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28 May 2019
Phone Provider Found Guilty for Role in $7 Million International Telemarketing SchemeRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was found guilty today for his role in an $7 million telemarketing scheme that defrauded primarily elderly victims in the United States from call centers in Costa Rica.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney R. Andrew Murray of the Western District of North Carolina, Inspector in Charge David M. McGinnis of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Charlotte Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge William Cheung of the IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) Cincinnati Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Matthew D. Line of the IRS CI Charlotte Field Office and Special Agent in Charge John Strong of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
Following a five-day jury trial, Donald Dodt, 76, originally of Cleveland, Ohio, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, two counts of mail fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit international money laundering and 10 counts of international money laundering.
According to evidence presented at trial, Dodt worked in a call center in Costa Rica in which co-conspirators, who posed as representatives of the District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and federal agencies, including the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and who also posed as federal judges, contacted victims in the United States — primarily senior citizens – to tell them that that they had supposedly won a substantial “sweepstakes” prize. After convincing victims that they stood to receive a significant financial reward, the co-conspirators told victims that they needed to make a series of up-front cash payments before collecting, purportedly for items like insurance fees, taxes and import fees. Co-conspirators used a variety of means to conceal their true identity, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services provided by Dodt that made it appear that they were calling from Washington, D.C., and other places in the United States.
As the evidence presented at trial illustrated, Dodt was an integral part of this scheme in that he knowingly provided services that were necessary for the scheme to operate and that facilitated the concealment and, ultimately, success of the scheme for many years. Specifically, Dodt provided and maintained VoIP phone technology and assigned phone numbers associated with locations in the United States through which members of the conspiracy were able to make the fraudulent calls to victims in the United States and conceal their identities and location. Dodt specifically assigned virtual phone numbers with area codes associated with Washington, D.C., to make it appear that the calls originated from within the United States and that also bolstered conspirators’ misrepresentations that they were representatives of government agencies located in Washington. Dodt also warned the co-conspirators if certain numbers were “hot” – i.e., there were customer complaints or law enforcement inquiries – and replaced those phone numbers with new phone numbers that the co-conspirators then used in furtherance of the scheme, the evidence showed.
Dodt and his conspirators stole more than $7 million from victims, the evidence showed.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the FBI with assistance from the Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Fraud Section Trial Attorneys William Bowne, Jennifer Farer and Philip Trout. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina provided substantial assistance with this matter.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Stolen Electronics Across State LinesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester in connection with transporting stolen electronics across state lines. The defendant broke into Target stores in Easton and Westborough, Mass., and in Pennsylvania and Connecticut.
Elijah Aiken, 36, of Allentown, Penn., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen goods. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 26, 2019.
From December 2014 until February 2015, Aiken conspired with others to break into numerous Target retail stores during early morning hours, usually by using portable blow torches to cut through the metal loading-dock doors at the rear of the stores. Once inside, Aiken and his co-conspirators stole electronic devices valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars, including cellular phones and computer tablets. Aiken and his co-conspirator successfully burglarized Target stores in Easton and Westborough, Mass., as well as in Pennsylvania and Connecticut. Aiken transported the stolen electronics across state lines in order to sell them to buyers in New York.
The charge of interstate transportation of stolen goods, provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution in an amount determined by the court. The charge of conspiracy to transport stolen goods in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution as determined by the court. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Peabody Woman Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Lottery Ticket ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Peabody woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a “ten-percenting” scheme, in which she purchased millions of dollars’ worth of winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets at a discount in order to help the ticket holders avoid taxes on the winnings.
Bhavna Patel, 44, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to one year of probation and ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. In September 2018, Patel agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy.
Two co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty. George Kinslieh, 68, was charged with one count of filing false tax returns and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26, 2019. Clarance Jones, 80, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit tax fraud and filing false tax returns and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 13, 2019.
From at least 2013 through 2017, Patel and Kinslieh, who were convenience store owners, and others, purchased winning lottery tickets from the ticket holders for cash, at a discount to the value of the tickets, thereby allowing the ticket holders to avoid reporting the winnings on their tax returns – a scheme known as “ten-percenting.” Patel and Kinslieh gave the winning tickets to Jones, who presented them to the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission as his own, and collected the full winnings. Patel did not report to the Internal Revenue Service or pay taxes on the income that she received from the ticket scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Owner of California Company Sentenced for Conspiring to Bribe an Alabama LegislatorRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – On Tuesday, May 28, 2019, G. Ford Gilbert, 71, of Carmichael, California received a 12-month sentence for conspiring to commit bribery of a state official, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr. The judge ordered that the 12-month sentence be served by completing six months of incarceration in federal prison, to be followed by six months of home detention.
Gilbert’s sentencing follows his guilty plea that occurred back in January of this year. Court documents show that Gilbert was the owner of a California-based company that provided a form of diabetes treatment that would not be covered by the state’s largest health care insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama (BCBS-AL). After his attempts to persuade BCBS-AL to cover the treatments were unsuccessful, he developed another plan.
During the 2016 Alabama Legislature session, he conspired with the majority leader of the Alabama House of Representatives at the time, Mickey Ray Hammon, to pass a bill that would have required BCBS-AL to cover the treatments offered by his clinics. Court documents indicate that Hammon used his influence in the House of Representatives to generate support for Gilbert’s bill and was paid $2000.00 by Gilbert to do so. However, the bill failed when it did not advance out of committee.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross, Joshua Wendell, and Stephanie C. Billingslea prosecuted the case.
New Orleans Man Indicted for Violating the Federal Gun Control Act and the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARRYL DOUSE a.k.a. “TURKEY”, age 29, a resident of New Orleans, was charged Friday, May 24, 2019 in a two-count indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with being a felon in possession of a firearm and with distributing cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to the indictment, DOUSE possessed a 9mm pistol in the spring of 2019 and distributed crack in the spring of 2018. If convicted, DOUSE faces up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment on the gun charge. DOUSE faces up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000 and at least three years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment on the drug charge.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charging document and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney David Haller.
New Haven Drug Dealer Sentenced to 78 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEVELL CONLEY, also known as “DL,” 32, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing narcotics.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 5, 2017, the East Haven Police Department responded to a report of an untimely death of a 27-year-old female at a residence in East Haven. At the scene, officers seized drug and non-drug evidence, including three small bags that contained a substance that tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Investigators also seized the victim’s cellphone.
The investigation revealed that Conley had provided drugs to the victim shortly before her death. He also had distributed heroin and crack cocaine to several drug users between July 2016 and May 2017.
Conley has been detained since his arrest on May 18, 2017. On October 17, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin and cocaine base (“crack”).
Conley’s criminal history includes 14 prior convictions, including convictions for drug distribution, assault, threatening, criminal possession of a firearm, and resisting arrest.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force and the East Haven and New Haven Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick F. Caruso.
Naturalized United States citizen pleads guilty to smuggling aliensRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. – Hector Escobedo-Reyna, a naturalized United States citizen, has pleaded guilty in federal court to the offense of transporting illegal aliens for financial gain.
“Human smugglers carry out their illegal activities seeking financial gain with little regard for human life and no respect for our laws,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Additionally, they endanger not only the people they smuggle, but innocent motorists, when an over-loaded vehicle like the one he was driving either has an accident or causes one.”
“Identifying and stopping criminal networks that engage in cross-border human smuggling as well as individuals who seek to illegally enter the U.S. is a priority focus for Homeland Security Investigations,” said HSI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan. “These criminal organizations have no regard for the well-being of the people they attempt to smuggle, who are often put at great risk during an attempt to illegally enter the U.S., and HSI will continue to work collaboratively with our federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute such activity.”
“As an assisting agency, the Georgia State Patrol takes pride in being a part of any investigation in which criminals are removed from our roadways. It is a reminder that what some may call a ‘routine’ traffic stop, often leads to more than a traffic citation,” said SFC Stephanie Stallings, Director of Public Information for the Georgia State Patrol.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charge, and other information presented in court: on December 28, 2018, a Trooper from the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) performed a routine traffic stop of a 2004 Chevrolet Suburban on Interstate 85 in Jackson County, Georgia. The vehicle, driven by Hector Escobedo-Reyna, contained ten undocumented individuals, including a minor. Homeland Security Investigations special agents from the Atlanta Field Office responded to the scene to assist the GSP.
Investigators discovered that Escobedo-Reyna had transported the passengers to Atlanta after the group had crossed the United States border with Mexico and traveled through Houston, Texas. Escobedo-Reyna intended to transport and deliver his passengers to other cities along the east coast.
Hector Escobedo-Reyna, 62, of Houston, Texas, was indicted on February 6, 2019, for the offense of knowing, and recklessly disregarding the fact, that aliens had come to, entered, and remained in the United States in violation of law, and of transporting and moving the aliens within the United States by means of transportation and otherwise, for the purpose of financial gain. He pleaded guilty to this offense on May 9, 2019.
This case is being investigated by HSI-Atlanta and the Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Buchanan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Radics are prosecuting 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.
Miami Man Detained in Alleged Five-State "Cashout Scheme"Read the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Miami, Fla., man who allegedly made multiple large cash withdrawals with the use of fraudulent credit cards from ATMs at bank branch offices in Warwick, R.I., and Seekonk, Mass., has been ordered detained in federal custody in Rhode Island on fraud charges.
Dean Emmanuel Colin, 26, of Miami, was ordered detained by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan at his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Providence on charges of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and access device fraud.
Colin was arrested on May 23, 2019, by Seekonk, Mass., police after bank security officials notified the United States Secret Service that they were monitoring live video from a Seekonk bank branch office ATM of an individual allegedly making repeated fraudulent withdrawals of large sums of cash using multiple cards. The Secret Service notified the Seekonk Police Department who responded to the bank and detained Colin.
An investigation by the United States Secret Service and Warwick Police also determined that Colin allegedly fits the description of an individual who one day earlier made repeated large fraudulent withdrawals from an ATM in Warwick, R.I., at a branch office of the same bank, totaling more than $35,000.
The United States Secret Service is currently investigating an ongoing “cashout scheme” conspiracy that has fraudulently obtained nearly $1 million dollars from ATM machines in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey. According to court documents, to date, ATM transactions connected to Colin by video surveillance involve at least 29 different American Express Platinum account numbers.
