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Friday 31 May 2019
Bettendorf Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa—On May 29, 2019, Laron Josiah Carr, age 26, of Bettendorf, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 84 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on May 31, 2018, Bettendorf Police officers responded to a domestic dispute involving a firearm. When they arrived, Carr ran from the police and drew a loaded firearm. Carr was eventually taken into custody without incident. Carr was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine packaged for sale. Carr pleaded guilty to the charges on January 22, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Transferring More than $4.6 Million in Criminal Proceeds as Part of an Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that DONOVAN J. BARKER, age 59, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. As a result of his conviction, BARKER faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his plea, between September of 2012 and May of 2016, individuals known to the defendant conspired to distribute carisoprodol, tramadol, and other substances, by shipping the pills in bulk into the United States, to be broken down into smaller quantities that would then be shipped to individual purchasers. For a time, BARKER helped the individuals by accepting the bulk drug shipments at his home and mailing the drugs out to individual purchasers. In January of 2013, law enforcement agents seized more than 50,000 dosage units of tramadol and carisoprodol from BARKER’s residence and advised him to stop assisting the effort to import the substances into the United States.
Following the January 2013 seizure, BARKER began operating as a money transmitter for the individuals involved in the scheme. As drug sales were generated, BARKER would receive the proceeds of the sales (i.e., accept payments for the drugs from the individual buyers) and wire the proceeds to other individuals and businesses. BARKER formed and operated several business entities, including Quantum Information Technologies, Caring Partners 1, LLC, Don Western Sky, LLC, Life Positive Services, LLC, and Healthy Life 1, LLC that he used to assist the scheme.
In total, from October 2012 through February 2016, BARKER through his businesses, received more than $4.6 million in payments from individuals all across the United States. This included more than $1.3 million in credit card payments made to BARKER via electronic transfer, and more than $750,000 in checks and money orders, from individuals all across the United States who had purchased controlled substances and other substances over the internet. As BARKER received the money, he wired the vast majority of the money out to other individuals and businesses, through hundreds of transactions. For instance, BARKER paid the shipping charges incurred by members of the conspiracy, which exceeded $100,000. Moreover, on more than two hundred (200) different occasions, BARKER transmitted proceeds from the operation to foreign bank accounts in the Philippines, India, China, and Canada. Accordingly, BARKER was unlawfully and knowingly operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, in violation of federal criminal statutes enacted to combat the use of money transmitting businesses to transfer the proceeds of criminal activity.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, "Drug traffickers are very creative and use many resources to distribute their products to our citizens across the country. We have resources too. This investigation and conviction yet again demonstrates our willingness to use those resources to dismantle their networks and keep dangerous substances off of our streets. I want to congratulate our prosecutors and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners on their outstanding efforts in obtaining this conviction."
Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigations, stated “The Special Agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation are an integral part of drug investigations that involve the laundering of money through sophisticated means such as those implemented by Donovan Barker. More and more often individuals are using the internet and access to international banks in an attempt to keep their misdeeds hidden from the view of law enforcement. However, the dissection of complex money laundering schemes is an area of expertise in which IRS- CI excels. It is our hope that Barker’s drug distribution and money laundering operation were fully dismantled as a result of this investigation, and he will face the consequences for his role in facilitating the trafficking of illegal substances into our communities.”
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with critical assistance from the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who serves as a Deputy Criminal Chief within the Criminal Division, and AUSAs Kashan Pathan and Robert Piedrahita. The investigation received valuable assistance from the Baton Rouge Police Department, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana State Police, and other federal, state, and local agencies.
The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
Atlanta man sentenced for nine bank robberiesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Patrick Jerome Mouton has been sentenced for nine metro-Atlanta bank robberies. During the robberies, Mouton would approach tellers and give them a threatening note that demanded cash.
“Whether by firearm or threatening note, bank robberies strike fear in the hearts of bank employees and customers,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Citizens trying to do their jobs or conduct their banking business deserve to feel safe in their communities. Thankfully law-enforcement partners worked tirelessly to end this series of robberies.”
“Mouton’s conviction was made possible by a collaborative effort with our law enforcement partners in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs and Cobb County,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Hacker of the FBI Atlanta field office. “To anyone thinking about robbing a bank, the message from this sentence is clear. You will get caught, and when you do, you will serve a significant amount of time in prison.”
“I’m tremendously proud of our detectives and the work they put in to help solve this case. This demonstrates the importance of having such a close working relationship with our surrounding law enforcement partners.” Chief John Robison, Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.
“Getting a prison sentence for this bank robber shows what good can result when law enforcement agencies work together,” said Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. “We are grateful the U.S. Attorney’s Office has shown its commitment to getting serious offenders off of our streets and in prison, where they belong. Their office continues to do exceptional work.”
“We are proud of the partnerships we have established with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. We will relentlessly pursue suspects across multiple jurisdiction’s boundaries until we bring the lawless to justice,” said Chief Ken DeSimone of the Sandy Springs Police Department.
“The Cobb County Police Department is proud to be part of the interagency cooperation in this case. It is imperative law enforcement agencies continue to share information in cases like this in order to bring to justice those who prey upon the public regardless of jurisdictional lines,” said Chief Tim Cox of the Cobb County Police Department.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: From September 2017 until February 2018, metro-Atlanta banks experienced a startling series of bank robberies. During the robberies, the robber approached the teller and passed a note that demanded cash and threatened harm. On February 2, 2018, Patrick Mouton was arrested after robbing a Regions Bank branch in Atlanta. FBI reviewed surveillance video from numerous robberies and determined that Mouton had robbed seven other banks. In fact, he was captured after robbing a Regions Bank branch for the second time. Alpharetta Police Department detectives utilized information from the Sandy Springs Police Department to locate Mouton’s would-be getaway car and FBI found notes he used in other robberies and items identified in the surveillance videos.
Patrick Jerome Mouton, 47, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor L. Ross to five years, ten months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $15,734. Mouton was convicted on these charges on January 30, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alpharetta Police Department, Sandy Springs Police Department, Cobb County Police Department, and Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Antioch Resident Charged with Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - A federal grand jury indicted Henry Obdulio Cordon with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin.
An affidavit filed by a Task Force Officer with Homeland Security Investigations in connection with a criminal complaint filed in the same case also alleges that various email accounts controlled by Cordon contained child pornography images of young children being sexually abused. The complaint also alleges that Cordon emailed himself images of young children being sexually abused by adult men. Additionally, the complaint alleges that in 2011 Cordon participated in sexually explicit conduct with a 2 or 3-year-old girl and that he took a photograph of the girl while she was engaging in the conduct. The indictment charges Cordon with one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), and one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).
The investigation began when Yahoo! sent a series of CyberTips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after discovering child pornography materials in accounts that Cordon controlled.
Cordon was arrested at his residence in Antioch the day the search warrant was executed, and made his initial appearance in federal court in Oakland on May 20, 2019. Today, Cordon waived a detention hearing and remains in the custody of the United States Marshal. Cordon’s next scheduled appearance is at 1:00 p.m. on June 11, 2019, for a status conference before the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.
Anyone with information about Cordon or his alleged sexual interest in children should contact the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations at 925-957-2200.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a lifetime of supervised release, plus restitution, if convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(2) (receipt of child pornography). However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Rodriguez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force of Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Homeland Security Investigations.
28-Year-Old Pedophile Committed to Federal Custody as a Sexually Dangerous PersonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan committed Jonah james hawkins, 28, to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
Hawkins has a history of sexually molesting young girls and violating the terms of his probation. When he was 14, HAWKINS molested his three-year-old cousin. When he was 15, he molested the five-year-old daughter of one of his father’s friends. At age 16, he molested his seven-year-old half-sister and a two-year-old cousin he was babysitting. He molested this young cousin again when he was 17, and did so approximately 30 times over a two-month period. During the time he was molesting his young cousin, HAWKINS pled with the girl’s mother to let him take custody of her.
As a result of sexually abusing his young cousin, HAWKINS was convicted of Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Victim under 13 in Minnesota, as well as Contributing to the Deprivation of a Minor in North Dakota. HAWKINS was sentenced to a ten-year term of probation, which he subsequently violated on two occasions by forming relationships with female children under the age of 12. HAWKINS served prison time for violating his probation, and was again was released to the community on probation.
In June 2017, at age 26, HAWKINS absconded from his supervision in Minnesota and traveled to Texas. HAWKINS was in Texas using an alias, Charlie Ciancanelli, for approximately 42 days prior to his arrest by the United States Marshals Service, at which time he was found holding a 2-year-old female child. HAWKINS admitted at trial he was sexually attracted to the two-year-old, had fantasized about sexually abusing her, and had taken photographs of her on his cell phone. He also admitted at trial that he had online chats with other sex offenders about the sexual acts he wanted to perform on the child. During this time, HAWKINS also contacted multiple young female children on social networking websites and solicited a naked photograph from one of them.
HAWKINS was federally prosecuted in the Southern District of Texas for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender for his conduct in Texas. He was sentenced to a 24-month term of imprisonment and 10-years’ supervised release.
At trial, HAWKINS admitted that while he has been incarcerated he has repeatedly asked his family to send him pictures of his time in Texas, including with the young girl he fantasized about sexually abusing.
HAWKINS was scheduled for release from federal prison on May 1, 2019, but the United States certified him as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. Congress passed this Act in order to provide another powerful legal mechanism for protecting the public from some of the most dangerous sexual offenders. The Act allows the United States to seek civil commitment of sexually dangerous persons who, because of a serious mental illness, abnormality, or disorder, would have serious difficulty refraining from sexually violent conduct or child molestation.
The United States believed that HAwkins met every element of that definition. The Court agreed. On May 30, 2019, after a bench trial, Judge Flanagan committed HAWKINS to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person. In doing so, Judge Flanagan explained that HAWKINS’ continued attempts to secure friendship and alone-time with young prepubescent females demonstrates that HAWKINS currently has limited ability to refrain from acting on his sexual attraction to young girls, despite years of sex offender therapy and the risk of violating probation. Judge Flanagan noted that HAWKINS is not intrinsically motivated to participate in sex offender treatment, a factor that weighs in favor of a finding that HAWKINS lacks volitional control as it relates to his offending.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina litigates all Adam Walsh Act cases for the entire country. All sexually dangerous persons who are committed to federal custody are housed in a federal facility in that district, where intensive, residential treatment is offered to them. HAWKINS is the eighty-third sexually dangerous person committed under the Adam Walsh Act.
Special Assistant United States Attorneys Genna Petre and Michael Bredenberg represented the government in this case.
