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15 May 2019
Update on Bomb Threat made against U.S. Attorney's Office in Downtown PensacolaRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – "We are extremely thankful for the immediate, effective response of the Pensacola Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Marshals Service to this morning's incident," said Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. The U.S. Attorney's Office highly values our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and we greatly appreciate everything they did to help us today.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
United States Attorney Jason Dunn Recognizes National Peace Officers Memorial DayRead the Press Release
DENVER -- U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on National Peace Officers Memorial Day, which falls in the middle of National Police Week. In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which the President signed, declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
“Law enforcement is a noble calling,” said United States Attorney Jason Dunn. “Like few other professions, we ask law enforcement officers to run toward danger. And law enforcement does this, without question, in times of our greatest need. As a result, we are all safer. But law enforcement officers too often pay a very high price for their service. In Colorado alone, we lost three officers in the line of duty last year, and another officer this year. It’s especially important that we take time out to honor the service and sacrifice of our law enforcement officers. Please join me in reaching out today, on National Peace Officers Memorial Day, and say ‘thank you’ to our law enforcement officers for their service and for being there when we need them the most.”
According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018, including three officers here in the District of Colorado. Comprehensive data tables about these incidents and brief narratives describing the fatal attacks are included in the sections of Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted, 2018 https://ucr.fbi.gov/leoka/2018/ released this week by the FBI. The names of all 106 fallen officers nationwide were formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2019, which is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital during National Police Week 2019.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Exceptional Law Enforcement Work at its Annual Law Enforcement Awards CeremonyRead the Press Release
On May 15, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont (USAO) honored a number of individuals from a variety of law enforcement agencies at the USAO’s second annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony. This ceremony was held at the federal building in Burlington, Vermont. Individual investigators and officers were nominated by USAO staff in a variety of categories for their outstanding work supporting the mission of this office. Award recipients came from federal, state and local agencies from across Vermont. The specific categories and individuals recognized today are as follows:
Investigative Achievement Award (recognizes those who have substantially contributed to the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.)
Corporal George Rodriguez – Vermont State Police
(United States v. Pappano, Smith & Jones)Special Agent Jennifer Vander Veer – FBI
(for a collection of outstanding work investigating cyber crimes)Special Agent Brandon Hope – DEA
(United States v. Holmes)Task Force Officer Robert Estes – DEA/Essex PD
(United States v. Holmes)Task Force Officer John McGarghan – DEA/ US Border Patrol
(United States v. Holmes)Intelligence Research Specialist Marilyn Epp – DEA
(United State v. Holmes)
Exceptional Contribution to a Federal Prosecution (recognizes those who significantly impacted law enforcement’s ability to: 1) arrest, apprehend and prosecute a subject of a federal investigation; 2) rescue and respond to victims; 3) develop cooperating witnesses; and/or 4) identify critical intelligence.)Detective Jonathan Whiteman – Vermont Drug Task Force/Brattleboro PD
(United States v. Jones)
Investigative Excellence Award (recognizes those whose actions led directly to the arrest of a dangerous subject or to the exposure of a significant criminal/civil conspiracy.)Trooper William Phelps – Vermont State Police
(United States v. Churchill)Special Agent Jeremy Stalla – U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service
(United States v. Gu)Special Agent Lorne Segerstrom – U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service
(United States v. Gu)
Investigative Specialist Scott Rogers – U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service
(United States v. Gu)Passport Specialist Manuel Pacheco – State Department
(United States v. Gu)Outstanding Collaborative Investigation Award (recognizes those who have demonstrated outstanding efforts or overcome significant challenges in collaboration with multiple agencies in order to advance the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.)
Detective Trooper Giancarlo DiGenova – Vermont Drug Task Force/Vermont State Police
(United States v. Harris)Detective Sergeant Karl Gardner – Vermont Drug Task Force/Vermont State Police
(United States v. Harris)Special Agent Colin Simons – FBI
(United States v. Harris)Special Agent Tom Doud – DEA
(United States v. Harris)Detective Corporal Frank Scalise – Milton PD
(United States v. Harris)Detective Corporal Dan Gilligan – Burlington PD
(United States v. Monroe)Detective Corporal Jeff Beerworth – Burlington PD
(United States v. Monroe)Special Agent Scott Murray – ATF
(United States v. Monroe)Special Agent Matthew Ekstrom – ATF
(United States v. Monroe)Detective Sergeant Todd Baxter – Major Crime Unit/Vermont State Police
(United States v. Hoisington)Detective Sergeant Scott Dunlap – Major Crime Unit/Vermont State Police
(United States v. Hoisington)Detective Sergeant Todd Ambroz – Fire Investigation Unit/Vermont State Police
(United States v. Hoisington)Detective Sergeant Wade Cochran – Vermont Drug Task Force /Montpelier PD
(United States v. Hoisington)Special Agent Matthew Ekstrom – ATF
(United States v. Hoisington)
Each recipient received an award letter from U.S. Attorney Christina Nolan, as well as an engraved award commemorating their outstanding efforts. Award recipients were joined by colleagues, family and friends at today’s ceremony. U.S. Attorney Nolan congratulated the award recipients. She stated: “We at the U.S. Attorney’s Office are thrilled to be hosting this second annual Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony. We intend that this event become a time-honored tradition of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to our law enforcement partners, who support and make possible, the important case work we do at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They make decisions every day to stand on the front lines of our campaigns to combat dangerous crime. We thank them and their families for their sacrifices. We cannot overstate our support and appreciation for our police officers, and we are proud to recognize and celebrate their outstanding achievements at this awards ceremony.”U.S. Attorney Stands with Peace Officers in Honor of Police Week 2019Read the Press Release
MACON – Federal prosecutors in Middle Georgia are joining their fellow law enforcement partners in events across the state commemorating National Police Week 2019, announced Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. National Police Week was enacted by Congress in a joint resolution issued in October 1962, declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice. According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018. As a stark reminder of the dangers police officers face while keeping us safe, on Saturday night, Sgt. Kelvin Ansari, a Savannah, Georgia police officer, who was born in Albany, Georgia and attended Early County High School in the Middle District of Georgia, was gunned down while responding to a robbery.
“As our state continues to mourn the recent loss of Sgt. Ansari, we are reminded that when an officer falls, our entire community suffers the loss of a true hero devoted to serving and protecting our citizens,” said Charlie Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “This week, please join us in taking a moment to thank a law enforcement officer for their service and sacrifice.”
Events honoring Police Memorial Week are occurring across the Middle District. Personnel with the U.S. Attorney’s Office have participated in memorials at Albany Technical College in Albany and at the Government Center in Columbus this week. On Friday, May 17, there is a memorial service at 8:30 a.m. on the corner of Mulberry and Second Streets in downtown Macon. The public is invited to attend. For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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.
U.S. Attorney Recognizes Police Week in Speech to Washington State Homicide DetectivesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers today in a speech to Washington State homicide investigators at the Suquamish Clearwater Casino. Today is National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The day is commemorated as part of National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019.
“Police officers never know what dangers the next call will bring,” U.S. Attorney Moran said. “You always need to be at your best, especially when other people are at their worst. You are the guardians of the rule of law. Because of you, justice is brought to injustice.”
U.S. Attorney Moran noted that nationwide there was a seven percent spike in violent crime between 2014 and 2016 – with an 11 percent increase in the murder rate in 2015. These were the largest annual increases in violent crime since 1968. Because of that spike, the Department of Justice responded in 2017 with increased criminal filings against violent crime defendants, and increased those filings by another 15 percent in 2018. For 2018, there was a statistical decline in violent crime, indicating the increased filings are getting violent criminals off the street. U.S. Attorney Moran said his priorities include violent criminals involved in human trafficking and drug smuggling and distribution.
The success does not come without sacrifice. U.S. Attorney Moran noted that Washington law enforcement has had four line of duty deaths in the last 18 months. Just last month Cowlitz County Deputy Sheriff Justin DeRosier was shot and killed while responding to a report of a blocking vehicle. One month earlier, Kittitas County Deputy Ryan Thompson was killed responding to a road rage suspect. In July 2018, Kent Police Officer Diego Moreno was killed responding to reports of gunfire outside a restaurant. Officer Moreno was struck and killed after attempting to stop a fleeing vehicle. And in January 2018, Pierce County Deputy Sheriff Daniel McCartney was killed after responding to a 9-1-1 call late at night in Frederickson.
Nationwide, according to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018.
In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which the President signed, declaring May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
At a candlelight vigil on the evening of Monday, May 13, 2019, the names of Deputy McCartney and Officer Moreno were added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C.
U.S. Attorney Lydon Recognizes Police WeekRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina — United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon recognized today the service and sacrifice of federal, state, and local police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12, to Saturday, May 18, 2019. In October 1962, Congress declared May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018, including five officers here in South Carolina. The names of all 106 fallen officers nationwide were formally dedicated on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2019.
“During Police Week, we celebrate the contributions of law enforcement officers across the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, and bravery,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “Today, on National Peace Officers Memorial Day, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of their communities. We are able to live in safety and sleep in peace only because men and women like Mike Doty, Dale Hallman, James Kirk, Terrence Carraway, and Farrah Turner are willing to put on the police uniform every day and risk their lives to protect the rest of us. To them, and to their brothers and sisters in uniform, we offer our unwavering support and appreciation.”
The five South Carolina officers added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this year are:
York County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Michael R. Doty, who passed away on January 17, 2018, after sustaining gunshot wounds in the line of duty the previous day while searching for a subject who had shot a York County Sheriff’s Office canine handler earlier in the night.
Saluda County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Dale S. Hallman, who was killed in the line of duty in a single-vehicle crash while responding to a call on April 6, 2018;
Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office Master Deputy James L. Kirk, Jr., who died in the line of duty after collapsing during a combat firearms training on April 24, 2018;
Florence Police Sergeant Terrence F. Carraway, who was killed in the line of duty on October 3, 2018, while responding to assist three Florence County Sheriff’s Office deputies who had been shot while serving a warrant; and
Florence County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Farrah B.G. Turner, who passed away on October 22, 2018, after suffering fatal gunshot wounds in the line of duty while serving a warrant on October 3, 2018.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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U.s. Attorney Recognizes Police Week with Montana Peace Officers Memorial Day in HelenaRead the Press Release
Montana Department of Justice photo Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme acknowledges and thanks law enforcement officers for their service at Montana Peace Officers Memorial Day in Helena.BILLINGS— U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme today recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019.
Speaking at the 2019 Montana Peace Officers Memorial Day at the Montana State Capitol, Alme said he was honored to pay respect to the sworn law enforcement officers across Montana and the country who put their lives at risk every day and night to keep the public and our communities safe.
In October 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls National Police Week. Police Week recognizes the service and sacrifice of U.S. law enforcement officers and pays special recognition to those who have died in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others.
“I want to acknowledge the work performed by our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, who often face uncertain and dangerous situations without question and without expectation of thanks. We want them to know they have our unwavering support and appreciation,” Attorney Alme said.
While 106 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty across America last year, none of the officers were from Montana, Alme said.
Each year, about 60,000 officers are assaulted, and 17,000 officers are injured.
In recent months, two Montana officers have been injured or assaulted while in the line of duty. Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Wade Palmer, based in Missoula, was shot and severely wounded while pursuing an alleged shooter, and Park County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Elliott-Pearson was injured in a head-on crash when an oncoming driver veered into his lane and hit him. Both officers have been undergone surgeries and are expected to survive.