A “cashout scheme” is a criminal conspiracy whereby individuals utilize stolen or otherwise compromised bank or credit card company account numbers encoded on access devices such as ATM cards, credit cards, gift cards, and hotel keys, to withdraw large sums of currency from ATMs. These “cashout schemes” are often multi-layer conspiracies wherein computer hackers and their associates steal confidential financial information, including business and personal account numbers and personal identification numbers. The hackers often transmit this information to co-conspirators through an array of online communication mechanisms. Ultimately, the purchasers of the stolen financial information use the account numbers to encode plastic cards with magnetic stripes, which they then use to withdraw currency from ATMs.
According to court documents, at the time of Colin’s arrest and as the result of court-authorized searches of a rental vehicle Colin was driving at the time of his arrest and of a hotel room he was staying at in Foxboro, Mass., law enforcement seized $65,920 in cash, 11 cards with magnetic strips, a card reader/writer and USB cable used to encode bank cards, rubber bands used to wrap currency, two cellular telephones, a receipt from the U.S. Post Office in Warwick, R.I. for a package mailed to Colin’s residence in Florida, and an airline boarding pass in Colin’s name from Miami to Boston on May 22, 2019.
The arrest of Colin is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Stephen Marks, Seekonk Police Chief Frank John, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Metro-PCS Robbers Sentenced to 140 Months in Prison for Eleven San Diego RobberiesRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Stephen Wong (619) 546-9464
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 28, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Carlos Adolfo Soto was sentenced in federal court today to 140 months prison in connection with the robberies of 11 San Diego area businesses in January and February 2017. U.S. District Judge Thomas J. Whelan also ordered Soto to pay restitution to the victims.
Soto’s co-defendant, Justin Wayne Caldwell (42), is set to be sentenced on June 3, 2019.
As described in his plea agreement, the spree of robberies involved 10 Metro PCS stores and a Subway Restaurant, all in San Diego County. The first robbery occurred on January 25, 2017 and the last on February 21, 2017. Soto admitted to committing eight of the eleven robberies, and to being part of a conspiracy that involved 11 robberies. In most of his robberies, Soto used a pellet gun that resembled a pistol during the robberies, pointing the weapon at store clerks and customers and demanding cellular phones and cash.
Soto was dubbed the “pinky bandit” for his distinctive pinky finger, which protruded out from the weapons he held during a string of eleven robberies. In a typical robbery, Soto entered the store holding a weapon such as a machete, tazer, or pellet gun that resembled a firearm. Soto pointed his weapon at store clerks and demanded cellular phones and cash. On one occasion, Soto threatened a store clerk with a machete, which he wielded during the robbery.
According to the government’s sentencing memo and admissions in his plea agreement, Caldwell typically waited outside the store in a car, serving as the getaway driver who helped Soto escape the crime scene. On at least one occasion, Caldwell also entered the store with a weapon. For example, on February 14, 2017, Soto and Caldwell pointed an object that resembled a handgun at a store clerk and forced the clerk into a storage area in the back of the store, where he was made to kneel down on his hands and feet, while they loaded a backpack with cellular phones. They then ordered the clerk to open the cash register.
Public filings describe how FBI agents and robbery detectives with the San Diego Police Department and the San Diego Sheriff’s Department collaborated to solve this case. In late January and early February of 2017, investigators noticed a series of robberies around San Diego County that fit a pattern. Ten of the 11 robberies involved Metro PCS cell phone stores and in each case the robbers used similar methods, weapons and disguises. Investigators identified the robbers after one of them registered a cell phone that had been stolen during an earlier robbery. Surveillance ultimately led investigators to the scene of the final robbery in the series. Soto was arrested after a foot chase, during which he dropped merchandise taken during the final robbery. Officers arrested Caldwell in his car, parked at the scene.
“These robberies were terrifying experiences for the victims, one of whom was threatened with a machete,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Prosecuting violent crime is a top priority for this office. This case is an example of great detective work by the FBI and local law enforcement partners as well as diligence by prosecutor Stephen Wong.”
“The investigation into this robbery series exemplifies the dedication of the San Diego FBI to rid our communities of violent crime,” said Scott Brunner, FBI Special Agent in Charge. “This significant sentence is the result of our continued efforts to keep the community safe from violence, fear and intimidation by working together with our local law enforcement partners on our Violent Crimes Task Force.”
The amount of restitution will be finalized after both defendants are sentenced.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 17-CR-558-W
Carlos Adolfo Soto Age: 41 San Diego, CA
Justin Wayne Caldwell Age: 32 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Hobbs Act Robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 1951
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, 3 years’ supervised release
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
San Diego Police Department
San Diego Sherriff’s Department
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Who Was Subject to an Order of Protection and Illegally Possessed Gun Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who possessed a firearm while subject to an order of protection was sentenced today to more than one year in federal prison.
Dishad Anthony Holmes, age 18, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2019, guilty plea to possession of a firearm while subject to an order of protection.
At the guilty plea, Holmes admitted in September 2018, he took an American Tactical Imports Omni Hybrid 5.56 rifle to another person’s home in Cedar Rapids. Probation officers later discovered the firearm, which was equipped with a high capacity magazine, in the home.
Holmes was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Holmes was sentenced to 20 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.
Holmes 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 Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force and the High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial District Probation Department. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation 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-0118.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Man Sentenced for Violent Kidnapping and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores announced that a 62-year-old man who kidnapped and used a handgun to threaten a woman was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court. At the time of the crime, the man was subject to a domestic abuse restraining order and gained access to the Broken Arrow woman’s home by cutting a hole through an exterior wall.
On July 25, 2018, a jury found Randy Alan Hamett, of Choctaw, guilty of Kidnapping, Possessing and Receiving Stolen Firearm and Ammunition, and Possession of Firearms and Ammunition While Subject to a Domestic Violence Protective Order.
Today, U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan ordered Hamett to 240 months in prison for kidnapping and 120 months in prison for the two firearms charges. The sentences will run concurrently. Hamett will also be required to serve five years of supervised release following completion of his prison term.
“When arrested, Hamett had in his pocket a murder preparation list that included the words: taser, rope, zip ties, machete, and shovel. If not for the quick thinking of the female victim, this would have been a homicide case. Her courageous actions enabled law enforcement to rescue her and arrest Hamett. Unfortunately, Hamett had already threatened, kidnapped, zip tied, tased, and sexually assaulted the female victim,” said US Attorney Shores. “The advisory sentencing guideline range called for a sentence of life imprisonment and federal prosecutors advocated for a sentence of life imprisonment. That was the right thing to do given Hamett’s egregious acts and lack of remorse, and we would recommend life again.”
Previously, a jury determined that, in April 2017, Hamett cut a hole in an outside wall of the victim’s house to avoid detection by the alarm system. When the victim arrived home from work, Hamett tased her and pointed a revolver at her. After zip-tying her wrists and duct taping her ankles, Hamett threatened to kill himself, the victim, and anyone who tried to help her. Hamett forced the victim into a car, stole from her a pistol she had purchased after obtaining a protective order against him, then kidnapped her. Hamett also sexually assaulted her.
Convinced that Hamett was going to kill her, the victim made every effort to prolong the trip and endear herself to Hamett. As part of her attempt to accomplish that, the victim convinced Hamett they should get back together and remarry in Arkansas, where they were originally married. Hamett eventually allowed the victim to text her parents and her boyfriend so they would not become suspicious concerning her whereabouts. Based on the nature of the text, the victim’s parents became worried that she was in danger and contacted the Broken Arrow Police Department. Through a concerted investigation by the Broken Arrow and Siloam Springs Police Departments, officers were able to locate Hamett and the victim at a hotel in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, where they determined Hamett was holding the victim against her will and arrested Hamett for violation of a protective order. Hamett was in possession of a firearm and ammunition, along with Taser cartridges, at the time of his arrest.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Broken Arrow Police Department, the Siloam Springs Police Department, and the Rogers State University Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey A. Gallant and Ryan M. Roberts prosecuted the case.
Man Sentenced for Fraud and Operating Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Jonathan I. Shapiro (619) 546-8225
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 28, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Morgan Rockcoons of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia to 21 months in prison for wire fraud and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Judge Battaglia also ordered Rockcoons to forfeit $80,600 in illicit profits.
Rockcoons, a U.S. citizen, has been in custody since his arrest on October 29, 2018. He pleaded guilty on March 7, 2019, admitting that he operated a Bitcoin exchange without registering with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the U.S. Department of Treasury. He also admitted to devising a scheme to defraud individuals in connection with the purported sale of real estate in Elko County, Nevada, that he did not own.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Rockcoons advertised his Bitcoin exchange services on the website LocalBitcoins.com. In 2015, HSI identified Rockcoons as the most prolific San Diego-based seller. In April 2016, the defendant’s LocalBitcoins.com profile showed that he continued to advertise as a trader and seller of Bitcoin in San Diego, with his profile reflecting that he had engaged in more than 500 transactions. As of October 2017, the defendant’s profile indicated that he conducted more than 1,000 bitcoin trades with more than 644 people. Rockcoons received a commission of as much as 36 percent per transaction.
Prior to his 2018 arrest, Rockcoons was indicted on November 8, 2017 for operating the unlicensed money transmitting business. He was arrested on that charge on February 9, 2018, and he was released on bond pending trial. In spring 2018, while on pretrial release, Rockcoons began promoting Bitcointopia on the internet and via social media. A purported real estate development in the desert in Elko County, Nevada, Rockcoons touted Bitcointopia as a place where bitcoin is “legal tender.” On the website, Rockcoons offered parcels of land for sale for Bitcoin, claiming: “The land is currently owned by Bitcointopia, Inc. corporation.” Rockcoons further stated, “500-1,000 Acre plots are for sale for 0.5 BTC per acre.” Victims who sent Rockcoons Bitcoin never received their title to land as promised. To date, agents have identified at least 10 victims of Rockcoons’ fraud. The two cases were combined in a superseding indictment.
DEFENDANT Case Number 17cr3690-AJB
Morgan Rockcoons Age: 31 Las Vegas, NV
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Operation of Unlicensed Money Transmitting Business – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1960(a)
Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1960(a)
Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment and $250,000 fine
AGENCY
Homeland Security Investigations
Luzerne County Man Guilty of “Bath Salts” ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jason Randazzo, age 46, of Mountaintop, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on May 23, 2019, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley, to conspiracy to import into the United States from China alpha-pvp, commonly known as “bath salts.”
