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24 June 2019
District Man Pleads Guilty to Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Malik Morris, 20, of Washington, D.C. pled guilty to second degree murder while armed and assault with intent to kill on Friday stemming from a shooting where he struck and killed one D.C. man and injured another, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Morris pled guilty on June 21, 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea, which is subject to the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 15 years in prison. He will be sentenced by the Honorable Ronna Beck on August 30, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 26, 2018, at approximately 1:49 p.m. in the 1800 block of Benning Road, Northeast, Morris observed several people, including the decedent in a convenience store. Morris did not enter the store, instead, he went to an adjacent parking lot where he adjusted his pants and moved an object consistent with a firearm around his waistband. Shortly thereafter Morris ran past the convenience store and toward the decedent and another individual who were walking on Benning Road. Morris fired several shots in the direction of the decedent striking him and injuring another victim. After the shooting, Morris fled the scene. He was subsequently arrested in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania on December 6, 2018, before he was extradited back to the District of Columbia to face charges.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham, commended the work of the MPD officers who investigated the case. They also acknowledge the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including, Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin, Paralegal Specialist Lashone Samuels, and Victim/Witness Advocate Marcy Rinker.
Finally, they commend the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Santiago, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Crack Dealer Sentenced to 12 Years' Imprisonment for Narcotics and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Ricky Fountain, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 144 months’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release after pleading guilty to four counts of distribution of cocaine base, one count of distribution of cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Senior United States District Judge R. Barclay Surrick imposed the sentence.
“Illegal firearms possession and drug trafficking is a deadly combination,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “This case is an example of federal and local law enforcement working together to stop the flow of illegal narcotics onto the streets of Philadelphia. My Office will continue to aggressively prosecute these crimes to keep our communities safe.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary E. Crawley and Alison Donahue Kehner.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Columbia Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm Following Drive-By ShootingRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Missouri, man, who displayed a firearm during a drive-by shooting at a local convenience store, pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
Victor Seth Kee, 20, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, an unknown person in a white van fired several shots at Kee and two other individuals who were walking through the parking lot in front of Mari’s Convenience Store, 1210 E. Prathersville Road, in Columbia at approximately 10 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2019. Surveillance video captured Kee pulling a black handgun from his front right pants pocket after the shots were fired. The three men got into a Kia Forte with a temporary tag displayed on the rear bumper.
About 10 minutes later, another officer conducted a traffic stop on the Kia Forte near Bold Venture and Derby Ridge Road, and took four subjects into custody. Kee was a passenger in the back seat of the vehicle. After all four occupants were restrained, officers found a loaded HK 9mm semi-automatic handgun on the back seat where Kee had been seated. The handgun had been reported as stolen.
Although the officers tried to interview all four subjects and obtain statements pertaining to the shooting and the handgun, they received no cooperation from any of the occupants in the car.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Kee has prior felony convictions for tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, burglary, and assault.
Under federal statutes, Kee is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Maness. It was investigated by the Boone County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Canton man sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison for having firearm and mixture of fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin and cocaineRead the Press Release
A Canton man was sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison for opioid and firearms crimes.
Michael J. Meadows, 49, was sentenced to 131 months in prison. A jury convicted him earlier this year on one count of possession with intent to distribute narcotics, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
Meadows possessed at least 100 grams of a mixture of fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin and cocaine, as well as a Springfield .45-caliber pistol and ammunition, on Jan. 18, 2018. Meadows was prohibited from having firearms or ammunition because of prior convictions, including cocaine possession, having a weapon under disability and aiding and abetting distribution of crack cocaine, according to the court documents.
“Opioids, cocaine and firearms are all deadly on their own, let alone put together in one dangerous situation,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This sentence will help make our community safer.”
“The opioid crisis has evolved and so has the nature of the threat, with potent synthetic opioids representing a sharply increasing amount of the total exposure to these drugs, further fueling a growing addiction crisis,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “The FDA has expanded our enforcement efforts to include increased interdiction work aimed at stopping the illegal flow of counterfeit and unapproved prescription drugs and illicit opioids and we will continue to pursue and bring to justice criminals who intend to threaten the health and safety of Americans.”
This case was investigated by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron P. Howell and Christopher Joyce.
Cameron Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Cameron, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Benjamin W. Clark, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 18 years in federal prison without parole.
On Feb. 4, 2019, Clark pleaded guilty to participating in a drug-trafficking conspiracy. Co-defendants Jalie J. Brinlee, 29, of Cameron, and Robert J. Keegan, 37, of Harrisonville, Missouri, each have also been sentenced to 18 years in federal prison without parole.
Clark, Brinlee, and Keegan each admitted they participated in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine from January to May 24, 2017. Clark and Brinlee purchased methamphetamine from various suppliers and distributed it to customers in Cameron, Kansas City and elsewhere.
On May 12, 2017, Keegan was stopped by law enforcement and was found in possession of a Hi-point .40-caliber handgun and a duffel bag containing approximately 3.8 kilograms of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Edwards. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Belton, Mo., Police Department, the Independence, Mo., Police Department and the Jackson County Drug Task Force.
California Man Sentenced to 42 Months for Distributing Methamphetamine in Tomah AreaRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Lucas Rodriguez, 29, Hemet, California, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 20, 2019, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 42 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Rodriguez mailed two packages of methamphetamine from California to Tomah, Wisconsin. Law enforcement agents seized both packages, which contained almost 100% pure methamphetamine. The amount of methamphetamine attributable to Rodriguez was approximately 653 grams, which Judge Conley described as a conservative estimate since the defendant likely had been selling methamphetamine for much longer.
The charge against Rodriguez was the result of an investigation conducted by the Tomah Police Department, Monroe County Joint Investigative Task Force, and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.
California Husband and Wife Indicted on Charges Related to Forced Labor of Guatemalan Woman and Her Minor DaughtersRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in federal court in the Eastern District of California following the arrests of Nery A. Martinez Vasquez, 50, and Maura N. Martinez, 50, of Shasta Lake, California. The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy, forced labor, and alien harboring for financial gain. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott of the Eastern District of California, and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI’s Sacramento Division made the announcement.
According to the allegations set forth in the indictment, between September 2016 and February 2018, the defendants conspired to bring a Guatemalan woman and her two minor daughters to the United States using temporary visitor visas, harbored them after their visas expired, and forced them to work long hours at a restaurant and cleaning service for minimal to no pay. The indictment further alleges that the defendants imposed a debt on the victims to prevent them from returning to Guatemala, subjected them to physical, psychological, and verbal abuse, threatened them with arrest, and separated the Guatemalan woman from her daughters, all to compel their labor.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted of forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, the defendants face sentences up to 20 years in prison, as well as mandatory restitution. If convicted of alien harboring for financial gain and conspiracy to commit alien harboring, the defendants face up to ten years in prison.
The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Sacramento Division. It is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Avner Shapiro for the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schuller Hitchcock for the Eastern District of California.
Sacramento was one of six districts designated through a competitive, nationwide selection process as a Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team, through the interagency ACTeam Initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
Brownsburg man sentenced in terrorism caseRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney, announced today that Akram Musleh, 21, of Brownburg, Indiana, has been sentenced to 100 months’ imprisonment in connection with his plot to travel from the United States to Syria and join the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
The sentence, handed down by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker at a hearing in Indianapolis, Friday afternoon, represents the culmination of a years-long investigation led by the United States Attorney’s Office and agents of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with assistance from the Brownsburg Police Department.
During the sentencing hearing today, the court heard that Musleh was arrested three years ago today, on June 21, 2016, as he boarded a bus from Indianapolis to New York City, the first stop on Musleh’s trip to North Africa, Turkey, and finally ISIS controlled territory in Syria. The court heard that Musleh had been on the radar of the Indianapolis FBI Field Office ever since the summer of 2013, when Musleh began posting videos of Anwar al-Awlaki, a member of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), on his various social media accounts, and praising al-Awlaki’s ideology. The FBI interviewed Musleh at Brownsburg High School (“BHS”), where Musleh was enrolled as a student, in December of 2013.
But the FBI interview did little to deter Musleh. Musleh continued to consume ISIS propaganda online, and purchase items linked to the terror group, including a black turban and a black shahada flag, the now infamous symbol of terror around the world. Between April and June of 2015, the court heard that Musleh booked four separate airplane tickets from the Chicago O’Hare Airport to Iraq and Turkey. While three of those reservations were ultimately canceled, on June 23, 2015, Musleh arrived at O’Hare and attempted to board the fourth flight. Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) intercepted Musleh, then 17 years old, before he could board the flight, and prevented him from traveling. At the time, CBP searched Musleh’s bags and discovered several journals which contained quotes from multiple members of designated terrorist organizations to include: al-Qaeda, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qaeda in Iraq, and ISIS.