"Operation 922"Read the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY — In the past week, four defendants have been sentenced to a total of 188 months in separate and unrelated cases as part of "Operation 922," the violent crime initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office targeting domestic violence derived cases, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. Within the last week, the following four defendants were sentenced in separate and unrelated cases:
- MICHAEL DEWAYNE GARRETT, 24, of Oklahoma City. On July 16, 2018, a female pawned a firearm at a pawn shop in Oklahoma City. That firearm had been stolen in a 2017 robbery of a sporting goods store. The investigation revealed that the female, who had been the victim of domestic violence, was forced to pawn the firearm belonging to Garrett on his behalf. Garrett was indicted on August 7, 2018, for illegally possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. He pled guilty on October 2, 2018.
At a sentencing hearing late last week, United States District Judge Timothy DeGiusti considered Garrett’s history of domestic violence, as well as the illegal possession of the firearm, and ordered Garrett to serve 50 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacquelyn Hutzell and Matt Anderson prosecuted this case.
- MARTRELL LITTLEJOHN, 27, of Oklahoma City. On May 8, 2017, Littlejohn threatened an ex-girlfriend with a firearm. He discharged the firearm at least 12 times in a residential neighborhood as his ex-girlfriend fled. Littlejohn was indicted on July 17, 2018, for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty on October 30, 2018.
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, United States District Judge David Russell considered Littlejohn’s history of domestic violence, his discharge of a firearm during a domestic violence incident, and the government’s motion for a higher sentence than the guideline range of 24-30 months. At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Russell ordered Littlejohn to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Hutzell prosecuted this case.
- KIRBY DONALD KEITH, 50, of Oklahoma City. On August 25, 2018, the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance call at an address they had been called to multiple times for Keith’s violation of a victim protection order (VPO). The caller reported seeing Keith running with an object in his hand near her property. While searching the area, OCPD located Keith, who had fallen out of a tree. Upon searching Keith’s vehicle, officers located a shotgun and a pistol. Keith was indicted on September 18, 2018, for illegally possessing a firearm while subject to an active VPO. He pled guilty on December 3, 2018.
At sentencing today, United States District Judge Scott Palk considered Keith’s history of domestic violence, including seven VPOs that had been filed against him from five different individuals, in addition to his illegal possession of a firearm while being subject to an active VPO. Judge Palk ordered Keith to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Altshuler prosecuted this case.
- Michael Shane Mcconnell, 48, of Chickasha. On July 19, 2018, the Chickasha Police Department responded to a 911 call from a woman claiming McConnell, the caller’s estranged husband, followed her into her driveway, pulled a gun, and threatened to kill her and himself. During the encounter, McConnell started choking her and slammed her head and face into the dashboard of a car. McConnell left before police arrived, but was later located on a county road where he was threatening to shoot himself. A Grady County Judge had previously issued two final VPOs against McConnell until April 2, 2023. McConnell was indicted on August 21, 2018. He pled guilty on October 5, 2018.
At a sentencing hearing today, United States District Judge Timothy DeGiusti considered McConnell’s history of domestic violence, including repeated threats of violence and actual violence against his wife over a two-year time period, once shooting their bed with a shotgun, culminating in a March 2018 incident in which he pointed a firearm at his wife and said he was going to kill her. The Grady County court issued the VPOs on April 2, 2018, protecting his wife and her daughters after a hearing about the March 2018 incident. Judge DeGiusti considered all of this information, in addition to McConnell’s illegal possession of a firearm while being subject to an active VPO, and ordered McConnell to serve 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. McKenzie Anderson prosecuted this case.
These cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Oklahoma City Police Department, Chickasha Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office and the Grady County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors also thank Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, for their assistance in providing critical services to victims of domestic violence.
Progress of "Operation 922"
Since "Operation 922" began in March of 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought charges in 55 separate domestic violence derived cases. To date, 46 defendants have pled or been found guilty. Of those, 23 have been sentenced to a collective total of 2,198 months in federal prison. Five more “Operation 922” defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in June.
Background
These prosecutions are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s national violent crime reduction initiative aimed at making our communities safer and more secure. 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. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
"Operation 922" is the local implementation of the national PSN initiative in the Western District of Oklahoma. Rather than focusing on prosecutions coming from a geographic area, "Operation 922" prioritizes prosecutions on a subject matter plaguing Oklahoma -- domestic violence. As part of this initiative, federal prosecutors focus on enforcing 18 U.S.C. § 922, which precludes specific individuals from possessing firearms or ammunition. Here, the focus is on domestic violence abusers who are subject to a VPO, or who have been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes domestic abuse related cases in Indian Country, including conduct involving assault, battery, strangulation, and homicide.
"We cannot have safe neighborhoods without first having safe homes," said Mr. Troester. "We are convinced we are saving lives by bringing the power of federal prosecution to help protect women and children who are the subject of repeated abuse and violence, particularly when that violence escalates to a point where firearms or weapons are involved. We are proud to partner with and assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and non-profit entities who are working each day to combat the epidemic of domestic violence in Oklahoma."
- MICHAEL DEWAYNE GARRETT, 24, of Oklahoma City. On July 16, 2018, a female pawned a firearm at a pawn shop in Oklahoma City. That firearm had been stolen in a 2017 robbery of a sporting goods store. The investigation revealed that the female, who had been the victim of domestic violence, was forced to pawn the firearm belonging to Garrett on his behalf. Garrett was indicted on August 7, 2018, for illegally possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. He pled guilty on October 2, 2018.
'Vanilla Gorilla' defendant sentenced to nearly 10 years for drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An associate of the Ghost Face Gangsters criminal street gang will serve nearly 10 years in prison for his role in distribution of methamphetamine.
Adam Cushman, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine by U. S. District Judge R. Stan Baker, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his sentence, Cushman will serve supervised release for three years and all federal benefits will be denied for five years. There is no parole in the federal system.
In November 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Cushman and 42 other defendants as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation into a drug trafficking organization associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent criminal street gang. Of the 43 defendants, 41 have been convicted of federal charges in this multi-district case. Cushman pled guilty within two months of being indicted.
According to information presented in court filings and in court proceedings, Cushman and other conspirators, including other associates of the Ghost Face Gangsters, distributed crystal methamphetamine throughout southern Georgia. Although tattooed with a large “G” and a skull on his chest, Cushman denied being a member of the Ghost Face Gangsters but admitted associating with others in the conspiracy.
As noted in court, Cushman’s criminal history spans two decades, with his first conviction at age 17. He has state convictions for DUI, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Sale of Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, among others. He was on state probation for the fifth time when he participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, and his federal sentence will begin immediately after he completes his prison sentence for violating state probation.
At sentencing, Cushman told the court, “Me being in prison may be the best thing that has happened to me,” and U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine agrees. “Cushman is an example of why people who sell methamphetamine should be locked up for a long time,” Christine said. “Cushman, himself, admitted that he would not have committed his crimes but for his own addiction to methamphetamine. Meth destroys lives, families and communities, and drug addicts often commit crimes to feed their addiction – as Cushman’s crimes abundantly demonstrate.”
“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources to eradicate criminal gang activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. The case was investigated by the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. and Frank Pennington.
Thursday 30 May 2019
“Wing Stop Robbery Crew” Leader Sentenced for Role in Multiple Robberies in One MonthRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 23-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for his role in organizing and planning a string of Houston-area armed robberies, including one in which someone was almost killed, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Tadarius Robinson pleaded guilty Aug. 8, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller sentenced Robinson to 120 months for his role in the robberies. He also received another 120-month-term for aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during commission of a crime of violence which must be served consecutively. The total 20-year sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
In imposing the sentence, the court found Robinson to be the leader and organizer of the robbery crews that had committed the crimes within the span of one month in late 2015. Robinson had picked the locations, recruited the members and acted as a lookout or getaway driver for the robberies.
Co-defendants Reshaun Lee Jenkins, 25, James Daniel Henderson, 24, Ashton Armstrong, 24, Cedric L. Andrews, 44, Joseph Adams, 34, and Bradley Alexander, 28, all of Houston, pleaded guilty for their respective roles and were sentenced previously. Jenkins and Armstrong both received 141 months in prison, while Henderson, Andrews, Adams and Alexander received 255, 33, 36, and 147 months, respectively.
Mik Yia Shua Faye Durden, 22, of Livingston, and Travescy Cauley, 27, of Beaumont, also pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
Robinson and Alexander took part in one robbery which targeted Gagne’s Auto Repair Shop at 6404 Tidwell on Sept. 9, 2015, which resulted in the theft of U.S. currency and one employee being chased from the store.
Robinson, Alexander and Armstrong then participated in the robbery of a T-Mobile store located at 10730 Eastex Freeway on Sept. 27, 2015. Armstrong had entered the store, while Robinson and Alexander waited in the getaway vehicle. The robbery resulted in the theft of U.S. currency and cellular phones.
Three days later, Jenkins, Henderson, Armstrong, Durden and Alexander robbed the El Mexsal Taqueria located at 5797 North Sam Houston. Henderson, Cauley and Armstrong ordered the employees and customers to the ground at gunpoint, while Durden and Jenkins drove getaway cars. Alexander acted as a lookout during the robbery.
Robinson, Jenkins, Adams, Henderson, Andrews and Alexander then committed the armed robbery at the Wing Stop restaurant located at 10749 North Freeway on Oct. 2, 2015. Henderson entered the store with a gun drawn. When an employee did not immediately get down on the ground, Henderson shot him, causing permanent bodily injuries. Andrews and Adams were inside the restaurant during the robbery, while Robinson, Alexander and Jenkins sat outside acting as lookouts and the getaway driver. Alexander disassembled the firearm after the shooting and threw pieces out of the car window as they fled the scene.
Finally, Armstrong, Durden and Alexander then robbed Movie Magic at 6520 Airline on Oct. 9, 2015. Armstrong robbed the store at gunpoint. As they fled the scene and Durden drove the getaway car, Alexander fired his gun at a civilian who was chasing the robbers. Armstrong attempted to fire at the civilian but his gun jammed.
The case is an example of coordination between law enforcement who are part of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative. The goal is to proactively fight and reduce violent crime across the Greater Houston area by targeting the region’s most violent offenders, augmenting investigative and prosecutorial efforts, and enhancing training, public awareness and education.
The cases are 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Hanes and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.
“Booster Gary” Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Woolly Mammoth Tusk from Campbell Creek Science CenterRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Wasilla man has been sentenced to federal prison after he and a co-conspirator stole a fossilized woolly mammoth tusk from an Anchorage BLM museum, and then cut the tusk into pieces and sold them for profit.
Gary Lynn Boyd, 41, of Wasilla, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve 33 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to one count of removal of a paleontological resource. After his sentence is served, Boyd will be on supervised release for three years. In addition to the standard conditions of release, Boyd will not be permitted to visit National Parks, National Forests, or BLM land without permission of his probation officer. Boyd was also ordered to pay $8,385.82 in restitution to the Campbell Creek Science Center.
