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1 July 2019
Wyoming County Man Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Robert Hoyt, age 55, of Eaton Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 25, 2019, for drug trafficking and illegal firearms possession. The indictment remained under seal until Hoyt was arrested by ATF agents on July 1, 2019.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment charges Hoyt with being a user of illegal drugs in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of stolen firearms, and the distribution of suboxone, between November 11, 2018 and April 9, 2019 in Luzerne and Wyoming Counties.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Kingston Police Department, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty for the drug distribution offense is twenty years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release, and a fine. The maximum penalty for the firearms offense is ten years’ imprisonment and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Wood County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Wood County man pled guilty to illegally possessing ammunition, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Robert Adams, 34, entered his guilty plea before Senior United States District Judge David Faber. Adams was prohibited from possessing ammunition as a result of being convicted of burglary in Wood County.
On July 23, 2017 Adams was stopped by an officer with the Parkersburg Police Department for a traffic violation. Adams hid a shotgun shell in his pocket so the officers would not find it. Officers subsequently recovered the shell from the holding cell where Adams was being held.
The Parkersburg Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case. The sentencing hearing is set for November 4, 2019, before Judge Faber.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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.
West Warwick Man Admits to Attempting to Entice a Minor for SexRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A West Warwick man appeared in federal court in Providence and admitted to attempting to entice a minor boy he communicated with online to meet with him in a Warwick park and to engage in illicit sexual activity.
Dylan Harris, 27, admitted that in January 2017, he engaged in a series of sexually explicit online chats with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. At Harris’ request, he arranged to meet with the boy in a secluded park in the vicinity of T.F. Green Airport, and to engage in sexual intercourse.
The person Harris thought to be a 14-year-old boy was, in fact, a member of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on Friday, Harris pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in prohibited sexual activity, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh.
According to information presented to the Court, in January 2017, a member of the ICAC Task Force was conducting an investigation in the “casual encounters” section of Craig’s List. On January 4, 2017, the agent responded to a posting, later determined to have been posted by Harris, seeking “virgins or inexperienced” guys. The agent posed as a 14-year-old boy. The two engaged in a series of sexually explicit online conversations during which Harris sent the 14-year-old two photographs depicting his face and one sexually explicit photograph he told the boy was of himself.
The conversation also included discussion about the 14-year old’s school schedule.
On January 5, 2017, at Harris’ request, Harris and the 14-year-old agreed to meet in a secluded park in the vicinity of T.F. Green Airport, and to engage in sexual intercourse. Harris told the 14-year-old that he would arrive driving a Jeep. Later that afternoon, members of the ICAC Task Force observed a black Jeep Grand Cherokee, with an operator matching the description of Harris, drive into the park at the pre-arranged meeting location. Police activated their lights and sirens and attempted to initiate a motor vehicle stop. However, Harris made an abrupt left turn and accelerated through a water retention ditch and over a cement parking curb, causing damage to the front end of the black Jeep and flattening one of its tires. Harris then turned and accelerated at a high rate of speed in the parking lot. Several police officers exited their vehicles and issued loud verbal commands and hand signals, ordering Harris to stop his vehicle. Still traveling at a high rate of speed, Harris turned his vehicle in the direction of one of the detectives, narrowly missing him and causing the detective to leap out of the way. Harris then accelerated through another water retention ditch, briefly losing control of his vehicle almost striking a chain link fence separating the park and a T.F. Green Airport runway. Harris drove another three-tenths of a mile before losing control of his vehicle and rolling the vehicle onto a grass embankment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
The matter was investigated by the ICAC Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.
Harris is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2019. Attempted enticement of a minor to engage in prohibited sexual activity is punishable by statutory penalties of life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison; up to lifetime supervised release; a fine of $250,000; and if the Court finds the defendant is not indigent, a $5,000 special assessment.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the Barrington Police Department for their assistance in the investigation of this case.
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U.S. Attorney’s Guardians Project Results in Multiple Defendants Facing Federal Charges and Sentencing for Fraud, Theft, Embezzlement, and CorruptionRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS, SD - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced charges in the following cases, all separately noted below, that were brought pursuant to the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Guardians Project. The Project is a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities.
The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the participating federal agencies include: Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
Five Central South Dakota Women Sentenced for Retaliating Against Witness
Tally Colombe, age 44, Fort Thompson, South Dakota was sentenced on December 19, 2018; Elnita Rank, age 82, Fort Thompson, South Dakota; Kristal Hawk, age 58, Fort Thompson, South Dakota; Ronda Hawk, age 60, Fort Thompson, South Dakota; and Tiffany Monteau, age 44, Chamberlain, South Dakota, were sentenced on February 22, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange. Colombe, Rank, Kristal, Ronda, and Monteau were found guilty following a jury trial on November 2, 2018.
Colombe was sentenced to 4 months in federal prison to run concurrent to her current federal sentence for wire fraud and federal program fraud, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victim’s Fund in the amount of $100. Rank was sentenced to 12 months supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victim’s Fund in the amount of $100. Kristal was sentenced to 3 months home confinement, 12 months supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victim’s Fund in the amount of $100. Ronda and Monteau were both sentenced to 12 months supervised release and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victim’s Fund in the amount of $100.
Between September 8, 2017, and September 12, 2017, Colombe, Rank, Kristal, Ronda, and Monteau conspired to knowingly take harmful action against a witness in an attempt to retaliate against her for providing truthful information to law enforcement relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal offense, namely program fraud and wire fraud. The retaliation included interfering with the lawful employment and livelihood of the witness when Rank, Kristal, Ronda, and Monteau forcibly removed the victim witness from her office and blocked her from performing her contracted duties.
Idaho Man Charged with Wire Fraud and Conspiracy
Calvin Pelichet, age 47 of Boise, Idaho, appeared before a magistrate judge in Idaho on May 15, 2019, and pled not guilty to an Indictment that charged him with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud.
According to documents filed with the Court, beginning at a time unknown but no later than on or about December 2015, and continuing through December 2016, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, All Around Sports, LLC, with others known and unknown to the United States, did conspire to commit the offense of wire fraud. By and through company representatives, including Pelichet, Kristen DeBoer, and the owner, Christopher Hoshaw, All Around Sports, LLC, willfully and unlawfully devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property from others by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The object of the conspiracy was to enrich AAS’ owner, managers, and employees by obtaining fraudulent funds.
On or about May 11, 2016, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Christopher A. Hoshaw and Kristen DeBoer devised and intended to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud the Oglala Sioux Tribe, and to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
Hoshaw was released on bond pending sentencing. His sentencing date is currently set for August 12, 2019. In addition to the guilty pleas of Hoshaw and All Around Sports, LLC, Kristin DeBoer pleaded guilty for her role in the fraud scheme on July 30, 2018. DeBoer was released on bond pending sentencing. Her sentencing date is currently set for August 12, 2019.
Pelichet made his appearance in the District of South Dakota at the federal courthouse in Sioux Falls on June 26, 2019. The charges are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Pelichet has been detained.
Two Former Crow Creek Tribal Court Clerks Charged with Embezzlement
Kathleen Goodlow, age 68, and Christine Reed, age 41, were indicted on May 8, 2019, for Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The Indictment alleges that from August 2017 through October 2018, Goodlow and Reed embezzled and converted to their own use more than $1,000 of monies, funds, credits, goods, assets, and other property belonging to the Crow Creek Tribal Court, an Indian Tribal Organization.
Goodlow recently signed a plea agreement and is expected to change her plea to guilty in the near future.
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Employee Charged with Larceny
Doris White, age 70 of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, was indicted for Larceny on May 8, 2019. White made her appearance in federal court in Pierre, South Dakota, on May 30, 2019, and she pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The Indictment alleges that between January 2005 and November 2017, White unlawfully took and carried away, with the intent to steal and purloin, the personal property of others, namely, money and funds belonging to Individual #1 and Individual #2, both known by the Grand Jury and by Defendant, of a value in excess of $1,000.
The charges are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
A trial is currently scheduled for July 30, 2019.
Former Secretary of Oglala Sioux Tribal Office Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement
A former Secretary of the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Credit and Finance Office pleaded guilty to Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization. Helen Hernandez, age 41, entered her guilty plea in federal court in Rapid City, South Dakota, on April 5, 2019.
According to court documents, from February 2014 through June 2015, Hernandez embezzled and converted to her own use more than $1,000 of monies, funds, credits, goods, assets, and other property belonging to the Credit and Finances Office of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, an Indian Tribal Organization. During the time of the embezzlement, Hernandez was serving as the Secretary of that office.
Hernandez’s sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for July 25, 2019.
