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21 May 2019
Two Parents in College Admission Case Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two parents charged in the college admissions case pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston.
Agustin Huneeus, 53, of San Francisco, Calif., and Gordon Caplan, 53, of Greenwich, Conn., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Oct. 4 and Oct. 3, 2019, respectively.
At today’s hearing, Caplan pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay Rick Singer $75,000 to participate in the college entrance exam scheme for his daughter. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence at the low end of the Guidelines sentencing range, one year of supervised release, a fine of $40,000, restitution and forfeiture.
Huneeus pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay Singer $300,000 to participate in both the college entrance exam and recruitment schemes for his daughter. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 15 months in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $55,000, restitution and forfeiture.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Indicted in Connection with Multimillion-Dollar Marijuana EnterpriseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two women were indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester in connection with their management of Northern Herb, a marijuana delivery service that operated in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018.
Deana Martin, 51, of Milton, was charged with one count of conspiring to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, one count of possessing more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, and three counts of money laundering. Martin was arrested last month on a criminal complaint.
Tatiana Fridkes, a/k/a Sonya, 32, of Dorchester, was charged with one count of conspiring to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. Fridkes was arrested today and will appear in federal court in Boston today at 1:00 pm.
According to the charging documents, Martin owned and managed Northern Herb, which operated a website offering marijuana (including raw marijuana, pre-rolled cigarettes, and marijuana edibles) for sale. While Northern Herb purported to provide medical marijuana, it did not require a customer to provide proof of a medical marijuana card. Furthermore, it is alleged that Northern Herb would deliver marijuana to unattended locations (such as a front door or hallway) where unknown third parties might have access to it. Northern Herb used locations in Canton, Milton, Foxborough, and Hyde Park to store and distribute marijuana, and employed at least 25 workers.
From May 2016 through July 2018, Northern Herb allegedly had total revenue exceeding $14 million, and Martin herself claimed an income of $80,000 per month. Martin controlled numerous bank accounts into which funds derived from Northern Herb sales were laundered, and she used several accounts in another person’s name to conceal her control over this money and to hide it from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Martin allegedly used money from Northern Herb sales to pay more than $300,000 towards the mortgage on her house and to buy a 2017 Porsche Boxster, among other things.
It is further alleged that Northern Herb did not withhold or pay taxes on its millions of dollars in marijuana sales. In an email referencing cannabis taxes charged by one state government, Martin wrote: “Zero taxes is still better.” Northern Herb did not remit or pay employment taxes in connection with its workforce or issue its employees W-2s or 1099s.
The drug charges each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and no greater than 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million. The money laundering charges each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of twice the amount of money laundered. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The United States Postal Inspection Service also provided valuable assistance with this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment and complaint are allegations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Topeka Man Pleads Guilty to Cyberstalking, Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka man pleaded guilty Tuesday to cyberstalking and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Blake Adam Austin, 35, Topeka, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking, one count of possessing child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.
The investigation began when a middle school teacher in Topeka reported receiving emails from males who wanted to meet her. The males were responding to a Craigslist ad in which someone used the victim’s identity to post sexual content. The problem continued for years until an investigator identified an account Austin was using to post sexual content along with the victim’s contact information.
The victim recognized Austin as someone she had worked with at a coffee shop. He had attempted to initiate a relationship but she had not been interested.
Investigators learned Austin used images of an adult porn star and the victim’s contact information to post ads. He also used images of the victim and her contact information to place half a dozen ads on Craigslist.
On Austin’s laptop, investigators found images of him having sex with a 17-year-old girl. Investigators also learned that Austin uploaded sexually explicit photos of a girl under 15 years old on Skype.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 20. He faces a penalty of up to five years in federal prison on the cyberstalking charge, up to 10 years on the possession charge and not less than five years on the distribution charge. McAllister commended the Topeka Police Department, the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
Third Individual Charged in Insider Trading Case Linked to Former NFL Player and Investment Bank AnalystRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that an indictment was unsealed today against Mark Wayne Ramsey, 29, of San Francisco, California, charging him with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and four counts of securities fraud.
According to the indictment, Ramsey conspired with Damilare Sonoiki and Marvin Mychal Kendricks, both of whom have already pleaded guilty to similar charges. The indictment alleges that Sonoiki (then an analyst at a global investment bank in New York) provided material, non-public information to Kendricks (then a linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles) and to Ramsey, who was Kendricks’ roommate. The information that Sonoiki provided was about upcoming mergers involving four investment bank clients. Sonoiki obtained this information in violation of his duty of confidentiality that he owed to the investment bank.
The indictment alleges that Kendricks gave Ramsey access to his brokerage account. Relying on the material, non-public information they received from Sonoiki, Kendricks and Ramsey purchased call options between July 2014 and November 2014 in the target companies: Compuware Corporation, Move, Inc., Sapient Corporation, and Oplink Communications LLC. When the proposed merger was announced in each case, the value of the options went up significantly. During the period of the conspiracy, Kendricks made a profit of nearly $1.2 million. The indictment alleges that Kendricks provided, among other things, $15,000 to Ramsey for his participation in the scheme.
“When individuals engage in insider trading – buying and selling securities based on material, non-public information – it undermines faith in our financial markets and harms ordinary investors who play by the rules,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “As alleged, Mr. Ramsey cheated the market, cheated other investors, and placed himself above the law. My Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity of the financial markets, which is one of our top priorities.”
“Those engaged in insider trading fundamentally undermine the trust necessary for our nation's financial markets to function,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “The FBI is committed to ensuring that those markets are a level playing field, not just profiting those with friends in the know.”
If convicted, Ramsey faces a maximum possible sentence of 85 years’ imprisonment, a three year period of supervised release, a $20,250,000 fine, and a $500 special assessment. Forfeiture of all proceeds from the offenses also may be ordered.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David J. Ignall.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
South Bend Man Convicted Following 2-Day Jury TrialRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Nehemiah Felders, age 29, of South Bend, Indiana was convicted on a single count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr, presided over this two-day jury trial.
According to evidence presented at trial, on November 2, 2017, Felders possessed a firearm after being convicted of a felony offense. Felders was present in a house when officers from the Indiana State Police executed a search warrant for drugs. A firearm was found near Felders and he confessed to the officers that the firearm belonged to him. He stipulated that he had previously been convicted of a felony.
Mr. Felders’s sentencing is set for August 26, 2019.
The case was investigated by the ATF and the Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank Schaffer.
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Round Rock Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for Kidnapping Two Sisters in December 2017 and Federal Sex Offenses Involving a MinorRead the Press Release
In Austin today, U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel sentenced 45-year-old Terry Allen Miles to life in federal prison for kidnapping two minors and taking them to Colorado, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash, FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division, and Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks.
“Today justice was delivered to Terry Miles for his despicable crimes against children. Unfortunately this is only one particularly high-profile example of the sort of abuse happening in every community across our country. It won’t stop until policymakers at all levels prioritize child safety,” said U.S. Attorney Bash.
On February 12, 2019, jurors found Miles guilty on two counts of kidnapping, one count of transporting a minor with intent to engage in sex with her, and one count of interstate travel with intent to engage in sex with a minor. Evidence presented during trial revealed on December 30, 2017, Round Rock (TX) Police (RRPD) officers conducted a welfare check at the residence of Tonya Ellen Bates because she had not shown up for work that day as expected. The officers subsequently discovered Bates’s body inside the residence. Bates was the only individual at the residence at the time of the welfare check and Bates’s 2017 Hyundai Accent was missing. Further investigation revealed that Miles, who had lived with Bates and her two young daughters, may have kidnapped the daughters, whose whereabouts were unknown.
Bates’ death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma. Testimony at trial indicated that Miles likely killed Bates by bludgeoning her on the head with a heavy flashlight. DNA evidence indicated that Bates’ blood was found on one of Miles’ sneakers.
RRPD officers obtained cell phone information on the children’s two phones. One of the phones was located in a heavily wooded area adjacent to a Wal-Mart store located in Round Rock. Surveillance video from the Wal-Mart showed what appeared to be Miles purchasing numerous camping-related items and then leaving the store in a vehicle appearing to match Bates’s vehicle. The vehicle and a cell phone belonging to one of the minors were subsequently traced heading to Colorado. Evidence from security cameras and phone records showed the route Miles took from Round Rock to southern Colorado.
On January 3, 2018, deputies with the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office arrested Miles during a traffic stop near La Veta, Colorado. The two minors, ages 7 and 14, were found with Miles in the vehicle he took from Round Rock.
Testimony elicited during trial also revealed that Miles repeatedly engaged in sexual relations with the 14-year-old girl over a five-month period prior to being arrested. DNA evidence indicated that Miles was the source of semen found in the 14 year old’s underwear that she was wearing at the time she was found. Miles was also shown to be the source of semen found on a towel at the remote campsite where they hid out after arriving in Colorado.
“Today, a violent criminal has been sentenced and is off the streets, thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the agents, task force officers and analysts on the FBI Austin Child Exploitation Task Force, working with our law enforcement partners here in Texas and in other states as well,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs. “Thankfully, in this case, the two child victims were recovered and are safe now. We are committed to preventing violent crimes against children and to bring those who harm them to justice.”
“Round Rock is a safer place with Terry Miles scheduled to serve a well-deserved, lengthy prison sentence. While it won’t reverse the harm done to these girls, it will allow them to continue the healing process without fear. This would not have been possible without the collaboration of the U.S Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the Round Rock Police Department, and other Local, State and Federal law enforcement agencies,” stated Round Rock Police Chief Banks.
The FBI and the Round Rock Police Department conducted this investigation. The U.S. Marshals Service – Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, Texas Rangers; Central Texas Violent Crimes Task Force; Williamson County (TX) District Attorney’s Office; United States Attorney’s Office – District of Colorado; New Mexico State Police Department; Las Animas County (CO) Sheriff’s Office; Southern Colorado Safe Streets Task Force; Colorado State Patrol; Trinidad (CO) Police Department; Colorado Bureau of Investigations; Huerfano County (CO) Sheriff’s Office; Archuletta County (CO) Sheriff’s Office; Pagosa Springs (CO) Police Department; Rio Grande County (CO) Sheriff’s Office; Federal Bureau of Investigation in Colorado; Durango (CO) Police Department; La Plata County (CO) Sheriff’s Office; Child Protective Services in Texas and Colorado; and, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Devlin and Michelle Fernald prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Reno County Man Pleads to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Reno County man who led troopers on a 100-mph chase pleaded guilty Monday to a federal firearm charge, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Codey Elsasser, 26, Arlington, Kan., pleaded guilty to possessing a short-barreled rifle that was not registered as required by federal law. Elsasser was driving 88 mph in a 65 mph zone when a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper tried to stop him. Elsasser fled, reaching a speed of 100 mph as he drove from Barton County to Rice County before stopping.