“I want to join many across our state in thanking Trooper Palmer and Deputy Elliott-Pearson, and their families, for their sacrifice for our safety,” Attorney Alme said.
For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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Two Violent Gunmen Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that District Judge Lance Africk sentenced TIMMY SCOTT a/k/a “TIMOTHY SCOTT,” a 24-year-old resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and KADEEM BURDEN, a 23-year-old resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 120 months each in federal prison following their conviction of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced SCOTT and BURDEN to 3 years of supervised release following their term of imprisonment and ordered that the firearms be forfeited.
On February 26, 2019, after a two day trial before visiting U.S. District Judge Lance M. Africk, a jury unanimously convicted SCOTT and BURDEN. As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on October 2, 2017, SCOTT and BURDEN initiated a shooting on Iroquois Street that was witnessed by a Baton Rouge City Police officer, who pursued SCOTT and BURDEN into a residential area. A K-9 team assisted and found two firearms discarded under a house, a 7.62 caliber Century Arms semi-automatic AK rifle style pistol, and a 9mm Smith and Wesson pistol. Also recovered were two Halloween style masks and two cellular phones. Forensic testing by Louisiana State Police Crime Lab and a Pittsburgh, PA., private laboratory positively matched SCOTT to DNA recovered from one of the masks and matched BURDEN’s DNA to the trigger and grip of the AK rifle style pistol. The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab was also able to match the fired 9mm cartridges recovered from the shooting location to the recovered pistol. The BATF and FBI executed search warrants on the phones and linked them to SCOTT.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “The defendants’ actions of possessing illegal firearms and shooting in a residential area earned each defendant a maximum 10 year sentence. My office and our prosecutors stand ready to enforce our nation’s gun laws and continue to pursue the most violent and dangerous offenders in our community.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Baton Rouge City Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman Thornton III and Fred Menner.
Two Poteau Residents Including Former City Councilman Sentenced for Drug Conspiracy and Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced the sentencings of Joe David White, age 58, and Laci Marie Fox a/k/a Laci Marie Noah, age 27, both from Poteau, Oklahoma, on charges of Drug Conspiracy and Distribution of Methamphetamine. White, a former Poteau City Councilman, was sentenced to 151 months’ imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release. Fox was sentenced to 70 months’ imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release.
The investigation which lead to the indictment and sentencing was conducted by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, District 16 District Attorney Narcotics Task Force, and Poteau Police Department.
The defendants had previously entered guilty pleas to an Indictment alleging that beginning in 2015 and continuing until January 9, 2017, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The Indictment also alleged that on September 1, 2016 and December 15, 2016 the defendants knowingly distributed a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Methamphetamine dealers deliver tragedy to communities along with the poison they sell for profit. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to partner with state and local agencies, as we did here, to make a positive impact in Eastern Oklahoma by eliminating a distribution source.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. First Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Wilson represented the United States.
Two Local Men Plead Guilty to Drug-Related MurderRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Marquis D. Reasonover, of St. Louis City, 42, and Hairl Johnson, 48, of Ferguson, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin and one count of using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Johnson pleaded guilty on May 14, 2019. Reasonover appeared today before United States District Judge E. Richard Webber.
According to court documents, Reasonover and Johnson were part of a drug conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin in and around the St. Louis area. On November 10, 2014, Reasonover and Johnson killed Antonio L. Jones in the basement of a residence on Georgia Avenue in Ferguson, Missouri. The murder was the result of a drug-related dispute. Reasonover shot Jones with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. After the shooting, Jones’ body was transported in the trunk of his own vehicle to East St. Louis, Illinois. Once in East Saint Louis, the car was set on fire with victim Jones’ body inside.
Under the drug conspiracy count, the maximum term of punishment is 20 years in prison. Under the firearm count, the statutory mandatory minimum term of imprisonment is 10 years up to life in prison. In determining actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines which provide recommended sentencing ranges. The sentencings for Johnson and Reasonover have been set for August 13 and 14, 2019, respectively.
This case was investigated by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Illinois State Police, and Wentzville Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force of the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri.
Three Plead Guilty to Tax Fraud Conspiracy that Sought Nearly $1 Million in Fraudulent Tax RefundsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sequoiya D. Harris, 35, former resident of Sacramento and Stockton; John A. Owens Jr., 32, of Sacramento; and Dionne Thomas, 53, of Galt, pleaded guilty today to participating in a federal tax refund fraud conspiracy, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from at least February 2009 through April 2013, Harris, Owens, Thomas, and co-defendant Joe E. Rodriguez Jr. conspired to submit false tax returns in the names of themselves and others to obtain tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service based on false documents and information. The defendants used hundreds of fraudulent W-2 forms from multiple purported employers to make it appear as if the people listed on the returns worked at those companies and had portions of their wages withheld by the employers for federal tax purposes, but the W-2s, wages, and withholdings were false. The W-2s were used to seek tax refunds of the supposedly withheld wages, and as a basis to seek further tax credits. Defendants often directed the tax refunds into a variety of bank accounts controlled by Thomas, Owens, and Rodriguez, after which those defendants would often share a substantial portion of the proceeds with Harris. Harris, Owens, and Thomas also had fraudulent tax returns in their own names filed in connection with the conspiracy. In total, the fraudulent tax returns connected to the conspiracy sought approximately $997,804 in tax refunds, of which over $570,000 was paid out by the IRS.
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher S. Hales is prosecuting the case.
Rodriguez, the fourth defendant, is scheduled for trial on June 24, 2019 in front of U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. The charges are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Harris, Owens, and Thomas are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on September 24, 2019. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Three New Federal Cases Allege Illegal Distribution of Male Sexual Enhancement Pills Falsely Branded as ‘Herbal’ MedicineRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three companies and five executives have agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges alleging that they purchased and resold millions of dollars’ worth of pharmaceutical-grade erectile dysfunction pills that were falsely labeled as male herbal remedies.
The anticipated guilty pleas are in relation to three cases filed today in United States District Court against distributors of the misbranded drugs.
In one of the new cases, Ronald Daniel Scott, a.k.a., “Danny Scott,” 49, of Stevenson Ranch, agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce. Scott is the chief executive officer of Premiere Sales Group, Inc., a Santa Clarita-based company that also agreed to plead guilty to the same charge. Scott admitted in a plea agreement filed today that, from 2013 until early 2017, he purchased at least 1.7 million male sexual enhancement pills for $3.8 million from John Seil Lee, 40, of Walnut, the manufacturer of the pills who pleaded guilty in February to a series of felony offenses related to his illegal business.
Two other federal cases filed today charged the following six defendants with misdemeanor charges of conspiring with Lee to distribute his misbranded erectile enhancement drugs:
- Contenda Health LLC, a Southern Pines, North Carolina-based company;
- Chase Evan Cranford, 36, of Raleigh, North Carolina, the owner of Contenda Health LLC;
- Randall Cranford, 65, of Pinehurst, North Carolina, who is Chase Cranford’s father and who assisted him at Contenda Health;
- Eldorado Trading Company II, Inc., a distributor of adult toys and other sexual products, based in Broomfield, Colorado;
- Jon Vogt, 58, of Erie, Colorado, the director of purchasing for Eldorado Trading; and
- Dennis Jones, 65, of Thornton, Colorado, the senior buyer at Eldorado Trading.
According to court documents, Lee smuggled powder Tadalafil – the prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and sold under the brand name Cialis – from China. Lee then manufactured the powder Tadalafil into pills that he sold to distributors across the United States. In order to boost sales, Lee made the pills with up to 14 times the level of Tadalafil contained in Cialis. Lee sold at least $11 million worth of pills across the United States – under names such as “X Again,” “X Monster” and “Royal Master” – with labels that did not disclose the presence of Tadalafil and falsely stated that no prescription was necessary.
In their plea agreements, Contenda Health and the Cranfords admitted to purchasing more than 1.4 million misbranded pills from Lee for approximately $2.1 million, which they resold to retail locations across the United States.
Eldorado Trading, Jones, and Vogt admitted in their plea agreements to buying hundreds of thousands of misbranded pills from Lee, which Eldorado Trading resold for a profit of at least $215,000.
Once they enter their guilty pleas, the five businessmen charged today each will face a statutory maximum sentence of one year in federal prison. The three corporate entities will face up to five years of probation, as well as monetary sanctions of up to $200,000 in fines or twice the gross gain resulting from the criminal offenses.
The arraignments in these cases have been scheduled for June 24 for the defendants in the Eldorado Trading case, June 27 for the defendants in the Premiere Sales case, and July 15 for the defendants in the Contenda Health case.
The FDA’s approval of Cialis is limited to the use under the supervision of a licensed professional. Due to toxicity and other potentially harmful effects – including life-threatening drops in blood pressure, loss of vision, loss of hearing and prolonged, painful erections that can result in permanent injury – drugs similar to Cialis are not safe for use except under the supervision of a medical practitioner.
The investigation into these cases was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew W. O’Brien of the Environmental and Community Safety Crimes Section.
Hidden active pharmaceutical ingredients have been identified in products promoted not only for sexual enhancement, but also for bodybuilding, pain relief and weight loss. The FDA has issued hundreds of public warnings and recall announcements related to these types of fraudulent products. The FDA’s Tainted Products database can help consumers identify some of these potentially harmful products. Even if a product is not included in the list, consumers should be cautious about using certain products, especially those promoted for sexual enhancement, weight loss, bodybuilding and pain relief.
Three Men Sentenced for Conspiring to Traffic Drugs in the Hannibal AreaRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Tyrone L. Williams, 37, of Hannibal, MO; Terry T. Williams, 34, of St. Louis, MO; and Harold Williams, 30, of Hannibal, MO, were sentenced to 121 months, 60 months, and 112 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in a conspiracy to traffic narcotics in the Hannibal, MO, area. They appeared before U.S. District Judge Audrey G. Fleissig today.
According to court documents, between 2004 and 2016, the three men all assisted in bringing large amounts of cocaine and cocaine base into the Hannibal, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois areas for distribution. Tyrone Williams and Justin Woodson, who was previously sentenced to a term of 120 months imprisonment, maintained out-of-state sources of cocaine supply and would transport the cocaine back to Hannibal, Missouri for sale. The primary point of distribution for the drug network took place on Hope Street and Gordon Street within Hannibal, as well as in Quincy, Illinois. Both Terry Williams and Harold Williams acted as street-level distributors on behalf of Tyrone Williams and Justin Woodson. As part of his plea agreement, Tyrone Williams also admitted to having instructed Harold Williams to assault a cooperating witness in the investigation.
“We are grateful for the collective hard work of these Hannibal area law enforcement officials,” said United States Attorney Jeff Jensen.
This case was investigated by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the West Central Illinois Drug Task Force, Quincy Police Department, Troy Police Department, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Hannibal Police Department and the Northeast Missouri Narcotics Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angie Danis handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Three Charged in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three individuals were charged yesterday in federal court in Boston for their roles in a cocaine conspiracy.
Cesar Rodriguez-Sanquentin, 26, of Methuen; Luis Alfredo Baez, 51; and Luis Mejia Guerrero, 58, both of Boston, were each charged by criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The three men appeared in federal court yesterday and were each ordered detained pending a detention hearing.
