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4 June 2019
Ohio man admits to crossing state lines to have illegal sexual contactRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Vincent Scott, of Hudson, Ohio, has admitted to a sex charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Scott, age 31, pled guilty last week to one count of “Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct.” Scott admitted to traveling from Ohio to Harrison County, West Virginia, to engage in illegal sexual conduct in February 2019.
Scott faces up to 30 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae Demasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bridgeport Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
North Canton man indicted for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid out $2 million, including allegedly billing for services performed on patients who were already deceasedRead the Press Release
A North Canton man was indicted for defrauding Medicare and Medicaid of approximately $2 million by billing for X-ray services that were not provided by his company, Portable Radiology Services.
Thomas G. O’Lear, 55, was charged with 25 counts of health care fraud and one count of false statements relating to health care matters.
O’Lear was the president of Portable Radiology Services, or PRS. The company had locations in Canton, North Canton, Uniontown and Cleveland. PRS provided portable X-ray related services to individuals residing in nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and long-term care facilities, according to the indictment.
O’Lear billed Medicaid and Medicare for X-ray services that PRS did not provide, including billing on approximately 151 occasions for having provided X-rays to deceased patients on dates that were after the patients had passed away, according to the indictment.
This occurred between approximately January 2013 and December 2017, according to the indictment.
O’Lear also allegedly attempted to cover up the health care fraud scheme by forging the signatures of medical professionals to falsely make it appear that services that PRS did not provide to patients, and that O’Lear billed the government for, were actually provided to patients, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan D. O’Shea and Mark S. Bennett, following an investigation by the United States Department of Health and Human Services -- Office of the Inspector General, the FBI, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan L. Metzler and Special Agent Jeremy Buening of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the 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.
New York Bookkeeper Admits Assisting Restaurant Owner Evade Federal TaxesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that IDALECIA LOPES SANTOS, 59, of Queens Village, New York, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Santos worked as an outside bookkeeper for Bruno DeFabio, an owner of several pizza restaurants in Connecticut and New York, including Pinocchio Pizza LLC, doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in New Canaan, Connecticut; Top Oven Restaurant Corp., doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in Wilton, Connecticut; DiFabio Brothers Pizza Corp., doing business as Amore Pizza in Scarsdale, New York; Odell Pizza, Inc., doing business as Amore Cucina and Bar in Stamford, Connecticut; Nepperhan Restaurants Group, Inc., doing business as ReNapoli Pizza, in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, and Homefield Restaurant Corp., doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in Pound Ridge, New York. During the times at issue, Santos was employed by two different New York-based accounting firms.
As a bookkeeper, Santos worked directly with DiFabio and his employees to determine relevant revenue, payroll and other operating figures for DiFabio’s businesses, and to assist in the preparation of corporate tax returns for the businesses, quarterly tax reporting regarding employee payroll, and the personal income tax returns for the owners.
In pleading guilty, Santos admitted that she and others at the accounting firms knew that DiFabio and his businesses engaged in a practice whereby cash was removed from the cash registers and not deposited into the restaurants’ operating bank accounts. Despite this knowledge, the accounting firms used the bank records to determine gross receipts of the businesses, and the cash that was removed from the registers was not reported to the IRS. This resulted in the understatement of income and taxes owed on DiFabio’s personal income tax returns.
Santos and others at her accounting firms, who assisted in the preparation of work papers and other documents used for tax return preparation, were also aware that DiFabio and his businesses used cash removed from the registers to pay certain wages for DiFabio and employees without reporting those amounts to the IRS. Certain employees had their entire wages paid “off the books,” while a portion of other employees’ wages was not reported. This resulted in the manipulation of net income reported to the IRS and the underpayment of withholding taxes to the IRS.
The charge of tax evasion carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. Santos is released pending sentencing.
On October 25, 2018, DiFabio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false income tax returns and payroll tax returns. When he pleaded guilty, he agreed that the loss to the IRS in income taxes and employment taxes for the 2013 through 2015 tax years was $816,954. DiFabio awaits sentencing.
On September 24, 2018, DiFabio’s business partner in some of his restaurants, Steven Cioffi, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. He also awaits sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Six-Year Prison Term for Possessing CocaineRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A former resident of Patterson, New Jersey, has been sentenced in federal court in Pittsburgh to six years’ (72 months’) imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating the federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Duane Ferguson, 42.
According to information presented to the court, on or about April 21, 2016, Ferguson and his co-defendant, Andy Brown, possessed with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Andy Brown, of Pittsburgh, PA, who was the more culpable co-defendant and in charge of the drug-trafficking activities, was sentenced previously to 12 years’ incarceration.
Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ferguson.
NYS Corrections Officer Charged with Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead 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 Joseph Chojnacki, 26, of Cheektowaga, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with receipt and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Murray, who is handling the case, stated according to the indictment, after receiving a tip of suspected child pornography from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Homeland Security Investigations traced the suspected child pornography to the defendant, a New York State Corrections Officer.
On May 9, 2019, a federal search warrant was executed at Chojnacki’s Louis Street residence. Investigators seized various computers, electronic devices, and electronic media. After a preliminary review, 8,500 images and 200 videos of suspected child pornography have been identified.
The defendant made an initial appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and will be released on home detention.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Mineral County woman admits to role in a drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Gypsy Rene Winkler, of Keyser, West Virginia, has admitted to her involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Winkler, age 26, pled guilty last week to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Winkler admitted to distributing methamphetamine fin March 2018 in Hampshire County.
Winkler faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, The West Virginia State Police, and the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Mexican National Sentenced for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for passport fraud.
Patricia Cedeno-Larios, 52, a Mexican national residing in Haverhill, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to time served and was immediately taken into administrative custody by Homeland Security Investigation agents pending deportation. In December 2018, Cedeno Larios pleaded guilty to making false statements in a passport application.
In March 2008, Cedeno Larios entered a Boston post office and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a United States citizen from Puerto Rico to apply for a United States passport.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Enters Plea to Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican National has admitted he injured a Border Patrol (BP) agent by hitting him with arm shackles, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
On April 1, 2019, Salvador Ramirez-Olvera was in custody at the Brownsville BP station for illegal entry. While awaiting transfer to federal court, he slipped out of his arm shackles and hit the agent with them. The agent was hit on his shoulder area, thus causing bodily injury.
After a brief struggle, officers had to use a taser to control Ramirez-Olvera.
He was then arrested and charged with assaulting a federal agent who was engaged in the performance of his official duties.
He has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing, which is set for Sept. 4, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera. At that time, Ramirez-Olvera faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Esquivel Jr. prosecuted the case.
McKeesport Felon Charged with Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment named David Belton, 37, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on May 30, 2019, David Belton possessed a Fabrique Nationale Herstal semi-automatic handgun. It is unlawful for Belton, who has previously been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, to possess a firearm.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and the McKeesport Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - Joseph Defilippi, 55, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, pled guilty to one count of attempted online enticement of a minor, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany, New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
As part of his guilty plea, Defilippi admitted that between about February 2018 and August 10, 2018, he exchanged multiple online communications with an undercover officer posing as a 13-year old boy “Dylan”. Defilippi further admitted that his online communications were intended to persuade, induce, entice and coerce the boy into meeting with him for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts, and that on the morning of Friday, August 10, 2018, he travelled to the Schuyler Flatts Park in Menands, New York, in an effort to meet the child.
