currently with the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Collins was separately charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of the charged drug conspiracy offense.
As alleged in the indictment, the drug conspiracy involved selling drugs in the Detroit area as well as within the MDOC, by smuggling drugs inside the MDOC to Spann who was serving time for two separate 2016 state convictions involving a cocaine possession offense and a marijuana trafficking offense. The indictment alleges that while inside the MDOC, Spann was caught with the drug suboxone and Spann was later convicted in a Jackson county court for the offense of possession of contraband by an inmate.
The Almighty Vice Lords Nation (AVLN) is divided into sub-groups known as "branches" and "decks," including but not limited to the Unknown Vice Lords (UVL), Conservative Vice Lords, (CVL), Traveling Vice Lords (TVL), Renegade Vice Lords (RVL), Insane Vice Lords (IVL), Mafia Insane Vice Lords (MIVL), Imperial Insane Vice Lords (IIVL), Executioner Insane Vice Lords (EIVL), Cicero Insane Vice Lords (CIVL), and 4 Corner Hustler Vice Lords (4CHVL). The indictment alleges that Ross, Collins, and Spann were members of the Vice Lords.
The federal offense of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances carries a maximum sentence of twenty years. The offense of using a communication facility to commit the drug conspiracy offense carries a maximum sentence of four years. The offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years up to a maximum of life; however, it must be served consecutive to any other offense of conviction.
The investigation was a collaboration between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), Michigan State Police (MSP), Detroit Police Department (DPD) and members of the Comprehensive Violence Reduction Partnership (CVRP).
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and it is the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terrence Haugabook and Blake Hatlem.
Three Indicted, Arraigned on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – Three Rhode Island men were arrested by FBI agents and arraigned today in federal court on a child pornography charge contained in indictments unsealed in U.S. District Court, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
Scott P. Hickey, 40, of Coventry, Robert H. Gillissie, 45, of Warwick, and John A. Amaral, 26, of Providence, were arraigned before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond and released on unsecured bond.
Each is charged with possession and access with intent to view child pornography.
It is alleged that each defendant possessed child pornography accessed through an online bulletin board and web site. The defendants were charged as part of an ongoing FBI investigation.
Possession and access with intent to view child pornography is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment, 3 years to lifetime supervised release, and a special assessment of $5,000.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence P. Donnelly with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.
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Three Florida Residents Sentenced to Years in Prison for Armed Robbery of Sawgrass Mills RestaurantRead the Press Release
Three Florida residents were sentenced today to between eight and ten years in federal prison for their participation in a conspiracy to commit an armed robbery of a Sawgrass Mills restaurant.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Anthony W. Rosa, Chief, Sunrise Police Department, made the announcement.
Zyheem Ian Smith, of Orlando, Gedeon Joseph, of Clermont, and Watverly Mortimer, of West Park, previously pled guilty for their involvement in the December 24, 2018 armed robbery of the Yard House restaurant at the Sawgrass Mills Mall in Sunrise, Florida (Case No. 19-CR-60055-UNGARO). Smith, Joseph and Mortimer pleaded guilty to Counts 1 and 3 of the indictment, which charged the Defendants with Conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951(a) and Brandishing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).
Today, U.S. District Judge Ursula M. Ungaro sentenced Smith to 121 months in prison, and Joseph and Mortimer each to 96 months in prison.
According to court records, including the agreed upon factual proffers, Smith and Joseph entered the Yard House on the morning of December 24, 2018, before the restaurant had opened, through a back door that was opened by Mortimer, a Yard House employee. Smith and Joseph went upstairs to the manager’s office, pointed a Glock 19X handgun at the manager, and grabbed the manager’s cellphone. They threatened to shoot the manager if he did not empty the safe. The manager, who was in fear for his life, placed cash into a bag. Smith and Joseph left the restaurant with approximately $22,000.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigatory efforts of the FBI and the Sunrise Police Department in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Juman.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.govor on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Thompson Man Charged with Kidnapping and Sexually Assaulting Massachusetts GirlRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney John H. Durham, Chief Michael Shaw of the Webster (Mass.) Police Department, Colonel Stavros Mellekas of the Connecticut State Police, FBI Special Agent in Charge Brian C. Turner of the New Haven Division and FBI Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta of the Boston Division announced that JOSHUA BESAW, 35, of Thompson, Connecticut, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with offenses related to the kidnapping and sexual assault of 12-year-old girl.
Besaw appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford and was ordered detained.
As alleged in the complaint, on May 31, 2019, Besaw encountered a 12-year-old girl (“minor victim”) at a park in Webster, Massachusetts, and enticed the minor victim to enter his vehicle. Besaw, who identified himself as “Chuck,” then drove the minor victim to a wooded area in Thompson, Connecticut, where he sexually assaulted her. After the assault, Besaw drove the minor victim to Dudley, Massachusetts, where he released the minor victim in a neighborhood that was unfamiliar to her. The minor victim then borrowed a phone from a stranger to contact her parents who picked her up and brought her to the police station to report the incident. Later that day, a sexual assault examination of the victim was conducted at a medical facility.
It is alleged that Besaw was identified as a suspect after an extensive investigation led by Webster Police with support from the Connecticut State Police, which included analysis of surveillance video collected from numerous residences and businesses in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
On July 10, 2019, investigators conducting surveillance of Besaw collected cigarette butts that Besaw had discarded. It is alleged that DNA evidence collected from the discarded cigarette butts matched DNA evidence collected from the minor victim on May 31, 2019.
The complaint charges Besaw with kidnapping, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and with transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that a criminal complaint is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Webster Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Tangipahoa Parish Man Sentenced on Federal Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on June 26, 2019, JAMES JACKSON, age 35, a resident of Hammond, Louisiana, was sentenced to serve 73 months in federal prison on gun and drug charges. JACKSON pled guilty back on December 6, 2018 to distribution of cocaine base (“crack”) and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
JACKSON was arrested by members of the DEA Task Force and Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Deputies after law enforcement officials made controlled purchases of cocaine and heroin from JACKSON and his co-defendant, Jerry Pea. Law enforcement also conducted a search warrant at two residences, one on Becky Lane and one on Louis Lane, where they also recovered drugs and a firearm that were connected to these two defendants. Both men were indicted in federal court with this charges under case number 18-150 “I”.
Co-defendant Pea is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2019. Pea faces a sentence of five to forty years on the drug counts and a consecutive five years on the firearm charges to which he has pled guilty.
“As sheriff of Tangipahoa Parish, I am proud to partner with the local DEA Office and its agents to target drug dealers ruining the lives of people in our Parish. This is just one example of how combining our efforts with DEA and other local partners, such as Hammond Police Department, can help take drug dealers off our streets”, said Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff Daniel Edwards.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work by the Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.) and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu is in charge of the prosecution.
Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Marcus Sales, 29, of Syracuse, New York, pled guilty yesterday to a federal cocaine distribution conspiracy, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Ray Donovan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Field Division, and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Sales admitted his involvement in a conspiracy to traffic more than 500 grams of cocaine over a period of several months. Sales further admitted that as part of the conspiracy he personally redistributed cocaine to others.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2019 in Syracuse, New York before Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick J. Scullin, Jr. At sentencing, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum of five years, and a maximum of forty years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least four years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The defendant agreed in his plea agreement to forfeit to the United States the proceeds of his illegal activity.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the New York State Police, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office, and the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas Commandeur.
St. Petersburg Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Antonio Morrow (42, St. Petersburg) to eight years and five months in federal prison, for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base, and hydromorphone, and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Morrow had pleaded guilty on May 1, 2019.
According to court documents, on December 1, 2018, officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department initiated a traffic stop of Morrow’s car, after witnessing him fail to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. The officers noticed the smell of marijuana as they approached Morrow’s car. When the officers removed Morrow from his car and collected his identification card to run a records check, Morrow ran away. He went a short distance before tripping and falling down. As he was falling, Morrow attempted to discard a firearm and a small bag of cocaine. The officers recovered the firearm and cocaine and also recovered $2,726 from Morrow’s person during a pat down search. The officers also found 30 hydromorphone pills and 18 pieces of cocaine base in Morrow’s car.
This case was investigated by the St. Petersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charlie D. Connally.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Second Luzerne County Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years’ Imprisonment for Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Gerald Pambianco, age 30, of Plains Township, was sentenced on July 16, 2019, by United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 161 months’ imprisonment for his role in an armed robbery of a bank in Luzerne County.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Gerald Pambianco previously pleaded guilty to the charges of aiding and abetting an armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, in connection with the robbery of the Luzerne National Bank in Plains Township, Luzerne County, which occurred on May 16, 2018. On that date, Pambianco’s co-defendant, Derek Spaide, age 27, of Hanover Township, entered the bank, pointed a rifle at bank employees, and demanded money. Approximately $8,204 was taken in the robbery. Spaide then entered a vehicle driven by Pambianco, who engaged police in a high-speed chase on Route 81, reaching speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour. Police were able to disable the getaway vehicle on Route 309 in Plains Township, and Pambianco was apprehended behind the wheel of the vehicle. Spaide tried to flee from the vehicle, but was also apprehended by police.
Judge Mannion previously sentenced Spaide to serve 168 months’ imprisonment for his role in the robbery.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Plains Township Police Department, and the Hanover Township Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department 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 enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
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Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 70 Months’ Imprisonment for Directing the Unlawful Purchase of Several FirearmsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on July 16, 2019, United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion sentenced Mark Tullock, age 37, of New Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to 70 months’ imprisonment and a two-year term of supervised release, for orchestrating the unlawful purchase of several firearms.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, on various dates in 2016 and 2017 in Schuylkill County, Tullock directed other individuals to serve as “straw purchasers” for several handgun-style firearms, which Tullock himself was not permitted to purchase or possess based upon his prior criminal record.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffery St John 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.
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Rowan County Drug Dealer Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Concord resident was sentenced on July 16, 2019, in federal court in Greensboro, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
The Honorable Catherine C. Eagles sentenced Eddy Antonio PERALTA, 35, of Concord, North Carolina, to a 165 month term of imprisonment on charges of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. In addition to 165 months imprisonment, PERALTA was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after completing his sentence. PERALTA pleaded guilty in January 2019.