According to the charging document, in 2018, federal and state law enforcement began investigating members of a drug trafficking organization in and around the Boston area. The investigation revealed that Baez and Guerrero distributed large quantities of narcotics, including cocaine, from a home base in Dorchester. Law enforcement also identified Rodriguez-Sanquentin as a drug trafficker from the Lawrence area.
On May 13, 2019, agents arrested Rodriguez-Sanquentin and seized over a kilogram of cocaine that he was allegedly on his way to deliver to Baez. Later that day, agents arrested Baez and Guerrero and subsequently executed several search warrants, which resulted in the seizure of cell phones, materials commonly used to package drugs for street level sale, digital scales, and approximately $68,000 in cash.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Kerry Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Alathea Porter of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the complaint are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Third Nevada Family Member Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A third participant in a Las Vegas, Nevada, conspiracy to obtain millions of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds was sentenced to prison today, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
U.S. District Court Judge James C. Mahan sentenced Elizabeth Trinh to 18 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to defraud the government.
According to documents filed with the court, Chanh V. Trinh, Cannedy Trinh, and Elizabeth Trinh, conspired to file corporate and individual tax returns reporting false income tax withholdings and payments, in order to cause the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to issue fraudulent income tax refunds. The Trinhs filed the returns in the names of fictitious business entities, their own names, and the names of other individuals, including a long-deceased family member. Chanh V. Trinh prepared and filed the returns. All three defendants deposited or cashed the fraudulently obtained refund checks using bank accounts and check-cashing businesses in Las Vegas. To conceal the funds, the defendants regularly purchased cashier’s checks, which they used to obtain gambling chips at local casinos. The conspiracy resulted in false claims of more than $6 million, and more than $2 million in fraudulent refunds paid out by the IRS.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Mahan ordered Elizabeth Trinh to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $362,328 to the IRS.
On April 10, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Mahan sentenced Chanh V. Trinh to 102 months in prison and Cannedy Trinh to 24 months in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Trutanich commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Third Nevada Family Member Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A third participant in a Las Vegas, Nevada, conspiracy to obtain millions of dollars in fraudulent tax refunds was sentenced to prison today, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr. of the IRS-Criminal Investigation.
U.S. District Court Judge James C. Mahan sentenced Elizabeth Trinh to 18 months in prison on one count of conspiracy to defraud the government.
According to documents filed with the court, Chanh V. Trinh, Cannedy Trinh, and Elizabeth Trinh, conspired to file corporate and individual tax returns reporting false income tax withholdings and payments, in order to cause the IRS to issue fraudulent income tax refunds. The Trinhs filed the returns in the names of fictitious business entities, their own names, and the names of other individuals, including a long-deceased family member. Chanh V. Trinh prepared and filed the returns. All three defendants deposited or cashed the fraudulently obtained refund checks using bank accounts and check-cashing businesses in Las Vegas. To conceal the funds, the defendants regularly purchased cashier’s checks, which they used to obtain gambling chips at local casinos. The conspiracy resulted in false claims of more than $6 million, and more than $2 million in fraudulent refunds paid out by the IRS.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge Mahan ordered Elizabeth Trinh to serve three years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $362,328 to the IRS.
On April 10, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge Mahan sentenced Chanh V. Trinh to 102 months in prison and Cannedy Trinh to 24 months in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman, U.S. Attorney Trutanich, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Nevarez commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Thomas W. Flynn and Eric C. Schmale of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana Pays Tribute to Fallen Law Enforcement Officers in Observance of National Police WeekRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local and tribal police officers during National Police Week, which is being observed this week, Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019. Today is National Peace Officers Memorial Day.
In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which the President signed, declaring May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice.
“Police Week is an opportunity for us to honor the men and women in blue, both here in Louisiana and across our great nation - recognizing their dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “I want to acknowledge the difficult, often dangerous work performed by our police officers and ask that we all take a moment to think about the brave men and women of law enforcement who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Families of our fallen officers should know that they have our unwavering support and appreciation.”
This year, the names of 371 U.S. law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty were engraved on the wall of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC, and were formally dedicated during the 31st Annual Candlelight Vigil on the evening of May 13, 2019. These names included 158 officers who were killed in 2018, and 213 officers who died in earlier years but whose stories of sacrifice had not been previously documented. The Candlelight Vigil is one of many commemorative events taking place in the nation’s capital and across the United States during National Police Week 2019 honoring the memory of law enforcement officers.
The Western District of Louisiana had two line-of-duty deaths in 2018. The officers whose names were added to the Memorial this year are:
- Monroe Police Department Officer Ayrian M. Williams, who passed away on May 21, 2018, in a vehicle crash while responding to a call to assist a fellow Monroe police officer. Her name can be located on the Memorial Panel at 45-W: 31.
- Montgomery Police Department Assistant Police Chief Kirt R. Ricks III, who passed away on September 7, 2018, in an automobile crash during the pursuit of a speeding motorist. His name can be located on the Memorial Panel at 27-E: 31.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial - the nation’s monument to law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty - is located on E Street between 4th and 5th Streets NW. Two marble walls display the names of more than 21,000 officers who have been killed in the line of duty throughout U.S. history, dating back to the first known death in 1791. New names of fallen officers are added to the monument each spring, in conjunction with National Police Week. The Memorial is open 24-hours, admission is free, and guided tours are available by appointment.
As a part of honoring law enforcement this week, U.S. Attorney Joseph will speak at the annual Police Memorial service, hosted by the Lafayette Police Department on Thursday, May 16 at 6:00 p.m. at St. Barnabas Church. A motorcade will begin at 5:30 p.m. starting from the Lafayette Police Department main station located at 900 E. University Ave. and proceed to the church.
Other events taking place throughout the District included:
The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, Alexandria Police Department and other Central Louisiana law enforcement agencies honored fallen officers at a memorial ceremony on the morning of May 14 at the Rapides Parish Courthouse. The Alexandria Police Department also has motorcycle officers in Washington, D.C., for Police Week escorting family members of fallen officers for events this week.
The Bossier City Police Department hosted a Peace Officers Memorial Ceremony today at 11:00 a.m. today the lobby of the Bossier Civic Center on 620 Benton Road. The ceremony honors fallen officers of the Bossier City Police Department, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police Troop G and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
The Monroe Police Department held a wreath laying ceremony today from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 700 Wood Street, honoring one of their fallen officers, Officer Ayrian Williams. Brandon B. Brown, an Assistant U.S. Attorney with the Western District of Louisiana, was the guest speaker.
For more information about other National Police Week events and fallen officers, please visit www.policeweek.org or www.nleomf.org.
Syrian National Pleads Guilty to Federal Stalking OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALAA HASAN QALB ALLOUZ, 34, a citizen of Syria last residing in New Haven, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of stalking in violation of a protective order.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2016, Allouz, his wife and their children emigrated from Syria and settled in New Haven. In April 2017, Allouz’s wife filed a petition for dissolution of marriage, after incidents of domestic violence and Allouz’s state arrests for risk of injury, assault, breach of peace, and violation of a protective order offenses. In July 2017, Allouz’s wife obtained a Standing Criminal Protective Order ordering Allouz not to contact his wife. In August 2017, after Allouz threatened his wife, Allouz’s wife withdrew her petition for dissolution of marriage.
On February 2, 2018, Allouz was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a federal arrest warrant and order of deportation, and he was transferred from a Connecticut state prison to a detention center in Massachusetts. While he was detained in ICE custody, Allouz made multiple phone calls to his wife during which he repeatedly harassed, threatened and intimidated her. He also made calls to other individuals during which he threatened to harm his wife and her family members. Allouz also threatened his wife and her family members in letters and e-mails.
Allouz has been detained, first in state and then federal custody, since January 10, 2017. On February 5, 2019, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging him with the offense.
Allouz is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on August 20, 2019, at which time he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year and a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Steamboat Springs Woman Convicted after Stealing from Profit Sharing PlanRead the Press Release
GRAND JUNCTION – A federal jury sitting in Grand Junction found Anita Harmon, age 62, of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, guilty of two counts of embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, announced United States Attorney Jason Dunn and U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration Regional Director Jim Purcell. The jury returned its verdict on May 10, 2019, before United States District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson. Harmon was acquitted of two other counts.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anita Harmon was the trustee for an ERISA plan called the Healthcare Financial Assistance Corporation Profit Sharing Plan. The company that sponsored the plan went out of business and, in September 2012, Harmon transferred the plan assets from one bank account to another to which she had access and to accounts in the name of limited liability corporations controlled by her. Thereafter, Harmon depleted the plan account through periodic transfers into her other accounts until, in November 2014, she emptied it out entirely. From the other accounts, she wrote checks for rent, taxes, and other items unconnected to plan administration. Altogether, she took over $24,000 from the plan.
“Theft from employee plans like this hurts real people,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “We prosecute these cases to make sure that the employees who were cheated receive justice.”
“Theft from retirement plans and pensions has significant adverse effects on the livelihood and peace of mind of workers,” said Employee Benefits Security Administration Regional Director Jim Purcell, in Kansas City. “Our Department takes these actions seriously and will continue to investigate any action that threatens retirement benefits workers have earned.”
For the counts of conviction in this matter, the defendant may be sentenced to not more than five years imprisonment, not more than a $250,000 fine, followed by not more than three years supervised release. Sentencing is set for August 6, 2019.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration. The defendant was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Burrows and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Chaffin.
Case No. 18-cr-270
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Statement of U.S. Attorney John H. Durham in Recognition of National Police WeekRead the Press Release
This is National Police Week, a time when our nation celebrates the contributions of local, state, federal and tribal law enforcement officers from around the country for their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.
In 1962, President Kennedy signed a proclamation designating today, May 15, as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week surrounding this date as National Police Week, to honor federal, state and municipal officers killed in the line of duty.
According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018, including two officers here in Connecticut.
The men and women of law enforcement often face uncertain and dangerous situations without question and without expectation of thanks. Increasingly, there are many citizens who not only expect perfection from our police officers, they demand it. Officers face this pressure every day and, combined with the everyday pressure of the job and the important responsibility they have to keep us all safe from harm, it takes an undeniable toll.
So far this year, 41 brave men and women of law enforcement have lost their lives in service to the citizens of the United States. In addition, 78 law enforcement officers in the U.S., including one in Connecticut, have taken their own lives.
I ask that you please take a moment today to remember our fallen officers, and their families and loved ones who live with their loss.
In my long career as a state and federal prosecutor, I have had the honor of working closely with hundreds of law enforcement officers in the cause of justice. I have the greatest respect and admiration for these men and women, and all officers, troopers and agents who, at any moment, are prepared to put their lives at risk for our safety.
John H. Durham
United States Attorney
District of Connecticut
May 15, 2019State Representative Larry Inman IndictedRead the Press Release
The federal grand jury alleges Inman attempted to sell his vote on the repeal of the state’s prevailing wage law last June and later lied to the FBI
GRAND RAPIDS - MICHIGAN: United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that a federal grand jury charged Larry Charles Inman, of Grand Traverse County, with three crimes: attempted extortion, bribery and lying to an agent of the FBI. Inman is the elected legislator in the Michigan House of Representatives representing the 104th District in the State of Michigan.
