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31 May 2019
Florida Man Pleads Guilty in Telemarketing ScamRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jamie Frieri (49), a Mexican national who resided in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, from 2014 through at least 2018, Frieri conspired with another individual to take money from largely Spanish-speaking victims throughout the United States who wanted to sell their timeshare properties or other land parcels. The conspirators obtained the personal information of the potential victims through multiple sources, including wrongfully acquiring the lists from legitimate timeshare advertising telemarketing companies.
The conspirators called the timeshare owners and falsely told them that they had buyers for the victims’ timeshares and that the sales could be consummated if the victims made one or more payments to the conspirators for various fees purportedly associated with the sales. Once the victims agreed to pay the bogus fees, the conspirators directed them to send money to the conspirators in a variety of ways, including by sending payment in the name of the conspirators’ fraudulent company, Imperial Getaways. The conspirators often repeatedly re-contacted their victims and fraudulently advised them that additional fees were needed in order to complete the sales, and they continued to dupe the victims into sending bogus advance fees until the victims either ran out of money or became aware of the scam.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the St. Petersburg Police Department, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel K. Jones.
Flagler County Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for ManufacturingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis today sentenced Christopher Brent Heath, (36, Bunnell), to six years in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. As part of his sentence, the court ordered Heath to pay restitution to the victims he had defrauded and to forfeit computer media used in the crime. Heath, a 29-time convicted felon, had pleaded guilty on February 14, 2019. The court previously sentenced Christine Marie Beaulieu (37, Bunnell), Heath’s co-defendant, to seven months in federal prison for her role in passing the counterfeit notes.
According to court documents, in May 2018, Heath and Beaulieu were involved with passing counterfeit Federal Reserve notes in Flagler and Volusia Counties. On May 17, 2018, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office executed a search warrant at Beaulieu’s residence in Bunnell. Inside the residence they located computer media used to manufacture counterfeit bills and chemicals used for bleaching genuine money in furtherance of the counterfeiting process. Law enforcement recovered over $11,000 in counterfeit notes from the residence and attributed several thousand more to Heath and Beaulieu.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office, the Ormond Beach Police Department, and the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Federal Jury Convicts Armed Robbery Crew LeaderRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has convicted Rashid Iman Turner (32, Ft. Myers) for his involvement in a string of armed robberies of banks and retail stores. Following a seven-day trial, the jury found Turner guilty of one count of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, two counts of bank robbery, three counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, and three counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Turner faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 21 years, and up to life, in federal prison. Turner’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 20, 2019.
According to evidence presented at trial, Turner and co-defendant Petrie Addison forced entry into at least one retail store in Lehigh Acres shortly after closing time, held the employees at gunpoint, threatened to kill them and their families, forced them to open the safes, and stole the cash from the store. Co-defendant Dakiriya Lias served as their getaway driver. Eventually, Turner and Addison turned their attention to banks. In November 2017, they robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Spring Hill. In December 2017, co-defendant Zachary Gloster joined the crew and they robbed Seacoast Banks in Arcadia and Port St. Lucie. In each of the bank robberies, the defendants stormed through the bank’s front doors shortly after opening time, held the employees at gunpoint, looted the teller drawers, and fled less than two minutes later.
Addison, Gloster, and Lias pleaded guilty for their roles in this case prior to Turner’s trial. They are currently awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Ft. Myers Police Department, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Arcadia Police Department, the Port St. Lucie Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael M. Gordon.
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.
Father and Son Sentenced to Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Guatemalan man was sentenced today to nearly three and a half years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, Minor Peralta-Perez, aka Amilcar Lara, 44, and his son, Mynor Mejia Benitez, 25, distributed over half a kilogram of cocaine to a confidential source over a 14-month time period. Mejia Benitez was his father’s source of supply of cocaine. Peralta-Perez introduced the confidential source to Mejia Benitez during the summer of 2017, after the CS requested to purchase ounce-quantities of cocaine. For the majority of the transactions, Peralta Perez and the CS traveled to Mejia Benitez’s residence, in Dumfries, to conduct the cocaine transactions. During their first encounter, Mejia Benitez pulled a Smith and Wesson pistol from his waistband during the cocaine transaction. On other occasions, Mejia Benitez’s two minor children were in the residence during the sale of cocaine.
During the conspiracy, Peralta Perez was deported to Guatemala after a driving while intoxicated charge in Alexandria. Despite his deportation, Peralta Perez directed his associates based in the United States to maintain his drug operations and made his intentions known that he would re-enter the United States. In December 2018, Peralta Perez illegally reentered the United States at the Texas border and was subsequently prosecuted.
On March 15, Mejia Benitez was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in this conspiracy and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Virginia Assistant Attorney General Lena Munasifi prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-68.
Evansville man arrested in connection with Fentanyl overdose deathRead the Press Release
Evansville – Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney, announced today the arrest of Kalib Scott Powell, 25, of Evansville, Indiana for the Distribution of a Schedule One Controlled Substance (Fentanyl), Resulting in Death.
The arrest is the result of the investigation into the fentanyl-based overdose death of Jacilynn Holifield, 22, also of Evansville, which occurred on or about February 23, 2019. The investigation was conducted by the Evansville office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Evansville Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force, Evansville Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service, and other law enforcement agencies with support from the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office.
As set forth in the federal complaint, Powell is accused of selling fentanyl powder to Jacilynn Holified on or about February 21, 2019 in Evansville. Holifield is believed to have used the fentanyl powder up to and through February 23, 2019. Holifield was found deceased on the morning of February 24, 2019. The cause of Holifield’s death has been ruled fentanyl intoxication by the forensic pathologist who conducted the autopsy.
“Tragedies such as these bring families and communities to their knees,” said Minkler. “The Justice Department is committed to devoting the resources of the federal government to upend these avoidable deaths through the aggressive prosecution of drug traffickers, but also through education, outreach and newly conceptualized partnership circles.”
“DEA and our local law enforcement partners working in concert with the United States Attorney's Office (Josh Minkler) will continue to identify subjects involved in selling fentanyl as well as other opioids, including heroin. In this instant investigation, DEA identified a local drug dealer who was selling fentanyl on the streets of Evansville to addicts. As a result, an Evansville resident overdosed and died,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian M. McKnight. “The drug dealer was aware he was selling this deadly poison and he will now be held accountable for his actions. The public should be reminded that people who illegally use fentanyl are playing with their own life. Using this poison could result in a ‘death sentence.’ Evansville ‘drug dealers’ who provide this deadly poison are put on notice; DEA will arrest you! To the cartel leaders operating with impunity in Mexico, who ship these deadly drugs to the United States; we will extradite you and ensure that you are brought to justice, swiftly.”
Tara Sullivan, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation said, “IRS Criminal Investigation is charged with disrupting the money flow of criminal organizations. Our agents trace criminal proceeds and work to deprive criminals of their illicit spoils. Together with our OCDETF partners we dismantle illegal drug and money laundering enterprises that try to take root in Indiana.”
“This case shows the true result of partnerships and cooperation between local and federal law enforcement agencies,” said Assistant Chief of Police Chris Pugh. “The Evansville Police Department takes great pride in the relationships we have with all of federal law enforcement as well as the United States Attorney’s Office.”
According to Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Dahl, III, who is prosecuting the case for the government, the defendant, if convicted, faces a possible sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
A complaint 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 firm commitment to prosecuting those who traffic in large quantities of illegal opiates and other dangerous drugs. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 3.2
Delaware Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking a 15-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Steven M. Williams, a/k/a “Brother Ray,” a/k/a “Ray,” age 39, formerly of Delaware, today to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a child by force, fraud, and coercion. Upon his release from prison, Williams will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is employed, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Matthew Donnelly of the Elkton Police Department.
“Children cannot consent to have sex for money. Human traffickers such as Steven Williams compel their victims to work for little or no compensation, often using violence and threats to force their victims to engage in prostitution,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This lengthy sentence should send a powerful message that sex trafficking will not be tolerated in Maryland. Through the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, law enforcement is working with non-profit organizations to help human trafficking victims and prosecute the traffickers. Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
According to his plea agreement, the victim, Girl 1, engaged in commercial sex acts with men in Delaware, along with Williams’ co-defendant Jessica L. Schaefer, an adult. Girl 1 was 15 years old and a resident of Pennsylvania, but lived with her father in Delaware. Schaefer posted ads of herself for commercial sex purposes. Williams responded to one of the ads and determined that Schaefer and Girl 1 would work for him. Williams provided Schaefer and Girl 1 with crack cocaine and they were eventually in debt to Williams. Girl 1 and Schaefer then engaged in commercial sex acts to pay off their debt to Williams. Girl 1 and Schaefer gave any proceeds earned from performing commercial sex acts to Williams. To facilitate the commercial sex acts, Williams rented hotel rooms in his name or the names of men paying for the commercial sex acts, and co-defendant Harry Rivers provided narcotics to the females and their customers, and helped to arrange “dates” for the females.
In July 2017, Williams drove Girl 1 from Delaware to Elkton, Maryland, separating her from Schaefer. Girl 1 woke up in a motel in Elkton with another adult sex worker, AH. At Williams’ direction, AH posted an ad featuring a picture of Girl 1 on a website used to advertise and solicit for commercial sex, including the sexual exploitation of minors. While in Maryland, Girl 1 performed commercial sex acts and gave the monies she earned to Williams. Williams physically abused Girl 1 when he thought she was not giving him all the money she earned, and also displayed his firearm.
On July 13, 2017, Girl 1 attempted to leave and hid in AH’s hotel room. Williams, Rivers, and Schaefer traveled from Newark, Delaware to Elkton, to take Girl 1 back to Delaware, to ensure that she did not leave Williams’ employ. Williams and Rivers each had a firearm which they used to threaten AH, demanding that she produce Girl 1. Schaefer had a taser, which she ignited, barged into AH’s room, and took Girl 1 from the room against her will. Williams and his co-defendants drove Girl 1 back to Delaware so that she could continue to engage in commercial sex acts.
On July 14, 2017, AH reported the abduction of Girl 1 to law enforcement. Girl 1 was located and rescued in Newark, Delaware the next day, and the defendants were arrested.
Co-defendant Harry E. Rivers, a/k/a “Hakeem” and “Pots,” age 29, also of Delaware, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child and was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. Jessica L. Schaefer, a/k/a “Tutti,” age 24, of Pennsylvania, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a child and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 6, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
U.S. Attorney Robert Hur commended the FBI and the Elkton Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Newark (Delaware) Police Department, the Wilmington (Delaware) Police Department, the Cecil County Department of Social Services, the Cecil County State's Attorney's Office, and the Delaware Department of Justice for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Zachary A. Myers, who are prosecuting the case.
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Defendant in College Admissions Case to Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former accountant and financial officer for the Edge College & Career Network and the Key Worldwide Foundation will plead guilty in connection with the college admissions case.
Steven Masera, 69, of Folsom, Calif., will plead guilty to conspiracy to commit racketeering. Masera is cooperating with the government’s investigation. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence at the low end of the Guidelines, one year of supervised release, a fine, restitution and forfeiture.
A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of racketeering conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Darknet Fentanyl Dealer Indicted in Nationwide Undercover Operation Targeting Darknet Vendors Who Were Selling to Thousands of U.s. ResidentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas announced the indictment of a darknet drug dealer who has been indicted for leveraging Bitcoin’s apparent anonymity to sell fentanyl online. The charges against him are the result of the first nationwide undercover operation targeting darknet vendors that the Justice Department announced in June 2018.