As a result of his conviction, Defilippi now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment, a maximum term of life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of at least five 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. Sentencing is scheduled for October 15, 2019 before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy in Albany, New York.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Town of Colonie (New York) Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Belliss and Joshua Rosenthal.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, Project Safe Childhood is led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Marshall County man indicted for drugs and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Dustin L. White, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a drugs and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
White, age 31, is charged with one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine,” one count of “False Statement to Acquire Firearm,” three counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearms in Futherance of Drug Trafficking.” White is accused of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine from July 2018 to March 2019 in Marshall County and elsewhere. White, a person prohibited from having firearms, is also accused of possessing a two pistols, a revolver, and a shotgun in Marshall County in February and March 2019.
White faces five years to life incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearm during drug trafficking charge, up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the conspiracy charge and the methamphetamine charge, and up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the cocaine and other firearms counts. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Marshall County man indicted for drugs and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Joshua R. Sipe, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a drugs and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Sipe, age 30, is charged with one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Sipe is accused of distributing cocaine and methamphetamine in March 2019 in Marshall County. Sipe, a person prohibited from having firearms, is also accused of possessing a .357 revolver in Marshall County in March 2019.
Sipe faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the drug charges and up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – Kenneth Kirkpatrick, 33, of Manchester, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, law enforcement officers obtained information that Kirkpatrick was selling firearms. On July 26, 2018, Kirkpatrick sold a firearm, ammunition, and firearm accessories to an individual who was cooperating with the ATF. As a convicted felon, Kirkpatrick could not lawfully possess a firearm or ammunition.
Kirkpatrick’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
“In order to keep violent crime under control, we must keep firearms out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Prohibiting convicted felons from owning guns advances this goal. Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who unlawfully possess firearms.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Krasinski.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Assault Committed on the Ute Mountain Ute ReservationRead the Press Release
DURANGO -- Merle Denezpi, age 39, of Shiprock, New Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn to serve 360 months (30 years) in federal prison, followed by 10 years on supervised release, for committing aggravated sexual assault in Towaoc, Colorado, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. Denezpi appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion. A federal jury found Denezpi guilty of the crime following a week-long trial before Judge Blackburn in Durango, Colorado on March 1, 2019.
Denezpi was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 7, 2018, for one count of Aggravated Sexual Assault within the exterior boundaries of the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation, near Towaoc, Colorado. According to court documents, as well as facts presented during trial and at sentencing, Denezpi used physical force and death threats to sexually assault the victim. After the assault, Denezpi threatened the victim’s life if she reported the assault. Denezpi fled from the scene by jumping out a second-story window when he saw police approaching the residence. He then hid underneath a bush for roughly thirteen hours. Denezpi admitted under oath at trial and at sentencing that he lied to federal agents when apprehended. A Sexual Assault Nurse Exam (“SANE”) was conducted showing significant bruising and injuries to the victim. In addition, a DNA test conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations revealed Denezpi’s DNA was present on the victim.
“Our office is committed to vigorously prosecuting crimes committed on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Mr. Denezpi wrongly believed that he could commit a violent assault, silence the victim with threats, and lie his way out of accountability. Thanks to the work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, he was proven wrong.”
This case was investigated by Bureau of Indian Affairs, with the assistance of their Victim Witness Specialist. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeff Graves and Tim Neff.
Man from Toadlena, N.m. Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Garrith Bitsilly, 32, of Toadlena, N.M., appeared in federal court yesterday on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact in Indian Country.
According to a criminal complaint, Bitsilly allegedly committed numerous acts of sexual abuse against the victim, who was less than 12 years old, over the course of about seven months in 2014. The victim was staying at Bitsilly’s home in San Juan County during this time while the victim’s mother was deployed to Afghanistan with the military. Bitsilly is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Criminal complaints are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Bitsilly is currently on release to a halfway house pending trial. He faces from 30 years to life in prison if convicted of aggravated sexual abuse. Bitsilly faces up to life in prison if convicted of abusive sexual contact.
The Farmington office of the FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa C. Dimas is prosecuting the case.
Man from Toadlena, N.m. Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Garrith Bitsilly, 32, of Toadlena, N.M., appeared in federal court yesterday on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact in Indian Country.
According to a criminal complaint, Bitsilly allegedly committed numerous acts of sexual abuse against the victim, who was less than 12 years old, over the course of about seven months in 2014. The victim was staying at Bitsilly’s home in San Juan County during this time while the victim’s mother was deployed to Afghanistan with the military. Bitsilly is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Criminal complaints are merely accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Bitsilly is currently on release to a halfway house pending trial. He faces from 30 years to life in prison if convicted of aggravated sexual abuse. Bitsilly faces up to life in prison if convicted of abusive sexual contact.
The Farmington office of the FBI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa C. Dimas is prosecuting the case.
Man from Shiprock Charged with Assault by Strangulation in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Dieter Douglas, 33, of Shiprock, N.M., appeared in federal court today on charges of assault by strangulation in Indian Country.
According to a criminal complaint, Douglas allegedly committed this offense in San Juan County on May 14, 2019. Douglas became drunk, assaulted the victim, and threatened to kill her. He hit the victim in the head several times and bit her on the arm. Douglas violently choked the victim three or four times causing her to lose consciousness. Douglas is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
Criminal complaints are merely accusations and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. Douglas is currently in custody awaiting trial. He faces as much as 10 years in prison if convicted.
The Farmington office of the FBI investigated this case with the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Novaline Wilson is prosecuting the case.
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Failing to Register under SORNARead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe P. Kelly announced that Terrell Williams, 51, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today to 24 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard for failing to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). After serving his prison term, Williams will be also be required to serve 5 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
SORNA, also known as the Adam Walsh Protection and Safety Act, requires that a convicted sex offender register in each jurisdiction where the offender resides, where the offender is employed, or where the offender is a student, and that the sex offender maintain current registrations. Williams was required to register as a sex offender because he had been convicted of aggravated rape in 1990 in Shelby County, Tennessee. This conviction required that Mr. Williams register as a sex offender for life in the state of Tennessee, and by federal law, in any other state to which he moved.
In July 2018 Williams was arrested and charged with 3rd Degree Domestic Assault in Lincoln, Nebraska. At the time of that incident, Williams’s listed address was the same as the victim. Williams admitted that he had been living in Lincoln, Nebraska since July 15, 2018. He also admitted that he did not notify Tennessee authorities that he was leaving that state.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Lewiston Man Sentenced to Almost Six Years for Crack Trafficking and Violation of Supervised Release TermsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Ahmed Mohamed, 24, of Lewiston, Maine, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge George Z. Singal to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” He was also sentenced to a consecutive two-year term of imprisonment for violating the terms of supervised release imposed on him in 2016 following a separate federal conviction for crack trafficking. He pleaded guilty to crack trafficking and violating the terms of his supervised release on January 24, 2019.
Court records reveal that on August 15, 2018, law enforcement officers arrested Mohamed near a drug treatment facility in Lewiston and seized fifty baggies of crack.
The investigation was conducted by the Lewiston Police Department and the Southern Maine Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Portland, South Portland, and Lewiston Police Departments; and the York County Sheriff’s Office.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Random StabbingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man who pleaded guilty to randomly selecting his victim and stabbing the victim multiple times outside of a smoke shop was sentenced today to nine years in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
“Prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to combatting violent crime throughout Nevada, including when violent crime occurs on tribal lands,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “This case and today’s sentence send a message that we will pursue justice for victims of violent crime – wherever it occurs.”
Justin Hayward, 36, pleaded guilty, without the benefit of a plea agreement, to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. United States District Judge Richard F. Boulware II presided over the sentencing hearing.