In October 2017, officers with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office received information that a black truck could be located at a garage near Blackwelder Baptist Church, and that the individual driving the truck was in possession of a quantity of methamphetamine. Surveillance was established near the garage, and a black Nissan Frontier truck was observed in the parking lot. A traffic stop was conducted as the vehicle left the parking lot. The officer recognized the driver as PERALTA based upon previous interactions with him, and knew that PERALTA did not have a valid driver’s license. As the officer processed the traffic offense, a second officer arrived and deployed his certified drug detection canine in order to conduct a free air sniff around the exterior of the Nissan Frontier. The canine gave a positive alert for the presence of the odor of narcotics, and a subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery of approximately 80 grams of a substance suspected to be crystal methamphetamine. PERALTA admitted that he had a pound of methamphetamine stored in a vehicle at his residence in Concord. Officers conducted a consent search at PERALTA’s home and located a large quantity of methamphetamine inside a disabled gray Honda. Laboratory analysis confirmed that the substance discovered inside the Honda was methamphetamine, with a total weight of 895 grams.
Prior to this arrest, PERALTA had been convicted of felony sexual assault, felony possession of cocaine, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The case was investigated by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, Concord Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry M. Meinecke.
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Ridgway Resident Pleads Guilty to Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Ridgway, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal laws relating to the sexual exploitation of children, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Jesse Porter, 42, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge Susan Paradise Baxter.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Porter took sexually explicit photos and video of two minor victims. One victim was three years of age when Porter recorded himself sexually abusing her. The other victim was 15 when Porter took sexually explicit surreptitious video of her.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Judge Baxter scheduled sentencing for November 6, 2019. The law provides for a total sentence of 60 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Porter on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Ridgway Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Porter.
Ranger American Security Employee Found Guilty of Stealing $70,000 from Banco Popular ATMRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Clement Bougouneau, 52, of St. Thomas, was found guilty of bank burglary and larceny after a two-day jury trial in District Court, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to trial testimony, on September 4, 2017, shortly before Hurricane Irma made landfall, Bougouneau used his access and inside knowledge as a twelve-year Ranger American employee to steal $70,000 from the St. John Banco Popular de Puerto Rico ATM. Video tapes presented in the courtroom showed live footage of a person, identified as Bougouneau, removing cash from the ATM machine on September 4th. Another video showed Bougouneau’s subsequent interview with law enforcement, where he provided several different explanations of the events surrounding the September 4th heist.
As a result of his conviction, Bougouneau faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is set for November 21, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
Project Parkersburg Update: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Jeffrey Hoyler, 56, of Parkersburg, was sentenced to 71 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Hoyler was prosecuted as part of Project Parkersburg – a major takedown and dismantling of a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine and heroin. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Dayton Ohio Police Department, and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force. The long-term, joint investigation resulted in at least 29 individuals being charged in federal and state court, the seizure of 121 pounds of ICE methamphetamine, six kilograms of cocaine, 217 grams of heroin, and 290 grams of fentanyl.
“This DTO was bringing large amounts of deadly and dangerous narcotics into West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The dismantlement of this drug network is a huge win for West Virginia families.”
At his plea hearing, Hoyler admitted that in addition to distributing methamphetamine himself, he transported large quantities of cash to Phoenix, Arizona at the direction of co-defendants Aurelius Edmonds and Terrence McGuirk where Edmonds and others met with their source of supply to purchase the drugs.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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President of Insulation Contracting Firm Pleads Guilty to Antitrust and Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Paul M. Camara Jr., president and co-owner of an insulation contractor, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for his role in schemes to rig bids in violation of the antitrust laws and engage in criminal fraud on insulation contracts, marking the third conviction in this ongoing investigation, the Department of Justice announced.
According to court documents, from October 2011 and continuing until March 2018, Camara, of Brooklyn, Connecticut, conspired with other insulation contractors to rig bids and engage in fraud on contracts for installing insulation around pipes and ducts on construction projects at universities, hospitals, and other public and private entities in Connecticut and elsewhere. The conspirators discussed prices and agreed on bids that inflated prices to their customers by at least 10%. In order to conceal their actions, the conspirators perpetrated the bid-rigging and fraud schemes using burner phones.
“Today’s guilty plea is the result of the coordinated effort by the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners, including the FBI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), to root out collusion relating to a $45 million scheme to rig bids and fix prices on contracts to the detriment of taxpayer-funded schools, hospitals, and other businesses,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “This plea is a warning to contractors engaged in bid rigging and fraud that they will be held accountable.”
“This is the third insulation contractor executive to admit his involvement in this extensive bid rigging and fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Durham for the District of Connecticut. “I commend the FBI, DCIS, and our colleagues at the Antitrust Division who, together, are ensuring that those responsible for these schemes are brought to justice.”
“Guilty pleas like today’s solidify a strong message from law enforcement to contractors and others engaged in deceit and fraud of the American public, that we will aggressively pursue those individuals with the full gravity of our collective resources until justice is served,” said Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s New Haven Field Office.
“Ensuring the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) procurement process is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Bid rigging and fraud schemes, such as the ones in this case, disrupts the integrity of the procurement process and betrays the public’s trust. Unethical decisions that occur within the DoD contractor community continue to strain the U.S. Defense budget, impacting DoD’s resources and the American taxpayer. Today’s guilty plea is the direct result of a joint effort and demonstrates the DCIS’ commitment to work with the FBI, the DOJ Antitrust Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to investigate and prosecute individuals and companies that engage in anticompetitive and fraudulent activity impacting the DoD.”
The antitrust charge announced today carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a criminal fine of $1 million for individuals. The fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The fines for the antitrust and fraud conspiracy charges may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. In addition to his guilty plea, Camara has agreed to pay restitution to the victims.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the FBI’s New Haven Division, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to call the Antitrust Division’s New York Office at 212-335-8035, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
President of Insulation Contracting Firm Pleads Guilty to Antitrust and Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
Paul M. Camara Jr., president and co-owner of an insulation contractor, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for his role in schemes to rig bids in violation of the antitrust laws and engage in criminal fraud on insulation contracts, marking the third conviction in this ongoing investigation, the Department of Justice announced.
According to court documents, from October 2011 and continuing until March 2018, Camara, of Brooklyn, Connecticut, conspired with other insulation contractors to rig bids and engage in fraud on contracts for installing insulation around pipes and ducts on construction projects at universities, hospitals, and other public and private entities in Connecticut and elsewhere. The conspirators discussed prices and agreed on bids that inflated prices to their customers by at least 10%. In order to conceal their actions, the conspirators perpetrated the bid-rigging and fraud schemes using burner phones.
“Today’s guilty plea is the result of the coordinated effort by the Justice Department and our law enforcement partners, including the FBI and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), to root out collusion relating to a $45 million scheme to rig bids and fix prices on contracts to the detriment of taxpayer-funded schools, hospitals, and other businesses,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “This plea is a warning to contractors engaged in bid rigging and fraud that they will be held accountable.”
“This is the third insulation contractor executive to admit his involvement in this extensive bid rigging and fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Durham for the District of Connecticut. “I commend the FBI, DCIS, and our colleagues at the Antitrust Division who, together, are ensuring that those responsible for these schemes are brought to justice.”
“Guilty pleas like today’s solidify a strong message from law enforcement to contractors and others engaged in deceit and fraud of the American public, that we will aggressively pursue those individuals with the full gravity of our collective resources until justice is served,” said Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s New Haven Field Office.
“Ensuring the integrity of the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) procurement process is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS),” stated Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Special Agent in Charge of the DCIS Northeast Field Office. “Bid rigging and fraud schemes, such as the ones in this case, disrupts the integrity of the procurement process and betrays the public’s trust. Unethical decisions that occur within the DoD contractor community continue to strain the U.S. Defense budget, impacting DoD’s resources and the American taxpayer. Today’s guilty plea is the direct result of a joint effort and demonstrates the DCIS’ commitment to work with the FBI, the DOJ Antitrust Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, to investigate and prosecute individuals and companies that engage in anticompetitive and fraudulent activity impacting the DoD.”
The antitrust charge announced today carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a criminal fine of $1 million for individuals. The fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The fines for the antitrust and fraud conspiracy charges may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. In addition to his guilty plea, Camara has agreed to pay restitution to the victims.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the FBI’s New Haven Division, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to call the Antitrust Division’s New York Office at 212-335-8035, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Powell County Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 224 MonthsRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Mark Adkins, 46, of Powell County, Kentucky was sentenced yesterday, by U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves, to 224 months in federal prison, for distributing methamphetamine.
Beginning in October 2017 and continuing through January 2018, law enforcement made eight purchases of methamphetamine from Mark Adkins, at his residence in Powell County. In total, officers seized approximately 671 grams of methamphetamine. Adkins has two prior drug trafficking convictions—one in Morgan Circuit Court and a second in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Adkins will be required to serve at least 85% of the sentence imposed. Upon his release, he will be under supervision by the United States Probation Office for a period of five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Lexington; and Commissioner Richard Sanders, Kentucky State Police, jointly announced the sentence. The investigation was conducted by personnel from KSP, the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force, and DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Bradley prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Pottawattamie County Woman Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on July 16, 2019, Swann Michelle Thomas, age 37, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Thomas was sentenced to 100 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of four years.
On September 5, 2018, a Council Bluffs police officer on patrol saw Thomas in a vehicle and knew she had an active warrant for a parole violation. The officer approached the car and observed a Crown Royal bag on the driver’s side of the vehicle that contained a pipe and approximately 21.5 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and the Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Pottawattamie County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on July 16, 2019, Devin Lee Graham, age 25, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey for Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm. Graham was sentenced to ten years in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years.
On September 13, 2018, Devin Graham was a passenger in a vehicle stopped for traffic violations. The officer smelled marijuana and performed a search of the vehicle. Officers located a backpack containing a small amount of controlled substances, drug paraphernalia and a loaded firearm. Graham admitted the backpack belonged to him. Graham is prohibited from possessing firearms as he has two prior felony convictions for possession with intent to deliver marijuana in Pottawattamie County, Iowa District Court.