According to court documents, Boyd and his co-conspirator, Martin Thornley Elze, stole a mammoth tusk, which is an irreplaceable paleontological resource that had been displayed at the Campbell Creek Science Center (CCSC), a BLM museum, for approximately 20 years. Specifically, on March 7, 2018, Boyd and Elze targeted the tusk in advance by visiting the CCSC and asked the staff specific questions about the weight and authenticity of the tusk. Boyd and Elze returned to CCSC the next night, on March 8, 2018, when it was closed. Boyd used a rock to break a window, causing $1,385.22 in damage, to unlawfully open a door at the CCSC. After Boyd removed the tusk from the CCSC, he and Elze worked together to carry away the tusk, which was caught on the museum’s video surveillance system.
The investigation revealed that Boyd and Elze cut the mammoth tusk into pieces and sold them for profit. As such, the mammoth tusk was never returned to the BLM. According to court documents, when the tusk was in its original condition, prior to being plundered and cleaved, it was worth approximately $7,000 to $9,000.
Last month, Elze was sentenced to serve 33 months in federal prison, after having pleaded guilty to one count of removal of a paleontological resource. At Elze’s sentencing hearing, the Court heard that Boyd was known as “Booster Gary.” A “booster” makes his living stealing and selling stolen goods. Boyd even offered his “boosting” services on social media, and had people contacting him to solicit his services as a thief.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Office of Law Enforcement and Security, and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the joint investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker.
Worcester Man Indicted for Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester today for distributing cocaine.
Julio Rivera, 45, was charged with one count of 500 grams or more of cocaine. According to court documents, on Nov. 1, 2018, Rivera distributed 900 grams of cocaine to another man at a self-storage facility in Worcester.
Rivera faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and John Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Whiteville Men Convicted of Bank Robbery and Firing Weapon at Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, DAQUAN MADRID PRIDGEN, 27, of Whiteville, North Carolina was convicted in federal court following a three-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The jury found PRIDGEN guilty of bank robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a bank robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On May 1, 2018, DEMETRIS SEAN ROBINSON, 27, of Whiteville, North Carolina was convicted in federal court following a two-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The jury found ROBINSON guilty of bank robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a bank robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On January 23, 2018, at approximately 3:30 p.m., ROBINSON, PRIDGEN, and two co-conspirators entered the PNC Bank in Lumberton, North Carolina, where they held the PNC Bank employees and a customer at gunpoint while they stole over $40,000. Lumberton Police Department and Robeson County Sheriff’s Department officers quickly caught up to the fleeing vehicle and pursued it. ROBINSON fired repeatedly at pursuing officers during a two-county, high-speed chase, using a handgun, a shotgun, and a high-powered rifle that fired armor-piercing bullets. PRIDGEN, ROBINSON, and others involved fled on foot and were later arrested.
PRIDGEN and ROBINSON each face a sentence of not less than 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine up to $750,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release at sentencing.
Mr. Higdon commented: “We are pleased to finally conclude this series of cases with the conviction of all four individuals who robbed this Lumberton bank and who jeopardized the safety and lives of the employees and customers of the bank, as well as numerous law enforcement officers. Our effort to Take Back North Carolina from violent criminals means we will take a strong stand on behalf of victims of these crimes and we will pursure tough sentences for those who perpetrate these crimes. It also means we will stand for law enformenet officers whose safety is jeopardized. We were able to accomplish all these goals in this series of cases and we hope it serves as a lesson to others about the consequences of this type of criminal conduct.”
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. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted 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.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lumberton Police Department, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Bladen County Sheriff’s Office, Fayetteville Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Blondel and Robbie Dodson handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Upshur County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Cameron Dixon, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 20 months incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Dixon, age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of a Stolen Firearm” in February 2019. Dixon admitted to having a stolen .45 caliber pistol in September 2017 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 Andrew R. Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Promotes Elder Justice Initiative with Live Interactive Telephone Town HallRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina is promoting the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative throughout the Piedmont Triad area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin. On May 28, 2019, the Middle District partnered with the FBI and the AARP to conduct outreach and raise awareness to educate older adults about the latest scams so they do not fall victim. More than 4000 seniors in North Carolina dialed in to an interactive telephone town hall to learn about the latest financial scams. A recording of the town hall is available online here.
Scammers are targeting seniors at an alarming rate. Across the country, victims of all ages lost $2.71 billion dollars to fraud in 2018, according to statistics collected by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Victims over the age of 60 account for $649,227,724 of those losses. According to the same statistics, in North Carolina, more than 7,500 people lost more than $137 million dollars.
The DOJ Elder Justice Initiative aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educating older adults on how to identify scams and avoid getting ripped off by scammers; and promoting greater coordination with law enforcement partners.
Some examples of financial fraud targeting seniors discussed during the seminar are:
- Lottery phone scams – in which the callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings.
- Grandparent scams – which convince seniors that their grandchildren are in trouble and need money to make rent, repair a car, or even money for bail.
- Romance scams – which lull victims to believe that their online paramour needs funds for a U.S. visit or some other purpose.
- IRS imposter scams – which defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming that victims owe back taxes.
- Sham business opportunities – which convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or investments.
Below are some tips shared with participants during the seminar on how to avoid falling victim to a financial scam:
- Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
- Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
- Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
- Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
- Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank
- account information to a stranger.
- Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
- If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
- Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
- Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
- A good rule of thumb is, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.
In March of this year, Attorney General William P. Barr and multiple law enforcement partners, including the FBI, announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history. The Department took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases. The cases brought during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them older adults. As part of the sweep, the Middle District of North Carolina charged, and obtained the guilty plea of, a woman who embezzled around $370,000 from an older person for whom she was a caretaker, using the money to pay for spa treatments, travel, college tuition, dining, and expensive shopping sprees. She will be sentenced in July 2019.
In another matter, Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Chut secured the conviction of a woman who obtained credit card numbers and personal information from older residents of Davidson County, by calling victims and pretending to be calling from a hospital or pharmacy. The defendant was sentenced to fourteen months imprisonment, and was ordered to pay restitution to her victims for the more than $69,000 that she obtained through her scheme.
Attacking exploitation and fighting fraud are two priorities of the Middle District, and the U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to aggressively pursuing individuals who engage in such acts.
Elder abuse includes physical abuse, caregiver neglect, financial exploitation, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and abandonment. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. You can also contact the Victim Connect Hotline between 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, at: 1- 855-4VICTIM (1-855-4842846), or email the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina at [email protected].
For more information about the Elder Justice Initiative, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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U.S. Attorney Minkler honors and recognizes efforts by local law enforcement.Read the Press Release
NEW ALBANY - United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler plans to award the Office’s most prestigious award to three local law enforcement officers for their exemplary work in a federal investigation. U.S. Secret Service Senior Special Agent John Ely, Clark County Sheriff’s Office Major Donnie Bowyer, and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Jeff Ehringer will each be honored with a United States Attorney’s Award for their work in the investigation and prosecution of four individuals who stole over $125,000 in an elaborate fraud scheme posing as fundraisers for America’s veterans and their families. The ceremony and press conference will take place at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office on May 30, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. (ET).
Joanie Watson and Amy Bennett are scheduled for change of plea and sentencing hearings on May 30, 2019, at 10:15 a.m. (ET) and 1:00 p.m. (ET), respectively, at the United States Courthouse, 121 W. Spring Street, New Albany, Indiana. A petition to enter plea of guilty and plea agreement has been filed with the Court for each defendant. James Linville and Thomas Johnson were sentenced on May 29, 2019 to a term of imprisonment of 60 months and 36 months, respectively.
“On Memorial Day weekend we reflect on the sacrifices veterans and their families have made for this country,” said Minkler. “These fraudsters eroded the trust and good will of those who want to donate to legitimate fundraising organizations that support our veterans. Our veterans deserve better than having donations misdirected into the pockets of thieves.”
The conspiracy was led by Linville who filed paperwork with the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office to form the Wounded Warrior Fund, Inc. and the Wounded Warrior Foundation, Inc. in a scheme to solicit donations from individuals and businesses residing in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Linville and Johnson contacted businesses and individuals around the Midwest in an attempt to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Fund and the Wounded Warrior Foundation accounts by stating the funds were for veterans and their families. They solicited funds by telephone, facsimile and in person; many individuals were led to believe they were donating to the nationally renowned Wounded Warrior Project.
Linville and Johnson used the aliases of “Sergeant Bob Johnson” and “Paul Bradley” when making the solicitations. By using aliases, they masked their true identity and in many cases misled the donors into believing they were being solicited by a former military member thus adding to their credibility. In one scheme, the defendants solicited for donations to purchase overseas calling cards and in another, they requested school supplies for active duty military families. Bennett and Watson would pick up checks and other donations made by individuals and businesses who intended to donate to veterans and their families. Donations made to these programs and similar fictitious campaigns for veterans were not distributed to veterans and their families; instead, the donations were used by members of the conspiracy for their personal benefit.
Throughout the conspiracy, the defendants collected donations from over 1000 individuals and businesses totaling over $125,000 in cash, gift cards, merchandise and in-kind donations.
The United States Secret Service and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case.
“The Secret Service is committed to combatting financial crime, but specifically in a case where our Wounded Warriors were exploited,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Louisville Field Office Richard Ferretti. “I’m especially proud of Senior Special Agent John Ely for his dedication to a case of such high importance not just to the Secret Service but to the American people.”
“I’m very pleased with the cooperation between the United States Secret Service and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office during this investigation,” said Sheriff Jamey Noel. “We will continue to use any resource and exhaust every means necessary to investigate and arrest criminals who are defrauding and exploiting innocent citizens of our community, especially our veterans.”
“It is one of my greatest professional privileges to work with Indiana law enforcement officers,” said Minkler. “I am deeply humbled when I think of the sacrifices and skills these dedicated professionals demonstrate day after day. We established the United States Attorney’s Award for truly exceptional work done in the Southern Indiana district. I can think of nothing more deserving than these recipients who exhibited the highest ethical and professional standards while working to ensure the legitimacy of programs intended for veterans and their families. Because of their outstanding work, this district will receive a message loud and clear: those who take advantage of our veterans and those who wish to donate to them will face severe consequences.”
The United States Attorney’s Office recognizes the exemplary efforts of local law enforcement officers through USAO Awards that are announced and distributed within the respective communities in the district.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito and N.J. Attorney General Grewal Announce New Collaborative Initiative to Fight Violence in TrentonRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, N.J. Division of Criminal Justice, N.J. State Police, Trenton Police, Mercer County Prosecutor’s & Sheriff’s Offices, ATF, DEA & FBI Partner to Target the Most Violent Offenders
TRENTON – Citing two mass shootings in Trenton that left one dead and 15 others wounded during Memorial Day Weekend, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito and N.J. Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced a new collaborative initiative to fight violence in Trenton involving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the N.J. Division of Criminal Justice, N.J. State Police, Trenton Police Department, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and FBI.