In the car, troopers found a .223 caliber rifle with a barrel length of 10 and 5/8 inches, a 9 mm pistol, a 12 gauge shotgun, a bulletproof vest and parts of a homemade silencer. Elsasser was a convicted felon and was prohibited from having firearms. He admitted he smoked methamphetamine the morning of the arrest.
Sentencing is set for July 29. The parties have agreed to recommend a sentence in a range of 63 to 78 months in federal prison.
McAllister commended the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind for their work on the case.
Prison Inmate Sentenced to 30 Months for Contraband PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that McCurtain County resident Nickey Lynn Anderson, age 36, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release for two counts of Possessing Contraband In Prison. The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Indictment alleges that on or about October 16, 2018, the Defendant, an inmate of a prison, knowingly possessed a cell phone and shank, both prohibited objects, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1791(a)(2) et al. The shank was a long piece of metal sharpened to a fine point on one end, with cloth wrapped around the opposite end to form a handle.
Anderson had been in federal custody at the time of the offense as a result of an indictment alleging that he had been in possession of a firearm and ammunition after having received felony convictions. Anderson was sentenced to 66 months’ imprisonment for that offense in November of 2018. His 30 month term will run consecutively to the previous sentence.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Heatherman represented the United States.
Prison Consultant Pleads Guilty to Participating in Conspiracy to Defraud Federal Bureau of PrisonsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CONSTANCE MOERLAND, 33, of Hudsonville, Michigan, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to conspiring to defraud the Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”). The offense stems her role in a scheme to qualify prospective and current federal inmates who do not require substance abuse treatment for admission into a Federal Bureau of Prisons program that, if completed successfully, will result in a shortened prison term.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Residential Drug Abuse Program (“RDAP”) is a 500-hour substance abuse treatment program that is administered by the BOP. In order to gain admission to the RDAP, a federal inmate must meet certain criteria, including having a diagnosable and verifiable drug or alcohol abuse disorder. By successfully completing the RDAP, an inmate can qualify for up to 12 months in early release from custody.
Moerland was employed by Michigan-based RDAP Law Consultants, LLC, where she solicited and engaged prospective clients of the company. In that capacity, Moerland regularly contacted federal defendants and inmates with offers to assist, for a fee, those defendants and inmates in applying and qualifying for admission to the RDAP. Although Moerland knew that many of the company’s clients did not abuse alcohol or drugs and were ineligible for the RDAP, she coached them how to feign or exaggerate a drug or alcohol disorder, and to make false statements to the BOP so they could gain admission to the RDAP.
Moerland was arrested on January 23, 2019.
Moerland is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on August 21, 2019, at which time Moerland faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. She is released pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Avi Perry of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section, who has been designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for this matter, and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis of the District of Connecticut.
U.S. Attorney Durham thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith George Thomas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond E. Beckering III of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, for their assistance in this matter.
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Jermichael Malcolm, 46, of Dayton, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Jonathan McPherson, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck announced the plea entered into before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
According to court documents, when agents executed a search warrant at Malcom’s home in March 2018, they discovered a firearm and a large capacity ammunition magazine.
Malcom had previously been convicted in Greene County Court of Common Pleas of aggravated trafficking and Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas of aggravated robbery involving a deadly weapon. Malcom had also been previously convicted federally in the Southern District of Ohio, of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.
Malcom pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon, which is a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ATF and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Andrew J. Hunt, who is representing the United States in this case.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. 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.
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Podiatrist Sentenced to Prison for Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On May 17, 2019, Loren Wessel, 55, a resident of Tucson, was sentenced by United States District Judge James A. Soto for his role in a Medicare fraud scheme. Wessel had previously pleaded guilty to Health Care Fraud.
From 2008 through June 2016, Wessel, a licensed podiatrist, engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In his plea agreement, Wessel admitted he submitted false claims to Medicare. As part of his practice, Wessel regularly provided routine podiatry care for patients at assisted living facilities in and around Tucson, but fraudulently billed Medicare for more complex and significantly more expensive services that he had not performed. To further his scheme and conceal the fraud, Wessel also falsely documented patients’ medical records with alleged ailments they did not have and with care Wessel did not provide.
In addition to serving a 24-month term of imprisonment, the Court ordered Wessel to pay $965,985 in restitution to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-00978-TUC-JAS (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-065_Wessel
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Patient Convicted of Assaulting VA Medical Center Police OfficerRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A patient of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Providence was convicted by a federal court jury on Monday of assaulting a VA Medical Center police officer.
Don J. Civitarese, 58, of, North Attleboro, MA, was arrested by VA Medical Center police on March 2, 2018, after assaulting one officer and falling on another during an altercation at the VA Medical Center’s Primary Care Clinic. The jury convicted Civitarese of assaulting and resisting a federal officer.
Civitarese’s conviction is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center Police Chief John M. Thibodeau.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, Civitarese became extremely angry and verbally abusive, yelling obscenities at the medical center staff, after being told that medication he was requesting would not be dispensed until the completion of protocols for the dispensing of medication. Civitarese continued his loud, obscene ranting in a patient waiting area with other patients present as a doctor attempted to explain the reason for the delay.
A VA Medical Center police officer responded to the clinic and heard the defendant angrily yelling obscenities. Civitarese was stopped by the officer as he stormed out of the clinic into the hallway. While attempting to calm Civitarese, the officer requested that Civitarese show an ID. Civitarese refused and continued to be verbally abusive and disruptive. The officer then announced to Civitarese that he was under arrest for disorderly conduct and directed him to place his hands behind his back. Civitarese ignored the officer’s commands.
After ignoring further commands to get on the ground and to place his hands behind his back, Civitarese then struck the officer in the chest, partially sending the officer back through the exit doors. After ignoring additional warnings, the officer pulled his “pepper spray” canister and commanded the defendant, “Stop resisting and get on the ground or I will spray OC!” Civitarese continued to ignore the officer who discharged a burst of pepper spray across Civitarese’s nose and eyes. A second officer placed Civitarese in an “arm lock” as Civitarese continue to fight to remain on his feet. Civitarese was finally brought down with repeated baton strikes to the thigh and calf areas. When he fell, Civitarese landed on top of the second officer. Two additional officers who responded to the incident were able to gain control of Civitarese’s arm and place handcuffs on the defendant.
Civitarese is scheduled to be sentenced on August 8, 2019, by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith, who presided over the one-day trial.
Assaulting and resisting a federal officer is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 8 years in federal prison, 3 years supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is bieng prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zechariah Chafee.
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Orange County Drug Dealer Sentenced to 28 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. - A Cedar Grove resident was sentenced on May 21, 2019, in federal court in Greensboro, announced United States Attorney Matthew G.T. Martin of the Middle District of North Carolina.
The Honorable William L. Osteen, Jr., sentenced Roderick Lamar SANFORD, 38, of Cedar Grove, North Carolina, to a 276 month term of imprisonment on charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin and a consecutive sentence of 60 months for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug related crime. In addition to a total of 336 months imprisonment, SANFORD was ordered to serve five years of supervised release after completing his sentence. SANFORD pleaded guilty in August 2018.
In March 2015, SANFORD was identified by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office as a distributor of heroin. After years of investigation, the evidence showed that SANFORD distributed personal-use quantities of drugs, in addition to supplying multiple mid-level drug traffickers. On March 2, 2018, a search warrant was executed at SANFORD’s residence which resulted in the seizure of four firearms, 42.61 grams of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of Fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, pills, cellular telephones, ammunition, Marihuana, and various documents. At sentencing, the Court described SANFORD’s behavior as “predatory” and held SANFORD responsible for distributing more than 8 kilograms of heroin over the period of the investigation, as well as other illicit drugs, and for using firearms to further his illegal drug trafficking activities.
“The defendant managed his drug organization by exploiting those closest to him through violence and by fueling their drug addictions. He used their drug dependence and acts of violence to force them deeper into his drug organization and even provided heroin to a girlfriend who was pregnant with his child,” said U.S. Attorney Martin. “The 28-year sentence imposed today reflects the severity of the defendant’s conduct and the generational harm that it caused. I commend the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office for their diligence in getting Sanford his due so that the community can begin healing.”
“The Roderick Sanford heroin distribution organization was the first major case initiated by my Office under the Coordinated Opioid Overdose Response Effort, and we are very satisfied with the sentence imposed,” said Orange County Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood. “We will continue to identify, prioritize, and target the most significant violators within this community. My office is committed to partnering with other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to make our community safer.”
The case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Niagara Falls Man Indicted on Multiple Charges, Including Making and Possessing an Explosive DeviceRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y.--U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a 12-count indictment charging Jeffrey Richards, 28, of Niagara Falls, NY, with narcotics conspiracy; possession with intent to distribute acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, and alprazolam; maintaining a drug involved-premises; manufacturing controlled substances creating a substantial risk of harm to human life; unlawfully making and possessing a destructive device; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; and, possession of a stolen firearm. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Brendan T. Cullinane, who are handling the case, stated that on December 14, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence on Packard Court in Niagara Falls. At that time, officers recovered, among other items, amounts of acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, alprazolam, approximately ten firearms, various rounds of ammunition, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and an improvised destructive device. Officers also recovered various items used in the manufacturing of destructive devices.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and is currently detained pending further proceedings.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division, the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata, and the Niagara County Sheriff's Department, under the direction of Sheriff James Voutour.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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New York Man Sentenced to over 14 Years on Heroin and Crack Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Andre Fields a/k/a “Coop,” a/k/a “Pops,” a/k/a “Boss,” a/k/a “Unc,”, 56, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 170 months in prison and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.” The defendant pled guilty on October 29, 2018.
According to court records, between January 2015 and December 2017, Fields conspired with others to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin and more than 280 grams of crack in Central Maine. Fields obtained the drugs from out-of-state sources. The defendant and others brought the drugs back to Maine where he and others, working at his direction, repackaged and distributed them from Central Maine residences and hotel rooms to area drug dealers and addicts for further distribution and use.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance provided by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office, and the Augusta and Waterville Police Departments. This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New Top 15 Most Wanted in Macon Area AnnouncedRead the Press Release
MACON – The new list of the 15 Most Wanted fugitives in the Macon area was released today, announced United States Attorney Charles “Charlie” E. Peeler. U.S. Attorney Peeler joined law enforcement leadership from across the Middle District of Georgia in support of the region’s collective efforts to make communities safer and deter crime. Macon Regional Crimestoppers, a community-run organization dedicated to increasing the safety of citizens, first announced on Tuesday, February 26, 2019 a new quarterly initiative offering a $1,000 reward for the Top 15 Most Wanted within an eight-county area. The second quarter Top 15 Most Wanted lists defendants wanted on charges including Child Molestation, Aggravated Assault and Voluntary Manslaughter. U.S. Attorney Peeler joined Bibb County Sheriff David Davis, Monroe County Sheriff Brad Freeman, U.S. Marshall John Carey Bittick, and Bibb County District Attorney David Cooke to urge the community to spread the word and help capture these dangerous individuals.