Specifically, Inman is accused of soliciting money via text messages he sent between June 3-5, 2018, to a labor union, the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights (MRCCM), in exchange for voting “no” on the 2018 legislative initiative petition to repeal Michigan’s prevailing wage law. The MRCCM did not respond as Inman allegedly requested. Inman ultimately voted “yes” on June 6, 2018, to repeal the law, and the Michigan House repealed the law by a vote of 56 to 53. The indictment includes the text messages allegedly from Inman to union representatives in the days before the vote, one of which Inman concludes by stating “we never had this discussion.”
The grand jury alleges that Inman committed the crime of attempted extortion by using his authority as an elected representative, namely his authority to vote on the petition to repeal the prevailing wage law, to seek to obtain money from the MRCCM with the union’s consent. If convicted of this offense, Inman faces up to twenty years in prison.
The grand jury also alleges Inman solicited a bribe by corruptly soliciting a political campaign contribution of money in exchange for something worth $5,000 or more, namely his vote on the petition to repeal the prevailing wage law. If convicted of this offense, Inman faces up to ten years in prison.
The grand jury further alleges that, when an FBI agent later asked Inman about his solicitation, Inman knowingly made a false statement to the agent denying he had any such communications. If he is convicted of this offense, Inman faces up to five years in prison.
The Lansing office of the FBI is investigating this case. The names of those not accused of a crime, such as witnesses, are redacted from the indictment. And the public is reminded that an
indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. A date for Inman’s arraignment has not yet been scheduled.END
Inman IndictmentSpringfield Shooting Center Owner Indicted on Charges of Arson, Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The owner of a closed Springfield gun shooting center has been indicted on charges of arson and insurance fraud. John W. Jackson, Jr., 45, of Springfield, Ill., made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Schanzle-Haskins. The indictment, returned by the grand jury on May 8, 2019, had remained sealed pending Jackson’s arrest and initial court appearance.
Jackson was arrested on May 14, and is scheduled to appear in court again tomorrow, May 16, for arraignment and detention hearings. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at this time.
The indictment alleges that Jackson set fire to the Springfield Shooting Center, at 4885 Industrial Drive, on Sept. 6, 2017, and that a Springfield Fire Department Investigator was injured as a result of the fire. At that time, Jackson and his wife were owners and sole shareholders of Springfield Shooting Center, Inc. The indictment alleges that the couple, who was purchasing the building and inventory in installment payments, was behind in making payments at the time of the fire.
The indictment alleges that the fire was used to commit wire fraud when Jackson submitted an insurance claim for $1.62 million following the fire. According to the indictment, in July 2017, the Springfield Shooting Center secured a commercial insurance policy in the amount of $1.5 million for the building and $125,000 for the business personal property. Jackson allegedly gave false statements to the insurance company regarding his involvement in setting the fire and by claiming certain property was stolen when in fact it had previously been sold.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for arson causing injury is 40 years in prison; the maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison, and the penalty for using fire to commit wire fraud is 10 years in prison to be served consecutive to any other penalty imposed. Each of the three counts includes a potential fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Z. Weir. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Springfield Police Department; and the Springfield Fire Department.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Smith County Man Sentenced for Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas – A 25-year-old Tyler, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Heon Jong Yoo, a/k/a “Hank Yoo,” was found guilty on Nov. 15, 2018, of seven counts of false statements made in connection with firearms transactions and one count of unlawful possession by a prohibited person. Yoo was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder, III. Yoo was ordered to surrender to immigration officials for deportation after serving his sentence.
According to information presented in court, Yoo, a lawful permanent resident from South Korea, was an undergraduate student at the University of Texas-Tyler, when he falsely represented that he was a United States citizen with respect to seven different firearms transactions, some of which involved semiautomatic weapons. He did so after having been involuntarily committed to a mental institution in the state of New Jersey in 2013 and again in 2015. At the time of his arrest, Yoo was in possession of multiple firearms, ammunition, and firearms accessories. Yoo was initially indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 18, 2018. A superseding indictment was returned against him on Sep. 19, 2018.
“Law enforcement most likely saved lives with the arrest of Hank Yoo,” said United States Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “At multiple schools were he had attended, administrators had worried about his increasing threatening behavior. And when you mix in his history of mental issues and that he was lying to get access to firearms, the situation could have ended badly.”
“Questions on the ATF Form 4473 are designed to identify prohibitors such as felony offenses, adjudicated mental illness, or substance abuse," stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “Yoo lied on the form, then compounded the lies by misusing the benefit afforded by a Texas Concealed Handgun License. His overall, evolving pattern of conduct sounded alarms at institutions and communities throughout Texas.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Texas Department of Public Safety-Texas Rangers Division; the Smith County Sheriff’s Office; the Tyler Police Department; and the University of Texas-Tyler Police Department. Assistance was also provided by the Department of Homeland Security, the Dallas Police Department, the Plano Police Department, the Prosper Police Department, the Collin College Police Department, the Dallas County Community College District Police Department, the Rutgers University Police Department, and the University of Connecticut Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Coan, Lucas Machicek, and Ryan Locker.
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Siskiyou County Man Charged with Major Fraud Against the United States for Taking FEMA Grant FundsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Samuel Thomas Lanier, 40, of Dunsmuir, was charged today with seven counts of major fraud against the United States, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from approximately June 2013 to March 2018, Lanier engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States by submitting, or causing to be submitted, false reimbursement requests to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in connection with federal grants awarded to Siskiyou and Shasta County Fire Chiefs Associations to assist them in recruiting and training new firefighters.
In June 2013 and June 2014, respectively, the Siskiyou and Shasta County Fire Chiefs Associations were awarded grants as part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program. Each grant was over $1 million. The purpose of these grants was to assure that communities have adequate protection from fire-related hazards, and to help the recipients attain and maintain 24-hour staffing.
Lanier, as an owner or executive of two companies located in Dunsmuir, was hired by the Fire Chiefs Associations to administer these grants. In this capacity, Lanier knowingly submitted to FEMA false and fraudulent reimbursement requests, seeking and obtaining reimbursement for goods and services that were not, in fact, actually obtained on behalf of the fire associations. In so doing, Lanier caused a gross loss to the United States of over $500,000.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Major Frauds & Corruption Unit of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schuller Hitchcock is prosecuting the case.
“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG) in partnership with the Department of Justice is committed to identifying and investigating fraud schemes and corrupt activities that pose significant risk and major financial impact to DHS and its components, including FEMA. This fraud scheme siphoned vital funds from a federal program that supports local fire departments to serve their communities,” said James E. Long, Special Agent in Charge, Major Frauds and Corruption Unit, DHS OIG. “Fraud perpetrated against FEMA is detrimental to our nation’s infrastructure and safety, especially from programs that support front line firefighters and first responders.”
Lanier has agreed to plead guilty to the charges. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Saratoga County Man Sentenced to 72 Months for Machinegun Possession, Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, and Growing MarijuanaRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Justin W. May, age 37, of Edinburg, New York, was sentenced today to 72 months in prison for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possessing a machinegun, and manufacturing marijuana.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; John B. DeVito, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Acting New York State Police Superintendent Keith M. Corlett.
On April 12, 2016, the New York State Police responded to a call for shots fired on Fox Hill Road in Edinburg. Upon arrival, one individual was immediately taken into custody, but the second shooter, later identified as May, was not visible. In response, State Police members looked around May’s property and observed a marijuana grow operation, along with an AR-15-type weapon.
May later returned home and was taken into custody. He possessed two handguns in his vehicle. The State Police executed a search warrant on the property and found marijuana plants in various stages of growth, approximately 6 pounds of processed marijuana, two semi-automatic rifles, and other firearms.
Further ATF examination of one of the rifles, an AR-15 type, .300 Blackout caliber rifle, concluded that the hammer had been modified to allow the firearm to fire automatically, as a machinegun. May admitted during his plea on November 21, 2018, that he knew the Blackout rifle, as modified, was a machinegun, and that he possessed two handguns to protect his marijuana grow operation and drug money.
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced May to 12 months in prison for growing marijuana and for possessing the machinegun, to run concurrently, and imposed a mandatory 60-month consecutive sentence for possessing the handguns in furtherance of drug trafficking. May must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release once out of prison and pay a $3,000 fine.
This case was investigated by ATF and the New York State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Collyer and Jeffrey Coffman.
Sacramento Area Resident Charged with Flying Drone over NFL Games in Violation of National Defense Airspace RegulationsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – A federal criminal complaint was filed yesterday, charging Tracey Michael Mapes with violations of national defense airspace, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and U.S. Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General Regional Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Dubsick.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Mapes, 56, of North Highlands, in Sacramento County, modified an unmanned aircraft, or drone, by adding a compartment underneath its belly to carry a payload and used that compartment to hold dozens of flyers. On November 26, 2017, Mapes flew the drone over two National Football League games and dropped the flyers on the spectators below. First Mapes piloted the drone over Levi’s Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers were hosting the Seattle Seahawks. He then piloted the drone over the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, where the Oakland Raiders were hosting the Denver Broncos. Tens of thousands of spectators were present for both events.
The Federal Aviation Administration, as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, is responsible for the control and use of navigable airspace within the United States. This responsibility includes designating certain airspace as important to national security, and restricting aircraft from operating within that airspace. This “national defense airspace” includes the area above and within a three-mile radius of National Football League stadiums during NFL games.
Mapes is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court on June 4, 2019 at 1:30 before the assigned duty Magistrate Judge in San Jose.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a sentence of up to one year, as well as a fine of $100,000. Further, the court may order additional periods of supervised release, fines, and restitution; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Simeon prosecuted the case with the assistance of Tong Zhang. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DOT.
Romanian National Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Role in 2007 Connecticut Home InvasionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXANDRU LUCIAN NICOLESCU, 41, a citizen of Romania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 121 months of imprisonment for his participation in a 2007 Connecticut home invasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly before midnight on April 15, 2007, Alexandru Nicolescu and Emanuel Nicolescu, who are not related, and another individual, wearing masks and brandishing knives and firearms, entered a home in South Kent, Connecticut. The intruders bound and blindfolded two adult victims and injected each with a substance the intruders claimed was a deadly virus. The intruders ordered the victims to pay $8.5 million or else they would be left to die from the lethal injection. When it became clear that the victims were not in position to meet the intruders’ demands, the intruders drugged the two residents with a sleeping aid and fled in the homeowner’s Jeep Cherokee.
The stolen Jeep Cherokee was abandoned the next morning at a Home Depot in New Rochelle, New York. A few days later, on April 21, 2007, an accordion case washed ashore in Jamaica Bay. The content of the case included a stun gun, a 12-inch knife, a black plastic Airsoft gun, a crowbar, syringes, sleeping pills, latex gloves, and a laminated telephone card with the South Kent address of the victims.
In 2010, a newly assigned investigator from the Connecticut State Police made the connection that matched a partial Pennsylvania license plate, seen by a witness near the victims’ estate on the night of the crime, to a car owned by Michael N. Kennedy, and made a further connection that Kennedy had formerly shared an address with Emmanuel Nicolescu, who had been employed by the victim. The investigator then discovered that the data for the cell tower nearby the New Rochelle Home Depot contained a call by a phone number registered to Emmanuel Nicolescu, minutes after the Jeep was abandoned. Shortly after that, investigators from the State Police and FBI gathered Emanuel Nicolescu’s DNA and found that it partially matched a sample from the Jeep’s steering wheel.
As to the accordion case, investigators learned that Kennedy’s father was a professional accordion player, and witnesses later identified the knife in the accordion case as a gift given to Emanuel Nicolescu by his father-in-law.