Sean Shaughnessy, 51, of the Dallas Fort Worth, Texas area, was charged by federal grand jury with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of a controlled substance, distribution of a controlled substance analogue and eight counts of money laundering.
According to the indictment, which was unsealed on May 24 following the defendant’s initial appearance, Mr. Shaughnessy allegedly sold fentanyl and fentanyl analogues over the dark web, an unindexed portion of the internet accessible only via specialized software that allows users to conduct transactions with relative anonymity. His buyers purchased the fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, which was shipped to their addresses, using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, the indictment alleges. One user, who allegedly purchased a fentanyl analogue from Mr. Shaughnessy, overdosed on the substance and died. Mr. Shaughnessy allegedly transferred his Bitcoin proceeds to other cryptocurrency wallets in exchange for regular fiat currency, which was shipped to his home in Dallas. Unbeknownst to Mr. Shaughnessy, he sent more than $120,000 bitcoin to wallet addresses controlled by federal agents. Yesterday, he was ordered to remain in federal custody. The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation into Sean Shaughnessy was part of Operation Dark Gold, a year-long, coordinated national operation that used the first nationwide undercover action to target vendors of illicit goods on the darknet. Special agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Field Office posed as a money launderer on dark net market sites, exchanging U.S. currency for virtual currency. Through this operation, HSI New York was able to identify numerous vendors of illicit goods, leading to the opening of more than 90 active cases around the country, including the investigation into Mr. Shaughnessy in the Northern District of Texas.
The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, coordinated with law enforcement and federal prosecutors from more than 50 U.S. Attorney’s Offices to investigate 65 targets identified by the undercover operation, which led to the arrest and impending prosecution of more than 30 darknet vendors.
One year after 70 search warrants were executed in May 2018, numerous opioid and narcotics distributors have been charged and convicted around the country. Those include:
- Brian Gutierrez-Villasenor, 27, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced recently to serve 120 months in prison for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and transporting funds to promote unlawful activity. Gutierrez-Villasenor was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. According to his guilty plea, between 2014 and May of 2018, Gutierrez-Villasenor distributed cocaine and methamphetamine for a darknet vendor site called “JetSetLife.” In addition to the prison term, Gutierrez-Villasenor was ordered to pay a $40,000 fine and to serve an additional five-year term of supervised release to begin after his prison term. Gutierrez-Villasenor has been in custody since his arrest on May 17, 2018, and is serving his prison sentence.
- John Edward Monette, 50, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced to serve five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Monette was convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance on Nov. 15, 2018. On April 25, 2018, a federal search warrant was executed on Monette’s residence as part of Operation Dark Gold. Law enforcement officers seized approximately 838 grams of MDMA, numerous ecstasy pills, approximately 69 grams of cocaine, drug packaging, scales, shipping materials, computers, cell phones and a rifle. Also seized were 3.3882104 bitcoin (approximate value $32,464.38) from a Mycelium wallet on Monette’s cell phone. Monette had been buying MDMA and other controlled substances from sellers in Europe and elsewhere via the dark web. He used Bitcoin to pay his suppliers, and received the drugs via mail. He also used the mail to deliver drugs to his customers.
- Ryan Farace, 34, of Reisterstown, Maryland, and Robert Swain, 34, of Freeland, Maryland, were charged by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Farace was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and money laundering conspiracies. The charges arose from a scheme to manufacture and distribute Alprazolam, or “Xanax,” through sales on the dark net in exchange for Bitcoin. Farace and his co-conspirator, Robert Swain, laundered the drug proceeds through financial transactions designed to conceal the source and ownership of the illegal funds. Farace was ordered to forfeit a money judgment equal to $5,665,000 and 4,000 bitcoin (currently worth approximately $3.2 million). Farace was also ordered to forfeit assets seized by law enforcement during the execution of search warrants in 2018, at locations associated with the conspiracies, including approximately $1.5 million in cash, 1.100 bitcoin and approximately $2.5 million in computer equipment. Robert Swain previously pleaded guilty to the money laundering conspiracy and faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison at his sentencing on June 18.
- Tyler Lee Ward, 35, of Moody, Alabama, and Henry Long Nguyen, 33, of Birmingham, Alabama, pleaded guilty in the Northern District of Alabama to three counts including conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute Alprazolam; maintaining a drug-involved premises; and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Ward was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison and Nguyen was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison. Both Ward and Nguyen were ordered to forfeit numerous assets, including more than $200,000 in cryptocurrency. Joseph William Davis 26, of Madison, Alabama, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute Alprazolam and was sentenced to serve 126 months in prison.
- Sam Bent, 32, of St. Johnsbury, Vermont (and formerly of East Burke, Vermont), and his cousin, Djeneba Bent, 26, also of St. Johnsbury (and formerly East Burke) were both charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont. They both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. Sam Bent also pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering and agreed to a forfeiture money judgment. As part of his plea agreement, Sam Bent admitted that he set up accounts on dark web marketplaces, established online identities, accepted Bitcoin in exchange for sales over the dark web, and mailed controlled substances from several different post offices in Northeastern Vermont and Northwestern New Hampshire in an effort to avoid detection. Their sentencings are currently scheduled for July 2019.
- Kyle Lindemann, 31, of Birmingham, Michigan, was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, and pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute MDMA. As part of his plea, Lindemann admitted that he had managed a vendor account on the darknet marketplace known as “Dream Market,” on which he sold Alprazolam (Xanax), Adderall, Ecstasy (MDMA), and GHB. Lindemann also agreed to the forfeiture of 4.430550289998 Monero and 39.17488 MilliBitcoin that were seized during Operation Dark Gold, in May 2018.
The investigations are pending.
Convicted Robber Sentenced to Almost Four Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A man previously convicted of robbery who possessed a gun with an obliterated serial number while under the influence of marijuana was sentenced today to almost four years in federal prison.
Joseph Bogovich, age 34, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 7, 2019 guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Information disclosed at sentencing and in a written plea agreement showed that shortly after 1:00 a.m. on September 8, 2018, Bogovich was driving in Dubuque when he hit a parked car. Bogovich’s driver’s license was suspended at the time. He drove away from the scene, but a witness to the accident reported it to the police.
Officers from the Dubuque Police Department found Bogovich a short time later outside his home. Bogovich admitted to hitting the parked car because he lost control while scratching off a lottery ticket. An officer saw a handgun in Bogovich’s car. The serial number had been obliterated from the gun. Bogovich had previously been convicted of a felony robbery offense. Officers also found marijuana in the car and Bogovich admitted to having used marijuana earlier that night.
Bogovich was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Bogovich was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Bogovich is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1048.
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Co-Owners of Chicago-Area Home Health Agency Plead Guilty to Kickbacks Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Husband and wife co-owners of a Chicago-area home health agency pleaded guilty today for their roles in a scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Medicare reimbursements through the payment of kickbacks for patient referrals.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. of the Northern District of Illinois, Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey S. Sallet of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office made the announcement.
Carmencita Agno, 52, and Emmanuel Agno, 54, both of Streamwood, Illinois, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to offer and pay kickbacks before U.S. District Court Judge Sharon Coleman of the Northern District of Illinois. Sentencing has been scheduled for Sept. 19, 2019, before Judge Coleman.
As part of their guilty pleas, Carmencita Agno and Emmanuel Agno each admitted that they caused Renaissance Home Health Services Inc. (Renaissance) of Elk Grove Village, Illinois, a home health agency they both co-owned, to make concealed kickback payments to patient marketers and other sources of Medicare patient referrals. As a result of these illegal kickback payments, Renaissance improperly obtained approximately $1.6 million in profits. Carmencita Agno and Emmanuel Agno further admitted that they caused Axis Healthcare Services Inc. (Axis) of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, another home health agency co-owned by Carmencita Agno and for which Emmanuel Agno served as the administrator, to make approximately $365,000 in illegal kickback payments to Maristel Canete, 49, formerly of Streamwood, a patient marketer. In order to conceal the illegal nature of the payments to Canete, the conspirators caused Axis to enter into sham contracts with companies set up by Canete for receiving the payments.
Carmencita Agno and Emmanuel Agno were charged along with Canete and Antonio Clavero, age 50, of Schiller Park, Illinois, in a superseding indictment returned on June 16, 2016. Clavero pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2017, and is awaiting sentencing; Canete is a fugitive.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG. Trial Attorney Patrick Mott of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Meth Distribution and Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.VA. – A Charleston man pled guilty to federal drug and gun crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jackie Harper, 27, pled guilty to distributing over 170 grams of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The investigation was conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“An all too common occurrence – a felon with a gun. Dealing meth,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “And another common occurrence – we convict those drug dealing felons with guns.”
Harper admitted that he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant working for MDENT on four separate occasions in August and September 2018. Upon execution of a search warrant on September 19, 2018, law enforcement officers also found a firearm on Harper. Harper is prohibited from having a firearm due to his prior conviction for malicious assault in the Circuit Court of Kanawha County
Harper faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on August 21, 2019.
United States District Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Arthur is handling the prosecution.
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Cedar Rapids Man Who Fired Several Shots at People Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Cedar Rapids man who returned fire at a drive-by shooter was sentenced today to 24 months in prison.
Treysean Adair Burnside, age 23, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison sentence after a January 14, 2019 guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a drug user.
Information disclosed at sentencing and in a written plea agreement showed that on July 22 of last year, Burnside got into an argument over a fake $100 bill at a local bar in Cedar Rapids. After the argument, Burnside went home and received a call from an unknown man asking where he was. Burnside then retrieved a loaded 9mm gun from his residence and waited on the front porch. A short time later, a vehicle drove by and someone inside the vehicle fired a shot at Burnside’s residence. Burnside fired back six or seven times. No one was hurt in the shooting but a nearby residence was struck by some of the shots and sustained damage to the interior of the residence. Burnside was high on cocaine at the time. Burnside also admitted to police that he used marijuana every day.
Burnside was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Burnside was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
Burnside was ordered to self-surrender to United States Marshal’s custody on June 14, 2019 to begin serving his prison term.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-2068.
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Carrizo Springs Doctor and Office Manager Arrested on Federal Drug, Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
A Carrizo Springs doctor with multiple offices throughout the Southwest Texas border area and his office manager face federal charges in connection with alleged illegal drug distribution, Health Care Fraud, and aggravated identity theft scheme, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, Houston Division; and, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
A 20-count federal grand jury indictment--returned on Wednesday in Del Rio and unsealed today by U.S. District Judge Alia Moses--charges Dr. Alfonso Luevano, age 50, with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, ten substantive counts of distribution of a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to commit Health Care Fraud, five substantive counts of Health Care Fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. Ofelia Martinez, a 50-year-old employee of Dr. Luevano and resident of Carrizo Springs, is charged in both conspiracy counts, the five Health Care Fraud counts, and the three aggravated identity theft counts.
As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Luevano regularly provided prescriptions for scheduled controlled substances – including Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, and fentanyl – to patients outside the bounds of accepted medical practice and for no legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Luevano is alleged to have provided these prescriptions after short or perfunctory office visits, and to have issued them without performing the examination necessary to justify the prescription of an opioid pain medication.
The indictment also alleges that Dr. Luevano allowed and instructed nurse practitioners and physician assistants in his employ to provide Schedule II controlled substance prescriptions by pre-signing triplicate prescription forms and leaving them at his various offices to be filled out by his staff. Ms. Moreno is alleged to have assisted in this practice by transporting the pre-signed prescriptions to the offices and instructing the staff on how to fill them out.