“Thanks to our citizens’ willingness to step up, our dedicated law enforcement partners were able to capture 14 out of the 15 Most Wanted from last quarter, and I know we can have that kind of success again,” said Charles “Charlie” E. Peeler, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I want to thank Crimestoppers for the important work they are doing to curb criminal activity in Middle Georgia, and the men and women who are putting their lives on the line to apprehend these dangerous individuals.”
“The success of our Top 15 initiative has been astounding. We have located 14 of the 15, and will find number 15. This partnership, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other law enforcement, has noticeably reduced the violence in our community,” said Warren Selby, Jr., Chairman of Macon Regional Crimestoppers.
“The first Most Wanted initiative was a huge success and it showed that when local, state and federal law enforcement agencies partner together with the community, we can make Middle Georgia a safe place to live, work and enjoy our families. I am confident the second edition of the Most Wanted will also have a positive impact on our community,” said John Cary Bittick, U.S. Marshal, Middle District of Georgia.
“The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office is committed to keeping dangerous criminals off our streets. The Crimestoppers 15 Most Wanted initiative has been a great help towards that goal. We look forward to the continued success of this innovative program which gives citizens the opportunity to become involved in our efforts to put violent criminals behind bars,” said David Davis, Bibb County Sheriff.
“Criminals who think they can terrorize our community with violence should take this as a wake-up call. You can’t run forever with all these agencies hot on your trail. And when we catch you, we’re bringing justice with us,” said David Cooke, Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney.
This quarter’s Top 15 Most Wanted can be viewed at the Macon Regional Crimestoppers website at www.crimestop.us. All of the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. Macon Regional Crimestoppers is a local non-profit serving the Bibb, Baldwin, Houston, Jones, Twiggs, Crawford, Monroe, and Peach regional areas. The organization partners with law enforcement agencies and community groups to provide anonymous rewards for tips that lead to criminal arrests. Citizens can safely and anonymously report tips at 1-877-68CRIME.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnership with Macon Regional Crimestoppers is a part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Navajo Nation Man Pleads Guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter in Stabbing Death of Uncle, Faces 110 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 12, 2019, for Kenric Lee, age 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court Thursday to voluntary manslaughter.
In a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors, Lee admitted that on June 7, 2018, he killed his uncle during an argument in a vehicle. His uncle, also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, is identified as J.L. in court documents. Lee admitted that he went with J.L. and J.L.’s girlfriend, C.H., to a convenience store in Montezuma Creek, Utah. While C.H. was in the store, a quarrel erupted between Lee and J.L., while they were sitting in the vehicle.
According to prosecutors, when C.H. returned to the car she saw Lee on top of the victim. She also noticed Lee was holding a black knife. Lee said he needed to take J.L. to a hospital. Although there was a medical clinic next door to the store, Lee locked the doors of the vehicle and drove away with J.L. in the car.
Later that morning, the FBI and Navajo Nation police officers received information about a burning vehicle. Agents and officers responded to the location and found a burning Ford Expedition. Lee was found about 30 yards from the vehicle with two knives in his possession. Lee was taken into custody after initially resisting arrest. As a part of his plea agreement, Lee admitted that as a result of his actions, his uncle received two stab wounds to his chest which resulted in his death.
Later that evening, J.L.’s body was located later in a grove of bushes a few miles away from the incinerated vehicle.
A federal grand jury returned a single-count indictment in August 2018 charging Lee with murder in the second degree in connection with J.L.’s death. Lee pleaded guilty last week to a Felony Information count of Voluntary Manslaughter while in Indian Country.The plea includes a stipulated sentence of 110 months in federal prison, which is subject to the approval and acceptance of U.S. District Judge David Nuffer at the sentencing hearing in August.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Utah are prosecuting the case. Special Agents of the FBI and Navajo Nation Police Officers and Criminal Investigators are investigating the case.
Munhall Felon Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Possessing Heroin and Fentanyl Analogue, a Stolen Gun, and over $25,000 in CashRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa – A former resident of Munhall, PA was sentenced to seven years (84 months) in prison and six years of supervised release on violations federal firearms and narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Donetta W. Ambrose imposed the sentence on Charles Payne, age 26, for one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Payne has been detained since his initial appearance in federal court.
According to information presented to the court, on November 10, 2017, Allegheny County Police assisted by Munhall Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence on Martha Street in Munhall, PA. Payne was discovered in the upstairs bedroom with his girlfriend and infant child. In the first floor of the house, investigators found a large garbage bag filled with bricks of heroin, empty brick wrappers, a Pennsylvania state ID for Charles Payne, and approximately $25,000 in cash. Investigators also found two digital scales, three boxes of ammunition, a laser sight, and a loaded stolen silver handgun in the house. Payne had previously been convicted of a state drug trafficking conviction and is prohibited from possessing any firearms. At the time of the execution of the search warrant, Payne was on state probation for firearms and drug trafficking convictions. A laboratory test revealed that the substances seized during the search warrant were heroin and methoxyacetyl fentanyl, a fentanyl analogue.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Allegheny County Police – Narcotics Unit conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea in this case.
Morgantown Pharmacist admits to drug charges, agrees to pay nearly $2 millionRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Scott D. Tingler, a Morgantown, West Virginia pharmacist, has admitted to illegally distributing oxycodone, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Tingler, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Outside the Bounds of Professional Medical Practice” and one count of “False Tax Return.” Tingler admitted to conspiring with others to distribute more than 7,400 grams of oxycodone in Monongalia County and elsewhere from August 2014 to August 2018. Tingler also admitted to filing a false tax return in April 2015, grossly understating his taxable income.
Tingler has agreed to relinquish his pharmacy license and not seek to reinstate the same, and agrees to not seek employment in any position that would require or permit him to handle or dispense controlled substances during any period of incarceration or probation.
Tingler has also agreed to pay 28% of his unreported gross income from tax years 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. He has also agreed to forfeit any property or proceeds from the drug offense in the amount of $1,845,000, as well as a 2016 GMC Sierra 3500HD truck.
Tingler faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug count and faces up to three years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the tax count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration Tactical Diversion Squad, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigative Division, the Morgantown Police Department, the West Virginia State Police BCI, and the Harrison County Sheriff's County Sheriff's Office investigated.
These charges are the result of investigations supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) under the Attorney General-led Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS)/Special Operations Division (SOD) Project Clean Sweep. This initiative seeks to reduce the supply of synthetic opioids in “hot spot” areas previously identified by the Attorney General of the United States, thereby reducing drug overdoses and drug overdose deaths, and identify wholesale distribution networks and sources of supply operating nationally and internationally.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Moore Robbery Suspects Arrested in NormanRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – DUNCAN ERIC HERRON, II, 31, and REGENEA CAROL BERRY, 30, both of Norman, have been arrested for robbing IBC Bank in Moore, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed on May 20, 2019, a man and a woman wearing masks and black clothing entered the IBC Bank on Northeast 12th Street in Moore at approximately 12:39 p.m. on May 14, 2019. The man is alleged to have racked the slide of a pistol he was carrying and demanded that the three employees in the bank get on the floor and give him money. The robbers allegedly left a few minutes later in a maroon sport utility vehicle.
According to the complaint, law enforcement reviewed video surveillance from several locations and conducted further investigation to determine that Herron and Berry were likely suspects. During the execution of a search warrant on May 18, law enforcement recovered cash from various locations inside the suspects’ Norman residence, including "bait bills" the robbers took from IBC Bank.
Both Herron and Berry were arrested on May 18 and made their initial appearances on May 20 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard M. Jones. If found guilty of bank robbery, each defendant faces a maximum potential penalty of twenty years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and mandatory restitution.
This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Division and the Moore Police Department, with assistance from the Norman Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary E. Walters, Wilson McGarry, and David McCrary are prosecuting the case.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that Herron and Berry are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Monongalia County physician pleads guilty to drug chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG – A Morgantown, West Virginia, physician pleaded guilty to obtaining controlled substances by fraudulently writing prescriptions using colleagues’ Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) numbers and presenting stolen driver’s licenses to pick up fraudulently prescribed controlled substances from Morgantown area pharmacies for his personal use, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Bill Powell of the Northern District of West Virginia.
Chad Poage, D.O., 35, pleaded guilty to one count of acquiring or obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi of the Northern District of West Virginia.Poage was an orthopedic surgeon who worked in a practice with locations in Morgantown and Fairmont, West Virginia. As part of his guilty plea, he admitted that, from November 2015 to March 2018, he wrote 30 fraudulent prescriptions for a total of approximately 1,330 50-milligram tablets of Tramadol, 420 5-milligram tablets of Diazepam, and 50 30-milligram tablets of acetaminophen-codeine no. 3, all for his own use. Poage further admitted that on each of the 30 prescriptions, he either wrote colleagues’ DEA registration numbers without their authorization or wrote the prescription out to a patient knowing that he would pick up the prescribed medication for his own use. Poage admitted that on multiple occasions, he presented stolen driver’s licenses when picking up fraudulent prescriptions from pharmacies.
The DEA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and West Virginia State Police investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Force, under supervision by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia. Trial Attorney Patrick Mott of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wagner of the Northern District of West Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The ARPO Strike Force is made up of prosecutors and data analysts with the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the region and special agents with the FBI, HHS-OIG and DEA. Since its inception in October 2018, the ARPO Strike Force has charged 60 defendants in 11 districts. The Health Care Fraud Unit, in general, maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, and has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Mexican National Sent to Prison...Again...for Illegal Presence the U.S.Read the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 41-year-old man from Matamoros, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison for illegal re-entry into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Ciro Garcia-Herrera pleaded guilty in October 2018.
He had previously been ordered to serve 30 months after another conviction for the same offense in October 2015.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez ordered him to serve 30 months in federal prison on the current case. The court also revoked his supervised release term for the previous offense, adding another 21 months, 10 of which are to run consecutively for a total 40-month term of imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court also heard he had actually been previously convicted of the same offense on five additional occasions and received varying sentences that dated back to 2005 . Each time, he was ordered not to return but repeatedly did so anyway.
