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27 June 2019
Two Additional Men Indicted in Connection with Attempted Robbery of Smithgall’s Pharmacy in LancasterRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Johnny Straining, 23, and Lamar Black, 29, both of Harrisburg, PA were charged by Indictment with attempted robbery which interferes with interstate commerce, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Black was also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The charges against the defendants stem from the October 23, 2018 attempted robbery of Smithgall’s Pharmacy in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Two additional men – Brandon Galette and Andrew Garrett – were charged in February with federal crimes related to the same attempted robbery.
“Stemming the tide of violent crime in our communities is a top priority for my Office,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “People looking to make a quick buck by robbing convenience stores, pharmacies, and other businesses beware: this conduct is a federal crime, and if you are convicted, you will face stiff penalties under federal law.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
If convicted, Straining and Black face a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, with a seven-year mandatory minimum, which will be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. Both are also subject to financial penalties, including fines and special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Lancaster City Bureau of Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Stengel.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Twenty-Two Defendants Charged in Takedown of Atlantic City Drug-Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – Twenty-two people have been charged for their roles as members, associates, and suppliers of an Atlantic City, New Jersey-based drug-trafficking organization that distributed heroin throughout the area, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Nineteen defendants were arrested today, one defendant was in custody on previous state charges, and two defendants are not yet in custody. All of the defendants are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute over one kilogram of heroin. The defendants arrested today are scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court. (See chart below.)
“The defendants charged today have been flooding the streets of Atlantic City and surrounding towns with heroin, often with tragic results,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “Numerous deaths and overdoses have been linked to the ‘brands’ pushed by these drug traffickers. With our law enforcement partners, we are working to get these drugs, and the organizations that distribute them, off the streets of Atlantic City.”
“From international terrorists to street level drug dealers, the FBI is committed to keeping you safe,” FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said. “Today's operation should serve as a warning to those thinking of filling the void created by the arrests - we aren’t finished. Our agents are dedicated and persistent. We will continue our efforts to free the community of deadly drugs and drug dealers. We will continue on our mission to protect the public.”
"This is a great day for Atlantic City, and a great day for Atlantic County," Atlantic City Police Chief Henry White Jr. said. "The dismantling of an organization that has brought sorrow and anguish to so many families through the distribution of deadly narcotics is a win for the community. Together, with our federal, state and local partners, we have showed those that wish to invade and flood our neighborhoods with deadly drugs that it will not be tolerated. We will continue to fight on behalf of the men, women and children of our respective communities."
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
An authorized wiretap investigation revealed that from April of 2017 through June of 2019, the drug trafficking organization’s leader, Khalif Toombs, operated a massive drug distribution ring, utilizing multiple stash houses throughout Atlantic City and numerous drug couriers to re-distribute the heroin. Toombs and his associates coordinated their efforts through the use of phone calls, text messages, and social media. The investigation revealed that Toombs obtained his heroin from a supplier in Paterson, New Jersey, and used Atlantic City associates to make frequent trips to Paterson to obtain his resupply of heroin.
Through the course of the investigation, the FBI determined that Toombs and his associates were distributing multiple “stamps,” or brands, of heroin, including “AK-47,” “Apple,” “Fortnite,” “Rolex,” “Frank Lucas,” “Bentley,” “Pandora,” and “9 ½.” Between Jan. 1, 2017, and June 21, 2019, drugs with these stamps have accounted for 48 deaths and 84 non-fatal overdoses in New Jersey, according to the N.J. State Police Office of Drug Monitoring and Analysis.
The count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin with which each defendant is charged is punishable by a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s Safe Streets South Jersey Violent Incident and Gang Task Force, Atlantic City Resident Agency, and FBI, Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ehrie; officers of the Atlantic City Police Department, under the direction of Chief White; the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Damon Tyner; the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Scheffler; and the Pleasantville Police Department, under the direction of Chief Sean Riggin, with the investigation leading to today’s charges. He also thanked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the N.J. State Police for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha K. Nye of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
DEFENDANTS
NAME
AGE
RESIDENCE
Khalif Toombs
29
Pleasantville, N.J.
Wilbert Toombs
63
Atlantic City
*Blaine Dorsey
54
Atlantic City
Dean Johnson
39
Atlantic City
Mayda Hernandez
50
Atlantic City
Joseph Aversa
37
Ventnor, N.J.
David Ramirez
23
Mays Landing, N.J.
James Blackwell
54
Atlantic City
Khalif Davis
33
Mays Landing
Wayne Burnside
28
Atlantic City
Jeremy Carll
47
Mays Landing
Sarah Taliaferro
26
Brigantine, N.J.
Philip Surace
32
Atlantic City
Valarie Lamar
59
Atlantic City
Karon Carey
35
Atlantic City
*Thomas Randall
25
Mays Landing.
Nasir Brown
26
Somers Point
Tieyesha Tucker
25
Atlantic City
Jamal Marshall
32
Atlantic City
**Quadir Stanley
30
Atlantic City
Tyjuan Demarest
39
Elmwood Park, N.J.
Terryn Kelsey
29
Atlantic City
*Denotes at large
**Denotes in state custodyToledo pastor Anthony Haynes sentenced to life in prison for sex trafficking of a minor; fourth person sent to prison as part of investigationRead the Press Release
A Toledo pastor was sentenced to life in prison for sex trafficking a minor and other crimes, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith said.
A jury in March convicted Anthony Haynes, 40, of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor, sex trafficking, child exploitation and obstruction of a sex trafficking investigation.
Cordell Jenkins was sentenced to life in prison. Kenneth Butler was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison. Both pastors previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the sex trafficking conspiracy involving minors.
Haynes, Butler and Jenkins sexually assaulted a juvenile girl beginning in 2014 through 2017, according to court documents.
The girl was 14 when the conduct began and she was in the custody of Haynes. Some of this conduct took place at Greater Life Christian Center in Toledo, where Haynes was pastor at the time. Haynes used his cellular telephone to record these sexual assaults, according to trial testimony and court documents.
Haynes told her that if she said anything, it would ruin his family and his church, according to court documents.
Haynes also facilitated the victim being sexually exploited by other men, including Jenkins, according to trial testimony and court documents.
Jenkins repeatedly sexually exploited the minor at his home on Barrington Drive, at his office at Abundant Life Ministries and at a motel in Toledo. He paid her and referred to the payment as “hush money.” He often recorded these interactions with his cellular telephone, according to court documents.
Jenkins also caused another juvenile girl to engage in commercial sex acts in March 2017, according to court documents.
Butler also caused another juvenile girl to engage in commercial sex acts from 2015 through 2017, according to court documents.
A fourth defendant, Laura Lloyd-Jenkins, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count making a false statement. She made false statements to law enforcement on April 12, 2017, about her knowledge of the sexual exploitation of a minor. Lloyd-Jenkins was the Lucas County Administrator and served on the board of Lucas County Children Services at the time of the crimes, according to court documents and statements.
“This defendant and his friends preyed upon a vulnerable child and used her for their own gratification,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “This sentence reflects the depravity of the defendant’s conduct. We remain committed to stamping out human trafficking in all its forms.”
"This is a well-deserved sentence which reflects the gravity of the sex trafficking and child exploitation crimes committed by this defendant,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith. “The FBI is committed to investigating and holding accountable those engaged in these ruthless acts and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure justice is served for the victims."
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Freeman and Alissa Sterling following an investigation by the FBI’s Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of members of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Perrysburg Township Police Department, Lima Police Department, Oregon Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.
Three Inland Empire Women Arrested on Charges of Fraudulently Obtaining Student Aid for ‘Students’ Who Never Attended SchoolRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – Three San Bernardino County women were arrested today on federal charges that allege a scheme in which they fraudulently collected nearly $1 million in federal student aid for 235 “students” – the vast majority of whom never attended any classes.
A 21-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury on June 5 charges the defendants with defrauding the United States Department of Education by falsely claiming the “students” would attend Fullerton College and other schools. Some of the applications for student aid were filed under the names of stolen identities and at least two were filed on behalf of inmates in California state prisons.
The three defendants arrested this morning are:
- Sparkle Shorale Nelson, 32, of Highland;
- Shykeena Monique Johnson, 31, a.k.a. “Shy,” of Apple Valley; and
- Jerrika Eldrena Lashay Johnson, 37, a.k.a. “Muffin,” “Big Sis,” and “Jerrika Carter,” of Apple Valley.
All three are scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in Riverside.
According to the indictment, the women and unindicted co-conspirators obtained personal identifying information, including names and Social Security numbers, that the defendants used to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a form completed by prospective and current university students to determine their eligibility for financial aid.
As a result of the applications filed in 2013 and 2014, the Department of Education approved financial aid for the “straw students.” After Fullerton College and other schools deducted student fees, the schools disbursed money to the “students” via debit cards that were mailed to the defendants and their co-conspirators, the indictment alleges.
In August 2014, according to the indictment, Nelson submitted a FAFSA form online to the Education Department that used the personal identifying information of a straw student who in fact was a state prisoner. In September 2014, Nelson allegedly activated a debit card in the prisoner’s name and subsequently used the debit card to make a $370 payment to her Southern California Edison account.