While the announcement follows the violent weekend in the capital city, U.S. Attorney Carpenito and Attorney General Grewal noted that the partnering agencies have been developing the Trenton Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) for several months.
“We know that partnering with state and local law enforcement works, because we’ve proven it,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “In 2018, for the first time in this office’s history, we simultaneously initiated three Project Safe Neighborhood programs in Newark, Camden and Jersey City. These violent crime initiatives resulted in significant reductions in crime in all three cities. Crime is down 15 percent in Newark from 2017 to 2018 and violent crime was down 18 percent in Camden from 2017 to 2018. Crime in both cities are at a 50-year low. In addition, shooting incidents are down 69 percent in Jersey City between comparable periods in 2018 and 2019. We intend to work closely with Attorney General Grewal, and all our federal, state and local partners with the goal of achieving similar results.”
“We are committed to using every tool at our disposal to fight violence in Trenton, which means collaborating across all levels of law enforcement and sharing intelligence and resources through our new Violent Crime Initiative,” said Attorney General Grewal. “The time to act is now, before more lives are lost. We cannot stop every shooting, but we want city residents to know that we stand with them, and we will work with the Trenton Police, the County Prosecutor’s Office, and all of our partners to arrest the gun-toting criminals who are bringing violence and fear to their neighborhoods.”
The Trenton VCI is based on a model that has been successfully deployed in Newark and Jersey City by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, N.J. State Police, and law enforcement partners. Leaders from the participating agencies will meet regularly to review intelligence regarding the most violent offenders in Trenton, their accomplices, crime trends, and potential leads that can be acted on by the partnering agencies. In analyzing intelligence, the partnering agencies will look at all of those involved in shootings, including victims as well as shooters, because victims in many cases may be likely participants in future gun violence.
The initiative will rely on intelligence and analysis from the N.J. State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center (ROIC). The ROIC will work with the Trenton Police Department to identify the top violent offenders and violent crime suspects in Trenton, including gang members, drug dealers, and serial offenders. Federal, state, and county prosecutors will then make determinations regarding which prosecuting agency should pursue potential leads regarding those violent offenders.
Ultimately, the partnering agencies – including state, federal, county and local law enforcement – will use the intelligence and plans developed through the VCI meetings to investigate violent offenders and conduct other law enforcement operations to dismantle and disrupt violent criminal elements in the city, including execution of warrants and crime suppression efforts focused on likely violence “hot spots.”
Two Former New England Compounding Center Pharmacists SentencedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two former clean room pharmacists at New England Compounding Center (NECC) were sentenced this week in federal court in Boston in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak.
Gene Svirskiy, 38, of Ashland, Mass., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 30 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Christopher Leary, 34, of Shrewsbury, Mass., was sentenced today by Judge Stearns to two years of probation, of which the first eight months will be in home confinement with electronic monitoring, and 100 hours of community service.
In December 2018, Svirskiy and Leary were convicted with three other NECC co-defendants following an 8-week trial. Svirskiy, a supervising pharmacist at NECC, 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. Leary was convicted of three counts of mail fraud, one count of introduction of adulterated drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, and two counts of introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
In the fall of 2012, more than 793 patients in 20 states were diagnosed with fungal infections after receiving injections of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. Of those 793 patients, more than 100 patients have now died. The fungal meningitis outbreak was the largest public health crisis ever caused by a pharmaceutical drug.
The criminal investigation revealed that in addition to the contaminated MPA, NECC’s clean room pharmacists, including Svirskiy and Leary, knowingly manufactured and sold hundreds of other substandard drugs that were made in an unsafe manner and in insanitary conditions. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that NECC’s pharmacists, including Svirskiy and Leary, failed to properly sterilize and test NECC’s drugs and failed to wait for test results before sending the drugs to customers. Svirskiy and Leary approved the use of expired drug ingredients, and the mislabeling of drugs in order to deceive customers. Svirskiy also supervised a pharmacy technician whose license had been revoked. To conceal the technician’s presence inside the clean room, Svirskiy directed the technician to fraudulently complete paperwork without his name appearing and to physically leave the clean room and hide in the warehouse when regulators would inspect the facility.
The insanitary conditions at NECC included, among other things, a lack of proper cleaning, fraudulently completed cleaning logs, and positive environmental monitoring hits for mold and bacteria inside NECC’s cleanrooms throughout 2012. Specifically, NECC recorded alert or action-level environmental monitoring hits for mold and bacteria during thirty-seven out of thirty-eight weeks prior to the shutdown in 2012. Despite these repeated action-level environmental monitoring hits and the presence of fungal blooms inside the clean room, neither Svirskiy, nor Leary, nor anyone else at NECC took any remedial action to eliminate the mold and bacterial contamination, or stop the drug production.
In June 2017, Barry Cadden, the former owner and head pharmacist for NECC, was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release after being convicted of 57 counts. In January 2018, Glenn Chin, NECC’s former supervisory pharmacist, was sentenced to eight years in prison and two years of supervised release after being convicted of 77 counts. In total, 13 NECC defendants have been convicted of 178 charges.
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. Chief Amanda P.M. Strachan of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney George P. Varghese prosecuted the case.
Two Contractors and One Puerto Rico Senate Employee Indicted and Arrested for A Scheme to DefraudRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On Tuesday, May 28, 2019, a federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 substantive counts of wire fraud, intentional misapplication of property by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Department of Justice referred the case to the FBI, who is in charge of the federal investigation.
According to the allegations in the indictment, from in or about the year 2016 until June of 2018, defendants Chrystal Robles-Báez, Isoel Sánchez-Santiago, and Ángel Figueroa-Cruz engaged in scheme to defraud money and property from the government of Puerto Rico by means of materially false and fraudulent representations and promises. The defendants sought to accomplish their scheme to defraud by billing, approving and collecting for contractual professional services work that was either not completed, or was performed in contravention to the explicit terms of the contracts.
As alleged in the indictment, the defendants participated in lawful electoral campaign activities for candidates to elected offices during the 2016 Puerto Rico general elections. After the general elections in late 2016, the defendants began to explore employment opportunities with the Government of Puerto Rico, including contracts for professional services. On January 1, 2017, defendant Chrystal Robles-Báez incorporated Global Instant Consulting Group, Inc. (“GICG”). The purpose of the corporation was to provide administrative and political counseling, workshops and public relations, and consulting. On the same day, defendant Isoel Sánchez-Santiago incorporated International Legislative and Governmental Consulting Group, Inc. (ILGCG). The purpose of the corporation was to provide governmental administrative consulting, creation of proposals, offering of workshops, and legislative process and parliamentary procedures.
In the process of establishing the corporations, defendant Robles-Báez solicited through interstate wire communications necessary documentation from various departments, agencies, and dependencies of the Government of Puerto Rico, including but not limited to: (a) the Department of State; (b) the Treasury Department; and (c) the Police of Puerto Rico. Eventually, the defendants entered into professional services contracts with the Government of Puerto Rico. Specifically, the P.R. Senate and the P.R. House of Representatives.
According to the indictment, defendant Robles-Báez, on numerous occasions certified and requested payments indicating that she had attended the Office of Governmental Affairs to provide professional services as detailed in the two GICG contracts, when in fact on those days the defendant did not attend the Office of Governmental Affairs or provide professional services. Additionally, defendants Robles-Báez and Sánchez-Santiago utilized the personal identifying information of numerous individuals, without their knowledge or consent, in order to give the impression that defendant Robles-Báez, as an “Intergovernmental Coordinator” on behalf of GICG, had provided those individuals with professional services, when in fact no such services were ever requested by those individuals.
Furthermore, defendant Robles-Báez utilized the assistance, contacts, and services of defendant Sánchez-Santiago in order to fraudulently justify work allegedly completed under the GICG contracts. Defendant Ángel Figueroa-Cruz, who was the Executive Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs in the Puerto Rico Senate, falsely certified as correct, the information contained in the bills/invoices for payment submitted by defendant Robles-Báez as an “Intergovernmental Coordinator” on behalf of GICG in support of payment. Defendants Robles-Báez and Sánchez-Santiago divided the proceeds of the conspiracy and scheme to defraud.
“This is the first indictment charging the use of “ghost employees” to defraud the people of Puerto Rico. The defendants’ reprehensible conduct undermines the trust that the public places in our government,” said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “These individuals engaged in a scheme to defraud the people of Puerto Rico and unjustly enriched themselves. We will continue investigating and prosecuting this type of financial fraud to the full extent of the law.”
Douglas A. Leff, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Division said: “Through the Puerto Rico Secretary of Justice’s referral of this case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office diligent prosecution, it is now open season on apprehending all those responsible for this corrupt scheme to defraud the People of Puerto Rico. Those who perpetrated the scheme, as well as their family and friends who benefitted from it, can either cooperate quickly or they will receive one last gratuity from the federal government: A free ride in the back seat of an FBI squad car.”
“The Puerto Rico Department of Justice started this investigation, and our commitment to fight corruption along with federal authorities remains undeterred, no matter where it comes from. This case is an example of our joint efforts to identify and process anyone who unlawfully benefits from the government, abusing positions of trust and misusing public funds,” said Wanda Vázquez-Garced, Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Henwood and Senior Litigation Counsel Assistant US Attorney José Ruiz-Santiago. The case is being investigated by the FBI and was referred by the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. The defendants are facing a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. An indictment is only an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Two Cleveland men indicted for federal firearms offensesRead the Press Release
Two Cleveland men were indicted for federal firearms offenses.
John W. Bryant, 38, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Bryant allegedly had a Ruger 9 mm pistol and 17 rounds of ammunition on February 26, 2019, despite previous convictions for aggravated robbery with a firearms specification and aggravated assault, according to the indictment.
Haras Dawkins, 28, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Dawkins allegedly had a Glock .40-caliber pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition on February 26, 2019, despite a previous conviction for aggravated burglary, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Kelly Galvin.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who distributed heroin was sentenced May 29, 2019, to 25 years in federal prison.
Shelton Oliver, a/k/a Sinbad, 48, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 14, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and four counts of distribution of heroin, all within 1000 feet of a protected location. Prior to being found guilty in Sioux City, Oliver had been convicted of two serious felony drug offenses in Illinois.
Evidence at trial showed that Oliver distributed heroin on February 7, 14, and 27, 2018, and March 13, 2018, to a confidential informant utilized by law enforcement. Evidence also showed that Oliver was involved in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Sioux City area from 2016 through approximately March 27, 2018. Evidence proved that the conspiracy and the four separate distributions all occurred within 1000 feet of protected locations, namely: Dale Street Park, Grandview Park, Alfred Thompson Children’s Park, Dinosaur Park, and Hunt Elementary School, in Sioux City, Iowa.