According to court documents, on February 18, 2018, the victim purchased lunch at a smoke shop and convenience store belonging to the Las Vegas Colony and Reservation for the Paiute Tribe located in downtown Las Vegas. Shortly after returning to the car, the victim heard a noise and saw Hayward puncture the car’s front tire. Hayward then opened the driver’s side door and began stabbing the victim with a knife in the abdomen. The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Paiute Tribe Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Duncan prosecuted the case.
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Lancaster County Woman Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Wendi E. Detter, age 46, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Court Judge John E. Jones III, to 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by two years of supervised release for wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Detter previously admitted to embezzling more than $100,000 from YCP, Inc., a construction and excavation business headquartered in York County. Detter was president and part owner of YCP, Inc. She used her position and her access to the company’s financial accounts to write herself checks for her own personal use and financial gain.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph J. Terz and Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
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Kent man sentenced to 30 months in prison for money laundering and filing false tax returnsRead the Press Release
A Kent man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for money laundering and filing false tax returns.
Davood Haghighi, 61, was ordered to pay $615,712 in restitution, as well as a $25,000 fine.
He previously pleaded guilty to willfully making and subscribing to a false tax return, making and subscribing false tax returns and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: pay your taxes or pay the price”, stated William Cheung, IRS Criminal Investigation, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office . “Mr. Haghighi is paying the price not only with the loss of his freedom but the forfeiture of his ill-gotten gains.”
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry F. DeBaggis, James P. Lewis and Suzana K. Koch.
KC Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $558,000 from Health Care FoundationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling almost $558,000 from the health care foundation that employed her as an accountant.
Kathleen Frederico, 51, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges her with one count of wire fraud.
Frederico was employed as the accounting and special projects manager at Saint Luke’s Foundation, a non-profit organization established to support Saint Luke’s Hospitals and Health Systems with funding for medical and nursing education, research, charity care, and medical programs, from May 7, 1999, until she was terminated from employment on Feb. 23, 2018.
By pleading guilty today, Frederico admitted that she conducted two related fraudulent embezzlement schemes while employed at Saint Luke’s Foundation. The government’s evidence is that Frederico stole a total of $557,675 from the foundation.
She began embezzling from the foundation in June 2003 and continued to embezzle until March 29, 2017. The investigation has revealed Frederico’s spending of the embezzled funds included more than $150,000 on shopping and retail; more than $67,000 in cash; more than $30,000 in travel; more than $21,000 in internet drug purchases; and mortgage payments, utility bills, and other living expenses.
In the primary fraud scheme, Frederico created unauthorized checks made payable to herself. To conceal the embezzlement, she entered a different payee into the general ledger and created or falsified corresponding invoices. The government’s evidence is that through this method, Frederico embezzled at least $452,342.
Frederico also created unauthorized checks in which the foundation paid her personal credit card bill, and on two occasions, a relative. The government’s evidence is that through Frederico’s second fraud scheme, she embezzled at least $105,333.
Under federal statutes, Frederico is subject to a sentence of up to 20 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 Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by the FBI.
KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Christopher R. Williams, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 15 years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. Williams was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On Nov. 20, 2018, Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Williams admitted that he was in possession of a Taurus .357-caliber revolver on July 13, 2017.
Williams was arrested in front of a Kansas City, Mo., residence on a pending warrant for possession of a controlled substance. Police officers then searched the house and found the loaded firearm under the mattress of Williams’s bed, as well as spare ammunition under the bed. Officers also found an assortment of illegal drugs – including 2.7 grams of cocaine, 11 ecstasy pills, and 2.5 grams of marijuana – in his pants pocket. Elsewhere in the bedroom, the police found 1.6 grams of marijuana and a glass pipe with marijuana residue.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Williams has four prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and four prior felony convictions for possessing a controlled substance. Williams was on probation at the time of this offense.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Raskin. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
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.Justice Department Announces Addition of Ten Cities and Counties as Part of the National Public Safety Partnership to Combat Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that as the Department of Justice continues its efforts to fulfill President Donald J. Trump’s commitment to reducing violent crime in America, Attorney General William P. Barr announced Baton Rouge as one of 10 new National Public Safety Partnership (PSP) sites in areas with elevated crime rates. The partnership provides a framework for enhancing federal support of state, local and tribal law enforcement officials and prosecutors as they aggressively investigate and pursue violent criminals, specifically those involved in gun crime, drug trafficking and gang violence.
“The Public Safety Partnership is a successful program that directs federal law enforcement resources to the cities where they can have the greatest impact," Attorney General Barr said. "These resources help police departments to diagnose where crime is highest—and why—and to find, arrest and prosecute criminals. Several participating cities have already seen dramatic reductions in violent crime over the past two years. As we expand this program to 10 more cities across America, we are determined to replicate that success.”
The Justice Department created PSP and the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety in response to President Trump’s February 9, 2017, Executive Order charging the agency with leading a national effort to combat violent crime. In June 2017, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the National Public Safety Partnership initiative.
To be considered for selection, a site must have sustained levels of violence that far exceed the national average and demonstrate a commitment to reducing crime. Cities must also display compliance with federal immigration requirements.
The 10 sites announced are as follows:
Anniston, Alabama
Oxford, Alabama
Anchorage, Alaska
Davenport, Iowa
Wichita, Kansas
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baltimore, Maryland
Cleveland, Ohio
Amarillo, Texas
Harris County, Texas
“I know through experience as a former U.S. Attorney that the surest way to drive down crime is through a united effort that involves local government leaders and law enforcement agencies at all levels,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth, who oversees DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs. “The National Public Safety Partnership has been the force behind successful violence reduction efforts in a number of communities, and we intend to carry that success into other high crime neighborhoods
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “This is yet another demonstration of the commitment of this administration to bolster the efforts of local law enforcement to reduce violent crime in America. The expertise, training, and resources offered by the federal government through the Public Safety Partnership will no doubt serve as a force multiplier for our efforts with Chief Paul, Sheriff Gautreaux, and D.A. Hillar Moore here in Baton Rouge. I look forward to efficiently using those resources to amplify our already robust efforts in working to achieve our goal of reducing violent crime in Baton Rouge. I am grateful for President Trump and Attorney General Barr’s inclusion of Baton Rouge on the latest list of PSP sites and for their recognition that we can benefit from the resources afforded by the partnership.
More than 30 cities have participated in PSP. The primary participating Justice Department components include the Office of Justice Programs, Office on Violence Against Women, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Marshals Service.
“We are proud to provide support to law enforcement in these new Sites, and we’re confident that this collaborative effort will help these jurisdictions reduce violent crime,” said Jon Adler, Director of the Bureau of Justice Assistance.Jasper Man Charged with Embezzling Money from a Knox County Non-Profit OrganizationRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE – Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney, announced today that Mark A. Schmitt, 65, of Jasper, Indiana, has been charged with Theft Concerning Programs Receiving Federal Funds.
As set forth in the Information and Plea Agreement filed on May 31, 2019, Schmitt was an Assistant Director and Accountant for ATTIC Incorporated, a non-profit organization located in Knox County, Indiana that received Federal funds for its programs that assist disabled individuals in the community. During his tenure from May 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018, Schmitt transferred approximately $98,000 from the non-profit to a personal account he controlled and used for his own benefit.
"Violating the public trust will not go unpunished," said Minkler. "Intentionally securing public funds for personal gain is unacceptable. This charge should serve as an example of the fate individuals who commit these crimes can expect."
The investigation was conducted by the Evansville office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to Assistant United States Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who is prosecuting the case for the government, the defendant faces a possible sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
An Information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
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 enduring commitment to investigating and prosecuting those who engage in fraud and violate the public trust. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 5.3.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty After Fourth Illegal Reentry into U.S.Read the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A citizen of Honduras pleaded guilty today to illegal reentry into the United States.