This case was investigated by the Council Bluffs Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Pittsburgh Felon, 22, Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to five years’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release, on his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Andre Charles Hall, 22, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
According to information presented to the court, Hall, a convicted felon, illegally possessed a .40 caliber pistol on October 5, 2016. Hall led the Pittsburgh Police on a high speed chase through the Hill District of Pittsburgh, crashed the stolen vehicle he was driving, and then attempted to escape on foot before being apprehended. The firearm was recovered from a coat he threw down. Hall had a previous burglary conviction which made him a prohibited person as a felon.
Assistant United States Attorney Stephen R. Kaufman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the City of Pittsburgh Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hall.
Philadelphia man sentenced for role in a methamphetamine distribution operation in Monongalia CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Terry Willie Trapp, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 235 months incarceration for his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Trapp, age 49, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances” in February 2019. Trapp admitted to participating in a drug distribution operation in October 2018 in Monongalia County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Morgantown Police Department investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Owner of Janitorial Supply Company Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Defrauding Customer, Failing to Pay TaxesRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Camden County, New Jersey, man who owned a janitorial supply company was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for submitting fraudulent bills to a customer and failing to pay taxes on the illicit proceeds of his scheme, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Mitchell Bleicher, 53, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler to an information charging him with one count each of wire fraud, money laundering, and income tax evasion. Judge Kugler imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Bleicher was the owner and operator of Allied Materials Inc. (Allied), a janitorial supply company in Berlin, New Jersey. Allied sold janitorial and cleaning supplies, office and break room supplies, food service items, safety equipment, and business printing and imprinted items.
Bleicher admitted that between 2009 and April 2018, he submitted invoices to Company 1, headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, that falsely listed products that Allied purportedly delivered to Company 1, when, in fact, Allied had not delivered those products. Allied’s fraudulent invoices also inflated the number of products that were actually delivered. As part of his scheme, and to ensure that his fraudulent invoices were accepted, Bleicher admitted that he paid a contractor working in the facilities department of Company 1 who was responsible for the janitorial supplies. Once that contractor left, Bleicher continued his fraudulent activity with the contractor’s replacement and rewarded him by buying him expensive dinners, taking him to professional sports games like the Philadelphia 76ers, and providing him with expensive wines. Later, Bleicher recruited an employee of Company 1 and gave her the fraudulent invoices to submit for payment.
Bleicher admitted that he used the money he got from the scheme – $1,917,381 – on numerous personal expenditures, such as Rolex watches, two Rolls Royce automobiles, two Subaru automobiles, motorcycles, home renovations and college tuition for his children.
Bleicher acknowledged that he failed to pay taxes on the money he received through fraud. Although he filed income tax returns with the IRS for 2011 through 2017, Bleicher did not report the money that he fraudulently obtained from Company 1. By not reporting that additional taxable income, Bleicher admitted that he defrauded the IRS of $578,902 in income tax revenue.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kugler sentenced Bleicher to three years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay $9.5 million in restitution to Company 1 and $584,255 in restitution to the IRS.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Harpster in Philadelphia; and special agents of IRS - Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Senior Trial Counsel Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden.
Defense counsel: Robert E. Welsh Esq., Philadelphia
Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S) in the Eastern District of KentuckyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON – One year ago, the Justice Department announced the formation of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
Over the past year, 10 districts with some of the highest drug overdose death rates in the country, each targeted a county where they focused on prosecuting every readily available case involving fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and other synthetic opioids, regardless of the drug quantity. These districts worked with DEA Special Operations Division to track and coordinate these street-level cases and also received additional assistance from the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF).
“Our attorneys and law enforcement agents have spent the past year working tirelessly to disrupt the networks engaged in the trafficking of synthetic opioids. Today we are proud to share their successes in 10 of the districts most affected by this scourge,” Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen said. “The Department of Justice’s efforts have resulted in countless successes from California to Maine. We have successfully sought enhanced sentences in cases that resulted in deadly overdoses, and we have boosted cooperation among the partners involved. There remains much work to be done, but Operation S.O.S. marks a crucial turning point in the fight against synthetic opioids.”
“The success of the S.O.S. initiative is based on strong partnerships,” stated United States Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr. “We are fortunate to work with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, the Lexington Police Department, and DEA in implementing and advancing this important program.”
Fayette County was chosen as the S.O.S. location in the Eastern District of Kentucky. In November 2018, a specially-funded Assistant United States Attorney was hired to prosecute S.O.S. and related cases. Since then, 15 cases, involving 19 defendants, have been prosecuted in federal court as part of the S.O.S. initiative.
The following prosecutions are currently pending trial:
U.S. v. Walter Powell and Elisha Wilson (19-CR-69-S-JMH): Powell and Wilson are charged with conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, conspiring to distribute crack cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Trial is scheduled for September 16, 2019, in Lexington.
U.S. v. Allen Norman (19-CR-93-DCR): Norman is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Trial is scheduled for August 29, 2019, in Lexington.
U.S. v. Xavier Leburton Gray (19-CR-94-DCR): Gray is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of two firearms. Trial is scheduled for August 19, 2019, in Lexington.
U.S. v. Maurice Love, Edith Tripure, and Richard Lomax Carter (19-CR-95-DCR): Love, Tripure, and Carter are charged with conspiring to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Love and Tripure are also charged with distribution of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Trial is scheduled for August 19, 2019, in Lexington.
U.S. v. Julio Cesar Cordero-Barrios (19-CR-110-JMH): Cordero-Barrios is charged with conspiring to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and armed drug trafficking. Trial is scheduled September 10, 2019, in Lexington.
U.S. v. Raymond Duong (19-CR-116-KKC): Duong is charged with possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Duong is also charged with being a felon in possession of 8 firearms. A trial date to be determined.
Overall, ten S.O.S. defendants have pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of distributing synthetic opioids or related charges and are pending sentencing, including defendants in the following cases:
U.S. v. Michael Glover (19-CR-05-KKC): On June 6, 2019, Glover pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of valerylfentanyl. In his plea agreement, Glover acknowledged that he was arrested by the Lexington Police Department and ultimately found to be in possession of 58 grams of valerylfentanyl. Glover admitted that he possessed the drugs with intent to distribute. Based upon a statutory mandatory minimum, Glover faces a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years. Glover’s sentencing is scheduled September 12, 2019, at 10:30 a.m., in Lexington.
U.S. v. Eldronte Washington (19-CR-26-JMH): On May 20, 2019, Washington pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In his plea agreement, Washington admitted that Lexington Police officers searched his residence, discovering Washington in possession of more than 40 grams of fentanyl, three firearms, and $4,240. Washington admitted that he intended to distribute the fentanyl. Based upon a statutory mandatory minimum, Washington faces a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years. Washington’s sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2019, at 11:30 a.m., in Lexington.
U.S. v. Jameel Sleet (19-CR-35-S-DCR): On April 24, 2019, Sleet pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In his plea agreement, Sleet admitted to being a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Lexington Police officers. An officer searched Sleet and found 40 grams of fentanyl, 39 grams of cocaine, and 16 grams of crack cocaine. Sleet admitted he intended to distribute the drugs. Based upon a statutory mandatory minimum, Sleet faces a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years. Sleet’s sentencing is scheduled for August 16, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., in Lexington.
U.S. v. Aaron Antonio Evans (19-CR-46-S-KKC): On June 25, 2019, Evans pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of acetylfentanyl. In his plea agreement, Evans admitted that he sold approximately 11 grams of acetylfentanyl. Based upon a statutory mandatory minimum, Evans faces a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years. Evans’s sentencing is scheduled for October 4, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., in Lexington.
U.S. v. Khalid Yusef White (19-CR-48-JMH): On April 29, 2019, White pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of a substance containing acetylfentanyl and valerylfentanyl. Based upon a statutory mandatory minimum, White faces a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years. White’s sentencing is scheduled for August 12, 2019, at 11:30 a.m., in Lexington.
U.S. v. Chris David Lewis, Jr. (19-CR-52-KKC): On May 15, 2019, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. In his plea agreement, Lewis admitted that Lexington Police officers detained him and discovered he had 58 grams of fentanyl and 13 grams of methamphetamine in his coat pocket. Lewis admitted that he planned to distribute the fentanyl. Based upon a statutory mandatory minimum, Lewis faces a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years. Lewis’s sentencing is scheduled for September 12, 2019, at 11:00 a.m., in Lexington.
U.S. v Anthony McIntosh (19-CR-53-JMH): On May 28, 2019, McIntosh pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. In his plea agreement, McIntosh admitted that he was encountered by Lexington Police officers, who discovered 21 grams of fentanyl. McIntosh admitted he intended to sell the fentanyl found in his possession. McIntosh’s sentencing is scheduled for September 16, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., in Lexington.
U.S. v. Lavonte Lee Harmon (19-CR-70-DCR): On June 7, 2019, Harmon pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of acetylfentanyl. In his plea agreement, Harmon admitted that Lexington Police officers searched his residence and person, discovering 13 grams of acetylfentanyl, 17 grams of cocaine, and $4,474. At Harmon’s residence, officers found an additional 13 grams of cocaine and other evidence of drug trafficking. Based upon a statutory mandatory minimum, Harmon faces a sentence of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years. Harmon’s sentencing is scheduled for October 4, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., in Lexington.
Two S.O.S. defendants have been sentenced to federal prison. On May 28, 2019, Edward Malik Cotton (19-CR-04-JMH) was sentenced to 100 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of acetylfentanyl. Cotton admitted he possessed 87 grams of acetylfentanyl and a firearm.
On May 14, 2019, Steven Ray Slone (19-CR-06-JMH) was sentenced to 24 months in prison for possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute. Slone admitted to possessing 7 grams of fentanyl with the intent to sell it.
Both Cotton and Slone must serve 85 % of their sentences; and upon their release from prison, they will be subject to periods of supervision by the United States Probation Office.