Business Owner & Business Federally Indicted for Embezzlement from Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribal Organizations
A business owner and his business have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization. Dustin Martin Kirk, age 46 of Sisseton, South Dakota, was indicted on March 5, 2019, on two counts of embezzlement and theft from an Indian Tribal Organization. Two counts in the indictment relate to his dissolved business, Siouxland Lumber & Materials, LLC. Kirk and his business appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on June 17, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The Indictment alleges that between in or about August 2016 and December 2018, in the District of South Dakota, Dustin Martin Kirk and his business embezzled, stole, and converted more than $1,000 of monies, funds, credits, goods, assets, and other property belonging to Dakota Nation Development Corporation and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Housing Authority, both of which are entities of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe and Indian Tribal Organizations.
The charges are merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
A trial is currently scheduled for September 24, 2019.
New Jersey Man Charged with Wire Fraud
Mark Johnson, age 58, of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, was indicted for Wire Fraud on March 5, 2019. Johnson made an appearance in federal court in New Jersey, on May 3, 2019. His initial appearance in federal court in South Dakota has yet to be scheduled.
The Indictment alleges that between March 2014 and July 2014, Mark Johnson, d/b/a Atlantic Power & Equipment, LLC, devised a scheme and artifice to defraud and obtain money from the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.
The charges are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Business Owner Indicted for Wire Fraud and Theft of Government Property
Robert Bland, age 51, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was indicted on May 21, 2019, for eighteen counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government property. Bland, the owner of Motive Magic Mobile Windshield Repair, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on June 6, 2019, and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Indictment alleges that between March 2011 and April 2018 Bland fraudulently billed for windshield rock chip repairs that were never done on General Services Administration vehicles.
The charges are merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. A trial is currently scheduled for August 13, 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy R. Jehangiri, Ann M. Hoffman, Benjamin Patterson, and Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the cases listed above.
For additional information about The Guardians Project, please contact the United States Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Public Defender, U.S. Probation, and Bureau of Prisons Join Forces to Improve Success of Transition from Federal Custody to the CommunityRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran today highlighted collaborative work among the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Public Defender, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Bureau of Prisons to assist formerly incarcerated individuals with the transition from prison to the community. The Western District of Washington is one of the first federal judicial districts to create a “reentry guide” for individuals preparing for release. The district also created one of the first “warrant clearing” initiatives to assist individuals who are federally incarcerated with clearing state court warrants. Unresolved warrants prohibit incarcerated individuals from participating in programs that play an important role in the rehabilitative process, such as halfway houses and drug treatment.
“As a long-time prosecutor, I am always pleased when someone who has been incarcerated is able to successfully rejoin the community and become a contributing member of society,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. “That success makes our communities safer and frees up resources to investigate and prosecute other crimes. I’m pleased that the Western District of Washington is a leader in working collaboratively to reduce barriers and facilitate successful transitions to the community.”
Working with the Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, the U.S. Probation Office, and the Federal Public Defender, the U.S. Attorney’s Office produced a 32-page guide for those within six months of their release from incarceration. The content of the guide was created with input from those in FDC SeaTac. Currently incarcerated individuals were asked what information they most needed, and prosecutors, defenders, probation, and the Bureau of Prisons worked together to provide clear and comprehensive answers. The guide was first provided to incarcerated persons in December 2018 as part of a quarterly reentry event at FDC SeaTac and is now provided on an ongoing basis to individuals within six months of release. At the reentry events, reentry experts provide information on education, employment, and housing options and answer questions about legal concerns regarding supervised release.
Incarcerated individuals are also able to take advantage of a unique warrant-clearing initiative in the Western District of Washington. Through this program, one of only a few in the country, federal prosecutors work hand-in-hand with local prosecutors and federal defenders to determine the warrant status and seek a resolution that improves the likelihood of successful reentry. By clearing the warrants, incarcerated persons can take advantage of more education programs at the Bureau of Prisons and more successfully transition to the community upon release.
Two Men Involved in New Haven Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking Ring are SentencedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that two men were sentenced today in Bridgeport federal court for trafficking narcotics. U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill sentenced STEVEN McCOY, also known as “S Dot,” 26, of Hamden, to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release, and CHRISTOPHER SERRANO, also known as “Mancho,” 35, of Milford, to time served, four years of supervised release, one year of home confinement and a $1,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements, this matter stems from a joint investigation headed by the DEA New Haven Task Force, FBI and New Haven Police Department into a New Haven-based drug trafficking organization that acquired and distributed heroin and cocaine. On April 19, 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging McCoy, Serrano and 17 other individuals with narcotics trafficking offenses.
During the investigation, law enforcement officers seized more than 500 grams of heroin, more than 300 grams of fentanyl, more than one kilogram of cocaine, three firearms, over $90,000 in cash, vehicles, jewelry and precious metals.
The investigation revealed that McCoy received large quantities of heroin from another member of the conspiracy and sold the drug in smaller amounts to his own customers.
On one occasion, in February 2018, Serrano acted as a middleman for a transaction involving a half-kilogram of cocaine between two other members of the conspiracy.
McCoy and Serrano were arrested on April 25, 2019.
On March 13, 2019, McCoy pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. On January 14, 2019, Serrano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments. The Connecticut Department of Correction, Milford Police Department and East Haven Police Department have assisted the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Gordon Hall.
Two Houma Men Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DANIEL CABRERA-VERGARA, JR., a/k/a “Junior,” age 35, and LARANZA THOMAS, a/k/a “Dude,” age 28, residents of Houma, Louisiana, were charged May 16, 2019, in a three-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to the indictment, beginning at a date unknown, but not later than October 30, 2018, and continuing until on or about November 6, 2018, CABRERA-VERGARA and THOMAS conspired with each other to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. CABRERA-VERGARA and THOMAS are also charged with using a communication facility, a telephone, to facilitate the drug conspiracy.
If convicted, CABRERA-VERGARA and THOMAS face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Levee District Police Department, and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections – Division of Probation and Parole. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Paige O’Hale.
Track Coach Sentenced for Assaulting Student AthleteRead the Press Release
A former private track coach was sentenced Monday to federal prison for transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity during a 2017 college visit in Tulsa, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Kerry Sloan, 56, of Harker Heights, Texas to 180 months in prison. He will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to minors. Sloan will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
“Young athletes look to their adult coaches not only for athletic instruction, but also for life advice as mentors. Today, former track coach Kerry Sloan was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison because he exploited that special coach-athlete relationship for his sexual gratification,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “It takes tremendous courage for victims to come forward to report these crimes. This young lady not only spoke up for herself but she also gave a voice to the past victims who were discovered during the investigation. I am extremely proud of her tenacity and strength.”
During his plea hearing, Sloan admitted that while he had told the teenage minor victim that he was driving her from Texas to Tulsa for meetings with college coaches, his true intent was to sexually assault her. He also admitted to ultimately sexually assaulting the victim during the car ride and raping her at a Tulsa hotel. After these incidents, Sloan then began driving the victim back to Texas but would not let her out of his car. The victim was eventually able to contact her family, who called 911. Pittsburg County Sheriff's Deputies stopped the vehicle and rescued the victim. During the ensuing investigation, victims dating back to 1990 came forward to report similar incidents involving Sloan while he was serving in the U.S. Army.
Sloan was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Tulsa Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Army Criminal Investigation Division, Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, and Killeen Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Three Terrebonne and Lafourche Men Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HAKEAM DRANE, a/k/a “Keam,” age 29, of Gray, La., SPENCER ROUNDS, JR., a/k/a “BoBoy,” age 29, of Gray, La., and LARRY CHATMAN, age 28, of Thibodaux, La., were charged May 30, 2019, in a four-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with several narcotics offenses, including conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, distribution and possession with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, and felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to court records, a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force identified DRANE as narcotics trafficker of methamphetamine in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. Between March and May 2019, DRANE, ROUNDS, and CHATMAN made several telephone calls in the Eastern District of Louisiana to facilitate a methamphetamine conspiracy, and on May 15, 2019, distributed more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine to the Eastern District of Louisiana.
On May 13, 2019, the DEA Task Force learned that ROUNDS and CHATMAN were in Los Angeles, California, preparing to ship methamphetamine via United Parcel Service (UPS). Task Force officers identified two UPS parcels in the mail stream that arrived in Louisiana, one sent by ROUNDS and one sent by CHATMAN. Officers seized the parcels pursuant to a Federal search warrant. Inside, officers located vacuum sealed packages containing approximately 60 pounds of methamphetamine. The vacuum sealed packages were further wrapped in dryer fabric softener sheets in an attempt to mask the methamphetamine’s odor. A search of ROUNDS’ car revealed a firearm, which ROUNDS is prohibited from possessing as a convicted felon.