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Randazzo admitted to participating in the conspiracy between March 2014 and January 2016. Randazzo was one of seven people indicted by a grand jury in August 2016. That indictment was the fourth indictment resulting from the lengthy investigation into “bath salts” importation and trafficking. In all, 18 people were charged as a result of the investigation, including a Texas-based couple who shipped “bath salts” to customers throughout the United States, including Pennsylvania.
Todd Morgans, of West Pittston, a major local supplier of “bath salts,” was previously sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment. David Folweiler, a Luzerne County sub-distributor, was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. One of the Texas-based suppliers, Treiu Thuy Duong, received a 70-month prison sentence. Alan Folweiler received a 63-month sentence. Frank Brennan was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment.
The investigation has resulted in the seizure and forfeiture of several firearms, thousands of dollars in cash, hundreds of silver coins, real property and bank accounts valued at more than $750,000.
Judge Munley ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be completed, and scheduled sentencing for August 26, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offenses is 20 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Lutz Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Possession and Aggravated Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jorge Delgado-Macias (44, Lutz) has pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and aggravated identity theft. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison on the firearm charge and a mandatory consecutive two-year term of imprisonment on the aggravated identity theft charge.
According to the plea agreement, on October 17, 2018, deputies from the Hillsborough County Sheriff Office executed a search warrant at Delgado-Macias’s home, where they seized a 9mm pistol and a .40 caliber pistol, along with numerous rounds of ammunition. Delgado-Macias acknowledged to the deputies that the firearms were his, that he was a citizen of Mexico, and that he was unlawfully present in the United States. Also in his possession was a Florida driver license in the name of “JT, Jr.” Delgado-Macias told the deputies that he had purchased a California birth certificate and Social Security number for “JT” some years ago for $500, and that he had later used those documents to obtain the Florida license in the name of “JT, Jr.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with assistance from the Hillsborough County Sheriff Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy.
Carlos Rodriguez, 20, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. On Feb. 27, 2019, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
On April 19, 2018, during an undercover operation, federal agents seized 157 grams of fentanyl from Rodriguez. He was arrested that day. Upon execution of a federal search warrant at his residence, agents seized additional fentanyl and a digital scale.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Division; Andover Police Chief Patrick Keefe; Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque; and Methuen Police Chief Joe Solomon made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Law enforcement and a service organization honored by U.S. Attorney at awards ceremonyRead the Press Release
Sgt. John Haglock and U.S. Attorney Bill PowellWHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Seven law enforcement entities and one community organization were recognized today for their outstanding work in the greater Wheeling area.
United States Attorney Bill Powell recognized the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, Brooke County Prosecutor Joe Barki, Ohio County Sheriff’s Sgt. John Haglock, the YWCA’s Wind Program, and several other law enforcement partners with U.S. Attorney Awards for their contributions to create safer communities.
“I have the great pleasure to work many law enforcement and other community based professionals. We honor these individuals and groups today because they are “difference makers” in our communities. They represent the best of us, and our communities are better because of their extraordinary work,” said Powell.
The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force was recognized for its work in a year-long investigation beginning around February 2017 and continuing through March 2018, involving the distribution of crystal methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin primarily in Parkersburg, Sistersville, Paden City and New Martinsville, WV and Columbus, OH. The drugs were originating from a street gang in Columbus, OH. The investigation resulted in the indictments of eight gang members or associates from Columbus, as well as 25 local WV redistributors. This investigation dismantled the entire drug conspiracy operating in four federal districts, to include the Northern District of West Virginia, the Southern District of West Virginia, the Southern District of Ohio, and the Northern District of Georgia. The Marshall County Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office the West Virginia State Police, Moundsville Police Department and the US Drug Enforcement Administration.
Brooke County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Barki is a prosecuting attorney who has made a significant contribution to a shared mission. Barki has been on the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton drug & Violent Crime Task Force board for the past 16 years. He has been the president of the Board for the past 7 years. Before being the elected Prosecutor in Brooke County, he was an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Ohio, Brooke, & Hancock Counties. During the past 16 years he has tirelessly prosecuted drug crimes in Hancock, Brooke, and Ohio Counties. Joe has also been a great collaborator on many of the drug cases in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia.
The YWCA of Wheeling does remarkable work. From addressing domestic violence to education to recovery and redemption, they offer a valuable and unmatched resource in the Ohio Valley. The WIND Program, or Women Inspired in New Directions, is a place where women from all walks of life can recover in a supportive and safe environment. The WIND Program offers support to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, willing to assist us with community outreach efforts any time of year. From the reentry simulations to the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, the YWCA is a true partner. The collaboration is beneficial to all involved.
Sgt. John Haglock with the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office is the school resource officer at Madison Elementary School. Madison has many at-risk children, many of whom have been removed from their biological parents because of abuse and neglect, all thanks to the drug epidemic. Sgt. Haglock is a positive force in the school, always offering a caring smile and help with any student. He cares about the kids and their well-being and it shows in his interactions with the children every day. Earlier this year, he went above and beyond with three of the students. In early March, three siblings were being removed from the home, John and his wife Stephanie didn’t hesitate to take in all three children. This couple, who have been married for more than 30 years, and have two grown children, offered to take in all three children as a temporary home, to ensure they could stay at Madison and stay together.
The ceremony was held in U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey’s courtroom and included remarks from U.S. Attorney Bill Powell and the presence of many local, state and federal law enforcement leaders from throughout West Virginia.
Brooke County Prosecutor Joe Barki receiving his award from U.S. Attorney Bill Powell YWCA WIND Program receiving its award from U.S. Attorney Bill Powell (Pictured L-R: Laura Albertini-Weigel of the WIND Program, Lori Jones, Executive Director of the YWCA, and U.S. Attorney Bill Powell)
Lafayette green company owner sentenced to 90 months for stealing more than $2 million from investorsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that John K. Morrow, 48, of Lafayette, was sentenced Friday to seven and a half years in prison by U.S. District Judge Robert Sumerhays for stealing more than $2 million from investors. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and must pay $2,066,923 restitution.
Morrow was the owner of a Louisiana company called UVC Technologies LLC, which was formed in 2011. UVC Technologies represented itself as providing green, chemical free disinfection machines utilizing ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to meet the needs of various medical communities. From 2011 to 2016, Morrow solicited individuals to invest money in the company. He used false statements and misrepresentations indicating that the funds would only be used for business expenses and distribution of additional disinfection machines. He promised large sums of money in a short time period for their investments. When the investors complained about not being paid back and for the purpose of soliciting funds from them, Morrow falsely claimed that the business had been sold for millions and that their money would be paid back from the proceeds of the sale. Morrow also told investors that he would use funds for business expenses, but he spent their funds on personal living and travel expenses. Morrow defrauded the investors out of more than $2 million during the course of the scheme. He pleaded guilty to the federal charges on January 14, 2019.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger and Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.
KC Woman Pleads Guilty to Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman pleaded guilty in federal court today to her role in conspiracy to illegally transfer ownership of firearms.
Iesha T. Boles, 43, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges her with conspiracy to make false statements during the purchase of firearms.
By pleading guilty today, Boles admitted that she made false statements regarding the purchase or transfer of six firearms between Nov. 22, 2013, and June 11, 2017. Boles admitted that she was not the actual transferee/buyer for each of the firearms, but was acquiring the firearms on behalf of another person.
According to today’s plea agreement, a co-conspirator purchased a Jimenez 9mm pistol on Nov. 22, 2013; a Jimenez .380-caliber pistol on Nov. 13, 2013; a Jimenez .380-caliber pistol on Nov. 22, 2013; and a Jimenez .380-caliber pistol on Dec. 10, 2013. Those four firearms were all shipped to Conceal & Carry, a federal firearms licensee in Kansas City, Mo. Ownership was transferred to Boles, who later reported the firearms were stolen. In one instance, she reported a firearm was stolen within two days after purchase.
On Nov. 14, 2013, a Jimenez 9mm pistol was transferred to the same co-conspirator, who then transferred ownership to Boles. On Oct. 27, 2016, that co-conspirator purchased a Jimenez .380-caliber pistol and transferred the firearm to Boles, who reported the firearm stolen 41 days later.
Boles admitted that, on each of those six occasions, she made a false representation to the federally licensed firearms dealer in order to complete the firearm transfer.
Under federal statutes, Boles is subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against Central California Agricultural CompanyRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it reached a settlement agreement with WesPak Inc., an agricultural company located in Dinuba, California. The settlement resolves the Department of Justice’s investigation into whether the company discriminated against workers based on their citizenship status in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) when verifying their authorization to work.
The investigation concluded that WesPak discriminated against lawful permanent resident workers by unnecessarily requiring them to re-prove their work authorization when their original documents expired, even though the workers’ original documents — such as Permanent Resident Cards — demonstrated that they were permanently authorized to work in the United States. The anti-discrimination provision of the INA prohibits employers from making unnecessary requests for documentation to prove work authorization based on a worker’s citizenship status or national origin.
Under the settlement, WesPak will pay a civil penalty to the United States, train its human resources personnel on the requirements of the INA’s anti-discrimination provision, and be subject to compliance monitoring by the Department of Justice.
“Employers must carefully examine their procedures for reverifying continuing work authorization to ensure that they protect workers against discrimination based on citizenship status, and we are pleased with WesPak’s agreement to do so,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division.
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination against individuals who are authorized to work based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Employers can find information on how to avoid unlawful discrimination based on citizenship status or national origin here. Workers can find information about their rights under the anti-discrimination provision of the INA here. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under the INA, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Justice Department Settles Immigration-Related Discrimination Claim Against California CountyRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Stanislaus County, California. The settlement resolves the Department of Justice’s investigation into whether the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department engaged in prohibited hiring practices in violation of the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
The Department’s investigation concluded that the Sheriff’s Department improperly delayed rehiring a former deputy sheriff who was a lawful permanent resident (LPR) because he was not a U.S. citizen. The INA prohibits employers from discriminating in the hiring process based on citizenship status against certain categories of individuals, including recent LPRs, unless necessary to comply with a specific legal requirement. Because the affected individual was an LPR who had applied for and was eligible for naturalization, he met all applicable citizenship requirements under California law and should have been rehired.