At least $1,089,856 in student aid funds were disbursed by the U.S. Department of Education to Fullerton College for the 235 straw students associated with this fraudulent scheme. The school then placed $977,792 on debit cards that were sent to the defendants and their associates.
All three defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, and 11 counts of wire fraud. Nelson, Johnson and Carter each face additional counts of aggravated identity theft and financial aid fraud.
If convicted on all the charges in the indictment, all three defendants would face statutory maximum sentences of more than 300 years in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Department of Education Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean D. Peterson of the Riverside Branch Office.
Three Individuals Charged with Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Bressi, age 47, of Danville, Pennsylvania, Terry Harris, age 45, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Damonico Henderson, age 54, of Elyria, Ohio, were indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Bressi, Harris and Henderson conspired to manufacture, distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, carfentanil, and other fentanyl analogue substances between 2015 and June 2019.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments 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 under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following 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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Three Charged with Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl in Rutland CountyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Brent Campbell, also known as “Marv” and “Slim,” 35, of Waterbury, CT, as well as Jeffrey Haynes, 37, and Marlana Gibeault, 46, both of Rutland County, VT appeared yesterday and today in United States District Court in Burlington, VT following their arrests on charges related to the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Campbell and Haynes were also charged with engaging in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base, and cocaine base distribution.
According to court documents, the Vermont Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted an investigation into the distribution of heroin and cocaine base in the Rutland, Vermont area. The investigation used confidential informants under the supervision of the Vermont Drug Task Force to conduct purchases of controlled substances from Campbell, Haynes, and Gibeault. In the course of the investigation, law enforcement conducted five separate purchases of controlled substances.
On June 25, 2019, the Vermont Drug Task Force and the FBI arrested Campbell and executed a federal search warrant at storage unit in Rutland, Vermont. In the storage unit, law enforcement found approximately half a kilogram of cocaine.
Campbell appeared before United States Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy in Burlington on June 26, 2019 to answer charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base, and distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base. Campbell was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
On June 27, 2019, Haynes and Gibeault appeared before Judge Conroy. Haynes is charged with conspiracy to distribute heroin and cocaine base, and distribution of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine base. Gibeault is charged with the distribution of heroin and fentanyl. Gibeault was released on conditions. A detention hearing for Haynes will be held on June 28, 2019.
The charges against Campbell, Haynes and Gibeault are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.
In addition to the Vermont Drug Task Force and the FBI, members from the Rutland City Police and Vermont State Police-Rutland Barracks assisted with the arrest and search warrant.
Campbell is represented by Stephanie Greenlees, Esq. Haynes is represented by Richard C. Bothfeld, Esq. Gibeault is represented by Edward M. Kenney, Esq. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew C. Gilman represents the United States.
Suntrust Bank Employee Sentenced for Stealing Nearly $172,000 from A Bank CustomerRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Reginald Green II (36, Orlando) to 23 months in federal prison for theft and embezzlement of client funds by a bank employee. A jury had found Green guilty on December 6, 2018.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, between 2011 and 2018, Green, a SunTrust Bank employee, stole more than $171,000 from a bank customer. Green withdrew more funds then the bank client had authorized, he then directed the extra funds into several different bank accounts that he controlled. At different times during the scheme, Green took the stolen funds to pay down his own mortgage and auto loans. Upon discovering the theft, in April 2018, SunTrust immediately fired Green and reimbursed the bank customer for the stolen funds.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the United States Secret Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Stroudsburg Woman Charged with Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jennifer Annette Bush, age 44, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on June 25, 2019, by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Bush distributed and possessed with the intent to distribute both cocaine and heroin/fentanyl on diverse dates in late 2017, 2018 and early 2019.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Stroud Area Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments 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 under federal law for these offenses is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following 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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Stamford Drug Dealer Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARCUS MOORE, also known as “Sparks,” 41, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing crack and powder cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August and September 2018, investigators conducted five controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Moore. During the fifth controlled purchase, Moore distributed cocaine instead of crack.
On September 20, 2018, during an attempted sixth controlled purchase of crack, Moore sped away from law enforcement at a high rate of speed. Moore eventually crashed his vehicle into a law enforcement vehicle and was placed under arrest. A subsequent search of Moore’s residence revealed quantities of cocaine and crack.
On February 12, 2019, Moore pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine base (“crack”).
Moore’s criminal history includes state convictions for narcotics, firearm, assault, robbery and escape offenses.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and the Stamford Police Department. The Task Force includes personnel from the DEA, Connecticut State Police and Norwalk, Stamford, Stratford, Milford, Bridgeport and Trumbull Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo.
Springfield Man Charged with Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Springfield man was charged in federal court in Springfield today with sex trafficking.
William Coleman, 48, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and nine counts of sex trafficking. Coleman was arrested on Dec. 23, 2018, and has been in custody since.
According to court documents, William Coleman ran a prostitution business and used violence, as well as the drug addictions – primarily heroin - of female victims to coerce them into engaging in commercial sex acts with paying customers. The women were typically required to turn over all of their earnings to Coleman, while being subject to his tight control over their daily lives. Most of the women were not allowed to keep any of the money they earned, and they were only allowed to obtain the drugs they were addicted to from Coleman. Victims who did not engage in prostitution for Coleman, or who did not follow his rules, were subjected to physical assaults, sexual violence and the withholding of drugs. Coleman allegedly used websites to post prostitution advertisements for the victims working for him. His business covered the greater Springfield and Hartford areas, and other parts of Connecticut.
The maximum sentence for sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking is life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The Sex Trafficking statute also imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for offenses committed by means of force, threats of force, fraud or coercion. 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; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Colonel Kerry Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Acting Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sorrento Woman Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Federal Prison for Credit Card and Identity Theft Scheme Resulting in over $812,000 in LossesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Shannon Bentley (33, Sorrento) to nine years and three months in federal prison for credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft. The court also ordered restitution to be paid by the co-defendants, to the victims, in the amount of $812,990.53.
Bentley had pleaded guilty on January 22, 2019.
According to court documents and evidence presented at the hearing, from August 2014 through July 2018, Bentley obtained personal identifying information (“PII”) from victims, obtained fake credit card accounts and cards in the victims’ names or linked to their accounts, and used those credit cards to obtain goods, gift cards and cash at retail establishments and banks throughout Orlando and surrounding areas. Bentley was the leader of a broad group of conspirators that used sophisticated means to facilitate this fraud, and exploited the advanced age of their elderly victims to steal their identity, causing them to incur exorbitant fraudulent charges. The total amount of loss as a result of the scheme was estimated to be over $812,000, involving the compromise of hundreds of credit card accounts.
Co-conspirators Lenardra Griffin (30, Grand Island) and Christina Scott (35, Umatilla) have also pleaded guilty in connection with this scheme. They are scheduled to be sentenced in September 2019.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, with assistance from the Orange Count Sherriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
Combatting elder abuse and financial fraud targeted at seniors is a key priority of the Department of Justice. Together with our federal, state, local and tribal partners, the Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to combatting all forms of elder abuse and financial exploitation through enforcement actions, training and resources, research, victim services, and public awareness.
Shreveport man sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for possessing pistol at Monroe halfway houseRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Tommy Devereaux Warren, 40, of Shreveport, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter to serve 57 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release following his incarceration, for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Judge Walter also sentenced Warren to serve an additional three months in prison for violation of his supervised release conditions.
According to information presented in court, Warren was a resident of the City of Faith Halfway house in Monroe and was serving a term of federal supervised release. As a resident of the halfway house, Warren was subject to searches of his property, which included a pickup truck he was allowed to drive and park on the property. Halfway house employees conducted a search of Warren’s vehicle on December 11, 2018 and found a pistol in a bag behind the driver’s seat. They called Monroe Police who seized a Raven Arms pistol, model: MP-25, .25-caliber pistol loaded with seven rounds of ammunition. Warren pleaded guilty to the current federal charge on March 21, 2019.
Tommy Warren has prior felony convictions including a 2007 conviction in the Western District of Louisiana for possession of a firearm by a felon. Under federal law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
The ATF and Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Seven Defendants Arrested for Distributing Heroin, Fentanyl and Cocaine Base Near Elementary School and in Public Housing in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Three indictments were unsealed yesterday in federal court in Brooklyn charging seven defendants with narcotics trafficking in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. Jessie Smith, Kendall Johnson, also known as “Duke,” Tyrell Spellman, also known as “Rude Boy,” Saquan Warlick, also known as “SB,” Ruben Pabon, Byron Elder, also known as “Bezo,” and Adrian Mattei, also known as “Spanish D,” were arrested yesterday and arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the indictments.
“As alleged, Mattei sold heroin near a public elementary school in Bushwick, and the other defendants sold heroin laced with fentanyl and crack cocaine, inside the Bushwick Houses,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Drug dealers destroy lives and communities and threaten our young people in countless ways. We are working tirelessly with our partners to hold accountable the criminals who contribute to the opioid epidemic and to ensure that the residents of our communities are free from the plague of drug trafficking.”