The investigation revealed that Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy worked with Alexandru Nicolescu and, as alleged, Stefan Alexandru Barabas, to commit the crime. The four men planned the home invasion, which included the research and purchase of implements necessary for the crime, such as two-way radios, stun guns and imitation pistols. On the night of April 15, 2007, Kennedy drove Emanuel Nicolescu, Alexandru Nicolescu and Barabas to a location in the vicinity of the South Kent home, and then picked them up the following morning in New Rochelle at the location where the intruders abandoned the stolen Jeep.
Alexandru Nicolescu fled the U.S. on April 16, 2007. He has been detained since November 14, 2013, when he was arrested in the United Kingdom where he was residing. He unsuccessfully contested his extradition and, on November 25, 2014, was transported to the U.S. On January 8, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted extortion and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion.
Emanuel Nicolescu was arrested in Illinois on January 23, 2011. On March 22, 2012, a jury in New Haven found him guilty of attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, and possession of a stolen vehicle. On August 17, 2012, he was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment.
Kennedy, also known as Nicolae Helerea, a citizen of Romania, voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Romania and, on November 5, 2012, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted extortion and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion. On May 4, 2016, he was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment.
Stefan Barabas has been charged in connection with this case and is currently being sought. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest.
As to Barabas, U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and New York City Police Department. U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police for their assistance in this case.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.
Richmond Heights woman sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay $531,000 in restitution for preparing false tax returnsRead the Press Release
A Richmond Heights woman who operated a tax preparation business was sentenced to 18 months in prison and ordered to pay more than $500,000 in restitution for preparing false tax returns.
Karla Jenkins, 48, previously pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent return and one count of making and subscribing a false income tax return.
Jenkins operated Vertical Tax Service LLC from an office on Mayfield Road in South Euclid. Jenkins prepared false tax returns on behalf of Vertical Tax Service clients, including taking false, inflated and/or improper deductions for medical and dental expenses, charitable contributions and other miscellaneous expenses, according to court documents.
The clients received the majority of the refund but Jenkins received a portion of the refund as her tax preparation fee. This took place between at least 2012 and 2015, according to court documents.
"Those who cheat on their taxes are cheating the American public," U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said.
“Karla Jenkins owned a tax preparation business that blatantly ignored the tax laws by preparing false tax returns and misusing her electronic filing privileges,” said William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “Dishonest return preparers use a variety of methods to cheat the government, including falsifying information on the tax returns to generate larger refunds for their clients. Criminal Investigation will continue to ensure that all tax practitioners, tax preparers and others who practice in the tax law profession adhere to professional standards and follow the law.”
Jenkins was ordered to pay $531,240 in restitution.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Miller following an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
Reward of up to $100,000 offered in the Cold Case Homicide of U.S. Postal Service Contract DriverRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN –Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Tennessee, Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Memphis Police Department (MPD) today announced a reward of up to $100,000 in a renewed effort to gain additional information about the 2001 unsolved murder of U.S. Postal Service Contract Driver Larry Vinson.
On January 2, 2001, between approximately 11:15 pm and 11:30 pm, Larry Vinson was murdered outside the United States Postal Service Mail Annex, which at the time was located near the airport at 3510 Winchester Road, Memphis, Tennessee. Investigators determined that Vinson was murdered during the commission of a robbery.
Because of potential new leads which have recently been developed, as well as continuing advances in DNA technology, U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich along with other partners, are announcing the availability of up to $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person (s) responsible for this crime. Investigators are confident there are members of the public who can provide critical information to help solve this murder of Larry Vinson.
Anyone with information about the January 2, 2001, murder of Postal Contract Driver Larry Vinson at 3510 Winchester Road, should call the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 or Memphis Crime Stoppers at 901-528-CASH.
Larry Vinson
Reward Poster Larry Vinson case 4-17-19.pdf
Recently Released Felon Arrested for Drunk Driving Sentenced to 18 Months for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Christopher Campbell, 30, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana K. Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On September 28, 2018, Campbell was found in possession of a firearm after he was stopped by officers for driving under the influence. Campbell was previously convicted of felonious house burglary in Hinds County and was sentenced to serve twenty five years in the custody of Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) with eight of those years suspended. Campbell was released from MDOC less than one year before being arrested for the current charge.
On December 12, 2018, Campbell was charged in a criminal indictment. He pled guilty before Judge Reeves on February 13, 2019.
This case is part of Project EJECT, a nationally-recognized initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is 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. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions 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.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Jackson Police Department investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Queens Man Convicted in Manhattan Federal Court of Sex Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that LUIDJI BENJAMIN, a/k/a “Zoe,” was found guilty of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking of a minor following a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “As proven in court today, Luidji Benjamin callously preyed on vulnerable girls to prostitute for his own financial gain. This sexual predator ruined the lives of at least two young women, advertising their bodies for commercial sex. Today a jury convicted Benjamin of his horrific crimes and he now faces at least 10 years in prison for his depravity.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and evidence presented during the trial in Manhattan federal court:
From late 2015 to December 2015, BENJAMIN engaged in sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of two minor victims. BENJAMIN recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, and maintained women for the purpose of commercial sex, including one minor victim (“Victim-1”) who resided at a residential treatment facility located in Westchester County, which provided housing for at-risk troubled children and adolescents on behalf of department of social services for certain counties in New York State.
BENJAMIN recruited Victim-1 to engage in commercial sex through a social media website, and he used Backpage.com and Craiglist.com, online classifieds websites, to post advertisements for commercial sex. Certain of these advertisements included graphic images, including of Victim-1 performing oral sex on the defendant. BENJAMIN directed Victim-1 to engage in commercial sex acts in cars and residences throughout Queens, New York.
The defendant and a co-conspirator also recruited a second minor victim (“Victim-2”) to engage in commercial sex acts. BENJAMIN and his co-conspirator spent the proceeds of this scheme on marijuana, liquor, and other goods for themselves.
* * *
BENJAMIN, 23, of Queens, New York, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the Court.
This prosecution is part of an ongoing investigation that, including BENJAMIN, has charged 19 defendants, set forth in eight indictments, for the sex trafficking of at least 13 minor girls and young adults in New York State’s social services system.
Any individuals who believe that they have information that may be relevant to this investigation should contact the FBI at (212) 384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
Mr. Berman thanked the FBI and the NYPD for their outstanding work in this matter and, in particular, the New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Mollie Bracewell, Jacob Gutwillig, and Richard Cooper are in charge of the prosecution.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
DAYTON – Daryl Ian Evans, 36, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
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, and Dayton Police Chief Richard S. Biehl announced the sentence handed down today by U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
According to court documents, Dayton Police found Evans in possession of four firearms while executing a search warrant on Eleanor Street in Dayton in January 2018.
Evans possessed the firearms in connection with drug trafficking. Police also found heroin, cocaine, marijuana and $10,000 in cash at the residence.
Evans had been previously convicted in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court for attempted possession of cocaine and domestic violence.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation by the FBI and Dayton Police, 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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Portland Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Joseph Holland, 33, of Portland, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to possessing child pornography.
According to court records, in January of this year, Holland was on supervised release after completing his term of imprisonment for a prior federal conviction. Another individual on supervised release admitted to a U.S. Probation Officer that he had been using Holland’s cell phone, and that he had seen images of nudes that he thought could be minors on the phone. A review of Holland’s phone revealed numerous child pornography images.
Holland faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces a term of supervised release following his release from prison of no less than 5 years and up to life. He faces a separate term of imprisonment for violating the conditions of his supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services.
Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Member and Associate Plead Guilty to Making and Collecting Extortionate LoansRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Philip Narducci, 56, of Philadelphia, and James Gallo, 44, of Philadelphia, entered pleas of guilty today before Judge Timothy Savage on several counts relating to making and collecting upon extortionate loans. Narducci is a member of the Philadelphia organized crime family La Cosa Nostra (LCN), and Gallo is his associate.
At the hearing, the defendants both admitted that Narducci made usurious and extortionate loans involving tens of thousands of dollars to an unnamed borrower. When the borrower failed to make weekly interest payments – sometimes with an interest rate above 80 percent - Narducci used threats of violence and actual physical assault to force the borrower to repay the loans. One such incident occurred at Chick’s Philly, a bar and restaurant operated by Narducci, on Washington Avenue in South Philadelphia. In one particularly disturbing exchange, Gallo told the borrower he should be scared of Narducci, saying, “He’s a killer you f***ing idiot. He’s killed f***ing eight people.”
“Philadelphians deserve to be safe and live without the fear or threat of violence, especially from unscrupulous defendants like these,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “My Office takes organized crime in this District very seriously, and will investigate and prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.”
“This organized crime network threatened the safety of our neighborhoods by extorting and assaulting Philadelphians,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “Thanks to strong collaboration between our law enforcement partners, we were able to put an end to this criminal behavior and keep the people of Philadelphia safe. We will continue working together to investigate and prosecute organized crime wherever we find it.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan B. Ortiz.
Philadelphia Correctional Officers Charged in Beating of InmateRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Robert Berger, 35, and Nathaniel Morris, 47, both of Philadelphia, PA, were charged by Indictment with depriving an inmate at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility of his constitutional right to be free from unreasonable force. Berger and Morris, both arrested earlier today, were also charged with making false statements relating to the incident.
The defendants are City of Philadelphia correctional officers who are alleged to have beaten an inmate in their custody on September 10, 2018. As outlined in the indictment, Berger and Morris allegedly repeatedly punched and kicked the inmate, even though the inmate was compliant and not posing a physical threat to anyone.
“The United States criminal justice system works because everyone, regardless of where they are in the system, is guaranteed constitutional rights along the way,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “These two defendants, whose jobs it is to maintain the safety and security of inmates while in custody, allegedly violated the law in a brutal, violent manner. The federal government will not tolerate this kind of lawless behavior.”
“Corrections officers have a difficult job,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “That doesn't give them impunity to lash out violently and treat inmates like punching bags. Incarcerated men and women lose their freedom, not their humanity — and not their civil rights. The FBI will always seek justice for victims of violence, no matter who or where they are.”
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of twenty years imprisonment. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Faithe Moore Taylor.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Owner of Opioid Addiction Treatment Practice with Offices in Western PA and West Virginia Pleads Guilty to Illegal Distribution and Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Washington, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of aiding and abetting the unlawful distribution of controlled substances and health care fraud, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Jennifer Hess, 50, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Hess founded and owned Redirections Treatment Advocates LLC (RTA), an opioid treatment practice with offices in Washington and Bridgeville, PA and Morgantown, Weirton and Moundsville, WVA. Hess aided and abetted the illegal distribution of buprenorphine, also known as Subutex and Suboxone, by completing blank pre-signed prescriptions and/or forging doctors’ names on blank prescriptions. Hess also committed health care fraud for causing fraudulent claims to be submitted to Medicaid and Medicare for payments to cover the costs of the unlawfully prescribed buprenorphine.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for October 30, 2019 at 10 a.m.. The law provides for a total sentence of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1,250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar and Michael L. Ivory are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The investigation leading to the filing of charges in these cases was conducted by the Western Pennsylvania Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit (OFADU). The Western Pennsylvania OFADU, led by federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, combines the expertise and resources of federal and state law enforcement to address the role played by unethical medical professionals in the opioid epidemic. This unit has investigated and prosecuted more corrupt health care professionals than any other U.S. Attorney’s Office in the country.