Evidence at trial also showed that on October 6, 2017, Oliver distributed heroin to Ty Olsen, who later died on this same date from a heroin overdose. The evidence at trial further showed that on March 13, 2018, Oliver, dealing heroin out of a car, sold heroin to a confidential informant while another person was overdosing in the passenger seat. Fortunately, the other person was later revived by medical personnel.
Oliver was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Oliver was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Oliver is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jack Lammers and Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-4038. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Texarkana Felon Convicted of Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A 31-year-old Texarkana, Texas, man has been convicted of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Kendall Ray Gray was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 29, 2019, following a two-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III.
According to information presented in court, on Nov. 9, 2018, Gray’s vehicle was spotted by police as he drove to a location known for drug activity in Texarkana. Upon noticing the marked patrol car, Gray attempted to evade police by making four successive left turns and then briefly parking in a restaurant parking lot. Gray then exited the business parking lot by illegally turning directly into a center lane. Again, officers attempted to follow Gray as he improperly signaled turns and accelerated away from their marked police car. Gray drove into a residential area and parked along a public street. As police activated the lights on their car, Gray jumped out of the vehicle, locked the doors, and ran. Gray was apprehended by a police office on foot and arrested for evading detention. A search of the vehicle revealed small bags containing suspected marijuana and a loaded handgun with a chambered round was positioned under the driver’s side seat.
Further investigation revealed Gray was a convicted felon having been previously convicted of counterfeiting and forging obligations or securities of the United States in 2012 in the Eastern District of Texas and forgery in 2015 in Bowie County, Texas. As a convicted felon, Gray is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Gray was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 17, 2019, and charged with federal firearms violations.
Under the federal statute, Gray faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence; deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition, and body armor; and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
This case was investigated by the Texarkana, Texas Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Bloss and Alan Jackson.
Synthetic Drug Distributor Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL YOUNG, 48, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified a suspicious package destined for Young’s Bridgeport residence. The package had been shipped from a California business that purportedly marketed and sold herbal products for smoking. A court-authorized search of the package revealed a leafy plant-like substance commonly used as a base to absorb synthetic drugs dissolved in liquid form. Investigators learned that Young has a state criminal conviction from 2014 related to the distribution of synthetic drugs, and that two international shipments containing synthetic drugs destined for Young’s residence had been seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in November 2016 and July 2018.
On August 21, 2018, a court-authorized search of Young’s residence revealed more than a kilogram of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, approximately 21 grams of Phencyclidine (PCP) in liquid form, drug packaging materials and $1,700 in cash.
Young has been detained since August 21.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 23, 2019, at which time Young faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
St. Louis City Man Sentenced for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Sherrod Fitts, Jr., 26, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 114 months in prison for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a federal crime of violence. He appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig who ordered Fitts to pay restitution of $13,100 to one of the victims.
According to court documents, on June 26, 2017, three victims (ages 77, 66 and 84) were inspecting a building at 3850 Carter for work purposes. They arrived at the location in a silver 2004 Honda Pilot. Two of the victims left the vehicle to inspect the building while the other victim remained in the vehicle. Fitts and another individual stopped next to the Honda Pilot and Fitts approached the driver’s side window with a handgun, ordered the victim to get out of the vehicle, and demanded his wallet. Before the victim could get his wallet out, Fitts walked up to the second victim and demanded his wallet at gunpoint. While waiting for the wallet, Fitts observed the third victim in the alleyway and pointed a gun at him, yelling to give him his money or he would kill him. After the third victim handed over his wallet, Fitts struck the third victim in the face with the handgun, ran to the Honda Pilot, and left the scene. That same day, police observed the stolen Honda Pilot and pulled Fitts over. He exited the vehicle and fled on foot. A foot pursuit ensued until Fitts was apprehended.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Behrens is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Six People Linked to Drug Trafficking Ring That Brought Hundreds of Pounds of Narcotics into U.S. Arrested on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities this week arrested six defendants named in a federal indictment that alleges a large-scale, Mexico-based narcotics trafficking operation smuggled hundreds of pounds of narcotics into the United States.
The arrests, which started Tuesday night and included one this morning in New York, were made as part of Operation Colombian Cargo, an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration that targeted the transnational drug-trafficking and money-laundering network. Over the course of just 10 months during the investigation, authorities seized nearly 400 kilograms of cocaine, 225 kilograms of methamphetamine, 53 kilograms of fentanyl, 12 kilograms of heroin, and $4.7 million in drug money.
Operation Colombian Cargo identified Mexican nationals who oversaw the movement of large quantities of narcotics, some of which originated in Colombia. According to the indictment, the narcotics were typically smuggled from Mexico into the United States by drug couriers who often used the San Ysidro Port of Entry and usually concealed the narcotics in hidden compartments in vehicles or in boxes that appeared to contain speakers. The couriers then delivered the contraband to stash houses in the Inland Empire and greater Los Angeles area. The narcotics were then distributed in kilogram quantities to customers in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and other cities.
The organization’s drug sales generated millions of dollars in sales, according to the indictment, which outlines a money laundering scheme that used a group of money couriers to collect the dollars in the United States and deliver pesos to leaders of the drug ring in Mexico.
The defendants arrested this week are are:
- Jiaze Xia, 23, of Flushing, Queens, New York, allegedly a key player in the organization’s money laundering activities, who was arrested this morning in New York;
- Joshua Donovan Cortez, 31, of Rowland Heights, who allegedly operated a stash house, and who was arrested Wednesday;
- Jose Vargas, 61, of Huntington Park, who also allegedly operated a stash house and was taken into custody on Wednesday;
- Remigio Alvarez Herrera, 49, of Maywood, an alleged drug courier who was arrested on Wednesday;
- Alejandro Medrano, 20, of San Diego, an alleged drug courier who was arrested Tuesday night as he entered the United States through the San Ysidro Port of Entry; and
- Wei Chang “Ray” Gong, 30, of Chicago, who allegedly was part of the money laundering operation and possessed nearly $600,000 in cash that was seized by authorities in 2016, and who was arrested on Wednesday.
Cortez, Vargas and Herrera were arraigned on the indictment Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles, where they entered not guilty pleas and were ordered to stand trial on July 23. Xia, Medrano and Gong will be transported to Los Angeles and will be arraigned upon their arrival.
The 24-count indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury one year ago and unsealed Wednesday afternoon, charges a total of 25 defendants.
Previously in this case, four defendants were arrested and their cases remain pending. They are:
- Rogelio Payan-Palma, 27, of Mexico City, one of the principals of the drug trafficking organization who worked with other leaders of the drug ring in Mexico;
- Guohua Luo, 35, a Chinese national who resides in Mexico City, another principal operative of the organization who helped coordinate the money laundering;
- Pierre Vincent Fuentes, 30, of San Diego, an alleged drug courier, and
- Jimmy Zhi Qiang Yu, 45, of Pasadena, who allegedly was a money courier.
The indictment alleges wide-ranging conspiracies to distribute narcotics and to launder the illicit proceeds of the drug trafficking. All of the defendants are named in at least one of the two conspiracy counts, and most are named in both counts. The indictment also alleges that some of the defendants participated in a continuing criminal enterprise.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, the 17 defendants named in that count would face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison and maximum sentences of life without parole.
During the investigation, authorities in 2016 seized 236 pounds of methamphetamine in Cedar City, Utah and 88 kilograms of methamphetamine that had just entered the United States at San Ysidro. Seizures in 2017 included 275 kilograms of cocaine from Cortez’s residence across the street from a school in Bell, 21 kilograms of fentanyl in Chino, and another 32 kilograms of fentanyl in Sun Valley.
Over the entire course of Operation Colombian Cargo, authorities have seized across the Americas approximately $16 million in United States currency, approximately five tons of cocaine, and 530 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by members of the Southern California Drug Task Force, which is led by the DEA. The following agencies provided substantial assistance to the investigation: the Hawthorne Police Department, the Torrance Police Department, the Montebello Police Department, the Fontana Police Department, and the Fullerton Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Carley Palmer and Victoria Degtyareva of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Shooting Neighbor’s House Results in Federal ConvictionRead the Press Release
A Cedar County man who shot his neighbor’s house numerous times pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Randolph High, age 62, from Stanwood, Iowa, was convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
In a plea agreement, High admitted that on January 27, 2019, he shot his neighbor’s house numerous times. The neighbor’s house, cars, and a camper sustained dozens of bullet impacts. The Cedar County Sheriff’s Office searched High’s home and found magazines for firearms, numerous .22 caliber rounds of ammunition, and 71 expended shell casings for a .22 caliber firearm.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge CJ Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. High remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. High faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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 effort on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-00033.
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San Francisco Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Robbing Two San Francisco BanksRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Rain Olson Daugherty was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for robbing two San Francisco banks, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable William H. Orrick, United States District Judge.
Daugherty, 44, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to the charges on February 21, 2019. According to the plea agreement, on November 29, 2018, Daugherty entered a bank in the Sunset District of San Francisco and slid a note containing a demand for money across the counter. The teller gave Daugherty cash from her drawer. Then, two weeks later, on December 13, 2018, Daugherty robbed a bank on Clement Street in San Francisco. Again, he approached a bank teller and slid a note containing a demand for money across the counter. Again, the teller gave Daugherty cash from the drawer. According to court records, San Francisco Police Department Internal Affairs officers identified Daugherty as the robber when they were shown surveillance camera footage from the first robbery. At the time, Daugherty was, and still is, an SFPD officer who was under suspension without pay.
A federal grand jury indicted Daugherty on January 10, 2019, charging him with four counts of bank robbery— two counts for each robbery, all in a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a). Daugherty pleaded guilty to two counts of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), one for each bank robbery. The remaining two counts were dismissed.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick ordered Daugherty to serve three years of supervised release to begin at the end of his prison term. Daugherty has been in custody since his arrest on December 18, 2018 and will begin serving his prison term immediately.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay Krishnamurthy is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department.