“The subjects arrested in this case are allegedly pushing the drugs that are killing hundreds of people daily in this country,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in Charge Sweeney. “They also exposed children going to and from school to a scary and violent world of criminal activity that would be difficult for an impressionable child to forget. The FBI Metro Safe Streets Task Force is doing all it can every day to remove these dealers from the communities most impacted by their illicit actions.”
“Crack cocaine, heroin and fentanyl have a well-known history of destroying lives and devastating communities,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “That’s why the NYPD and its law enforcement partners work tirelessly to rid our city of these deadly drugs and prosecute those who sell them. I want to thank the investigators who worked on this case. It is their dedication and hard work that keeps our most vulnerable communities – in this case schools and public housing – safe.”
According to the indictments and court documents, between July 2018 and June 2019, Smith and his co-conspirators distributed heroin, fentanyl and crack, and between November 2018 and June 2019, Pabon and Elder distributed more than 28 grams of crack, in and around the Bushwick Houses. In August 2018, Adrian Mattei allegedly distributed heroin within 1,000 feet of Public School 257, an elementary school on Cook Street in Brooklyn. Smith is charged with distributing and possessing over 1,000 grams of heroin.
If convicted, the maximum sentences range from 40 years’ to life imprisonment.
The charges in the indictments are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Nicholas J. Moscow are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-283 (WFK)
ADRIAN MATTEI (also known as “Spanish D”)
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-284 (RJD)
JESSIE SMITH
Age: 29
Brooklyn, New YorkKENDALL JOHNSON (also known as “Duke”)
Age: 32
Brooklyn, New YorkTYRELL SPELLMAN (also known as “Rude Boy”)
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkSAQUAN WARLICK (also known as “SB”)
Age: 21
Brooklyn, New York
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-285 (PKC)
RUBEN PABON
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkBYRON ELDER (also known as “Bezo”)
Age: 43
Brooklyn, New YorkSeven Charged in Connection with Credit Card-Skimming Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that seven people were charged today by Indictment with conspiracy, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Those charged are Hamlet Tantushyan, 35, of Glendale, CA; Verzh Movsisyan, 41, of Glendale, CA; Armen Sahakyan, 41, of Burbank, CA; David Daldumyan, 29, of Van Nuys, CA; Hrchya Gyulumyan, 39, of Sun Valley, CA; Gevush Gabrielyan, 27, of North Hollywood, CA; and Roman Gridjusko, 30, of Philadelphia, PA.
The sevenc defendants were charged for their alleged involvement in a scheme to steal money from victims’ bank accounts by making fraudulent ATM withdrawals and money order purchases in multiple states with stolen debit card numbers. The victims’ debit card numbers were obtained by members of the scheme through illegally installed devices on gas station pumps, known as ‘skimmers’, that captured the victims’ debit card numbers and Personal Identification Numbers when they used their debit cards at gas stations to purchase gas.
“As alleged in the Indictment, this was a devious fraud utilizing technology to take advantage of victims who didn’t even see it coming,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “I want to thank the many agents and investigators who worked tirelessly to uncover this scheme and assist my Office in bringing today’s Indictment.”
If convicted Hamlet Tantushyan faces a maximum possible sentence of 187 years imprisonment and a $7,250,000 fine, defendant Vrezh Movsisyam faces a possible maximum sentence of 177 years imprisonment and a $6,000,000 fine, defendant Roman Gridjuski faces a maximum possible sentence of 25 years imprisonment and a $750,000 fine, defendant Armen Sahakyan faces a maximum possible sentence of 155 years imprisonment and a $6,000,000 fine, defendant Davit Daldumyan faces a maximum possible sentence of 93 years imprisonment and a $4,250,000 fine, defendant Hrchyan Gyulumyan faces a maximum possible sentence of 79 years imprisonment and a $2,050,000 fine, and defendant Gevush Gabrielyan faces a possible maximum sentence of 71 years imprisonment and a $3,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Philadelphia Organized Crime Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, the Newark, Delaware Police Department, the Borough of Wyomissing, Pennsylvania Police Department, and the Bensalem, Pennsylvania Township Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney K.T. Newton.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Second Brother Sentenced in Multi-Million Dollar Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former insurance agent of One Stop Insurance Agency was sentenced today to 101 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $20,056,054.67 in restitution for his role in defrauding two finance companies.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Stuart Alan Starr, 62, formerly of North Miami Beach, pled guilty in April 2019, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. In August 2018, his brother Glen Wayne Starr pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and later in October 2018, received the same sentence as Stuart Alan Starr.
According to documents filed with the court and statements made in court during the plea and sentencing, Stuart Alan Starr and his brother, Glen Wayne Starr, from March 1990 to August 2015, operated One Stop Insurance Agency, Inc. The company was located at 17088 West Dixie Highway, North Miami Beach, Florida 33160. Both Starr brothers were licensed insurance agents with the state of Florida. One Stop was an approved agent of Progressive Insurance Company, Castle Point and Lloyds of London and authorized to write insurance policies underwritten by those carriers. One Stop specialized in offering liability and cargo insurance policies to independent truckers and small trucking companies for coverage of trucks, tractor-trailers and heavy equipment. Since the premiums for this type of coverage was often extremely expensive, when small trucking carriers could not afford the large lump sum payments for those premiums, One Stop would arrange to have the truckers or trucking companies finance the premiums through loans obtained from one of several finance companies with which One Stop worked. These finance companies included Pro Premium Finance Company, Standard Premium Finance Management, Corporation, and DAB Premium Finance, LLC.
Beginning in or around July 2014, One Stop, on a monthly basis, created and submitted, via email or facsimile, over 300 false and fraudulent application packages to Pro Premium and other finance companies for funding. The documents in the package were prepared using the names of real companies as well as fictitious companies, which were purportedly true customers of One Stop. Glen Wayne Starr and Stuart Alan Starr represented on the premium financing agreement that the purported customers had made the required down payment towards their premium when in fact they had not. Pro Premium would approve the financing for these loans and the Starr brothers, in keeping with their practice, would write checks to One Stop, deposit those checks into one or several of One Stop’s bank accounts then use those funds for personal gain.
In August 2015, both Starr brothers fled the country when the fraud was about to be discovered and were later apprehended in Colombia in 2018. The loss caused by the Starr brothers’ conduct forced Pro Premium, which had been in operation since 1988, to close its doors.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. She thanked the Bureau of Insurance Fraud, Florida Department of Financial Services for their assistance. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lois Foster-Steers.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Scranton Woman Sentenced to A Year in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Patricia Cook, age 61, of Scranton, was sentenced on June 26, 2019, by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to one year in prison and three years on supervised release for distributing heroin and cocaine.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Cook previously pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin and distribution of cocaine. Cook distributed less than 10 grams of heroin and less than 50 grams of cocaine to another person on April 7, 2015.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, Pike County Detectives, and Scranton Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Scottsdale Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – This week, Andrew Orozco, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 97 months of imprisonment to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Orozco had previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and assault of an intimate partner or dating partner by strangulation.
The act of sexual abuse to which Orozco pleaded guilty was one of a series of sexual acts Orozco perpetrated against the same minor victim. The minor victim was a family member of Orozco’s adult dating partner, who eventually discovered evidence of the sexual abuse and confronted Orozco. When she did so, Orozco assaulted her, including by strangling her.
Each of Orozco’s crimes occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. Both victims are enrolled members of the Hopi Tribe, and Orozco is an enrolled member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to 28 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Derek Yashinsky, age 29, of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 26, 2019, by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley to 28 months’ imprisonment followed by two years on supervised release, for his role in a heroin trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the defendant previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin. Yashinsky admitted to distributing heroin and transporting other drug traffickers to Patterson, New Jersey, and Hazleton to obtain large quantities of heroin on multiple occasions. Yashinsky was involved in transporting and distributing between 400 grams and 700 grams of heroin, which is equivalent to between than 16,000 and 28,000 retail bags of heroin. Yashinsky was one of 11 people charged in the investigation.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and local police in Schuylkill County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Savannah man arraigned for 2018 murder on Fort StewartRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Savannah man charged with killing the wife of a deployed U.S. Army soldier on post at Fort Stewart has been ordered held without bond.
Stafon Jamar Davis, 27, of Savannah, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Savannah where he entered a plea of not guilty to a charge of Premeditated Murder in the July 9, 2018 shooting death of Abree Boykin, 24, a resident of post housing at Fort Stewart Army Reservation, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Davis also is charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Magistrate Christopher L. Ray granted the prosecution’s motion and ordered Davis held without bond and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. He is being held at the Liberty County Jail.
The indictment alleges that Davis, while on Fort Stewart, “willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation and malice aforethought, did unlawfully kill Abree Boykin, by shooting Abree Boykin with a 9mm firearm.” The body of Boykin, whose husband was a then-deployed soldier, was discovered by Military Police in her residence.
Davis was arrested West Palm Beach, Fla., and transported to the Southern District of Georgia for court proceedings.