The agencies which comprise the Western Pennsylvania OFADU include: Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General – Bureau of Narcotic Investigations, United States Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office – Criminal Division, Civil Division and Asset Forfeiture Unit, Department of Veterans Affairs-Office of Inspector General, Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, U.S. Office of Personnel Management – Office of Inspector General and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Licensing.
Orlando Healthcare Worker Convicted of Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – A federal jury has found Vorarut Vorasiangsuk (36, Orlando) guilty of two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. For each count of receipt of child pornography, Vorasiangsuk faces a minimum mandatory penalty of five years, and up to 20 years in federal prison. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for the possession count. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 31, 2019.
Vorasiangsuk was indicted on February 13, 2019.
According to testimony presented at trial, in January 2019, the FBI conducted a search warrant at Vorasiangsuk’s residence. At that time, Vorasiangsuk confessed to having used peer-to-peer file-sharing programs to download child pornography from the internet, and he admitted that he had been downloading and viewing child pornography for approximately 15 years. Vorasiangsuk, a respiratory therapist, also told the agents that he had been working primarily with babies at a local healthcare facility for at least 10 years. The FBI recovered nine computer devices from Vorasiangsuk, containing thousands of images of child pornography, including images depicting young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Opening Statement of Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth of the Office of Justice Programs Before the Senate Committee on Indian AffairsRead the Press Release
Chairman Hoeven, Vice Chairman Udall, and Members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to discuss President Trump’s budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2020, particularly the substantial investments he proposes to support public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. My name is Matt Dummermuth, and I am the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the research, statistical, and primary funding arm of the Department of Justice (DOJ).
I appear before you today on behalf of the entire Department. As you know, the Department plays a central role in carrying out federal Indian policy, alongside other agencies such as the Department of the Interior and the Department of Health and Human Services. Under the leadership of Attorney General Barr, DOJ is committed to honoring tribal sovereignty and working with tribal leaders on a government-to-government basis to help ensure public safety in native communities.
This committee hardly needs to be reminded of the serious challenges tribes face in combating violence and administering justice. As the President noted in his recent Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day Proclamation, “Too many American Indians and Alaska Natives are the victims of abuse, sexual exploitation, or murder — or are missing from their communities.” Indeed, the issues facing tribal communities are both prevalent and pervasive. According to a landmark study of intimate partner violence funded by our National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and released in 2016, more than four in five American Indian and Alaska Native adults have experienced some form of violence in their lifetime, and more than half of all American Indian and Alaskan Native women experienced sexual violence in their lifetime. That is almost three million people who have experienced stalking, physical or sexual violence, or psychological aggression by intimate partners. It is also worth noting that almost all American Indian and Alaska Native victims reported experiencing violence at the hands of a non-native perpetrator at least once in their lifetime. In addition, reports funded by DOJ have exposed the staggering rates at which American Indian and Alaska Native children and youth experience violence and post-traumatic stress.
As if the sheer scale of violence were not enough, the resources that tribal professionals have at their disposal are often limited. It is an understatement to say that these men and women are often overstretched. Another NIJ report on policing in Indian country found that the typical tribal police department serves an area the size of the state of Delaware with a patrol of no more than three officers. I just had the privilege of visiting several native villages in Alaska, a truly eye-opening experience. I met with tribal leaders and justice system officials, who also showed me around their communities. I learned much about Alaska Native villages and the numerous challenges they face. On May 1, I participated in OJP’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) consultation with tribal leaders and representatives, and I can speak firsthand about the lack of resources available to tribal authorities to ensure law and order and respond to victims. Native villagers live in some of the most beautiful locations on earth, but the word “remote” does not begin to describe them. The President’s Budget recognizes the gravity of the problem, and proposes to direct considerable resources to supporting tribes as they develop solutions.
The Department of Justice has an extensive history of supporting tribal public safety and victim assistance. During FY 2018, DOJ’s grant-making offices—OJP, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)—awarded 225 grants totaling more than $113 million to 125 separate tribes under our Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS), which is our primary mechanism through which tribes apply for DOJ funding. CTAS enables tribes to apply for grants based on their own public safety needs, not according to some generic criteria that may or may not make sense for tribal applicants. Under CTAS, tribes can search grant opportunities by ten purpose areas—ranging from policing to services for sexual assault victims. They can then submit an application that outlines their public safety goals. We have seen success come from these awards. For example, the Pueblo of Jemez received a grant to start a community outreach and victim assistance program to combat elder abuse, a problem that is affecting a growing number of seniors throughout America. The Jemez program developed an elder code, created a system of elder advocacy services, and launched a public education campaign. This year, we established an additional purpose area to address violent crime in Native lands. The new purpose area (#10) is designed to provide key funding to Tribal justice systems to focus on combating, addressing, and responding to precipitous increases in crime within tribal communities. The goal is to assist tribes to increase their capacity to work with federal, state and local partners to investigate and prosecute serious and violent crimes, including any investigations of missing or murdered tribal members.
In addition to CTAS resources, a total of 154 grants totaling $88 million were awarded as part of OVC’s first Tribal Victim Service Set-Aside program supported by the Crime Victims Fund, a repository of federal criminal fines, fees, and special assessments. The fund includes zero tax dollars. These awards support child and elder victims, domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, victims of human trafficking, families of homicide victims, and people who have been victimized as a result of the opioid crisis. Even more funding—$168 million—will be available under the set-aside this year.
DOJ has also created and invested in innovative training and assistance programs, which will be instrumental to the tribes in developing victim service programs. For instance, programmatic technical assistance is available to help develop the programs proposed by the tribes, and likewise a Financial Management Training Center now offers the tools and training to establish strong accounting systems and other important principles to increase the chance of success for the grantees. This training is designed for individuals responsible for the financial administration of grants awarded from federal programs administered by various bureaus and offices at the Department, and DOJ is offering an online version of the seminars to give tribes the ability to complete federal grants management training, regardless of their location. All of these new programs will help improve the response of tribes to the victims of crime. This year, OJP will continue to support a range of critical training and technical assistance to tribes including regional trainings available for all tribes on ways to prepare for and apply for funding to support their work. In FY 2020, OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance is planning to launch new training and technical assistance specifically to support native Alaskan Villages and native corporations.
Much has been said about the levels of crime and violence in Indian country and the Alaska Native villages and the “missing and murdered crisis” within the American Indian and Alaska Native tribal communities. We know the loss, trauma, and need for answers span generations. To that end, NIJ’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons Program, also referred to as NamUs, is addressing the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women and children. In December 2018, NamUs added five tribal data fields to its system to assist all law enforcement and the families of the missing to add tribal detail to the cases that are entered. NamUs also started a Victim Services Unit in March of this year with funding from OVC. This unit will address the needs of all victims and the families of the missing persons that are entered into NamUs, including those in tribal communities. Recognizing that AI/AN cases were underrepresented in NamUs, NIJ and NamUs staff have made significant and targeted efforts to increase awareness over the past two years. We have launched an outreach campaign to tribal law enforcement, leadership, and community members to ensure the communities are aware of the technology and technical assistance, which is available free to all tribal nations.
Additionally, the Department is committed to improving the collection of tribal crime data. We are partnering with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Justice Services to conduct the 2019 Census of Tribal Law Enforcement Agencies, which we expect later this year. This is the first tribal law enforcement collection since the passage of the Tribal Law and Order Act (TLOA) in 2010, and will feature information on staffing and workload activities, including how both tribal and BIA police departments respond to domestic violence, opioids matters and human trafficking on tribal lands. We are also pleased to report that we are actively working with over 150 tribes on sex offender registration and notification, and 134 tribes have already substantially implemented the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), Title I of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act. These tribes are now added to the comprehensive nationwide network of jurisdictions sharing sex offender registration data and are connected to the National Sex Offender Public Website. We continue to provide extensive training and technical assistance to tribes to implement and maintain their sex offender registration and notification duties and, in FY 2018, OJP’s Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking provided $5.1 million under the Support for Adam Walsh Act Implementation Grant Program to 21 tribes.
These are historic investments in tribal public safety and victim assistance programs, and the President’s Budget for FY 2020 proposes to build on this commitment. The budget requests a total of $523.1 million in tribal public safety resources, including $298 million in grant funding and $152 million for the Federal Bureau of Prisons to support the Native American inmate prison population. This would be an increase over FY 2019 funding.
In a demonstration of the Administration’s commitment to its tribal partners, the President’s FY 2020 Budget requests a set-aside of up to seven percent of OJP’s discretionary funds to support public safety and victim assistance in Indian country. This set-aside, which we estimate will amount to approximately $127.1 million, will provide a flexible and consistent source of grant funding for tribes by providing the resources for tribal efforts to prevent, treat, and address crime and substance abuse. This will be done through efforts such as tribal courts, prosecution, and healing to wellness courts, victim service programs, tribal criminal and civil legal assistance, and tribal probation, jails and reentry programs. The set-aside will also support tribal justice system planning, including activities outlined in TLOA, and critical investments in tribal justice infrastructure through renovation and repurposing of tribal justice facilities. In addition, it would fund tribal youth programs and a tribal youth resource center that provides free training and technical assistance to all federally recognized tribes.
The set-aside could also be used to support the Tribal Access Program (TAP), which allows tribal criminal and non-criminal justice agencies to access national crime databases, enabling them to enter and access protection orders and information about missing or wanted persons, obtain criminal histories, input sex offenders into the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Sex Offender Registry, and exchange critical data across the Criminal Justice Information Services systems.
In addition, the FY 2020 President’s Budget also requests an allocation of $115 million from the Crime Victims Fund for the Tribal Victim Service Set-Aside program and other efforts designed to serve American Indian and Alaska Native crime victims.
Turning to DOJ’s other grant-making components, the COPS Office includes two programs designed specifically for tribes—the Tribal Resources Grant Program and the COPS contribution to TAP. The Tribal Resources Grant Program will be supported by funding derived from OJP’s discretionary tribal assistance set-aside in FY 2020. This program, which is available to tribes through the CTAS, provides 100 percent of funding for an officer’s salary and benefits for three years. It also covers costs for equipment and training, as well as efforts to fight methamphetamine and heroin addiction.
In addition, tribes are eligible for funding under the COPS Hiring Program, which provides 75 percent funding for officer salary and benefits for three years. The FY 2020 President’s Budget requests $99 million in funding for this program under OJP’s State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance account. In addition to supporting the hiring of law enforcement officers, the COPS Hiring Program also supports the Collaborative Reform Initiative Technical Assistance Center, or CRI-TAC. This resource provides critical technical assistance to government law enforcement agencies, including tribal agencies. This assistance is tailored to the tribe’s specific needs and is available on a “by-the-field, for-the-field” approach that uses leading experts in a range of topics related to public safety, crime reduction, and community policing. Because different needs require different methods, CRI-TAC uses a variety of approaches, such as training, peer-to-peer consulting, analysis, coaching, and strategic planning.
The FY 2020 President’s Budget for OVW consists of $56 million to support programs and initiatives in Indian country. Of this amount, $40.2 million is for OVW’s Tribal Governments Program, which is designed to enhance the ability of tribes to respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; enhance victim safety; and develop education and prevention strategies. This amount also includes $6.8 million for the Tribal Coalitions Program, $3.5 million for the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program, $500,000 for the Indian County Sexual Assault Clearinghouse, $1 million for Research on Violence Against Indian Women, and $4 million for the Tribal Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction Program.