Rochester Man Going to Prison for Eight Years on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jermelle Cotton, 38, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that the defendant was arrested on March 30, 2018, after law enforcement officers executed search warrants at two homes in Rochester associated with Cotton – 118 Northview Terrace and 466 Post Avenue. During the search at 118 Northview Terrace, officers recovered approximately 103 envelopes of fentanyl, 35 baggies of cocaine, a 9mm handgun and ammunition, and approximately $6,755. At the Post Avenue residence, officers found another firearm and an additional quantity of narcotics, including approximately 76 baggies of cocaine, 150 envelopes of fentanyl, and 148 bags of heroin.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Heroin Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Todd K. Baxter, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Riverview Couple Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Damon Bellamy (40, Riverview) and Quijuania Williams (40, Riverview) to seven years and eight months in federal prison and five years and three months in federal prison, respectively, for theft of government funds. The court will schedule a restitution hearing to determine the amount of restitution they owe to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to court documents, Bellamy and Williams engaged in a conspiracy to file false and fraudulent income tax returns using the personal identification information of unknowing third parties. Bellamy and Williams directed the deposit of the refunds that they had obtained in this manner onto debit cards in their own names and the names of others, including many family members and friends. This conspiracy began before 2010 and continued until June 2013. The court determined that as a result of this conspiracy, Bellamy and Williams caused an actual loss to the Internal Revenue Service of $1,579,567 and that their collective efforts had led to an attempt to collect over $6.3 million in fraudulent refunds.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced COURTNEY DANIEL DAVIS, 41, of Raleigh to 192 months’ imprisonment, followed by 6 years of supervised released.
On August 1, 2018, DAVIS was named in a five-count Indictment and on February 15, 2019, DAVIS pled guilty to one-count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Cocaine Base (Crack) and Marijuana and one-count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
In February 2018, DAVIS, a convicted felon, became the target of a narcotics investigation after officers with the Raleigh Police Department received information that DAVIS was selling cocaine base from his residence. On March 1, 2018, utilizing a confidential informant (CI), investigators conducted a controlled purchase of 0.97 gram of cocaine base from DAVIS. On March 2, 2018, officers conducted a search of refuse from two City of Raleigh trash cans at the curb in front of DAVIS’ residence and recovered a plastic bag with cocaine residue. On April 18, 2018, utilizing a CI, investigators conducted a second controlled purchase of 0.80 gram of cocaine base for $80 from DAVIS.
On April 19, 2018, investigators executed a search on DAVIS’ residence and DAVIS was found in the bed of the master bedroom. Officers searched a pair of pants belonging to DAVIS, which were lying on the floor of the master bedroom at the base of a child’s bed, where DAVIS’ two-year-old son was sleeping. From the pocket of the pants, investigators located 4.9 grams of cocaine base and $80 from the controlled purchase conducted earlier. The serial numbers of the currency used had been recorded by law enforcement. In the master bedroom closet, investigators found a semiautomatic handgun loaded with nine rounds of ammunition and 132 grams of marijuana. Also, in the master bedroom, officers also recovered a cup containing 8 grams of cocaine base, a digital scale with cocaine residue, two razor blades with cocaine residue, and other drug paraphernalia.
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. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted 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.
That effort has been implemented through 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.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case for the government.
RGV Man Sent to Prison for Harboring AliensRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 22-year-old Edinburg man has been ordered to prison following his conviction of harboring aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Maximino Moralez-Quiroz pleaded guilty in December 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered him to serve 48 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, additional evidence was presented that demonstrated Moralez-Quiroz had been previously involved in five other alien smuggling incidents dating back to late 2013, one of which included a conviction for transporting aliens in 2015 for which he served a 15-month sentence. After serving that term, he was on supervised release. As part of the sentence today, the court revoked that term, ordered he serve six more months in prison, three of which was ordered to run consecutively for a total 51-month-term of imprisonment.
On Nov. 14, 2018, law enforcement learned of the possibility that undocumented aliens were being harbored within a residence in Edinburg. They approached the house and discovered Moralez-Quiroz who identified himself as the homeowner.
A search of the house led to the discovery of 27 undocumented aliens.
The aliens were all from different countries and relayed that the smugglers had charged them up to $9,000 for illegal entry into the U.S. Some had spent up to eight days awaiting transport.
Moralez-Quiroz has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Rio Grande Valley Special Operations Detachment Intelligence Section and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
Project Parkersburg Update: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Theodore Gibson, 35, of Parkersburg, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Gibson 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 investigation resulted in the largest meth bust -- to date -- in West Virginia and Ohio history,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Breaking up this DTO and locking up these drug dealers has no doubt saved a number of lives.”
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.
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Project Charleston Update: Charleston Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.VA. -- A Charleston woman was sentenced today for her role in distributing methamphetamine and conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. Juanita Carrie Haynes, 54, was sentenced to 108 months, or nine years, in prison. Haynes was one of several defendants arrested in November of 2018, after a long-term investigation into a drug-trafficking organization on the West Side of Charleston.
“9 years. Haynes will be serving 9 years in federal prison,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “As I said in November when the Project Charleston arrests were made, if you are dealing drugs or causing trouble on Charleston’s West Side, we will arrest you and, if convicted, incarcerate you for as long as possible.”
In February 2019, Haynes was found guilty by a federal jury. The jury found that Haynes distributed about 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on June 18, 2018. The jury also found that Haynes conspired with others including her son, Edwin Shaffer, to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. The conviction was based in part on trial testimony that detailed the extent of Haynes’ methamphetamine sales, most of which occurred in a trailer she shared with Shaffer and the recovery over 150 grams of methamphetamine that was intended for distribution at the residence she and Shaffer shared in July 2018.
Edwin Shaffer entered a guilty plea for his role in the conspiracy. His sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2019.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman was in charge of the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence.
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Prichard Man Seen Running with Gun Admits to Firing at FamilyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that United States District Court Senior Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced John Willis Jones on April 18, 2019 to the 57 months in prison for his possession of a firearm as a prior convicted felon.
According to court documents, on October 3, 2018, Prichard Police Department narcotic investigators observed John Willis Jones running down the street with a gun in his hand. When investigators made contact with Jones, he was compliant and immediately stated he had a firearm in the waistband of his pants. Jones told investigators he just shot at his nephew over a family dispute where one of his nephews pointed a firearm at another one of Jones’ nephews. Once taken into custody, Jones showed officers where the shooting took place. Investigators recovered three shell casings from the crime scene that matched the caliber of the firearm that was recovered from the defendant. After waiving his Miranda rights during a post arrest interview, Jones admitted that he knew he was not supposed to possess a gun as a convicted felon, but that his family was worth going back to prison.
The defendant had previously been convicted of Possession of Marijuana in June of 2018 and Possession of a Short Barreled Shotgun from July 1995, and his rights to possess a firearm had not been restored at the time of the October 3, 2018 incident.
The Mobile County Street Enforcement Narcotics Team, Prichard Police Department, Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Mobile Field office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Baugh prosecuted the case for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Pittsburgh Woman Sentenced to Prison for Dealing Drugs from Public Housing and Across from a PlaygroundRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Dara Haynie was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison for possessing heroin, fentanyl, or butyryl fentanyl with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a playground and a public housing facility, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Haynie, 28, of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge David S. Cercone. Haynie was also sentenced to serve six years of supervised release following her prison term.
Haynie was convicted at the conclusion of a jury trial in January 2019. The evidence presented during the jury trial established that she teamed up with her husband, Quinshawn Haynie, to deal fentanyl and heroin in February and March 2017. They did so from public housing and across the street from a playground in Pittsburgh’s Garfield neighborhood.
The Haynies spent at least part of their drug trafficking proceeds on marijuana to smoke together, cigarettes, and alcohol.
Quinshawn Haynie was sentenced to three years and four months (40 months) in prison in April.
Assistant United States Attorneys Christy C. Wiegand and Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole conducted the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case.
Phone Provider Found Guilty for Role in $11 Million International Telemarketing SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An Ohio man was found guilty late yesterday for his role in a $7 million telemarketing scheme that defrauded primarily elderly victims in the United States from call centers in Costa Rica.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney R. Andrew Murray of the Western District of North Carolina, Inspector in Charge David M. McGinnis of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Charlotte Divison, Acting Special Agent in Charge William Cheung of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) Cincinnati Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS CI Charlotte Field Office and Special Agent in Charge John Strong of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
Following a five-day jury trial, Donald Dodt, 76, originally of Cleveland, Ohio, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, two counts of mail fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering and 10 counts of international money laundering.
According to evidence presented at trial, Dodt worked in a call center in Costa Rica in which co-conspirators, who posed as representatives of the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and federal agencies, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and who also posed as federal judges, contacted victims in the United States — primarily senior citizens – to tell them that that they had supposedly won a substantial “sweepstakes” prize. After convincing victims that they stood to receive a significant financial reward, the co-conspirators told victims that they needed to make a series of up-front cash payments before collecting, purportedly for items like insurance fees, taxes and import fees. Co-conspirators used a variety of means to conceal their true identity, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services provided by Dodt that made it appear that they were calling from Washington, D.C., and other places in the United States.
As the evidence presented at trial illustrated, Dodt was an integral part of this scheme in that he knowingly provided services that were necessary for the scheme to operate and that facilitated the concealment and, ultimately, success of the scheme for many years. Specifically, Dodt provided and maintained VoIP phone technology and assigned phone numbers associated with locations in the United States through which members of the conspiracy were able to make the fraudulent calls to victims in the United States and conceal their identities and location. Dodt specifically assigned virtual phone numbers with area codes associated with Washington, D.C., to make it appear that the calls originated from within the United States and that also bolstered conspirators’ misrepresentations that they were representatives of government agencies located in Washington. Dodt also warned the co-conspirators if certain numbers were “hot” – i.e., there were customer complaints or law enforcement inquiries – and replaced those phone numbers with new phone numbers that the co-conspirators then used in furtherance of the scheme, the evidence showed.
Dodt and his conspirators stole more than $7 million from victims, the evidence showed.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the FBI with assistance from the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Fraud Section Trial Attorneys William Bowne, Jennifer Farer and Philip Trout. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina provided substantial assistance with this matter.
The Western District’s Elder Justice Initiative
In March 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI in North Carolina announced the Western District’s Elder Justice Initiative, which aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid getting ripped off by scammers; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners.
In addition to the criminal prosecution of perpetrators, the Elder Justice Initiative aims to raise awareness through outreach, including a series of seminars to educate older adults and prevent victimization. Our next such seminar is scheduled for June 10, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the Tyvola Senior Center. This seminar is free of charge.
Flyer for Seminar at Tyvola Senior CenterAmong the topics covered will be financial fraud and scams targeting seniors, including:
- Lottery phone scams – in which the callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings.
- Grandparent scams – which convince seniors that their grandchildren are in trouble and need money to make rent, repair a car, or even money for bail.
- Romance scams – which lull victims to believe that their online paramour needs funds for a U.S. visit or some other purpose.
- IRS imposter scams – which defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming that victims owe back taxes.
- Sham business opportunities – which convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or investments.
The seminar will also focus on prevention and how to avoid falling victim to a financial scam. Some of such tips on preventing becoming a victim of fraud are:
- Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
- Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
- Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
- Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
- Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank account information to a stranger.
- Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
- If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
- Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
- Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
- A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.