Shockingly, as the court heard today, not even his encounter with CBP at O’Hare was enough to deter Musleh from his goal to join and fight with ISIS. On April 6, 2016, Musleh booked a one-way ticket from John F. Kennedy International (“JFK”) Airport in New York to Nador, Morocco, departing on June 23, 2016. Between May 1 and June 20, 2016, the FBI monitored Musleh as he continued to consume ISIS propaganda and made contact with more than 12 different ISIS fighters, supporters and facilitators around the world in a renewed effort to travel to join the terrorist organization. In his conversations with those contacts, Musleh declared his allegiance to ISIS, expressed his eagerness to join ISIS, and sought to determine the best way to travel from the United States to ISIS controlled territory in Syria or North Africa. Musleh also sought the advice of his contacts on when to travel, and the best routes to travel to avoid detection by law enforcement authorities. When one of his contacts suggested Musleh send money to support the terror organization instead of traveling, Musleh replied that he was afraid sending money would draw law enforcement attention and Musleh “[didn’t] want to lose [his] freedom before doing something massive.” At the suggestion of his contacts, Musleh also purchased a return ticket from Morocco to the United States to avoid law enforcement scrutiny of his one-way ticket.
Ultimately, Musleh was arrested on June 21, 2016, as he attempted to board a bus from Indianapolis to New York City where he intended to board the flight to Morocco. In searches of Musleh’s electronic devices the FBI recovered numerous files containing ISIS propaganda, including horrific pictures and videos depicting the violence inflicted on countless people in the middle east and north Africa. Also located on Musleh’s electronic devices were a “kill list” of U.S. service members published by ISIS, and a pro-jihad video Musleh produced and created which included a listing of Hoosier service members killed in action during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“The homegrown radicalization of American youth is a challenge the entire country faces and one our district must rally against with swift, determined, and unwavering resolve,” said Minkler. “Enforcement is charged with and proud to ferret out and hold responsible those who engage in treacherous behavior. But this case is a stark reminder that enforcement needs the community to partner with us. If you see something, you must say something. We are pleased and grateful to the men and women of the FBI for disrupting Musleh’s plans.”
“This matter is another instance of the nature of terrorism and its pervasive reach into our communities. It also emphasizes the invaluable partnerships the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force has with our state and local partners to identify and disrupt the activities of those like Akram Musleh - who remained unwavering in his allegiance to ISIS,” said Robert Middleton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Indianapolis Division. “Today's sentence highlights the dedication of all involved who work tirelessly every day to prevent acts of terrorism around the globe.”
According to Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. Rinka, who leads the office’s National Security Unit, Musleh was also ordered to serve 140 months’ supervised release following his incarceration.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to identifying, disrupting and prosecuting those who engage in international and domestic terrorism. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 1.1.
Baton Rouge Man Convicted in Federal Court of Illegally Possessing Five Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that DOUGLAS D. CHENEVERT III, a 40-year old resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been convicted of possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. As a result of his conviction, CHENEVERT now faces a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison, significant fines and a period of supervised release.
In a hearing before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly Dick on June 20, 2019, CHENEVERT pled guilty to possessing: a Smith and Wesson, model SD9VE, 9mm caliber semiautomatic pistol; thirteen (13) 9mm caliber Winchester cartridges; an Ithaca, 12 gauge shotgun; a Berretta ARX Model 160, .22 caliber rifle; a Ruger Model AR556 .223 caliber rifle; and a Taurus Judge .410 gauge/.45 Long Colt Caliber pistol. CHENEVERT had previously been convicted of simple burglary in 1998 in East Baton Rouge Parish.
On July 14, 2018, Baton Rouge City Police responded to a burglary at a cell phone shop on North Foster Drive. An officer observed two men enter the shop. As the two men left the shop in a stolen pickup truck, the officer attempted a traffic stop. The driver fled and, after a short chase, wrecked the truck. Both men then fled on foot. A canine officer and his dog quickly apprehended CHENEVERT, the driver of the pickup truck. The officers found the Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol in CHENEVERT’s clothing, loaded with 13 rounds of Winchester ammunition.
A residence located on East Brookstown, which CHENEVERT used as a rental property, was searched. Officers found and recovered the additional four firearms. At the hearing, CHENEVERT admitted he knowingly had constructive possession of the firearms and had the power to exercise dominion and control over the firearms stored in the residence.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Unfortunately, guns are possessed and used unlawfully during the commission of other crimes. This case is yet another example of the dangers our local law enforcement officers face when they confront felons in possession of a firearm. My office is strongly committed to enforcing our nation’s gun laws. I commend our prosecutor and our federal and local partners for their outstanding work in obtaining this conviction.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Baton Rouge City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Lyman E. Thornton III is prosecuting the case.
Aurora Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
DENVER -- Alan Alonzo Williams, age 56, of Aurora, Colorado was sentenced last week by U.S. District Court Judge Robert Blackburn to serve 84 months in federal prison followed by 5 years on supervised release for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn, IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Caramucci, and FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips.
Williams, who was sentenced on June 19, 2019 had pled guilty on January 12, 2017, but his sentencing hearing was delayed several times at his request. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,146,828.28 to the lenders he pled guilty to defrauding.
According to the indictment and plea agreement, Williams wanted to obtain funds for himself and for Williams Vending Company, Inc. (WVC), a company established by Williams and his parents that sold, leased, repaired and operated vending machines. Williams was unable to qualify for bank loans due to his prior felony convictions and status as a parolee. He engaged the involvement of a third party, Ms. X, who had no true ownership interest in WVC to represent that she was its president in order to obtain loans on behalf of WVC. In actuality, Williams controlled the finances and operations of WVC. Williams knew that Ms. X had a serious drug problem, and exploited her habit by causing her to sign various documents and then providing her with money, which she would use to buy drugs to get high.
In 2007, Williams had Ms. X sign a contract to purchase a home in Denver, and he later arranged for her to obtain a $800,000 loan to purchase the property. Williams caused false information about Ms. X’s financial status, including fraudulent Forms W-2 and earning statements, to be submitted to the lender in order to make it appear that she qualified for the loan.
Williams subsequently arranged for three bank accounts to be opened in WVC’s name and gave Ms. X sole signature authority over the accounts. He nonetheless maintained control over the accounts. He later worked through loan brokers in order to obtain Small Business Administration loans for WVC. Much of the information that Williams submitted in order to obtain the loans was false. The false information included that Ms. X was the president and sole owner of WVC, that she had many years of management experience, that she currently earned a substantial salary at WVC, and that she had substantial assets and resided in a $1.1 million home. None of that was true.
Williams also told the brokers that WVC focused on proving vending products to government offices and agencies, as Ms. X qualified as a minority business owner and the company qualified as a minority contractor. Williams similarly obtained a loan by representing that WVC had a contract to provide vending services for three major apartment complexes, when there was no such contract. William misrepresented to the lenders how the loan proceeds would be used. He presented documents purporting to be agreements between various government agencies and WVC to the lenders when, in fact, WVC did not have agreements with those agencies. Williams did not use all the loan proceeds to pay creditors as required by the terms of the loans. Williams used a large portion of the proceeds for his own purposes, rather than for the purposes authorized for the SBA guaranteed loan.
The loans Williams obtained for WVC through these fraudulent means including a loan for $800,000 and additional loans for $360,000. Williams also attempted to obtain another loan for $550,000, which was declined by the lender.
“Fraud hurts our economy and hurts victims, as was the case here,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “The seven year federal prison sentence is an appropriate outcome for this defendant’s attempt at cheating the system.”
“Williams’ scheme was about driven greed and a blatant disregard for the damage inflicted on the banking system. Today’s sentence sends a message that bank fraud will ultimately cost the fraudster," said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin Caramucci.
"The FBI is committed to aggressively pursuing those who commit bank fraud. Falsifying information on a loan application and lying to a lender to facilitate approval for a loan is a felony,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. “We hope the recent sentencing of Alan Alonzo Williams will deter others who engage in these types of fraud schemes.”
This case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the FBI. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Weber.
Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charge and Admits Selling Opioids after Posting Ads on CraigslistRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Downey-based attorney pleaded guilty this afternoon to a federal narcotics distribution charge for illegally selling more than 1,000 oxycodone pills after offering the opioid drugs for sale on Craigslist.
Jackie Ferrari, 36, a resident of Downey, pleaded guilty to one count of illegally distributing oxycodone.
According to court documents, Ferrari sold a law enforcement source 50 oxycodone pills for $1,200 during a transaction on January 10. Ferrari was arrested in this case on January 18 after agreeing to sell the source another 180 pills for $4,100.
The investigation into Ferrari began after a 22-year-old woman died in August 2018 of a fentanyl overdose, and text messages on the victim’s phone initially indicated that she may have purchased the narcotics from a drug trafficker associated with Ferrari. While investigators did not link Ferrari to that overdose death, they opened an investigation “based on evidence…that she is a large-scale trafficker in opiates via the website Craigslist” and information developed by two local police departments tying Ferrari to drug trafficking activities in late 2017, according to an affidavit filed in this case.
Court documents describe how Ferrari posted ads on Craiglist offering oxycodone and other drugs under coded names such as “foxy roxy dolls,” which referred to Roxicodone, a short-acting version of oxycodone. In her plea agreement, Ferrari admitted informing customers that they would be required to ingest a pill in her presence, to verify that they were not law enforcement.
As a result of today’s guilty plea, Ferrari will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison when she is sentenced on October 21 by United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald.