Within OVW, tribes are also eligible to apply for a number of other OVW discretionary grant programs, including programs focused on abuse in later life, the needs of victims with disabilities, and challenges faced by rural communities in addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
The Department also seeks authority to use prior year OVW appropriations for tribal-specific sex offender and protection order registries to provide funds to tribes through TAP. The Department has concluded that, rather than investing funds in developing new and incomplete tribal-specific registries, the purpose for which these funds were appropriated—protecting tribal communities from perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence—would be better served by facilitating tribes’ ability to enter and obtain information from existing federal databases.
I hope you will agree that these are substantial investments that reflect a strong commitment on the part of this Administration to support our tribal partners. Of course, these budget items are only one element—albeit a significant element—of the Department’s efforts to enhance public safety in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
We are moving forward with activities to address the crisis of missing persons in Indian country. In my dual role as National AMBER Alert Coordinator, I am devoting resources to fortifying the network of AMBER Alert systems in Indian country, including an AMBER Alert in Indian Country training conference that will be held at the end of July 2019. We continue to hold a regular series of government-to-government consultations and listening sessions with tribes, along with a biennial Indian Nations Conference that brings together hundreds of tribal officials from across the country to be trained on a range of public safety issues. We are helping to combat sex trafficking which can bring victims from American Indian and Alaska Native communities into urban areas where they are often lost and forgotten.
And beyond the Department’s grant-making components, DOJ works through the Office of Tribal Justice and the network of tribal liaisons in the Offices of the United States Attorneys to improve law enforcement functions and reduce crime. The Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys also trains federal, state, local, and tribal attorneys and law enforcement staff on law enforcement issues in Indian country. In addition, the Environment and Natural Resources Division represents the Department of the Interior and other federal agencies on litigation matters related to water rights, reservation boundaries, land-into-trust decisions, and other matters affecting federally recognized tribes and their members.
As I mentioned earlier, I visited a handful of tribes in Alaska of varying sizes, with varying needs, in different parts of the state with different geographic and climate challenges, in addition to having participated in a tribal consultation. The feedback I heard at our consultation, and the conversations I had through my additional meetings, both served to reinvigorate my commitment to finding solutions to address these issues tribes confront and deepened my understanding of the real, on-the-ground, practical challenges facing tribal communities.
The Department of Justice remains committed to working with our tribal partners. With the investments requested in the FY 2020 President’s Budget, I am confident that we will help deliver the resources they need to protect citizens, safeguard their communities, and serve crime victims. We will continue to work hard, along with this committee, on their behalf. Thank you, and I look forward to addressing your questions.
Okmulgee Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sterling Ross, IV, age 26, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Felon In Possession Of Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleges that on or about February 3, 2019, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit, One (1) Glock GMBH, Model 30, .45 ACP caliber semi-automatic pistol, serial number TWL748, which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Okmulgee Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Ben Gifford represented the United States.
Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms Offense in Connection with Accidental Self-ShootingRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Michael Guell (37, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, on November 28, 2018, Guell was admitted to an Ocala-area hospital for gunshot wounds. When police arrived at the hospital, Guell told them that he had been robbed at gunpoint and shot by an unknown assailant. Investigating further, police located Guell’s car and saw shell casings and handgun ammunition through the car’s window. When interviewed a second time, Guell admitted that he had been drinking in his car and had accidentally shot himself. A search of Guell’s vehicle revealed a semi-automatic handgun, 26 rounds of ammunition, and multiple shell casings.
As a convicted felon, Guell is prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Ocala Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
This is another case prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” Program (PSN), which is a nationwide, crime reduction strategy aimed at decreasing violent crime in communities. It involves a comprehensive approach to public safety — one that includes investigating and prosecuting crimes, along with prevention and reentry efforts. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
North Sioux City Man to Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
A man who led law enforcement on a high speed chase after robbing a bank was sentenced May 14, 2019 to more than eight years in federal prison.
Brendon Daniel Reed, age, 43 from North Sioux City, South Dakota, received the prison term after a December 19, 2018, guilty plea to Bank Robbery.
Evidence presented by the United States at the change of plea and sentencing hearings reveal on March 20, 2018, defendant robbed the United Bank of Moville. He then fled the bank in a stolen car, at a high rate of speed creating a substantial risk of death or injury to the motoring public. Ultimately, defendant lost control of the stolen vehicle, left the roadway, and crashed destroying the stolen car. All the stolen money was recovered, and law enforcement arrested Reed.
Reed was sentenced in Sioux City by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Reed was sentenced to105 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $13,821.00 in restitution the United Bank of Moville. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Reed is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Moville, Iowa Police Department; the Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa State Patrol, the FBI, the Kingsley, Iowa, Police Department, the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4042.
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North Andover Woman Charged with Performing Illegal Silicone InjectionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A North Andover woman was charged today in federal court in Boston in connection with offering illegal silicone injections in exchange for money.
Gladys Araceli Ceron, 71, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of delivery for pay of an adulterated or misbranded device received in interstate commerce. Ceron will appear before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Donald L. Cabell at 3:40 pm today.
According to the charging documents, Ceron, who operated her business in Lawrence, has been obtaining “gluteal material” from a source in Florida for over eight years. During a federal search warrant executed at the source’s residence in 2016, agents seized plastic bottles of suspected cosmetic silicone fillers. Lab tests subsequently confirmed that those fillers contained silicone oil, which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns can travel through blood vessels and cause a stroke, death or permanent disfigurement.
In 2018, a cooperating witness working with federal agents began making recorded phone calls to Ceron in order to arrange for buttock enhancing and facial injections. During a recorded meeting on May 24, 2018, Ceron allegedly told the cooperating witness that she charges $500 for buttock injections and $60 for each wrinkle-filling injection. A search of Ceron’s business in Lawrence in June 2018 resulted in the seizure of several bottles and syringes of a substance that tests revealed to be silicone oil. Numerous uncapped, used, syringes were also recovered from the business.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this crime should contact [email protected].
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and 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; Jeffrey J. Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and H. Peter Kuehl, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Rachel Y. Hemani of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
National Peace Officers Memorial Day: Honoring Those Who Serve and ProtectRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, has made the following statement, recognizing the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement on the occasion of National Peace Officers Memorial Day and during National Police Week:
“In 1962, to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty, Congress passed and President Kennedy signed a joint resolution declaring May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day. Unfortunately, in the last twelve months alone, three Milwaukee Police Officers – Matthew Rittner, Michael Michalski, and Charles Irvine, Jr. – were killed while protecting and serving our community. We must never forget the service and sacrifice of these officers and their fallen brothers and sisters across the country.”
“We also are in the middle of National Police Week, and I urge each of us to take a moment to recognize and honor the law enforcement professionals who work tirelessly to keep all of us and our communities safe. We thank our law enforcement partners for their hard work, dedication, and sacrifice.”
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Nation Pays Tribute to Service and Sacrifice of Law Enforcement OfficersRead the Press Release
The names of five Missouri heroes have been engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., this year. Their sacrifice, and the dedicated service of their fellow law enforcement officers, is being honored during National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18. Today is National Peace Officers Memorial Day.
“During National Police Week, our nation pays tribute to the service and sacrifice of law enforcement officers and agents who often face uncertain and dangerous situations without question and without expectation of thanks,” said U.S. Attorney Tim Garrison.
“Four law enforcement officers in the Western District of Missouri were killed in the line of duty in 2018,” said Garrison. “They made the ultimate sacrifice, and we owe them our undying gratitude. As we honor their memory, we offer our unwavering support and appreciation to all those who are sworn to protect and serve our communities.”
Flags are being flown at half-staff today in recognition of National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 158 law enforcement officers died in line-of-duty incidents in 2018, including Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, Special Agent Melissa S. Morrow, Deputy Sheriff Casey Lee Shoemate, and Deputy Sheriff Aaron Paul Roberts in the Western District of Missouri. A fifth law enforcement officer, Agent Thomas Jefferson Greer, was killed in the line of duty in 1971 and is also being honored.
Each year during National Police Week, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, D.C., to participate in a number of events to honor those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. Les Kerr, Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Western District of Missouri, is attending this year’s events.
During a candlelight vigil last night on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the names of fallen officers added to the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were formally dedicated. Among the names engraved on the wall are the four law enforcement officers from the Western District of Missouri who were killed in the line of duty in 2018 as well as the name of Agent Greer.
“These officers and agents remind us of the risks we ask our law enforcement officers to take every day,” said Garrison. “We can show our appreciation for their sacrifice by supporting their brothers and sisters in uniform who continue that good, essential work.”
In October 1962, Congress enacted a joint resolution, which the president signed, declaring May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to honor law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. The resolution also created National Police Week as an annual tribute to law enforcement service and sacrifice. For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.
Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the Line of Duty
Western District of MissouriOfficer Christopher Ryan Morton
Clinton Police Department
End of Watch: March 6, 2018A domestic disturbance call turned into a deadly ambush for Clinton Police Department officers on the night of March 6, 2018.
Officers responded to a 911 call at approximately 9:20 p.m. The call taker could hear screaming in the background on the call, but the caller did not otherwise communicate and hung up before officers arrived on scene. When the officers arrived they made contact with a woman who came out of the front door of the residence. She told the officers that no one was inside. Shortly after, the officers (all of whom were wearing body armor) entered the residence to perform a public safety check and were fired upon by an individual hiding in the bathroom with a 9mm semi-automatic rifle.
Officers returned fire and quickly retreated outside the residence. The gunfire continued after the officers left the building. Officer Morton, however, had been struck and was still inside the residence, incapacitated. Two patrol officers also had been wounded.
Officer Morton remained in a bedroom for approximately 15 minutes before being rescued by a joint effort of the Bates County Sheriff’s Response Team and the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A Swat Team. He was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
The shooter barricaded himself inside the home. A SWAT team entered the home shortly after midnight and located the shooter, who had committed suicide.
The ensuing investigation revealed that the original 911 call had been made from a home approximately 15 miles away; officers were dispatched to the wrong location when the call was traced to a different address. The man who opened fire on the officers was out on bail for weapons and methamphetamine charges and was under investigation for a rape.
Officer Morton had served as both a reserve officer and full-time officer with the Clinton Police Department for three years. He had recently returned to full-time status following the line-of-duty death of Police Officer Gary Michael on Aug. 6, 2017. He was a veteran of the Army National Guard and is survived by his parents and siblings.
Special Agent Melissa S. Morrow
Federal Bureau of Investigation
End of Watch: March 22, 2018Special Agent Morrow died as the result of brain cancer that she developed following her assignment to the search and recovery efforts at the Pentagon following the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. She was assigned to FBI Washington Field Office’s Evidence Response Team and spent 10 weeks recovering and processing evidence from the site in hazardous and contaminated conditions.
Special Agent Morrow had served with the FBI for 22 years and was assigned to the Kansas City Field Office at the time of her passing. She is survived by her parents and sister.
On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, 72 officers from eight local, state, and federal agencies were killed when hijackers working for the al Qaeda terrorist network, headed by Osama bin Laden, crashed four hijacked planes into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., and a field near Shanksville, Penn. After the impact of the first plane into the World Trade Center's North Tower, putting the safety of others before their own, law enforcement officers along with fire and EMS personnel, rushed to the burning Twin Towers of the World Trade Center to aid the victims and lead them to safety. Due to their quick actions, it is estimated that over 25,000 people were saved.