“We are pleased with the results of the S.O.S. initiative thus far,” stated U.S. Attorney Duncan. “Because of the hard work of law enforcement, we have held several synthetic opioid traffickers accountable for their actions; we have removed dangerous drugs from the community; and we have helped save lives. Despite this success, we recognize that there is still work to be done and we remain committed to partnering in support of the S.O.S. initiative.”
Ohio Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ROBERT DUDUKOVICH, 25, of Wakeman, Ohio, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between July and October 2017, Dudukovich managed a chat group on “Kik,” a smartphone messaging application, that provided a forum for group members to communicate about their sexual interest in young boys and to share and trade child pornography primarily depicting young boys engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Dudukovich shared with the group members, including an individual in Connecticut, images and videos of child pornography. The child pornography included videos of a minor engaged in sexual acts with another minor, and a video of a minor engaged in a sexual act with an adult. Dudukovich also shared with the group members a link to his Dropbox account, which contained additional images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
The investigation revealed that Dudukovich also used his Tumblr account to access and view child pornography.
Dudukovich was arrested on September 5, 2018. Subsequent analysis of Dudukovich’s laptop and cellphone, which were seized at the time of his arrest, revealed additional videos of child pornography.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for October 9, 2019, at which time Dudukovich faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Nurse Charged with Drug Theft and TamperingRead the Press Release
Katie Louise Boll, age 31, from Manchester, Iowa, has been charged with thirteen counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge during 2018 and one count of tampering with a consumer product, specifically morphine, on December 24, 2018. The charges are contained in an Indictment filed on July 7, 2019, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between September 2018 and January 2019, Boll acquired controlled substances including hydrocodone, morphine, oxycodone, codeine, and tramadol, from at least fourteen patients in her care at a nursing home by acquiring the pills by misrepresentation, fraud, deception and subterfuge. Boll is also charged with one count of tampering with a consumer product by diluting liquid morphine with mouthwash, resulting in injury to a patient.
If convicted on all charges, Boll faces a possible maximum sentence of 62 years’ imprisonment, a $3,500,000 fine, and 42 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Boll appeared on July 16, 2019, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was released on bond. Boll’s next appearance for trial is set for September 16, 2019
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Reinert and was investigated by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals and the United States Food and Drug Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-2044. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Multiple Time Violent Offender Sentenced for Illegally Re-entering United StatesRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A 49-year-old Mexican national with multiple prior felony convictions has been sentenced to federal prison for immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Luis Garcia-Torres pleaded guilty on April 15, 2019, to unlawful reentry by a deported alien and was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.
According to information presented in court, on Jan. 13, 2019, Garcia-Torres was arrested in Orange County, Texas for driving while intoxicated. After being booked into the Orange County Jail, it was discovered that Garcia-Torres illegal alien with prior felony convictions. A records check revealed Garcia-Torres had been convicted of voluntary manslaughter in 1988 in North Carolina, aggravated battery with a dangerous weapon in Louisiana in 2001, and aggravated re-entry of a removed alien in 2015. Garcia-Torres had also been previously deported from the United States to Mexico in 1990, 2011, and 2016. Garcia-Torres was indicted by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas on Feb. 16, 2019, and charged with immigration violations.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and the Texas Department of Public Safety and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall L. Fluke.
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Mother and Son Plead Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution with Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jeffrey Luis Rodriguez (34, Tampa) and Mary Bell Rodriguez (62, Tampa) have each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and heroin, causing serious bodily injury. Jeffrey Rodriguez also pleaded guilty to one count of distributing heroin causing serious bodily injury, and six counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Mary Bell Rodriguez pleaded guilty to three counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Each faces a mandatory penalty of life in federal prison.
According to court documents, from at least March 2017 and continuing through May 2018, Jeffrey Luis Rodriguez and Mary Bell Rodriguez were members of a conspiracy that distributed fentanyl and heroin, from their vehicle, around the Town and Country area of Hillsborough County. During the span of the conspiracy, the fentanyl that they had distributed led to many overdoses, including the serious bodily injury overdose of D.C.H.
Subsequently, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation of members of the conspiracy. Between January and May 2018, undercover law enforcement officers purchased narcotics from Jeffrey Luis Rodriguez and Mary Bell Rodriguez on various occasions.
This case was investigated by the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael C. Baggé-Hernández.
Monessen Heroin Dealer Sentenced to 11+ Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Monessen, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of 11 years and eight months (140 months), to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on his conviction of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Donald Mitchell, age 38.
According to information presented to the court, Mitchell was a heroin distributor for the Jarran Bell Drug Trafficking Organization. Mitchell was intercepted via Title III intercepts communicating with Bell during this investigation. For instance, in early April of 2015, Jarran Bell, Krystle Barretto, and Amanda Santiago traveled to Paterson, New Jersey to orchestrate a 250-brick shipment of heroin, which was confirmed upon their return when Bell started contacting distributors for his organization, including Donald Mitchell. Mitchell received 100 bricks of heroin from Bell at that time. From December 2014 through April 2015, Mitchell received over one kilogram of heroin from Bell.
The investigation, which utilized Title III intercepts from December 2014 through April 2015 of 10 different cellular telephones, surveillance, controlled drug purchases, and other investigative techniques, established the existence of a number of overlapping and interrelated drug distribution networks at work in the afflicted regions, which included Clairton, McKeesport, Port Vue, areas in Washington County, Westmoreland County, and New Jersey.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation led to the prosecution of Barretto. The task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Street Task Force including the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clairton Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Michigan man and Monongalia County man sentenced for their roles in a drug distribution operation in Monongalia CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two men were sentenced today for their involvement in a heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Daron Buford, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration. Buford, age 28, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin” in March 2019. Buford admitted to selling heroin in July 2017 in Monongalia County.Brian Kyle, of Maidsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 27 months incarceration. Kyle, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility” in March 2019. Kyle admitted to using a phone to further a drug distribution operation in April 2018 in Monongalia County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Men Sentenced for Manufacturing Methamphetamine in New Hanover CountyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH — The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle, sentenced JOSHUA SKUTT, 41, of New Hanover County to 168 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. On March 21, 2019, SKUTT pled guilty to one-count of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and one-count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and Aiding and Abetting. Additionally, JOSHUA REGISTER, 34, of New Hanover County was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release. On March 14, 2019, REGISTER pled guilty to one-count of Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and one-count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Methamphetamine and Aiding and Abetting.
Beginning in February 2018, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office (NHCSO) received information that SKUTT, REGISTER, and four others were working together to manufacture methamphetamine in the McGregor Road area of New Hanover County. Detectives received information that methamphetamine was being “cooked” at both 212 and 215 McGregor Road. They also received information that SKUTT was having people purchase pseudoephedrine in order to cook methamphetamine, and that SKUTT and others used burn pits at the residences to conceal evidence and destroy the methamphetamine cooking components. The investigation also uncovered that SKUTT taught REGISTER how to cook methamphetamine.
On February 21 and March 2, 2018, the Sheriff’s Office conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from REGISTER at 210 McGregor Road.
On March 20, 2018, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Clandestine Lab Response team, along with Sheriff’s Office Clandestine Lab certified detectives, executed search warrants on three residences - 210, 212 and 215 McGregor Road. Law enforcement found the following items: 210 McGregor Road (items associated with the cooking/manufacturing of methamphetamine), 212 McGregor Road (19 grams of methamphetamine and items associated with the manufacturing/cooking of methamphetamine), and 215 McGregor Road (144 grams of liquid methamphetamine). Law enforcement found REGISTER at 210 McGregor Road and SKUTT at 212 McGregor Road.
The Court found that based upon the nature of the manufacturing by both SKUTT and REGISTER that it created a substantial risk of harm to human life. At the time of this offense, SKUTT was on federal supervised release.
This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative please click https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Severo represented the government.
Markquise Harris Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Markquise Harris, 19 years old, of East Chicago, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Van Bokkelen on his plea of guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Harris was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,449.99.
According to documents in the case, on August 1, 2017, Harris and three others, robbed a wireless cell phone store located at Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue in Munster, Indiana. Two of the robbers brandished guns during the robbery, which took place around 5:00pm when customers and employees were inside the store.
This case was investigated by the FBI GRIT Task Force in conjunction with Munster, Gary, and Griffith Police Departments and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang.
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Man Allegedly Makes Phone Threats to Pride Parade; Investigators Track and Link Him to Unsolved Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 17, 2019
SAN DIEGO – A man who allegedly threatened to “kill all the gays and children” at the San Diego Pride parade was charged today with three bank robberies after San Diego Police detectives and FBI agents linked him to both the threats and the robberies dating back to 2016.
According to a federal complaint, Andre Lafayette Holmes robbed US Bank on Campo Road in Spring Valley on November 4, 2016; Mission Federal Credit Union in San Diego on June 14, 2018, and California Bank and Trust on Fifth Avenue, also in San Diego, on June 28, 2019. In the first crime he claimed to have a gun; in the second and third robberies he pointed a pistol at tellers, the complaint said.
FBI agents identified Holmes as the armed bank robber in three unsolved cases following threats he made to the San Diego Pride Parade organizers on July 10, 2019. In the first of two late-morning phone calls to pride organizers’ main line, a caller stated: “I think I’m going to have to kill all the gays and the children.” He then repeated, “I’m going to have to kill the f------ and children.” The employee asked, “Sir, what’s your name?” The caller replied: “I don’t like them” and “I hate the f------.” He then hung up. About four minutes later, he called back. “F--- Donald Trump. I hate Hillary. I hate f---. I’m going to shoot up the Pride event.” The male caller repeated the same statement approximately four times.
On July 11, San Diego Police Department investigators identified the phone number as belonging to Holmes. They determined that Holmes drives a 2009 Toyota minivan registered in his name. They located Holmes near Miramar College and conducted a traffic stop. He was in possession of the phone from which the threats were made, the complaint said.
During subsequent searches of Holmes residence and vehicle, investigators discovered evidence of the armed bank robberies, including a gray semi-automatic pistol, a rubber “old man” style mask, a large bag of cash and clothing believed worn by the bank robber, among other things. They also found a Big Gulp 7-Eleven mug consistent with the one used during two of the robberies.