The investigation also concluded that Stanislaus County posted job advertisements for deputy probation officers, deputy sheriffs, trainees, and interns with language that unlawfully excluded applications from some eligible LPRs, in violation of the INA.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Stanislaus County will pay $7,000 in civil penalties, engage in training its human resources staff on the anti-discrimination provision of the INA, and review and revise its job advertisements and questionnaires to ensure compliance with the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. The settlement agreement also acknowledges that, after receiving notice of the investigation, the Sheriff’s Department rehired the affected individual with back pay for lost wages.
“We commend Stanislaus County for its cooperation and corrective action,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “Qualified non-citizens who meet all legal citizenship requirements and wish to protect and serve their communities should not face unnecessary and unlawful barriers based on citizenship status. We are pleased that Stanislaus County has committed to ensuring compliance with the anti-discrimination provision of the INA.”
The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute prohibits discrimination against individuals who are authorized to work based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation.
Employers can find information on how to avoid unlawful discrimination based on citizenship status or national origin here. Workers can find information about their rights under the anti-discrimination provision of the INA here. For more information about protections against employment discrimination under the INA, call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a free webinar; email [email protected]; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. Subscribe to GovDelivery to receive updates from IER.
Applicants or employees who believe they were subjected to discrimination based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin in hiring, firing, or recruitment or referral for a fee; discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify) based on their citizenship, immigration status, or national origin; or retaliation can file a charge or contact IER’s worker hotline for assistance.
Jury Convicts Husband and Wife at Trial on All Counts in Child Sex Abuse CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces today that a federal jury in Mobile, Alabama found defendant Mack Doak, 51, and his wife, co-defendant Jaycee Doak, 41, guilty on all charges in a child exploitation case spanning multiple jurisdictions. Chief United States District Judge Kristi K. DuBose presided over the trial, which started on May 20, 2019 and ended three days later. The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on August 30, 2019. Mack Doak faces a mandatory minimum sentence of thirty years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Jaycee Doak faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
On August 31, 2018, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama indicted the defendants on one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a), a statute that criminalizes the transportation of minors across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The grand jury returned a 9-count superseding indictment on March 29, 2019, charging the defendants with six counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a) and Mack Doak with three counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2241(c), a statute that criminalizes aggravated sexual abuse by prohibiting the crossing of a state line with intent to engage in a sexual act with a child under the age of twelve.
The jury heard the below evidence at trial. Three child victims were abused for years by the defendants. The victims testified at trial that Mack Doak had sexually abused them in Texas, Florida, and Alabama and that they had disclosed the sexual abuse to Jaycee Doak, who was herself physically and verbally abusive and had tried to cover-up the sexual abuse.
In 2012, Mack Doak began sexually abusing Victims 1-3 in Rosharon, Texas. Victim 1 testified that she told Jaycee Doak back when the abuse started in Texas that Mack Doak had raped her. Jaycee Doak insisted that Victim 1 not tell anyone because disclosure of the abuse would be ruinous. One witness testified that Jaycee Doak told her about Victim 1’s rape allegation and that Jaycee Doak told the witness not to tell anyone. The witness testified that she urged Jaycee Doak to report the abuse and take Victim 1 to a doctor but that Jaycee Doak did neither. Another witness testified that she herself was raped by Mack Doak years earlier and that she had disclosed the abuse to the defendants in 2012. Another witness testified that around March 2013, after allegations of Mack Doak’s sexual abuse had begun to surface, Mack Doak had a pistol in his hand at his home and had threatened suicide, telling the witness, “I did something really bad and I’m not going to jail for it.”
In early 2014, the defendants moved from Rosharon to Butler, Alabama and then in August 2014 relocated to Pinellas Park, Florida, where Mack Doak continued to sexually abuse the victims. The defendants moved in November 2016 to Thomasville, Alabama, where the abuse persisted. The jury heard testimony that Mack Doak would periodically call a victim into his bedroom, close the door, and play loud music, and that the victim would appear upset after exiting the room. One witness testified that he saw Mack Doak sexually abusing Victim 2 one morning at the defendants’ home in Thomasville, and that Mack Doak saw him and told him to return to bed and not discuss what he had seen. After less than a year in Thomasville, the defendants moved to Monroeville, Alabama, where the sexual abuse continued and Jaycee Doak’s physical and verbal abuse escalated.
In early February 2018, the Monroeville Police Department received information about the sexual abuse. On February 4, a police investigator and a Monroe County Department of Human Resources caseworker visited the victims, who disclosed the abuse and indicated that they were unsafe in the defendants’ care. The next day, the defendants were arrested on state charges for rape, incest, and sexual abuse. On February 8, the victims were forensically interviewed at a child advocacy center in Brewton, Alabama and elaborated upon the abuse. Victim 1 told her interviewer that she had been sexually abused alongside a mat in the basement area of the defendants’ home in Monroeville. On February 9, the police executed a search warrant at the defendants’ home and seized physical evidence, including the mat. The police later took buccal samples from Mack Doak and the victims and sent the samples and the mat to a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) laboratory in Quantico, Virginia for testing. An FBI forensic examiner testified at trial that the likelihood ratios were very high that the mat contained Mack Doak’s semen and Victim 1’s DNA. Moreover, a pediatrician who had physically examined the victims testified that they showed signs of having been sexually abused.
After the jury’s verdicts, United States Attorney Richard W. Moore said, “Our federal prosecutors and our law enforcement partners are highly-skilled and persistent when we find evidence of child sex abuse. These cases demand our very best prosecution and investigation efforts and the jury in this particular case seemed to have no difficulty in determining that the defendants were guilty as charged. We will continue to bring to justice those who would molest our most vulnerable victims such as the children in this case. I want to thank our three prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Murphy, Sinan Kalayoglu, and Kacey Chappelear, our prosecution support team from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the agents and officers who investigated this case. They did a fantastic job.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge James Jewell stated, “The men and women of the FBI will continue to work with our state and local partners to serve the victims of these horrific crimes and see to it that justice is served. There is no place for this type of behavior in our society and the jury’s verdicts of guilty were a victory for law enforcement and most deservedly the victims.”
The FBI, the Monroeville Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Sinan Kalayoglu, Kacey Chappelear, and Maria Murphy are prosecuting the case.
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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Indianapolis Man Sentenced to 200 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Dwaine Bartlett, 46 years old, of Indianapolis, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Bartlett was sentenced to 200 months in prison followed by 5 year of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, between November 13, 2013, and February 12, 2014, Bartlett conspired with his named codefendants to conduct an armed robbery of a drug stash house which would have resulted in their possessing with intent to distribute a controlled substance, namely 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Further, on February 12, 2014, Bartlett possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration as well as the Warsaw Police Department, the Fort Wayne Police Department and the IMAGE Drug Task Force. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stacey R. Speith and Anthony W. Geller.
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Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Return After Removal Following Conviction of Illegal Alien SmugglerRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Catarina Ixquiactap-Morales, 21, an illegal alien from Guatemala, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to unlawful return of an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Ixquiactap-Morales’ plea came after the April 30, 2019, guilty plea of Paul Garza, 50, of Texas, for unlawful transportation of an alien within the U.S. Garza, a U.S. citizen living in the Houston, Texas, area, is scheduled to be sentenced on August 1, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden and faces a potential maximum penalty of 5 years in prison followed by 3 years supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and special assessments that could total $5,100.
Catarina Ixquiactap-Morales is scheduled to be sentenced on August 22, 2019 by Judge Guirola and faces a potential 2 years in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and Homeland Security removal proceedings.
On March 22, 2019, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge SUV with Texas license plates around mile marker 40 on Interstate 10 eastbound. Ironically, the same agent had been present when the same vehicle had been previously encountered in September 2018 in Jackson, Mississippi, in an alien smuggling venture. The agent determined that none of the passengers had proper documents and that all were illegally present in the United States.
Catarina Ixquiactap Morales was determined to have unlawfully returned after removal from the United States, and was separately prosecuted for that felony offense. All other illegal alien passengers, except for Ms. Morales, were determined to have been apprehended for the first time in the United States and were placed into administrative proceedings to officially remove them from the United States. Two of the illegal alien passengers were determined to be unaccompanied juveniles.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, United States Border Patrol, and by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Reentry by an Alien After RemovalRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Jose Guadalupe Perez-Velasquez, 29, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to unlawful reentry by an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, and Mr. Trey Lund, Acting Field Office Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations in New Orleans.
Perez-Velasquez is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Guirola on August 22, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. He faces a potential maximum of 2 years in prison followed by one year of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. He also faces being removed from the United States following the completion of any prison sentence.
On March 25, 2019, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office notified the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that Perez-Velasquez had been arrested for the misdemeanor offenses of domestic disturbance of family and false information to law enforcement. Perez-Velasquez also confessed to being an illegal alien from Mexico. He was arrested by an officer with ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and transported to the Gulfport ICE Office.
Further investigation confirmed that Perez-Velasquez was removed from the United States in 2009. He illegally reentered the United States and was removed again in 2010 after which time he was prohibited from entering, attempting to enter, being in the United States, or applying for admission to the United States for a period of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement Removal Operations, and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for this case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Misprision of Felony Regarding Unlawful Transportation of Aliens Within the United StatesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Alfonso Tellez-Lopez, 40, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to misprision of a felony regarding his brother’s unlawful transportation of aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Tellez-Lopez, who had been living in South Carolina, will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on August 22, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. He faces a potential maximum penalty of 3 years in prison followed by one year of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine. He will also be subject to immigration removal proceedings. “Misprison of a felony” means that a person knew that a felony was being committed and did not report it to officials at the earliest opportunity and took some affirmative action to conceal the crime.
On May 2, 2019, Alfonso Tellez-Lopez’s brother, Javier Tellez-Lopez, pled guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully transport aliens within the United States, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2019 by Judge Guirola. Javier Tellez-Lopez faces a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years supervised release, a maximum $250,000 fine and $5,100 in special assessments. He will also be subject to immigration removal proceedings.
On January 28, 2019, an interdiction agent with the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team conducted a traffic stop on a GMC Yukon XL with South Carolina license plates around mile marker 62 on interstate I-10 eastbound in Jackson County. The agent observed eight occupants of the vehicle, which was being driven by Javier Tellez-Lopez.