Dr. Luevano is also alleged to have committed Health Care Fraud by billing Texas Medicaid for the illegal office visits performed by his medical staff, and by listing himself as the providing practitioner for appointments where he never saw the patient whatsoever. It is also alleged that he defrauded Medicaid on multiple instances by misstating the length of time spent with a patient, as well as the nature of the patient’s diagnosis. Ms. Moreno is alleged to have personally entered and submitted the fraudulent bills for the entire practice, and instructed medical staff to close medical records files in a certain manner so as to conceal their involvement in an appointment.
Federal authorities arrested both defendants Thursday without incident. Both defendants had their initial appearances in federal court in Del Rio on Friday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Victor Garcia released the defendants on $50,000 unsecured bonds pending trial.
“A doctor who prescribes opioids without just cause is no different than a street corner drug dealer distributing narcotics,” stated DEA Special Agent in Charge Glaspy. “DEA will always pursue these ‘drug dealers in white coats’ who are fueling, our ongoing opioid crisis.”
Upon conviction, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison on the counts related to the distribution of controlled substances and aggravated identity theft, as well as up to ten years in federal prison on the Health Care Fraud counts.
This indictment resulted from a continuing joint investigation by the DEA Prescription Drug Diversion Task Force, DEA Del Rio, and the Texas Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Paul Harle are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Career Cocaine Dealer in Athens-Clarke County Sentenced to 151 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON – A defendant with a lengthy criminal history will spend 151 months in federal prison for distributing cocaine in the Athens area, announced Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Patrick O’Neal Kennedy, 43, of Athens was sentenced Wednesday by the Honorable C. Ashley Royal in U.S. District Court, Macon, on the charge of Distribution of Cocaine Base. There is no parole in the federal system.
On March 23, 2018, a confidential source exchanged a series of text messages with Mr. Kennedy regarding a crack cocaine deal. FBI agents, along with Athens-Clarke County Police Department officers, worked with the confidential source, providing the source with $600 for the purchase of the illegal drugs. Under surveillance, the source purchased crack cocaine from the defendant, who admitted he knowingly possessed 8.25 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute them.
Mr. Kennedy has three prior drug convictions, all in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court:
1. July 6, 2017, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute;
2. September 19, 2014, Possession of Cocaine; and
3. August 23, 2006, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute.
“This individual has been a menace to the peace and safety of citizens in Athens-Clarke County, and he will now spend more than 12 years behind federal prison bars,” said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I want to thank our law enforcement partners, including the FBI and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, for rooting out a career criminal who thought he was above the law.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndie Freeman and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Leary prosecuted this case for the Government.
Questions concerning this case can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
California Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a Minor He Met While Playing “Clash of Clans”Read the Press Release
A Fresno, California, man was sentenced today to 14 years in prison followed by seven years of supervised release for using the internet to coerce and entice a minor into producing child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia and Acting Assistant Director in Charge John P. Selleck of the FBI’s Washington Field Office made the announcement.
Emilio Morales, 29, was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Morales met the 11-year-old victim while playing the online game “Clash of Clans.” In 2017, Morales began grooming the victim over Clash of Clans before proposing that he and the victim communicate privately over the online chatting application Kik Messenger. While communicating over Kik Messenger, Morales coerced and persuaded the victim to produce and send him sexually explicit images and videos. The conduct ceased when, despite Morales’s attempts at manipulation, the minor victim refused to participate in any further sexual activity.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Prince William County Police Department, with substantial assistance from the High Technology Investigative Unit of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The case was prosecuted by CEOS Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney D. Russell of the Eastern District of Virginia.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Bullhead Man Charged with Child Abuse and AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Bullhead, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Child Abuse and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.
Rex Harrison, age 52, was indicted on May 14, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on May 29, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on April 4, 2019, Harrison abused, exposed, tortured, tormented, and cruelly punished minor children who had not attained the age of 18, and further assaulted another individual with a tire iron and a vehicle with the intent to do bodily harm.
The charges are merely accusations and Harrison is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Jasper is prosecuting the case.
Harrison was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Broward Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Immigration Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Coral Springs business owner pled guilty today to participating in a visa fraud immigration scheme by attempting to obtain visas with false information for individuals from overseas.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony Salisbury, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
Jenny Hernandez, 51, of Parkland, pled guilty to a four count Information charging her with visa fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1546(a) before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick M. Hunt (Case No. 19-601134-CR-ZLOCH). The defendant faces a possible maximum statutory sentence of up to 10 years in prison on each count. The sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled.
According to the court record, including stipulated facts and statements made during hearings, Hernandez knowingly made false material statements in immigration documents, specifically Form I-140’s, Immigrant Petitions for Alien Workers. Hernandez owned and operated the Immigration Form Center, Inc. (IFC) in Coral Springs. The defendant stated in applications she filed with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) that individuals from overseas were to be employed at certain businesses as multinational executives or managers. However, these businesses never knew about these individuals and, furthermore, never made employment offers to them. Hernandez profited from these misrepresentations, by receiving between $14,200 to $50,900 from individual applicants. Hernandez also filed an application for an overseas individual to work at her bakery in Coral Springs, as a multinational executive or manager, when the individual was only selling jewelry inside the bakery. This individual paid $64,000 to the defendant.
All of these petitions were completed at IFC in Coral Springs and subsequently filed with USCIS. In addition to these documents, Hernandez filed additional documents accompanying the I-140 Petitions, including including I-485 applications to adjust for permanent residency in the United States. All of these payments were deposited into business checking accounts primarily controlled by the defendant.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of HSI in this matter. She thanked the members of USCIS for their assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Katz.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Big Sandy man sentenced to year in prison on gun crime after high-speed chaseRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—Big Sandy resident Joe Don Demontiney, who admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and to three years of supervised release on May 30, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Demontiney, 37, pleaded guilty in January to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The prosecution said in court records that Demontiney led the Montana Highway Patrol on a high-speed chase that began on May 23, 2018 on Highway 87 between Big Sandy and Box Elder. The trooper saw a large cloud of black smoke coming from the rear of a Honda Civic that Demontiney was driving and thought the car was on fire. The trooper pursued the Honda, which had been stolen in Great Falls three days earlier. Speeds reached at least 98 mph before Demontiney finally came to a stop on a county road. Inside the vehicle, the trooper saw drug paraphernalia and a black pry bar. Ultimately, the trooper seized a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol from the car. Demontiney, who had a prior felony conviction in state District Court, was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana Highway Patrol.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Bettendorf Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa—On May 29, 2019, Laron Josiah Carr, age 26, of Bettendorf, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 84 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to the plea agreement, on May 31, 2018, Bettendorf Police officers responded to a domestic dispute involving a firearm. When they arrived, Carr ran from the police and drew a loaded firearm. Carr was eventually taken into custody without incident. Carr was also found to be in possession of methamphetamine packaged for sale. Carr pleaded guilty to the charges on January 22, 2019.
This case was investigated by the Bettendorf Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Transferring More than $4.6 Million in Criminal Proceeds as Part of an Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that DONOVAN J. BARKER, age 59, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. As a result of his conviction, BARKER faces a significant term of imprisonment, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his plea, between September of 2012 and May of 2016, individuals known to the defendant conspired to distribute carisoprodol, tramadol, and other substances, by shipping the pills in bulk into the United States, to be broken down into smaller quantities that would then be shipped to individual purchasers. For a time, BARKER helped the individuals by accepting the bulk drug shipments at his home and mailing the drugs out to individual purchasers. In January of 2013, law enforcement agents seized more than 50,000 dosage units of tramadol and carisoprodol from BARKER’s residence and advised him to stop assisting the effort to import the substances into the United States.
Following the January 2013 seizure, BARKER began operating as a money transmitter for the individuals involved in the scheme. As drug sales were generated, BARKER would receive the proceeds of the sales (i.e., accept payments for the drugs from the individual buyers) and wire the proceeds to other individuals and businesses. BARKER formed and operated several business entities, including Quantum Information Technologies, Caring Partners 1, LLC, Don Western Sky, LLC, Life Positive Services, LLC, and Healthy Life 1, LLC that he used to assist the scheme.
In total, from October 2012 through February 2016, BARKER through his businesses, received more than $4.6 million in payments from individuals all across the United States. This included more than $1.3 million in credit card payments made to BARKER via electronic transfer, and more than $750,000 in checks and money orders, from individuals all across the United States who had purchased controlled substances and other substances over the internet. As BARKER received the money, he wired the vast majority of the money out to other individuals and businesses, through hundreds of transactions. For instance, BARKER paid the shipping charges incurred by members of the conspiracy, which exceeded $100,000. Moreover, on more than two hundred (200) different occasions, BARKER transmitted proceeds from the operation to foreign bank accounts in the Philippines, India, China, and Canada. Accordingly, BARKER was unlawfully and knowingly operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, in violation of federal criminal statutes enacted to combat the use of money transmitting businesses to transfer the proceeds of criminal activity.
U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin stated, "Drug traffickers are very creative and use many resources to distribute their products to our citizens across the country. We have resources too. This investigation and conviction yet again demonstrates our willingness to use those resources to dismantle their networks and keep dangerous substances off of our streets. I want to congratulate our prosecutors and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners on their outstanding efforts in obtaining this conviction."
Thomas J. Holloman, III, Special Agent in Charge of IRS – Criminal Investigations, stated “The Special Agents of IRS – Criminal Investigation are an integral part of drug investigations that involve the laundering of money through sophisticated means such as those implemented by Donovan Barker. More and more often individuals are using the internet and access to international banks in an attempt to keep their misdeeds hidden from the view of law enforcement. However, the dissection of complex money laundering schemes is an area of expertise in which IRS- CI excels. It is our hope that Barker’s drug distribution and money laundering operation were fully dismantled as a result of this investigation, and he will face the consequences for his role in facilitating the trafficking of illegal substances into our communities.”
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with critical assistance from the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who serves as a Deputy Criminal Chief within the Criminal Division, and AUSAs Kashan Pathan and Robert Piedrahita. The investigation received valuable assistance from the Baton Rouge Police Department, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana State Police, and other federal, state, and local agencies.
The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
Atlanta man sentenced for nine bank robberiesRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Patrick Jerome Mouton has been sentenced for nine metro-Atlanta bank robberies. During the robberies, Mouton would approach tellers and give them a threatening note that demanded cash.
“Whether by firearm or threatening note, bank robberies strike fear in the hearts of bank employees and customers,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Citizens trying to do their jobs or conduct their banking business deserve to feel safe in their communities. Thankfully law-enforcement partners worked tirelessly to end this series of robberies.”
“Mouton’s conviction was made possible by a collaborative effort with our law enforcement partners in Atlanta, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs and Cobb County,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Hacker of the FBI Atlanta field office. “To anyone thinking about robbing a bank, the message from this sentence is clear. You will get caught, and when you do, you will serve a significant amount of time in prison.”
“I’m tremendously proud of our detectives and the work they put in to help solve this case. This demonstrates the importance of having such a close working relationship with our surrounding law enforcement partners.” Chief John Robison, Alpharetta Department of Public Safety.
“Getting a prison sentence for this bank robber shows what good can result when law enforcement agencies work together,” said Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. “We are grateful the U.S. Attorney’s Office has shown its commitment to getting serious offenders off of our streets and in prison, where they belong. Their office continues to do exceptional work.”
“We are proud of the partnerships we have established with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. We will relentlessly pursue suspects across multiple jurisdiction’s boundaries until we bring the lawless to justice,” said Chief Ken DeSimone of the Sandy Springs Police Department.