On this latest incident, authorities who were investigating a report of undocumented aliens found Garcia-Herrera July 11, 2018, at a residence in Brownsville. Upon investigation, law enforcement learned he had been deported in January 2018 and ordered not to return to the United States.
Garcia-Herrera has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection - Field Intelligence Team East conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Man Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Mexican national man was sentenced for the felony offense of Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Manuel Ortiz-Sanchez, 44, received a “time-served” sentence and was immediately remanded to ICE agents for administrative deportation proceedings. Ortiz-Sanchez has been in custody since January 16, 2019, over four months of federal incarceration. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the West Virginia State Police.
“Two prior removals,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Individuals like Ortiz-Sanchez that want to come to the United States must obtain permission or seek legal status or citizenship.”
On January 16, 2019, Ortiz-Sanchez was found in Chelyan, Kanawha County, West Virginia. West Virginia troopers had stopped a car for failure to maintain control on the West Virginia Turnpike. The driver offered a Mexican Consular notification document and the passengers, including Ortiz-Sanchez, did not have drivers licenses or other identification. The State Police contacted ICE, who spoke to the individuals telephonically in Spanish. Ortiz-Sanchez admitted being in the United States illegally. Federal agents with ICE responded to the scene and took Ortiz-Sanchez into custody. Ortiz-Sanchez immediately admitted that he was not in the United States legally and had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States.
Fingerprinting matched Ortiz-Sanchez to two prior removals from the United States in 2015. In both cases, Ortiz-Sanchez was found by immigration judges to be in the United States illegally and he was deported to Mexico. He had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Ortiz-Sanchez further admitted to ICE agents that he was a Mexican citizen.
Senior United States District Judge David Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is responsible for the prosecution.
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Mexican Mafia Gang Member Hammered for Selling MethRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to sell crystal methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Brandon Sanchez, an identified member of the Mexican Mafia prison gang, pleaded guilty Feb. 14, 2019. Co-defendants Juan Lopez Jr. and Belinda Lopez have also entered guilty pleas and are scheduled to be sentenced at a later date.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced Sanchez to a total of 238 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court designated Sanchez as a career offender based on his criminal history. Judge Rainey further noted that methamphetamine is a terrible and highly addictive drug and that trafficking it warrants a substantial sentence.
Authorities discovered that a drug trafficking organization was selling methamphetamine in the Corpus Christi area beginning in June 2017. Agents discovered Sanchez was supplying high purity methamphetamine - known as “ice” - to others, including Juan and Belinda Lopez. They would then sell the narcotics, often using social media.
Agents have seized approximately 50 grams of “ice” but estimate the defendants distributed multiple pounds of methamphetamine over the course of the conspiracy.
On Sept. 23, 2018, law enforcement pulled Sanchez over and found him in possession of $2,696 in U.S. currency and a stolen firearm. Sanchez had previously been convicted of violent crimes, including robbery and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon in 2002 and 2005, respectively.
Sanchez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Border Patrol and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton prosecuted the case.
Mendota Prisoner Sentenced to over 8 Years in Prison for Mailing Threats to Murder a Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Cyrus Dennis Braswell, 57, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to eight years and one month in prison for three counts of mailing threatening communications, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On February 13, a federal jury found Braswell guilty of mailing threats against a federal judge in the District of Alaska who had sentenced Braswell in 1998. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, while an inmate at Mendota Federal Correctional Institute in Fresno County, Braswell mailed communications to Alaska in which he threatened to murder the judge after he got out of prison.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Kirk E. Sheriff prosecuted the case.
Braswell currently remains in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons, and he will serve the new sentence after he completes his original 1998 sentence.
Members of Jersey City Gang Charged with ShootingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two members of a Jersey City gang have been charged with the Jan. 9, 2019, shooting of two people and the attempted shooting of a third person, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Jalil Holmes, a/k/a “Broadday,” 19, of East Orange, New Jersey, and Jakeem Gibson-Madison, a/k/a “Beanz,” 24, of Jersey City, New Jersey, made their initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court. They each are charged by complaint with three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity and three counts of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Holmes and Gibson-Madison are allegedly both members of a street gang known to operate in the area of the Marion Gardens Housing Complex in Jersey City. In retaliation for the December 2018 murder of a fellow gang member, Holmes and Gibson-Madison sought out individuals associated with a rival gang. They located a BMW automobile that Holmes believed was occupied by rival gang members. While Gibson-Madison parked their car around the corner, Holmes approached the BMW, pulled a handgun from his waistband and fired multiple shots into the vehicle. One victim suffered three gunshot wounds to his back, a second victim suffered two gunshot wounds to his back, and the third victim was not hit.
Each count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Each count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, which must run consecutively to any terms imposed on the other counts.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Esther Suarez; and the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director James Shea, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Desiree Grace Latzer and Elaine K. Lou of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.
Member of Violent West Baltimore Gang Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison, for Federal Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced Taurus Tillman, a/k/a Tash, age 30, of Baltimore, to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG). The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking and witness intimidation. Tillman and his co-defendants were also convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving heroin, marijuana, and cocaine.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
“Taurus Tillman and his fellow gang members terrorized the Sandtown community. Thanks to the partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement, these drug dealers will no longer peddle death in West Baltimore,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Violent gang members must know that gun crime leads to federal time. Hopefully criminals who are not deterred from carrying guns by the threat of prison can be deterred by the reality of years spent in a federal prison far from home—where there is no parole. Ever.”
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, Tillman and his co-defendants are all members of TTG, a criminal organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
The evidence at trial showed that members and associates of TTG, including Tillman, sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. The jury found that Tillman distributed at least one kilogram of heroin over the course of the conspiracy. In addition, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and January 9, 2017, Tillman, his co-defendants, and other members of TTG committed acts of violence, including eight murders, shootings, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in murder-for-hire schemes. Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, a/k/a Tana, and Tanner, age 23, and his brother, Terrell Sivells, a/k/a Rell, age 27, both of Baltimore, were each sentenced to life in prison on February 15 and April 26, 2019, respectively. Co-defendant Brandon Wilson, a/k/a Ali, age 24, also of Baltimore, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 1, 2019. Two other co-defendants, John Harrison, a/k/a Binkie, age 28, and Linton Broughton, a/k/a Marty, age 25, both from Baltimore, were sentenced to life in prison and to 30 years in prison, respectively, on March 15, 2019.
The remaining defendants convicted at the trial are from Baltimore, and face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracies. They include: Dennis Pulley, a/k/a Denmo, age 31; and Timothy Floyd, a/k/a Tim Rod, age 28. The defendants remain detained.
Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison. Another defendant, Roger Taylor, a/k/a Milk, is a fugitive.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Tillman is still facing charges for allegedly assaulting employees of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) while he was detained and being transported to and from the courtroom during their trial. According to the indictment, on September 21, 2018, Tillman and co-defendant John Harrison assaulted two Deputy U.S. Marshals and a U.S. District Court Security Officer as they were being escorted from the courtroom during a break in the trial. If convicted of the assault charges, Tillman faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison on these charges. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Member of Violent West Baltimore Gang Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Federal Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
A Baltimore, Maryland, gang member was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG). The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking and witness intimidation.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur for the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby made the announcement.
Taurus Tillman, aka Tash, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake. Tillman and his co-defendants were also convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. The Judge considered the alarmingly violent nature of the gang and therefore varied Tillman’s sentence significantly higher than the advisory guideline range.
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, Tillman and his co-defendants are all members of TTG, a criminal organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery and witness intimidation. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
The evidence at trial showed that members and associates of TTG, including Tillman, sold heroin, cocaine and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. The jury found that Tillman distributed at least one kilogram of heroin over the course of the conspiracy. In addition, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and Jan. 9, 2017, members of TTG committed acts of violence, including eight murders, shootings, armed robbery and witness intimidation. Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as murder-for-hire schemes. Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, aka Tana and Tanner, 23, of Baltimore, was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 15, 2019. Co-defendant Brandon Wilson, aka Ali, 24, also of Baltimore, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 1, 2019. Two other co-defendants, John Harrison, aka Binkie, 28, and Linton Broughton, aka Marty, 25, both from Baltimore, were sentenced to life in prison and to 30 years in prison, respectively, on March 15, 2019.
The remaining defendants convicted at the trial are all from Baltimore, and face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracies. They include: Dennis Pulley, aka Denmo, 31; and Timothy Floyd, aka Tim Rod, 28. The defendants remain detained.
Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison. Another defendant, Roger Taylor, aka Milk, is a fugitive.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Tillman is still facing charges for allegedly assaulting employees of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) while he was detained and being transported to and from the courtroom during their trial. According to the indictment, on Sep. 21, 2018, Tillman and co-defendant John Harrison assaulted two Deputy U.S. Marshals and a U.S. District Court Security Officer as they were being escorted from the courtroom during a break in the trial. If convicted of the assault charges, Tillman faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Armed Home Invasion in Northeast, Washington, D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Steven Wilson, 62, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a January 5, 2017, armed home invasion at 78 Webster Street NE, Washington, D.C. This sentence followed a jury trial in September of 2018, where Wilson was convicted of several violent crimes, including First Degree Burglary, Kidnapping, Unlawful Entry, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Felony Threats, and Conspiracy to Commit Burglary.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Two additional defendants were previously convicted of crimes related to this home invasion. In December of 2017, a jury convicted Zakiya Ahmed, also known as Lori Fitzgerald, of similar crimes, including Kidnapping While Armed and Obstruction of Justice. The Honorable Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Ahmed to nine years in prison on May 11, 2018. In February of 2018, India Frazier, another co-conspirator, pled guilty to Robbery and First Degree Burglary, and was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Jose Lopez to seven years in prison pursuant to a plea agreement.
As established at trial, on January 4, 2017, officers with MPD conducted a search warrant on the residence of the victim. The search warrant was based on information provided to police by the victim, who indicated that several persons, including co-defendant Ahmed, were trafficking narcotics out of his residence. The victim explained to police that he wanted Ahmed and her cohorts to leave, but due to the ongoing drug trade and the victim’s addiction, he was unable to get them to leave and turned to police to help him recover his residence.
Police executed the warrant around 7:00 p.m., arresting several people for narcotics and forced Ahmed out of the apartment. Ahmed was told to leave the victim alone and not to return. Throughout the night of January 4, 2017, into the morning of January 5, 2017, Ahmed continued to text the victim from afar. Specifically, Ahmed demanded her property and became increasingly frustrated by the victim’s unwillingness to comply with her demands. Ahmed repeatedly threatened the victim via text message. Ahmed tried to come up with a plan to get back into the victim’s apartment, finally bringing Wilson and Frazier into the fold. Ahmed contacted Wilson and asked Wilson to bring his “friend,” a comment interpreted to mean a weapon or firearm.