Border Patrol Agents arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, and interviewed the occupants of the vehicle as to their citizenships, determining none had proper documents and all were illegally present in the United States. Of the eight total vehicle occupants (two drivers and six passengers), all were illegal aliens from Mexico. All occupants were arrested and transported to the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport. HSI and Border Patrol agents determined the six passengers were being smuggled within the United States. Further investigation determined that five of the six passengers had unlawfully returned after being formally removed from the United States. Each of these five passengers were separately prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, pled guilty and were convicted of the felony offense of illegal return by an alien after removal.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Gautier Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Horsham Man Charged with Enticement, Manufacturing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced the unsealing of an indictment charging Richard Blong, age 28, of Horsham, PA with multiple counts of child exploitation offenses including enticing a minor to engage in illicit sexual conduct, manufacturing child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
These charges arise out of an investigation into the defendant’s online solicitation of three minor victims (all between the ages of 14 and 16 years old) to produce and send him sexually explicit photos of themselves, and his in-person meeting with one of the minor victims, during which he engaged in sexual contact with her and produced sexually explicit photos of her. These offenses occurred throughout 2018.
“Child exploitation is a pervasive problem – made more so by the accessibility of the internet – that demands an aggressive response,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “We stand ready with our federal and local partners to identify and prosecute those who would prey upon minor children using online resources.”
“Blong preyed on children and manufactured videos of minors being sexually abused,” said Marlon V. Miller, special agent in charge of HSI Philadelphia. “The unsealing of today’s indictment is the first step in holding him accountable for his reprehensible actions. Homeland Security Investigations will work with our law enforcement partners to utilize every resource available to investigate child exploitation cases in Pennsylvania and around the country.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment, which includes a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence, and up to a lifetime of supervised release.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office County Detective Bureau, and the Detective Bureau of the Union County, New Jersey Prosecutor’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Harrell.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Holyoke Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holyoke man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to distributing crack cocaine.
Pedro Colon Amadeo, 36, pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Sept. 4, 2019.
Colon Amadeo distributed drugs in Holyoke between November 2017 and January 2018. His arrest was the result of a seven month law enforcement investigation into cocaine and heroin trafficking in Holyoke by members of La Familia gang.
Colon Amadeo faces up to 40 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. 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; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Lelling’s Springfield Office is prosecuting the case.
High Ranking Sinaloa Cartel Member Extradited to the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jose Antonio Torres Marrufo (aka “Jaguar”) has been extradited from Mexico to face federal racketeering charges in the Western District of Texas, stated U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Kyle W. Williamson, El Paso Division; FBI Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie, Jr., El Paso Division; and, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek, II, Dallas Division.
Torres Marrufo remains in federal custody awaiting his initial appearance in federal court tomorrow morning in El Paso.
“Through close and sustained cooperation with our partners in Mexico, we are bringing cartel leaders to justice,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Williamson. “This extradition sends a message to those leaders that we will relentlessly pursue them, no matter where they are or how long it takes.”
“The FBI El Paso Division is pleased with Mexico's efforts to bring to justice a leader from one of the most violent criminal enterprises that has terrorized the El Paso and Juarez area,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Buie. “The cooperation between our two countries' law enforcement agencies is a powerful force in disrupting the Sinaloa Cartel Organization's criminal activities that instill fear and threaten the safety of our citizens.”
“No one person, community or country should endure the brutality described in these charges,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Boshek. “The cooperation between U.S. and Mexican officials sends a clear message of our collaborative commitment to investigate and prosecute members of these criminal organizations.”
In April 2012, Torres Marrufo was charged in the same federal grand jury indictment as Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka “El Chapo,” Ismael Zambada Garcia aka “Mayo,” and 21 other individuals responsible for the operations and management of the Sinaloa Cartel (Cartel) charging them with violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act.
The fourteen-count grand jury indictment, returned on April 11, 2012, charges conspiracy to violate the RICO statute; conspiracy to possess more than five kilograms of cocaine and over 1000 kilograms of marijuana; conspiracy to import more than five kilograms of cocaine and 1000 kilograms of marijuana; conspiracy to commit money laundering; conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes; murder in furtherance of a continuing criminal enterprise (CCE) or drug trafficking; engaging in a CCE in furtherance of drug trafficking; conspiracy to kill in a foreign country; kidnapping; and violent crimes in aid of racketeering.
According to the indictment, the purpose of the Sinaloa Cartel is to smuggle large quantities of marijuana and cocaine, as well as other drugs, into the United States for distribution. Laundered proceeds of drug trafficking activities are returned to Cartel members and are used in part to purchase properties related to the daily functioning of the Cartel, including real estate, firearms, ammunition, bullet proof vests, radios, telephones, uniforms and vehicles. In an effort to maintain control of all aspects of their operations, the Cartel and it’s associates, including members of the Gente Nueva (“New People”) and the Artistas Asesinos (“Murder artists”), kidnap, torture and murder those who lose or steal assets belonging to, are disloyal to, or are enemies of the Cartel. This includes the Juarez Cartel, a competing drug organization who at the time was led by Vicente Carrillo Fuentes, as well as it’s enforcement arm known as La Linea and the Barrio Aztecas. Oftentimes, murders committed by the Cartel involve brutal acts of violence as well the public display of the victim along with banners bearing written warnings to those who would cross the Cartel.
The indictment references two acts of violence allegedly committed by members of the Cartel. First, the indictment alleges that in September 2009, Torres Marrufo, Gabino Salas-Valenciano, Fernando Arellano-Romero and Mario Iglesias-Villegas, under the leadership of Joaquin Guzman and Ismael Zambada, conspired to kidnap and murder a Horizon City, Texas, resident. Specifically, Torres Marrufo ordered the kidnapping of the victim to answer for the loss of a 670-pound load of marijuana seized by Border Patrol at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint on August 5, 2009. After the kidnapping, the victim was taken to Juarez where Torres Marrufo interrogated him and ordered that he be killed. On September 8, 2009, the victim’s mutilated body was discovered in Juarez.
Second, the indictment alleges that on May 7, 2010, Torres Marrufo, Fernando Arellano-Romero and Mario Iglesias-Villegas, under the leadership of Joaquin Guzman and Ismael Zambada, conspired to kidnap and murder an American citizen and two members of his family. Specifically, Torres Marrufo caused an individual in El Paso to travel to a wedding ceremony in Juarez to confirm the identity of a target. The target was the groom, a U.S. citizen and a resident of Columbus, NM. Under Torres Marrufo’s orders, the groom, his brother and his uncle were all kidnapped during the wedding ceremony and subsequently tortured and murdered. Their bodies were discovered by Juarez police a few days later in the bed of an abandoned pickup truck. Additionally, a fourth person was killed during the kidnapping at the wedding ceremony.
This investigation resulted in the seizure of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, and thousands of pounds of marijuana in cities throughout the U.S. Law enforcement also took possession of millions of dollars in drug proceeds which were destined to be returned to the Cartel in Mexico. Agents and officers likewise seized hundreds of weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition intended to be smuggled into Mexico to assist the Cartel’s battle to take control of one of the key drug trafficking corridors used to bring drugs into the U.S.
This investigation was conducted by the DEA, FBI and ATF together with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, El Paso Police Department, El Paso Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in securing and coordinating Torres Marrufo’s arrest and extradition. U.S. Attorney Bash also expresses his appreciation to the U.S Attorney’s Office in New Mexico; Attorney General of Mexico Alejandro Gertz Manero and his attorneys; and, to law enforcement authorities in Mexico for their assistance.
Upon conviction, Marrufo faces up to life in federal prison.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Hermon Woman Sentenced to Two Years for Heroin, Fentanyl and Crack ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Erica Oliveira, 29, of Hermon, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to two years in prison and three years of supervised for conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” She pleaded guilty on October 15, 2018.
According to court records, between January 2016 and February 2017, Oliveira conspired with others to acquire heroin, fentanyl and crack in Waterbury, Connecticut and to distribute it in Penobscot County. The defendant allowed her Hermon residence to be used to distribute heroin and facilitated the drug dealing activities of others.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Hazelton Man Charged with Theft of Government Property and Aggravated Identity Theft in Connection with Scheme to Unlawfully Obtain Welfare BenefitsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Andres Santos, age 37, of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, was indicted on May 21, 2019, by a federal grand jury for theft of government property, specifically, theft of welfare benefits to which he was not entitled, as well as for charges of social security fraud, false claim of United States citizenship and aggravated identity theft.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, in Luzerne County, Santos used the social security account number and other identification information of another person and misrepresented his citizenship status in order to obtain Medicaid Medical Assistance benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in an amount over $1000.00 each, to which he was not entitled
The matter was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations Division and the Pennsylvania Office of the State Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffery St John is prosecuting the case.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 12 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Haverhill Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Alex Noonan, 31, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a drug trafficking organization, which authorities allege was led by Sergio Martinez, employed Noonan and others to sell fentanyl to customers from various New England states, including New Hampshire. On each date that Noonan worked, the Martinez organization provided him with at least one 200-gram bag of fentanyl and expected him to sell it and return approximately $6,000 in proceeds.
Noonan previously pleaded guilty on February 12, 2019.
“This ten-year prison term sends a message to fentanyl traffickers,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who choose to distribute this deadly drug must understand that they face stiff penalties upon arrest and conviction. We will continue to work closely with all of our law enforcement partners to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those responsible for the distribution of fentanyl in the Granite State.”
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
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Hartford Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Luis Cosme, also known as “Lou Rock,” 35, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a loaded handgun.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 10, 2017, Hartford Police stopped a vehicle in which Cosme was a passenger and found Cosme in possession of a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Cosme was arrested on state charges at that time.
In May 2017, while Cosme was released on bond in his state case, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of heroin from Cosme. On June 21, 2017, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Cosme with firearm and narcotics offenses.
Cosme’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for drug distribution, assault and domestic violence offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On September 10, 2018, Cosme pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has been detained since March 27, 2019, when his bond was revoked.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
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 neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Hackett Man Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Bruce Wheeler, age 42, of Hackett, Arkansas, was sentenced on May 22, 2019 to 188 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for one count of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute. The Honorable P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court records, in May 2018, a Bonanza Police officer was patrolling when he observed a motorcycle travelling at a high rate of speed. The police officer pursued the motorcycle to conduct a traffic stop. After a pursuit, the officer observed the motorcycle laid on a curve near the Oklahoma state line. The officer observed Wheeler attempting to get back on the motorcycle, and placed him in custody. The officer discovered five zip lock bags containing suspected methamphetamine under the back seat of the motorcycle. The suspected methamphetamine was sent to DEA Southwest laboratory, where it was confirmed to be 741 grams of actual methamphetamine.