“The Cobb County Police Department is proud to be part of the interagency cooperation in this case. It is imperative law enforcement agencies continue to share information in cases like this in order to bring to justice those who prey upon the public regardless of jurisdictional lines,” said Chief Tim Cox of the Cobb County Police Department.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: From September 2017 until February 2018, metro-Atlanta banks experienced a startling series of bank robberies. During the robberies, the robber approached the teller and passed a note that demanded cash and threatened harm. On February 2, 2018, Patrick Mouton was arrested after robbing a Regions Bank branch in Atlanta. FBI reviewed surveillance video from numerous robberies and determined that Mouton had robbed seven other banks. In fact, he was captured after robbing a Regions Bank branch for the second time. Alpharetta Police Department detectives utilized information from the Sandy Springs Police Department to locate Mouton’s would-be getaway car and FBI found notes he used in other robberies and items identified in the surveillance videos.
Patrick Jerome Mouton, 47, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Eleanor L. Ross to five years, ten months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $15,734. Mouton was convicted on these charges on January 30, 2019, after he pleaded guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alpharetta Police Department, Sandy Springs Police Department, Cobb County Police Department, and Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Antioch Resident Charged with Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OAKLAND - A federal grand jury indicted Henry Obdulio Cordon with receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Ryan L. Spradlin.
An affidavit filed by a Task Force Officer with Homeland Security Investigations in connection with a criminal complaint filed in the same case also alleges that various email accounts controlled by Cordon contained child pornography images of young children being sexually abused. The complaint also alleges that Cordon emailed himself images of young children being sexually abused by adult men. Additionally, the complaint alleges that in 2011 Cordon participated in sexually explicit conduct with a 2 or 3-year-old girl and that he took a photograph of the girl while she was engaging in the conduct. The indictment charges Cordon with one count of receipt of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), and one count of possession of child pornography, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).
The investigation began when Yahoo! sent a series of CyberTips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after discovering child pornography materials in accounts that Cordon controlled.
Cordon was arrested at his residence in Antioch the day the search warrant was executed, and made his initial appearance in federal court in Oakland on May 20, 2019. Today, Cordon waived a detention hearing and remains in the custody of the United States Marshal. Cordon’s next scheduled appearance is at 1:00 p.m. on June 11, 2019, for a status conference before the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.
Anyone with information about Cordon or his alleged sexual interest in children should contact the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations at 925-957-2200.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a lifetime of supervised release, plus restitution, if convicted of violating 18 U.S.C. 2252(a)(2) (receipt of child pornography). However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Rodriguez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force of Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Homeland Security Investigations.
28-Year-Old Pedophile Committed to Federal Custody as a Sexually Dangerous PersonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan committed Jonah james hawkins, 28, to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006.
Hawkins has a history of sexually molesting young girls and violating the terms of his probation. When he was 14, HAWKINS molested his three-year-old cousin. When he was 15, he molested the five-year-old daughter of one of his father’s friends. At age 16, he molested his seven-year-old half-sister and a two-year-old cousin he was babysitting. He molested this young cousin again when he was 17, and did so approximately 30 times over a two-month period. During the time he was molesting his young cousin, HAWKINS pled with the girl’s mother to let him take custody of her.
As a result of sexually abusing his young cousin, HAWKINS was convicted of Second Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Victim under 13 in Minnesota, as well as Contributing to the Deprivation of a Minor in North Dakota. HAWKINS was sentenced to a ten-year term of probation, which he subsequently violated on two occasions by forming relationships with female children under the age of 12. HAWKINS served prison time for violating his probation, and was again was released to the community on probation.
In June 2017, at age 26, HAWKINS absconded from his supervision in Minnesota and traveled to Texas. HAWKINS was in Texas using an alias, Charlie Ciancanelli, for approximately 42 days prior to his arrest by the United States Marshals Service, at which time he was found holding a 2-year-old female child. HAWKINS admitted at trial he was sexually attracted to the two-year-old, had fantasized about sexually abusing her, and had taken photographs of her on his cell phone. He also admitted at trial that he had online chats with other sex offenders about the sexual acts he wanted to perform on the child. During this time, HAWKINS also contacted multiple young female children on social networking websites and solicited a naked photograph from one of them.
HAWKINS was federally prosecuted in the Southern District of Texas for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender for his conduct in Texas. He was sentenced to a 24-month term of imprisonment and 10-years’ supervised release.
At trial, HAWKINS admitted that while he has been incarcerated he has repeatedly asked his family to send him pictures of his time in Texas, including with the young girl he fantasized about sexually abusing.
HAWKINS was scheduled for release from federal prison on May 1, 2019, but the United States certified him as a sexually dangerous person under the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. Congress passed this Act in order to provide another powerful legal mechanism for protecting the public from some of the most dangerous sexual offenders. The Act allows the United States to seek civil commitment of sexually dangerous persons who, because of a serious mental illness, abnormality, or disorder, would have serious difficulty refraining from sexually violent conduct or child molestation.
The United States believed that HAwkins met every element of that definition. The Court agreed. On May 30, 2019, after a bench trial, Judge Flanagan committed HAWKINS to the custody of the Attorney General as a sexually dangerous person. In doing so, Judge Flanagan explained that HAWKINS’ continued attempts to secure friendship and alone-time with young prepubescent females demonstrates that HAWKINS currently has limited ability to refrain from acting on his sexual attraction to young girls, despite years of sex offender therapy and the risk of violating probation. Judge Flanagan noted that HAWKINS is not intrinsically motivated to participate in sex offender treatment, a factor that weighs in favor of a finding that HAWKINS lacks volitional control as it relates to his offending.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina litigates all Adam Walsh Act cases for the entire country. All sexually dangerous persons who are committed to federal custody are housed in a federal facility in that district, where intensive, residential treatment is offered to them. HAWKINS is the eighty-third sexually dangerous person committed under the Adam Walsh Act.
Special Assistant United States Attorneys Genna Petre and Michael Bredenberg represented the government in this case.
"Operation 922"Read the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY — In the past week, four defendants have been sentenced to a total of 188 months in separate and unrelated cases as part of "Operation 922," the violent crime initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office targeting domestic violence derived cases, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. Within the last week, the following four defendants were sentenced in separate and unrelated cases:
- MICHAEL DEWAYNE GARRETT, 24, of Oklahoma City. On July 16, 2018, a female pawned a firearm at a pawn shop in Oklahoma City. That firearm had been stolen in a 2017 robbery of a sporting goods store. The investigation revealed that the female, who had been the victim of domestic violence, was forced to pawn the firearm belonging to Garrett on his behalf. Garrett was indicted on August 7, 2018, for illegally possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. He pled guilty on October 2, 2018.
At a sentencing hearing late last week, United States District Judge Timothy DeGiusti considered Garrett’s history of domestic violence, as well as the illegal possession of the firearm, and ordered Garrett to serve 50 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacquelyn Hutzell and Matt Anderson prosecuted this case.
- MARTRELL LITTLEJOHN, 27, of Oklahoma City. On May 8, 2017, Littlejohn threatened an ex-girlfriend with a firearm. He discharged the firearm at least 12 times in a residential neighborhood as his ex-girlfriend fled. Littlejohn was indicted on July 17, 2018, for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty on October 30, 2018.
At a sentencing hearing yesterday, United States District Judge David Russell considered Littlejohn’s history of domestic violence, his discharge of a firearm during a domestic violence incident, and the government’s motion for a higher sentence than the guideline range of 24-30 months. At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Russell ordered Littlejohn to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Hutzell prosecuted this case.
- KIRBY DONALD KEITH, 50, of Oklahoma City. On August 25, 2018, the Oklahoma City Police Department responded to a domestic disturbance call at an address they had been called to multiple times for Keith’s violation of a victim protection order (VPO). The caller reported seeing Keith running with an object in his hand near her property. While searching the area, OCPD located Keith, who had fallen out of a tree. Upon searching Keith’s vehicle, officers located a shotgun and a pistol. Keith was indicted on September 18, 2018, for illegally possessing a firearm while subject to an active VPO. He pled guilty on December 3, 2018.
At sentencing today, United States District Judge Scott Palk considered Keith’s history of domestic violence, including seven VPOs that had been filed against him from five different individuals, in addition to his illegal possession of a firearm while being subject to an active VPO. Judge Palk ordered Keith to serve 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Altshuler prosecuted this case.
- Michael Shane Mcconnell, 48, of Chickasha. On July 19, 2018, the Chickasha Police Department responded to a 911 call from a woman claiming McConnell, the caller’s estranged husband, followed her into her driveway, pulled a gun, and threatened to kill her and himself. During the encounter, McConnell started choking her and slammed her head and face into the dashboard of a car. McConnell left before police arrived, but was later located on a county road where he was threatening to shoot himself. A Grady County Judge had previously issued two final VPOs against McConnell until April 2, 2023. McConnell was indicted on August 21, 2018. He pled guilty on October 5, 2018.
At a sentencing hearing today, United States District Judge Timothy DeGiusti considered McConnell’s history of domestic violence, including repeated threats of violence and actual violence against his wife over a two-year time period, once shooting their bed with a shotgun, culminating in a March 2018 incident in which he pointed a firearm at his wife and said he was going to kill her. The Grady County court issued the VPOs on April 2, 2018, protecting his wife and her daughters after a hearing about the March 2018 incident. Judge DeGiusti considered all of this information, in addition to McConnell’s illegal possession of a firearm while being subject to an active VPO, and ordered McConnell to serve 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Assistant U.S. Attorney K. McKenzie Anderson prosecuted this case.
These cases are the result of investigations conducted by the Oklahoma City Police Department, Chickasha Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office and the Grady County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors also thank Palomar, Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, for their assistance in providing critical services to victims of domestic violence.
Progress of "Operation 922"
Since "Operation 922" began in March of 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has brought charges in 55 separate domestic violence derived cases. To date, 46 defendants have pled or been found guilty. Of those, 23 have been sentenced to a collective total of 2,198 months in federal prison. Five more “Operation 922” defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in June.
Background
These prosecutions are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s national violent crime reduction initiative aimed at making our communities safer and more secure. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
"Operation 922" is the local implementation of the national PSN initiative in the Western District of Oklahoma. Rather than focusing on prosecutions coming from a geographic area, "Operation 922" prioritizes prosecutions on a subject matter plaguing Oklahoma -- domestic violence. As part of this initiative, federal prosecutors focus on enforcing 18 U.S.C. § 922, which precludes specific individuals from possessing firearms or ammunition. Here, the focus is on domestic violence abusers who are subject to a VPO, or who have been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes domestic abuse related cases in Indian Country, including conduct involving assault, battery, strangulation, and homicide.
"We cannot have safe neighborhoods without first having safe homes," said Mr. Troester. "We are convinced we are saving lives by bringing the power of federal prosecution to help protect women and children who are the subject of repeated abuse and violence, particularly when that violence escalates to a point where firearms or weapons are involved. We are proud to partner with and assist state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and non-profit entities who are working each day to combat the epidemic of domestic violence in Oklahoma."
- MICHAEL DEWAYNE GARRETT, 24, of Oklahoma City. On July 16, 2018, a female pawned a firearm at a pawn shop in Oklahoma City. That firearm had been stolen in a 2017 robbery of a sporting goods store. The investigation revealed that the female, who had been the victim of domestic violence, was forced to pawn the firearm belonging to Garrett on his behalf. Garrett was indicted on August 7, 2018, for illegally possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. He pled guilty on October 2, 2018.
'Vanilla Gorilla' defendant sentenced to nearly 10 years for drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An associate of the Ghost Face Gangsters criminal street gang will serve nearly 10 years in prison for his role in distribution of methamphetamine.