FBI and CID continue to offer a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the recovery of Abree Boykin’s black 2018 Honda Accord, Georgia license plate RLQ1762. Those with information are encouraged to call the FBI Atlanta Field Office at (770) 216-3000, email [email protected], or call 1-844-ARMY-CID. Individuals wishing to remain anonymous will be protected to the degree allowable under the law.
A criminal indictment contains only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Army Criminal Investigation Command, with assistance from the Savannah Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer G. Solari.
San Carlos Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years for Abusive Sexual Contact with a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On June 20, 2019, Daniel James Salter, 20, of San Carlos, Arizona, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan M. Brnovich to prison for 17.5 years followed by lifetime supervised release. Salter had previously pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact with a Minor.
On February 24, 2017, Salter, an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, sexually assaulted a minor victim, who is also an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Carlos Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Simon, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
Rodessa resident sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison for drug chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A Rodessa, Louisiana resident was sentenced in federal court Wednesday for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
Stanley Simmelkjaer, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on March 22, 2019. Walter also ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
According to information presented in court, Shreveport Police observed Simmelkjaer using three properties that he owned on Sumner Street in Shreveport to distribute illegal narcotics. Simmelkjaer sold marijuana from two of his Sumner Street properties between February 2018 through July 2018 while his tenant sold marijuana from his third property located on Sumner. During this time, police conducted surveillance on Simmelkjaer and observed him travel to two properties on East Front Street in Rodessa before and after the drug sales. Law enforcement agents executed search warrants on August 1, 2018, at all five locations and recovered digital scales and approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, some of which appeared to be packaged for distribution, from one of the properties located on Sumner Street and one located on East Front Street.
Under federal law, certain drug charges carry mandatory minimum sentences. In this case, Simmelkjaer possessed more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, which carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.
The DEA and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case.
Rhode Island Man Indicted for Somerville Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with the May 1, 2019, armed bank robbery in Somerville that resulted in shots fired.
Daniel Rosado, 32, of Providence, R.I., was indicted on one count of armed bank robbery, one count of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Rosado was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on May 23, 2019, and has been in custody since.
According to the charging documents, on May 1, 2019, a man, later identified as Rosado, entered the Middlesex Federal Savings Bank in Somerville, brandished a handgun, fired a shot into the ceiling, and pointed the firearm at customers and bank employees. It is alleged that Rosado yelled: “Get down!,” “Everybody on the ground!,” “Second Drawer,” “Hurry Up!” and “Give me money or I’ll shoot!” Customers and bank employees laid on the floor, while the robber approached a teller window, threw a backpack at the teller, and demanded money.
While the teller filled the backpack with money, a customer exited the bank and flagged down a marked police cruiser occupied by a uniformed Somerville Police officer. The officer entered the bank, pointed his gun at the robber, and ordered him to freeze. In response, it is alleged that Rosado faced the officer, pointed his gun in the officer’s direction, and fired one shot. The officer shot back. During the exchange of gunfire, Rosado exited the bank and the officer chased after him on foot.
According to the charging document, as Rosado fled down College Avenue, a bystander, noticing that Rosado was being pursued by a police officer, attempted to tackle Rosado, which caused Rosado to drop his backpack. Rosado kept running, and witnesses eventually lost sight of him.
Upon review of the backpack, law enforcement found a Webley revolver, loaded with four unfired rounds of ammunition, and two cartridge casings, as well as more than $500.
Further investigation, including forensic analysis of the backpack, linked the DNA profile found on the backpack to Rosado. A subsequent review of Rosado’s driver’s license photo matched the images of the robber captured on video surveillance at Middlesex Bank.
According to court records, Rosado has prior felony convictions, such as negligent operation of a motor vehicle, larceny from a person and witness intimidation, and assault by means of a dangerous weapon. Due to these prior convictions, Rosado is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of no greater than 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000; the charge of brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence provides for a mandatory minimum of seven years to life in prison for brandishing and a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life for discharging, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island and the Providence (R.I.) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Marvin Dennis was sentenced to six years (72 months) in prison for committing heroin and crack cocaine trafficking and firearm crimes, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Dennis, age 23 of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Arthur J. Schwab. Judge Schwab also sentenced Dennis to serve three years of supervised release after his prison term.
In February 2019, Dennis pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute heroin and crack cocaine from September 2017 to April 3, 2018, and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy from September 2017 to April 3, 2018.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the convictions and sentence in this case. This case was prosecuted as 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.
Pittsburgh Man Charged with Defrauding Area BanksRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of bank fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Robert Campoli, Jr, age 49, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from March 6, 2019 to March 20, 2019, Campoli, Jr. engaged in a scheme to defraud Citizens Bank, Huntington Bank and Key Bank. The indictment alleges Campoli, Jr. used forged and counterfeit checks payable to him to withdraw money from business accounts at the banks, even though he had no relationship with the businesses named on the checks.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Douglas C. Maloney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service, along with members of the Moon Township, Brentwood Borough, Northern Regional, Penn Township, Peters Township, and Austintown, Ohio, 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.
Pensacola Woman Pleads Guilty to Selling Counterfeit Contact LensesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Son Chu Gilliam, 51, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty today to misdemeanor charges of receipt of adulterated and misbranded devices, and sale of prescription devices without a prescription -- those devices being contact lenses. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea.
Her sentencing hearing is currently set for September 10, 2019.
In May 2015, law enforcement seized approximately 600 counterfeit contact lenses that were being imported from China by Gilliam to her place of business, All about Ink, a tattoo shop in Pensacola, Florida. A number of the contact lenses seized were tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and determined to contain microbial contamination. FDA has determined that the types of bacteria found in the contact lenses can be hazardous.
Between July 2015, and October 2015, law enforcement made a number of undercover purchases of contact lenses from Gilliam and others working for Gilliam at All about Ink. Following the undercover purchases, a federal search warrant was executed at All about Ink, and approximately 200 pairs of contact lenses were seized. Samples of both the contact lenses purchased by undercover agents, and the contact lenses seized were tested by FDA, and a number of those also contained microbial contamination. In addition to agents determining that a number of the contact lenses were counterfeit and FDA determining that a number of the contact lenses were contaminated and that none of the contact lenses should have been sold without a prescription.
“American consumers rely on FDA oversight to ensure the safety of their medical devices, including contact lenses. Selling counterfeit contact lenses without a valid prescription puts patients’ health – and their vision – at risk,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge, H. Peter Kuehl, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Miami Field Office. “The FDA is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep such products out of the U.S. marketplace.”
“This criminal was selling substandard, dangerous counterfeit contact lenses with no regard for the health and safety of consumers,” said HSI Tampa Deputy Special Agent in Charge Kevin D. Sibley. “Our agents are committed to collaborating with partner agencies, like U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Florida Department of Health, to conduct aggressive investigations into the distribution of fake goods that threaten the safety of our public.”
The case resulted from the investigation by the Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Florida Department of Health. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Ryan Love.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html
Parkville, Topeka Men Indicted for $346 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for a conspiracy in which they fraudulently profited from hundreds of millions of dollars in federal government contracts they were not entitled to receive, which were set aside for small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans, and minorities.
Patrick Michael Dingle, 48, of Parkville, Missouri, and Matthew L. Torgeson, 46, of Topeka, Kansas, were charged in a 16-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Missouri, on Wednesday, June 26.
The federal indictment alleges that Dingle and Torgeson, along with Matthew C. McPherson, 43, of Olathe, Kan., operated companies with straw owners who qualified as socially and economically disadvantaged individuals or service-disabled veterans, but who did not actually control the companies. Conspirators fraudulently obtained small business program certifications and veteran-owned business certifications, the indictment says, which they used to obtain approximately $346 million in federal contract payments to which they were not entitled. McPherson has been charged and pleaded guilty in a separate, but related, case.
Dingle, Torgeson, and McPherson allegedly used Stephon Ziegler – an African-American service-disabled veteran – as the nominal owner of Zieson Construction Company, headquartered in North Kansas City, Missouri. In reality, the indictment says, Dingle managed and controlled the daily operations of Zieson Construction Company and Dingle, Torgeson, and McPherson controlled the long-term decision making for Zieson Construction Company. They fraudulently obtained approximately 199 set-aside contracts from 2009 through 2018, for which the government paid Zieson Construction Company approximately $335 million. Ziegler has been charged and pleaded guilty in a separate, but related, case.
Dingle, Torgeson, and McPherson, individually or through their entities, allegedly received approximately $11 million from Zieson Construction Company using false and fraudulent invoices.
In February 2014, when Zieson Construction Company was growing too large to compete for federal small business contracts, Dingle, Torgeson, and McPherson allegedly used the minority status of a Zieson Construction Company employee, Native American Rustin Simon, 43, of Smithville, Missouri, to form Simcon. Simon, the indictment says, was Simcon’s nominal owner; Dingle managed and controlled the daily operations of Simcon and Dingle, Torgeson, and McPherson controlled the long-term decision making for Simcon. The indictment alleges they used Simcon to fraudulently obtain two set-aside contracts in 2016 valued at approximately $l1.3 million. Simon has been charged and pleaded guilty in a separate, but related, case.
Dingle, Torgeson, and McPherson, individually or through their entities, allegedly received approximately $959,598 from Simcon using false and fraudulent invoices.