The investigation into Ferrari is being conducted by the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, which operates under the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The investigation is being led by DEA agents and deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The Costa Mesa Police Department and the Cypress Police Department provided substantial assistance in the investigation.
The case against Ferrari is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Barron, Chief of the Santa Ana Branch Office, and A. Carley Palmer of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering & Racketeering Section.
Attorney General William P. Barr Announces Recipients for the 33rd Annual Attorney General's Volunteer AwardsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the recipients for the 33rd Annual Attorney General’s Volunteer Awards Ceremony, awarded to those within the Department of Justice, and members of the general public, who have shown admirable dedication to improving their communities. These awards are separated into two different categories, the Attorney General’s Volunteer Award for Community Service and the Attorney General’s Citizen Volunteer Service Award.
The first award, the Attorney General’s Volunteer Award for Community Service, is awarded to an employee or group of employees from the Department, who have shown exemplary community service efforts. The recipients of this year’s award are:
- Brian K. Caserta, U.S. Marshal Service, for his work with the Sports Training Academics Recreation/Police Athletics League to empower youth and build a safer community through positive encounters with law enforcement in San Diego, California;
- Roland L. Hankey II, FBI, for his service as an Emergency Medical Technician with the Culpeper County (Virginia) Volunteer Rescue Squad;
- Drew Yeates, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, for his sustained pro bona work with the Safe Harbor Crisis Center in Layton, Utah, assisting victims of domestic violence.
The second award, the Attorney General’s Citizen Volunteer Service Award, is awarded to members of the public for their outstanding volunteer contributions towards the Department’s mission. The recipients of this year’s award are:
- Laura D. Martin and Patricia A. Torchia, for their volunteer service providing inmates with re-entry life skills at the Federal Medical Center - Rochester, Minnesota;
- Max Schachter, for his relentless work supporting the creation of national school safety best practices as Founder and CEO of Safe Schools for Alex.
“Today we honor these exceptional men and women for their remarkable contributions to protecting and improving their communities,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “To take only a few examples, they have strived to keep schoolchildren safe, empowered victims of domestic violence, provided inmates with re-entry life skills, and fostered trust between law enforcement and youth. Our awardees’ communities have been made immeasurably better for their efforts. The Department of Justice and a grateful country thank them for their work.”
Anamosa Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Helping to Fence Stolen GunsRead the Press Release
An Anamosa man who helped fence stolen firearms was sentenced on June 20, 2019, to seven years in federal prison.
David A. Miller, age 48, from Anamosa, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 14, 2019, guilty plea to one count of possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the guilty plea and other court hearings, evidence established that, in March 2017, Miller received seven guns from another felon in rural Anamosa. Miller agreed to take the seven guns to a third man’s home in Olin in order to facilitate a trade of the guns for a stolen four-wheeler. Officers later found the guns during a search of the Olin man’s home. Then, in January 2018, officers found an eighth firearm during a search of a shop at Miller’s home. Miller was storing the eighth firearm for his son, after his son’s mother kicked the son out of her house.
Miller has an extensive criminal history, which includes more than 30 adult criminal convictions, including five drunk driving convictions and a conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine in Benton County. Miller was on pretrial release in state court in Jones County for a felony theft charge when he received the seven stolen firearms.
Miller was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Miller was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Miller is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tim Vavricek and investigated by the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-99-CJW.
Abingdon Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – An Abingdon man, who posted pictures on social media of himself posing with a rifle and appearing to be high on drugs while making threats to others, was sentenced last week in U.S. District Court to 41 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and distribution of cocaine, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced today.
Christopher Lewis Johnson, 27, previously pleaded guilty to a two count Indictment charging him with the illegal possession of firearms and ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony punishable for a term of more than one year and distribution of cocaine.
According to documents filed with the court, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office received a call on August 22, 2018, that Johnson had posted pictures and videos online that appeared to show him high on drugs, armed with a rifle, and making threats to himself and others. It also appeared that Johnson was actively searching online for drugs and drug dealers. When authorities from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded, Johnson came out of his apartment armed with an AR-riffle and, after a struggle, was taken into custody. Witnesses also described Johnson as armed and told police he was known to shoot exploding targets outside of his apartment. Court documents further revealed that on a separate occasion, Johnson distributed cocaine to a confidential informant working with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, prosecuted the case for the United States.
23 June 2019
More Charges Filed in St. Louis Area Armed Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
Three men accused of committing a string of armed robberies in the St. Louis metropolitan area are facing new charges in the Southern District of Illinois. Jalon Moore and Garry Johnson, of St. Louis, and Larry Rhines, of Collinsville, Illinois, have been charged in a superseding federal indictment with conspiracy to commit multiple armed robberies, two counts of business robbery, one count of bank robbery, and using firearms to commit each of those robberies.
According to the indictment, Moore, Johnson, and Rhines, all 22 years old, are responsible for robbing at gunpoint a Sprint store in Fairview Heights on March 9, 2019, and a Marco’s Pizza in Collinsville on March 28, 2019. Moore and Rhines were also charged with the armed robbery of a GCS Credit Union in Collinsville on March 30, 2019.
The three defendants are also under federal indictment in the Eastern District of Missouri for similar crimes arising from a string of armed robberies of the following businesses in St. Louis:
• The Mack Bar and Grill on January 9, 2019;
• A Jimmy John’s on February 9, 2019;
• A Subway restaurant on February 17, 2019;
• A Panda Express on March 18, 2019; and
• A Sprint store on March 21, 2019.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted of all charges, the three defendants could be facing decades in prison. The conspiracy charge and individual armed robbery counts each carry a 20-year maximum term of imprisonment. Using a firearm in furtherance of the robberies carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years and is punishable by as much as life imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, and the Fairview Heights Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandria M. Burns.
Mailing Threatening Letters Leads to New Charges for Federal InmateRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Jonathan Wade Bohn, 43, of West Frankfort, Illinois, in the October 2014 mailing of two threatening letters to officials in Franklin County, Illinois.
The indictment alleges that Bohn was incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Center in Allenwood, Pennsylvania, when he sent a letter threatening to kill certain Franklin County law enforcement officers and officials. Two weeks later, Bohn allegedly sent another threatening letter, this time to the Franklin County clerk of court, claiming there was a bomb inside a Franklin County school that would detonate the following day. This second letter caused the closing of nine public schools, affecting over 6,400 students.
Mailing a threatening communication carries a maximum possible sentence of 5 years imprisonment. Threatening to use an explosive device is punishable by as much as 10 years in prison. If convicted, Bohn also faces a fine of up to $250,000 and 3 years of supervised release on each count.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
According to the Bureau of Prisons website, Bohn is now being housed at a high-security facility in Florida and is currently scheduled for release in August 2022.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Benton, Illinois Police Department. The case is being prosecuted in the Southern District of Illinois by Assistant United States Attorney Ranley R. Killian.
Edwardsville Man Gets 20 Years for Nude Photos of ToddlerRead the Press Release
Tyler S. Seibold, 31, of Edwardsville, Illinois, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for production of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today. U.S. District Court Judge Staci M. Yandle handed down the sentence after Seibold pleaded guilty to a two-count indictment in March 2019. There was no plea agreement entered in the case.
An investigation by the FBI and the Illinois State Police-Forensic Computer Crime Unit revealed that on several occasions between November 2017 and May 2018 an IP address assigned to Seibold downloaded multiple images and videos of child pornography using a peer to peer file-sharing program. In June 2018, agents served a search warrant on Seibold’s Edwardsville residence and seized several computers, cell phones, and other data storage devices. A forensic search of those devices revealed what appeared to be self-produced photographs of a nude 3 year old girl.
Agents soon determined that the girl was related to Seibold and contacted her mother, who confirmed that the dates on the photographs coincided with family events and trips. The child then disclosed to her mother that Seibold had also exposed himself to her. At sentencing, both of her parents provided statements about the emotional impact Seibold’s crimes have had their daughter, who is now in counseling to deal with the aftermath of the abuse.
Seibold claimed that his punishment should be less severe because he has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but Judge Yandle was not persuaded, observing that Seibold had never been diagnosed with ASD before. She also found that Seibold’s expert witness did not use the proper testing methods and did not have the necessary qualifications to make an ASD diagnosis.
As part of his sentence, Seibold was ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release, during which time he will be required to undergo sex offender treatment, forgo possession of any cameras or visual recording devices, and have no unsupervised contact with minor females.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Illinois State Police Forensic Unit, and officers with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hoell.
21 June 2019
Wolf Point man sentenced in drunken driving fatal crashRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS— Wolf Point resident Andrew Preston Martell, who admitted he had been driving drunk when he crashed his vehicle and killed a passenger on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation last October, was sentenced on June 20 to 40 months in prison and to three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Martell, 32, pleaded guilty in March to involuntary manslaughter.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
Prosecutors said the crash occurred at about 10 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2018 on a county road known as Swimming Pool Road, near Wolf Point. Martell had been drinking alcohol heavily throughout the evening and was driving around the reservation with two female passengers. Martell drove off the straight road and crashed in a ditch. The vehicle rotated and rolled end over end coming to rest on the driver’s side. All three occupants were trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by emergency responders. One of the passengers was impaled by a crutch in the vehicle and died at the scene. Martell’s blood alcohol concentration was about 0.182 percent.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassady Adams prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Montana Highway Patrol, Wolf Point Police Department and Fort Peck Tribes Law Enforcement.