In addition, DRANE distributed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on July 30, 2018, and on January 17, 2019.
If convicted, DRANE faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $20,000,000.00, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment. ROUNDS and CHATMAN, if convicted, face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Paige O’Hale.
Terrebonne Parish Man Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HARRIS HENDERSON, age 43, a resident of Schreiver, Louisiana, was charged July 14, 2019, in a one-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to the indictment, On February 7, 2018, HENDERSON distributed five grams or more of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. If convicted, faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum of forty years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000.00 and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Homeland Security Investigations, Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones.
Tampa Man Arrested for Attempted Trafficking of A MinorRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the arrest of Robert Ray Williams (62, Tampa) on a criminal complaint charging him with attempted human trafficking of a minor. If convicted, Williams faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison.
According to the complaint, on June 26, 2019, Williams texted a phone number listed in an online advertisement offering young females for sex. An undercover agent responded to Williams’s inquiry about the girls and offered Williams a 14 and a 15-year-old girl for commercial sex. Williams requested the 14-year-old. Williams was then instructed to meet at a location in Tampa the next day. On June 27, 2019, Williams arrived at the agreed upon location and paid an undercover agent $200 for sex with who he believed was a 14-year-old girl. He then proceeded into a trailer where he believed the child was waiting. Once inside the trailer, Williams was taken into custody.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Candace Rich.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Syracuse Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – DeAndre Peterson, age 23, of Syracuse, pled guilty today to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kenton T. Buckner, Chief of the Syracuse Police Department.
In pleading guilty, Peterson admitted that on November 8, 2018, he possessed several bags of crack cocaine totaling less than 2.8 grams and that he intended to distribute that cocaine to customers in the city of Syracuse. Peterson was arrested that day in connection with an enforcement operation targeting drug distribution in the city of Syracuse after he sold crack cocaine to a man named Damion Anderson, who then re-sold the crack cocaine to an undercover police officer. Anderson previously pled guilty to his role in conspiring with Peterson to distribute crack cocaine and was sentenced last month to serve 12 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Peterson will be sentenced on October 30, 2019, by Chief United States District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby, who presides over the case. Peterson faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a supervised release term of between 3 years and life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the Syracuse Police Department with assistance from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the United States Marshals Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry.
Swissvale Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug Charges in Project Safe Neighborhoods CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Swissvale, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Brandon Spearman, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the defendant possessed a semi-automatic pistol as well as 46 stamp bags of fentanyl and 2.2 grams of crack cocaine.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for October 29, 2019, at 10 a.m. The defendant is incarcerated pending the sentencing date and the preparation of a Pre-Sentence Report detailing the defendant’s educational, criminal, family, and work histories.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Leo Ivory is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Penn Hills Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the conviction in this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. 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.
Statement by U.S. Attorney John F. Bash Re: Current E.P.I.S.D. LitigationRead the Press Release
In the interest of justice, and to bring finality to the lengthy and complex litigation involving the prosecution of certain El Paso Independent School District administrators and employees, the remaining two defendants awaiting trial under cause number EP16cr693—James Anderson and John Tanner—have entered into pre-trial diversion agreements with the government. Once Mr. Anderson and Mr. Tanner successfully complete the terms and conditions of their pre-trial diversion programs, the charges against them will be dismissed. As part of their agreements, Mr. Anderson and Mr. Tanner have accepted responsibility for their behavior.
To ensure a fair and equitable outcome for all defendants in the EP16cr693 indictment, our office has also filed joint motions with counsel for co-defendants Damon Murphy, Maria Flores, and Vanessa Foreman, requesting the District Court to approve the withdrawal of their previously entered guilty pleas so that they will each receive a similar disposition. Now that the District Court has granted the motions, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Flores, and Ms. Foreman will enter into deferred prosecution agreements with the government in which the charges against them will ultimately be dismissed upon the successful completion of required terms and conditions. As a part of their deferred prosecution agreements, Mr. Murphy, Ms. Flores, and Ms. Foreman have all admitted to engaging in the conduct set forth in the factual summaries attached to their agreements.
The pre-trial diversion and deferred prosecution agreements entered into in this case were accepted by all parties—the defendants and our office—as a just and appropriate resolution to the matter.
San Manuel, Arizona, Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Juan Alberto Chavez, age 43, of San Manuel, Arizona, entered a guilty plea to Possession With Intent To Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), punishable by not less than 10 years and not more than life imprisonment, a fine up to $10,000,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleges that on or about April 17, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Heatherman represented the United States.
Rwandan Man Sentenced for Immigration Fraud and Perjury in Connection with 1994 GenocideRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man who fled Rwanda near the end of the 1994 genocide was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for immigration fraud and perjury in connection with his application for immigration benefits in the United States.
Jean Leonard Teganya, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Denis Saylor IV to 97 months in prison. Upon completion of his sentence, Teganya will face removal proceedings. In addition, Judge Saylor found that Teganya obstructed justice by committing perjury when he testified during trial. In April 2019, Teganya was convicted by a jury of two counts of immigration fraud and three counts of perjury.
“Mr. Teganya was convicted and sentenced for the most serious form of immigration fraud: lying about his status as a war criminal to win immigration benefits in the United States,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Based on the evidence admitted at trial, the defendant committed horrendous crimes during the Rwandan genocide and then sought to deceive U.S. immigration authorities about his past. Especially in the context of genocide, American asylum laws exist to protect the persecuted – not the persecutors.”
“The defendant committed unimaginable acts of violence and brutality,” said Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, Homeland Security Investigations, Boston. “Today’s sentencing clearly demonstrates that this nation will never be a safe haven for human rights violators and war criminals. Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work closely with our federal and international partners to relentlessly pursue such criminals and protect our nation’s legal immigration systems.”
The Rwandan genocide began on April 6, 1994, and lasted for a period of 100 days. During the genocide, approximately 800,000 ethnic Tutsis were murdered, making it the deadliest genocide since the holocaust in World War II. Prior to the genocide, Teganya was enrolled as a medical student at the National University of Rwanda, in Butare. During that time, he was a member of the MRND political party, the ruling Hutu-dominated party that incited the genocide. Teganya was also a member of the Interahawme, the MRND youth wing, where he participated in martial arts and weapons training.
During the genocide, Teganya remained at the hospital in Butare, where he led teams of soldiers and Interahamwe around the hospital to locate Tutsi patients and refugees hiding in the hospital. Once discovered, the Tutsis were taken and killed behind the maternity ward. Teganya also led teams of soldiers and Interahawme who took Tutsi women to be raped.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that Teganya participated in the murders of three Tutsi people at the hospital and four Tutsi students he discovered in the dormitory where he was living. Teganya also participated in five rapes of two Tutsi women who were hiding in the hospital.
At the end of the genocide in mid-July 1994, Teganya fled Butare, traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, India, and then Canada. In 1999, Teganya applied for asylum in Canada. Canadian authorities twice determined that Teganya was not entitled to asylum because he had been complicit in atrocities committed at the Butare hospital during the genocide. After 15 years of asylum proceedings, Teganya evaded the Canadian deportation order and fled across the border into the United States. On Aug. 3, 2014, Teganya was encountered walking on foot after he had crossed from Canada into Houlton, Maine. Teganya was taken into custody and he formally applied for asylum. On the application for asylum and withholding of removal an at an immigration hearing, Teganya made false statements by failing to disclose his membership with MRND and his activities during the genocide.
U.S. Attorney Lelling and HSI SAC Fitzhugh made the announcement today. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. State Department and the Revere Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott L. Garland, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Nation Security Unit, and George P. Varghese, also of the National Security Unit, prosecuted the case.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 180 Years in Prison for Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Westerly, R.I., man who admitted to repeatedly persuading and coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct which he photographed and recorded for approximately two or three years, and who admitted to distributing child pornography, was sentenced on Friday to 180 years in federal prison.
Jay Gaccione, 41, pleaded guilty on November 13, 2018, to five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography, and two counts of possession of child pornography.
On November 4, 2016, agents from Homeland Security Investigations and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a court-authorized search warrant at Gaccione’s Westerly residence and seized, among other items, several electronic and digital storage devices. Forensic audits of the devices revealed numerous videos and images of child pornography produced by Gaccione with a victim between the ages of 12 and 14-years-old.