Torgeson was the president of an electric company in Topeka from 2000 to 2017, when he sold the business to its employees. Torgeson formed another business in 2011. Approximately $3.1 million was deposited into this business’s bank account from Zieson Construction Company and Simcon between February 2016 and February 2018, the indictment says, which was traceable to federal government funds induced by fraudulent misrepresentations and awarded to Zieson and Simcon for set-aside contracts.
Dingle formed METS, LLC, in 2010. Approximately $6.1 million was deposited into this business’s bank account from Zieson and Simcon between July 2010 and February 2018, the indictment says, which was traceable to federal government funds induced by fraudulent misrepresentations and awarded to Zieson and Simcon for set-aside contracts. Those funds were subsequently used to fund Dingle’s personal banking and retirement accounts.
In addition to the wire fraud conspiracy, Dingle and Torgeson are charged together in nine counts of wire fraud and are each charged with three counts of money laundering. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which would require Dingle and Torgeson to forfeit to the government any property obtained as a result of the alleged fraud, including approximately $688,626 in bank accounts controlled by Dingle, $5,930,992 in bank accounts controlled by Torgeson, and $1,841,095 in bank accounts controlled by Zieson Construction Company. They would also forfeit to the government a 2015 Porsche Cayenne, a 2017 Toyota Tacoma, two Rolex watches, Dingle’s residential property in Parkville and his property in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey Perkins Rock and Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; the Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; the Army Criminal Investigation Command, Major Procurement Fraud Unit; the Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; IRS-Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Secret Service; the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Procurement Fraud; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Contract Audit Agency - Operations Investigative Support (OIS); the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA).
Owner of Tampa-Area Medical Marketing Company Found Guilty in $2 Million Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury found the owner of a Tampa, Florida-area medical marketing company guilty today for his role in an over $2.2 million Medicare fraud scheme involving the payment of kickbacks and bribes to medical clinics in Miami in exchange for the referral of DNA swabs that were obtained from Medicare beneficiaries.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez of the Middle District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Michael McPherson of the FBI’s Tampa Field Office and Assistant Inspector General Shimon Richmond of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office made the announcement.
Following a four-day trial, David Brock Lovelace, 49, of Land o’ Lakes, Florida, the owner of DBL Management LLC was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks and one count of structuring currency transactions to avoid reporting requirements. Lovelace is expected to be sentenced on Oct. 2, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Susan C. Bucklew of the Middle District of Florida, who presided over the trial..
According to the evidence presented at trial, Lovelace was paid by Clinical Laboratory Company A for each DNA swab that Lovelace arranged to be referred to the laboratory. In order to obtain DNA swabs, Lovelace paid cash kickbacks and bribes to medical clinics in Miami in exchange for the referral of DNA swabs that were obtained from Medicare beneficiaries. Lovelace directed the owners of the medical clinics to collect the DNA of all of the patients at the clinics, regardless of medical necessity.
In the first phase of the scheme, from November 2013 to May 2014, the evidence at trial showed that Lovelace paid these cash kickbacks directly. In the second phase of the scheme, from May 2014 to November 2014, after his arrest on other charges, Lovelace established shell companies, including Healthcare Marketing Florida of Melbourne, Florida, and conspired with nominee owners to facilitate the payment of kickbacks, receipt of fraud proceeds, and transfer of unlawfully obtained DNA samples for medically unnecessary testing. Over the course of the entire conspiracy, Clinical Laboratory Company A submitted over $2.2 million in genetic testing claims and paid Lovelace a percentage of the Medicare reimbursements that it received.
In order to conceal his payment of illegal cash kickbacks, the evidence at trial showed that Lovelace would travel to different ATM’s and bank branches throughout Southern Florida and make separate withdrawals of thousands of dollars in cash in order to avoid the filing of U.S. Department of Treasury “currency transaction reports” for an individual withdrawal of over $10,000.
Lovelace was previously found guilty by a jury in December 2015 of various health care fraud, money laundering and identity theft charges in a case handled by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. He is currently serving 14 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS, and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Division, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John Michelich and Acting Assistant Chief Jacob Foster of the Fraud Section.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Owner of Engineering Firm Sentenced to Five Years for Tax SchemeRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Wagdy A. Guirguis was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and United States Attorney Kenji M. Price for the District of Hawaii. As part of his sentence, Guirguis must serve three years of supervised release, and pay $3,308,868.00 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and $6,730.24 in prosecution costs.
On November 20, 2018, a jury convicted Guirguis and co-conspirator Michael Higa, who was a certified public accountant, of conspiracy. In addition, Guirguis was also convicted of three counts of filing false corporate income tax returns, one count of failure to file a corporate income tax return, three counts of tax evasion, one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the IRS, and one count of witness tampering. The convictions arose from a scheme to divert funds from Guirguis’ business entities for his own personal benefit and to avoid the payment of federal employment taxes, corporate and individual income taxes, and IRS penalties.
According to evidence presented at trial, Guirguis and Higa used nominee entities to divert more than $1 million in funds from Guirguis’ businesses for Guirguis’ personal use. Guirguis made numerous false statements to IRS employees over the years during their attempts to collect taxes. In addition, to impede the criminal investigation into his tax violations, Guirguis falsely told an employee, who had testified before the grand jury, that he did not know about the false backdating in the books of the nominee entity, and asked the employee to sign a false statement to that effect.
Sentencing for Michael Higa is scheduled for July 1.
The case was investigated by the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division. It was prosecuted by Tax Division Senior Litigation Counsel John Sullivan and Trial Attorney Anahi Cortada and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Perlmutter for the District of Hawaii.
Olde Philly Pharmacy and its Owner to Pay $350,000 to Resolve Alleged Violations of Controlled Substance ActRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney William McSwain announced that Olde Philly Pharmacy has agreed to pay $350,000 to resolve allegations that three of its pharmacy stores located in Philadelphia violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by failing to maintain complete and accurate records of controlled substances, including nearly 100 missing oxycodone and hydrocodone prescriptions. James Cirillo, managing pharmacist and co-owner of Olde Philly Pharmacy, is also a party to the settlement agreement.
The United States’ investigation involved three Olde Philly Pharmacy locations – 2923 East Thompson Street, 1427 East Susquehanna Avenue, and 2036-38 South 3rd Street.
As part of the settlement, Olde Philly Pharmacy has entered into a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Drug Enforcement Administration, which includes additional responsibilities regarding the handling of controlled substances. The MOA imposes compliance obligations significantly more stringent than those in the applicable laws and regulations.
“Pharmacies that fail to maintain proper records of narcotics like oxycodone and hydrocodone contribute to the opioid crisis. At best, this poor record-keeping creates conditions ripe for diversion; at worst, it is a symptom of diversion itself,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Pharmacies and pharmacists have a responsibility to ensure that all controlled substances are tracked through the distribution chain. For this reason, our Office is committed to ensuring total compliance with the Controlled Substances Act and we will vigorously enforce violations wherever we find them.”
Congress enacted the CSA to deter the illegal importation, manufacture, distribution, possession, and improper use of controlled substances, including prescription medications, and requires individuals and entities registered with the DEA to maintain complete and accurate records of all controlled substances and security systems so that controlled substances are not lost, stolen, or inappropriately dispensed.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Philadelphia Field Division, Diversion Regulatory Group 2 (D72), and the investigation and settlement were handled by Assistant United States Attorney David A. Degnan.
New Orleans Man and Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Funds and to Make False Statements, and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
ELIJAH CHARLES SORINA (“ELIJAH”), age 29, and LISA SORINA (“LISA”), age 53, both of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged by a federal grand jury in a three (3) count superseding indictment on Friday, June 21, 2019, with Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Funds and to Make False Statements, and Theft of Government Funds, announced United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to the superseding indictment, on September 21, 2015, ELIJAH and LISA SORINA completed a SSA Form SSA-821-BK, Work Activity Report, in which they claimed ELIJAH stopped working due to his “physical and/or mental condition.” However, ELIJAH and LISA SORINA failed to disclose ELIJAH’s employment as a school bus driver with a local transportation company to the SSA. In addition, on November 5, 2015, LISA and ELIJAH SORINA completed a SSA Form SSA-454-BK, Continuing Disability Review Report, and listed his daily activities as, “I get up about 12:00 pm eat, take a shower, watch TV, then at 8 pm (sic) back to bed.” The two defendants also claimed ELIJAH had difficulty with many daily tasks including but not limited to dressing, bathing, completing chores, driving, walking, and understanding or following directions.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, ELIJAH and LISA face a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 50 Months for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLES F. HALL (“HALL”), age 61, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday for Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a), announced United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
The case against HALL began on April 12, 2018, when HALL entered the Social Security Administration’s (“SSA”) offices located on the fifth floor of 400 Poydras Street, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The SSA offices are leased by the General Services Administration (“GSA”) and are within the jurisdiction of the Federal Protective Service (“FPS”), a department of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The SSA office employs an administrative security screening process for all visitors whereby Paragon Systems Incorporated Protective Security Officers (“PSO”) conduct a search for weapons and explosives. As part of this screening process, HALL was instructed to take all metal items out of his pockets prior to passing through the magnetometer. When HALL produced a cellular phone from his pocket, the PSOs asked HALL to silence his cellular phone while he was in the office. When HALL accessed his cellular phone to silence it, the screen lit up and displayed an image depicting the sexual victimization of a prepubescent child. HALL was taken into custody by officers with the FPS, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. A subsequent computer forensic search of HALL’s phone revealed he was in possession of 195 images and two videos of child pornography.