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Virginia Tax Lobbyist Pleads Guilty to Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
An Alexandria, Virginia, tax lobbyist pleaded guilty today to willfully filing a false tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia.
According to court documents, attorney James F. Miller, 67, underreported his gross income on his 2010 through 2014 tax returns by approximately $2,215,587. Miller, a tax policy lobbyist and former employee of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, filed multiple false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). These returns omitted substantial portions of the partnership income he received from two law firms he worked at and the gross receipts of his own lobbying firm. The total tax loss resulting from Miller’s fraudulent conduct was approximately $735,933.
Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 27, 2019. Miller faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison, a term of supervised release, and monetary penalties. In addition, Miller agreed to pay $735,933 restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Terwilliger thanked agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and AUSA Ryan S. Faulconer and Trial Attorney Terri-Lei O’Malley of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Utica Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Aaron Bohannon, age 52, of Utica, New York, was charged today with distributing and possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office.
Bohannon made his initial appearance in federal court today before United States Magistrate Thérèse Wiley Dancks, who ordered that he be detained pending resolution of the charges.
The criminal complaint filed against Bohannon alleges that in January 2019, he distributed child pornography by uploading images and videos to a social media platform. Further, the complaint alleges that Bohannon had material depicting child pornography on one his mobile devices at the time of his arrest.
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, Bohannon faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life, and mandatory registration 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 New York State Police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the Utica Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Two Suburban Chicago Men Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Two men from a north suburb of Chicago have been convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, a foreign terrorist organization also known as ISIS.
The jury in federal court in Chicago on Thursday convicted JOSEPH D. JONES, 37, and EDWARD SCHIMENTI, 37, both of Zion, on one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS. Schimenti was also convicted on one count of making false statements to the FBI.
The material support charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the false statement count carries a maximum sentence of eight years. U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood did not immediately set a sentencing date. A status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 14, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
The convictions were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI. The Zion Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas, Rajnath Laud and David Rojas of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Alexandra S. Hughes of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Evidence at trial revealed that Jones and Schimenti advocated on social media for violent extremism in support of the terrorist group. In 2015, Jones and Schimenti began meeting with undercover FBI employees and individuals who were cooperating with law enforcement. During the meetings, Jones and Schimenti discussed their devotion to ISIS and their commitment to ISIS principles. Many of these meetings occurred in the north suburbs of Chicago. Jones and Schimenti at one point shared photographs of themselves holding the ISIS flag at the Illinois Beach State Park in Zion.
In 2017, the pair furnished cellular phones to a cooperating individual, believing the phones would be used to detonate explosive devices in ISIS attacks overseas. On April 7, 2017, Jones and Schimenti drove the cooperating individual to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, with the understanding that the cooperating individual would be traveling to Syria to fight with ISIS.
The false statement conviction against Schimenti stems from the materially false statements he gave to the FBI after his arrest. During the interview, Schimenti said he had never engaged in conversations about bomb detonators, and that he was under the impression the phones would be repaired and re-sold and not used for any other purpose.
Two Suburban Chicago Men Convicted of Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Two men from a north suburb of Chicago have been convicted of conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, a foreign terrorist organization also known as ISIS. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. and Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey S. Sallet of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The jury in federal court in Chicago on Thursday convicted Joseph D. Jones, 37, and Edward Schimenti, 37, both of Zion, Illinois, on one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS. Schimenti was also convicted on one count of making false statements to the FBI.
The material support charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while the false statement count carries a maximum sentence of eight years. U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood did not immediately set a sentencing date. A status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 14, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Evidence at trial revealed that Jones and Schimenti advocated on social media for violent extremism in support of the terrorist group. In 2015, Jones and Schimenti began meeting with undercover FBI employees and individuals who were cooperating with law enforcement. During the meetings, Jones and Schimenti discussed their devotion to ISIS and their commitment to ISIS’ violent extremist principles. Many of these meetings occurred in the north suburbs of Chicago. Jones and Schimenti at one point shared photographs of themselves holding the ISIS flag at the Illinois Beach State Park in Zion.
In 2017, the pair furnished cellular phones to a cooperating individual, believing the phones would be used to detonate explosive devices in ISIS attacks overseas. On April 7, 2017, Jones and Schimenti drove the cooperating individual to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, with the understanding that the cooperating individual would be traveling to Syria to fight with ISIS.
The false statement conviction against Schimenti stems from the materially false statements he gave to the FBI after his arrest. During the interview, Schimenti said he had never engaged in conversations about bomb detonators, and that he was under the impression the phones would be repaired and re-sold and not used for any other purpose.
The Zion Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas, Rajnath Laud and David Rojas of the Northern District of Illinois and Trial Attorney Alexandra S. Hughes of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Division.
Two Men Sentenced for $2.5 Million Narcotics Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An international narcotics trafficker from the Dominican Republic and a narcotics trafficker from New York City were sentenced today to a combined 17 years in prison for their respective roles in a multi-million dollar conspiracy to purchase 100 kilograms of cocaine.
According to court documents and evidence presented at a related trial, Luis Rafael Tavarez, aka “El Primo,” 37, traveled from New York to Northern Virginia in October 2018 with co-defendants Manny Lizardo, 24, and Luis Liriano-Toribio, 32, to obtain 100 kilograms of cocaine in exchange for $2.5 million in cash. Law enforcement seized over $1.15 million in cash at the time of the arrests.
Tavarez was sentenced to ten and a half years in prison, while Lizardo was sentenced to six and a half years. Liriano-Toribio was convicted by a federal jury on March 18 and will be sentenced on June 28.
On several occasions in September and October 2018, Tavarez reaffirmed his desire to travel to Virginia to conduct a large drug transaction whereby he would pay $25,000 per kilogram of cocaine. In connection with this multi-million dollar deal, Tavarez sought an additional vehicle, known to narcotics traffickers as a “trap vehicle,” to split large amounts of cocaine into separate cars in order to minimize the risk of potentially losing the entire shipment in the event that law enforcement stopped one of the vehicles. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Tavarez used multiple telephones, an alias, and encrypted communication platforms, including with Lizardo and Liriano-Toribio, because he believed those measures would minimize the risk of law enforcement detection.
Tavarez previously admitted that Lizardo and Liriano-Toribio traveled to Northern Virginia to assist him in trafficking and/or transporting the large shipment of cocaine back to New York. Tavarez served as the leader and organizer of the operation, and was arrested at a hotel in Vienna in possession of over $1 million dollars in cash. Lizardo and Liriano-Toribio were arrested in a parking garage in Fairfax while both men were attempting to take possession of the cocaine.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, and Colonel James Morris, Vienna Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh 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. 1:18-cr-426.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Defrauding Bank of Nearly $5 MillionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today that a Tulsa man was ordered to federal prison for defrauding a bank of nearly $5 million and for bankruptcy fraud. In December, Zealand Benjamin Thigpen III, 68, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to defrauding Arvest Bank of $4,754,488 from 2015 to 2017.
U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Thigpen to 33 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Eagan further ordered a criminal forfeiture money judgement in the sum of $4,754,488.40 representing proceeds obtained through his crimes.
“Thigpen swindled millions. He perpetrated a fraud on both Arvest Bank and the Small Business Administration. While he sits in federal prison for the next 33 months, the United States Attorney’s Office will return his illegally begotten proceeds to the victims of his fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “I commend the investigators from the Department of Treasury and Small Business Administration, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Leitch. They discovered and exposed Thigpen’s scheme, then brought him to justice.”
As part of his scheme, Thigpen owned and operated Julimar Trading, LLC., which bought and sold refined metal alloys, principally for the production of steel. Julimar’s operations were funded by Avrest Bank and, in part, guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. The bank financing was secured by his company’s inventory and accounts receivable, as well as Thigpen’s personal guarantees. When submitting financial documentation to the bank on October 4, 2016, Thigpen provided false information about the value of Julimar’s inventory and accounts receivable, explaining the inventory was worth $5,816,335. As a result, Arvest and Small Business Administration continued his line of credit under false pretenses. In fact, the accounts receivable and inventory were nearly non-existent.
Later, on November 18, 2016, Thigpen filed pursuant to Chapter 7 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, and once again lied about Julimar’s inventory, stating that it was worth just over $3.3 million, when he was fully aware it only totaled only a few thousand dollars.