The investigation also determined that Gaccione sought to obtain images from an individual he communicated with online of a child as young as three-years-old being sexually assaulted.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise M. Barton.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman acknowledges and thanks the Westerly Police Department for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
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Philadelphia Doctor to Surrender Medical License, Pay $107k Penalty for Improper Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Richard Ira Mintz, D.O., a Philadelphia-area doctor, has agreed to surrender his ability to practice medicine and pay a $107,584 penalty for prescribing OxyContin (oxycodone) and Xanax (benzodiazepine) to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Mintz agreed to do so through a settlement agreement resolving the government’s civil claims against him under the Controlled Substances Act.
The settlement agreement arises from thirteen prescriptions that Dr. Mintz wrote between 2016 and 2018. Dr. Mintz allegedly sold these prescriptions for cash without any legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of his professional practice.
In March 2019, Dr. Mintz pleaded guilty to eight criminal counts of unlawfully distributing some of these prescriptions;this civil resolution encompasses additional prescriptions. The civil resolution also requires Dr. Mintz to pay the $107,584 monetary penalty, consent to a term of exclusion from federal health care programs, and give up his ability to practice medicine. To ensure that Dr. Mintz does not resume practicing medicine, he agreed to surrender his medical license and Drug Enforcement Administration Certificate of Registration and further agreed not to seek to renew or reinstate either one in the future.
The criminal case was prosecuted as part of a regional Medicare Fraud Strike Force that operates in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey. The Strike Force is a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud, and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country.
“This dual civil and criminal resolution is the latest example of how we will use all appropriate tools, both civil and criminal, to hold accountable anyone who breaks the law,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “By working together on parallel tracks, as appropriate, we can ensure an efficient administration of justice and a complete remedy for the harm. The public deserves nothing less.”
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael S. Macko handled the civil case, working in parallel with Trial Attorney Adam Yoffie of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section who handled the criminal matter.
Penn Hills Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Multiple Drugs and a FirearmRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Allegheny County has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count Indictment, returned on June 25, named Duane Eugene Cash, Jr., age 47, of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about December 7, 2018, Cash possessed with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of an analogue of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of heroin, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and quantities of cocaine, marijuana and tramadol. The Indictment further alleges that Cash, a convicted felon, possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. Federal law prohibits an individual who has been convicted of a felony from possessing a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and the Penn Hills and Monroeville Police Departments conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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.
Panola County Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking, Tampering, Obstruction ChargesRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A 30-year-old Carthage, Texas man has been convicted of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Winfred Earl Ware, Jr. was found guilty by a jury on June 28, 2019, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, obstruction of justice and witness tampering following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone.
According to information presented in court, from 2014 through 2017, Ware conspired with others to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The evidence presented in trial showed that pending trial for the drug conspiracy charge in August 2018, Ware created false Facebook entries purported to be from a government witness which would tend to exonerate the defendant. By submitting those false documents to the court to be used at trial, the government had to dismiss the pending drug charge against Ware to investigate these messages. Upon examination, the government determined that the Facebook entries were created by Ware in an effort to influence the testimony of several witnesses in the original trial and to corruptly influence the due administration of justice. Ware was then indicted in Dec. 2018, on the original drug conspiracy as well as the charges of obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
Under federal statutes, Ware faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison for the drug trafficking and tampering charges and up to 10 years in federal prison for the obstruction violation. The maximum statutory sentences prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentence 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 investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Panola County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Gaston and Michelle S. Englade.
Operation Zero Hour II Results in 172 Arrests in Cumberland and Robeson CountiesRead the Press Release
**Reissued from U.S. Marshals Service**FAYETTEVILLE, NC – The U.S. Marshals Eastern District of North Carolina Violent Fugitive Task Force, in coordination with various federal, state and local partners, recently wrapped up an operation dubbed Zero Hour II. This operation combined the expansive resources of the participating agencies with the goal of locating subjects wanted on outstanding warrants and conducting searches of high-risk individuals under the supervision of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Conducted in Robeson County June 11 – 13 and Cumberland County June 25 – 27, this operation was the culmination of months of planning, and resulted in the arrest of 75 subjects in Robeson County and 99 subjects in Cumberland County. 442 charges were cleared in the two counties and 42 firearms were recovered. Additionally, $66,922 in U.S. currency was seized along with quantities of a variety of narcotics including marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine. Searches were attempted at the residences of 337 high-risk probationers or parolees, with 134 searches successfully completed. Participating agencies will continue to investigate information developed during the operation and additional arrests are likely.
Michael East, United States Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina, commented, “I would like to thank all of the men and women of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners. Operations such as these take substantial planning and would not be possible without the collaborative efforts of everyone involved. Additional operations are forthcoming and we are coming to your town in the very near future.”
Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, stated, “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to the continued partnership with all local, state, and federal law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices to make Eastern North Carolina a safer place. This type of effort is an essential part of our drive to reduce violent crime, remove the worst offenders from our communities, and take back North Carolina from violent criminals and drug traffickers. Thank you to the officers who put their safety on the line for us in a very serious way over these last few weeks in conducting these enforcement operations.”
Significant arrests included:
- Javaras Hammonds, 20, of Lumberton, who was charged with First Degree Murder and Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon in relation to an incident that occurred in Lumberton on June 5.
- Michael Alvarez, 31, of Fuquay Varina, who escaped from a NC DPS facility in Lumberton on June 12. Alvarez was captured within hours of the escape and a female who assisted in the escape was also arrested and charged.
- Anthony Coar, 74, of Fayetteville, who was charged with violating the terms of his federal Supervised Release. Coar was found to be in possession of inappropriate images as well as devices to access internet content.
- Marcus Bryan, 21, of Fayetteville, who was charged with Attempted First Degree Murder, Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury, and Conspiracy to Commit Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon in relation to an incident that occurred in Fayetteville on June 7.
The following agencies participated in this operation:
Robeson County – U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Fairmont Police Department; Lumberton Police Department; N.C. Department of Public Safety; N.C. Information Sharing and Analysis Center; Pembroke Police Department; Red Springs Police Department; Robeson County District Attorney’s Office; Robeson County Sheriff’s Office; and, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Cumberland County – U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office; Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; Fayetteville Police Department; Hope Mills Police Department; N.C. Department of Public Safety; N.C. Information Sharing and Analysis Center; Spring Lake Police Department; and, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at http://www.usmarshals.gov
Oak Grove woman sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking pure methamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – An Oak Grove woman who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which tested to be 98% pure, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty also sentenced Sedonnia Axl Lee Bass, 28, during a revocation hearing to serve an additional 15 months in prison, to run consecutive with the 10-year sentence, for violating her supervised release conditions related to a previous conviction stemming from a federal drug charge in the Middle District of Florida.
West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call on November 25, 2018, at an Oak Grove residence and made contact with Bass, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in the driveway. Bass told the deputy that she had not seen the altercation and would not say why she was there. While talking with Bass, the officer noticed that she was trying to conceal something near the center console.
A search of the car revealed a black bag containing small baggies, a scale, a spoon and a pink glass-smoking pipe wrapped in a handkerchief on the floorboard area of the driver’s side. The deputy also found a clear plastic bag between the center console and the driver’s seat containing 117.0549 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine. Bass admitted that the methamphetamine found in the vehicle belonged to her and stated that she sold methamphetamine in and around the Oak Grove area.
When Bass identified herself, the deputy recognized her name and knew that she had active arrest warrants and placed her under arrest. At the time of her arrest, Bass was on supervised release for a previous drug conviction in the Middle District of Florida, where she received a sentence on March 25, 2010, of 120 months in federal prison and 60 months of supervised release following her confinement, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The DEA, West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office and Oak Grove Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath prosecuted the case.
North Carolina Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to File False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A Winston-Salem, North Carolina, resident was sentenced to 21 months in prison today for conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G. T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Claudia Lynette Shivers co-owned and operated two tax return preparation businesses: Fast Tax of Winston-Salem Inc. in Winston-Salem and Quick Taxes LLC in Greensboro. Shivers and her co-conspirators falsified items on clients’ tax returns, such as dependents and Schedule A deductions, in order to fraudulently maximize their refunds. Shivers also directed clients to hand-write false information on tax forms and other documents used in the preparation of their returns. Shivers further admitted that she held training sessions for her employees, during which she would instruct them on how to manipulate information on tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which clients were not entitled. Between January 2014 and April 2017, Shivers and her co-conspirators prepared approximately 519 false tax returns, which claimed approximately $1.3 million in false refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Shivers’ co-conspirator, Shannon DeWayne Patterson, was previously sentenced to 13 months imprisonment. Shivers’ other co-conspirators, Kristyn Dion Daney and Rakeem Lenell Scales, were sentenced to nine months and one day, and probation, respectively.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen, Jr. ordered Shivers to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $38,266 to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division and Criminal Division Chief Clifton T. Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina, who prosecuted 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 Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to File False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Winston-Salem, North Carolina, resident was sentenced to 21 months in prison today for conspiring to defraud the United States by filing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew G. T. Martin for the Middle District of North Carolina.