According to court documents, Manuel Orellana-Alvarado, 51, has been removed from the United States at taxpayer expense on four different occasions, including in September 2011, March 2012, April 2013 and March 2017. Orellana-Alvarado is a native citizen of Honduras and is classified as an aggravated felon due to a prior conviction for possessing cocaine base for sale in California in 1991. After being removed from the United States in March of 2017, Orellana-Alvarado reentered the United States and was encountered by law enforcement in the Eastern District of Virginia in February 2018.
Orellana-Alvarado faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison. His sentencing has been set for September 9. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle A. Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas E. Miller accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Franker is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:18-cr-97.
Identity Document Trafficker Pleaded Guilty for Conspiring to Sell Identity Documents to Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
A Honduran national pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to sell identity documents belonging to Puerto Rican U.S. citizens to individuals illegally residing in the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa E. Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico, Acting Director Mark A. Morgan of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Chief Postal Inspector Gary R. Barksdale of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
Jose Armando Pavon Salazar (Pavon), 37, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi of the District of Puerto Rico to one count of conspiracy to encourage an alien to reside in the United States for financial gain. Pavon was arrested in El Salvador in January 2018 and extradited to Puerto Rico on Nov. 28, 2018. Before his arrest and extradition, Pavon had been a fugitive since March 22, 2012, when a federal grand jury sitting in the District of Puerto Rico returned a 50-count superseding indictment charging Pavon and 52 other defendants with offenses involving a massive identity fraud scheme.
According to the admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Pavon and his co-conspirators participated in a scheme to encourage illegal aliens to reside in the United States for financial gain. To accomplish the scheme, Pavon and his co-conspirators sold government-issued identity documents, including Government of Puerto Rico-issued birth certificates and corresponding U.S. Social Security cards (“identity documents”). Pavon and his co-conspirators knew these documents pertained to real people. Pavon admitted that the documents were sold to illegal aliens so they could assume the identities of Puerto Rican U.S. citizens, and/or fraudulently apply for other identity documents in that person’s name in order to reside in the United States.
According to the admissions made as part of the guilty plea, Pavon paid his supplier approximately $400 for the identify documents, consisting of a Puerto Rican birth certificate and a Social Security card. The supplier would then use the U.S. mail to send the documents to Pavon. To date, dozens of persons have been convicted in connection with the scheme.
Pursuant to his plea agreement, Pavon agreed to be removed to Honduras upon release from incarceration. Sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 10, 2019, before District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpi.
Trial Attorney Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section is prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Puerto Rico is providing assistance in this matter. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs handled the extradition in this matter. The United States thanks the Government of El Salvador for its assistance in the extradition of Pavon.
Potential victims and the public may obtain information about the case at www.justice.gov/criminal/vns/caseup/beltrerj.html. Anyone who believes their identity may have been compromised in relation to this investigation or who may have information about particular crimes in this case should call the ICE toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or use its online tip form at www.ice.gov/tipline.
Anyone who believes that they have been a victim of identity theft, or wants information about preventing identity theft, may obtain helpful information and complaint forms on various government websites including the Federal Trade Commission ID Theft Website at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. Additional resources regarding identity theft can be found at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/pubs/ID_theft/idtheft.html, www.ssa.gov/pubs/10064.html and www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html.
Hot Springs Man Sentenced to 210 Months for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Hot Springs, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on June 3, 2019, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken.
Laurens Marcus Maas, age 51, was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to forfeit 21 firearms.
Maas 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 7, 2017. He pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on June 1, 2018.
Maas received methamphetamine from a California supplier of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine Maas received was later distributed in North Dakota and the Black Hills. A search warrant was executed at his residence on October 25, 2017. Law enforcement seized over 6 pounds of methamphetamine, 21 firearms, and ammunition. 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, Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
Maas was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Hazleton Man Sentenced to 37 Months’ Imprisonment for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Franklin Gonzalez, age 23, who resided in Hazleton and is a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced yesterday to 37 months’ imprisonment by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed heroin in the Schuylkill County area between 2012 and May 2016.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the defendant previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin, which is equivalent to more than 4,000 retail bags of heroin.
Judge Munley also ordered Gonzalez to serve four years on supervised release following his prison sentence. Gonzalez is also subject to being deported to the Dominican Republic.
The mater was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and local police in Schuylkill County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Grand Jury Indicts 21 in Federal Drug Conspiracy Case Centered in Wise and Lee CountiesRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – Twenty-one individuals from Wise and Lee counties in Southwest Virginia were charged by a federal grand jury in an indictment unsealed today with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and other federal drug crimes, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced today.
The indictment was returned, under seal, May 29, 2019, and unsealed today following the arrest of five of the defendants. The complete list of those defendants arrested today or previously in custody is below. Four remaining defendants remain wanted by authorities.
- Travis Lee Pennington: 36, of Appalachia, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, three counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of using a communication device in the commission of a drug trafficking offense, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, one count of being a convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm, one count of being in possession of a firearm that had the manufacturer’s serial number removed or altered, and one count of using violence or the threat of violence to retaliate against a witness.
- Omar Kareem Banks: 44, of Coeburn, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of being a convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm.
- Shawn Brandon Barnes: 40, of Appalachia, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of using a communication device in the commission of a drug trafficking offense.
- Jeffrey Wayne Caudill: 47, of Keokee, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Jaime Lee Christian: 39, of Wise County, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Carl Lee Davis Jr.: 33, Keokee, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
- Jonathan Earl Funk: 32, of Wise County, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Lewis Wesley Hickman III: 25, of Wise County, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
- Joseph Andrew Hobbs: 27, of Wise County, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
- James Morrison Johnson: 28, of Wise County, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
- Jeremey David Mallory: 41, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Tony Lynn McClellan: 33, of Big Stone Gap, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, three counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, two counts of using a communications device to facilitate a drug trafficking offense, and one count of using a firearm in a crime of violence.
- Susan Adrianna Mullins: 30, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, two counts of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and two counts of using a communication device to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
- Misty Nelms: 28, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of using a communication device in the commission of a drug trafficking offense.
- David Stone Ringley: 28, of Wise County, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
- Travis Ryan Skaggs: 30, of Wise County, Va., is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Joshua Barrett Sutherland: 33, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of using a firearm in a crime of violence.
According to the indictment, the 21 defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Lee and Wise counties, and elsewhere, between July 1, 2016 and May 1, 2019.
In addition, the indictment alleges that Travis Pennington, as a convicted felon, illegally possessed a firearm and used that firearm in a crime of violence. According to the indictment, between February 22, 2019 and March 5, 2019, Pennington used violence or the threat of violence to retaliate against a witness.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Southwest Virginia Drug Task Force, which is comprised of the Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Wise County Sheriff’s Office, Dickenson County Sheriff’s Office, Norton Police Department, Big Stone Gap Police Department, and the Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Lena Busscher will prosecute the case for the United States.
A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Gardiner Man Sentenced to 2½ years for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Robert Gay, 35, of Gardiner, Maine was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 2½ years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records, on June 2, 2018, the defendant was hired to perform plumbing work at a residence in Scarborough, Maine. While working in the basement, the defendant came across and later stole a rifle that belonged to the homeowner. A search of the defendant’s cell phone revealed text conversations reflecting that the defendant stole the rifle and sold it to another individual. The purchaser was identified and the rifle was recovered and returned to the homeowner. The defendant was prohibited from possessing the rifle because he had two 2018 felony theft convictions.