Thigpen was remanded int0 the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer into a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
This case resulted from a joint investigation performed by the Offices of Inspectors General of the Department of the Treasury and the Small Business Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin C. Leitch
Trio Sentenced in Scheme to Smuggle Methamphetamine into Calhoun State PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY – The final defendant involved in a scheme to smuggle drugs to inmates in prison was sentenced late Thursday afternoon, announced Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District. Crystal Avery, 37, of Lithia Springs, GA was sentenced on June 20, 2019 by the Honorable W. Louis Sands to 48 months imprisonment on her admission of guilt to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Two co-conspirators have already been sentenced. Former Calhoun State Prison inmate, Cody Brousshard, 35, of Lawrenceville, GA previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and was sentenced on April 30, 2019 to serve 144 months imprisonment consecutive to his state sentences by the Honorable Leslie A. Gardner. Timothy Bailey, 31, of Lawrenceville, GA was sentenced to 36 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine by U.S. District Judge Sands. Mr. Bailey also previously pleaded guilty to his crime. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to the facts in the plea agreements, Mr. Brousshard was an inmate in Calhoun State Prison and directed the acquisition, packaging and delivery of methamphetamine to two Georgia prisons on several occasions. Mr. Brousshard admitted to using a cell phone, illegally hidden inside the prisons, to direct the methamphetamine deliveries inside both Dooly State Prison and Calhoun State Prison, where he was transferred. Mr. Bailey and Ms. Avery were caught by Calhoun County deputies in May 2018 shortly after hiding a camouflaged bundle containing 57 grams of methamphetamine in a field behind Calhoun State Prison for an inmate work detail to retrieve and smuggle inside the prison.
“Contraband cellphones are being used by inmates to control the activity of large criminal networks operating outside the prisons, and we consider this a major threat to the safety of citizens not only in the Middle District, but throughout the nation,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “These cell phones are weapons being used by incarcerated, convicted criminals to continue to wreak havoc both inside and outside prison walls. I am proud of the work our office and our law enforcement partners are doing to combat this emerging threat.”
The case was investigated by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Department, the Georgia Department of Corrections and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
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Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Andrew T. Maliska, 27, of Nashville, Tennessee, pled guilty on Monday, June 17 to cyberstalking in the District of Columbia following an investigation into the creation and circulation of doctored images, related postings, and the personal information of the victim.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and John P. Selleck, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Maliska was indicted by a grand jury on one count of cyberstalking and indicted on two counts of identity theft. The indictment was unsealed on May 24, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
According to the government’s evidence, Maliska resided in the District of Columbia from September 2009 until June 2013, where he studied at a local university and met the victim. The indictment alleges that during the course of his friendship with the victim, Maliska without authorization, accessed and obtained non-sexual images from the victim’s social media accounts. According to the indictment, Maliska then doctored those images to sexualize them and posted them on various online forums.
The indictment alleges that Maliska also posted the victim’s name, phone number, and address on an escort website in May of 2015. This posting resulted in the victim receiving multiple inquiries from individuals seeking escort services from her. The indictment further alleges that the nature of the other postings were pornographic, racist, and defamatory.
The victim and her family filed a civil suit against Maliska in October of 2015. The following year, the victim and her family obtained a civil settlement in which Maliska acknowledged the postings and content were authored by him, stated he would remove the content, and agreed that he would refrain from engaging in further defamatory postings of the victim.
As alleged in the indictment, in August 2017, after Maliska entered into the civil settlement, he continued to commission sexual images of the victim, posted about the victim, and reactivated a fake social media account in her name. The indictment alleges that Maliska used the victim’s name, biographical information, and images to create the fake social media account. Maliska used the fake social media account to befriend and communicate with others online.
The charge of cyberstalking carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and potential financial penalties.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Youli Lee and Charles Willoughby, paralegal Diane Brashears, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sumit Mallick, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron Jones of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Middle District of Tennessee and Bianca Evans, formerly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Ten Additional Latin Dragon Members Charged with Racketeering Conspiracy Including Five Members Charged with Involvement in Four Separate MurdersRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Ten additional members of the criminal street gang, the Latin Dragon Nation, have been charged with racketeering conspiracy and other related offenses in a fourth superseding indictment unsealed today, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to the fourth superseding indictment, the Latin Dragons Nation is a criminal street gang that originated in Chicago and spread to other areas, including the Northern District of Indiana. Members and associates of the Latin Dragons Nation allegedly engage in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, witness tampering, and assault, to protect the gang’s territory.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Gang members should not get comfortable in the Northern District of Indiana. We will never tolerate gang violence. Together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively prosecute gang members for their criminal activity and seek appropriately lengthy prison sentences. Gang activity does not stop at the state line, and as evidenced by the charges announced today, neither do our investigations and prosecutions. Gangs terrorize our neighborhoods and put innocent lives at grave risk. My office will do everything we can to prevent and defeat gang activity like this.”
The ten additional defendants charged in the fourteen-count indictment are Ralph Daniel Mendez, 44, of Chicago, Illinois; Javier Aguilera, 26, of Chicago, Illinois; Jonathan Arevalo, 26, of Gary, Indiana; Nico Mata, 25, of Hammond, Indiana; Alec Nathaniel Aguilar, 20, of Chicago, Illinois; Justin Anaya, 18, of Chicago, Illinois; Keenan Seymour, 19, of Chicago, Illinois; David White, 24, of Chicago, Illinois; Tiffany Barragan, 21, of Chicago, Illinois; and Angelina Vilella, 20, of Chicago, Illinois.
In the fourth superseding indictment, Ralph Mendez, Jr., is also charged with the murder of Jose Gomez on May 23, 2017, in Chicago, Illinois. Ralph Mendez, Jr., and David White are also charged with the murder of Mike Whitford on July 14, 2017, in Chicago, Illinois.
In addition, Justin Anaya and Alec Nathaniel Aguilar are alleged to have killed Gustavo Garcia on July 14, 2017, in Chicago, Illinois. Justin Anaya, Alec Nathaniel Aguilar, and Keenan Seymour are alleged to have killed Manuel Salazar on November 24, 2017, in Chicago, Illinois.
The previously indicted defendants charged in this case are Manuel Diaz, 28, of Hammond, Indiana; Eduardo Diaz-Corral, 20, of Calumet City, Illinois; Ralph Mendez, Jr., 23, of Chicago, Illinois; Joseph Daniel Roggenkamp, 21, of East Chicago, Indiana; Gustavo Colunga, 26, of Hammond, Indiana; Joshua Harris-White, 25, of Chicago, Illinois; and Luis Colunga, 29, of Chicago, Illinois. In this superseding indictment, additional murders and crimes of violence are alleged to have been committed by several of the previously charged defendants. Specifically, Diaz-Corral and Diaz allegedly participated, respectively, in the murders of Paul Cruz on November 20, 2016, in Chicago, and Charles Berrios on September 30, 2017, in Hammond, Indiana.
The fourth superseding indictment is part of ongoing efforts to curb the activities of violent street gangs in the Northern District of Indiana.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Chicago Police Department Criminal Enterprise Unit; the Hammond Police Department; the Cook County Sheriff’s Office; the Bartlett Police Department; the East Chicago Police Department; the Merrillville Police Department; the Hobart Police Department; the Lake County Sheriff’s Department; and the Calumet City Police Department, with assistance from the Lake County, Indiana Prosecutor’s Office, the Cook County, Illinois State’s Attorney’s Office, the Indiana Department of Corrections, and the Illinois Department of Corrections. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph A. Cooley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Toth, with prior assistance from the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section Trial Attorneys Robert Tully, Andrew Creighton, and Hans Miller.
Sturgis Man Sentenced to 17.5 years for Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on June 18, 2019, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Joseph Bradshaw, age 37, was sentenced to 17.5 years in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He also forfeited 13 firearms collected during a search of his residence in October of 2017.
Bradshaw was indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm by a federal grand jury on October 24, 2017. He pled guilty on January 25, 2019.
Bradshaw received pounds of methamphetamine from a California supplier. The methamphetamine Bradshaw received was distributed in North Dakota and the Black Hills. Additional co-conspirators are pending sentencing and trials in Rapid City.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
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 its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Bradshaw was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Staten Island Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Investors in Virtual CurrencyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, Patrick McDonnell, also known as “Jason Flack,” pleaded guilty at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in virtual currency. When sentenced, McDonnell faces up to 20 years in prison as well as forfeiture and restitution to his victims. The plea took place before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the guilty plea.
“McDonnell has admitted that he used old-fashioned deception to defraud investors seeking to trade 21st century currencies,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute those who swindle the investing public to the full extent of the law.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the United States Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) for its significant cooperation and assistance in this case.
Between approximately November 2014 and January 2018, McDonnell portrayed himself as an experienced trader in virtual currency, promising investors he would provide trading advice and purchase and trade virtual currency on their behalf. Beginning in approximately May 2016, McDonnell made similar representations through his Staten Island-based company, CabbageTech, Corp., also known as Coin Drop Markets. However, neither McDonnell nor CabbageTech provided investment services. Instead, McDonnell sent investors false balance statements purportedly showing that their investments had been profitable, and stole their money for his personal use. McDonnell defrauded at least 10 victims of at least $194,000 in U.S. currency, 4.41 Bitcoin, 206 Litecoin, 620 Ethereum Classic and 1,342,634 Verge.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorney Hiral D. Mehta is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
PATRICK MCDONNELL (also known as “Jason Flack”)
Age: 46
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-148 (NGG)
Six Gangster Disciples Members, Including the “Enforcer” for the State of Tennessee, Plead Guilty to Federal Racketeering ChargesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Six Gangster Disciples, including the "Enforcer" for the State of Tennessee, have pled guilty to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the guilty pleas today.