According to court documents, Claudia Lynette Shivers co-owned and operated two tax return preparation businesses: Fast Tax of Winston-Salem Inc. in Winston-Salem and Quick Taxes LLC in Greensboro. Shivers and her co-conspirators falsified items on clients’ tax returns, such as dependents and Schedule A deductions, in order to fraudulently maximize their refunds. Shivers also directed clients to hand-write false information on tax forms and other documents used in the preparation of their returns. Shivers further admitted that she held training sessions for her employees, during which she would instruct them on how to manipulate information on tax returns in order to obtain refunds to which clients were not entitled. Between January 2014 and April 2017, Shivers and her co-conspirators prepared approximately 519 false tax returns, which claimed approximately $1.3 million in false refunds from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
Shivers’ co-conspirator, Shannon DeWayne Patterson, was previously sentenced to 13 months imprisonment. Shivers’ other co-conspirators, Kristyn Dion Daney and Rakeem Lenell Scales, were sentenced to nine months and one day, and probation, respectively.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge William Osteen, Jr. ordered Shivers to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $38,266 to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Martin commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division and Criminal Division Chief Clifton T. Barrett of the Middle District of North Carolina, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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New Hampshire Men Plead Guilty to Distribution of SuboxoneRead the Press Release
CONCORD, - Peter J. Carney, 57, of Stewartstown, and Dustin Grant, 34, of Colebrook, pleaded guilty in federal court to distribution of suboxone, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2018, Carney sold suboxone to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement officers. On February 14, 2019, Grant sold suboxone to an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement officers. Both sales occurred within 1,000 feet of an elementary school.
Carney is scheduled to be sentenced on October 11th 2019. Grant is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30th 2019.
“Drug trafficking affects people in all parts of our state,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who sell drugs illegally should be aware that the law enforcement community in New Hampshire is united in its effort to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those who commit drug trafficking crimes.”
This matter was investigated by the DEA, with assistance from the Colebrook Police Department, the New Hampshire State Police, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, the New Hampshire Liquor Commission’s Division of Enforcement and Licensing, and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles Rombeau and John S. Davis.
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Michigan Boat Owner Arrested for Allegedly Conducting Illegal Charter Operations on Chicago WaterwaysRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Michigan man has been arrested on federal criminal charges for allegedly conducting illegal charter boat operations on Chicago waterways.
CHRISTOPHER MIKE GARBOWSKI used a 40-foot powerboat known by the names “Anchorman,” “Sea Hawk” and “Manaje III,” to conduct illegal commercial charter operations on Chicago waterways, including Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Garbowski charged money to charter the boat to various groups of passengers, such as bachelorette parties and family celebrations. Garbowski conducted the charter operations during the 2017 and 2018 boating seasons even though the vessel had not been inspected and certified by the U.S. Coast Guard, as required by federal regulations, the complaint states. Garbowski also captained the charters even though he lacked the proper Coast Guard credentials to do so, the charges allege.
Garbowski, also known as “Christopher Michael Garbowski” and “Michael Gunnman,” 33, of Sterling Heights, Mich., is charged with one count of violating an order of the captain of the port. Garbowski was arrested Saturday. He made an initial court appearance Saturday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim, who ordered Garbowski released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. Garbowski’s next court date was set for July 8, 2019.
The complaint was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Neal R. Marzloff, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, Central Region; and Jerry Costello, Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Conservation Police. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy J. Chapman.
“The safety of the boating public is a top priority for the Coast Guard,” said CGIS Special Agent-in-Charge Marzloff. “Illegal charters pose a safety risk to passengers, but also impact the livelihood of licensed mariners that abide by the rules. The Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), in coordination with our partners, is committed to investigating those who knowingly violate maritime laws and regulations.”
According to the complaint, Garbowski advertised his charter business on websites and apps such as Get My Boat and Boatbound. The Coast Guard notified Garbowski about the federal regulations on multiple occasions, including at Monroe Harbor in Chicago on Aug. 19, 2017, when Coast Guard personnel boarded the boat moments before Garbowski was set to begin a five-hour charter for eight female passengers who booked the “Sea Hawk” for $2,400, the complaint states. As the women were walking down the dock to board the boat, Garbowski called one of them on her cell phone and told her to lie to Coast Guard personnel by pretending they were all friends with Garbowski, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A 29-year-old Mexican national, arrested as part of an operation led by the Justice Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), pleaded guilty Monday to possession with attempt to distribute methamphetamine and to possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
During Monday’s plea hearing, Jesus Ponce Dominguez admitted to possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He also admitted to possessing 12 firearms that he used while trafficking the drug in Tulsa. In total, Dominguez possessed a combination of seven pistols, one shotgun and four rifles. Dominguez was arrested in December 2018 after it was discovered that he was distributing methamphetamine transported from Mexico into the Northern District of Oklahoma. Investigators later discovered 17 pounds of methamphetamine, two pounds of heroin, and multiple firearms at an apartment and storage unit Dominguez rented in Tulsa.
“The United States must disrupt the flow of drugs over the border from Mexico and dismantle the organizations trafficking them,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Heroin and methamphetamine are modern day plagues on society. Shame on Mr. Dominguez for profiting off of other people’s addictions.”
U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell accepted Dominguez’s plea and set sentencing for Oct. 1, 2019.
The Tulsa Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Duncombe is prosecuting the case.
The OCDETF Program was established in 1982 as a multi-agency, nationwide effort to pursue comprehensive, intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional investigations of major criminal organizations trafficking drugs and laundering the illicit proceeds. The OCDETF Program forms the centerpiece of the Justice Department’s counternarcotics strategy, and uses prosecutor-led, multi-agency task forces to combat drug cartels.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Daniel Irving, 28, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, September 19, 2018, law enforcement officers encountered Irving and another individual in a vehicle near a convenience store in Concord, New Hampshire. Officers seized from the vehicle more than five grams of methamphetamine and two firearms. In addition, drug paraphernalia, including a glass mirror, digital scale, a ledger, syringes and plastic baggies were confiscated.
Irving is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2019.
“Methamphetamine presents a rising threat to the citizens of New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This is especially true when dealers are in possession of firearms. In order to protect the public, we will work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are distributing methamphetamine.”
"This case represents the continuing impact that strong law enforcement partnerships have on illegal drug trafficking. The FBI will continue to aggressively investigate violent drug offenders like Mr. Irving who target our communities with their drug related violent activity to ensure they are held accountable," said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Concord Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis.
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Lincoln Couple Pleads Guilty to Transporting and Selling Fish in Violation of Federal Lacey Act LawsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Phong T. Duong, age 48, and Oanh T. Pham, age 46, both of Lincoln, Nebraska, pleaded guilty on June 28, 2019, to federal Lacey Act Violations in federal court in Omaha. Duong pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic wildlife, a felony, and Pham pleaded guilty to the illegal taking, transport, and selling of fish, a misdemeanor. Duong and Pham pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Sentencing for both Duong and Pham is scheduled for September 20, 2019.
A joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism determined that Duong, and his spouse, Pham, operated a business out of their Lincoln, Nebraska, residence that sold wildlife and fish to customers located in Nebraska.
At various times between May 2013 and July 2016, Duong and Pham obtained fish, typically consisting of crappie, white bass, and wiper, from the Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge, and other reservoirs, located in the State of Kansas, in violation of Kansas wildlife laws. To avoid detection and evade law enforcement, Duong and Pham would routinely change fishing locations upon the Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge, and other reservoirs, stash fish at off-site locations, and utilized “straw fishermen” including minor children and others to conceal fish taken in excess of the established possession limits. Duong and Pham regularly transported the illegally taken fish from the State of Kansas to the State of Nebraska. Upon arrival in the State of Nebraska, the fish would be cleaned and bagged at Duong and Pham’s residence. Duong and Pham would then sell the fish to customers located in Nebraska for a profit.
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to protecting native species and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people," said Edward Grace, Assistant Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement. “Overfishing impacts local economies and fish populations. It also deprives law abiding citizens and others who enjoy outdoor recreation activities related to these resources. We will continue to work with our partners to vigorously investigate and apprehend those involved with the unlawful acquisition, sale, and exploitation of our nation's natural resources. Together, we will ensure that our country's wildlife and wild places are protected for generations to come.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, and Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism.