The case was investigated by the Scarborough and Gardiner Police Departments; the FBI; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Former Tennessee State University Employee Indicted for Federal Student Loan FraudRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – June 4, 2019 – Renauld Clayton, 31, of Chicago Illinois, formerly of Nashville, was indicted last week on charges of student loan fraud, aggravated identity theft and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
A 12-count indictment returned Wednesday, alleges that during 2014-2015, Clayton was an employee in the admissions office of Tennessee State University (TSU). While acting in that capacity, the indictment alleges that Clayton gained access to the personal identifying information of TSU students and others, changed bank account information, and diverted students’ federal student aid payments to bank accounts under his control.
According to the indictment, in March 2015, TSU’s internal audit division conducted an investigation into students’ missing student aid refunds. Further investigation by the U.S. Department of Education determined that $84,506.00 had been misappropriated and that Clayton had fraudulently deposited more than $60,000.00 into his personal bank accounts.
On Friday, while federal agents were preparing to arrest him, Clayton was arrested by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department on unrelated criminal charges.
If convicted, Clayton faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Former Roswell Park Nurse Charged with Stealing Pain Meds and Violating HIPAARead 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 Kelsey A. Mulvey, 27, of Grand Island, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with illegally obtaining controlled substances by fraud, tampering, and violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendant, a former nurse at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, used her position as a nurse to tamper with and steal vials of medication and pills, such as hydromorphone (Dilaudid), methadone, and oxycodone, all Schedule II controlled substances, and lorazepam, a Schedule IV controlled substance. Mulvey took the vials of medication from the Pyxis machine, an automated medication dispensing system. As a nurse, the defendant had access to the Pyxis system.
Mulvey was placed on administrative leave on June 28, 2018, after a large number of transactions associated with the defendant in the Pyxis system were identified as “cancelled removed,” indicating that the Pyxis machine drawer for the selected medication was accessed but the transactions were cancelled. The complaint states that Roswell Park inferred that Mulvey had removed and replaced controlled substances with water from the Pyxis machines. Many of these transactions took place on floors and/or wings where the defendant was not assigned and did not have patients. Mulvey accessed the Pyxis machines during her scheduled shifts, on days she was not scheduled to work, and on three dates of scheduled vacation. Between February and June 2018, the defendant is accused of failing to properly administer medication for 81 patients.
In June and July 2018, there was a span of waterborne infections at Roswell Park. The complaint states that six patients allegedly became infected as a result of the defendant replacing medications with contaminated water.
The defendant resigned her position in Lieu of Termination on July 13, 2018.
“Once again, this case illustrates the destructive power of opioid addiction,” noted U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “In this case, however, the harm caused by defendant’s actions resulted not only in harm to herself but in harm to some of the most compromised and vulnerable individuals in our community—those members of our community receiving cancer treatments. If we fail to take action to protect the most vulnerable among us, then we fail as a government.”
“Patients deserve to have confidence that they are receiving the proper treatment from those entrusted with providing their medical care,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Jeffrey J. Ebersole, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “As part of the FDA’s comprehensive work to address the opioid epidemic, we will continue to hold medical personnel accountable when they take advantage of their unique position and tamper with drugs needed by their patients, especially when such tampering could cause unnecessary pain and suffering.”
“This is not the first time we have investigated and charged a healthcare professional who suffers from addiction,” said FBI Buffalo Special-Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert. “Accessibility to these highly sought-after drugs makes it easier for medical professionals to feed their addiction. Ms. Mulvey's actions not only put her own health at risk, but also the wellbeing of dozens of patients.”
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Ebersole; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert; the New York State Department of Education, Office of Professional Discipline; and the New York State Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Letitia James.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Former President of Our Lady of the Lake Foundation Charged in Federal Court with Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today the filing of charges against JOHN PAUL FUNES, age 49, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for wire fraud and money laundering.
As alleged in the Bill of Information, FUNES was employed as President of the Our Lady of the Lake Foundation (the “Foundation”), a non-profit organization that supports the Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. Beginning in or about 2012, however, and continuing through September of 2018, FUNES executed a scheme to defraud the Foundation and caused a loss of more than $550,000. The Bill charges FUNES with one count of wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343, and one count of money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(B).
According to the Bill, FUNES executed the scheme in a variety of ways, including by preparing, signing, and submitting payment vouchers that would cause the Foundation's accounting personnel to issue checks for the payees, amounts, and purposes reflected on the voucher. Because of his position at the Foundation, FUNES could approve his own vouchers, which enabled him to submit dozens of false and fraudulent vouchers that misrepresented the purpose of the checks. In furtherance of the scheme, for example, FUNES submitted numerous fraudulent vouchers in which he represented that Foundation funds were necessary to pay a charter flight company to make time-sensitive “outbound patient transports” from Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, when in fact FUNES was repeatedly using the flight company's services for his own personal benefit, unbeknownst to the Foundation. As another example, FUNES submitted numerous vouchers in which he fraudulently represented that funds were necessary to purchase gift cards that would be provided to cancer patients, when in fact FUNES often used the cards for his own personal benefit. The Bill also alleges that, on numerous occasions, after fraudulently causing the Foundation to issue payments to other individuals, FUNES would direct those individuals to funnel the majority of the funds back to him, by check or money order, thereby conducting financial transactions designed in part to conceal proceeds of the fraudulent scheme. According to the Bill, in August of 2018, when the Foundation’s finance department began an internal audit of the expenses described above, FUNES created numerous false documents in an effort to conceal the scheme.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, “These charges demonstrate that those who are entrusted with an organization’s finances, like Mr. Funes, and who deceive and defraud their employers for their own personal benefit will be held accountable. Not only did Mr. Funes violate the trust of the Foundation and Our Lady of the Lake, but he also betrayed the trust of the people served by the Lake and its many donors whose generosity was abused. The filing of these charges today is an important step in our effort to hold the defendant accountable for the criminal conduct described in the Bill of Information and, working with the Foundation, to do everything within our ability to make the Foundation whole. Special thanks to our prosecutor and the United States Secret Service who led this investigation with outstanding support from the FBI and IRS-CID.”
“The Secret Service is committed to aggressively investigating financial crimes cases,” said Resident Agent in Charge Tara McLeese of the Secret Service Baton Rouge Office. “Today’s charges are a reminder that financial crimes are not victimless crimes, and the Secret Service will continue to work with our outstanding partners in the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring offenders to justice.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal stated, “The defendant betrayed both his employer and the Baton Rouge community as a whole by abusing the trust placed in him as President of the Foundation. The FBI New Orleans Division and our federal partners are committed to holding individuals accountable for their actions when they illegally profit at the expense of our community's institutions.”
This investigation is being led by the United States Secret Service with valuable assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan Stevens, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.
NOTE: The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Former High School Teacher, Swim Coach Sentenced to 30 Years for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former high school teacher and swim team coach was sentenced in federal court today for sexually assaulting and exploiting numerous child victims, whom he secretly videotaped.
James Russell Green, Jr., 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Green to pay a $10,000 fine and a $10,000 special victim assessment. The federal sentence must be served consecutively to Green’s state sentences in three cases filed in the Jackson County Circuit Court.
Green was formerly a teacher at various middle schools and high schools in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Green was also a head swimming coach at his school and at a Leawood, Kan., swim club.