These guilty pleas are the latest convictions in a large RICO conspiracy case, "Operation .38 Special", which was originally indicted in May, 2016, charging a total of 16 members of the Gangster Disciples criminal enterprise with racketeering. With the addition of these 6 recent guilty pleas, 14 of the 16 gang members have now been found guilty for their roles in the conspiracy. The following defendants pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Memphis over the last 2 weeks:
• Demarcus Crawford, 35, a/k/a "Trip," entered a guilty plea on June 7, 2019 to conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity. Crawford, during the time period covered in the superseding indictment, held the rank of Enforcer for the entire State of Tennessee for the Gangster Disciples.
• Shamar James, 40, a/k/a "Lionheart," entered his guilty plea to the racketeering charge on June 6, 2019. During the time period covered by the superseding indictment, he held various positions of authority for the Gangster Disciples criminal enterprise, including Governor of Memphis, First Coordinator of Memphis, and Event/Entertainment Coordinator.
• Demario Sprouse, 38, a/k/a "Taco," pled guilty on June 19, 2019 to the RICO conspiracy. Sprouse held the prior rank of Chief of Security for a section located within Memphis.
• Rico Harris, 46, a/k/a "Big Brim," and Denton Suggs, 43, a/k/a "Denton Morman," a/k/a "Denny Mo," a/k/a "Diddy Mo," both entered guilty pleas on June 7, 2019 to the RICO charge. They both had been members of a security team.
• Gerald Hampton, 33, a/k/a "G-30," who was also a member of a security team, entered his plea on June 13, 2019.
According to the superseding indictment, the defendants named in the RICO conspiracy committed attempted murders; robberies; assaults; distribution of large quantities of cocaine, crack and marijuana; firearms trafficking; kidnappings; intimidations of witnesses and victims; extortion; obstruction of justice; and other offenses in furtherance of the Gangster Disciples criminal enterprise and to promote and enhance the members’ position within the gang.
The leadership of the Gangster Disciples (GD) criminal enterprise is organized into different positions, including national board members; governors of governors who controlled multiple states or geographic regions; and governors, assistant governors, chief enforcers, chiefs of security, and security team members for each state or region within the state where the Gangster Disciples were active. They also have coordinators and leaders within each local group. To enforce discipline among Gangster Disciples and adherence to the criminal organization’s rules and structure, members and associates are routinely fined, beaten and even murdered for failing to follow the gang’s rules.
Other leaders and members of the Gangster Disciples have previously been sentenced for their roles in the RICO conspiracy, including: Byron Montrail Purdy, a/k/a "Lil B" or "Ghetto," 38, of Jackson, Tennessee, the GD Governor of Tennessee who received a sentence of 360 months; Derrick Kennedy Crumpton, a/k/a "38," 35, of Memphis, Tennessee, the GD Assistant Governor of Tennessee who was sentenced to 324 months; Henry Cooper, a/k/a Big Hen, 37, of Memphis, Tennessee, the GD Chief Regional Enforcer who received a sentence of 360 months; Tommy Earl Champion, Jr., a/k/a "Duct Tape," 29, of Jackson Tennessee, a GD Black Out Squad member who was sentenced to 360 months; and Daniel Lee Cole, a/k/a "D-Money," 38, a GD Assistant Governor in Jackson, Tennessee who received a sentence of 292 months.
According to the superseding indictment, the Gangster Disciples enterprise has a highly organized structure with a nationwide reach. In addition to Tennessee, the gang reportedly operates in more than 35 states.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Operation .38 Special demonstrates our ability and resolve to aggressively prosecute and hold accountable those who engage in organized criminal enterprises and gang conspiracies in furtherance of racketeering. This office is proud to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to disrupt the Gangster Disciples gang and punish their leaders and members for the violence and lawlessness that they perpetrate across West Tennessee. The message from these cases is clear: No matter what your role is in the conspiracy, or what your position,
title, or gang nickname is, if you are a member of a criminal gang, your days are numbered and there will be a reckoning."
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. as follows: Rico Harris on August 21, 2019; Shamar James on September 19, 2019; Denton Suggs on September 20, 2019; Demarcus Crawford on September 26, 2019; Gerald Hampton on September 27, 2019 and Demario Sprouse on October 3, 2019. Each defendant faces sentences of up to life in federal prison, not more than a $250,000 fine, plus 5 years supervised release along with a mandatory special assessment.
This prosecution was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program. OCDETF was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations, and to diminish the violence and other criminal activity associated with the drug trade. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, money laundering, and violent organizations.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Tennessee Bureau of Investigation; JPD Gang Enforcement Team; Memphis Police Department; Shelby County Sheriff’s Office; 28th District West Tennessee Drug Task Force; 26th, 25th, and 30th Judicial District Attorney’s General’s Offices; Sheriff’s Offices for Tipton, DeSoto, Madison, and Fayette Counties; and the Police Departments of Bartlett, Germantown and Columbia.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Beth Boswell and Annie Christoff of the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Shauna Hale of the Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Sharon Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Sharon woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to stealing Social Security benefits intended for her children.
Stacey Orlando, 59, pleaded guilty to two counts of theft of public funds. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Sept. 18, 2019. Orlando was charged and arrested in May 2018.
From May 2011 through October 2013, Orlando stole Social Security benefits that were paid to her on behalf of her two children. The Government alleges that Orlando stole approximately $35,716 in benefits.
The charge of theft of public funds provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Seven Maryland Residents Charged in Connection with Computer Fraud and Identity Theft Ring That Targeted State GovernmentsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – A federal grand jury has indicted Jason “J.R.” Trowbridge, age 40; Guy Cuomo, age 51; Robin Chapin, age 61; Anna Hardy, age 66; and Shamair Brison, age 33, all of Frederick, Maryland; and Rebecca Fogle, age 25, of Woodsboro, Maryland, and Sarah Bromfield, age 39, of Hagerstown, Maryland, in connection with their alleged roles in a scheme to obtain unauthorized access to information from state government computers in order to sell this information to debt collectors.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge, New York Region, United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
The indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to commit computer fraud, accessing a protected computer and obtaining information for commercial advantage and private financial gain, and aggravated identity theft.
The defendants operated or were employed by Paymerica Corporation, a Maryland-based company involved in researching place-of-employment information to assist debt collectors. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to gain unauthorized access to computers used by state governments in New York and other states for processing unemployment insurance applications. Members of the conspiracy created user accounts in the names of their victims, without the victims’ authorization, to obtain information about the victims’ current employers. The defendants then sold this information to third-party debt collectors seeking to collect money from the victims, including by garnishing the victims’ wages.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
If convicted, Trowbridge faces a mandatory 2-year term of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charges and up to 10 years in prison on the remaining charges. If convicted, Cuomo, Chapin, Hardy, and Brison each face a mandatory 2-year term of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charges and up to 5 years in prison on the remaining charges. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the New York State Department of Labor, Office of Special Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne A. Myers and Joshua R. Rosenthal.
Scott Brochu Charged with Transportation and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Scott Brochu, 47, of Essex, was charged yesterday by Indictment with unlawfully transporting child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(1), and possessing child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B). Brochu was arrested this morning near his residence in Essex, Vermont, and will appear this afternoon in federal court in Burlington. Brochu’s arrest was a result of an operation conducted by Vermont’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) during the week of May 13, 2019.
If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of twenty years of imprisonment on the transportation allegation, and a maximum of ten years of imprisonment on the possession allegation. The actual sentence however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the Indictment are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan commended the investigative efforts and collaboration of the Vermont’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (VT-ICAC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
VT-ICAC was formed in 2008. The Vermont Attorney General’s Office assumed responsibility for managing VT-ICAC in October of 2015. Since October of 2015, VT-ICAC has performed 915 investigations, received 834 CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and arrested 125 individuals for crimes against children. VT-ICAC also works extensively to educate Vermont communities about internet safety. In the past three years, VT-ICAC conducted 2,032 educational forums around the state.
The operation during the week of May 13 was a collaborative effort involving the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, the Vermont State Police, Homeland Security Investigations, the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office, Burlington Police Department, South Burlington Police Department, Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the University of Vermont Police Services.
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ophardt. Defendant Brochu is represented by Craig Nolan, Esq., of the law firm Sheehey Furlong, and Behm.
San Pedro Man Who Robbed Gardena Credit Union with Help of Employee Is Convicted of Conspiracy, Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Pedro resident was found guilty of being the gunman in the violent, takeover-style robbery of a Gardena credit union in which a credit union employee helped plan and execute the heist that netted $311,300.
Toyrieon Sessions, 29, a.k.a. “Phat” and “PhatStax,” was found guilty of three felonies: conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, armed bank robbery, and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
According to evidence presented at his four-day trial, Sessions was the gunman in the robbery of Northrop Grumman Federal Credit Union (“NGFCU”) on April 21, 2017. In addition to Sessions, the robbery involved two conspirators who previously have been convicted for their roles in the robbery:
- Daronnie Thompkins, 31, of Los Angeles, who organized the robbery, recruited Sessions to be the gunman, and knew the layout of the credit union; and
- Iris Lester, 28, of Los Angeles, a NGFCU employee who was Thompkins’ girlfriend at the time.