Wheeler was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2018, and entered a guilty plea in January 2019.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bonanza Police Department, Fort Smith Police Department, Sebastian County Sherriff’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the 12th/21st Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Candace Taylor prosecuted the case for the United States.
Greece Man Sentenced for Being A Felon in PossessionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Nicholas Coia, 31, of Greece, NY, who was convicted of being felon in possession of a firearm, was sentenced to three years’ probation by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who handled the case, stated that the defendant admitted to possessing a shotgun and ammunition on March 28, 2018, in the area of 11 St. Pierre Drive in the Town of Greece. Coia was prohibited from legally possessing the shotgun and ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for Driving While Intoxicated.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick D. Phelan, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and 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.
Former Lackawanna County Prison Contract Employee Charged with Conspiracy to Provide Drugs and Contraband to InmatesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a criminal information was filed on May 21, 2019, charging Brenda Cruise, age 48, of Dunmore, Pennsylvania, with conspiring with others to provide contraband, including illegal drugs, to inmates at the Lackawanna County Prison.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the criminal information alleges that Cruise conspired with others to provide marijuana, suboxone, synthetic marijuana (“spice”), and tobacco to inmates at the prison between February 2018 and December 2018.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Pennsylvania State Police. Cruise is the fourth person to be charged as a result of the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is five years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Former LMPD Officer Sentenced to 70 Months for Attempted EnticementRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States District Judge David J. Hale sentenced Louisville Metro Police Officer Brandon Wood to 70 months in prison, followed by 10 years’ supervised release, after he pled guilty in January to attempted enticement, announced United States Attorney Russell Coleman.
“Our most basic duty in law enforcement is to protect kids. Those that abandon this core responsibility, have and will face prosecution and ultimately federal prison,” stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.
According to the Plea Agreement, between 2011 and 2012, Wood attempted to entice John Doe 1, who had not reached 18 years of age, to engage in sexual activity. Wood met Doe through the LMPD Explorer Program during a camp held in Bullitt County – where Wood was a counselor and sworn LMPD officer. Wood used social media to contact John Doe 1 after the camp. Those communications resulted in an attempt to entice the minor to engage in sexual activity.
Wood remains in federal custody.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit conducted the investigation.
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This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims
Former Employee of Scranton Counseling Center Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lawrence Stone, age 64, formerly of East Stroudsburg, Nanticoke, and Scranton, Pennsylvania, a former Master Clinician and Case Manager at Scranton Counseling Center, was sentenced on May 23, 2019, to 15 years’ imprisonment to be followed by five years on supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion for producing child pornography.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Stone previously admitted to persuading two minor victims (ages 13 and 14) to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of the conduct. Stone committed the offense between 2010 and 2014, when he was employed at the Scranton Counseling Center.
Judge Mannion also ordered Stone to receive sex offender treatment and to comply with all provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Stone was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2018, as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Scranton Police. Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Former City of Gary Network Administrator SentencedRead the Press Release
HAMMOND –Monique S. Bowling aka Monique Boyd, 47, of Merrillville, Indiana was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after being found guilty during a three day jury trial in January 2019. She was found guilty of one count of theft from local government receiving federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Bowling was sentenced to 63 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Citizens expect and deserve officials to act in the best interest of the public, free from self-dealing and illegal self-enrichment. My office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue matters involving public corruption.”
According to documents in this case, Bowling allegedly stole and obtained by fraud 1,517 Apple computer devices under the care, custody and control of the City of Gary.
This case is the result of the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Indiana State Police and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary T. Bell and Toi D. Houston.
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Former Baltimore City Police Gun Trace Task Force Detective Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced former Baltimore Police Detective Jemell Lamar Rayam, age 38, of Owings Mills, Maryland, to 12 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy, including multiple robberies, and overtime fraud.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“This case exposed crime and corruption being committed by those sworn to uphold the law and protect citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will prosecute criminals whether they wear a badge or not.”
Rayam joined the Baltimore Police Department on July 12, 2005 and was later assigned to the Gun Trace Task Force (GTTF), a division of the Baltimore Police Department. According to his plea agreement, Rayam schemed to steal money, property, and narcotics by detaining victims, entering residences, conducting traffic stops, and swearing out false search warrant affidavits. In addition, Rayam prepared and submitted false official incident and arrest reports, reports of property seized from arrestees, and charging documents. The false reports concealed the fact that Rayam and his co-conspirators had stolen money, property, and narcotics from individuals.
According to his plea agreement, beginning in 2009, Rayam robbed civilians he detained and in some cases arrested and stole money and drugs from them. Rayam shared the proceeds with co-defendants Momodu Gondo, Wayne Jenkins, Daniel Hersl, Marcus Taylor, and others, and on other occasions, he kept all of the proceeds for himself. Rayam also sold, through associates of his, drugs that Jenkins stole from detainees and arrestees, gave them to Rayam, and split the proceeds of those sales with his co-defendant.
Rayam participated in 15 robberies from June 2014 through October 2016. Rayam admitted that he was armed with his BPD service firearm during the robberies, that individual victims of the robberies were physically restrained to facilitate the commission of the offense, and that he authored false and fraudulent incident reports and other official documents in some cases in order to conceal his criminal conduct and otherwise obstruct justice.
Rayam also robbed detainees and arrestees with another police officer, who was not a member of the GTTF. Rayam and this other police officer would falsely represent that they had a search warrant, when they did not, in order to gain access to someone’s home and would then steal money and other things of value. In addition, Rayam had an associate who would inform him when a drug dealer had a significant amount of cash in his home and when the associate knew that the drug dealer would not be in the home. Rayam would then rob the drug dealer’s home with the assistance of other associates of his who were not police officers.
On October 5, 2016, Rayam and his co-conspirators robbed a drug dealer after he and Gondo placed a tracking device on the victim’s car without court authorization so that they could rob his apartment when he was not home. Rayam and Glen Kyle Wells entered the victim’s apartment. Rayam was wearing a ski mask and was armed with a BPD-issued firearm. Rayam and Wells stole a Rolex watch, a firearm, $12,000 to $14,000 in cash, and at least 800 grams of heroin. After the robbery, Rayam and his co-conspirators split the money they had stolen. Wells took the drugs and money, and Wells sold some of the drugs and gave Rayam a portion of the proceeds. Wells then gave Rayam a quantity of drugs that he had been unable to sell, which Rayam in turn sold through an associate.
On June 27, 2014, Rayam and his co-defendants executed a search and seizure warrant at a store that sold birdseed. No illegal contraband or firearms were found at the location. The storeowners, a married couple, had $20,000 in cash at the store that they intended to use to pay off tax liabilities they owed on two homes. Rayam later contacted two associates and agreed to rob the home of the storeowners. The associates presented themselves as police officers and stole $20,000, while Rayam remained in the car so he could intercept the police officers that responded to the incident by pretending to respond to the incident himself. Rayam split the proceeds with his associates.
Rayam admitted that on March 11, 2015, he, Gondo, former Sergeant Thomas Allers, and another person, who was not a police officer, searched a residence and discovered a large quantity of cash. Rayam took between $8,000 and $10,000 of the cash. Gondo and Allers also took some of the cash.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on July 8, 2016, Rayam and his co-defendants Hersl and Gondo detained two victims after a car stop. Rayam stole money from one of the victims. At Jenkins’s direction, Hersl, Rayam, and Gondo transported the two victims to a BPD office to interrogate them. Jenkins told his co-conspirators to treat him like he was the U.S. Attorney. After speaking with one of the individuals, Jenkins, Hersl, Gondo, and Rayam then transported both of the victims to their home and robbed them of $20,000 among themselves. Jenkins, Hersl, Rayam, and Gondo divided the $20,000. Rayam authored a false incident report to conceal the stolen money, which Jenkins approved.
According to the statement of facts agreed upon as part of Rayam’s plea, in the fall of 2016, Jenkins approached Rayam and asked him to sell drugs that Jenkins had stolen from detainees. Rayam agreed and sold the drugs Jenkins gave him and shared the proceeds with Jenkins. Jenkins maintained that Rayam owed him money for drugs that Jenkins had given him. After seizing a firearm and marijuana, Jenkins told Rayam to sell the firearm and marijuana in order to pay Jenkins the money that Jenkins believed Rayam owed him. Gondo subsequently arranged for an associate of his, who was a drug dealer, to buy the firearm and marijuana. Gondo’s associate gave Rayam money for the sale of the firearm and marijuana.
Rayam also admitted that he routinely submitted false and fraudulent individual overtime reports defrauding the Baltimore Police Department and the citizens of the State of Maryland. On these reports, Rayam falsely certified that he worked his entire regularly assigned shifts, when he did not, and that he worked additional hours for which he received overtime pay, when he had not worked all and in some cases any of those overtime hours. Rayam also admitted that he submitted false and fraudulent overtime reports on behalf of his co-defendants.
Lastly, Rayam admitted to obstructing law enforcement by alerting his co-defendants about potential investigations of their criminal conduct, coaching them to give false testimony to investigators from the Internal Investigations Division of the BPD, and turning off his body-worn cameras to avoid recording encounters with civilians.
A total of eight former members of the BPD Gun Trace Task Force were convicted for racketeering and related charges. Former Baltimore Police Sergeant Wayne Earl Jenkins, age 38, of Middle River, Maryland was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for a racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, two counts of robbery, destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in a federal investigation, and four counts of deprivation of rights under color of law. Former Detectives Daniel Thomas Hersl, age 49, of Joppa, Maryland and Marcus Roosevelt Taylor, age 32, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, were convicted after a three-week trial and were each sentenced to 18 years in federal prison, for racketeering conspiracy and racketeering offenses, including overtime fraud, and robbery. Former Sergeant Thomas Allers, age 49, of Linthicum Heights, Maryland was sentenced to fifteen years in prison, for racketeering conspiracy and racketeering offenses, including nine robberies. Former Detective Momodu Gondo, age 36, of Owings Mills, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for a racketeering conspiracy and for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin. Former Detectives Evodio Hendrix, age 34, of Randallstown, Maryland, and Maurice Kilpatrick Ward, age 39, of Middle River, were each sentenced to seven years in federal prison, after pleading guilty to a racketeering conspiracy, including several robberies and overtime fraud.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Derek E. Hines, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Foreign National Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter on the High SeasRead the Press Release
Lewis Bennett, 42, a dual citizen of Australia and the United Kingdom, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno to 96 months in federal prison, after having previously pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter for killing his wife, Isabella Hellman, while on board a sailing vessel on the high seas.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Zinnia P. James, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Southeast Region, made the announcement.