In the first robbery, the complaint alleges that Holmes used a demand note which said: “We have guns! I will personally shoot anyone you alert! Don’t make me jump over the counter and kill innocent people. Big bills only and I’ll calmly leave. Money now!!!!” On the back of the note, it said: “I’m sorry, good man on hard times. Sincerely, Bank Robber.”
In the second robbery at Mission Federal Credit Union, Holmes pulled a semi-automatic pistol from his pocket and pointed it at a teller and demanded money, the complaint said. He then proceeded to demand money from a second teller. In the third robbery, Holmes again had a light-colored semiautomatic pistol and verbally demanded money.
Authorities are presently evaluating further charges for Holmes’ threats to the San Diego Pride Parade.
DEFENDANT Case Number 19mj2977
Andre Lafayette Holmes Age: 31 San Diego, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Bank Robbery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2113(a)
Maximum penalty: 20 years
Armed Bank Robbery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 2113(a) & (d)
Maximum penalty: 25 years
Brandishing a Firearm in Commission of Crime of Violence – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 924(c)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison;
Consecutive Mandatory Minimum: 7 years
AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Heroin Trafficking and Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brandon Diggs, age 29, of Kingston, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on July 16, 2019, by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 188 months’ imprisonment and to serve six years supervised release for trafficking in heroin and unlawfully possessing a handgun as a convicted felon.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Diggs previously pleaded guilty to committing both crimes and admitted to possessing with intent to distribute heroin and unlawfully possessing a loaded 9mm handgun on June 9, 2018, in Kingston.
Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Kingston Police seized more than 100 bags of heroin and the firearm from a residence where Diggs was staying.
The matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Kingston Police Department. 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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Leesburg Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
A Leesburg, Florida resident pled guilty today to attempted online enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and John Bolduc, Chief, Port St. Lucie Police Department, made the announcement.
Jonathan Mahowald, 38, of Leesburg pleaded guilty to Attempted Use of a Means of Interstate Commerce to Persuade, Induce, Entice, or Coerce a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b) (Case No. 18-CR-14072-KAM. Mahowald faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Mahowald also faces up to a lifetime of supervised release and the requirement that he register as a sex offender. He was ordered to be held in custody, pending sentencing on October 18, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth A. Marra.
According to documents filed in the case, on July 6, 2018, a Port St. Lucie Police Department Detective was working in an undercover capacity online, utilizing the internet, to investigate computer crimes against children. Between July 6, 2018 and July 17, 2018, a Port St. Lucie Police Detective, posing as a 14 year old girl, responded to an internet advertisement Mahowald had posted. During the course of text and online communications Mahowald discussed sexually explicit activity he wished to engage in with the “14-year old.” In addition, Mahowald sent sexually explicit images, to the person he believed was a minor. On the morning of July 17, 2019, Mahowald set up a meeting with the “14 year old” to meet at a restaurant in Port. St Lucie. While en route, Mahowald discussed engaging in sexual acts, in his van, with the individual he believed was a 14 year old girl. Upon his arrival Mahowald was arrested by members of the Port St. Lucie Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the Port St. Lucie Police Department for their work on this case. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen Lineberger.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Lame Deer man sentenced in stabbings of two womenRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Lame Deer man who admitted stabbing two women on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation last year was sentenced today to 68 months in prison and three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Keyshawn Trey Sandcrane, 23, pleaded guilty in March to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating partner.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.
The prosecution said in court records that Sandcrane, who has abused methamphetamine, marijuana and alcohol since he was 18, assaulted the victims on Nov. 12, 2018 in a Lame Deer residence. The first victim, his girlfriend, was in another room when she heard the second victim yell, “He’s trying to stab me.” The first victim went into the kitchen area and saw Sandcrane throw the second victim into the washer and dryer area. Sandcrane hit the first victim and slashed her face with a knife. Sandcrane also stabbed the second victim three times in the leg and arm. Both victims were treated for their injuries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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Justice Department Focus on Fentanyl Yields Results in Montgomery CountyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – One year ago, the Justice Department announced the formation of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a program designed to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas as well as identifying wholesale distribution networks and international and domestic suppliers.
The Southern District of Ohio is one of 10 districts included in the initiative to target counties with high drug overdose death rates and focus on federally prosecuting every readily available case involving fentanyl, fentanyl analogues and other synthetic opioids, regardless of the drug quantity.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, announced 58 operation S.O.S. investigations in the Southern District of Ohio. Of those 58 investigations, 52 involve fentanyl distribution.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office here is working in coordination with the DEA, ATF, FBI and HSI to bring cases to fruition. The initiative in the Southern District of Ohio has a primary focus on Montgomery County, given the interconnectedness of drug trafficking across the region, includes cases from nearby counties as well.
For example:
- Last month, Salvador Ramirez was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison. A federal indictment in July 2018 charged him and six other individuals in a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Miami Valley and across southern and central Ohio. This investigation includes the seizure of more than seven kilograms of fentanyl.
- This spring, an Arizona man and a Dayton man pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute large quantities of fentanyl in Dayton. Michael Nailen worked as a commercial truck driver, and when traveling for work, he permitted other individuals to hide kilogram quantities of drugs and bulk amounts of cash in his tractor trailer. More than 400 grams of fentanyl were distributed via Marco Gonzalez, who would meet Nailen in Dayton and other Ohio cities to deliver the drugs to local dealers.
- In March, a Springfield, Ohio man was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for possessing 14 grams of carfentanil. Craig Gilbreath ran from officers after being encountered by police and ultimately threw bags containing the carfentanil, which is 10,000 times more potent than morphine and used to immobilize large animals.
“The rise of synthetic opioids presents an unprecedented public health and safety crisis in the Southern District of Ohio. Countering that crisis will continue to require prevention, enforcement, and treatment, and it will require everyone working together. Enforcement targeted toward areas particularly hard hit by synthetic opioid distribution, in the interests of reducing supply and disrupting the formation of distribution hubs, is one important piece of our enforcement strategy. The death and destruction caused by synthetic opioids remain unacceptable, but the work that law enforcement agents and prosecutors are doing as part of this operation is one reason for optimism.”
The other nine participating districts and some of their successes include:
- The Eastern District of California has reported a total of 27 Operation S.O.S. investigations in which the narcotics seized have included kilogram-quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone.
- The Eastern District of Kentucky has reported 15 investigations with six to eight new investigations being added monthly and has charged nine sentence-enhanced “death resulting” cases.
- The District of Maine has an additional 30 cases as a result of Operation S.O.S.
- The District of New Hampshire has had 41 cases through Operation S.O.S. that have resulted in indictments with fentanyl being distributed in 39 of those cases amongst other drugs.
- The Northern District of Ohio has indicted 71 defendants under Operation S.O.S., and has seen a 12 percent decrease in overdose deaths from the year prior.
- The Western District of Pennsylvania noticed the decline in overdose deaths in the county they originally had targeted. This decline was attributed to a large number of people moving out of the targeted county to attempt to circumvent the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s efforts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has refocused their resources to target the county where fatal overdoses have increased the most.
- The Eastern District of Tennessee has reported seven Operation S.O.S. cases involving 39 defendants, with a number of those including “death resulting” cases.
- The Northern District of West Virginia has 22 Operation S.O.S. cases with one “death resulting” prosecution. One of these investigations resulted in eight separate cases involving 35 defendants.
- Southern District of West Virginia has 62 cases pending as a result of Operation S.O.S. with 13 convictions. Just recently, a 1.2 kilogram mixture of fentanyl and heroin was seized from a defendant in one of those cases.
“Our attorneys and law enforcement agents have spent the past year working tirelessly to disrupt the networks engaged in the trafficking of synthetic opioids. Today we are proud to share their successes in 10 of the districts most affected by this scourge,” Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen said. “The Department of Justice’s efforts have resulted in countless successes from California to Maine. We have successfully sought enhanced sentences in cases that resulted in deadly overdoses, and we have boosted cooperation among the partners involved. There remains much work to be done, but Operation S.O.S. marks a crucial turning point in the fight against synthetic opioids.”
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- Last month, Salvador Ramirez was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison. A federal indictment in July 2018 charged him and six other individuals in a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Miami Valley and across southern and central Ohio. This investigation includes the seizure of more than seven kilograms of fentanyl.
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Sinaloa Cartel Leader, Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus 30 YearsRead the Press Release
Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, known by various aliases, including “El Chapo” and “El Rapido,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan to a life term of imprisonment plus 30 years to run consecutive to the life sentence for being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise – the Mexican organized crime syndicate known as the Sinaloa Cartel – a charge that includes 26 drug-related violations and one murder conspiracy. The Court also ordered Guzman Loera to pay $12.6 billion in forfeiture.
Guzman Loera was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 12, 2019, following a three-month trial, of all 10 counts of the superseding indictment, including narcotics trafficking, using a firearm in furtherance of his drug crimes and participating in a money laundering conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by Attorney General William P. Barr, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL), Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Director Christopher A. Wray of the FBI, Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Executive Associate Director Derek Benner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Acting U.S. Marshal Bryan T. Mullee of the Eastern District of New York, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner James P. O’Neill and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett.
The evidence at trial established that Guzman Loera was a principal leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, a Mexico-based international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing and distributing more than a million kilograms of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and heroin in the United States. The evidence included testimony from 14 cooperating witnesses, including Sinaloa Cartel members Rey and Vicente Zambada, Miguel Martinez, Tirso Martinez, Damaso Lopez and Alex Cifuentes; narcotics seizures totaling over 130,000 kilograms of cocaine and heroin; weapons, including AK-47s and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher; ledgers; text messages; videos; photographs and intercepted recordings that detailed the drug trafficking activity of Guzman Loera and his co-conspirators over a 25-year period from January 1989 until December 2014.
From the mid-1980s until his arrest in Mexico in 1993, Guzman Loera was a mid-level operative of the Sinaloa Cartel, earning a name for himself and the nickname “El Rapido” for how quickly he transported drugs from Mexico to the United States for the Colombian cartels. After he escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 by hiding in a laundry cart, Guzman Loera formed an alliance with fugitive co-defendant Ismael Zambada Garcia and, together, they became the preeminent leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. Guzman Loera enforced his will and maintained control of his drug empire through an army of lethal bodyguards and a sophisticated communications network.