Around 4:30 a.m., the victim heard knocking on the door to his residence. The victim opened the door, only to be knocked back by an incoming Frazier and Wilson. Wilson forced the victim onto the floor, pistol-whipped him, kicked him, called him several inappropriate names, and threatened his life. During the course of the burglary—as Frazier and another conspirator took Ahmed’s property and more out of the residence—Wilson covered the victim’s face with a sheet or a piece of clothing, making the victim think he might die. Shortly after Wilson, Frazier, and another conspirator broke into the apartment, Ahmed walked in. Ahmed taunted the victim, calling him a snitch. After stealing from the victim, the group quickly left.
In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Metropolitan Police Department who were involved in the case. U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham expressed special acknowledgement for Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Gregory Rosen and Nicole McClain, who investigated and prosecuted the case and Assistant United States Attorney Eric Hansford, who assisted on appellate issues. They also acknowledged the efforts of Paralegal Specialist Donville Drummond and the entire Victim Witness Program, with specific appreciation of Witness Program Specialist Lesley Slade.
Major Takedown Dismantles Multi-State Methamphetamine Network Tied to Sinaloa CartelRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton (619) 546-8941 and Ryan A. Sausedo (619) 546-9689
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – May 21, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Indictments were unsealed today in San Diego federal court charging 43 members of a methamphetamine distribution network tied to the Sinaloa Cartel with federal drug trafficking and money laundering offenses.
During the coordinated takedown that began early this morning, investigators executed over a dozen search warrants and seized approximately 80 pounds of methamphetamine, four firearms, and more than $100,000 in U.S. currency. As of today at 5 p.m., 33 of the forty-three defendants are either in federal or state custody. Authorities are continuing to search for 10 defendants. Many of the defendants are scheduled to be arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Lopez at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
According to the indictments and other publicly filed court documents, this San Diego based network supplied multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) to dozens of subdistributors located throughout the United States and the world, including California, Arizona, Oregon, Wyoming, Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Virginia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, New York and the United Arab Emirates. In return, tens of thousands of dollars in narcotics proceeds were returned to the network’s leaders via shipments of bulk cash, structured cash deposits into bank accounts, and online money transfer systems like PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, and Cash App.
The defendants operated the drug-trafficking scheme by arranging for the shipment of large quantities of methamphetamine from San Diego to various locations in the United States and internationally, through FedEx and the United States Postal Service (USPS). The drug shipments were mailed weekly to various hotels, residences, and Airbnb locations. As part of the scheme, the defendants also created multiple fraudulent FedEx accounts. These fraudulent FedEx accounts were billed to and paid for by large corporations, in hopes that the large businesses would not notice the illicit packages.
Despite their sophisticated efforts, law enforcement penetrated this network with a variety of investigative techniques, including physical surveillance, obtaining phone records, financial documents tracking warrants on telephones and vehicles and undercover agents. Over the course of the investigation, agents obtained dozens of search warrants and a six-month-long federal wiretap to track the communications and the location of the defendants. In conjunction with the wiretaps, agents ultimately seized approximately 78 pounds of methamphetamine and four firearms tied to the network.
In addition to the indictments announced today, more than a dozen defendants who worked with this network have been charged in connection with this investigation in multiple jurisdictions across the United States, including by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the District of New Jersey, the Eastern District of Virginia, the Western District of Texas, and Eastern District of Arkansas, as well as the Florida Office of the Attorney General and the Yuma, Arizona County Attorney’s Office.
“Today we have completely dismantled this San Diego-based international drug trafficking network with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “I want to congratulate the outstanding federal, state, and local law enforcement cooperation that resulted in this highly successful investigation. Replicating this kind of aggressive law enforcement takedown is critical to breaking the backs of these criminal networks and continuing our efforts against the Sinaloa Cartel.”
“The Sinaloa Cartel relies on members of our communities to distribute their drugs. Because they manipulate our commercial distribution routes to make a buck, our streets are flooded with high purity and low cost methamphetamine,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Karen Flowers. “Without their distribution networks, such as the one dismantled today, cartels would not be able to operate drug businesses that rival Fortune 500 companies and dangerous drugs, like methamphetamine, would be scarce, expensive and of low purity. The operation today will ultimately disrupt the supply chain, diminish profits and make it harder for the Sinaloa Cartel to do business in the United States. Just as important, today’s operation sends a message: If you’re profiting from drug addiction, you will be pursued relentlessly by DEA, regardless of your role in the distribution network.”
“As alleged, the defendants ran a sophisticated network of drug trafficking and money laundering,” said Johnathan Smith, IRS Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Los Angeles Field Office. “This case demonstrates our ability to identify and trace even the most sophisticated drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. IRS – Criminal Investigation, in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, will remain committed to disrupting the flow of illicit drug proceeds and dismantling the most sophisticated drug and money laundering organizations.”
“There is no place for illegal drugs in our communities,” said Undersheriff Michael Barnett. “Drugs ruin the life of the user and destroy families. Those who push drugs into our neighborhoods and homes must be held accountable. This massive operation was uncovered because of a Sheriff's Detective and DEA Special Agent who followed up on information. Working together, the Sheriff's Department will continue to target those responsible for distributing and selling illegal drugs in our communities.”
U.S. Attorney Brewer also praised federal, state, and local law enforcement for the coordinated team effort in the culmination of this investigation. This case was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Narcotics Task Force (NTF) and the Internal Revenue Service. The NTF is a DEA-led task force comprised of federal and local law enforcement from the DEA, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department (SDSD), the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), the Escondido Police Department (EPD), United States Border Patrol (USBP), and the San Diego County Probation Office. Agents and officers from the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons, also provided vital assistance for the investigation. Attorneys from the Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations, Electronic Surveillance Unit, likewise provided critical work as part of the investigative team. He also thanked our vital foreign law enforcement partners in the United Arab Emirates – the Abu Dhabi Police.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
The United States is represented in court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. Sutton and Ryan A. Sausedo.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Defendant Information
Defendants Criminal Case No: 19-cr-1787-BAS
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
1
Ramon Anthony Hernandez
30
San Diego, CA
2
Tomas Teters
54
San Diego, CA
3
Natalya Soheli
27
San Diego, CA
4
Giorgio Jabsi
27
San Diego, CA
5
William Whitenack
45
Palm Springs, CA
6
Derrick Davidson
41
San Diego, CA
7
Chase Michael Berkman
33
San Diego, CA
8
Jose Rodriguez
40
Chula Vista, CA
9
Heath Sean Silvercloud
42
San Diego, CA
10
Keith Acker
29
San Diego, CA
11
*
41
San Diego, CA
12
*
47
Huntington Beach, CA
13
Christopher Halton
33
Palm Springs, CA
14
*Nicholas Ramirez
41
San Diego, CA
15
Jose Luis Magdaleno
28
San Diego, CA
16
*Corinna Vasquez
48
Oceanside, CA
17
Randall Bialek
57
San Diego, CA
18
*
47
San Diego, CA
19
Daniel Godoy
37
Cathedral City, CA
20
Paul Matthew Calzetta
50
Orlando, FL
21
Destin Banks
40
Orlando, FL
22
*Billie Jo Reynolds
40
Gillette, WY
23
Sean O’Brien
53
San Diego, CA
24
Mark Seymour
36
San Diego, CA
25
Christopher Groves
48
Miami, FL
26
*
45
Moreno Valley, CA
27
Javier Rivera
41
Chula Vista, CA
28
Carlos Velasco
42
Imperial Beach, CA
29
Christian Raggio
26
Imperial Beach, CA
30
Cody Parker
28
San Diego, CA
31
Ivan Torres
31
San Diego, CA
32
Arturo Julian Galvin
36
Columbus, OH
33
John Mark Tomsick
53
San Diego, CA
34
Maresha Morrow
32
San Diego, CA
35
Rene Reynoso
45
San Diego, CA
36
*
59
Escondido, CA
37
Kory Strohauer
33
San Diego, CA
38
*
47
San Diego, CA
39
Daniel Hensley
41
Spring Valley, CA
40
Ubaldo Perez
28
San Diego, CA
41
Peter Mohrmann
53
San Diego, CA
42
Robert Montell
57
San Diego, CA
*Fugitives
Summary of Charges
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine (21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 846)
Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments (18 U.S.C. §§ 1956(a)(1) and (h))
Distribution of Methamphetamine (21 U.S.C., § 841(a)(1))
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine (21 U.S.C., § 841(a)(1))
Maximum Penalties: For the drug charges, term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. For money laundering charges, term of custody up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the monetary instrument or funds involved, and 3 years of supervised release.
Defendant Criminal Case No: 19-cr-1788-BAS
Defendant Number
Name
Age
Hometown
1
*
36
Vista, CA
Summary of Charges
Distribution of Methamphetamine (21 U.S.C., § 841(a)(1))
Maximum Penalties: A term of custody including a mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.
AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration, Narcotics Task Force
Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation
San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
United States Marshals Service
United States Postal Inspection Service
United States Border Patrol
Federal Bureau of Prisons
San Diego Police Department
Escondido Police Department
National City Police Department
San Diego County Probation Office
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Riverside County Sheriff's Department
Austin, Texas Police Department
Seminole County, Florida Sheriff’s Department
Department of Justice, Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces
Department of Justice, Office of Enforcement Operations
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona
Florida Office of the Attorney General
Yuma, Arizona County Attorney’s Office
Abu Dhabi Police
Madison County Man Sentenced to 220 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Robert Newsome, 36, has been sentenced to 220 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
This is the latest sentencing in a case involving multiple defendants including Bernard Cooper, Courtney Cooper, Brandon Weddle, Stephen Williams, Morgan Bond, and Ronricus Chapman on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Each defendant has now pled guilty.
According to information presented in court, on December 2, 2015 officers conducted an undercover drug purchase from a co-defendant who was supplied with 28.4 grams of actual methamphetamine. The methamphetamine has a purity level of 98.7 percent. Newsome also aided co-defendants in the packaging of four ounces of actual methamphetamine into smaller amounts for resale. The investigation determined that Newsome was responsible for distributing a total amount of marijuana equivalency of 12,128.94 kilograms. This amount is the result of distributing methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Methamphetamine that is trafficked in and through West Tennessee is increasing in dangerous purity, and continues to destroy individuals, families, and communities. As a result of this successful conspiracy investigation and prosecution, 7 dangerous drug dealers have now received total combined sentences exceeding 132 years in prison, and West Tennessee is a safer place because they have been removed from our streets."