According to the court docket, including an agreed upon factual proffer, Bennett is an experienced sailor who received a certification from the Royal Yachting Association in the United Kingdom as a Coastal Skipper. This training included instruction on emergency procedures such as man overboard protocols and night sailing safety. Bennett also had hands-on sailing experience on the open water for extended periods of time, including a three month voyage from St. Maarten to Australia. In contrast to Bennett, his wife had not been trained in emergency sailing procedures, did not have a sailing certification and had substantially less sailing experience.
In late April 2017, Bennett and Ms. Hellman set sail from St. Maarten on board the vessel “Surf Into Summer,” with the intention of sailing to the United States. On May 14, 2017, Bennett and Ms. Hellman departed Cuba on Bennett’s catamaran (“the vessel”), bound for Florida. At approximately 8 p.m. that evening, Bennett had Ms. Hellman take over control of the vessel. Bennett did not require Ms. Hellman to wear a life jacket, harness, or personal locator beacon (“PLB”) while at the helm during this night watch.
In the early morning hours of May 15, 2017, Bennett was awoken by a loud noise, while the vessel was on the high seas. He climbed to the exterior of the boat and observed that the sails and rigging were loose. The helm of the vessel was unmanned, and his wife was not there. Bennett could not recall whether he called out for his wife. He did not deploy flares to illuminate the area in order to look for Ms. Hellman or to signal his position in the open water for safety and/or recovery. Additionally, Bennett did not search for Ms. Hellman with either the catamaran or the attached dinghy (a small boat). Further, Bennett did not immediately activate any emergency equipment or utilize the satellite phone to signal and/or call for help to locate Ms. Hellman. Bennett ultimately abandoned the vessel and boarded the life raft. When Bennett abandoned the vessel, the catamaran and the dinghy attached to it were inoperable. The factual proffer also states that the United States has evidence in the form of expert testimony that the catamaran was intentionally scuttled.
Before Bennett abandoned the catamaran and boarded the life raft, Bennett loaded various items from the vessel onto the life raft, including a suitcase, two duffle bags, a backpack, water, unexpended parachute flares, a radio transmitter, buoys, food, and silver coins. It was not until Bennett boarded the life raft that he called for help and reported his wife missing, approximately 45 minutes after he was awakened.
The U.S. Coast Guard received an emergency alert from Bennett when he was approximately 26 nautical miles west of Cay Sal Bank, Bahamas, upon the high seas and in international waters. A Coast Guard helicopter ultimately rescued Bennett shortly after 4:30 a.m. and transported him to the Marathon Jet Center, in Marathon, Florida, which is located in the Southern District of Florida.
In the following days, Coast Guard ships, planes, and helicopters searched over approximately 4,980 square miles. On the evening of May 18, 2017, the Coast Guard suspended the search. To date, Ms. Hellman has not been found and has not contacted any of her family. Based on all evidence, Ms. Hellman is dead.
According to the stipulated factual proffer, Ms. Hellman’s death occurred as a result of Bennett’s knowledge of circumstances that existed that could have reasonably enabled him to foresee the threat to life to which his acts or failures to act might subject another, namely Ms. Hellman; and his gross negligence, amounting to wanton and reckless disregard for human life, in acting or failing to act as a result of that.
Bennett was arrested in connection with criminal charges related to these events in Miami on February 20, 2018.
After completing his prison sentence, Bennett will serve 3 years on supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $22,910 in restitution, the amount of money seized by the FBI from the defendant’s backpack upon his arrest, to Bennett and Ms. Hellman’s daughter.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI and CGIS in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kurt K. Lunkenheimer and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily A. Rose.
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.
First Sentence Imposed for Scam Involving Le Meridien Hotel ProjectRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 43-year-old California man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction related to a scheme to embezzle $3.1 from the Beck Group in Houston, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Charles Williams, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty Sept. 7, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore ordered him to prison for 72 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Williams was also ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to The Beck Group.
Williams conspired with six people to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Those individuals - Moses Said, 42, of Houston; Lanamasha Hampton, 42, and Collette Devoe Hines, 49, both of Atlanta, Georgia; Janell Crosby Quant, 38, of Union City, Georgia; Heather Ashley Sowa, 31, of Denver, Colorado; and William Lewis Sutton, Jr., 48, of Los Angeles, California – also pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme.
As a construction manager with the Beck Group, Said was in charge of the Le Meridien Hotel Project located in downtown Houston from 2016 to 2017.
Hampton, Quant, Hines, Sowa, Sutton, and Williams created shell companies which submitted false invoices to the Beck Group for payment for construction products that were not provided and construction services that were not performed.
As the construction manager for the Beck Group, Said approved and submitted the false invoices for payment, causing the Beck Group to issue payments to the shell companies. Upon receipt of the monies The Beck Group paid, the others paid some of the fraud proceeds to Williams and Said. They attempted to conceal and disguise the nature and origin of the proceeds by transferring the proceeds to other companies and individuals.
Williams was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vernon Lewis is prosecuting the case.
Final prison sentences wrap up cocaine trafficking investigationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: Two sentencings in federal court represent the final defendants from a dismantled major cocaine trafficking conspiracy that spanned the country and transported significant amounts of drugs into the Savannah area.
Michael Dean Hubbard, 39, of Garden City, Ga., was sentenced to 115 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine and Marijuana, and Domminick Sentell Robbins, 39, of Guyton, Ga., was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Cocaine, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.
“The sentencing for these two criminals slams the door on a major conspiracy to peddle poison in our communities,” Christine said. “With our law enforcement partners, we are committed to tracking down and bringing to justice those who would pollute our neighborhoods with illegal drugs – and Operation Lazarus is a great example of our success.”
Operation Lazarus, a joint federal, state and local investigation, began in 2012 through 2017 in the Savannah area under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and initiated by the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The investigation uncovered a major conspiracy that transported significant amounts of cocaine and other narcotics to Savannah, Atlanta and Florida via tractor-trailer from Texas and California.
During the operation, investigators seized more than 10 kilograms of powder and crack cocaine, 16 pounds of marijuana and large amounts of heroin, Ecstasy and prescription pills, along with 50 firearms and more than $700,000 in cash. A total of 54 defendants – 21 prosecuted in federal court, and 33 prosecuted in state court – have been sentenced after convictions or guilty pleas. A full list of defendants is included below.
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented on the sentencings, “The mission of DEA is unwavering – we relentlessly pursue drug traffickers who distribute dangerous drugs in our communities. These drugs cause immeasurable damage, but DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U. S. Attorney’s Office are committed to protecting and serving the citizens of those communities. These defendants will spend well-deserved time in prison.”
“This case recognizes how important it is for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to unite in order to dismantle this organization,” said CNT Director Everett Ragan. “It is a joint effort and we must hold those responsible for the illegal acts accountable for their actions.”
In addition to DEA and CNT, agencies cooperating for Operation Lazarus included the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Garden City Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The OCDETF program is the premier U.S. Department of Justice program utilized to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations.
The case was prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Greg Gilluly Jr.
Defendants in Operation Lazarus include:
Federal defendants:
Christopher Shawn Crimley, 44, Port Wentworth, Ga.;
Nakiea Javon Hampton, 38, Savannah;
Sherone Kenya McBride, 41, Garden City, Ga.;
Shamone Moquis McBride, 39, Garden City, Ga.;
Traviel Lamar Perkins, 45, Savannah;
Kevin Lamar Speaks, 37, Savannah;
Michael Dean Hubbard, 39, Garden City, Ga.;
Cedric Jermaine Manior, 46, Rincon, Ga.;
Travis Terrell Godwin, 28, Garden City, Ga.;
Kendrick Carnell Doomes, 36, Ludowici, Ga.;
Steve Gordon, 40, Register, Ga.;
Ronnie Cope, 39, Guyton, Ga.;
Domminick Sentell Robbins, 39, Guyton, Ga.;
Anderson Holmes III, 51, Savannah;
Trevor Wendell Walker, 47, Savannah;
Eric Donnell Washington, 39, Savannah;
Jonathan Turner, 40, Savannah;
Latonya Maria Shannon, 32, Morrow, Ga.;
Omar Guevara, 39, Roswell, Ga.;
Jerrod Baugh, 41, Atlanta; and,
Jameel Lawton, 40, Savannah.
State court defendants:
Deandre Antonio Singleton, 38, Garden City, Ga.;
Donald Lee Oliver, 33, Garden City, Ga.;
Bobby Terrell Alexander, 50, Savannah;
David Renaldo Scarver, 35, Garden City, Ga.;
Christopher Delmont Jones, 45, Savannah;
Ellison Robert Burns Jr., 43, Garden City, Ga.;
Adam Gershon Palmer, 34, Savannah;
Ebony Jabriea Harley, 34, Garden City, Ga.;
Curtis Keith Knowles, 64, Savannah;
Robert Edward Singleton Jr., 52, Garden City, Ga.;
Willie James Grant, 27, Savannah;
Taurus Eugene Holloway, 43, Savannah;
Michael Bernard Jenks, 33, Savannah;
Ramone Williams, 50, Savannah;
Dennis Lee Morris 29, Garden City, Ga.;
Deatra Babaham 39, Garden City, Ga.;
Michael Andrea Wilson, 51, Hardeeville, S.C.;
Antonio Daywan Newton, 38, Savannah;
Edward Callahan, 48, Atlanta;
John Terrell Nelson, 41, Savannah;
Javonne Washington, 40, Savannah;
George Michael Muller, 41, Atlanta;
Steven Chad McCoy, 48, Savannah;
Richard Glen Valeiko, 43, Rincon, Ga.;
Sabrina Morell 42, Rincon, Ga.;
Bonnie Wayne Romine, 66, Garden City, Ga.;
George Bernard Lilly, 49, Rincon, Ga.;
Destiney Kawandra Clifton, 30, Lyons, Ga.;
Samuel Ashley Bartley, 43, Guyton, Ga.;
Melveric Jamelle Ford, 37, Garden City, Ga.;
Phillip Anthony Edwards, 34, Garden City, Ga.;
Edwin Gary Burroughs, 35, Garden City, Ga.; and,
Michael Anthony Green, 35, Savannah.