The trial highlighted the methods Guzman Loera and his organization used to transport the cartel’s multi-ton shipments of narcotics into the United States, including fishing boats, submarines, carbon fiber airplanes, trains with secret compartments and transnational underground tunnels. Once the narcotics were in the United States, they were sold to wholesale distributors in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Arizona, Los Angeles and elsewhere. Guzman Loera then used various methods to launder billions of dollars of drug proceeds, including bulk cash smuggling from the United States to Mexico, U.S.-based insurance companies, reloadable debit cards and numerous shell companies, including a juice company and a fish flour company.
Guzman Loera and his organization relied upon violence to maintain its power throughout the region and beyond. Numerous co-conspirators testified that Guzman Loera directed his hitmen to kidnap, interrogate, torture and slaughter members of rival drug organizations, at times carrying out acts of violence himself. As part of its arsenal, the Sinaloa Cartel had access to weapons, including grenades and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Guzman Loera’s personal arsenal included a gold plated AK-47 and three diamond-encrusted .38 caliber handguns, one emblazoned with his initials, “JGL.”
Guzman Loera and his organization also relied on a vast network of corrupt government officials and employees to protect and further the interests of the Sinaloa Cartel. They included local law enforcement officers, prison guards, high-ranking members of the armed forces and elected office holders. In exchange, the Cartel paid these individuals millions of dollars in bribes.
“The long road that brought ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Loera to a United States courtroom is lined with drugs, death, and destruction, but ends today with justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Thanks to the unflagging efforts of the Department of Justice and the law enforcement community over the past 25 years, this notorious leader of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the Western hemisphere, the Sinaloa Cartel, will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
“Guzman Loera’s day of reckoning has finally come,” said EDNY U.S. Attorney Donoghue. “Never again will he pour poison into our country, or make millions as innocent lives are lost. We cannot undo the violence, misery and devastation inflicted on countless individuals and communities as result of his organization’s sale of tons of illegal drugs for more than two decades, but we can ensure that he spends every minute of every day in prison. The same fate awaits those who would take his place. I thank the brave members of law enforcement, here and abroad, for their tireless efforts that have finally secured justice in this case.”
“The life sentence imposed today is the only just result for someone who spent a lifetime spreading his poison throughout our country,” said SDFL U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “The impact of keeping former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin Guzman Loera behind bars, for the rest of his life, cannot be overstated: the world will now be shielded from his brutality. Thanks to the unyielding efforts of this team, the public was finally able to see how Guzman Loera used any means necessary to control his ruthless empire, including kidnapping, corruption, torture, and murder. Our U.S. Attorney’s Offices continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners to protect our citizens from the scourge of illicit drugs.”
“This sentencing shows the world that no matter how protected or powerful you are, DEA will ensure that you face justice,” said DEA Acting Administrator Dhillon. “This result would not have been possible without the dedication and determination of so many brave men and women of the DEA, who worked tirelessly to see the world’s most dangerous, prolific drug trafficker behind bars in the United States. This is a huge victory for the rule of law, for thousands of current and retired DEA agents and analysts worldwide, and for all of our law enforcement partners here, in Mexico, and across the globe.”
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of years of effort from numerous local, state, federal, and international partners,” said FBI Director Wray. “It highlights the dedication and determination of men and women in law enforcement to bring one of the world’s most notorious drug traffickers to justice. The FBI has no tolerance for those who endanger our communities and destroy lives through drugs and violence. We’ll continue to work day and night to find and stop those who distribute illegal substances and commit unimaginable violence.”
“On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, I want to express my gratitude to our HSI agents and diligent law enforcement partners for their work in this monumental conviction,” said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security McAleenan. “This sentence will send a resounding message that transnational criminal organizations all over the world are being continuously investigated and their leaders will be brought to justice.”
“After a decade long investigation, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera’s reign over the Sinaloa Cartel is over,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Benner. “Because of the initiative and expertise of HSI special agents in New York and Phoenix working together with our law enforcement partners, ‘El Chapo’ will no longer be able to inflict violence or traffic vast amounts of illegal drugs into our communities.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service was tasked with ensuring the integrity of the judicial process in this case,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Mullee. “It was paramount that all participants in the case could operate without undue influence or fear in a secure environment, and we accomplished that. On behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service in the Eastern District of New York, I would like to express my gratitude to all of our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly in support of our mission, most notably, the incredibly talented men and women of the NYPD, The Federal Protective Service (FPS), The 24th Civil Support Team of the New York National Guard and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).”
“Let today’s sentencing show the world that Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman has not escaped the American justice system and, now, will finally be held accountable for his many years of criminal behavior,” said NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “I want to thank the members of the DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, HSI, the New York State Police and the NYPD detectives on the Drug Enforcement Task Force for their hard work on this investigation and trial.”
“With this sentencing, justice has been served,” said NYSP Superintendent Corlett. “For two decades, this individual used extreme violence, bribes, and any means necessary to bring dangerous and deadly drugs into our country and state. This sentence should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law. I applaud our partners in law enforcement for their tireless work on this case, bringing an end to the destruction this man, and this enterprise caused for decades.”
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina Parlovecchio, Michael Robotti, Patricia Notopoulos and Hiral Mehta from the Eastern District of New York; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Fels, Andrea Goldbarg and Lynn Kirkpatrick from the Southern District of Florida; and Trial Attorneys Amanda Liskamm, Anthony Nardozzi, Brett Reynolds and Michael Lang of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section.
The case was investigated by the DEA, ICE HSI and the FBI, in cooperation with Mexican, Ecuadorian, Netherlands, Dominican and Colombian law enforcement authorities. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Western District of Texas, Southern District of New York, Southern District of California, District of New Hampshire, District of Arizona and Eastern District of Virginia. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Criminal Division played an integral role in securing the extradition of Guzman Loera to the United States, in cooperation with authorities of the Mexican government, without which his prosecution would not have been possible. The Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations assisted with the use of critical investigative and prosecution tools, including wiretaps, Special Administrative Measures, and other sensitive investigative techniques that proved essential to facilitating Guzman’s capture and successful prosecution. The investigative efforts in this case were coordinated with the Department of Justice Special Operations Division, comprising agents, analysts and attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; DEA New York; DEA Miami; FBI Washington Field Office; FBI New York Field Office; FBI Miami Field Office; HSI New York; HSI Nogales; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Bureau of Prisons; NYPD and New York State Police.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Sinaloa Cartel Leader, Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus 30 YearsRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, known by various aliases, including “El Chapo” and “El Rapido,” was sentenced today by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to life imprisonment plus 30 years to run consecutive to the life sentence for being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise – the Mexican organized crime syndicate known as the Sinaloa Cartel – a charge that includes 26 drug-related violations and one murder conspiracy. The Court also ordered Guzman Loera to pay $12.6 billion in forfeiture.
Guzman Loera was convicted by a federal jury on February 12, 2019, following a three-month trial, of all 10 counts of the superseding indictment, including narcotics trafficking, using a firearm in furtherance of his drug crimes and participating in a money laundering conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Brian A. Benczkowski, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; Uttam Dhillon, Acting Administrator, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Christopher A. Wray, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Kevin McAleenan, Acting Secretary, United States Department of Homeland Security; Derek Benner, Executive Associate Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Bryan T. Mullee, Acting U.S. Marshal, Eastern District of New York; James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD); and Keith M. Corlett, Superintendent, New York State Police (NYSP).
The evidence at trial established that Guzman Loera was a principal leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, a Mexico-based international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing and distributing more than a million kilograms of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and heroin in the United States. The evidence included testimony from 14 cooperating witnesses, including Sinaloa Cartel members Rey and Vicente Zambada, Miguel Martinez, Tirso Martinez, Damaso Lopez and Alex Cifuentes; narcotics seizures totaling over 130,000 kilograms of cocaine and heroin; weapons, including AK-47s and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher; ledgers; text messages; videos; photographs and intercepted recordings that detailed the drug trafficking activity of Guzman Loera and his co-conspirators over a 25-year period from January 1989 until December 2014.
From the mid-1980s until his arrest in Mexico in 1993, Guzman Loera was a mid-level operative of the Sinaloa Cartel, earning a name for himself and the nickname “El Rapido” for how quickly he transported drugs from Mexico to the United States for the Colombian cartels. After he escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 by hiding in a laundry cart, Guzman Loera formed an alliance with fugitive co-defendant Ismael Zambada Garcia and, together, they became the preeminent leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. Guzman Loera enforced his will and maintained control of his drug empire through an army of lethal “sicarios” or hitmen and a sophisticated communications network.
The trial highlighted the methods Guzman Loera and his organization used to transport the cartel’s multi-ton shipments of narcotics into the United States, including fishing boats, submarines, carbon fiber airplanes, trains with secret compartments and transnational underground tunnels. Once the narcotics were in the United States, they were sold to wholesale distributors in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Arizona, Los Angeles and elsewhere. Guzman Loera then used various methods to launder billions of dollars of drug proceeds, including bulk cash smuggling from the United States to Mexico, U.S.-based insurance companies, reloadable debit cards and numerous shell companies, including a juice company and a fish flour company.
Guzman Loera and his organization relied upon violence to maintain its power throughout the region and beyond. Numerous co-conspirators testified that Guzman Loera directed his hitmen to kidnap, interrogate, torture and slaughter members of rival drug organizations, at times carrying out acts of violence himself. As part of its arsenal, the Sinaloa Cartel had access to weapons, including grenades and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Guzman Loera’s personal arsenal included a gold plated AK-47 and three diamond-encrusted .38 caliber handguns, one emblazoned with his initials, “JGL.”
Guzman Loera and his organization also relied on a vast network of corrupt government officials and employees to protect and further the interests of the Sinaloa Cartel. They included local law enforcement officers, prison guards, high-ranking members of the armed forces, and elected office holders. In exchange, the Cartel paid these individuals millions of dollars in bribes.