On Nov. 20, 2018, Green pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. Green admitted that he utilized a hidden video camera to produce secret videos of high school boys as they were undressing and/or preparing to shower in the school’s locker room. He also admitted that he utilized a hidden video camera to produce secret videos of child victims engaging in criminal sexual conduct with him at his residence. Green produced these surreptitious videos on multiple occasions over a period of about 20 years, from the late 1990s through approximately 2015. He recorded the videos using an 8-millimeter video camera then later transferred the videos from tape to disc.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Green’s residence on April 14, 2017. Investigators found video recordings produced by Green using a hidden camcorder in a locker room dressing area. The videos depict numerous unidentified 14- to 17-year-old boys undressing as they prepare to shower. The boys are unaware they are being video recorded. Green produced these videos at the high school where he was a teacher and coach; the boys depicted in the videos were his students and members of his swim team.
During the search of Green’s residence, investigators also located a device that contained an approximately 45-minute video that was also secretly recorded by Green with a hidden camera. The video graphically depicts Green having a sexual encounter with a child victim in his residence.
Forensic examiners located numerous images of child pornography on Green’s electronic devices. Many of the photos appear to be “selfie”-style photos taken by the subjects of the photos. Some of these images appear to have been sent to Green by boys with whom he was acquainted.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force and the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Former Donora Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Importing Fentanyl and Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A former resident of Donora, PA pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating a federal narcotics law and federal firearm law, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Christian B. Drennan, 28, currently residing in St. Clairsville, Ohio pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that from in and around April 2018 and continuing until September 6, 2018, Drennan conspired to import fentanyl, a controlled substance, from China via the internet and possessed seven firearms while an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for September 25, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Pennsylvania State Police as part of the Joint Criminal Opioid Darknet Enforcement (J-CODE) initiative, conducted the investigation leading to the prosecution of Drennan.
Former CEO of Municipal Credit Union Sentenced to 5½ Years in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Fraud and Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that KAM WONG, the former chief executive officer (“CEO”) of Municipal Credit Union (“MCU”), a non-profit financial institution, was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 66 months in prison for defrauding and embezzling millions of dollars from MCU during his time as CEO. WONG previously pled guilty to embezzlement from a federally insured credit union before U.S. District Judge John G. Koeltl, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “For years, Kam Wong, the then-CEO of New York’s oldest credit union, betrayed the credit union’s hard-working members from the perch of his executive suite by siphoning off millions of dollars in company money for his personal benefit. Wong then tried to cover up what he had done by making false statements to federal investigators and creating false and misleading documents. He will now serve a substantial prison sentence for his crime. I commend the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our law enforcement partners, for their tireless efforts to protect the credit union’s members and expose misconduct in this ongoing investigation.”
According to the Complaint, the Information, other filings in Manhattan federal court, statements made in court and publicly available documents:
WONG, from 2007 until shortly after his arrest in May 2018, was the CEO and president of MCU, a non-profit financial institution headquartered in New York, New York, which is federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (“NCUA”). MCU is the oldest credit union in New York State and one of the oldest and largest in the country, providing banking services to more than 588,000 members, including municipal, state, and federal workers in New York City. MCU’s earnings are intended to be directed back to its members in the form of more favorable rates and fewer and lower fees for products and services.
During his tenure as CEO and president, despite publicly praising credit union values, WONG engaged in a long-running multi-faceted scheme to obtain money from MCU to which he knew he was not entitled, and took steps to seek to conceal what he had done. Among other things, WONG embezzled from and defrauded MCU by submitting sham invoices for dental work never performed on him or paid by him, and, as a result, obtained reimbursement for hundreds of thousands of dollars of such nonexistent dental work. In addition, WONG fraudulently caused MCU to pay him additional monies that he knew he was not entitled to receive, including millions of dollars of payments in lieu of purported long-term disability insurance, and for purported taxes owed on these and other employment benefits. In total, WONG defrauded MCU out of at least approximately $9.9 million.
WONG also repeatedly misapplied money and other things of value from MCU, with respect to, among other things, the purchase of a Mercedes-Benz for his personal use; the leasing of multiple luxury vehicles for his personal use at the same time; the purchase of electronic devices (including, iPhones, iPads, and laptops) for personal use by WONG and others; reimbursement, as business expenses, of personal expenses, including hotel stays and expensive meals; purported reimbursement payments for repairs to luxury vehicles MCU had leased for WONG, which repair work was already covered by MCU’s insurance; cash advances to which he was not entitled; educational, housing, and living expenses for two of WONG’s friend’s adult relatives, whom WONG caused MCU to hire; and payments for leave days that did not comply with and exceeded what was provided for under his employment contract. In addition, WONG caused MCU to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to a former MCU Supervisory Committee member’s company, in violation of the MCU’s conflict of interest policy, so that the member would provide WONG with controlled substances for his personal use.
In January 2018, after WONG learned of the federal investigation, WONG sought to obstruct justice by making false statements to federal agents and creating false and misleading documents to try, after the fact, to explain and justify some of his illicit payments.
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In addition to his prison term, WONG, 63, of Valley Stream, Long Island, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, and was ordered to forfeit $9,890,375 and to pay restitution in the same amount to MCU.
U.S. Attorney Berman praised the outstanding work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office. Mr. Berman also thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office, the New York State Department of Financial Services, and NCUA.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli J. Mark and Daniel C. Richenthal are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance of Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alona Katz from the New York County District Attorney’s Office.
Federal indictment unsealed charging two Youngstown men for their roles in cocaine conspiracy, as well as additional firearms chargesRead the Press Release
A federal indictment was unsealed charging two Youngstown men for their roles in a drug trafficking conspiracy, as well as additional firearms charges.
Anthony Cleveland and Jamayle Roland, both 28, were charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine.
Roland was charged with distribution of crack cocaine while Cleveland was charged with possession with intent to distribute a cocaine, possession with intent to distribute a crack cocaine, being felon in possession of firearms and ammunition and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Cleveland allegedly sold drugs from his residence on Alameda Avenue in Youngstown. Roland accompanied drug customers to the house, obtained drugs from Cleveland, and took payments back to Cleveland. This took place in September 2018, according to the indictment.
Roland allegedly sold 20 grams of crack cocaine on September 21, 2018, according to the indictment.
Cleveland on Sept. 26, 2018, allegedly possessed 48 grams of cocaine, 69 grams of crack cocaine, a ATI GSI 5 Model rifle, a Ruger semiautomatic pistol with an obliterated serial number, a Taurus .40-caliber pistol and ammunition, according to the indictment.
Cleveland used firearms in relation to drug trafficking and was forbidden from having them because of previous felony convictions, 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, if any, the defendants role in the offenses and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jason M. Katz.
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.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Waterbury Man for Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a three-count indictment today charging JERMAINE GILBERT, 21, of Waterbury, with firearm possession and drug trafficking offenses.
The indictment alleges that on May 17, 2019, Gilbert possessed a .22 caliber Beretta pistol and a 9mm Taurus pistol, as well as heroin that he intended to distribute.
The indictment charges Gilbert with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive prison term of at least five years.
Gilbert has been detained since his arrest by Waterbury Police on May 17, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of investigation and Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth, Patrick Caruso and Michael Gustafson.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Daytona Beach Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced James Joseph Bryant (49, Daytona Beach) to 10 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Due to his multiple prior felony convictions, Bryant qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The court also ordered Bryant to forfeit the 9mm pistol and ammunition used during the offense.
Bryant had pleaded guilty on September 24, 2018.
According to court documents, Bryant was carrying a loaded firearm when Volusia County Sheriff’s Office deputies contacted him on February 22, 2018 to serve three felony arrest warrants. At the time, Bryant had multiple prior felony convictions and therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs Jr.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
Concord Woman Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to Obtain Social Security Benefits and Food StampsRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Shamecca Brown, 42, of Concord, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to making false statements to obtain Social Security benefits, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brown concealed her relationship with and later marriage to her husband from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NH DHHS) to obtain Social Security benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (also known as food stamps) that she was not entitled to receive.