Adam Cushman, 39, of Savannah, was sentenced to 108 months in prison for Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine by U. S. District Judge R. Stan Baker, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his sentence, Cushman will serve supervised release for three years and all federal benefits will be denied for five years. There is no parole in the federal system.
In November 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Cushman and 42 other defendants as part of Operation Vanilla Gorilla, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation into a drug trafficking organization associated with the Ghost Face Gangsters, a violent criminal street gang. Of the 43 defendants, 41 have been convicted of federal charges in this multi-district case. Cushman pled guilty within two months of being indicted.
According to information presented in court filings and in court proceedings, Cushman and other conspirators, including other associates of the Ghost Face Gangsters, distributed crystal methamphetamine throughout southern Georgia. Although tattooed with a large “G” and a skull on his chest, Cushman denied being a member of the Ghost Face Gangsters but admitted associating with others in the conspiracy.
As noted in court, Cushman’s criminal history spans two decades, with his first conviction at age 17. He has state convictions for DUI, Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Sale of Methamphetamine, and Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, among others. He was on state probation for the fifth time when he participated in the drug-trafficking conspiracy, and his federal sentence will begin immediately after he completes his prison sentence for violating state probation.
At sentencing, Cushman told the court, “Me being in prison may be the best thing that has happened to me,” and U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine agrees. “Cushman is an example of why people who sell methamphetamine should be locked up for a long time,” Christine said. “Cushman, himself, admitted that he would not have committed his crimes but for his own addiction to methamphetamine. Meth destroys lives, families and communities, and drug addicts often commit crimes to feed their addiction – as Cushman’s crimes abundantly demonstrate.”
“ATF will continue to dedicate federal resources to eradicate criminal gang activity,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Operation Vanilla Gorilla was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), the premier U.S. Department of Justice program to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. The case was investigated by the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Chatham County Narcotics Team (CNT), the Georgia Department of Corrections Intelligence Division, the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, the Richmond Hill Police Department, the Pooler Police Department, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Bloomingdale Police Department, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys E. Greg Gilluly, Jr. and Frank Pennington.
30 May 2019
“Wing Stop Robbery Crew” Leader Sentenced for Role in Multiple Robberies in One MonthRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 23-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for his role in organizing and planning a string of Houston-area armed robberies, including one in which someone was almost killed, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Tadarius Robinson pleaded guilty Aug. 8, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Gray Miller sentenced Robinson to 120 months for his role in the robberies. He also received another 120-month-term for aiding and abetting the discharge of a firearm during commission of a crime of violence which must be served consecutively. The total 20-year sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
In imposing the sentence, the court found Robinson to be the leader and organizer of the robbery crews that had committed the crimes within the span of one month in late 2015. Robinson had picked the locations, recruited the members and acted as a lookout or getaway driver for the robberies.
Co-defendants Reshaun Lee Jenkins, 25, James Daniel Henderson, 24, Ashton Armstrong, 24, Cedric L. Andrews, 44, Joseph Adams, 34, and Bradley Alexander, 28, all of Houston, pleaded guilty for their respective roles and were sentenced previously. Jenkins and Armstrong both received 141 months in prison, while Henderson, Andrews, Adams and Alexander received 255, 33, 36, and 147 months, respectively.
Mik Yia Shua Faye Durden, 22, of Livingston, and Travescy Cauley, 27, of Beaumont, also pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing.
Robinson and Alexander took part in one robbery which targeted Gagne’s Auto Repair Shop at 6404 Tidwell on Sept. 9, 2015, which resulted in the theft of U.S. currency and one employee being chased from the store.
Robinson, Alexander and Armstrong then participated in the robbery of a T-Mobile store located at 10730 Eastex Freeway on Sept. 27, 2015. Armstrong had entered the store, while Robinson and Alexander waited in the getaway vehicle. The robbery resulted in the theft of U.S. currency and cellular phones.
Three days later, Jenkins, Henderson, Armstrong, Durden and Alexander robbed the El Mexsal Taqueria located at 5797 North Sam Houston. Henderson, Cauley and Armstrong ordered the employees and customers to the ground at gunpoint, while Durden and Jenkins drove getaway cars. Alexander acted as a lookout during the robbery.
Robinson, Jenkins, Adams, Henderson, Andrews and Alexander then committed the armed robbery at the Wing Stop restaurant located at 10749 North Freeway on Oct. 2, 2015. Henderson entered the store with a gun drawn. When an employee did not immediately get down on the ground, Henderson shot him, causing permanent bodily injuries. Andrews and Adams were inside the restaurant during the robbery, while Robinson, Alexander and Jenkins sat outside acting as lookouts and the getaway driver. Alexander disassembled the firearm after the shooting and threw pieces out of the car window as they fled the scene.
Finally, Armstrong, Durden and Alexander then robbed Movie Magic at 6520 Airline on Oct. 9, 2015. Armstrong robbed the store at gunpoint. As they fled the scene and Durden drove the getaway car, Alexander fired his gun at a civilian who was chasing the robbers. Armstrong attempted to fire at the civilian but his gun jammed.
The case is an example of coordination between law enforcement who are part of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative. The goal is to proactively fight and reduce violent crime across the Greater Houston area by targeting the region’s most violent offenders, augmenting investigative and prosecutorial efforts, and enhancing training, public awareness and education.
The cases are brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Hanes and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.
“Booster Gary” Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Woolly Mammoth Tusk from Campbell Creek Science CenterRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Wasilla man has been sentenced to federal prison after he and a co-conspirator stole a fossilized woolly mammoth tusk from an Anchorage BLM museum, and then cut the tusk into pieces and sold them for profit.
Gary Lynn Boyd, 41, of Wasilla, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason, to serve 33 months in federal prison after having pleaded guilty to one count of removal of a paleontological resource. After his sentence is served, Boyd will be on supervised release for three years. In addition to the standard conditions of release, Boyd will not be permitted to visit National Parks, National Forests, or BLM land without permission of his probation officer. Boyd was also ordered to pay $8,385.82 in restitution to the Campbell Creek Science Center.
According to court documents, Boyd and his co-conspirator, Martin Thornley Elze, stole a mammoth tusk, which is an irreplaceable paleontological resource that had been displayed at the Campbell Creek Science Center (CCSC), a BLM museum, for approximately 20 years. Specifically, on March 7, 2018, Boyd and Elze targeted the tusk in advance by visiting the CCSC and asked the staff specific questions about the weight and authenticity of the tusk. Boyd and Elze returned to CCSC the next night, on March 8, 2018, when it was closed. Boyd used a rock to break a window, causing $1,385.22 in damage, to unlawfully open a door at the CCSC. After Boyd removed the tusk from the CCSC, he and Elze worked together to carry away the tusk, which was caught on the museum’s video surveillance system.
The investigation revealed that Boyd and Elze cut the mammoth tusk into pieces and sold them for profit. As such, the mammoth tusk was never returned to the BLM. According to court documents, when the tusk was in its original condition, prior to being plundered and cleaved, it was worth approximately $7,000 to $9,000.
Last month, Elze was sentenced to serve 33 months in federal prison, after having pleaded guilty to one count of removal of a paleontological resource. At Elze’s sentencing hearing, the Court heard that Boyd was known as “Booster Gary.” A “booster” makes his living stealing and selling stolen goods. Boyd even offered his “boosting” services on social media, and had people contacting him to solicit his services as a thief.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Office of Law Enforcement and Security, and the Anchorage Police Department (APD) conducted the joint investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas M. Walker.
Worcester Man Indicted for Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester today for distributing cocaine.
Julio Rivera, 45, was charged with one count of 500 grams or more of cocaine. According to court documents, on Nov. 1, 2018, Rivera distributed 900 grams of cocaine to another man at a self-storage facility in Worcester.
Rivera faces a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Abely and John Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Whiteville Men Convicted of Bank Robbery and Firing Weapon at Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
RALEIGH - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, DAQUAN MADRID PRIDGEN, 27, of Whiteville, North Carolina was convicted in federal court following a three-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The jury found PRIDGEN guilty of bank robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a bank robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. On May 1, 2018, DEMETRIS SEAN ROBINSON, 27, of Whiteville, North Carolina was convicted in federal court following a two-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. The jury found ROBINSON guilty of bank robbery, discharging a firearm in furtherance of a bank robbery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On January 23, 2018, at approximately 3:30 p.m., ROBINSON, PRIDGEN, and two co-conspirators entered the PNC Bank in Lumberton, North Carolina, where they held the PNC Bank employees and a customer at gunpoint while they stole over $40,000. Lumberton Police Department and Robeson County Sheriff’s Department officers quickly caught up to the fleeing vehicle and pursued it. ROBINSON fired repeatedly at pursuing officers during a two-county, high-speed chase, using a handgun, a shotgun, and a high-powered rifle that fired armor-piercing bullets. PRIDGEN, ROBINSON, and others involved fled on foot and were later arrested.
PRIDGEN and ROBINSON each face a sentence of not less than 20 years and up to life in prison, a fine up to $750,000, and up to 5 years of supervised release at sentencing.
Mr. Higdon commented: “We are pleased to finally conclude this series of cases with the conviction of all four individuals who robbed this Lumberton bank and who jeopardized the safety and lives of the employees and customers of the bank, as well as numerous law enforcement officers. Our effort to Take Back North Carolina from violent criminals means we will take a strong stand on behalf of victims of these crimes and we will pursure tough sentences for those who perpetrate these crimes. It also means we will stand for law enformenet officers whose safety is jeopardized. We were able to accomplish all these goals in this series of cases and we hope it serves as a lesson to others about the consequences of this type of criminal conduct.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lumberton Police Department, Robeson County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus County Sheriff’s Office, Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, Bladen County Sheriff’s Office, Fayetteville Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Erin Blondel and Robbie Dodson handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
Upshur County man sentenced for firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Cameron Dixon, of Buckhannon, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 20 months incarceration for a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Dixon, age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of a Stolen Firearm” in February 2019. Dixon admitted to having a stolen .45 caliber pistol in September 2017 in Harrison County.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Promotes Elder Justice Initiative with Live Interactive Telephone Town HallRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina is promoting the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative throughout the Piedmont Triad area, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin. On May 28, 2019, the Middle District partnered with the FBI and the AARP to conduct outreach and raise awareness to educate older adults about the latest scams so they do not fall victim. More than 4000 seniors in North Carolina dialed in to an interactive telephone town hall to learn about the latest financial scams. A recording of the town hall is available online here.
Scammers are targeting seniors at an alarming rate. Across the country, victims of all ages lost $2.71 billion dollars to fraud in 2018, according to statistics collected by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Victims over the age of 60 account for $649,227,724 of those losses. According to the same statistics, in North Carolina, more than 7,500 people lost more than $137 million dollars.
The DOJ Elder Justice Initiative aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educating older adults on how to identify scams and avoid getting ripped off by scammers; and promoting greater coordination with law enforcement partners.
Some examples of financial fraud targeting seniors discussed during the seminar are:
- Lottery phone scams – in which the callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings.
- Grandparent scams – which convince seniors that their grandchildren are in trouble and need money to make rent, repair a car, or even money for bail.
- Romance scams – which lull victims to believe that their online paramour needs funds for a U.S. visit or some other purpose.
- IRS imposter scams – which defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming that victims owe back taxes.
- Sham business opportunities – which convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or investments.
Below are some tips shared with participants during the seminar on how to avoid falling victim to a financial scam:
- Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
- Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
- Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
- Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
- Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank
- account information to a stranger.
- Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
- If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
- Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
- Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
- A good rule of thumb is, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.