HALL was sentenced to 50 months by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance. HALL was also sentenced to a period of seven (7) years of supervised release after his term of imprisonment. Judge Vance also ordered HALL to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Protective Service, Paragon Systems Incorporated Protective Security Officers, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Financial Crimes Unit Supervisor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
New Kensington Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl and Fentanyl AnaloguesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on June 25, named Thomas Vaughn Kelly, Jr., 33, formerly of New Kensington, PA.
According to the Indictment, on or about March 12, 2019, Kelly possessed with the intent to distribute and distribute 10 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl analogues and fentanyl.
The law provides for a minimum of five years in prison, a fine of $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Yvonne M. Saadi is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration 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.
Minnesota Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Terrance Nordwall, age 50, of Faribault, Minnesota, has been charged with attempted sex trafficking of children, attempted enticement of minors, and travel for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on June 19, 2019, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between March 2019 and April 2019, Nordwall attempted to solicit and entice two persons he believed to be under 18 to engage in commercial sex acts and acts constituting sexual abuse under Iowa law. The Indictment also alleges that, in April 2019, Nordwall traveled across a state line for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct. The Indictment also alleges that, in two different counties in Minnesota in 2004, Nordwall was convicted of three counts of criminal sexual conduct and one count of possession of pornographic work involving minors.
If convicted, Nordwall faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $750,000 fine, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Nordwall appeared on June 25, 2019, in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Nordwall’s next appearance for trial is set for August 26, 2019.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 19-57.
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Mexican National Sentenced to 30 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to sell about 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer after illegally reentering the United States.
Javier Corona-Verduzco, 36, of Montclair, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Corona-Verduzco to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On Jan. 15, 2019, Corona-Verduzco was convicted at trial of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and of illegally reentering the United States after being deported following his incarceration for two earlier drug trafficking convictions. Corona-Verduzco was still on supervised release for those earlier convictions when he was arrested in this case.
Following his conviction, incarceration, and deportation to Mexico, Corona-Verduzco illegally reentered the United States and was again actively engaged in trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine.
Corona-Verduzco attempted to sell pound quantities of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Corona-Verduzco told the confidential informant that he had a large quantity of methamphetamine and was looking for customers to purchase multiple pound quantities.
The confidential informant told Corona-Verduzco that he/she knew someone who was interested in purchasing pounds of methamphetamine. Corona-Verduzco agreed to meet the confidential informant and this acquaintance, who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer, on March 31, 2016. Corona-Verduzco met with the confidential informant and the undercover officer at a location in Kansas City, Kansas, and offered to sell 15 pounds of methamphetamine for approximately $80,000.
Corona-Verduzco and the confidential informant drove to a house in Kansas City, Mo., so that the confidential informant could check the quality of the methamphetamine for sale. At that location, the confidential informant saw approximately 2.5 pounds of methamphetamine in a bag.
Corona-Verduzco was arrested the next day. He had told both the confidential informant and the undercover officer that the 15 pounds of methamphetamine he was attempting to sell them was in a gray Chevrolet Tahoe. Law enforcement officers located the Tahoe parked behind the Kansas City, Mo., residence where Corona-Verduzco had taken the confidential informant the day before. Law enforcement officers found seven packages of methamphetamine, totaling 6.814 kilograms (approximately 15 pounds), hidden in a hollow compartment behind the driver’s side rear panel. Officers also found 400 grams of methamphetamine inside the residence.
Corona-Verduzco also has a prior conviction in an unrelated case for witness intimidation where he threatened the lives and families of co-defendants.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Conery Alan Morse, 32, of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a conspiracy to transport stolen goods, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately April of 2018 and approximately December of 2018, Morse conspired with James Falk to steal high-value items from large retail stores throughout New England and send the items to a person associated with an online marketplace for eventual sales to online customers.
To carry out the conspiracy, Morse and Falk entered large retail stores, chose high-value items (such as thermostats, alarm systems, electronics, hardware, and tools), and left the stores without paying for all of the items. To steal goods inside the stores, Morse and Falk hid stolen goods in larger boxes and containers. In addition, Morse and Falk used containers that caused radio frequency interference in an attempt to defeat the stores’ security alarm sensors. Morse and Falk shipped stolen goods to an address in Maplewood, New Jersey, for eventual sale to online consumers. Morse and Falk later received payments for the stolen items.
Morse and Falk caused a total loss to the victim stores of approximately $54,000.
Morse is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2019. Falk previously pleaded guilty on May 30, 2019, and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2019.
“Interstate theft and fraud are serious crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We will remain vigilant in our efforts to protect businesses and consumers in the Granite State from such wrongdoing. I want to thank the law enforcement officers whose work put an end to this criminal scheme.”
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police and the United States Department of Commerce. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Davis.
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Massachusetts Laboratory and Its Owners Pay over $1.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney John H. Durham, Special Agent in Charge Phillip Coyne of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong today announced that CLINICAL SCIENCE LABORATORY, INC. and its owners, STANLEY ELFBAUM and LOUIS AMORUSO, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and have paid $1,508,106 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
Clinical Science Laboratory, Inc. (“CSL”), located in Mansfield, Massachusetts, provides laboratory-testing services, specifically urine drug testing services, for substance abuse patients enrolled in the Connecticut Medicaid program. The government alleges that CSL, Elfbaum and Amoruso violated Connecticut’s so-called “Most Favored Nation” regulation (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 17b-262-649), which provides, in essence, that clinical laboratories should not seek payment from Connecticut Medicaid for services at a price that is higher than the lowest price the laboratory charges for the same or similar services from other third parties. Specifically, the government alleges that CSL regularly accepted payments from Connecticut Medicaid for urine drug screen testing at the rate of $38 per test, while at the same time charging substance abuse treatment clinics approximately $2 per test
To resolve the governments’ allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, CSL, Elfbaum and Amoruso agreed to pay $1,508,106, which covers claims submitted to the Connecticut Medicaid program from October 1, 2016, through May 23, 2017.
“We must ensure that taxpayers’ health care dollars used for substance abuse treatment are properly spent,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “Clinical laboratories should not charge government health care programs a higher price than they charge to other providers for the same or similar services, and those who do so will be held accountable.”
“With the deadly impact of addictive drugs reaching crisis proportions, every dollar for treatment programs must be fiercely guarded,” said Special Agent in Charge Coyne. “Taxpayers and patients depending on state treatment programs should expect nothing less. Working with our state and federal partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who profit by overbilling Medicaid.”
“Clinical Science Laboratory was billing the state's Medicaid program 19 times what it charged to other customers—diverting taxpayer resources away from other critical needs. Connecticut has been disproportionately devastated by the opioid epidemic, and we must ensure we are getting the absolute most out of every treatment dollar spent,” said Attorney General Tong. “I want to thank our federal law enforcement partners and the DSS Office of Quality Assurance for their joint efforts in this investigation and strong settlement.”
This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Molot, and Assistant Attorneys General Michael Cole and Gregory O’Connell of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Settles Civil Fraud Lawsuit Against Physical Therapy Center and Its CEO for Improper Medicare BillingRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General’s New York Region (“HHS-OIG”), announced today that the United States filed and settled a civil fraud lawsuit against FUSION PHYSICAL THERAPY AND SPORTS WELLNESS, P.C. (“FUSION”), and its founder and CEO, CAROLYN SUE MAZUR (“MAZUR”), alleging that FUSION and MAZUR violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently billing Medicare for physical therapy services that were not reimbursable under that program. Specifically, FUSION and MAZUR falsely claimed to Medicare that various services had been provided or supervised by a physical therapist who was credentialed in the Medicare program and therefore authorized to bill Medicare for reimbursement when, in fact, the services were provided or supervised by other non-credentialed personnel. Under the settlement, approved yesterday by U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, FUSION and MAZUR admitted to the wrongful conduct and agreed to pay $37,500.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Medicare requires all health care providers accurately to report information relating to claimed services. This requirement is critical to ensure quality of care and patient safety. Fusion Physical Therapy side-stepped this rule by lying to Medicare about who actually provided the services, and is now being held accountable.”
HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Scott J. Lampert said: “Health care professionals are expected to bill the taxpayer-funded Medicare program correctly. Along with our law enforcement partners, HHS-OIG will continue to ensure individuals and entities billing federal health care programs do so in an honest manner.”
According to the Government’s Complaint-in-Intervention, MAZUR and FUSION knew that Medicare rules prohibited them from billing Medicare for services performed or supervised by non-credentialed physical therapists. MAZUR and FUSION also knew that Medicare rules prohibited them from misrepresenting to Medicare the individual physical therapist who had provided the services underlying a claim for reimbursement. In spite of this knowledge, FUSION and MAZUR billed Medicare for services that had been rendered by non-credentialed providers and made false representations regarding the true identity of the providers who rendered the services.