For more information about the Elder Justice Initiative, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative. To view our Public Service Announcement, please visit: https://youtu.be/qBGGAA7Mxbo
Philadelphia man sentenced for role in a methamphetamine distribution operation in Monongalia CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Oscar Aaron Watkins, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 156 months incarceration for his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Watkins, also known as Eric Oscar Watkins, age 58, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances” in February 2019. Watkins admitted to participating in a drug distribution operation in October 2018 in Monongalia County.Watkins was also ordered to forfeit $9,820.
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.
Parkersburg man sentenced for drug distribution chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jesse N. Perez, of Parkersburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 30 months incarceration for a drug distribution charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Perez, age 36, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess With the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances” in February 2019. Perez admitted to distributing methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base in Wetzel County, as well as the Southern District of West Virginia, Ohio, and Georgia from 2016 to April 2018.
Perez was also ordered to forfeit $2,000 in cash.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
The investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
O.C. Businessman Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Selling Counterfeit Integrated Circuits with Military and Commercial UsesRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – The owner of PRB Logics Corporation, an Orange County-based seller of electronic components, was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison for selling counterfeit integrated circuits he obtained from China, some of which were purchased by defense contractors for military use.
Rogelio Vasquez, 44, a.k.a. “James Harrison,” of Orange, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who said, “Simply put, the scheme was endangering lives for the sake of illicit profit.” Judge Staton also ordered Vasquez to pay $144,000 in restitution.
On January 17, Vasquez pleaded guilty to four felonies: one count of wire fraud, two counts of trafficking in counterfeit goods, and one count of trafficking in counterfeit military goods.
From July 2009 until May 2016, Vasquez acquired old, used and/or discarded integrated circuits from Chinese suppliers that had been repainted and remarked with counterfeit logos. The devices were further remarked with altered date codes, lot codes or countries of origin to deceive customers and end users into thinking the integrated circuits were new, according to court documents. Vasquez knew that the integrated circuits he sold were old, used or discarded and that his Chinese suppliers had pulled the circuits off of discarded circuit boards in China, sanded off all of the markings, and then remarked them in a process commonly referred to as “blacktopping.” Vasquez then sold the counterfeit electronics to appear as new parts made by manufacturers such as Xilinx, Analog Devices and Intel.
In furtherance of the scheme, in August 2012, Vasquez purchased counterfeit circuits from China and sold them to a defense subcontractor located in the United States, which, in turn, supplied the parts to a defense contractor. The counterfeit parts ended up in a classified weapon system used by the U.S. Air Force.
Between November 2015 and May 2016, Vasquez, using the alias “James Harrison,” sold a total of 106 counterfeit integrated circuits to an undercover federal agent. Vasquez admitted in his plea agreement that in April 2016, he sold eight counterfeit integrated circuits that he believed would be used by the United States military in the B-1 Lancer Bomber military aircraft.
Vasquez admitted he instructed his Chinese suppliers to remark ICs and also instructed a testing laboratory in China to provide two versions of its report – one of which accurately showed integrated circuit test results and the second of which was a “sanitized version” that did not contain results of “any visual inspection and permanency or other marking tests, which would have revealed that the ICs were used, remarked and/or in poor condition.”
Vasquez has agreed to forfeit $97,362 in cash and 169,148 counterfeit integrated circuits that were seized during the investigation, according to the government’s forfeiture brief. Vasquez also admitted that over the course of seven years, he trafficked more than 9,000 integrated circuits with a total infringement value of $894,218.
“This defendant obtained and sold counterfeit integrated circuits which ended up in systems used by the United States military,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “The sentence imposed today is the direct result of Mr. Vasquez’s conduct, which was designed to line his pockets while potentially exposing members of our armed services to unnecessary risk from counterfeit electronic parts.”
“America’s warfighters depend upon the reliability of Department of Defense weapons systems. The intentional substitution of counterfeit and defective parts in these systems impacts our national security, and places our military at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge, Michael Mentavlos, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southwest Field Office. “We will not tolerate this criminal behavior, and will aggressively bring to justice all those who would perpetrate these acts on our nation. Today’s sentencing serves as a stark reminder to those who would endanger our national security that DCIS, in concert with our partner agencies, HSI and NRO-OIG, will remain vigilant; ready at a moment’s notice to protect our warfighters.”
“The National Reconnaissance Office, Office of Inspector General is committed to keeping counterfeit parts out of sensitive, high-technology systems relied upon by the NRO and other government agencies in support of national security priorities. Detecting counterfeit parts and bringing their producers to justice remains a priority for the NRO-OIG in light of the potential harm caused by this type of fraud,” said Eric Beatty, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, National Reconnaissance Office, Office of Inspector General.
“As this sentence makes clear, military procurement fraud is a serious crime that extends far beyond the financial losses to the DOD and U.S. taxpayers,” said Joseph Macias, Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles. “This defendant committed a crime that seriously threatens the safety and readiness of our nation’s warfighters simply to line his own pockets. HSI will continue to aggressively target and investigate those who knowingly jeopardize our nation’s security or the welfare of those devoted to protecting it.”
The investigation into Vasquez and PRB Logics was conducted by U.S. Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General – Defense Criminal Investigative Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and the National Reconnaissance Office, Office of Inspector General.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa E. Feldman of the Cyber & Intellectual Property Crimes Section and Steven R. Welk, Chief of the Asset Forfeiture Section.
North Carolina Tax Return Preparer Convicted of Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Charlotte, North Carolina, convicted a former tax return preparer of filing false tax returns for her clients and herself, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney R. Andrew Murray for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Tax return preparers who, for themselves or others, prepare fraudulent returns and otherwise manipulate our tax system will be prosecuted for their conduct and be held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman.
“For more than three years, Smith used false entries, including fabricated wages and business expenses, to capitalize on the Earned Income Tax Credit, which resulted in higher refunds for her clients. Smith earned more than $300,000 between 2013 and 2015 for preparing tax returns and failed to report the bulk of that income on her own tax returns. We are committed to protecting the integrity of our tax system by prosecuting tax return preparers, who use their knowledge to cheat the system and commit tax crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.
“Knowingly preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns is a crime,” said Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to pursuing dishonest return preparers to hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Aminta Smith, 32, of Charlotte prepared income tax returns for clients that claimed false education credits, false W-2 wages, and false Schedule C businesses to inflate the refunds paid by the IRS. In addition to filing fraudulent income tax returns for her clients, Smith falsified her own income tax returns by underreporting the fees she earned in her tax preparation business for tax years 2013- 2015 and failing to disclose that she was in engaged in the operation of a tax preparation business.
U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn of the Western District of North Carolina set sentencing for a later date. The defendant faces as a maximum possible sentence of three years prison on each count, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Murray commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley and Trial Attorney Allison Garnett of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
North Carolina Tax Return Preparer Convicted of Filing False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte, North Carolina, convicted a former tax return preparer, Aminta Smith, 32, of Charlotte, of filing false tax returns for her clients and herself, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney R. Andrew Murray for the Western District of North Carolina.
“Tax return preparers who, for themselves or others, prepare fraudulent returns and otherwise manipulate our tax system will be prosecuted for their conduct and be held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman.
“For more than three years, Smith used false entries, including fabricated wages and business expenses, to capitalize on the Earned Income Tax Credit, which resulted in higher refunds for her clients. Smith earned more than $300,000 between 2013 and 2015 for preparing tax returns and failed to report the bulk of that income on her own tax returns. We are committed to protecting the integrity of our tax system by prosecuting tax return preparers, who use their knowledge to cheat the system and commit tax crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.
“Knowingly preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns is a crime,” said Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line. “IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to pursuing dishonest return preparers to hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Smith prepared income tax returns for clients that claimed false education credits, false W-2 wages, and false Schedule C businesses to inflate the refunds paid by the IRS. In addition to filing fraudulent income tax returns for her clients, Smith falsified her own income tax returns by underreporting the fees she earned in her tax preparation business for tax years 2013- 2015 and failing to disclose that she was in engaged in the operation of a tax preparation business.
A sentencing date has not been set. Smith faces as a maximum possible sentence of three years prison on each count, as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Murray commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley and Trial Attorney Allison Garnett of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that WALTER OLIVER, age 28, of New Orleans, pled guilty as charged to a one count federal indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes from possessing firearms after being convicted.
OLIVER faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release of 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo will sentence OLIVER on September 4, 2019.
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.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Bedford Man Indicted for Federal Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with distributing cocaine and marijuana.
Luis Mendez, 37, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana. Mendez has been in state custody since his arrest on Feb. 7, 2019.
According to the charging document, on Feb. 7, 2019, after an investigation into drug distribution in and around New Bedford, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Mendez’s apartment, where Mendez was found in possession of approximately 15 grams of cocaine and 500 grams of marijuana. Mendez has prior felony convictions for narcotics distribution.
The charge of distribution of a controlled substance provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a maximum fine up to $2 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Montgomery Nurse Practitioner Receives 10-Year SentenceRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Wednesday, May 29, 2019, a Montgomery, Alabama nurse practitioner, Lilian Ifeoma Akwuba, 40, received a 10-year sentence for her part in helping run two separate “pill mill” operations in Montgomery over a four-year period, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Special Agent in Charge Derrick L. Jackson with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman with the IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office The sentence followed her convictions for drug distribution and health care fraud. Specifically, in October of 2018, a federal jury convicted Akwuba on 17 counts of unlawfully distributing controlled substances, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiring to distribute controlled substances, and one count of conspiring to commit health care fraud.
The trial evidence showed that, from 2013 through 2016, Akwuba worked at Family Practice, a Montgomery medical practice located at 4143 Atlanta Highway. Her supervisor there was the practice’s owner, Dr. Gilberto Sanchez. Working under Sanchez, Akwuba issued and caused to be issued unnecessary and illegitimate prescriptions for a variety of controlled substances, including fentanyl, hydrocodone (commonly known as “Norco” or “Lortab”), oxycodone (commonly known as “Percocet”), alprazolam (commonly known as “Xanax”), and methadone. Akwuba and Sanchez also required these patients to return approximately every month to obtain their prescriptions. These unnecessary office visits and unlawful prescriptions were ultimately billed to the insurance companies, which paid the claims.
In 2016, Akwuba left Family Practice and opened her own practice, Mercy Family Health Care, located at 128 Mytilene Park Drive in east Montgomery. At her new practice, Akwuba continued the prescribing patterns she developed while working at Family Practice. Because Akwuba was a nurse practitioner and not a physician, she was not able to issue prescription refills on Schedule II controlled substances without a physician’s approval. Akwuba skirted this rule by, in many instances, forging physicians’ signatures on prescriptions for controlled substances.
At the sentencing hearing, the federal judge found that Akwuba testified falsely at trial. As a result, Akwuba received a sentencing enhancement for obstructing justice. Additionally, Akwuba received an enhancement for abusing the trust society placed in her when it allowed her to practice nursing. Before imposing sentence, the judge described Akwuba as a “highly educated drug dealer” and also noted that Akwuba had demonstrated no remorse for the immeasurable harm caused by the prescriptions she signed.