“Guzman Loera’s day of reckoning has finally come. Never again will he pour poison into our country, or make millions as innocent lives are lost. We cannot undo the violence, misery and devastation inflicted on countless individuals and communities as result of his organization’s sale of tons of illegal drugs for more than two decades, but we can ensure that he spends every minute of every day in prison,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The same fate awaits those who would take his place. I thank the brave members of law enforcement, here and abroad, for their tireless efforts that have finally secured justice in this case.”
“The long road that brought ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Loera to a United States courtroom is lined with drugs, death, and destruction, but ends today with justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Thanks to the unflagging efforts of the Department of Justice and the law enforcement community over the past 25 years, this notorious leader of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the Western hemisphere, the Sinaloa Cartel, will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
“The life sentence imposed today is the only just result for someone who spent a lifetime spreading his poison throughout our country. The impact of keeping former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin Guzman Loera behind bars, for the rest of his life, cannot be overstated: the world will now be shielded from his brutality,” said U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “Thanks to the unyielding efforts of this team, the public was finally able to see how Guzman Loera used any means necessary to control his ruthless empire, including kidnapping, corruption, torture, and murder. Our U.S. Attorney’s Offices continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners to protect our citizens from the scourge of illicit drugs.”
“This sentencing shows the world that no matter how protected or powerful you are, DEA will ensure that you face justice,” stated DEA Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “This result would not have been possible without the dedication and determination of so many brave men and women of the Drug Enforcement Administration, who worked tirelessly to see the world’s most dangerous, prolific drug trafficker behind bars in the United States. This is a huge victory for the rule of law, for thousands of current and retired DEA agents and analysts worldwide, and for all of our law enforcement partners here, in Mexico, and across the globe.”
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of years of effort from numerous local, state, federal, and international partners,” stated FBI Director Wray. “It highlights the dedication and determination of men and women in law enforcement to bring one of the world's most notorious drug traffickers to justice. The FBI has no tolerance for those who endanger our communities and destroy lives through drugs and violence. We’ll continue to work day and night to find and stop those who distribute illegal substances and commit unimaginable violence.”
“On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, I want to express my gratitude to our HSI agents and diligent law enforcement partners for their work in this monumental conviction,” said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security McAleenan. “This sentence will send a resounding message that transnational criminal organizations all over the world are being continuously investigated and their leaders will be brought to justice.”
“After a decade long investigation, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera’s reign over the Sinaloa Cartel is over,” said Derek N. Benner, Executive Associate Director for HSI. “Because of the initiative and expertise of HSI Special Agents in New York and Phoenix working together with our law enforcement partners, ‘El Chapo’ will no longer be able to inflict violence or traffic vast amounts of illegal drugs into our communities.”
“The United States Marshals Service was tasked with ensuring the integrity of the judicial process in this case,” stated Acting U.S. Marshal Mullee of the Eastern District of New York. “It was paramount that all participants in the case could operate without undue influence or fear in a secure environment, and we accomplished that. On behalf of the United States Marshals Service in the Eastern District of New York, I would like to express my gratitude to all of our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly in support of our mission, most notably, the incredibly talented men and women of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), The Federal Protective Service (FPS), The 24th Civil Support Team of the New York National Guard and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).”
“Let today’s sentencing show the world that Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman has not escaped the American justice system and, now, will finally be held accountable for his many years of criminal behavior,” said NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “I want to thank the members of the DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the New York State Police and the NYPD detectives on the Drug Enforcement Task Force for their hard work on this investigation and trial.”
“With this sentencing, justice has been served. For two decades, this individual used extreme violence, bribes, and any means necessary to bring dangerous and deadly drugs into our country and state,” stated NYSP Superintendent Corlett. “This sentence should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law. I applaud our partners in law enforcement for their tireless work on this case, bringing an end to the destruction this man, and this enterprise caused for decades.”
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina Parlovecchio, Michael Robotti, Patricia Notopoulos, Hiral Mehta, Soumya Dayananda and Brendan King from the Eastern District of New York; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Fels, Andrea Goldbarg and Lynn Kirkpatrick from the Southern District of Florida; and Trial Attorneys Amanda Liskamm, Anthony Nardozzi, Brett Reynolds and Michael Lang of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section.
The case was investigated by the DEA, ICE and the FBI, in cooperation with Mexican, Ecuadorian, Netherlands, Dominican and Colombian law enforcement authorities. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Western District of Texas, Southern District of New York, Southern District of California, District of New Hampshire, District of Arizona and Eastern District of Virginia. The Department of Justice Office of International Affairs played an integral role in securing the extradition of Guzman Loera to the United States, in cooperation with authorities of the Mexican government, without which his prosecution would not have been possible. The investigative efforts in this case were coordinated with the Department of Justice Special Operations Division, comprising agents, analysts and attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, DEA New York, DEA Miami, FBI Washington Field Office, FBI New York Field Office, FBI Miami Field Office, ICE HSI New York, ICE HSI Nogales, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, NYPD and New York State Police.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, Sinaloa Cartel Leader, Sentenced to Life in Prison Plus 30 YearsRead the Press Release
Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, known by various aliases, including “El Chapo” and “El Rapido,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Brian M. Cogan to a life term of imprisonment plus 30 years to run consecutive to the life sentence for being a principal leader of a continuing criminal enterprise – the Mexican organized crime syndicate known as the Sinaloa Cartel – a charge that includes 26 drug-related violations and one murder conspiracy. The Court also ordered Guzman Loera to pay $12.6 billion in forfeiture.
Guzman Loera was convicted by a federal jury on Feb. 12, 2019, following a three-month trial, of all 10 counts of the superseding indictment, including narcotics trafficking, using a firearm in furtherance of his drug crimes and participating in a money laundering conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by Attorney General William P. Barr, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida (SDFL), U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York (EDNY), Acting Administrator Uttam Dhillon of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Director Christopher A. Wray of the FBI, Acting Secretary Kevin McAleenan of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Executive Associate Director Derek Benner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Acting U.S. Marshal Bryan T. Mullee of the Eastern District of New York, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner James P. O’Neill and New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett.
The evidence at trial established that Guzman Loera was a principal leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, a Mexico-based international drug trafficking organization responsible for importing and distributing more than a million kilograms of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and heroin in the United States. The evidence included testimony from 14 cooperating witnesses, including Sinaloa Cartel members Rey and Vicente Zambada, Miguel Martinez, Tirso Martinez, Damaso Lopez and Alex Cifuentes; narcotics seizures totaling over 130,000 kilograms of cocaine and heroin; weapons, including AK-47s and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher; ledgers; text messages; videos; photographs and intercepted recordings that detailed the drug trafficking activity of Guzman Loera and his co-conspirators over a 25-year period from January 1989 until December 2014.
From the mid-1980s until his arrest in Mexico in 1993, Guzman Loera was a mid-level operative of the Sinaloa Cartel, earning a name for himself and the nickname “El Rapido” for how quickly he transported drugs from Mexico to the United States for the Colombian cartels. After he escaped from a Mexican prison in 2001 by hiding in a laundry cart, Guzman Loera formed an alliance with fugitive co-defendant Ismael Zambada Garcia and, together, they became the preeminent leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel. Guzman Loera enforced his will and maintained control of his drug empire through an army of lethal bodyguards and a sophisticated communications network.
The trial highlighted the methods Guzman Loera and his organization used to transport the cartel’s multi-ton shipments of narcotics into the United States, including fishing boats, submarines, carbon fiber airplanes, trains with secret compartments and transnational underground tunnels. Once the narcotics were in the United States, they were sold to wholesale distributors in New York, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, Arizona, Los Angeles and elsewhere. Guzman Loera then used various methods to launder billions of dollars of drug proceeds, including bulk cash smuggling from the United States to Mexico, U.S.-based insurance companies, reloadable debit cards and numerous shell companies, including a juice company and a fish flour company.
Guzman Loera and his organization relied upon violence to maintain its power throughout the region and beyond. Numerous co-conspirators testified that Guzman Loera directed his hitmen to kidnap, interrogate, torture and slaughter members of rival drug organizations, at times carrying out acts of violence himself. As part of its arsenal, the Sinaloa Cartel had access to weapons, including grenades and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Guzman Loera’s personal arsenal included a gold plated AK-47 and three diamond-encrusted .38 caliber handguns, one emblazoned with his initials, “JGL.”
Guzman Loera and his organization also relied on a vast network of corrupt government officials and employees to protect and further the interests of the Sinaloa Cartel. They included local law enforcement officers, prison guards, high-ranking members of the armed forces and elected office holders. In exchange, the Cartel paid these individuals millions of dollars in bribes.
“The long road that brought ‘El Chapo’ Guzman Loera to a United States courtroom is lined with drugs, death, and destruction, but ends today with justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Thanks to the unflagging efforts of the Department of Justice and the law enforcement community over the past 25 years, this notorious leader of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in the Western hemisphere, the Sinaloa Cartel, will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
“The life sentence imposed today is the only just result for someone who spent a lifetime spreading his poison throughout our country,” said SDFL U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “The impact of keeping former Sinaloa Cartel leader Joaquin Guzman Loera behind bars, for the rest of his life, cannot be overstated: the world will now be shielded from his brutality. Thanks to the unyielding efforts of this team, the public was finally able to see how Guzman Loera used any means necessary to control his ruthless empire, including kidnapping, corruption, torture, and murder. Our U.S. Attorney’s Offices continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with our domestic and foreign law enforcement partners to protect our citizens from the scourge of illicit drugs.”
“Guzman Loera’s day of reckoning has finally come,” said EDNY U.S. Attorney Donoghue. “Never again will he pour poison into our country, or make millions as innocent lives are lost. We cannot undo the violence, misery and devastation inflicted on countless individuals and communities as result of his organization’s sale of tons of illegal drugs for more than two decades, but we can ensure that he spends every minute of every day in prison. The same fate awaits those who would take his place. I thank the brave members of law enforcement, here and abroad, for their tireless efforts that have finally secured justice in this case.”