As part of the settlement, MAZUR and FUSION agreed to pay $37,500 and admitted that:
- Defendants understood that they were prohibited by Medicare rules from submitting claims for reimbursement for certain professional services provided by a healthcare provider other than the individual associated with the National Provider Identifier (“NPI”) listed on each claim.
- Defendants also understood that, in order to receive reimbursement from Medicare for physical therapy services, the physical therapist listed on each relevant claim must be enrolled as a provider in the Medicare program at the time the services are rendered.
- Defendants submitted to Medicare false claims for services that had been performed by physical therapists other than the physical therapist whose NPI was listed on the claim.
- In some cases, the physical therapist who actually provided the claimed services was not enrolled as a Medicare provider at the time the claimed services were rendered.
* * *
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of HHS-OIG. This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles S. Jacob and Jessica Jean Hu are in charge of the case.
- Defendants understood that they were prohibited by Medicare rules from submitting claims for reimbursement for certain professional services provided by a healthcare provider other than the individual associated with the National Provider Identifier (“NPI”) listed on each claim.
Man Sentenced Prison for Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Thomas Jarrell Mays, 30, was at home in Newport News when law enforcement executed a search warrant based on complaints of drug trafficking from the residence that were confirmed by police surveillance. In addition to the arrest of Mays, the search yielded a loaded Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun with an additional high-capacity drum magazine loaded with 50 cartridges of ammunition; cooking paraphernalia coated with residue; multiple boxes of baking soda; narcotics packaging materials; multiple digital scales; approximately 5.8 grams of cocaine base; and more than 40 grams of cocaine that Mays unsuccessfully attempted to flush down a toilet when law enforcement entered his home.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf 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. 4:19-cr-10.
Lynn Man Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Lottery Ticket ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Lynn man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a “ten-percenting” scheme, in which he purchased millions of dollars’ worth of winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets at a discount in order to help the ticket holders avoid taxes on the winnings.
George Kinslieh, 69, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to one year of probation. On October 10, 2018, Kinslieh pleaded guilty to one count of filing false tax returns.
Co-conspirator Bhavna Patel was sentenced in May 2019 to one year of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy. Co-conspirator Clarance Jones, 80, pleaded guilty in May 2019 to conspiring to commit tax fraud and filing false tax returns and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 13, 2019.
From at least 2013 through 2017, Kinslieh and Patel, who were convenience store owners purchased winning lottery tickets from the ticket holders for cash, at a discount to the value of the tickets, thereby allowing the ticket holders to avoid reporting the winnings on their tax returns – a scheme known as “ten-percenting.” Kinslieh and Patel gave the winning tickets to Jones, who presented them to the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission as his own, and collected the full winnings. Kinslieh did not report to the Internal Revenue Service or pay taxes on the income that he received from the ticket scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Livingston Parish Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Child Pornography ConvictionRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA –United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced that United States District Court Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Colt Gibson, age 35, of Livingston Parish, Louisiana, to serve 73 months in federal prison following his conviction for receipt of child pornography. Following his release from imprisonment, GIBSON will serve a 5-year term of supervised release.
As set forth in GIBSON’s plea agreement, GIBSON used file-sharing software to download a video from the internet of a prepubescent female engaged in sexually explicit conduct with an adult male. A subsequent forensic examination of the defendant’s computer and other electronic devices revealed at least 300 additional videos of child pornography, including depictions of toddlers and prepubescent females, which the defendant had downloaded from the internet.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Online child sexual exploitation investigations and prosecutions will continue to be priority for this office and those who engage in such vile behavior will be held accountable. Those who receive or possess child pornography contribute to the continuing victimization of child victims and create demand for future exploitation which will not be tolerated. I greatly appreciate the excellent and hard work of the prosecutors and agents who handle these challenging cases.”
Eric J. Rommal, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge stated, "Locating and apprehending child predators and pornographers has always remained a top priority in the FBI. Through the New Orleans Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, we work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and arrest individuals engaged in the exploitation of our children."
"As a father, I know I would do anything to protect my son," said Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. "Since taking office, I have teamed with law enforcement partners to protect Louisiana's children. I thank the work of my team and the U.S. Attorney's Office in bringing this child predator to justice.”
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office Cyber Crime Unit, with assistance from the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth E. White.
These federal charges are part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. Click on the “Resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
Lecompte man sentenced on firearms crime after tyring to dispose of pistol during arrestRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – A Lecompte man who pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on March 8, 2019, after trying to dispose of the firearm during his arrest, was sentenced Tuesday to serve time in federal prison, said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
United States District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced Timothy Jackson Van Mol, 35, to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. According to federal law, as a convicted felon, Van Mol is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Rapides Parish Sheriff’s deputies made contact with Van Mol on March 5, 2018 on Lamourie Road near Lecompte while executing an outstanding state warrant for non-support. Upon exiting his vehicle, Van Mol removed a chrome handgun from his waistband and threw it toward a nearby ditch full of water. The firearm retrieved by officers just off the bank of the ditch was a Sig Sauer, model SP2022, .40-caliber pistol. Van Mol has multiple felonies in state court in 2009 including burglary and drug possession.
The ATF and Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Leaders of Brooklyn and Manhattan Chapters of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters Charged in Rampant Admissions-Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region (“DOL-OIG”), Andriana Vamvakas, New York Regional Director, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Labor-Management Standards (“DOL-OLMS”), and Margaret Garnett, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging leaders of two local chapters of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (the “Union”) with accepting tens of thousands of dollars in cash bribes in return for guaranteeing admission to hundreds of prospective union members. SALVATORE TAGLIAFERRO, the president of the Local 926 chapter of the Union, and JOHN DEFALCO, the vice president of the Local 157 chapter of the Union, were each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud, one count of conversion of union assets, and one count of conspiracy, in connection with their involvement in a scheme to solicit cash bribes in exchange for union membership. DEFALCO was also charged with one count of witness tampering and one count of obstruction of justice, in connection with his attempts to interfere with the investigation of the scheme. TAGLIAFERRO and DEFALCO, who were arrested this morning, are expected to be presented later today.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, the defendants abused their leadership positions to line their pockets at the expense of their union and its members, whose interests they were duty bound to protect. By allegedly demanding and accepting cash bribes in return for union membership, the defendants not only betrayed their union, but personally profited off the needs of those seeking work. The charges announced today reflect our tireless commitment to working with our law enforcement partners to root out corruption in union leadership and our commitment to bringing to justice those who corrupt their positions.”
DOL-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Michael Mikulka said: “An important mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations relating to labor racketeering and corruption in labor unions. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”
DOL-OLMS New York Regional Director Andriana Vamvakas said: “Safeguarding financial integrity and combatting financial malfeasance in labor unions is a very high priority for OLMS. This indictment sends a clear message that OLMS will fully investigate and seek justice when anyone attempts to use their union position for personal financial gain at the expense of union members.”
DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said: “These defendants allegedly conspired to sell sought-after union memberships for thousands of dollars, giving those who paid the steep price unearned access to coveted union construction projects and other exclusive benefits while the defendants collected the cash, according to the charges. Organized labor must be safeguarded from corruption that attempts to undermine its mission to protect the rights of working New Yorkers. DOI was proud to assist its partners at the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General in investigating this case.”
According to the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
From at least in or about 2017 up through and including in or about June 2019, TAGLIAFERRO and DEFALCO abused their positions as officers of local chapters of the Union by soliciting and accepting cash bribes from prospective Union members in exchange for securing the bribe payers’ admission to the Union. In particular, DEFALCO and other co-conspirators identified prospective members and solicited cash payments from them, often in the amount of $1,500. Then, once prospective members made the payments, DEFALCO sent those individuals’ names to TAGLIAFERRO, who used his authority as president of the Local 926 to ensure that they were accepted into the Local 926 and received Union membership cards, even though many such bribe payers did not have Union jobs and were not eligible for admission to the Union. Hundreds of new members were admitted to the Local 926 as a result of this scheme. DEFALCO and TAGLIAFERRO shared the bribe payments and made at least tens of thousands of dollars from the scheme.
DEFALCO and TAGLIAFERRO also took numerous steps to conceal their conduct from investigators, and DEFALCO attempted to tamper with witnesses and obstruct the federal investigation. Among other things, DEFALCO pressured one co-conspirator to sign an affidavit falsely exculpating him and directed that co-conspirator falsely to exculpate DEFALCO, TAGLIAFERRO, and others if questioned. DEFALCO and TAGLIAFERRO also discussed a false cover story to explain the involvement of another co-conspirator in the scheme, and DEFALCO instructed that co-conspirator to repeat this false cover story to a federal grand jury investing his conduct. DEFALCO also instructed a co-conspirator to delete incriminating text messages between them that were responsive to a federal grand jury subpoena served on the co-co-conspirator.