In March of this year, Attorney General William P. Barr and multiple law enforcement partners, including the FBI, announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history. The Department took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases. The cases brought during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them older adults. As part of the sweep, the Middle District of North Carolina charged, and obtained the guilty plea of, a woman who embezzled around $370,000 from an older person for whom she was a caretaker, using the money to pay for spa treatments, travel, college tuition, dining, and expensive shopping sprees. She will be sentenced in July 2019.
In another matter, Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank Chut secured the conviction of a woman who obtained credit card numbers and personal information from older residents of Davidson County, by calling victims and pretending to be calling from a hospital or pharmacy. The defendant was sentenced to fourteen months imprisonment, and was ordered to pay restitution to her victims for the more than $69,000 that she obtained through her scheme.
Attacking exploitation and fighting fraud are two priorities of the Middle District, and the U.S. Attorney’s office is committed to aggressively pursuing individuals who engage in such acts.
Elder abuse includes physical abuse, caregiver neglect, financial exploitation, psychological abuse, sexual abuse, and abandonment. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. You can also contact the Victim Connect Hotline between 9am-6pm, Monday through Friday, at: 1- 855-4VICTIM (1-855-4842846), or email the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina at [email protected].
For more information about the Elder Justice Initiative, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
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U.S. Attorney Minkler honors and recognizes efforts by local law enforcement.Read the Press Release
NEW ALBANY - United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler plans to award the Office’s most prestigious award to three local law enforcement officers for their exemplary work in a federal investigation. U.S. Secret Service Senior Special Agent John Ely, Clark County Sheriff’s Office Major Donnie Bowyer, and U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Jeff Ehringer will each be honored with a United States Attorney’s Award for their work in the investigation and prosecution of four individuals who stole over $125,000 in an elaborate fraud scheme posing as fundraisers for America’s veterans and their families. The ceremony and press conference will take place at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office on May 30, 2019, at 3:30 p.m. (ET).
Joanie Watson and Amy Bennett are scheduled for change of plea and sentencing hearings on May 30, 2019, at 10:15 a.m. (ET) and 1:00 p.m. (ET), respectively, at the United States Courthouse, 121 W. Spring Street, New Albany, Indiana. A petition to enter plea of guilty and plea agreement has been filed with the Court for each defendant. James Linville and Thomas Johnson were sentenced on May 29, 2019 to a term of imprisonment of 60 months and 36 months, respectively.
“On Memorial Day weekend we reflect on the sacrifices veterans and their families have made for this country,” said Minkler. “These fraudsters eroded the trust and good will of those who want to donate to legitimate fundraising organizations that support our veterans. Our veterans deserve better than having donations misdirected into the pockets of thieves.”
The conspiracy was led by Linville who filed paperwork with the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office to form the Wounded Warrior Fund, Inc. and the Wounded Warrior Foundation, Inc. in a scheme to solicit donations from individuals and businesses residing in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Linville and Johnson contacted businesses and individuals around the Midwest in an attempt to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Fund and the Wounded Warrior Foundation accounts by stating the funds were for veterans and their families. They solicited funds by telephone, facsimile and in person; many individuals were led to believe they were donating to the nationally renowned Wounded Warrior Project.
Linville and Johnson used the aliases of “Sergeant Bob Johnson” and “Paul Bradley” when making the solicitations. By using aliases, they masked their true identity and in many cases misled the donors into believing they were being solicited by a former military member thus adding to their credibility. In one scheme, the defendants solicited for donations to purchase overseas calling cards and in another, they requested school supplies for active duty military families. Bennett and Watson would pick up checks and other donations made by individuals and businesses who intended to donate to veterans and their families. Donations made to these programs and similar fictitious campaigns for veterans were not distributed to veterans and their families; instead, the donations were used by members of the conspiracy for their personal benefit.
Throughout the conspiracy, the defendants collected donations from over 1000 individuals and businesses totaling over $125,000 in cash, gift cards, merchandise and in-kind donations.
The United States Secret Service and the Clark County Sheriff’s Department investigated this case.
“The Secret Service is committed to combatting financial crime, but specifically in a case where our Wounded Warriors were exploited,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Louisville Field Office Richard Ferretti. “I’m especially proud of Senior Special Agent John Ely for his dedication to a case of such high importance not just to the Secret Service but to the American people.”
“I’m very pleased with the cooperation between the United States Secret Service and the Clark County Sheriff’s Office during this investigation,” said Sheriff Jamey Noel. “We will continue to use any resource and exhaust every means necessary to investigate and arrest criminals who are defrauding and exploiting innocent citizens of our community, especially our veterans.”
“It is one of my greatest professional privileges to work with Indiana law enforcement officers,” said Minkler. “I am deeply humbled when I think of the sacrifices and skills these dedicated professionals demonstrate day after day. We established the United States Attorney’s Award for truly exceptional work done in the Southern Indiana district. I can think of nothing more deserving than these recipients who exhibited the highest ethical and professional standards while working to ensure the legitimacy of programs intended for veterans and their families. Because of their outstanding work, this district will receive a message loud and clear: those who take advantage of our veterans and those who wish to donate to them will face severe consequences.”
The United States Attorney’s Office recognizes the exemplary efforts of local law enforcement officers through USAO Awards that are announced and distributed within the respective communities in the district.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito and N.J. Attorney General Grewal Announce New Collaborative Initiative to Fight Violence in TrentonRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office, N.J. Division of Criminal Justice, N.J. State Police, Trenton Police, Mercer County Prosecutor’s & Sheriff’s Offices, ATF, DEA & FBI Partner to Target the Most Violent Offenders
TRENTON – Citing two mass shootings in Trenton that left one dead and 15 others wounded during Memorial Day Weekend, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito and N.J. Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced a new collaborative initiative to fight violence in Trenton involving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the N.J. Division of Criminal Justice, N.J. State Police, Trenton Police Department, Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and FBI.
While the announcement follows the violent weekend in the capital city, U.S. Attorney Carpenito and Attorney General Grewal noted that the partnering agencies have been developing the Trenton Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) for several months.
“We know that partnering with state and local law enforcement works, because we’ve proven it,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “In 2018, for the first time in this office’s history, we simultaneously initiated three Project Safe Neighborhood programs in Newark, Camden and Jersey City. These violent crime initiatives resulted in significant reductions in crime in all three cities. Crime is down 15 percent in Newark from 2017 to 2018 and violent crime was down 18 percent in Camden from 2017 to 2018. Crime in both cities are at a 50-year low. In addition, shooting incidents are down 69 percent in Jersey City between comparable periods in 2018 and 2019. We intend to work closely with Attorney General Grewal, and all our federal, state and local partners with the goal of achieving similar results.”
“We are committed to using every tool at our disposal to fight violence in Trenton, which means collaborating across all levels of law enforcement and sharing intelligence and resources through our new Violent Crime Initiative,” said Attorney General Grewal. “The time to act is now, before more lives are lost. We cannot stop every shooting, but we want city residents to know that we stand with them, and we will work with the Trenton Police, the County Prosecutor’s Office, and all of our partners to arrest the gun-toting criminals who are bringing violence and fear to their neighborhoods.”
The Trenton VCI is based on a model that has been successfully deployed in Newark and Jersey City by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, N.J. State Police, and law enforcement partners. Leaders from the participating agencies will meet regularly to review intelligence regarding the most violent offenders in Trenton, their accomplices, crime trends, and potential leads that can be acted on by the partnering agencies. In analyzing intelligence, the partnering agencies will look at all of those involved in shootings, including victims as well as shooters, because victims in many cases may be likely participants in future gun violence.
The initiative will rely on intelligence and analysis from the N.J. State Police Regional Operations Intelligence Center (ROIC). The ROIC will work with the Trenton Police Department to identify the top violent offenders and violent crime suspects in Trenton, including gang members, drug dealers, and serial offenders. Federal, state, and county prosecutors will then make determinations regarding which prosecuting agency should pursue potential leads regarding those violent offenders.
Ultimately, the partnering agencies – including state, federal, county and local law enforcement – will use the intelligence and plans developed through the VCI meetings to investigate violent offenders and conduct other law enforcement operations to dismantle and disrupt violent criminal elements in the city, including execution of warrants and crime suppression efforts focused on likely violence “hot spots.”
Two Former New England Compounding Center Pharmacists SentencedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two former clean room pharmacists at New England Compounding Center (NECC) were sentenced this week in federal court in Boston in connection with the 2012 nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak.
Gene Svirskiy, 38, of Ashland, Mass., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 30 months in prison and one year of supervised release. Christopher Leary, 34, of Shrewsbury, Mass., was sentenced today by Judge Stearns to two years of probation, of which the first eight months will be in home confinement with electronic monitoring, and 100 hours of community service.
In December 2018, Svirskiy and Leary were convicted with three other NECC co-defendants following an 8-week trial. Svirskiy, a supervising pharmacist at NECC, was convicted of racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, 10 counts of mail fraud, and two counts of introduction of adulterated drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead. Leary was convicted of three counts of mail fraud, one count of introduction of adulterated drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, and two counts of introduction of misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
In the fall of 2012, more than 793 patients in 20 states were diagnosed with fungal infections after receiving injections of preservative-free methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) manufactured by NECC. Of those 793 patients, more than 100 patients have now died. The fungal meningitis outbreak was the largest public health crisis ever caused by a pharmaceutical drug.
The criminal investigation revealed that in addition to the contaminated MPA, NECC’s clean room pharmacists, including Svirskiy and Leary, knowingly manufactured and sold hundreds of other substandard drugs that were made in an unsafe manner and in insanitary conditions. The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that NECC’s pharmacists, including Svirskiy and Leary, failed to properly sterilize and test NECC’s drugs and failed to wait for test results before sending the drugs to customers. Svirskiy and Leary approved the use of expired drug ingredients, and the mislabeling of drugs in order to deceive customers. Svirskiy also supervised a pharmacy technician whose license had been revoked. To conceal the technician’s presence inside the clean room, Svirskiy directed the technician to fraudulently complete paperwork without his name appearing and to physically leave the clean room and hide in the warehouse when regulators would inspect the facility.
The insanitary conditions at NECC included, among other things, a lack of proper cleaning, fraudulently completed cleaning logs, and positive environmental monitoring hits for mold and bacteria inside NECC’s cleanrooms throughout 2012. Specifically, NECC recorded alert or action-level environmental monitoring hits for mold and bacteria during thirty-seven out of thirty-eight weeks prior to the shutdown in 2012. Despite these repeated action-level environmental monitoring hits and the presence of fungal blooms inside the clean room, neither Svirskiy, nor Leary, nor anyone else at NECC took any remedial action to eliminate the mold and bacterial contamination, or stop the drug production.
In June 2017, Barry Cadden, the former owner and head pharmacist for NECC, was sentenced to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release after being convicted of 57 counts. In January 2018, Glenn Chin, NECC’s former supervisory pharmacist, was sentenced to eight years in prison and two years of supervised release after being convicted of 77 counts. In total, 13 NECC defendants have been convicted of 178 charges.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; FDA Acting Commissioner Norman E. Sharpless, M.D.; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Special Agent in Charge, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; Sean Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Chief Amanda P.M. Strachan of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney George P. Varghese prosecuted the case.
Two Contractors and One Puerto Rico Senate Employee Indicted and Arrested for A Scheme to DefraudRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On Tuesday, May 28, 2019, a federal grand jury returned an 18-count indictment charging three individuals with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 substantive counts of wire fraud, intentional misapplication of property by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The Puerto Rico Department of Justice referred the case to the FBI, who is in charge of the federal investigation.