“Far too many of us have been touched by this crisis of over-medication,” stated United States Attorney Franklin. “It is a problem that we hear about on the news and deal with in our own homes. My office and our law enforcement partners are making progress in addressing the issue. Due to the position she held as a medical professional and the air of legitimacy that it comes with, I consider Ms. Akwuba’s actions to be, in many ways, worse than a street-level drug dealer. I hope that the sentence imposed in this case will deter other prescribers from following in her footsteps and causing harm to their patients.”
“Today's sentencing effectively ends the unlawful distribution of controlled substances by Akwuba, a licensed nurse practitioner,” stated Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris with DEA. “Anyone who preys on the addiction of others will bear the full force of the DEA and our law enforcement partners. We will not tolerate those who unlawfully distribute drugs regardless of their position in life. Healthcare professionals who violate our trust and cause harm to our communities will be held accountable for their criminal activities. The safety of the citizens of Alabama and the United States is our most important priority.”
"Nurse practitioner Lilian Akwuba abandoned her obligation to protect the health and well-being of patients, instead taking advantage of people suffering from addiction to opioids in order to enrich herself," said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General in Atlanta. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect patients and the health care programs intended to serve them.”
"Medical professionals who illegally dispense prescription narcotics are no better than street level drug dealers and must be held accountable for their actions," said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “This sentencing is another step in our ongoing effort to combating the opioid epidemic, healthcare fraud and profiteering in the trafficking of legal drugs. IRS-CI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and the US Attorney's Office to address these public challenges.”
The case was investigated Drug Enforcement Administration, Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Opelika, Alabama Police Department, the Montgomery, Alabama Police Department, and the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners all assisted in the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross, Megan A. Kirkpatrick, and Rand Neeley prosecuted the case.
Montgomery Business Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud, Mail Fraud and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Wednesday, May 29, 2019, Gene Earl Easterling, 47, of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 63 months of imprisonment for bank fraud, mail fraud, and drug charges, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., Postal Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez of the Houston Division, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris with the Drug Enforcement Administration. Easterling’s five year and three month prison term will be followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The judge also ordered Easterling to pay restitution to his financial institution victims.
The mail and bank fraud charges stemmed from a scheme in which Easterling others submitted a series of fraudulent loan applications and received payment. Specifically, evidence showed that from March 2015 through October 2017, Easterling represented to several Montgomery banks and credit unions that he owned a car dealership in Montgomery, Alabama named “Next-in-Line, Inc.” He and others working with him would submit applications for auto loans to pay for cars from his lot. However, Easterling never owned a car lot or actually sold cars. Investigators confirmed that Next-In-Line was never issued an auto-dealer’s license, and in fact, according to Next-In-Line’s business license, it was a computer/gaming repair company.
Once the loans were approved and checks were sent to the applicant through the United States mail, Easterling and his co-conspirators would take them to a bank to cash. Easterling would keep a portion of the check and give a portion to his accomplices. Ultimately, no vehicles were ever purchased. Furthermore, once the loan checks were received Easterling and his co-conspirators would make one or two payments on the loan, then stop paying and attempt to discharge their debt through the bankruptcy courts.
In total, sixteen fraudulent loans checks were approved and resulted in a loss of $682,980 to the financial institutions. Easterling and his co-conspirators also submitted other applications which were not approved in the amount of $253,500. His co-conspirators also have pending cases.
As to his drug offense, Easterling was also found to be in possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
“When criminals lie to banks for their own personal gain, it hurts everyone. When they are also selling drugs, it is even more alarming,” said U.S. Attorney Franklin. “Unfortunately, there is no shortage of crooks out there trying to defraud individuals, financial institutions, and government agencies. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect the community from this type of criminal activity.”
“Gene Easterling’s conspiracy was motivated by pure greed,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez. “Using false business practices, Easterling shamelessly enriched himself by taking advantage of the goodwill of credit unions and banks. Because he also violated the sanctity of the U.S. Mail to further his crimes, Postal Inspectors diligently worked with our law enforcement partners to hold Easterling accountable for his actions.”
“This investigation is a clear example of the connections between drug trafficking and other crimes,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Clay Morris. “Often times, criminal organizations distribute drugs as a means to finance other criminal enterprises. Today’s sentencing should send a clear message to drug dealers that if you sell poison in our communities, DEA and our law enforcement partners will relentlessly investigate you and bring you to justice.”
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Denise O. Simpson and Curtis Ivy.
Monongalia County woman sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tina Hart of Glenville, West Virginia, was sentenced to two years probation for a drug charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hart, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility” in February 2019. Hart admitted to using a phone to distribute a controlled substance in April 2018 in Monongalia County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case 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.
Monongalia County man sentenced for role in a drug distribution operation in Monongalia CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Daniel Payne, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 12 months and one day incarceration for his involvement in a heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Payne, age 34, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Heroin” in February 2019. Payne admitted to selling heroin in July 2017 in Monongalia County.Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case 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.
Mexican Truck Driver Pleads Guilty to Importing Drugs in AvocadosRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 44-year old truck driver from Michoacan, Mexico, has entered a guilty plea for conspiring to import methamphetamine and cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
On March 12, 2013, Carlos Gaona-Zaragoza attempted entry at the Colombia Solidarity Bridge in Laredo driving a tractor-trailer. He presented his Border Crossing Card and said he was hauling a load of avocados.
He was referred to secondary inspection, at which time authorities conducted an x-ray examination and soon discovered anomalies in a spare tire located underneath the trailer. A drug detection dog also alerted to the possible presence of a narcotic odor emitting from the tire.
Further inspection of the tire revealed a total of 41 bundles, 40 of which field-tested positive for methamphetamine with a total gross weight of 41.56 kilograms. One contained cocaine with a weight of 1.12 kilograms.
Gaona-Zaragoza initially claimed he transported the narcotics under threat of harm to his family. However, he later admitted he had agreed to transport the narcotics for 15,000 Mexican pesos.
Sentencing will be set at a later date before U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña.
Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bukiewicz is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Imprisoned for Returning to the United States Following DeportationRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Miguel Lopez-Castillo, 35, a Mexican national, was sentenced today in United States District Court in Burlington to a year and one day of imprisonment following his guilty plea to a charge that he was found in the United States after having been previously deported.
According to the indictment, Lopez-Castillo has twice been deported from the United States: first in 2008 and again in 2012. In late May 2018, agents with the Department of Homeland Security learned that Lopez-Castillo had at some point returned to the United States illegally, without having obtained authorization from the Attorney General to do so. At the time of his indictment this past August, Lopez-Castillo was in the custody of the Vermont Department of Corrections following his arrest in Burlington. That state case ended with Lopez-Castillo’s guilty plea and time-served sentence. Agents then took the defendant into federal custody. He pled guilty to the immigration charge this past February.
Lopez-Castillo is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Barclay Johnson. The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.
Mason City Car Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
A Mason City car dealer who laundered what he believed to be drug proceeds by selling a car for cash and not reporting the sale as he was required to do was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.
Jerry Flaherty, age 54, from Mason City, Iowa, received the prison term after an October 25, 2018 guilty plea to money laundering.
Information disclosed at sentencing and in a written plea agreement showed that in the spring of 2014, an undercover law enforcement officer met Flaherty at his car dealership, Wheel Man Auto, LLC in Mason City. During one meeting, the law enforcement officer purported to be a drug dealer and told Flaherty, among other things, that “I just don’t want the government forms to file” and “I just don’t want anything in my name.” During a second meeting, the undercover officer agreed to buy a car for $20,500 in cash, but Flaherty agreed to record the sale as a $15,000 credit card sale. During the meeting, the undercover officer told Flaherty “You know my deal. You know I sell cocaine and my thing is I just don’t need no, them government forms.” After the sale was completed, Flaherty never filed a form he was required to file under federal law documenting the sale.
Flaherty was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Flaherty was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment. He was also fined $25,000. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Flaherty was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-3016.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 5 Years Imprisonment in Federal Bank Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that William Cook, age 63, of Berlin, Maryland was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Colm F. Connolly to five years of imprisonment on federal bank fraud, false statement, and money laundering charges.
After a five-day trial in January, 2019, a federal jury found Cook guilty of bank fraud, four counts of false statements to Artisans’ Bank, and money laundering. According to evidence introduced and arguments presented during trial and at sentencing, Cook opened a business line of credit with Delaware-based Artisans’ Bank beginning in 2008. As part of his loan agreement, Cook submitted weekly certificates to Artisans’ Bank certifying open customer debts; Artisans’ Bank used these certificates to determine how much money it was willing to lend Cook’s business. Cook began falsifying these certificates in or around January 2009, which allowed him to access more money from Artisans’ Bank. His weekly fraud continued through May 2013. During this time, Cook used the money lent to his business by Artisans’ Bank for purposes not permitted under his loan agreement. When Artisans’ Bank learned of the fraud in July 2013, Cook had no money left to pay the $4.2 million that was still outstanding on his business loans. As part of its sentence, the Court ordered Cook to pay Artisans’ Bank the full $4.2 million in restitution, because Artisans’ Bank’s loss was caused by Cook’s fraud.
U.S. Attorney Weiss said, “The defendant lied to a local Delaware bank on a weekly basis so that he could use its money as he saw fit, and in a manner contrary to the terms of the loan agreement. As a result of his four-year fraud, Artisans’ Bank lost $4.2 million. Cook violated the trust required for lending arrangements to succeed - both for banks and the small businesses they support. My office remains committed to investigating and prosecuting fraudulent conduct, like defendant’s, that damages the integrity of our financial system. Because the money a bank lends belongs to its depositors, we cannot ignore conduct that places those funds at risk and the people who think the rules simply do not apply to them. The Court’s five-year sentence today rightly punishes the defendant for his long-term fraud.”
Acting U.S. Postal Inspector-in-Charge of the Philadelphia Division, John Walker said, “We will continue to work with our partners at the IRS, and the U.S. Attorney's Office to combat this type of financial fraud. Postal Inspectors work diligently to protect financial institutions from falling victim to these types of schemes. In the end, these schemes negatively impact all of us.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to using our forensic accounting skills to help unravel complex fraud and money laundering schemes,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Guy Ficco. “We are proud to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who attempt to enrich themselves by fraudulent means, and to help put a stop to this and other types of white collar crime."
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the IRS-Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitney Cloud and Lesley F. Wolf.
Marshall County man sentenced for methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jacob Henry, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 15 months incarceration for methamphetamine distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Henry, age 45, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” in January 2019. Henry admitted to selling methamphetamine in April 2018 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, A HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.