Ligonier, Indiana Man Sentenced to 87 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Phillip Yoder, age 41, of Ligonier, Indiana, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio on his guilty pleas to wire fraud, bank fraud, mail fraud and bankruptcy fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Yoder was sentenced to serve 87 months each on the mail fraud, bank fraud, and wire fraud counts, and 60 months on the bankruptcy fraud count, all to run concurrently. Yoder also was sentenced to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a total of $581,386.04 in restitution.
According to his plea agreement, beginning in or about 2014 and continuing until in or about July 2015, Yoder and others, sometimes working through the entity, KOH Enterprises, LLC, defrauded persons via a “Foreclosure Rescue Scheme.” As part of the scheme to defraud, Yoder and others monitored foreclosure notices of properties, and would then approach distressed homeowners and convince them to transfer title of the property in exchange for false promises of being able to avoid further foreclosure obligations. They falsely represented to these homeowners that they would handle their mortgage arrearages and the foreclosure process. Because of these false representations, the homeowners vacated the property and transferred their interest in the property through a Quitclaim deed to business entities. Those entities then furthered the scheme by recording the Quitclaim at the local Recorder’s Office. However, the Quitclaim deed did not extinguish the homeowner’s outstanding mortgage debt. Yoder and others would use the mail to send a fraudulent document, entitled an “International Promissory Note”, purporting to satisfy the outstanding mortgage debt to the financial institution holding the mortgage. Simultaneously, Yoder and others would cause a fraudulent “Satisfaction of Mortgage” to be filed with the county recorder’s office in an attempt to discharge the mortgage. They would then convey another Quitclaim deed to an investor or purchaser of the properties, even though the property was still encumbered. The total loss to investors and insurers was $1,466,136.20.
With regard to the bankruptcy fraud, which resulted from a referral by the U.S. Trustee for Region 10, according to his plea agreement, on or about February 24, 2016, Yoder knowingly and fraudulently made a material false declaration, certificate and verification under the penalty of perjury in his bankruptcy proceeding. He claimed as an asset a “Billion dollar gold bond” when he knew that the purported bond was fraudulent and worthless. In his bankruptcy proceeding, Yoder claim $792,592.46 in debts.
“Creating a scheme that enriches the defendant while defrauding banks, insurers and average home owners, jeopardizes our financial system,” said U.S. Attorney Kirsch. “My Office in coordination with all our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively prosecute these type of cases.”
“Everyone has the right to expect honest representation from those they do business with. Targeting homeowners with this type of fraudulent activity when they are already dealing with financial hardship is not only illegal but a violation of trust and won’t be tolerated by the FBI,” said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and pursue those who try to line their pockets at the expense of others and hold them accountable.”
HUD Special Agent in Charge Geary stated, “At such a critical time for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, with programs that are vital to the well-being of so many in our communities, it is critical that those resources are completely dedicated to those in need. The HUD Office of Inspector General is committed to partnering with Federal prosecutors and fellow law enforcement to aggressively pursue those engaged in activities that harm HUD’s Single Family housing programs.”
“Today’s sentence sends a strong message to those who abuse the bankruptcy system,” stated Nancy J. Gargula, United States Trustee for Indiana and Southern and Central Illinois (Region 10). “Providing false documents such as fictitious “bonds” to the United States Bankruptcy Court undermines the integrity of the system and will not be tolerated. We appreciate the commitment of U.S. Attorney Kirsch and our law enforcement partners to holding those who abuse the bankruptcy system accountable. We welcome information that will help detect fraud and abuse in the bankruptcy system and we encourage citizens to report suspected bankruptcy fraud through our Internet hotline at [email protected].” The United States Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General in collaboration with the Northern Indiana Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Maciejczyk.
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Larned Man Sentenced for Attacks on Internet Service ProviderRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Larned man was sentenced today to 27 months in federal prison for causing a series of denial of service attacks on a Kansas internet service provider, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
In April, a jury convicted Michael D. Golightley, 35, Larned, Kan., on seven counts of damaging a protected computer and one count of threatening to damage a protected computer.
During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Golightley contacted an entity called DDosCity to arrange for a series of attacks on Nex-Tech’s computers.
Nex-Tech is an internet service provider with offices in Hays, Lenora, Beloit, Concordia, Courtland, Dodge City, Downs, Great Bend, Hill City, Hoxie, McPherson, Norton, Osborne, Phillipsburg, Plainville, Quinter, Russell, Salina, Smith Center, Stockton and WaKeeney.
Prosecutors presented evidence that on March 30 and 31, 2017, Nex-Tech was hit by three denial of service attacks that overloaded the company’s servers.
Before the attacks, Golightley sent Nex-Tech two threats. He was angry about the company removing an ad he placed on Nex-Tech Classifieds for a PlayStation 3 game that been “jail broken,” or modified to bypass a system security check. Golightley placed the ad a second time and sent Nex-Tech a warning that he would “violate this site by bringing it offline” if the ad were removed again. He added: “If u make me upset, I will retaliate -- your choice.”
McAllister commended the FBI, Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan McCarty for their work on the case.
Kanawha County woman sentenced for a federal drug chargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County woman was sentenced today for a federal drug charge. Bree Eberbaugh, 28, of Charleston, pled guilty on March 1, 2019, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
“Fentanyl is a deadly killer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “My office is working overtime to pursue every lead and root out every purveyor of the poisons killing our communities. You’ll find no sympathy here for anyone assisting the drug trade including fentanyl, In every case, I will seek the maximum sentence permissible.”
Eberbaugh admitted that on August 28, 2017, her apartment was raided pursuant to a search warrant. During the search, over 50 grams of fentanyl was discovered. Eberbaugh stated that she believed she was selling heroin, but forensic analysts determined the substance to be fentanyl.Eberbaugh admitted that she helped arrange sales for the fentanyl and acknowledged that some fentanyl had been sold just prior to the search warrant. Eberbaugh also admitted that she had assisted another individual with selling and distributing fentanyl.
Eberbaugh was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years on supervised release. Judge Faber specifically noted the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and the danger it poses to the public.
MDENT conducted the investigation. The sentencing hearing was held before United States District Judge David A. Faber. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
Houma Man Indicted for Violating the Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DAVID ANTHONY MAR, a/k/a Oliver Armando Gamino-Avellaneda, age 24, a resident of Houma, Louisiana, was charged November 16, 2018, in a one-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to the indictment, on November 5, 2018, MAR possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. MAR pled guilty May 9, 2019, and faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000.00, and at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, the New Orleans Police Department, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Levee District Police Department, and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections – Division of Probation and Parole. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Paige O’Hale.
Hopewell City Employee Sentenced to Prison for Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman was sentenced today to two years in prison for her role in a conspiracy to defraud the City of Hopewell of funds intended for at-risk school children, and filing false tax returns.
According to court documents, Jamillah Karriem, 45, was employed by the City of Hopewell as the City’s Comprehensive Services Act (CSA) Coordinator. The Commonwealth of Virginia utilizes the CSA to provide state funding for services to high-risk children across the Commonwealth, and provides those state funds to localities, such as Hopewell. As the city’s CSA Coordinator, Karriem was responsible for directing CSA-funded contracts to service providers for at-risk school children in Hopewell.
In October 2011, Karriem directed a friend to form a business, A World of Possibilities (“WOP”), for the ostensible purpose of providing mentoring and counseling services to at-risk students at public schools in Hopewell. Karriem thereafter steered a CSA counseling services contract to WOP, and between November 2011 and June 2015, WOP billed the City of Hopewell for more than $480,000 worth of counseling services purportedly provided to a number of public school students. WOP did not actually provide any services to those students, however, and Karriem and her co-conspirator split the fraudulent proceeds. From 2012 to 2015, Karriem also filed four false tax returns, significantly under-reporting her income each year. Karriem’s total criminal tax loss amounts to at least $133,602.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas A. Garnett and Kaitlin Cooke prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-58.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking Two MinorsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HIRAN SANCHEZ, also known as “Ivan” and “Pablo,” 22, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 135 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for the sex trafficking of two minors.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sanchez recruited two minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Sanchez trafficked the first victim, who was 15 at the time, in the summer of 2016, and the second victim, who was 16, in April and May 2017. After Sanchez advertised the victims’ prostitution services on Backpage.com, he transported the victims to Hartford-area hotels to meet with clients who paid them for sex. The victims provided all of the money they were paid to Sanchez.
Judge Thompson ordered Sanchez to pay $3,750 in restitution to his first victim, and $3,900 in restitution to his second victim.
Sanchez has been detained since his arrest on January 22, 2018. On January 29, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.
This matter was investigated by the Connecticut State Police and Hartford Police Department, through the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force, and with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Nancy V. Gifford.