Brown began living with her eventual husband in 2009 and they married in December 2011. From 2009 through 2017, while he was living with and later married to Brown, Brown’s husband earned income and contributed to household expenses. Brown’s household income rendered her and her children ineligible for Social Security and SNAP benefits. Yet, from about October 1, 2009, to about October 31, 2017, in multiple applications to NH DHHS for assistance and applications for continued eligibility for SNAP benefits, Brown claimed to live alone and concealed and failed to disclose her relationship with and marriage to her husband, his presence in her household, and the income he provided to the household. In addition, in August 2012, Brown applied for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits from SSA on behalf of her minor child. In her application and in subsequent benefits reviews, Brown concealed her marriage, her living arrangement with her husband, and the income he contributed to the household.
As a result of Brown’s conduct, from 2009 until she was caught in 2017, she got $56,000 in food stamps and over $38,000 in Social Security benefits that she was not entitled to receive.
Brown is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2019.
“Government programs can provide important financial support for disadvantaged individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “However, those who seek to cheat the system in order to obtain money that they are not entitled to should understand that they are committing a serious federal crime. We will strive to prevent fraudulent applications for benefits through close cooperation with our law enforcement partners.”
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hunter.
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Columbia Man Among Those Indicted in 1,000-Kilo Marijuana ConspiracyRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man and two others have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana in Boone County, Mo.
Eapen George Thampy, 35, of Columbia, Mo.; Craig Dewitt Smith, Jr., also known as “Carson,” 37, of Central Point, Ore.; and Michael John Ricketts, 57, of Union, Wash., and Kerrville, Texas; have been charged in a 13-count second superseding indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo., on Thursday, May 30. That indictment was unsealed and made public following the arrests and initial court appearances of Thampy and Smith. Thampy remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Wednesday, June 5.
Smith was originally charged in an April 24, 2019, complaint as part of an investigation into the drug-related homicide of Augustus Roberts on Dec. 11, 2017, in Columbia. According to court documents, Roberts was involved in trafficking high-grade marijuana, and was killed during a home invasion where approximately 800 pounds of high-grade marijuana was stolen from a U-Haul truck parked in his driveway. The U-Haul was driven from the scene by one of the suspects and abandoned at the end of the cul-de-sac a short distance away. Approximately 94 pounds of high-grade marijuana was recovered from the back of the U-Haul, and approximately 3,199 THC oil pens were recovered from a bedroom closet at Roberts’ residence and from the U-Haul.
Thampy, Smith, and Ricketts were added to an earlier superseding indictment that charged co-defendants Blake Jeffrey Johnson, 24, and his mother, Tamra Gene Johnson, 49, both of Columbia; Dylan James Blake, 29, of St. Louis, Mo.; and Christopher Michael Bradshaw, 25, of Harrisburg, Mo.
The federal indictment alleges that all of the defendants participated in a conspiracy to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of marijuana in Boone County and elsewhere from Jan. 1, 2015, to Sept. 1, 2018.
Blake and Tamara Johnson are charged with participating in a money-laundering conspiracy from Jan. 1, 2016, to Dec. 28, 2017. According to the indictment, Tamara Johnson used the proceeds of marijuana distribution to donate $1,000 to Better Way Missouri, a political action committee that supports marijuana legalization. The proceeds of marijuana distribution were also used to make cash payments to her credit cards, to purchase firearms and a flamethrower for Blake Johnson, and to make payments on his mortgage.
In addition to the conspiracy, Thampy and Smith are charged together in one count of possessing less than 50 kilograms of marijuana to distribute. Smith and Ricketts also are charged together in one count of possessing 100 kilograms or more of marijuana to distribute. Blake Johnson, Bradshaw and Smith also are charged together in one count of possessing 50 kilograms or more of marijuana to distribute.
Blake Johnson is also charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. He allegedly possessed a Glock .40-caliber pistol, a Ruger .38 Special revolver, a Glock 9mm pistol and a DP-123 12-gauge shotgun between Dec. 1, 2016, and Dec. 18, 2017.
Ricketts and Smith also are each charged with three counts of using a cell phone to facilitate the conspiracy; Blake is charged with one count of using a cell phone to facilitate the conspiracy.
The indictment also contains forfeiture allegations, which would require the defendants to forfeit to the government any property derived from the proceeds of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, including $55,690 seized by law enforcement officers on Dec. 11, 2017; $30,000 seized from Blake Johnson by law enforcement officers on Dec. 22, 2017; Blake Johnson’s residential property in Columbia; and five properties in Oregon.
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Cleveland man indicted for mailing two kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly two kilograms of cocaine from California to BeachwoodRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted for mailing two kilograms of methamphetamine and nearly two kilograms of cocaine from California to Beachwood in 2017.
Corey Brown, 29, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Brown worked with Devon Williams, Marquacia Deshawn Morris and others between June and September 2017 to distribute approximately 2214 grams of methamphetamine and 1974 grams of cocaine, according to the indictment.
Brown shipped parcels containing the drugs via U.S. Mail. Morris accepted and diverted the drug parcels to Williams, who accepted and transported them, according to the indictment.
Williams, of Richmond Heights, is currently serving a sentence of 15 years in federal prison. Morris, a former postal carrier who lived in Woodmere, is currently serving a sentence of more than eight years in prison.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Willoughby Hills Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Seabury Gould.
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.
Central Ohio Identity Theft Ring Leader Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Kwame E. McCauley, 37, of Galena, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 60 months in prison for his role in stealing identities to obtain and use new and existing in-store lines of credit at well-known retailers.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, Columbus Police Interim Chief Thomas Quinlan, Yvonne Dicristoforo, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service and other members of the Southern Ohio Financial Crimes Task Force announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
McCauley was the lead of five defendants charged in this case.
According to court documents, from January 2014 until January 2016, the group bought store merchandise after fraudulently obtaining new and using existing credit from retail stores. McCauley obtained victims’ social security numbers and dates of birth. Afterwards, he ran their credit history reports from websites like creditkarma.com.
McCauley provided false identification cards containing the victims’ information but actually bearing photographs of the co-defendants who were “shoppers.” The group would travel to various clothing and electronics retail stores in the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere, including Indiana and Pennsylvania. Examples of the stores include Best Buy, Elder Beerman, Buckle, Menard’s, Meijer and Cabela’s.
The group would review the victims’ credit history reports and personal information prior to arrival at the retail stores so the defendants could answer any qualifying questions that the stores used to screen credit applicants. The group opened new and used existing lines of credit on approximately 80 separate occasions causing $150,000 of loss from the retailers.
The other defendants charged in this case include Deangelo D. Simms, 26, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; Shirley M. Dillen, 43, of Westerville, Ohio; Julie E. Ring, 38, of Columbus, Ohio and Robert S. Tingler, 32, of Columbus, Ohio. Tingler has been sentenced to 24 months in prison and was ordered to pay approximately $7,400 in restitution. Dillen has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay approximately $4,300 in restitution. Ring has been sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to pay nearly $2,000 in restitution.
“The sentence handed down today highlights the seriousness of Kwame McCauley’s conduct,” said William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “The defendants in this case created havoc on the retailers and the individuals whom identities were stolen and used to open lines of credit.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS-CI, Columbus Police and other members of the Southern Ohio Financial Crimes Task Force, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J.C. Grey, who is prosecuting the case.