According to the allegations in the indictment, from in or about the year 2016 until June of 2018, defendants Chrystal Robles-Báez, Isoel Sánchez-Santiago, and Ángel Figueroa-Cruz engaged in scheme to defraud money and property from the government of Puerto Rico by means of materially false and fraudulent representations and promises. The defendants sought to accomplish their scheme to defraud by billing, approving and collecting for contractual professional services work that was either not completed, or was performed in contravention to the explicit terms of the contracts.
As alleged in the indictment, the defendants participated in lawful electoral campaign activities for candidates to elected offices during the 2016 Puerto Rico general elections. After the general elections in late 2016, the defendants began to explore employment opportunities with the Government of Puerto Rico, including contracts for professional services. On January 1, 2017, defendant Chrystal Robles-Báez incorporated Global Instant Consulting Group, Inc. (“GICG”). The purpose of the corporation was to provide administrative and political counseling, workshops and public relations, and consulting. On the same day, defendant Isoel Sánchez-Santiago incorporated International Legislative and Governmental Consulting Group, Inc. (ILGCG). The purpose of the corporation was to provide governmental administrative consulting, creation of proposals, offering of workshops, and legislative process and parliamentary procedures.
In the process of establishing the corporations, defendant Robles-Báez solicited through interstate wire communications necessary documentation from various departments, agencies, and dependencies of the Government of Puerto Rico, including but not limited to: (a) the Department of State; (b) the Treasury Department; and (c) the Police of Puerto Rico. Eventually, the defendants entered into professional services contracts with the Government of Puerto Rico. Specifically, the P.R. Senate and the P.R. House of Representatives.
According to the indictment, defendant Robles-Báez, on numerous occasions certified and requested payments indicating that she had attended the Office of Governmental Affairs to provide professional services as detailed in the two GICG contracts, when in fact on those days the defendant did not attend the Office of Governmental Affairs or provide professional services. Additionally, defendants Robles-Báez and Sánchez-Santiago utilized the personal identifying information of numerous individuals, without their knowledge or consent, in order to give the impression that defendant Robles-Báez, as an “Intergovernmental Coordinator” on behalf of GICG, had provided those individuals with professional services, when in fact no such services were ever requested by those individuals.
Furthermore, defendant Robles-Báez utilized the assistance, contacts, and services of defendant Sánchez-Santiago in order to fraudulently justify work allegedly completed under the GICG contracts. Defendant Ángel Figueroa-Cruz, who was the Executive Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs in the Puerto Rico Senate, falsely certified as correct, the information contained in the bills/invoices for payment submitted by defendant Robles-Báez as an “Intergovernmental Coordinator” on behalf of GICG in support of payment. Defendants Robles-Báez and Sánchez-Santiago divided the proceeds of the conspiracy and scheme to defraud.
“This is the first indictment charging the use of “ghost employees” to defraud the people of Puerto Rico. The defendants’ reprehensible conduct undermines the trust that the public places in our government,” said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “These individuals engaged in a scheme to defraud the people of Puerto Rico and unjustly enriched themselves. We will continue investigating and prosecuting this type of financial fraud to the full extent of the law.”
Douglas A. Leff, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, San Juan Division said: “Through the Puerto Rico Secretary of Justice’s referral of this case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office diligent prosecution, it is now open season on apprehending all those responsible for this corrupt scheme to defraud the People of Puerto Rico. Those who perpetrated the scheme, as well as their family and friends who benefitted from it, can either cooperate quickly or they will receive one last gratuity from the federal government: A free ride in the back seat of an FBI squad car.”
“The Puerto Rico Department of Justice started this investigation, and our commitment to fight corruption along with federal authorities remains undeterred, no matter where it comes from. This case is an example of our joint efforts to identify and process anyone who unlawfully benefits from the government, abusing positions of trust and misusing public funds,” said Wanda Vázquez-Garced, Secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Justice.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Henwood and Senior Litigation Counsel Assistant US Attorney José Ruiz-Santiago. The case is being investigated by the FBI and was referred by the Puerto Rico Department of Justice. The defendants are facing a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. An indictment is only an accusation and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Two Cleveland men indicted for federal firearms offensesRead the Press Release
Two Cleveland men were indicted for federal firearms offenses.
John W. Bryant, 38, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Bryant allegedly had a Ruger 9 mm pistol and 17 rounds of ammunition on February 26, 2019, despite previous convictions for aggravated robbery with a firearms specification and aggravated assault, according to the indictment.
Haras Dawkins, 28, is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Dawkins allegedly had a Glock .40-caliber pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition on February 26, 2019, despite a previous conviction for aggravated burglary, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Kelly Galvin.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who distributed heroin was sentenced May 29, 2019, to 25 years in federal prison.
Shelton Oliver, a/k/a Sinbad, 48, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 14, 2018, jury verdict finding him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and four counts of distribution of heroin, all within 1000 feet of a protected location. Prior to being found guilty in Sioux City, Oliver had been convicted of two serious felony drug offenses in Illinois.
Evidence at trial showed that Oliver distributed heroin on February 7, 14, and 27, 2018, and March 13, 2018, to a confidential informant utilized by law enforcement. Evidence also showed that Oliver was involved in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the Sioux City area from 2016 through approximately March 27, 2018. Evidence proved that the conspiracy and the four separate distributions all occurred within 1000 feet of protected locations, namely: Dale Street Park, Grandview Park, Alfred Thompson Children’s Park, Dinosaur Park, and Hunt Elementary School, in Sioux City, Iowa.
Evidence at trial also showed that on October 6, 2017, Oliver distributed heroin to Ty Olsen, who later died on this same date from a heroin overdose. The evidence at trial further showed that on March 13, 2018, Oliver, dealing heroin out of a car, sold heroin to a confidential informant while another person was overdosing in the passenger seat. Fortunately, the other person was later revived by medical personnel.
Oliver was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand. Oliver was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Oliver is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jack Lammers and Mikala Steenholdt and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-4038. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Texarkana Felon Convicted of Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A 31-year-old Texarkana, Texas, man has been convicted of federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Kendall Ray Gray was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm on May 29, 2019, following a two-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III.
According to information presented in court, on Nov. 9, 2018, Gray’s vehicle was spotted by police as he drove to a location known for drug activity in Texarkana. Upon noticing the marked patrol car, Gray attempted to evade police by making four successive left turns and then briefly parking in a restaurant parking lot. Gray then exited the business parking lot by illegally turning directly into a center lane. Again, officers attempted to follow Gray as he improperly signaled turns and accelerated away from their marked police car. Gray drove into a residential area and parked along a public street. As police activated the lights on their car, Gray jumped out of the vehicle, locked the doors, and ran. Gray was apprehended by a police office on foot and arrested for evading detention. A search of the vehicle revealed small bags containing suspected marijuana and a loaded handgun with a chambered round was positioned under the driver’s side seat.
Further investigation revealed Gray was a convicted felon having been previously convicted of counterfeiting and forging obligations or securities of the United States in 2012 in the Eastern District of Texas and forgery in 2015 in Bowie County, Texas. As a convicted felon, Gray is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Gray was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 17, 2019, and charged with federal firearms violations.
Under the federal statute, Gray faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence; deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition, and body armor; and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
This case was investigated by the Texarkana, Texas Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Bloss and Alan Jackson.
Synthetic Drug Distributor Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL YOUNG, 48, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified a suspicious package destined for Young’s Bridgeport residence. The package had been shipped from a California business that purportedly marketed and sold herbal products for smoking. A court-authorized search of the package revealed a leafy plant-like substance commonly used as a base to absorb synthetic drugs dissolved in liquid form. Investigators learned that Young has a state criminal conviction from 2014 related to the distribution of synthetic drugs, and that two international shipments containing synthetic drugs destined for Young’s residence had been seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in November 2016 and July 2018.
On August 21, 2018, a court-authorized search of Young’s residence revealed more than a kilogram of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, approximately 21 grams of Phencyclidine (PCP) in liquid form, drug packaging materials and $1,700 in cash.
Young has been detained since August 21.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 23, 2019, at which time Young faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
St. Louis City Man Sentenced for Armed CarjackingRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Sherrod Fitts, Jr., 26, of St. Louis, was sentenced to 114 months in prison for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a federal crime of violence. He appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig who ordered Fitts to pay restitution of $13,100 to one of the victims.
According to court documents, on June 26, 2017, three victims (ages 77, 66 and 84) were inspecting a building at 3850 Carter for work purposes. They arrived at the location in a silver 2004 Honda Pilot. Two of the victims left the vehicle to inspect the building while the other victim remained in the vehicle. Fitts and another individual stopped next to the Honda Pilot and Fitts approached the driver’s side window with a handgun, ordered the victim to get out of the vehicle, and demanded his wallet. Before the victim could get his wallet out, Fitts walked up to the second victim and demanded his wallet at gunpoint. While waiting for the wallet, Fitts observed the third victim in the alleyway and pointed a gun at him, yelling to give him his money or he would kill him. After the third victim handed over his wallet, Fitts struck the third victim in the face with the handgun, ran to the Honda Pilot, and left the scene. That same day, police observed the stolen Honda Pilot and pulled Fitts over. He exited the vehicle and fled on foot. A foot pursuit ensued until Fitts was apprehended.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Behrens is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Six People Linked to Drug Trafficking Ring That Brought Hundreds of Pounds of Narcotics into U.S. Arrested on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Federal authorities this week arrested six defendants named in a federal indictment that alleges a large-scale, Mexico-based narcotics trafficking operation smuggled hundreds of pounds of narcotics into the United States.
The arrests, which started Tuesday night and included one this morning in New York, were made as part of Operation Colombian Cargo, an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration that targeted the transnational drug-trafficking and money-laundering network. Over the course of just 10 months during the investigation, authorities seized nearly 400 kilograms of cocaine, 225 kilograms of methamphetamine, 53 kilograms of fentanyl, 12 kilograms of heroin, and $4.7 million in drug money.
Operation Colombian Cargo identified Mexican nationals who oversaw the movement of large quantities of narcotics, some of which originated in Colombia. According to the indictment, the narcotics were typically smuggled from Mexico into the United States by drug couriers who often used the San Ysidro Port of Entry and usually concealed the narcotics in hidden compartments in vehicles or in boxes that appeared to contain speakers. The couriers then delivered the contraband to stash houses in the Inland Empire and greater Los Angeles area. The narcotics were then distributed in kilogram quantities to customers in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and other cities.
The organization’s drug sales generated millions of dollars in sales, according to the indictment, which outlines a money laundering scheme that used a group of money couriers to collect the dollars in the United States and deliver pesos to leaders of the drug ring in Mexico.
The defendants arrested this week are are:
- Jiaze Xia, 23, of Flushing, Queens, New York, allegedly a key player in the organization’s money laundering activities, who was arrested this morning in New York;
- Joshua Donovan Cortez, 31, of Rowland Heights, who allegedly operated a stash house, and who was arrested Wednesday;
- Jose Vargas, 61, of Huntington Park, who also allegedly operated a stash house and was taken into custody on Wednesday;
- Remigio Alvarez Herrera, 49, of Maywood, an alleged drug courier who was arrested on Wednesday;
- Alejandro Medrano, 20, of San Diego, an alleged drug courier who was arrested Tuesday night as he entered the United States through the San Ysidro Port of Entry; and
- Wei Chang “Ray” Gong, 30, of Chicago, who allegedly was part of the money laundering operation and possessed nearly $600,000 in cash that was seized by authorities in 2016, and who was arrested on Wednesday.