“This sentencing shows the world that no matter how protected or powerful you are, DEA will ensure that you face justice,” said DEA Acting Administrator Dhillon. “This result would not have been possible without the dedication and determination of so many brave men and women of the DEA, who worked tirelessly to see the world’s most dangerous, prolific drug trafficker behind bars in the United States. This is a huge victory for the rule of law, for thousands of current and retired DEA agents and analysts worldwide, and for all of our law enforcement partners here, in Mexico, and across the globe.”
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of years of effort from numerous local, state, federal, and international partners,” said FBI Director Wray. “It highlights the dedication and determination of men and women in law enforcement to bring one of the world’s most notorious drug traffickers to justice. The FBI has no tolerance for those who endanger our communities and destroy lives through drugs and violence. We’ll continue to work day and night to find and stop those who distribute illegal substances and commit unimaginable violence.”
“On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, I want to express my gratitude to our HSI agents and diligent law enforcement partners for their work in this monumental conviction,” said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security McAleenan. “This sentence will send a resounding message that transnational criminal organizations all over the world are being continuously investigated and their leaders will be brought to justice.”
“After a decade long investigation, Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera’s reign over the Sinaloa Cartel is over,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Benner. “Because of the initiative and expertise of HSI special agents in New York and Phoenix working together with our law enforcement partners, ‘El Chapo’ will no longer be able to inflict violence or traffic vast amounts of illegal drugs into our communities.”
“The U.S. Marshals Service was tasked with ensuring the integrity of the judicial process in this case,” said Acting U.S. Marshal Mullee. “It was paramount that all participants in the case could operate without undue influence or fear in a secure environment, and we accomplished that. On behalf of the U.S. Marshals Service in the Eastern District of New York, I would like to express my gratitude to all of our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly in support of our mission, most notably, the incredibly talented men and women of the NYPD, The Federal Protective Service (FPS), The 24th Civil Support Team of the New York National Guard and the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP).”
“Let today’s sentencing show the world that Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman has not escaped the American justice system and, now, will finally be held accountable for his many years of criminal behavior,” said NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “I want to thank the members of the DEA, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, HSI, the New York State Police and the NYPD detectives on the Drug Enforcement Task Force for their hard work on this investigation and trial.”
“With this sentencing, justice has been served,” said NYSP Superintendent Corlett. “For two decades, this individual used extreme violence, bribes, and any means necessary to bring dangerous and deadly drugs into our country and state. This sentence should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law. I applaud our partners in law enforcement for their tireless work on this case, bringing an end to the destruction this man, and this enterprise caused for decades.”
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Fels, Andrea Goldbarg and Lynn Kirkpatrick from the Southern District of Florida; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina Parlovecchio, Michael Robotti, Patricia Notopoulos and Hiral Mehta from the Eastern District of New York; and Trial Attorneys Amanda Liskamm, Anthony Nardozzi, Brett Reynolds and Michael Lang of the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section.
The case was investigated by the DEA, ICE HSI and the FBI, in cooperation with Mexican, Ecuadorian, Netherlands, Dominican and Colombian law enforcement authorities. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in the Northern District of Illinois, Western District of Texas, Southern District of New York, Southern District of California, District of New Hampshire, District of Arizona and Eastern District of Virginia. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs of the Criminal Division played an integral role in securing the extradition of Guzman Loera to the United States, in cooperation with authorities of the Mexican government, without which his prosecution would not have been possible. The investigative efforts in this case were coordinated with the Department of Justice Special Operations Division, comprising agents, analysts and attorneys from the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; DEA New York; DEA Miami; FBI Washington Field Office; FBI New York Field Office; FBI Miami Field Office; HSI New York; HSI Nogales; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Bureau of Prisons; NYPD and New York State Police.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison Under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing Firearms as a FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Nathaniel Teddy Brown, 37, of Jackson, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 68 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Kirk Thielhorn with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Brown was also ordered to pay a $1500 fine.
On July 2, 2016, Jackson Police officers arrested Brown during a checkpoint operation on U.S. Highway 80 in Jackson for possessing a Raven Arms, .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and a Smith and Wesson handgun. Brown had a previous felony conviction in Hinds County for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
The ATF adopted the case from the Jackson Police Department for federal prosecution. On October 19, 2018, during the arrest of Brown for the July 2, 2016 charge, Brown had four additional handguns in plain sight at his home. Brown was indicted and pled guilty before Judge Jordan on April 4, 2019, to possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service’s Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. Assistant United States Attorney Glenda R. Haynes prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions 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.
Isleta Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Felony Child Endangerment ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Leon Sanchez, 30, a member of Isleta Pueblo who resides in Bosque Farms, N.M., pleaded guilty in federal court in Albuquerque today to a charge of felony child endangerment under a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In his plea agreement, Sanchez admitted committing the crime in Isleta Pueblo on Oct. 6, 2018, by discharging a firearm in the general direction of a child under the age of 18. Although the child was unharmed, Sanchez admitted that his reckless actions placed the child in a situation that endangered the child’s life or health.
Sanchez is currently on pretrial release pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. He faces up to a three-year term of imprisonment.
The Isleta Pueblo Tribal Police Department investigated this case, which is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederick Mendenhall.
Huntington Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Jeremy Midkiff, 38, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for his conviction for distributing fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
Midkiff previously admitted that on May 2, 2017, he met a confidential informant in Huntington and gave the informant fentanyl in exchange for $70.
“Powerful fentanyl has killed far too many West Virginians and devastated our families and communities. Since the inception of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.) one year ago, we’ve prosecuted every fentanyl dealer we find, regardless of drug quantity,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “As a result, we have 62 cases and 13 convictions, including Midkiff, to date.”
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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Harrison County man sentenced for role in methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Nathan Crites, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration for his role in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Crites, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Crites admitted to selling methamphetamine in April 2018 in Harrison County.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Georgia Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Money Laundering in Case Involving Theft of University of Iowa Employee IdentificationsRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA- On Monday, July 15, 2019, Nadine Nzuega Robinson, age 39, from Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a scheme to obtain federal tax refunds by fraud using the identification information of dozens of University of Iowa employees, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.
Robinson was the owner/operator of a check cashing business in Doralville, Georgia. The bank account of this business was used by Robinson to launder hundreds of money orders purchased with the proceeds of the fraudulently obtained tax refunds. More than $450,000 in tax refunds of University of Iowa employees was obtained fraudulently through this scheme and more than $5,000,000 in fraudulently obtained funds passed through the account during March and April of 2015. In June of 2015, Robinson purchased a residence in Atlanta with the proceeds of the fraud. Robinson was ordered to forfeit the residence. Robinson was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following the period of imprisonment and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims’ Fund.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Four Port Everglades Employees and Business Owner Charged in Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Four Port Everglades employees, William Woessner, 68, of Margate, Florida, David Moore, 43, of Pompano Beach, Florida, John McGahee, 43, of Davie, Florida, and Rajindra Lallharry, 60, of Coral Springs, Florida, and business owner Bryan Zascavage, 57, of Pompano, Florida, were each charged in an one-count Information with Conspiracy to Commit Fraud Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
As set forth in the charging documents, Woessner, Moore, McGahee, and Lallharry were employees of Port Everglades (U.S. v. Moore, Case No. 19-60206-Ungaro; U.S. v. Woeesner, Case No. 19-60202-Altman; U.S. v. McGahee, Case No. 19-60204-Smith; and U.S. v. Lallharry, Case No. 19-60205-Dimitrouleas). They were issued purchase cards or P-cards, which were to be used to buy goods and services for Port Everglades. Instead, they utilized the P-cards to engage in schemes to illegally profit from the use of the cards.
Zascavage operated a business, Z & Z, Inc., that provided goods and services to the Port (U.S. v. Zascavage, Case No. 19-60203-Ungaro). Woessner and Zascavage engaged in a scheme wherein Woessner would direct Zascavage to purchase certain goods. Woessner would pay for the goods using his Port Everglades P-card, but the goods were not sent to Port Everglades. Instead, Woessner utilized the goods at his plumbing company.
Moore and Zascavage engaged in a scheme wherein Zascavage would receive payments for goods ordered by Moore utilizing his Port Everglades P-card. None of the goods would be sent to the Port. Zascavage and Moore would split the illegally obtained funds.
McGahee and Zascavage engaged in a scheme wherein Zascavage would receive payments for services ordered by McGahee utilizing his Port Everglades P-card. The services ordered by McGahee would not be performed by Zascavage or his company. Zascavage and McGahee would split the illegally obtained funds.
Lallharry’s family owned five separate companies. Lallharry would utilize his P-card to make direct payments to each of the family-owned companies for goods to allegedly be utilized by the Port. The goods were not delivered to the Port. The illegally obtained funds were utilized by Lallharry and his family to pay personal expenses, including approximately $101,790.85 to pay monthly expenses due the Chapter 13 trustee overseeing Lallharry’s bankruptcy.
Woessner, Moore, McGahee, Lallharry, and Zascavage each face a statutory maximum term of 5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of the greater of $250,000 or twice the amount of the gross gain or the gross loss.
An Information is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI in connection with this matter. She also thanked the Broward County Sheriff's Office - Public Corruption Unit, Office of the Broward County Auditors, and Port Everglades Department - Port Director's Office for their assistance with the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey N. Kaplan.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former elementary school teacher admits sexual abuse of minor on Blackfeet Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – An East Glacier woman who taught elementary school on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation today admitted to sexually abusing two students, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Sierra Shawnee Taylor, also known as Sierra Schildt, 36, pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston presided and recommended Taylor’s plea be accepted by U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris, who will sentence Taylor. Sentencing was set for Nov. 6.
Taylor faces a maximum 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release.
In court records filed in the case, the prosecution said Taylor was employed as a teacher at the East Glacier Elementary School during the 2014-2015 school year. She taught a mixed-grade class that included some eighth-grade students. Taylor entered a sexual relationship with one of the boys, who was an eighth-grade student, and twice had intercourse with the victim. Investigators identified a second victim, also an eighth grade student, with whom Taylor committed a sexual act in 2012.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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