Henderson Convicted Felon Sentenced in Federal Court on Drug and Ammunition ChargesRead 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 CHRISTOPHER WILLIAMS, 59, of Henderson to 57 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised released. Judge Dever also ordered that WILLIAMS’s one-third interest in his residence be forfeited to the federal government.
On March 11, 2019, WILLIAMS, pled guilty to two counts of distribution of cocaine base (crack), possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (crack), maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of distributing cocaine base (crack) and aiding and abetting, and being a felon in possession of ammunition. In early 2018, WILLIAMS and others were identified by the Vance County Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) as trafficking in narcotics out of his residence located at 310 Yancey Lane in Henderson, North Carolina. A series of controlled purchases of narcotics were made from WILLIAMS at that residence by a confidential informant. Thereafter, VCSO sought and obtained a search warrant for WILLIAMS’ residence. Upon the execution of that warrant, VCSO encountered WILLIAMS with crack cocaine and ammunition. At the time of the offense, WILLIAMS was a convicted felon and, therefore, was prohibited from possessing ammunition or firearms.
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.
This case is also part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative please click https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case for the government.
Great Falls woman admits meth, heroin traffickingRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Jacqueline Marie Kirkaldie, of Great Falls, admitted today that she distributed methamphetamine and heroin that came to the community from California, said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Kirkaldie, 32, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. She is detained. Kirkaldie faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and set sentencing for Oct. 16, 2019.
In court records, the prosecution said that beginning in September 2018, the Russell Country Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a meth and heroin distribution ring in Great Falls. Kirkaldie was among those who redistributed for the group.
In January, detectives interviewed a heroin addict who said he got his heroin from Kirkaldie and knew that she had a source of drugs who brought pound quantities of meth and heroin from California to Great Falls on a weekly basis.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the DEA and Russell Country Drug Task Force.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Georgia Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Illegally Possessing a Firearm and AmmunitionRead 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 Louise W. Flanagan sentenced LAMONT PHILLIP REDMAN, 28, of Buford, Georgia, to 60 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised released.
On September 6, 2018, REDMAN was named in a two-count Indictment charging him with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and Possession of a Firearm with an Altered or Obliterated Serial Number. On March 18, 2019, REDMAN pled guilty to Count One which charged conduct that concluded on June 7, 2018.
On June 7, 2018, members of the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded to a 911 call involving an assault by pointing a firearm. As officers arrived on the scene, they observed REDMAN standing in front of an apartment building arguing with an unknown individual. When officers approached the defendant, REDMAN rushed to his vehicle and placed something inside. When officers approached the defendant, REDMAN appeared nervous and began cursing. Witnesses on the scene reported that REDMAN had a firearm. REDMAN was placed in handcuffs and a search of his person revealed no contraband.
Upon searching REDMAN’s vehicle, officers located a loaded .380 caliber handgun, with a partially obliterated serial number, under the front passenger seat. Officers also located a box of .380 caliber ammunition under a pile of clothes in the front passenger seat and a plastic bag containing marijuana residue. REDMAN was placed under arrest.
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.
This case is also part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative please click https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case for the government.
Former HUD Employee Sentenced to 24 Months for Accepting Bribes from Government ContractorRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Jones, 48, a former contract oversight specialist with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was sentenced today to 24 months in prison on a federal bribery charge stemming from a scheme in which he provided non-public information about pending HUD contracts to a business owner in exchange for tickets to sporting events, travel, and cash.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Charles A. Dayoub, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, and Reginald O. Sessoms, Special Agent in Charge, Special Investigations Division, HUD Office of Inspector General.
Jones, of Laurel, Md., pled guilty in March 2019, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of federal bribery. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. As part of his plea agreement, he is required to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $50,302.75 representing the value of the gifts and benefits he received. Following his prison term, Jones will be placed on three years of supervised release and complete 100 hours of community service.
According to a statement of offense signed as part of the plea, Jones began work at HUD in 1999. His responsibilities included serving as the technical point of contact for certain contracts and reviewing contractor performance. By virtue of his position, he had access to bid, proposal, and source selection information about a number of HUD contracts.
The bribery charge involves Jones’s dealings with Charles Thomas, the sole owner and president of a company in Maryland that provided technology services to agencies of the federal government and educational services to public school children in the Washington, D.C. area.
Between at least 2010 and 2018, according to the statement of offense, Thomas provided Jones with tickets to sporting events, travel, and cash in exchange for Jones providing Thomas and his company with non-public information about pending HUD contracts. In particular, the information and recommendations that Jones provided gave Thomas an unfair competitive advantage in obtaining two contracts valued at more than $4.5 million. Jones himself approved invoices totaling nearly $3.8 million for work done under one of the two contracts.
According to the statement of offense, from 2010 through 2017, Thomas and his company provided Jones with a variety of gifts and benefits, including more than $17,000 worth of tickets to Washington Redskins games and three Super Bowls; $1,700 in Washington Wizards tickets, more than $3,200 in hotel accommodations; more than $3,600 in travel expenses, more than $13,000 in cash and checks, meals, a camera, and a pair of basketball shoes.
In a related prosecution, another former HUD employee, LaFonda Lewis, 57, of Lusby, Md., was sentenced to a year and a day in prison in April 2019, for providing non-public information about pending HUD contract to Thomas in exchange for money, tickets to sporting events, and other things of value. As part of her plea, she agreed to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $23,055, representing the illegal proceeds. Lewis was a former supervisory contract oversight specialist.
Thomas, 45, of Lusby, Md., pled guilty in May 2018 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and two counts of conspiracy to pay gratuities and violate the Procurement Integrity Act. Thomas is awaiting sentencing. In his guilty plea, Thomas admitted to paying bribes to the two HUD employees as well as to an employee of the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) in return for payments on contracts involving that agency.
The former District of Columbia employee, Shauntell Harley, 49, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced in July 2018 to 56 months in prison for accepting bribes in return for clearing the way for payments to be made to Thomas and another businessman.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Acting Special Agent in Charge Dayoub, and Special Agent in Charge Sessoms commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, HUD’s Office of the Inspector General, and the Office of the Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Joshua Fein and former Paralegal Specialist Kristy Penny. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Former Federal Employee Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SCOTT PIERSON, 58, of Vernon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for downloading and possessing child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General received information that Pierson, an Administrative Officer assigned to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) Bradley Flight Standards District Office in Enfield, was using his FAA-issued laptop computer to access websites known to contain images of child pornography.
On July 19, 2018, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Pierson’s residence and seized computers and electronic storage devices, including his FAA-issued laptop. Forensic examination of the seized items revealed more than 1,500 images and videos of children, including children younger than 12 years old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Pierson has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2018. On March 18, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Flint Man Receives 200 Months in Prison for Drug-Related Robbery and Drug Dealing While ArmedRead the Press Release
Tavaras Warren, 40, of Flint, Michigan, was sentenced on June 27, 2019 to a total of 200 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Matthew F. Leitman for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, that is, a drug robbery, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced United States Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater, Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As part of his plea, Warren admitted that on December 3, 2015, he went to the victim’s house after negotiating to sell the victim marijuana. Instead of completing the drug deal, Warren and an accomplice robbed the victim at gun point of approximately $2,500. Warren then shot the victim before fleeing the scene. Warren also admitted that he attempted to obstruct justice by trying to contact the victim through a third party to encourage the victim not to cooperate with law enforcement.
In a separate incident on March 9, 2017, Warren admitted that he possessed crack cocaine with the intent to distribute it while simultaneously being armed with a firearm.
Judge Leitman also ordered Warren to be placed on supervised release following his imprisonment for a period of three years.
The case was investigated by special agents and task force officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Christopher Rawsthorne of the United States Attorney’s Office.
Federal Prison Employee Who Smuggled Phones into Prison Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERIC WILLIAMS, 38, of Danbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of providing contraband in prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Williams worked in the Food Service Department at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury (FCI Danbury). On July 9, 2017, Williams attempted to smuggle four mobile phones and an electric beard trimmer into the prison by hiding the items in his hat as he entered the facility through the staff entrance. When a corrections officer arrived at the staff entrance to screen Williams for admission into the facility, Williams abandoned the attempt and left his hat containing the contraband in the entrance area. When a supervisory officer found the hat and asked Williams if it belonged to him, Williams denied that it was his hat.
Williams was arrested on July 20, 2018 and is released on a $50,000 bond.
At sentencing, Williams faces a maximum term of imprisonment of six months and a fine of up to $5,000. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with cooperation from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc H. Silverman and Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Lafourche Men for Being Felons in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on June 20, 2019, JAVANTI COLER, age 25, a resident of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, and DEONDRE GRAMMA, age 26, also a resident of Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, were charged in a one-count indictment by a federal grand jury. In count one, COLER and GRAMMA are charged with being convicted felons in possession of a firearm.