On the day of the robbery, Sessions entered the office building in which the credit union is located and walked past NGFCU’s main entrance, entering a side hallway directly to a men’s bathroom, according to trial evidence. Sessions waited in the men’s bathroom until Lester and another NGFCU employee exited the women’s bathroom. At that point, Sessions brandished a semi-automatic handgun and used it to force Lester, who was pretending to be a victim, and the other employee to provide access to the credit union’s vault room.
Once inside the vault room, Lester and the other NGFCU employee realized they did not have the key to open the vault. According to the evidence, Sessions allowed Lester to exit the vault room – but, instead of escaping, Lester returned with another credit union employee who was supposed to have the vault key. Lester then left the room a second time and retrieved the keys, but did not hit any panic buttons.
When Lester returned, Sessions forced her and the two other credit union employees onto their knees while pointing the handgun at each of them. Sessions stole a total of $311,300 from the credit union and placed the cash in a black trash bag before exiting the vault room and fleeing the scene in a silver Dodge Avenger.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr., has scheduled an October 4 sentencing hearing, where Sessions will face a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
After a bench trial in August 2018, Thompkins was convicted of conspiracy and armed bank robbery. Judge Birotte later sentenced him to nine years in federal prison.
Lester has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the case. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 25.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Los Angeles Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey M. Chemerinsky and Bruce K. Riordan of the Violent and Organized Crime Section.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Christopher Johnson, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to receipt of child pornography. The charge carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that Johnson was arrested in June 2018, after he distributed child pornography to an undercover FBI Agent via the Internet. This prompted law enforcement officers to execute a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Rochester where they seized his computers. Saved on the computers were approximately 52,372 images and 316 videos of child pornography, including videos and images that depicted the sexual abuse of infants and toddlers.
The plea is the result of an investigation by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Rochester Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief LaRon Singletary; and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 7, 2019, before Judge Siragusa.
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Retired Navy Service Member Sentenced to Twenty Years for Attempted Enticement of Minors to Engage in Sexual Activity and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Charles S. Leis (48, Tampa) to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of minors to engage in sexual activity and for possessing child pornography. The court also ordered Leis to pay $16,500 in restitution and to forfeit a laptop and a hard drive, which were used in furtherance of the commission of the offenses. Leis had pleaded guilty on March 26, 2019.
According to the plea agreement, on October 24, 2018, an FBI special agent in Orange County, Florida initiated an undercover investigation within an online chat group that alluded to “family fun.” Leis joined the chat group and initiated conversations with the undercover agent, who identified himself as the father of two girls, ages 9 and 11. During the span of several days, Leis solicited sex from the minors. In that process, Leis distributed images of child pornography to the “father” in an effort to prove that he was “real” about his intent to engage the “girls” in sexual activity. Leis made plans to meet the “girls” in Tampa on November 2, 2018. However, on that date, the agent could not locate Leis at the agreed upon location.
Further investigation revealed that around the same time (October 2018), Leis had been in contact with another FBI agent through another chat group. That undercover agent was acting as the father of 6 and 7-year-old girls. Leis also distributed child pornography to that agent and requested to have sexual intercourse with his “children.”
On November 29, 2018, FBI agents executed a search warrant at Leis’s home in Tampa and seized his computer. The computer had depictions of girls between 3 and 10 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilianys Rivera Miranda and Francis D. Murray.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Raleigh Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced DARYLE ALBERT MPONGO, 33, of Raleigh, to 41 months’ imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised released.
On November 27, 2018, MPONGO was named in a one-count Indictment charging him with Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon. On March 13, 2019, MPONGO pled guilty to the charge.
On April 9, 2018, officers of the Raleigh Police Department observed MPONGO conduct a hand-to-hand drug transaction with an unknown individual in an area known for drug distribution. Specifically, the officer observed an exchange of U.S. currency for several small items wrapped in plastic bags; however, officers were unable to determine whether MPONGO was the buyer or seller. MPONGO then entered the driver side of a vehicle occupied by another individual and left the area. officers stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation shortly thereafter. MPONGO then admitted to officers he was in possession of marijuana. A search of his person found three baggies containing a total of 5.17 grams of marijuana. A search of the vehicle found a .22 caliber pistol and 7 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case is also part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement. For more information about this initiative click on this link. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/tbnc.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case for the government.
Portuguese Shipping Company Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Oil Record Book and ObstructionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, Portline Bulk International S.A. pleaded guilty in federal court in Charleston, South Carolina, to one count of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships and one count of Obstruction. The charges stem from the falsification of the Oil Record Book onboard the M/V Achilleus, a Maltese-flagged ocean-going bulk carrier ship managed by Defendant Portline.
From April 2017 to August 2018, senior members of the vessel’s engineering team oversaw and participated in the bypass of the ship’s Oil Water Separator utilizing a yellow plastic hose, referred to as a magic pipe. The ship’s Chief Engineer made a series of fake entries and key omissions in the Oil Record Book in order to conceal the illegal overboard discharges of oily bilge water. On Aug. 14, 2018, the false Oil Record Book was presented to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) during an inspection in the Port of Charleston.
According to court documents, Portline has agreed to pay a criminal fine of $1.5 million when the company is sentenced at a future date. The company would also be placed on organizational probation for four years, which includes an environmental compliance plan.
“The world’s oceans are not a dumping ground for criminals who seek to evade our nation’s environmental laws,” said Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates the Department’s commitment to protecting coastal communities through rigorous enforcement of the rule of law.
“The South Carolina coast is one of the most beautiful parts of our nation,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon for the District of South Carolina. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office takes environmental crimes seriously, and corporations and individuals who endanger our valuable marine resources and wildlife by violating federal law will be held accountable. We are grateful to the Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Environment and Natural Resources Division for their ongoing partnership in protecting our waterways.”
“Our team of dedicated marine safety and pollution response professionals worked closely with the Coast Guard Investigative Service to investigate this incident and refer it for enforcement action,” said Captain John Reed, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston. “This case highlights the Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to the stewardship of the ocean and its critical marine environment.”
On June 17, 2019, the ship’s former Chief Engineer Anatoli Zotsenko and Second Engineer Valerii Pastushenko, who had previously pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, were sentenced to fines totaling $12,500 and three years’ probation. The probation term includes a special condition that bans Zotsenko and Pastushenko from entering ports and anchorages of the United States.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Charleston and the Coast Guard Investigative Service. The USCG Marine Safety Lab was critical to the analysis of oil samples taken from the vessel. The case was prosecuted by Christopher L. Hale of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Environmental Crimes Section and AUSA Matt Austin from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina.
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Pinon Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Prison for Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On June 17, 2019, Mardino Nathaniel George, 33, of Pinon, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 15 years’ imprisonment. George had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of illegal weapons possession in violation of the National Firearms Act.
George has a history of possessing illegal, homemade firearms on the Navajo Nation. On August 5, 2017, he was present at the scene of a violent crime while in possession of a pipe-gun destructive device capable of firing shotgun shells. On February 20, 2018, he was encountered by state and tribal law enforcement while in possession of another weapon, this time an altered rifle. George is a member of the Navajo Nation, and the offenses occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
Manufacturing or possessing these kinds of firearms is prohibited by federal law, and these crimes can carry very serious penalties. George was sentenced to 10 years’ prison for possessing the pipe-gun destructive device and 5 years’ prison for possessing the altered rifle, with the sentences for the two crimes to be served consecutively.
The investigation was conducted by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to over 11 Years for Meth Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on June 18, 2019, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Harold Brewer, Jr., age 29, was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brewer was indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm by a federal grand jury on November 16, 2016. He pled guilty on December 21, 2018.
Brewer worked with co-conspirators in selling and distributing methamphetamine in Rapid City and on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Additional co-conspirators are pending trials in Rapid City.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
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 its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Badlands Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Brewer was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Parent in College Admissions Case Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with paying bribes to facilitate the admission of his children to the University of Southern California as purported athletic recruits.
Toby Macfarlane, 56, of Del Mar, Calif., a former senior executive at a title insurance company, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Nov. 13, 2019.
According to court documents, Macfarlane agreed to pay Rick Singer $450,000 to participate in the college recruitment scheme for his children. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 15 months in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $95,000, restitution and forfeiture.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Panama City Marriage Fraud Defendant Sentenced to 7 YearsRead the Press Release
PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA – Ravi Babu Kolla, 47, an Indian foreign national residing in Panama City, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for conspiracy to commit marriage and visa fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentence was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Panama City received information from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office during November 2017 that an unusually large number of marriages were occurring in rural Alabama counties. The marriages almost always involved male Indian nationals from throughout the United States and local women from Bay County, Florida. The evidence established that Kolla organized over 80 fraudulent marriages, and the majority of the Indian nationals involved had overstayed their visas or Student Exchange Visitor Program requirements and were unlawfully present in the United States. Each bride was to be paid $12,000 over a defined period for agreeing to participate in a fraudulent marriage.