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Castro Enterprise Leader Convicted for RICO Conspiracy and Other Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Michigan found a Houston, Texas, woman guilty of a nine-count indictment for her role as the leader of several robbery crews that traveled all over the United States in order to conduct home invasions of families of Indian and Asian descent.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
After a four-week trial, Chaka Castro, 44, was convicted of one count of RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) Conspiracy, four counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering and four counts of Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Sentencing is scheduled for September 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Laurie J. Michelson of the Eastern District of Michigan, who presided over the trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2011 to 2014, Chaka Castro and her robbery crews committed a string of home invasions in Georgia, New York, Ohio, Michigan and Texas. The leader of the robbery crews was Chaka Castro, who would generate lists of robbery targets in various states around the county, specifically families of Asian and Indian ancestry, and then assign crews to carry out the armed robberies of these families within their homes. Once Castro assigned a crew to a particular area, members of the group would travel to that location, conduct surveillance, and execute the robberies. The crews utilized a particular modus operandi in each of the robberies. They disguised their appearance with clothing and bandanas so that victims of their robberies would have difficulty identifying them. They would openly carry and brandish firearms to gain control of the victims and then immediately corral the victims, including children, into one location in the home. At least one robber would then restrain the victims with duct tape and threats of violence while a partner would ransack the home in search of cash, jewelry, and electronics to steal. The group organized their trips to involve multiple home invasion robberies over a series of days.
The conviction was the result of a joint federal and state investigation led by the FBI with the assistance of federal agencies, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Secret Service. Local law enforcement agencies in Michigan, including Washtenaw County Sherriff’s Office, Ann Arbor Police Department and Canton Police Department; local law enforcement agencies in Ohio, including Beachwood Police Department; local law enforcement agencies in Georgia, including the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office, Cobb County Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, Duluth Police Department and Milton Police Department; local law enforcement agencies in New York, including Nassau County Police Department; the Tennessee Highway Patrol and local law enforcement agencies in Texas including Allen Police Department, Coppell Police Department, Flower Mound Police Department, Carrollton Police Department, Lewisville Police Department and Southlake Police Department also provided assistance in the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Marianne Shelvey and Beth Lipman of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Chinedu Ihejiere, 42, of Brockton, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Ihejiere and others conspired to use other persons’ identities to open bank accounts. Once the accounts were opened, Ihejiere deposited fraudulent checks into those accounts. After the money was credited to the accounts but before the banks learned that the check was false, Ihejiere or his co-conspirators withdrew the money from the bank accounts.
Between June 1, 2016, and August 4, 2017, Ihejiere or his co-conspirators used other people’s identities to open at least ten bank accounts in Nashua, New Hampshire, Boston, Massachusetts, Wilmington, Massachusetts, and Norcross, Georgia. Ihejiere deposited over $119,000 drawn from fraudulent checks into at least three of those accounts and he or his co-conspirators withdrew over $69,000 from those accounts. In October 2017, in response to a report of possible fraud, law enforcement arrested Ihejiere at a bank in Brockton, while he was depositing a money order.
In total, Ihejiere and his associates obtained over $68,000 through the scheme.
Ihejiere is scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2019.
“Financial crimes can have serious impacts on their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Fraudulent check schemes undermine our banking system and drive up costs for everyone. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who commit fraud in the Granite State.”
“Mr. Ihejiere is finally accepting responsibility for using other people’s identities to open bank accounts and commit fraud. His willingness to participate in this conspiracy shows a callous disregard for the law,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those who attempt to fraudulently utilize the banking system for their own personal gain.”
“Financial crimes that use unsuspecting individual’s identities to commit bank fraud cause substantial losses,” said Inspector in Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to conduct investigations, alongside our law enforcement partners, that seek prosecution of those who compromise the personal information of our customers and the integrity the U.S. Mail.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hunter.
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Bloomfield Man Sentenced to 120 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On June 3, 2019, Steven Douglas Crook, Jr., of Bloomfield, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to the maximum penalty of 120 years in prison. Crook previously pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
The evidence showed that Crook sexually abused a little girl, sometimes violently, from the time she was an infant, until law enforcement rescued the girl from Crook’s home in March 2018, when she was six years old. Crook took photographs and videos of the sexual abuse, and, in some cases, livestreamed the abuse using the popular social media application Live.me. In doing so, he encouraged his followers on Live.me to watch him rape the little girl live on the Internet.
While announcing what is effectively a life sentence, Judge Rose described Crook’s crimes as “horrific.” The judge noted that Crook controlled the victim and hid his crimes for years, and called Crook’s actions “insidious,” “thoughtful,” and “manipulat[ive].” Judge Rose explained that the effective life sentence was necessary because Crook remains “so very dangerous” to children in the community.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa prioritizes cases involving the sexual exploitation of children. As United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum explained, “Any time a child is abused in Iowa, if we have photographs or videos of the abuse, the defendant can be prosecuted in federal court, and face decades, if not life, behind bars.” Krickbaum continued, “Steven Crook will spend the rest of his life in federal prison, where he belongs. We want to make sure that other defendants like him, who are a threat to our children, face the stiffest penalties federal law allows.”
U.S. Attorney Krickbaum added a warning about those who remain silent in the face of child abuse. “In this case, sexual abuse went undetected for years because family members failed to report it to authorities.” Krickbaum said that, “anyone who believes a child may be a victim of abuse, sexual or otherwise, should report the suspected abuse to law enforcement immediately.”This case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, Bloomfield Police Department, Davis County Sheriff’s Office, and the Davis County Attorney’s Office, with critical assistance from the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children.
Belmont County man indicted for firearms violationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Ricky Runner, of Martins Ferry, Ohio, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Runner, age 32, is charged with one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Runner, a person prohibited from having firearms, is accused of possessing a .40 caliber pistol in Marshall County in October 2018.
Runner faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Gun and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that ROSHEI EDWARDS, age 27, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has been convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute heroin and oxycodone, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. As a result of his convictions, EDWARDS faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
In a hearing before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick, EDWARDS pled guilty to possession of a loaded Glock, model 21, .45 caliber pistol; a loaded, stolen Springfield, model XD40, .40 caliber pistol; a loaded, stolen Glock, model 26, 9mm pistol; a box of .40 caliber ammunition; numerous magazines loaded with ammunition; and a loaded Bushmaster, model Carbon 15, .223 caliber rifle. In total, the defendant possessed twenty-nine (29) rounds of .223 caliber ammunition, forty (40) rounds of .45 caliber ammunition, twenty-five (25) rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, and six (6) rounds of 9mm ammunition. EDWARDS also possessed 29.17 grams of heroin and forty-one (41) 30-mg individual dosage units of oxycodone with the intent to distribute the heroin and oxycodone.
On September 5, 2017, Louisiana State Probation and Parole agents, having reasonable suspicion that EDWARDS had been engaged in criminal activity, conducted a compliance check and search of his home where they located the firearms, ammunition, heroin, and oxycodone. The loaded Bushmaster rifle was located just inside a closet in the bedroom where the oxycodone and heroin were located.
EDWARDS was previously convicted of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling and possession of MDMA, both felonies punishable by a term of imprisonment greater than one (1) year, in East Baton Rouge Parish.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “The fact that Mr. Edwards, a two-time convicted felon out on probation, possessed guns and possessed with the intent to distribute illegal drugs demonstrates a blatant disregard for the judicial system and for the court. This conviction reaffirms our commitment to hold accountable those whose disregard for the law endangers hard-working, law-abiding citizens in our communities. I am grateful for the efforts of our prosecutor and for the Louisiana State Office of Probation and Parole and the ATF whose collaboration contributed greatly to this conviction.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with substantial assistance from Louisiana State Probation and Parole. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Will Morris.