On May 17, 2019, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Thomas Anderson sentenced Robert Newsome to 220 months in federal prison followed by 5 years supervised release. Facts revealed during the hearing determined that Newsome fled the state for about one year, after learning that the United States had an arrest warrant for him for conspiracy. Judge Anderson found that Newsom qualified as a career offender. He was the last defendant to plead guilty. The defendants in this case received the following sentences: Bernard Cooper was sentenced to 220 months; Courtney Cooper sentenced to 120 months; Brandon Weddle sentenced to 121 months; Morgan Bond sentenced to 360 months and Ronricus Chapman received 188 months and Stephen Williams sentenced to 360 months in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Jackson Metro Narcotics, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Lynn Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Lottery Ticket ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Lynn man pleaded guilty today to tax fraud charges in connection with a “ten-percenting” scheme, in which he purchased millions of dollars’ worth of winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets at a discount in order to help the ticket holders avoid taxes on the winnings.
Clarance Jones, 80, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit tax fraud and filing false tax returns. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Aug. 13, 2019.
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. Bhavna Patel, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28, 2019.
From at least 2013 through 2015, Kinslieh and Patel, who were 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.” Kinslieh and Patel gave the winning tickets to Jones, who presented them to the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission as his own, and collected the full winnings. Jones reported the winnings on his tax returns, but offset them with purported gambling losses. Jones and the store owners then shared the excess winnings.
It is alleged that for the tax years 2011 through 2017, Jones paid less than $16,000 in federal tax on a total of approximately $52,000 of reported income. During this period, Jones claimed that he was a professional gambler and that all of his winnings were offset by alleged gambling losses. Patel and Kinslieh did not report to the Internal Revenue Service or pay taxes on the income that they received from the ticket scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit tax fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss or gain, whichever is greater. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $100,000. 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; 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 is prosecuting the cases.
Leader of Deadly Alien Smuggling Crew Gets Massive Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year-old resident of Mission has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction related to a conspiracy that resulted in the death of two illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
The leader of the deadly alien smuggling crew - Osvaldo Gonzalez aka Chavelo - pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport aliens Nov. 2, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane handed Gonzalez a total sentence of 262 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court also ordered him to pay restitution to the family of a victim in the amount of $6,800. In imposing the sentence, the court noted Gonzalez was responsible for the loss of two lives and that he is pending sentencing for another alien harboring offense and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Nov. 23, 2015, law enforcement responded to a crash in Mission involving two vehicles, one of which was carrying at least 13 aliens.
The investigation revealed the driver had gotten spooked when he saw what he believed to be an unmarked law enforcement vehicle. He attempted to evade it and ultimately veered into oncoming traffic which caused the wreck. At that time, several aliens were ejected from the vehicle.
One died at the scene. The remaining victims were hospitalized as a result of their injuries. A second victim passed away within a few weeks.
Gonzalez was identified as the leader of a group of smugglers who facilitated illegal aliens coming into the U.S. from Mexico. They would then be transported to Houston after staying at local stash houses. Gonzalez recruited several of the individuals involved in the deadly event and was scouting for law enforcement at the time of the accident.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, police departments in Palmview and Mission and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) David A. Lindenmuth and former AUSA Joseph T. Leonard prosecuted the case.
Las Vegas Photographer Sentenced to over 29 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Child Sexual Exploitation in Multi-StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas photographer who posed as a professional modeling photographer and sports sponsor was sentenced Monday to 29 1/2 years in federal prison for child sexual exploitation, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Division.
William Clyde Thompson, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. Thompson pleaded guilty in February 2019, to child exploitation enterprise, sexual exploitation of a child, conspiracy to produce child pornography, distribution of child pornography, conspiracy to distribute child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He was indicted in September 2013 in Nevada and in 2015 in Arizona. In addition to the term of imprisonment, he will be placed on a lifetime term of supervised release, he agreed to pay full restitution to his victims, and he will be required under the Sexual Offender Registration Notification Act to register as a sex offender.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, in November 2011, Thompson took sexually explicit photos and videos of a 10-year-old boy under the ruse that Thompson was a professional photographer and wanted to assist the boy in getting sponsored as a professional skateboarder. In November 2012, the victim’s mother made a report to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department after a potential sponsor informed her that he believed her son was being sexually exploited by Thompson. Later that month, during the execution of search warrants at Thompson’s residence and studio, law enforcement seized multiple digital devices belonging to Thompson. A forensic examination of the devices revealed over 10,000 files of child sexual exploitation photos and videos.
In January 2013, Thompson was arrested in Nevada on child pornography charges and the state court ordered him released on house arrest. However, Thompson cut off his ankle bracelet and fled the Las Vegas area. He was later indicted on federal charges in September 2013.
While on the run from law enforcement, in the spring and summer of 2014, Thompson contacted at least six boys at the Needles California Skate Park. He identified himself as “Tony Bailor” and “Jason Brock” and told the boys he was a “scooter sponsor.” He and others provided the boys with gifts to induce their compliance and to recruit other minors to be part of the “team” that he claimed he wanted to sponsor. In reality, Thompson and others recruited the “team” with the intention to produce child pornography and to sexually abuse the boys. Over a six-month period, Thompson produced over 20,000 images and videos depicting sexually explicit content of the children.
Thompson and a co-conspirator created multiple websites to distribute the child pornography he created. Thompson would post sample child pornography photos on one of the websites and when someone purchased the photos based on the sample, he would send the purchaser a hyperlink to the child pornography files on a cloud-based service.
Thompson was arrested during a traffic stop in Mohave Valley, Arizona, in January 2015. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement found over one million images ranging from child erotica to child pornography of several victims contained on digital devices belonging to him.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Burton and Elham Roohani 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Lake Delton Woman Pleads Guilty to Public Corruption Crime Involving $358,000 EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Stephanie Czuprynko, 54, Lake Delton, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty today to a public corruption charge in U.S. District Court in Madison, Wisconsin.
Czuprynko admitted that while acting as the bookkeeper for the Lake Delton Fire Department Commission and the Dells-Delton Emergency Medical Services Commission, she embezzled monies from the checking accounts of these two commissions. The amount of the embezzlement, which occurred between 2016 and November 2018, is over $358,000.
The federal investigation into this matter began in November 2018 when the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a referral from the Lake Delton Police Department after they had noted irregularities in the checking accounts of the two commissions. When confronted with the irregularities, Czuprynko admitted the embezzlement, and provided a spreadsheet detailing the embezzlements by date and amount. Czuprynko told law enforcement she stole the money because she had a gambling problem. After obtaining a search warrant for her office, FBI agents found gambling records from Ho-Chunk casino, as well as two unauthorized signature stamps, which she used to sign the embezzlement checks.
“My office is committed to prosecuting any public official who abuses their position for personal enrichment,” said U.S. Attorney Blader. “This type of case represents the worst in deception and fraud because it involves a betrayal of the public trust.”
"Public corruption remains a top priority for the FBI," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Hughes. “We investigate embezzlement violations from major cities to rural communities. Those who misuse their position and violate the public's trust for personal gain will be brought to face justice."
U.S. District Judge William M. Conley scheduled sentencing for August 8, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. Czuprynko faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against her is the result of an investigation by the FBI and Lake Delton Police Department. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Graber.
Lafayette man pleads guilty to possessing a pistolRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Jarius T. Carson, 26, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty Monday before U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays for illegally possessing a loaded semi-automatic pistol.
According to the guilty plea, a Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputy encountered Carson on June 6, 2018 in the parking lot of a Scott, Louisiana, apartment complex. When the deputy approached, Carson fled. While in pursuit, the deputy saw Carson run towards a vehicle and place an object in the vehicle’s wheel well. The deputy caught up with Carson and arrested him. Carson acknowledged that the loaded Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol found in the wheel well of the car belonged to him.
Carson was previously convicted of aggravated assault with a firearm and illegal carrying of a firearm in state court on August 17, 2010. Under federal law, a felon is not allowed to possess firearms and ammunition.
Carson faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Summerhays set the sentencing date for August 23, 2019.
The ATF and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danny Siefker and Dominic Rossetti are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for reductions in crime.
Key West-Based Drug Trafficker Who Conspired with Members of the Pagans Motorcycle Gang to Distribute Methamphetamine Sentenced to Twenty Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. has sentenced Keith Kirchoff (41, Key West) to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime. A jury had found Kirchoff guilty on February 26, 2019.
According to testimony presented at trial, in March 2018, Kirchoff conspired with members of the Pagans motorcycle club to deliver ounce quantities of methamphetamine to Pagans members located in Daytona Beach and Key West, Florida. On March 21, 2018, members of the Florida Highway Patrol pulled over a vehicle driven by Kirchoff and found nearly 10 ounces of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm.
“The FBI is committed to dismantling criminal organizations who threaten the safety of Central Florida,” said Rachel L. Rojas, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division, “and we will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to disrupt the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, the Florida Highway Patrol, the Volusia Bureau of Investigation, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Jury Convicts Local Man of Armed Drug Trafficking in School ZoneRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 23-year-old Corpus Christi man for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. The Corpus Christi jury deliberated for approximately one hour before convicting Roman Valdez following a two-day trial.
During the trial, the jury heard testimony from multiple law enforcement officers.
On Nov. 14, 2018, at approximately 3:00 p.m., they discovered Valdez passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle at a traffic light in front of Flour Bluff Elementary School. When the officers opened the door to check on him, he became combative and began reaching around inside the vehicle. During the struggle, officers discovered a loaded handgun between the driver’s seat and the center console.
Law enforcement secured the firearm but Valdez continued to reach behind the driver’s seat. He was ultimately removed from the vehicle and taken into custody.
When officers searched his vehicle, they discovered multiple bags of white powder, a black tar substance, a bag of synthetic cannabinoids, assorted prescription pills, small bags, a digital scale and a second loaded handgun in the back seat.
The controlled substances were sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Laboratory. Testing confirmed the substances were cocaine, heroin and 5F-MDMB-PICA – a synthetic cannabinoid.
The defense attempted to convince the jury Valdez possessed the cocaine for personal use and the firearms were not related to any of the drugs. They did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos presided over the trial and set sentencing for Aug. 14, 2019. At that time, Valdez faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a possible $1 million maximum fine. He also faces a minimum of five years for the firearm offense which must be served consecutively to any prison term imposed.