As the evacuation continued, the south tower unexpectedly collapsed as a result of the intense fire caused by the impact. The north tower collapsed a short time later. Seventy-one law enforcement officers, 343 members of the New York City Fire Department and over 2,800 civilians were killed at the World Trade Center site.
A third hijacked plane crashed into a field in rural Pennsylvania when the passengers attempted to re-take control of the plane. One law enforcement officer, who was a passenger on the plane, was killed in that crash.
The fourth hijacked plane was crashed into the Pentagon, killing almost 200 military and civilian personnel.
Deputy Sheriff Casey Lee Shoemate
Miller County Sheriff’s Department
End of Watch: April 20, 2018Deputy Shoemate was killed in a vehicle crash on Route Y while responding to a structure fire at a fellow employee’s house. He collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle during the response. Deputy Shoemate was pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver was flown to a local hospital in serious condition.
Deputy Shoemate had served with the Miller County Sheriff's Office for one year. He is survived by his two children, parents, and several siblings.
Deputy Sheriff Aaron Paul Roberts
Greene County Sheriff’s Department
End of Watch: September 7, 2018Deputy Roberts drowned after his patrol car was swept into the swollen Pomme de Terre River in the area of Cabin Creek Road and Farm Road 2. He had responded to a 911 hang-up call in the area and was returning into service. He made an emergency radio broadcast when his vehicle was swept off of the road in floodwaters. After an intensive search, rescue crews located his vehicle approximately 50 yards downstream and recovered Deputy Roberts’ body from inside.
Deputy Roberts had served with the Greene County Sheriff's Department for one year and had previously served with the Willard Police Department. He is survived by his wife, 7-year-old daughter, and parents.
Agent Thomas Jefferson Greer
Missouri Department of Liquor Control
End of Watch: February 11, 1971Agent Greer collapsed and died of a heart attack after crossing a muddy field with a state trooper to investigate a report of a prowler in a barn.
Muskegon Man Found Guilty of Sex Trafficking and Distributing CocaineRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN —On May 14, a jury convicted Richardo Urbina, of Muskegon, after six days of trial on three counts of sex trafficking minors; three counts of attempting to sex traffic minors; conspiring to sex traffic minors; sex trafficking an adult by force, fraud, or coercion; distributing cocaine; distributing cocaine base; and conspiring to distribute cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of life.
In May of 2015, Urbina—then 54—began recruiting 16 and 17-year-old girls to have sex for money. He targeted runaways, who needed money and a place to stay. Urbina gave the girls alcohol and cocaine to make it more likely they would agree to "dance" or give "massages" to make money. The girls learned the men expected more than "dancing" and "massages" when they were in the room with men who expected them to engage in sex acts. After the girls completed sex acts and received money, Urbina took half of it.
Around September of 2016, Urbina recruited then 18-year-old Francisco Soto to help him recruit more underage girls. Soto befriended the girls by contacting them through Facebook, and he would offer to party with them. While partying, Urbina and Soto approached the girls about "dancing" and giving "massages."
Urbina and Soto used Backpage.com to advertise the girls for commercial sex, and the jury received over 500 pages of Backpage.com records in evidence. Urbina and Soto also used an application on their cell phones that allowed them to mask their true phone numbers. The jury received over 4,000 individual messages sent and received through the app, coordinating commercial sex dates.
At trial, ten girls testified about Urbina’s sexual exploitation of them while they were minors. One woman testified that during the summer of 2016, Urbina sex-trafficked her after learning she needed a place to stay. He originally offered to help her by letting her live with him. The first night she stayed with Urbina, he made her have sex for money. When she tried to get away, Urbina hit and choked her. He also told her she owed him $1,000 because he was making so much money off of her. She escaped Urbina by secretly booking a hotel room and moving into it while he slept.
The West Michigan Based Child Exploitation Task Force (WEBCHEX) investigated Urbina. The investigation included members of the FBI, Michigan State Police, Kent County Sheriff’s Office, and Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office. The case was tried by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davin M. Reust and Alexis M. Sanford.
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Monroe Felon Sentenced to 68 Months in Prison for Possessing Pistol, AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Daryon D. Kelley, 23, of Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced to 68 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty for possessing a pistol and ammunition. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
On October 2, 2017, West Monroe police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Kelley was driving. During a search of the vehicle, police officers found a Ruger .9 mm-caliber pistol and ammunition, $10,400 and a partially smoked marijuana cigar in the center console. Daryon Kelley was previously convicted on April 9, 2015 for a drug distribution charge. A federal jury found Kelley guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon following a three-day trial that ended January 30, 2019.
The ATF and the West Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tennille M. Gilreath and Earl M. Campbell prosecuted 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 lasting reductions in crime.
Mexican Nationals Sentenced for Importing MethRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two men who resided in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of conspiracy to import methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Jesus Francisco Perez-Lumbreras, 36, and Gerardo Cervantes-Valenzuela, 27, pleaded guilty Jan. 29, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña imposed a 120-month-term upon Cervantes-Valenzuela while Perez-Lumbreras was ordered to serve 57 months in federal prison. Not U.S. citizens, both are expected to face deportation proceedings following their sentences.
At the hearing, the court noted Cervantes-Valenzuela was to blame for Perez-Lumbreras’ involvement in the offense.
On Nov. 26, 2018, Perez-Lumbreras and Cervantes-Valenzuela attempted to enter the United States from Mexico at the World Trade International Bridge in Laredo driving different vehicles approximately 40 minutes apart.
Perez-Lumbreras was referred to secondary inspection, at which time he became panicked and called Cervantes Valenzuela to try to remove drugs from his vehicle. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers stopped him as he exited his vehicle, at which time he claimed he was just attempting to remove some water from his friend’s vehicle.
Officers ultimately discovered large speaker boxes in both vehicles which contained a total of approximately 8.22 kilograms of high-purity methamphetamine (ice).
During questioning, both men admitted to having knowingly agreed with other persons in Mexico to import methamphetamine into the United States. Perez-Lumbreras claimed Cervantes-Valenzuela had promised him $40,000 Mexican pesos to smuggle the drugs from Mexico into the United States.
Cervantes-Valenzuela similarly admitted to having recruited Perez-Lumbreras.
Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Pled Guilty to Being the Leader of a Narcotics Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Darnell Catlett, 46, of Upper Marlboro, pled guilty yesterday to trafficking in crack and powder cocaine as part of a nearly year-long narcotics conspiracy in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Catlett pled guilty before the Honorable Richard J. Leon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and a detectable amount of cocaine. The charge requires a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years of incarceration and up to life imprisonment. Catlett’s sentencing guidelines range calls for a sentence of 168 months to 210 months of incarceration. Judge Leon scheduled Catlett’s sentencing for August 9, 2019.
Catlett was arrested on the morning of March 15, 2018 and his residence was searched pursuant to a search warrant. At Catlett’s residence, the FBI recovered a loaded firearm, $70,813 in U.S. currency, a black and white money counter, and multiple plastic bags with drug residue. Inside his BMW parked in the garage, Catlett had 234 grams of packaged crack stored in the vehicle. As part of his plea agreement, Catlett accepted responsibility for a firearm possessed in his Maryland residence at the time of his arrest and that he was a leader of the conspiracy.
Five others have pled guilty to charges in the case. They include Everette Reel, 46, of Upper Marlboro, MD; Jamal Curtis, 41, of Washington, D.C., Derek Holmes, 54, of Washington, D.C., Russell Harrison, 40, of Temple Hills, MD., and Brian Jenkins, 44, of Brentwood, MD. Reel, Curtis, and Holmes are now serving sentences. Coconspirators Russell Harrison and Brian Jenkins still face sentencing. Harrison faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of incarceration and up to life imprisonment for his possession of multiple firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking as part of the conspiracy. Jenkins faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years of incarceration and up to forty years imprisonment for his distribution of cocaine and crack as part of the conspiracy.
This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, commended the work of those who investigated the case. They cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle and Teesha Tobias, Legal Assistant Emma Atlas, and Christopher Macchiaroli and Kevin Rosenberg of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section, who conducted the underlying investigation, indicted the case, and prosecuted the defendants.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Pseudoephedrine with Intent to Manufacture MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, United States District Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced ZACKERY B. LANEY, 31, formerly of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On July 9, 2018, LANEY pled guilty to Possession of Pseudoephedrine with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine.
On November 27, 2017, the Fort Bragg Criminal Investigation Command Office received a report from Laney’s wife advising that her husband, ZACKERY B. LANEY, an active duty sergeant in the United States Army stationed at Fort Bragg, threatened to kill members of his chain of command. Mrs. Laney reported an AR-15 rifle was missing from their residence and she expressed fear that LANEY was going to commit an act of violence. She further advised LANEY was a manufacturer and user of drugs. On the same day, a United States Army Captain contacted LANEY and requested that LANEY return to his unit. LANEY complied, but before appearing before his commanding officer LANEY fled the building, entered his vehicle, and attempted to put the key in the ignition. LANEY was asked to return to the building and he complied. Based on Mrs. Laney's report, LANEY'S vehicle was searched and an AR-15 rifle, containing a loaded magazine with one round in the chamber, was located in the back seat of his vehicle. Additionally, a partially loaded magazine was found in the driver's door. Also located in the back seat of the vehicle was a bag containing a funnel, a plastic tube with a bottle cap attached containing a white powdery substance, electrical tape, and a box of instant cold packs containing ammonium nitrate. Further search of the vehicle revealed items consistent with the production of methamphetamine.
As part of the investigation, agents conducted a search of the pseudoephedrine purchase records maintained by the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) for LANEY. The NPLEx database revealed LANEY used his military identification card to make pseudoephedrine purchases from November 30, 2016, to November 26, 2017. It also appeared LANEY used two identification numbers associated with his military identification card to circumvent the legal sales limit. The NPLEx search revealed that between November 30, 2016, and November 26, 2017, LANEY purchased products containing pseudoephedrine on 95 occasions, totaling 219.84 grams of pseudoephedrine from at least 14 different pharmacies in Cumberland County. Based on the purchase of pseudoephedrine in this case, LANEY was involved in the manufacturing of methamphetamine from November 30, 2016, to November 27, 2017.
This case was brought using the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Fort Bragg Military Police, United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Lemmon.
Lyndonville Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug ChargesRead 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 Nolan Donald, 20, of Lyndonville, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to being an unlawful drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition, and possessing with intent to distribute, and distributing marijuana. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth T. Molisani, who is handling the case, stated that between February 2018 and April 18, 2018, the defendant was addicted to, or was an unlawful user of, marijuana.
On April 18, 2018, Donald was arrested following the execution of a search warrant at his residence on North Lyndonville Road. Inside the residence, investigators recovered a 9mm, semi-automatic pistol, loaded with eight rounds of ammunition; a 12-gauge shotgun; 79 rounds of ammunition; a small quantity of marijuana; edible marijuana cookies; and plastic baggies.
Following his arrest, the defendant admitted that he sold marijuana for approximately two years preceding his arrest and continued to sell marijuana and other marijuana products up until the time of his arrest. Donald also stated that he has used marijuana every day for the past year and a half.
Between February 17, 2018, and April 18, 2018, the defendant posted videos and photos to the social media application "Snapchat" in which he appeared to be in possession of a pistol and large quantities of marijuana, and using what appeared to be marijuana and prescription medicine.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 20, 2019, at 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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