* * *
TAGLIAFERRO, 54, of Staten Island, New York, and DEFALCO, 51, of Secaucus, New Jersey, each are charged with one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conversion of union assets, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. DEFALCO alone is also charged with one count of witness tampering and one count of obstruction of justice, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the judge.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and TAGLIAFERRO and DEFALCO are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of DOL-OIG, DOL-OLMS, and DOI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Schaeffer and Thomas McKay are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and its description set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
La Crosse Dentist Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in Madison, Wisconsin, indicted a La Crosse, Wisconsin dentist yesterday for tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Scott C. Blader for the Western District of Wisconsin.
According to the indictment, Frederick G. Kriemelmeyer, 70, operated a dental practice in La Crosse, Wisconsin. In 2007, Kriemelmeyer was ordered by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin to pay $135,337 to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for unpaid individual income taxes. By December 2012, the IRS had assessed Kriemelmeyer more than $450,000 in taxes, interest and penalties. Beginning in approximately 2011, Kriemelmeyer allegedly took a number of actions to evade payment of this assessment. The indictment also charges that for the years 2013 through 2015 Kriemelmeyer failed to file tax returns and attempted to evade the taxes due on income from his dental practice. Kriemelmeyer allegedly sought to conceal his income from the IRS, by among other things, directing his patients to pay in cash or with personal checks that left the payee line blank and by paying his business and personal expenses with cash and third-party checks.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, Kriemelmeyer faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison for each of the tax evasion counts.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Blader commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman and Trial Attorney Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website .
Jury Convicts San Antonio Man on Federal Child Pornography and Obscenity ChargesRead the Press Release
Reynaldo Salinas, age 27 of San Antonio, faces federal prison time after a jury this afternoon found him guilty of attempted enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.
A federal jury in San Antonio convicted Salinas on both charges. Evidence presented during the four–day trial revealed that on September 27, 2017, Salinas used a mobile messaging application in an attempt to entice a female he believed was a 14-year-old dependent living on Ft. Sam Houston into engaging in sexual activity. Salinas also transferred a sexually explicit photograph of himself to the individual he believed was a minor. In reality, the individual Salinas believed to be a child was an undercover agent for the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. On October 20, 2017, Salinas, a non-active member of the Texas Army National Guard who had privileged access to military installations, showed up at a pre-arranged location on Lackland Air Force Base to meet the 14-year-old for sex. Agents were there waiting for him and arrested him.
Salinas faces mandatory ten years and up to life in federal prison for the enticement charge and up to ten years in federal prison for the obscene material charge. Salinas remains in federal custody pending sentencing, which is scheduled for September 30, 2019, before Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra.
U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations agents investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bettina Richardson, Eric Yuen and Antonio Franco, Jr., are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
Judge Sends Verona Man to Prison for 15 Years for Producing, Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court 15 years’ (180 months’) incarceration to be followed by 15 years of supervised release to violating charges of production, distribution and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on John O’Donnell, 51, formerly of Verona, PA.
According to information presented to the court, O’Donnell distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor on Facebook. When authorities searched his home, he was found to be in possession of nearly 300 images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minors. During the investigation into his illegal activities, authorities also learned that, through the use of a hidden camera, O’Donnell secretly videotaped a 12-year-old girl in his bathroom.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney’s General Office, the Allegheny County Police Department and the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of O'Donnell.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jefferson County Woman Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Amber Decker, age 25, of Antwerp, New York, pled guilty today to all counts of a seven-count indictment charging that she, together with her husband, conspired to sexually exploit, and sexually exploited, a 2-year-old child for the purpose of producing images and videos of the abuse.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As a part of her guilty plea, Decker admitted that on several occasions in July and August 2018, while she was living in Jefferson County, New York, and her husband was located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, she videotaped her sexual abuse of the 2-year-old, and uploaded the video files to a cloud storage account for her husband to view.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd will sentence Decker on October 24, 2019. Her husband, Logan Decker, is charged with the same offenses, and is scheduled for trial on September 30, 2019. The charges in the indictment against Logan Decker are merely accusations. Logan Decker is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Each of the seven crimes to which Amber Decker pled guilty carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years, and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. She will also be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the New York State Police, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls, South Dakota Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa M. Fletcher, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator for the Northern District of New York.
Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), and is designed to marshal 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Indian Businessman Charged with Drug Importation, Smuggling, and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A citizen and resident of Mumbai, India, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating the federal narcotics, smuggling, and money laundering laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The eight-count Indictment, returned on June 26, named Jeetendra Harish Belani, aka Jeetu, age 36, of Mumbai, India, as the sole defendant. He is charged with conspiracy to import Schedule II and Schedule IV controlled substances, conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the United States, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and various substantive counts of drug importation, smuggling, and money laundering.
According to the Indictment, Belani operated a drug-distribution entity based in India called LeeHPL Ventures. Between 2015 and 2019, Belani and his co-conspirators, through LeeHPL Ventures, allegedly imported and smuggled into the United States various drugs available only by prescription in the United States, including Tapentadol, a Schedule II controlled substance, as well as Tramadol, Carisoprodol, and Modafinil, all Schedule IV controlled substances. The Indictment also alleges that between 2015 and mid-2017, Belani conspired with William Kulakevich and Julia Fees to unlawfully smuggle a drug known as Etizolam into the United States for re-sale by Kulakevich and Fees via a website they operated—www.etizy.com. Etizolam is part of a class of drugs similar to benzodiazepines, which are often used to treat insomnia and anxiety and carry a potential for abuse and overdose. To evade detection by United States Customs and Border Protection officials, Belani and his co-conspirators also allegedly used false customs declarations that mischaracterized and undervalued the contents of packages sent to the United States by LeeHPL Ventures. In addition, according to the Indictment, Belani caused drug shipments to be broken into smaller quantities and shipped to multiple addresses to help ensure delivery and avoid interception by United States customs authorities. Belani also caused co-conspirators to initiate payments totaling tens of thousands of dollars from accounts in the United States to accounts controlled by Belani in India or other locations outside the United States, all as a means to promote Belani’s continued efforts to smuggle drugs into the United States.
The most serious offenses with which Belani is charged, involving importation of a Schedule II controlled substance, carry a maximum sentence of not more than twenty years in prison, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, 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, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations 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.
Illinois Man Found Guilty of 15 Counts Involving Pipe Bombs, Stalking, Domestic Violence, Interstate Truck Theft, and Tampering with a Witness and EvidenceRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA- On Monday, June 24, 2019, a jury found Chad Eric Mink, age 43, of Rock Island, Illinois, guilty of fifteen (15) separate federal offenses including interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, stalking (two counts), interstate domestic violence (two counts), possession of unregistered destructive devices (pipe bombs) (two counts), being a prohibited person in possession of explosives (two counts), fraudulent use of a means of identification of another person, malicious use of explosives, possession of a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, carrying explosive materials during commission of a federal felony, tampering with a witness, and obstruction of official proceedings.
The jury trial commenced on June 10, 2019. The Government presented more than 70 witnesses, including several forensic experts who testified about Mink using a stolen truck to ram a vehicle occupied by a former intimate partner and her boyfriend, possessing multiple pipes bombs, planting a pipe bomb near his former intimate partner’s room at the Quad City Inn in Davenport, and attempting to influence a witness to destroy evidence and to fabricate evidence. Sentencing is presently scheduled for November 14, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. The defendant faces up to life in prison and mandatory minimum sentences of five years, 10 and 30 years, all to be served consecutively to each other and any other sentence imposed.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Quad City Bomb Squad, Davenport, Milan (IL), Moline (IL), and Rock Island (IL) Police Departments, Scott County and Rock Island County Sheriff’s Departments, Illinois State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARTIN NUNEZ, 41, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 15, 2018, state parole officers, with the assistance of Hartford Police, conducted a compliance check of Nunez at his residence. A search of the residence revealed a .380 caliber handgun, a firearm magazine, and five rounds of ammunition in a dresser drawer in Nunez’s bedroom. Nunez was arrested at that time.
Nunez’s criminal history includes four state felony convictions for distributing narcotics and one conviction for assault in the first degree.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for September 18, 2019, at which time Nunez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Nunez has been detained since his arrest.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The FBI Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Gun Violence Sends Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man with a history of violence who possessed a firearm and ammunition was sentenced today, to more than five years in federal prison.
Keith Taylor, age 37, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a guilty plea to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person on November 19, 2018.
Evidence at the detention, change of plea, and sentencing hearings revealed on May 1, 2018, Taylor unlawfully entered the apartment of a former girlfriend, terrorized her, her friends, and her child who were with in the apartment with her; and got into a physical altercation with another person in the apartment. During the altercation Taylor pulled out a gun, pointed it at the other person, and threatened him. A struggle ensued and the weapon was discharged into the ceiling of the apartment. Taylor fled the scene, but Taylor’s vehicle was located nearby, police found a revolver with five live rounds and one spent round in the cylinder of the revolver in the trunk of the vehicle.
Before May 1, 2018, Taylor had been convicted of numerous crimes, including convictions for offenses involving assault, drugs and guns.
Taylor was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge. Taylor was sentenced to 75 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Taylor is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigation by the Sioux City, Iowa Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-4071.
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