"Our nation relies on the security of our nation’s immigration system, and any kind of fraud committed to cheat that system is a serious matter," said United States Attorney Lawrence Keefe. "This investigation, and the sentence imposed today, confirms that those who abuse the immigration process will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
During June and July 2018, HSI Panama City executed a federal search warrant and three federal seizure warrants, resulting in the seizure of approximately $120,000 in suspected illicit proceeds, as well as documentary and electronic evidence related to numerous fraudulent marriages. Over $700,000 passed through Kolla’s bank accounts during the investigation. Currently, HSI Panama City is also coordinating with HSI New Delhi to locate and recover approximately $200,000 from the ICICI Bank in Mumbai, India, identified by investigators as additional proceeds from the marriage fraud enterprise.
This is an HSI-led investigation conducted with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Bay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Panama City, Blountstown, and Altha Police Departments, with assistance provided by sheriff’s offices in Coffee and Dale counties, Alabama. Assistant United States Attorney Corey J. Smith prosecuted the case.
"Marriage fraud is a serious crime that undermines our nation’s security," said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. "To help protect the legal immigration system and the values associated with U.S. citizenship, HSI special agents will continue to work with law enforcement partners to stop criminals that seek to circumvent our laws."
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
Operation Steel Penguin nets scores of arrests and seized firearms as part of focused enforcement effort targeting firearms violence in YoungstownRead the Press Release
Scores of suspected criminals were arrested and dozens of firearms seized as part of “Operation Steel Penguin,” which targeted people believed to illegally possess firearms.
It is a joint operation between the Youngstown Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, U.S. Attorney’s Office and Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office.
To date, 33 firearms were seized. Four people have been indicted in federal court. Additional people have been charged in the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas. Several investigations are ongoing and more indictments are expected.
“These cases involve people who are not allowed to have firearms because of past crimes,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “We will continue to work with police and federal agencies through Project Safe Neighborhoods to make Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley safer.”
Youngstown Police Chief Robin Lees said: “We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s office being responsive to the spike in murders we experienced the end of last year and convening a meeting in Youngstown to seek solutions. The result of that meeting being a focused and well-executed effort between federal, state and local agencies and was the key to the success of this program.”
“ATF’s primary mission is reducing violent gun crime in our country,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jonathan McPherson. “We are committed to working with our partners, including the Youngstown Police Department, the Ohio Adult Parole Authority, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office, to make the Mahoning Valley safer for all of our residents.”
“Convicted felons need to understand they will go back to prison if they carry a gun in Mahoning County,” Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains said. “This Office will continue to cooperate with federal authorities and target these violent people who threaten our community.”
“The APA would like to recognize the collaborative effort put together throughout this operation,” stated Alice M. Barr, Regional Administrator, Ohio Adult Parole Authority. “The success is a testament to the hard-working men and women in all departments represented. The efforts of those who worked this operation should not go unnoticed. We must continue working to make Ohio safer. It is paramount to ensure those who carry guns illegally understand it is not acceptable behavior.”
Members of the Youngstown Police Department, ATF and Ohio Adult Parole Authority gathered and shared intelligence to identify people considered to be at high risk to commit crime with firearms, particularly people on parole from state prison. This, combined with increased patrols, resulted in an increase in arrests and firearms seizures and a decrease in shootings compared to the same time last year.
Shawn Jones, 29, of Youngstown, was charged with a being a felon in possession of firearms. Jones possessed a .45-caliber pistol and ammunition on March 9, despite a previous state conviction for attempted murder and previous federal conviction for racketeering, according to court documents.
Jones was one of the founders of the LSP street gang in Youngstown, according to court records.
Barry Wallace II, 25, of Youngstown, was charged with a being a felon in possession of firearms. Wallace possessed a Ruger 9 mm pistol and ammunition on March 17, despite a previous convictions for possession of heroin and possession of cocaine, according to the indictment.
Kendal Dotson, 33, of Youngstown, was charged with a being a felon in possession of firearms. Dotson possessed a Star .40-caliber pistol and ammunition on March 28, despite a previous convictions for possession of heroin and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine, according to the indictment.
Airik Talbott, 30, of Campbell, was charged with a being a felon in possession of firearms. Talbott possessed a Glock .40-caliber pistol and ammunition on March 24, despite a previous convictions for aggravated robbery and escape, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendants’ sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants’ prior criminal record, the defendants’ role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
North Tonawanda Man, A Former Grand Juror, Admits to Leaking Grand Jury InformationRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Casey Lipps, 26, of North Tonawanda, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to committing contempt of court by impermissibly leaking secret grand jury information. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua A. Violanti and Brendan T. Cullinane, who are handling the case, stated that in October of 2016, the defendant was chosen to serve as a grand juror on a federal grand jury. However, in violation of an order from the Court to secret any and all matters involving the grand jury, Lipps impermissibly leaked grand jury information to others. In particular, the defendant revealed information to various persons concerning multiple targets of grand jury investigations. In addition, Lipps failed to provide complete information in response to law enforcement’s investigation into his leaking of grand jury information.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Buffalo Office, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 29, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced to Forty-One Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, JAMIE PAUL EARLY, age 36, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced to forty-one months of imprisonment for violating federal law by committing a bank robbery on July 27, 2018 at the Capital One Bank at 3001 Tulane Avenue in New Orleans. Additionally, EARLY must serve (3) years of supervised release and pay a !00.00 special assessment fee.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn McHugh.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JOHN JONES, age 45, of New Orleans, pled guilty Thursday, June 13, 2019 to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin on June 13, 2019.
According to court documents, JONES and others conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
JONES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and a maximum term of life imprisonment. A fine of up to $10,000,000 may also be imposed. JONES will be placed on supervised release after imprisonment for a period of not less than five years. Additionally, a $100 special assessment fee will be assessed. U.S. District Court Judge Ashe set sentencing for September 19, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih and Maria M. Carboni are in charge of the prosecution.
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Montgomery Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama- On June 20, 2019, Cody Eugene Mobley, 30, of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for federal drug trafficking and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant in June 2018 at Mobley’s residence and found a pound of crystal methamphetamine, drug distribution paraphernalia, and a number of firearms. Among the firearms found were a sawed-off shotgun, a pistol equipped with a silencer, and an AR-15 style rifle equipped with a bump stock.
In March 2019, a jury found Mobley guilty of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered short barrel shotgun and possession of an unregistered firearm silencer in connection with a drug distribution crime. A federal judge sentenced Mobley to ten years for the first four charges. The illegal possession of a silencer in connection with a drug distribution crime carries a mandatory minimum of 30 years, which will run consecutive to the ten-year sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Montgomery Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bates and Kevin Davidson.
Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Producing and Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – John D. Salisbury, age 48, of Hagaman, New York, pled guilty today to four counts of sexual exploitation of a child, and 1 count of transportation of child pornography.
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 part of his guilty plea, Salisbury admitted that on four occasions between October 2016 and February 2017, he used a hidden camera inside the bathroom of his residence to produce sexually explicit videos depicting a minor. Salisbury also admitted that he knowingly uploaded photos and videos depicting child pornography from a smartphone to an Internet-based email account.
Salisbury will be sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Norman A. Mordue on October 21, 2019. Salisbury faces a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison on each of the four counts of sexual exploitation, and between 5 and 20 years on the transportation count. Salisbury also can be sentenced to at least 5 years and up to lifetime post-imprisonment supervised release. He will also have to register as a sex offender when he is released from prison.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the New York State Police Troop G Computer Crimes Unit, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet J. O’Hanlon.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Montgomery County Man Convicted of Lying to Illegally Obtain FirearmRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Laurence Reinhard, 74, of Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania was convicted at trial of one count of making a false statement to a federal firearms licensee.
In 2014, the defendant pleaded guilty to providing malicious false information about an explosive and engaging in a hoax. As part of that guilty plea, he acknowledged that he would not be permitted to possess a firearm as a result of his felony convictions.
On March 10, 2018, he attempted to purchase a firearm, specifically a Smith and Wesson model 642 CT, .38 caliber from a federal firearms licensee. The defendant falsely stated that he had never been convicted of a felony on his application for the weapon.
“For good reasons, the United States regulates who is permitted to purchase and carry firearms -- it is a matter of maintaining public safety,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “In this case, the defendant – a previously convicted felon – lied in order to illegally obtain a weapon. I want to thank our law enforcement partners for their quick work in investigating this case and the jury for holding the defendant accountable for his crime.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Priya De Souza.
Money Laundering Charges Added in International Marijuana Conspiracy to Grow Marijuana in Houses in Sacramento and Placer CountiesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A grand jury returned a superseding indictment on Thursday that added money laundering charges to six defendants first charged in 2017 in a scheme to use money from China to buy houses to grow marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Charged with money laundering are Xiu Ping Li, 42 of New Jersey, Xiu Ru Li, 46, of Sacramento, Dao Zhong Wei, 50, of Sacramento, Shui Ping Zheng, 56, of Michigan, and Texas residents Kong Liang Li, 53, and You An Li, 53.
According to the charging documents, the defendants conspired with each other and others to wire transfer approximately $870,000 from China to buy six houses for growing marijuana or to pay off the lenders in order to continue growing marijuana in the house.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty on the money laundering charges of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the funds involved, or both. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.