Federal and Local Law Enforcement Announce Cases as Part of Initiative to Hold Accountable Domestic Abusers with GunsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – U.S. Attorney Benjamin C. Glassman announced today a new initiative in which federal and local prosecutors are working with law enforcement and domestic violence victim services agencies to hold accountable domestic abusers who illegally possess firearms.
As part of the initiative, U.S. Attorney Glassman, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein, Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Interim Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan announced three cases indicted federally today. The cases charge three men with illegally possessing a firearm and/or ammunition after being convicted of domestic violence-related crimes.
A federal grand jury today charged Eldon G. Draper, 45, Stephon A. Moore, 30, and Brandon N. Zachariah, 26, all of Columbus, with possessing firearms and/or ammunition after being convicted of misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence and felony crimes in separate indictments returned here today.
According to court documents, on April 13, Draper possessed a Smith & Wesson .38 special firearm and five rounds of ammunition. He was previously convicted in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas of misdemeanor domestic violence and felonious assault, aggravated assault, arson, four offenses of aggravated arson, receipt of stolen property and theft.
Moore allegedly possessed a 9mm firearm and 16 rounds of ammunition on May 13. He was previously convicted in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas of misdemeanor domestic violence and felonious assault and attempted robbery.
According to Zachariah’s indictment and police reports, on March 20, he possessed a pistol and 22 rounds of ammunition. Zachariah was previously convicted in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas of felonious assault.
Possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Individuals who have been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence crimes or have an active domestic violence protection order are prohibited from possessing a firearm.
This initiative is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. 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.
Moore’s case included investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
U.S. Attorney Glassman announced the domestic violence program as part of the Southern District of Ohio’s ongoing commitment to protecting people from intimate partner violence and strengthening the capacity of law enforcement and communities to respond to domestic violence.
The initiative is being implemented with the aim of enhancing collaborations among law enforcement agencies and domestic violence victim services providers, as well as identifying and prosecuting domestic violence abusers who possess guns.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of the three cases indicted today by ATF and the Columbus Division of Police, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan J.C. Grey and Special Assistant United States Attorney Melanie Tobias with City Attorney Klein’s office, who are prosecuting the cases. U.S. Attorney Glassman also commended the partnership of Lutheran Social Services CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence, the Center for Family Safety and Healing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Capital University’s Family Law Clinic.
Indictments merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233.
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Federal Jury Convicts Pocatello Man of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that a federal jury sitting in Pocatello returned guilty verdicts against Lex Bennett Goodwin, 34, on five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, transportation of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Goodwin was also convicted of a sentencing enhancement for committing the crimes while he was already required to register as a sex offender. The trial began on May 20, 2019 and concluded Thursday evening when the jury returned their verdicts. The case was tried before Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye.
According to court records, the investigation began in September 2017 after Google reported that child pornography had been uploaded to a Google account. An agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained a federal search warrant for the Google account, which revealed that the account belonged to Goodwin. Within the account, the agent located several sexually explicit images of a sixteen-month-old child that Goodwin had produced. The agent obtained additional search warrants authorizing the search and seizure of Goodwin’s electronics, including his cellphone, and a second Google account belonging to Goodwin. Additional files of the sixteen-month-old child that Goodwin had produced were located on his cellphone and in the second Google account. The investigation further revealed that Goodwin had attempted to produce sexually explicit images of a six-year-old child and that he had possessed and transported numerous other files of child pornography.
Each of the five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor is punishable by 15 to 30 years in prison. The charge of transportation of child pornography is punishable by 5 to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Each charge is also punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. The sentencing enhancement carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to be served consecutively to the other counts.
Sentencing is set for August 12, 2019, before Judge Nye at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls and the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Erie Woman Pleads Guilty in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Geneva Gore, 49, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Gore conspired with four co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute and distribute less than 500 grams of cocaine.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Gore on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Coshocton County, Ohio Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Gore.
Erie Woman Participated in Drug Activity of Local GangRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of violating federal drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Chardonna Lasha Goudy, 23, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the FBI’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force conducted an investigation into the drug dealing and violent crime activity of members of a local gang identifying itself as "1800". The court was advised that court authorized intercepts of telephone communications between members of the group and others revealed Goudy was using a cellular telephone in the commission of the drug conspiracy.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2019 at 3 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of four years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued Goudy on bond.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Goudy.
Erie Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Distributing Crack, Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal drug and firearm laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Ravone Robert Deberry, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that the FBI’s Erie Area Gang Law Enforcement (EAGLE), Safe Streets task force conducted an investigation into the drug dealing and violent crime activity of members of a local gang identifying itself as "1800". The court was advised that court authorized intercepts of telephone communications between members of the group and others revealed Deberry selling crack cocaine in the Erie area. Deberry pleaded guilty to conspiring with his co-defendants to possess with intent to distribute and distribute the crack cocaine. In a separate case, Deberry possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SW9F, 9mm handgun while being a convicted felon. According to information provided in court, Deberry used that handgun to shoot at rival gang members and the shooting incident was captured in the authorized intercepts of Deberry’s communications.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for November 4, 2019 at 12:45 p.m. The law provides for a total sentence of 40 years years in prison, a fine of $5,250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Marshall J. Piccinini is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The EAGLE task force, which is comprised of members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and the Erie Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Deberry.
Eastern District of Texas Federal Indictment Results in 13 Arrests in ColombiaRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas - U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown announced today that 13 individuals have been arrested in the Republic of Colombia and will be extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas.
During the week of May 20, 2019, a combined task force of U.S. and Colombian law enforcement authorities began arresting individuals in Colombia as a result of an international Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Strike Force operation.
With just a handful of special agents from the Dallas DEA field office working these international drug cases, more Colombian drug defendants were extradited to the Eastern District of Texas in 2018 than any other federal district in the United States.
According to the indictment, beginning in 2015, the defendants conspired to import thousands of kilograms of cocaine from Colombia and Mexico into the United States and Europe for distribution. On February 9, 2019, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas returned a 2-count indictment charging conspiracy to import cocaine and to manufacture and distribute cocaine intending and knowing that the cocaine will be unlawfully imported into the United States and manufacturing and distributing cocaine intending and knowing that the cocaine will be unlawfully imported into the United States. The Colombian nationals arrested and named in the indictment are:
KAREN MARLEDIS, 34, also known as La Negra;
FERNEY MONTES RESTREPO, 47, also known as Cucaracho;
HERNAN ANTONIO ALVAREZ CONDE, 28, also known as Ferney;
ORLEY JESUS GALLO DONADO, 36, also known as Orley;
OVIDIO ISAZA GOMEZ, 51, also known as Roque;
MARIA GEORGINA ARANGO MARIN, 46, also known as Gina;
PEDRO JOSE SIOSSI MANJARRES, 61, also known as Hitler;
HOMERO GARZON-BUSTOS, 50, also known as Anna Maria Caceres, also known as Maicol;
FELIX ALBERTO ACUNA CARMONA, 39;
JHON JAIRO AGUDELO GONZALEZ, 36;
JOSE ANEYDER ZAPPA MOLINA, 30, also known as Jose;
ROBERTO HERNANDEZ OSSA, 52, also known as Cambo; and
ALBA NERY RODRIGUEZ, 36, also known as Gaviota.
If convicted, they each face a minimum of 10 years in federal prison.
“Drug traffickers who send their drugs into the United States will not be able to avoid prosecution in the United States by hiding in Colombia or anywhere else,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown of the Eastern District of Texas. “The leadership of Colombia has shown great courage in joining with us to fight this criminal enterprise. We are grateful for their cooperation and their recognition of the value to both countries in stopping the spread of illegal narcotics.”
“The Dallas North Texas Strike Force and our DEA office in Bogota, Colombia, remain committed to defending the United States against Transnational Criminal Organizations importing drugs into our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Clyde E. Shelley, Jr., DEA Dallas Field Division. “We remain committed to following drug trafficking to its origins, in this case Colombia, and we are grateful for partners in the Eastern District of Texas and the Colombian government in this fight.”
This case is being prosecuted under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) as a joint investigation. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, weapons trafficking offenders, money laundering organizations, and those individuals responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, HSI-Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Colombian National Police, and the Colombian Coast Guard. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Eastern District of Texas.
An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Dauphin County Woman Sentenced to Four Months’ Imprisonment for Bank EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Maria Lyter, age 60, of Hummelstown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on May 20, 2019, by Chief United States District Court Judge Christopher C. Conner to four months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release for bank embezzlement.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Lyter admitted to embezzling approximately $8,300 from the Hummelstown bank while employed at that bank in March 2016.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlo D. Marchioli and Joseph J. Terz prosecuted the case.
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Darknet Fentanyl Dealer Indicted for Selling Deadly Drug for BitcoinRead the Press Release
A darknet drug dealer has been indicted for leveraging bitcoin’s apparent anonymity to sell fentanyl online, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
A federal grand jury charged Sean Shaughnessy, 51, 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. Today, he waived his detention hearing, and will remain in custody until trial.
“Darknet dealers often believe that by using bitcoin, they can evade authorities. This prosecution proves that’s not the case,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “We will continue to pursue anyone peddling this deadly drug – on the streets or online.”
“Our significant domestic and international HSI resources and expertise, along with the considerable resources of our law enforcement partners, provided an unbeatable team to investigate this fentanyl smuggling operation so that we could effect this indictment,” said Katherine Greer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas field office. “This deadly drug —combined with the secrecy of bitcoin currency — represent a significant danger to an already-devastating national opioid epidemic.”
According to the indictment, which was unsealed on Friday 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 however, he sent more than $120,000 in bitcoin to wallet addresses controlled by federal agents.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, Mr. Shaughnessy faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each of his 11 charges.
Fentanyl and its analogues – among the most lethal opioids used in the United States, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration – are partly responsible for the sharp increase in opioid deaths across the nation. In just three years, the fentanyl death toll rose more than 5,000 percent, from around 5,500 in 2014 to almost 30,000 in 2017, according to the National Institute of Health. Just a few milligrams, equivalent to a few grains of table salt, may be deadly.
Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas field office, the IRS - Criminal Investigation Division’s Los Angeles field office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sid Mody is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section.