Synthetic cannabinoids are chemical compounds that mimic the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. These chemical compounds can be applied to carrier mediums such as plant material and ingested using rolling papers, pipes, vaporizers or otherwise taken orally. Synthetic cannabinoids are usually sold in small, foil or plastic bags containing dried leaves (resembling potpourri) and is marketed as incense that can be smoked. It is commonly sold and known on the street as synthetic marijuana, fake weed, legal and by its popular brand names such as Spice, K2, Kush, Klimaxx and many others.
In custody since his arrest, Valdez will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Corpus Christi Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lance Watt and Joel Dunn are prosecuting the case.
Jury Convicts El Salvadorian National for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 60-year-old from El Salvador has been convicted of illegal re-entry after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
The jury deliberated for less than an hour after a one-day trial before convicting Her Onan Cienfuegos-Rivas.
The jury heard that authorities found Cienfuegos-Rivas in McAllen after having been deported. Convicted of possession of cocaine in California in 1989, he was deported thereafter.
Cienfuegos-Rivas turned himself into Border Patrol (BP) on March 19, 2019. At that time, he claimed he had crossed into the United States near Rio Grande City on a raft and was held in stash houses in an attempt to visit his family in California.
He eventually called Border Patrol to pick him up because he just wanted to go home.
At trial, the defense argued he was not in the country voluntarily because he was being held against his will at the stash houses.
The jury was not convinced and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera presided over the trial and set sentencing for Aug. 21, 2019, at which time Cienfuegos-Rivas faces up to 10 years in federal prison. He will remains in custody pending that hearing.
Customs and Border Protection Agents conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin S. Dinsdale and Paul Marian prosecuted the case.
Judge Sentences Pittsburgh Felon to 19 Years in Prison for Committing Drug Trafficking and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - Kevin Livsey was sentenced to 19 years and two months (230 months) in federal prison for committing fentanyl and heroin trafficking and firearm crimes while on federal supervised release for heroin trafficking crimes, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Livsey, age 32, of Pittsburgh, was sentenced by United States Circuit Judge D. Michael Fisher. Livsey was ordered to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Livsey was convicted of (1) possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, carfentanil, and heroin on May 9, 2018; (2) possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime also on May 9, 2018; and (3) distribution of fentanyl and heroin on April 11, 2018. Livsey was on federal supervised release in 2018 following a prison sentence for prior federal convictions for distributing heroin. Livsey was also previously convicted of heroin trafficking in 2010 in Pennsylvania state court.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation leading to the convictions and sentence in this case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Submitting False Claims for FEMA Benefits Involving Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Matthew, and Hurricane IrmaRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Lepoleon Spikes (47, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving fraudulently obtained FEMA benefits. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and has agreed to pay $57,789.19 in restitution to the United States.
According to the plea agreement, in February 2018, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG) received an allegation that Spikes had provided false information to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in order to receive disaster assistance. Further investigation determined that Spikes had submitted applications to receive disaster assistance from FEMA involving Tropical Storm Debby, Hurricane Matthew, and Hurricane Irma. In the applications, Spikes falsely claimed that his primary residence in Jacksonville had been damaged due to a storm, causing him to relocate. Based on these false claims, Spikes fraudulently obtained $57,789.19 in disaster assistance from FEMA.
This case is part of the United States Attorney’s Disaster Fraud Task Force, which was announced in September 2017. This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. A live operator 24 hours a day, 7 days a week staffs the telephone line. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected]. You may also visit www.justice.gov/usao-mdfl.
Inscription House Man Sentenced to over 8 Years’ Prison and Lifetime Supervised Release for Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Domestic Violence AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On May 20, 2019, Justin Mannheimer, 31, of Inscription House, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes to eight years’ imprisonment. Mannheimer had previously pleaded guilty to sexual conduct with a minor and domestic assault by strangling, a domestic violence offense.
Between Aug. 1, 2017 and Dec. 14, 2017, Mannheimer kept the victim, a minor, at his home -- at times without her consent. During this time frame he sexually assaulted and strangled the victim. Both Mannheimer and the victim were members of the Navajo Nation, and the offense occurred in Inscription House, on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8037-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-067_ Mannheimer
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Indictment: Man and Woman in Great Bend Sold Cocaine, Fentanyl, LSD, Heroin and MethRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A man and woman from Great Bend have been charged in a 10-count indictment alleging possession or sale of cocaine, fentanyl, LSD, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Iban Martinez-Enriquez, 21, Great Bend, Kan., and Kennedy Christine Beakey, 19, Great Bend, Kan., are charged with one count possession with intent to distribute LSD (count six), one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine (count seven), one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine (count eight), one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin (count nine) and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana (count 10). In addition, Martinez-Enriquez is charged with two counts of distributing cocaine (counts one and two), one count of distributing fentanyl (count three), one count of distributing heroin (count four) and one count of distributing methamphetamine (count five).
The crimes are alleged to have occurred in September and October 2018 in Finney and Barton counties.
The indictment seeks the forfeiture of a .22 caliber rifle and $21,915 in cash.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Counts one through five and eight through 10: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.
Counts six and seven: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $10 million.
Investigators included the Finney County Sheriff, the Barton County Sheriff, the Great Bend Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan McCarty is prosecuting.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Heath Wagoner, 35, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 14, 2018, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a penalty of up to 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on the methamphetamine charge, not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the other firearm charge. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Michael Buddenhagen, 53, Wichita, Kan., and Sarah Venturella, 36, Wichita, Kan., are charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition, Buddenhagen is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 31, 2019, in Greenwood County, Kan.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million.
Possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Possession of a firearm by a felon: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Douglas Amaya-Merino, 35, a citizen of El Salvador, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found March 7, 2019, in Saline County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Department of Homeland Security investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
Lorenzo Roque-Ortega, 29, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 14, 2019, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces up to two years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Department of Homeland Security investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.
Grant Recipients Sentenced for $5 Million Fraud on Lee CountyRead the Press Release
Ft. Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele has sentenced Kay F. Gow (68, Naples) to 10 years in federal prison for her role in a conspiracy to defraud Lee County out of $5 million in grant funds, an individual investor out of $500,000, and the laundering of the proceeds. As part of Gow’s sentence, the court also entered a money judgment in the amount of $1.93 million, the proceeds of the criminal conduct. Judge Steele also sentenced co-conspirator John G. Williams, Jr. (67, Suffolk, VA) to 30 months in federal prison.
Kay Gow, her husband, Robert Gow, and Williams were found guilty by a federal jury on February 22, 2019. Robert Gow is now deceased.
According to evidence presented at trial, the Gows owned and controlled multiple entities, including HerbalScience Group, LLC and HerbalScience Singapore Pte, Ltd. In 2010, the Gows formed VR Laboratories, LLC, in order to apply for a $5 million grant through the Lee County Financial Incentives for Recruiting Strategic Targets (“FIRST”) program. The FIRST program consisted of taxpayer funds that had been set aside by the county to bring economic development projects to the Ft. Myers area. In seeking the FIRST grant, the Gows made numerous false and fraudulent representations to various individuals and government entities about the financial success and that of HerbalScience, VR Labs, including that VR Labs was poised to become a leading global formulator and manufacturer of botanical pharmaceuticals. Ultimately, Lee County awarded VR Labs $5 million in FIRST grant funds to build a manufacturing facility that the Gows had claimed would bring hundreds of high-paying jobs and economic growth to Lee County.
Once VR Labs executed an agreement with Lee County, Williams, a long-time friend of the Gows, registered a fictitious name, “Williams Specialty Bottling Equipment,” with the Florida Secretary of State. The Gows then represented that Williams would provide the bottling line for the manufacturing facility, when he had no such experience or expertise. Williams used false and fraudulent invoices for work and services allegedly performed on the bottling line to make demands for payment and, once paid, kicked back a substantial portion of the funds to VR Labs and the Gows. The Gows then used Williams’s false and fraudulent invoices to justify requests to Lee County for the payment of grant money. Once VR Labs received the grant funds, the Gows fraudulently transferred those funds to entities they owned and controlled, and ultimately to themselves, by disguising the transfers as fees, salaries, expenses, and other items. They also tried to conceal the source of the kickbacks through the creation of fictitious entities and documents.
Ultimately, Lee County disbursed approximately $4.7 million in FIRST grant funds to VR Labs, but the manufacturing facility was never completed or operational.
Having exhausted the stolen grant funds, the Gows defrauded additional private investors. One such investor lost his retirement savings of $500,000.
“The FBI works diligently to ensure that those who profit from deception and greed are brought to justice,”said Special Agent in Charge of the Tampa Division Eric W. Sporre. “Honest, hardworking individuals deserve our protection and we encourage anyone with information regarding fraudulent activity to contact law enforcement immediately.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachelle DesVaux Bedke, Michael Leeman, and Josephine W. Thomas.
Fugitive Extradited from Dominican Republic to Face Twenty-Year Old Felony Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that that Dominican authorities have extradited Jose Rafael Hidalgo, age 43, formerly of New Jersey, to face a 1999 indictment for drug trafficking.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, an indictment returned on August 24, 1999 alleges that Hidalgo conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of cocaine. Hidalgo was arrested on August 25, 1999, and, after entering an agreement with the United States to plead guilty, he was granted conditional release. At some point between October 12, 1999, and February 2000, while residing in New Jersey under supervised pre-trial release, Hidalgo removed an electronic monitoring device and absconded.
On February 22, 2000, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania issued an arrest warrant for Hidalgo. The United States Marshals Service took charge of the investigation to locate and apprehend Hidalgo, and, in 2016, confirmed that Hidalgo was living in the Dominican Republic. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania initiated extradition procedures in conjunction with the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs and the U.S. State Department, leading to Hidalgo’s arrest by Dominican law enforcement authorities on January 17, 2019. Extradition was granted on March 25, 2019, and the U.S. Marshals returned Hidalgo to the United States where he appeared before a federal Magistrate Judge for an initial appearance on May 20, 2019.
“The U.S. Marshals are to be commended for their dogged determination in tracking this fugitive down,” said U.S. Attorney Freed. “This extradition is the result of solid police work and a refusal to give up the hunt, even twenty years later, which is exactly what we’ve come to expect from the Marshals Service.”
“The fugitive task force know no boundaries with respect to investigating fugitives who leave the United States,” said U.S. Marshal Martin J. Pane. “After being on the run for over nineteen years the arrest of Hidalgo is a testament to our dedication to ensure all who flee from justice are located and given their day in court.”