If convicted of count one, both COLER and GRAMMA face a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory assessment fee of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Thibodeaux Police Department, The Lafourche Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (A.T.F.). Assistant United States Attorney Maurice Landrieu is in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Laplace Man for Drug and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ANDREW ANDERSON, age 38, a resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, was charged in a three-count indictment by a federal grand jury on May 31, 2019. In count one, ANDERSON is charged with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a quantity of heroin. In count two, ANDERSON is charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In count three, ANDERSON is charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on May 22, 2019, DEA agents and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies, executed a federal search warrant at ANDERSON’s residence in Laplace, Louisiana. During the search, agents found one AK-47, and three handguns, all of which were fully loaded. Agents also located multiple plastic bags of substances suspected to be crack cocaine and heroin, which were packaged for distribution.
If convicted of count one, ANDERSON, faces a maximum sentence of up to 20 years of imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release not less than 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. For count two, ANDERSON faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed by the court, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 5 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. As to count three, ANDERSON faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the St. John Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.
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Dominican National Sentenced for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced on Friday, June 29, 2019, in federal court in Boston in connection with misusing a Social Security number and identity theft.
Jose Gonzalez Vizcaino was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to two years in prison. Upon completion of his sentence, Vizcaino will be subject to deportation proceedings.
On March 11, 2014, Vizcaino walked into a branch of the Registry of Motor Vehicles and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a United States citizen from Puerto Rico to apply for a Massachusetts learner’s permit. On May 19, 2014, Vizcaino returned to the Registry of Motor Vehicles and again used the same name, date of birth, and Social Security number of the United States citizen to apply for a Massachusetts driver’s license.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. This case was prosecuted by Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit.
Destrehan Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal Court for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
U.S. Peter G. Strasser announced that United States District Court Judge, Barry W. Ashe, sentenced DILLON DAVIS, age 26, of Destrehan, to 151 months of imprisonment for committing a bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a). DAVIS’ two prior drug convictions qualified him as a career offender, thus enhancing his sentencing guideline range.
The federal indictment alleged that DAVIS entered the Chase Bank located at 3540 Williams Boulevard, in Kenner, Louisiana, on August 2, 2017, and demanded one thousand dollars in U.S. currency from a bank teller.
DAVIS’ case has been designated as a Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) case. 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 Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Kenner Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.
Defendant Sentenced to 86 Months in Prison for Defrauding Investors in Binary Options and Cryptocurrency SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Blake Kantor, who formerly operated a binary options company known as Blue Bit Banc and Blue Bit Analytics (“BBB”), was sentenced by United States District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein to 86 months’ imprisonment for operating a scheme to defraud BBB investors, and BBB investors who also invested in a cryptocurrency known as “ATM Coin,” to be followed by three years’ supervised release. Kantor was also ordered to pay restitution of $806,405 to the victims of his crime, forfeiture of $1.5 million, and forfeiture of approximately $153,000 of stolen proceeds. In November 2018, Kantor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and as part of his plea agreement, he admitted to obstructing the government’s investigation.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), and James McDonald, Director, Division of Enforcement, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), announced the sentence.
“Kantor has been held accountable for defrauding investors through his lies and deceit,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously prosecute those who perpetrate financial frauds and obstruct investigations of their crimes.”
“Mr. Kantor has rightfully been punished for making promises he knew would not be kept. IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to apprehending those who create elaborate schemes that have no purpose other than to mislead investors by defrauding them for personal gain,” stated IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Larsen.
“The CFTC is committed to working vigorously to root out fraud in all of our markets, including those involving virtual currencies,” stated CFTC Director McDonald. “As this parallel action shows, we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who engage in this sort of misconduct are identified and held accountable. I am grateful to the U.S. Attorney and his team for their work on this important case.”
In March 2014, Kantor established BBB, and from approximately 2014 to 2017, he and others solicited and received approximately $1.5 million from more than 700 investors in BBB’s binary options. Kantor told investors that they could place binary option trades, or a BBB representative could do so for them, and that the predetermined profits promised them would be based on the actual prices of securities, currencies and other investments at particular points in time. However, Kantor did not inform the investors that a BBB computer software program fraudulently altered data associated with binary options investments, so that the probability of investors earning a profit favored BBB and disadvantaged investors. Kantor also fraudulently persuaded several BBB investors’ to convert their BBB investments into “ATM Coin,” a worthless cryptocurrency that he told investors was worth as much as $600,000.
In October 2017, after FBI agents informed Kantor that they were investigating his involvement in binary options, Kantor directed a co-conspirator to alter BBB customer lists. Around the same time, Kantor deleted emails related to his scheme. When interviewed by the FBI, Kantor falsely stated that he had not been involved in binary options since August 2013.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Bradley T. King and Madeline M. O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
BLAKE KANTOR (also known as “Bill Gordon”)
Age: 44
Fort Lee, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-177 (SJF)
Dangerous Louisville Felon with Gang Ties Sentenced 20 Years for Armed Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States District Court Judge Rebecca G. Jennings sentenced Jamar Garrison, 33, of Louisville, Kentucky, to 20 years of federal imprisonment followed by 6 years of supervised release for possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. There is no parole in the federal system.
“This case sets the bar for what law enforcement collaboration can look like in Louisville,” stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “What started as a vehicle stop by intrepid LMPD officers resulted in a trigger-puller doing hard time in federal prison.”
Garrison was convicted on July 27, 2018 in United States District Court on charges of possession of heroin with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a handgun by a convicted felon. Garrison had been released on bond for state drug trafficking charges when he was arrested after being found in possession of a loaded semiautomatic handgun, a mixture of heroin and fentanyl packaged for sale, several thousand dollars cash, and assorted other narcotics. The follow-up investigation revealed that while released on bond on multiple pending felony drug indictments in Jefferson Circuit Court, Garrison used vehicles rented in the names of third parties in order to transport and traffic in heroin all over Louisville.
According to a sentencing memo, Garrison is a 27 time convicted felon with prior convictions for drug trafficking, robbery, felony assault, identity theft, wanton endangerment, wanton endangerment of a police officer, felony fleeing and evading, and assorted other felony and misdemeanor crimes. He was arrested five times in 2017 while on felony bond for drug trafficking. Garrison has also been convicted for 16 misdemeanor offenses. At age 22, Garrison was convicted in connection with an organized crime prosecution targeting the Victory Park Hustlers/Victory Park Crips. As part of his involvement with the Crips, Garrison was convicted of facilitation to assault 1st degree (a shooting with serious injury), facilitation to robbery 2nd degree, facilitation of criminal syndication, and two separate counts of drug trafficking, among other offenses.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Erin McKenzie and Marisa J. Ford, and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Louisville Metro Police Department, with assistance from the Louisville Metro Intelligence Task Force (LMINTEL).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Kentucky. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
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Convicted Money Launderer Charged in New Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hingham man who was convicted earlier this year of money laundering now faces new charges of money laundering conspiracy.
Yannick A. Minang, 26, was arrested earlier today and charged by criminal complaint with one count of international money laundering conspiracy. Minang will appear in federal court in Boston this afternoon. Earlier this year, Minang pleaded guilty to a five-count indictment for his role in a similar business email compromise (BEC) scheme in 2017. Minang is scheduled to be sentenced on those charges on July 17, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor.
As alleged in the charging document, Minang conspired with others to open numerous bank accounts in Massachusetts in the name of sham companies, as part of an apparent BEC scheme. A BEC scheme is a sophisticated scam often targeting businesses involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques, to cause employees of the victim company (or other individuals involved in legitimate business transactions) to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers.
It is alleged that, through the use of fraudulent invoices and spoofed email accounts, Minang conspired to trick a victim of the scheme into wiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to a bank account under his control. Minang and his co-conspirators then transferred funds from the account on to others located overseas.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Brady of Lelling’s Criminal Division, and Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Securities & Financial Fraud Unit, are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Mexican citizen pleaded guilty today to illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents, Marcos Gonzalez-Granillo, 40, originally illegally entered the United States in 1997. In 2002, he was convicted in state court in North Carolina of attempted second-degree rape and first-degree burglary, an aggravated felony. He was removed from the country at taxpayer expense in 2007 after serving his state prison sentence. Gonzalez-Granillo was next encountered by law enforcement authorities in Norfolk in 2019, when he was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender under Virginia law.
Gonzalez-Granillo pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a removed alien and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on October 4. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel P. Shean and Elizabeth M. Yusi are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-75.