Cortez, Vargas and Herrera were arraigned on the indictment Wednesday afternoon in United States District Court in Los Angeles, where they entered not guilty pleas and were ordered to stand trial on July 23. Xia, Medrano and Gong will be transported to Los Angeles and will be arraigned upon their arrival.
The 24-count indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury one year ago and unsealed Wednesday afternoon, charges a total of 25 defendants.
Previously in this case, four defendants were arrested and their cases remain pending. They are:
- Rogelio Payan-Palma, 27, of Mexico City, one of the principals of the drug trafficking organization who worked with other leaders of the drug ring in Mexico;
- Guohua Luo, 35, a Chinese national who resides in Mexico City, another principal operative of the organization who helped coordinate the money laundering;
- Pierre Vincent Fuentes, 30, of San Diego, an alleged drug courier, and
- Jimmy Zhi Qiang Yu, 45, of Pasadena, who allegedly was a money courier.
The indictment alleges wide-ranging conspiracies to distribute narcotics and to launder the illicit proceeds of the drug trafficking. All of the defendants are named in at least one of the two conspiracy counts, and most are named in both counts. The indictment also alleges that some of the defendants participated in a continuing criminal enterprise.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of the drug-trafficking conspiracy, the 17 defendants named in that count would face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years in federal prison and maximum sentences of life without parole.
During the investigation, authorities in 2016 seized 236 pounds of methamphetamine in Cedar City, Utah and 88 kilograms of methamphetamine that had just entered the United States at San Ysidro. Seizures in 2017 included 275 kilograms of cocaine from Cortez’s residence across the street from a school in Bell, 21 kilograms of fentanyl in Chino, and another 32 kilograms of fentanyl in Sun Valley.
Over the entire course of Operation Colombian Cargo, authorities have seized across the Americas approximately $16 million in United States currency, approximately five tons of cocaine, and 530 pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by members of the Southern California Drug Task Force, which is led by the DEA. The following agencies provided substantial assistance to the investigation: the Hawthorne Police Department, the Torrance Police Department, the Montebello Police Department, the Fontana Police Department, and the Fullerton Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys A. Carley Palmer and Victoria Degtyareva of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Shooting Neighbor’s House Results in Federal ConvictionRead the Press Release
A Cedar County man who shot his neighbor’s house numerous times pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids to being a felon in possession of ammunition.
Randolph High, age 62, from Stanwood, Iowa, was convicted of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
In a plea agreement, High admitted that on January 27, 2019, he shot his neighbor’s house numerous times. The neighbor’s house, cars, and a camper sustained dozens of bullet impacts. The Cedar County Sheriff’s Office searched High’s home and found magazines for firearms, numerous .22 caliber rounds of ammunition, and 71 expended shell casings for a .22 caliber firearm.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge CJ Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. High remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. High faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, and the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement effort on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-00033.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Robbing Two San Francisco BanksRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Rain Olson Daugherty was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for robbing two San Francisco banks, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable William H. Orrick, United States District Judge.
Daugherty, 44, of San Francisco, pleaded guilty to the charges on February 21, 2019. According to the plea agreement, on November 29, 2018, Daugherty entered a bank in the Sunset District of San Francisco and slid a note containing a demand for money across the counter. The teller gave Daugherty cash from her drawer. Then, two weeks later, on December 13, 2018, Daugherty robbed a bank on Clement Street in San Francisco. Again, he approached a bank teller and slid a note containing a demand for money across the counter. Again, the teller gave Daugherty cash from the drawer. According to court records, San Francisco Police Department Internal Affairs officers identified Daugherty as the robber when they were shown surveillance camera footage from the first robbery. At the time, Daugherty was, and still is, an SFPD officer who was under suspension without pay.
A federal grand jury indicted Daugherty on January 10, 2019, charging him with four counts of bank robbery— two counts for each robbery, all in a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a). Daugherty pleaded guilty to two counts of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), one for each bank robbery. The remaining two counts were dismissed.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick ordered Daugherty to serve three years of supervised release to begin at the end of his prison term. Daugherty has been in custody since his arrest on December 18, 2018 and will begin serving his prison term immediately.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ajay Krishnamurthy is prosecuting this case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI with assistance from the San Francisco Police Department.
Rochester Man Going to Prison for Eight Years on Gun and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jermelle Cotton, 38, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that the defendant was arrested on March 30, 2018, after law enforcement officers executed search warrants at two homes in Rochester associated with Cotton – 118 Northview Terrace and 466 Post Avenue. During the search at 118 Northview Terrace, officers recovered approximately 103 envelopes of fentanyl, 35 baggies of cocaine, a 9mm handgun and ammunition, and approximately $6,755. At the Post Avenue residence, officers found another firearm and an additional quantity of narcotics, including approximately 76 baggies of cocaine, 150 envelopes of fentanyl, and 148 bags of heroin.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Heroin Task Force, under the direction of Sheriff Todd K. Baxter, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
The case was brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as part of its Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Riverview Couple Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Honeywell has sentenced Damon Bellamy (40, Riverview) and Quijuania Williams (40, Riverview) to seven years and eight months in federal prison and five years and three months in federal prison, respectively, for theft of government funds. The court will schedule a restitution hearing to determine the amount of restitution they owe to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to court documents, Bellamy and Williams engaged in a conspiracy to file false and fraudulent income tax returns using the personal identification information of unknowing third parties. Bellamy and Williams directed the deposit of the refunds that they had obtained in this manner onto debit cards in their own names and the names of others, including many family members and friends. This conspiracy began before 2010 and continued until June 2013. The court determined that as a result of this conspiracy, Bellamy and Williams caused an actual loss to the Internal Revenue Service of $1,579,567 and that their collective efforts had led to an attempt to collect over $6.3 million in fraudulent refunds.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sherriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Raleigh Man Sentenced to 16 Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced COURTNEY DANIEL DAVIS, 41, of Raleigh to 192 months’ imprisonment, followed by 6 years of supervised released.
On August 1, 2018, DAVIS was named in a five-count Indictment and on February 15, 2019, DAVIS pled guilty to one-count of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Cocaine Base (Crack) and Marijuana and one-count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
In February 2018, DAVIS, a convicted felon, became the target of a narcotics investigation after officers with the Raleigh Police Department received information that DAVIS was selling cocaine base from his residence. On March 1, 2018, utilizing a confidential informant (CI), investigators conducted a controlled purchase of 0.97 gram of cocaine base from DAVIS. On March 2, 2018, officers conducted a search of refuse from two City of Raleigh trash cans at the curb in front of DAVIS’ residence and recovered a plastic bag with cocaine residue. On April 18, 2018, utilizing a CI, investigators conducted a second controlled purchase of 0.80 gram of cocaine base for $80 from DAVIS.
On April 19, 2018, investigators executed a search on DAVIS’ residence and DAVIS was found in the bed of the master bedroom. Officers searched a pair of pants belonging to DAVIS, which were lying on the floor of the master bedroom at the base of a child’s bed, where DAVIS’ two-year-old son was sleeping. From the pocket of the pants, investigators located 4.9 grams of cocaine base and $80 from the controlled purchase conducted earlier. The serial numbers of the currency used had been recorded by law enforcement. In the master bedroom closet, investigators found a semiautomatic handgun loaded with nine rounds of ammunition and 132 grams of marijuana. Also, in the master bedroom, officers also recovered a cup containing 8 grams of cocaine base, a digital scale with cocaine residue, two razor blades with cocaine residue, and other drug paraphernalia.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Raleigh Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case for the government.
RGV Man Sent to Prison for Harboring AliensRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 22-year-old Edinburg man has been ordered to prison following his conviction of harboring aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Maximino Moralez-Quiroz pleaded guilty in December 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered him to serve 48 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, additional evidence was presented that demonstrated Moralez-Quiroz had been previously involved in five other alien smuggling incidents dating back to late 2013, one of which included a conviction for transporting aliens in 2015 for which he served a 15-month sentence. After serving that term, he was on supervised release. As part of the sentence today, the court revoked that term, ordered he serve six more months in prison, three of which was ordered to run consecutively for a total 51-month-term of imprisonment.
On Nov. 14, 2018, law enforcement learned of the possibility that undocumented aliens were being harbored within a residence in Edinburg. They approached the house and discovered Moralez-Quiroz who identified himself as the homeowner.
A search of the house led to the discovery of 27 undocumented aliens.
The aliens were all from different countries and relayed that the smugglers had charged them up to $9,000 for illegal entry into the U.S. Some had spent up to eight days awaiting transport.
Moralez-Quiroz has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Rio Grande Valley Special Operations Detachment Intelligence Section and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
Project Parkersburg Update: Parkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Theodore Gibson, 35, of Parkersburg, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Gibson was prosecuted as part of Project Parkersburg – a major takedown and dismantling of a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine and heroin. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Dayton Ohio Police Department, and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force. The long-term, joint investigation resulted in at least 29 individuals being charged in federal and state court, the seizure of 121 pounds of ICE methamphetamine, six kilograms of cocaine, 217 grams of heroin, and 290 grams of fentanyl.
“This investigation resulted in the largest meth bust -- to date -- in West Virginia and Ohio history,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Breaking up this DTO and locking up these drug dealers has no doubt saved a number of lives.”
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Project Charleston Update: Charleston Woman Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.VA. -- A Charleston woman was sentenced today for her role in distributing methamphetamine and conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine. Juanita Carrie Haynes, 54, was sentenced to 108 months, or nine years, in prison. Haynes was one of several defendants arrested in November of 2018, after a long-term investigation into a drug-trafficking organization on the West Side of Charleston.
“9 years. Haynes will be serving 9 years in federal prison,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “As I said in November when the Project Charleston arrests were made, if you are dealing drugs or causing trouble on Charleston’s West Side, we will arrest you and, if convicted, incarcerate you for as long as possible.”
In February 2019, Haynes was found guilty by a federal jury. The jury found that Haynes distributed about 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant on June 18, 2018. The jury also found that Haynes conspired with others including her son, Edwin Shaffer, to distribute over 50 grams of methamphetamine. The conviction was based in part on trial testimony that detailed the extent of Haynes’ methamphetamine sales, most of which occurred in a trailer she shared with Shaffer and the recovery over 150 grams of methamphetamine that was intended for distribution at the residence she and Shaffer shared in July 2018.
Edwin Shaffer entered a guilty plea for his role in the conspiracy. His sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2019.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman was in charge of the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence.
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Prichard Man Seen Running with Gun Admits to Firing at FamilyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that United States District Court Senior Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced John Willis Jones on April 18, 2019 to the 57 months in prison for his possession of a firearm as a prior convicted felon.
According to court documents, on October 3, 2018, Prichard Police Department narcotic investigators observed John Willis Jones running down the street with a gun in his hand. When investigators made contact with Jones, he was compliant and immediately stated he had a firearm in the waistband of his pants. Jones told investigators he just shot at his nephew over a family dispute where one of his nephews pointed a firearm at another one of Jones’ nephews. Once taken into custody, Jones showed officers where the shooting took place. Investigators recovered three shell casings from the crime scene that matched the caliber of the firearm that was recovered from the defendant. After waiving his Miranda rights during a post arrest interview, Jones admitted that he knew he was not supposed to possess a gun as a convicted felon, but that his family was worth going back to prison.
The defendant had previously been convicted of Possession of Marijuana in June of 2018 and Possession of a Short Barreled Shotgun from July 1995, and his rights to possess a firearm had not been restored at the time of the October 3, 2018 incident.
The Mobile County Street Enforcement Narcotics Team, Prichard Police Department, Mobile Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Mobile Field office investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Baugh prosecuted the case for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.