The original drug trafficking case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
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 offense is a life term 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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Four People Linked to Santa Fe Springs Street Gang Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms for Racketeering and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Four members of the violent, Mexican Mafia-affiliated Canta Ranas street gang have received lengthy prison sentences for violating multiple federal laws, including participating in racketeering, drug trafficking, and money laundering conspiracies.
Three defendants linked to Canta Ranas, a gang that operates primarily in Santa Fe Springs and Whittier, were sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner. In two separate jury trials last year, they were convicted of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, and other crimes.
The defendants sentenced on Monday were:
- Donald Goulet, a.k.a. “Wacky,” 32, sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. Goulet was a foot soldier involved in drug trafficking, collecting extortionate “taxes,” and committing violent crimes on behalf of Canta Ranas such as a home invasion robbery, during which Goulet and a co-conspirator tied up victims with duct tape at gun point while they ransacked the victims’ home. Goulet was convicted of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
- Emanuel Higuera, a.k.a. “Blanco,” 34, sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for drug trafficking on behalf of Canta Ranas, and who was found guilty of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Monica Rodriguez, a.k.a. “Smiley,” 41, a “secretary” for Mexican Mafia member David Gavaldon, who is currently serving a life sentence in state prison for a murder conviction. Rodriguez, who was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for her crimes, visited Gavaldon at Pelican Bay State Prison to order the death of another member of the organization. Rodriguez also drove her son to a gang meeting for the purpose of him receiving a disciplinary beating from other Canta Ranas gang members, according to evidence presented at trial. Rodriguez was convicted of RICO conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Earlier this month, another defendant, Enrique Holguin, a.k.a. “Boxer,” 56, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for RICO conspiracy and for committing a violent act in aid of racketeering (VICAR) for his role in the attempted assault of a fellow inmate at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles because the intended target was perceived to be an informant for law enforcement authorities.
These convictions and sentencings arose from a 2016 federal grand jury indictment charging 51 defendants that was the result of Operation “Frog Legs.” Prosecutors have secured more than 20 convictions so far in this matter.
Operation Frog Legs is the result of an investigation by the Southern California Drug Task Force, which is led by the Drug Enforcement Administration as part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiative. The Task Force members that participated in Operation Frog Legs were U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation, the Whittier Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Office of Correctional Safety, Special Service Unit.
The trial prosecutors for these matters were Assistant United States Attorneys Carol Alexis Chen, Victoria A. Degtyareva, Kathy Yu, and Chelsea Norell, who are all members of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section.
Former employee of bail bonding company sentenced for tax fraudRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –Jolynn Gilchrist, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was sentenced today to two years probation for tax fraud, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Gilchrist, age 50, former employee W&S Bail Bonding, doing business as A Bail Bonding by ABC of Wheeling, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “False Tax Return” in June 2018. Gilchrist admitted to filing an inaccurate federal tax return for the 2015 tax year.
Gilchrist was also ordered to pay $2,028 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarod J. Douglas and Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations, and the West Virginia State Police investigated.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Former Washington, D.C. Police Officer Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of Two Minor GirlsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Chukwuemeka Ekwonna, age 29, of Glenn Dale, Maryland, today to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for two counts of sex trafficking of a minor. Specifically, between October 2016 and February 2017, Ekwonna, who was an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in Washington, D.C. at the time, engaged in sexual conduct with two girls, who were 14 and 15 years old, in exchange for money. Both victims were students in the ninth grade at the time of the offenses.
In a separate case, on May 13, 2019, Charles Mario Brown, Sr., age 48, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Brown admitted that he operated a prostitution business involving a 16-year-old female, and at least four adult females, who performed commercial sex acts in the Baltimore area.
The sentence and guilty plea were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief Timothy Altomare of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; and Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring human traffickers to justice and protect our most vulnerable.”
According to Ekwonna’s plea agreement, beginning about January 24, 2016, Ekwonna worked as a police officer with MPD in Washington, D.C. Since 2010, Ekwonna has used an account on a social media and dating platform that allows users to search for others based on location and to engage in real-time chat. Ekwonna used his social media account to solicit many other users to engage in sex acts with him for money, including while he served as a police officer.
Between December 19, 2016, and April 5, 2017, Ekwonna exchanged approximately 200 messages, both text and through the social media dating platform, with a 14-year-old girl (“Girl 1”). On several occasions, Ekwonna offered to pay Girl 1 to engage in sex acts with him. Ekwonna met with Girl 1 and engaged in sex acts with her on at least five occasions, between October 18, 2016, and February 15, 2017. Ekwonna engaged in illegal sex with the underage girl in different locations in the Annapolis area, including in motel rooms and Ekwonna’s vehicle. Ekwonna typically paid Girl 1 between $30 and $40 to have sex with him. Messages between Ekwonna and the 14-year-old girl suggest that she was aware that Ekwonna was a police officer.
On January 9, 2017, Ekwonna exchanged approximately 54 messages through the dating platform with a second underage girl, who was 15 years old at the time (“Girl 2”). In these messages, Ekwonna offered to pay the 15-year-old girl to engage in sex acts with him. Ekwonna met Girl 2 in Glen Burnie, where he gave her $80 and engaged in sex acts with her in the back of his car. According to Girl 2’s testimony at the sentencing hearing, after they had sex, Ekwonna locked her in the car, pointed a black handgun at her and demanded she return the money he had paid her. As part of his sentence, Ekwonna was ordered to pay $80 in restitution to the victim. His car and his black police-issued handgun were ordered forfeited to the government.
According to Brown’s plea agreement, Brown and his co-conspirator met a 16-year-old runaway (“Victim 1”) in November 2016, while she was walking in Baltimore. Brown and the co-conspirator directed Victim 1 to meet with sex customers who called or sent text messages in response to online prostitution advertisements featuring the victim, which were posted by the conspirators. The conspirators agreed to provide Victim 1 with food and a place to stay in exchange for money she earned through commercial sex acts, and bought her lingerie that she wore in photos taken for prostitution ads. Brown drove Victim 1 to outcalls, where Victim 1 engaged in commercial sex acts and collected payment. Brown and the co-conspirator directed Victim 1 to give them at least some of the proceeds from her commercial sex acts, and she did so.
On December 9, 2016, an undercover Harford County Sheriff’s Office detective contacted a phone number found in the cell phone of a deceased male sex customer A.G. (A.G. suffered a fatal heroin overdose in a hotel room in Edgewood, Maryland in the presence of one of Brown’s adult female sex workers.) The detective contacted the phone number to arrange an overnight commercial sex date at a hotel in Edgewood and to request heroin. At the co-conspirator’s request, Victim 1 communicated with the detective to make arrangements for the commercial sex date, which included taking $1,000 for the purchase of heroin after arriving at the hotel.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Brown and the co-conspirator transported Victim 1 and an adult female to the hotel. Victim 1 and the woman went into the hotel room identified by the detective. Investigators recognized Victim 1 from prostitution ads posted online, and Victim 1 identified herself by the name listed in those ads. Brown and his co-conspirator, who were waiting in the SUV outside the hotel room, were arrested and their cell phones were seized. Forensic examination of the cell phones revealed numerous communications in furtherance of the prostitution business.
Brown and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea, Brown will be sentenced to seven years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for September 16, 2019, at 1:00 p.m.
These cases were investigated by the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members of the Task Force include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html. Suspected instances of human trafficking can be reported to HSI’s tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
In addition, the cases were prosecuted 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.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended Homeland Security Investigations, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the Ekwonna investigation, and commended HSI and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the Brown case. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary A. Myers and Matthew D. Maddox, who are prosecuting the Ekwonna and Brown cases, respectively.
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Former Substitute Teacher and Coach Indicted on Multiple Charges of Receipt and Production of Child Pornography, and Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an 18-count indictment charging Steven Gasiorek, 33, of Cheektowaga, NY, with production and receipt of child pornography, and enticement of a minor. The highest charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years, a maximum penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Moellering, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, on April 10, 2019, the Fauquier County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office contacted the Cheektowaga Police Department regarding a 14 year-old-male from Virginia who had been communicating through Instagram with a person utilizing Instagram account LEXIGURL1015. The boy, who was under the impression that LEXIGURL1015 was a teenage girl from California, sent pornographic images of himself to the account at the urging of the user LEXIGURL1015.
Subsequent investigation determined that the account belonged to the defendant, who was a substitute teacher and coach John F. Kennedy Middle and High schools. A search warrant was executed at the defendant’s Lehigh Street residence. Investigators seized a laptop computer and external hard drive that contain numerous images constituting child pornography. Further investigation suggests that Gasiorek has been engaged in the enticement of minors to produce child pornography activity for several years.
The indictment alleges that, in February 2019, the defendant coerced six minor victims to engage in sexual activity for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. The defendant is also accused with enticing the minor victims and with receiving the child pornography created at his own urging.
The defendant was arraigned this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was released on conditions.
Members of the public who have information related to this case are asked to call the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 716-843-1616.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zack, and the West Seneca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel Denz.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Former Georgia County Commissioner Indicted on Extortion and Bribery ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia has returned a three-count indictment against a former commissioner in DeKalb County, Georgia, for extorting bribe payments from a DeKalb County subcontractor. Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
Sharon Barnes Sutton, 59, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, was arraigned on an indictment that charges her with two counts of extortion and one count of federal program bribery by U.S. Magistrate Judge Russell G. Vineyard for the Northern District of Georgia.
According to the allegations in the indictment, Barnes Sutton was an elected member of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners (“the DeKalb Board”), representing District No. 4 of DeKalb County. The DeKalb Board is comprised of seven elected, part-time commissioners. Among other functions, the DeKalb Board appropriates funds for infrastructure development within the county, and a simple majority of four commissioners is needed to award public contracts for any such project. The indictment alleges that, during the relevant time period, Barnes Sutton also chaired the DeKalb Board’s subcommittee on Finance, Audit, and Budget, which undertook preliminary reviews of contracts, and was a member of the DeKalb Board’s subcommittee on Public Works and Infrastructure.
The indictment further alleges that, in May 2014, Barnes Sutton approached an individual whose company had received a sizeable procurement award from the DeKalb Board in connection with the construction of a wastewater treatment plant. Barnes Sutton demanded monthly payments of $500 from this individual, later increasing her demand to $1,000. The individual made the first $500 payment in June 2016 at a restaurant in Decatur, Georgia. The indictment further alleges that Barnes Sutton asked the individual to meet her at the restaurant and brought her son along so that her son would receive the cash payment on her behalf. The individual made the second $500 cash payment at Barnes Sutton’s residence in July 2014. The FBI disrupted Barnes Sutton’s continued demands in August 2014.
The indictment is the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office and the DeKalb County Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Amanda R. Vaughn and Victor R. Salgado of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.