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Thursday 21 March 2019
University to Pay $1.5 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, acting through the University of Wisconsin-Madison (“University”), agreed to pay $1.5 million to the United States to settle the claims that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to properly account for rebates and credits to reduce costs allocable to federal grants and awards (“Federal Awards”).
The United States awards more than $500 billion in Federal Awards annually, usually in the form of grants to help support a variety of programs, including supporting human health, agriculture, homeland security, and funding scientific research, studies, and analysis. As a public research institution, the University obtains significant Federal Awards from the United States to conduct research in a wide range of fields and programs, including but not limited to science, health care, and engineering.
According to the Settlement Agreement, the University was required to adhere to Office of Management and Budget cost principles as a condition of receiving its Federal Awards. These principles require, in relevant part, that when a Federal Award recipient receives rebates and discounts on purchases for Federal Awards, those rebates and discounts must be credited to the Awards. Because the University failed to do so with respect to various rebates and discounts, the United States alleged that the University overcharged it and is liable to the United States under the False Claims Act.
Specifically, the settlement alleges that the University participated in a number of rebate and discount programs with supply and equipment vendors, which generated rebates and discounts through various purchase cards and service centers, including the University’s Material Distribution Services and DoIT Techstore service centers. The rebate and discount programs were applied to certain supplies and equipment purchased by the University, however, the University failed to credit the rebates and discounts associated with these purchases to the Federal Awards.
“The United States entrusts Federal Award recipients with federal dollars, but the funds are subject to regulation, oversight, and audit,” said United States Attorney Blader. “It is incumbent on Award recipients, including public institutions, to provide the United States the benefit of credits or rebates it receives – failure to do so results in overcharging.”
In addition, the United States’ investigation revealed that the University’s accounting for these rebates and discounts failed to comply with its own operative Cost Accounting Standards Board Disclosure Statement as it relates to accounting practices for service centers.
This coordinated investigation was conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Offices of Inspectors General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense and Defense Contract Audit Agency, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The prosecution of this matter has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie K. Herje. The settlement agreement states allegations only; the University does not admit the allegations.
Two-Time Career Offender Sentenced to Fifteen Years for Fifth Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore today sentenced Jason Earl Hill (53, Ingles) to 15 years in federal prison for bank robbery. The court also ordered Hill to make restitution to Center State Bank, N.A., in the amount of $2,250.
Hill had pleaded guilty on January 4, 2019.
According to court documents, Hill robbed a branch of Harbor Community Bank (now known as Center State Bank) in Ocala, Florida on May 11, 2018. Hill presented the teller with a demand note, and with instructions to hand over large sums of money. Hill then fled with $2,250 in his green 2006 Saturn, which was caught on surveillance video at a nearby fast-food restaurant. After identifying the vehicle, law enforcement was able to obtain a positive identification from the victim-teller.
Hill was previously convicted in the District of New Mexico for three bank robberies in 1997. After serving time on those offenses, he was then convicted of bank robbery in the Eastern District of Tennessee in 2002. Following his 12-year sentence on that case, Hill relocated to Ocala, Florida, where he committed the latest bank robbery. In addition to his convictions for multiple bank robberies, Hill has several 1990s convictions for felony theft and burglary in Tennessee.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
Two Men Found Guilty in International Cyber-Fraud Scheme Involving Online Dating and Business Email CompromisesRead the Press Release
A citizen of Nigeria residing in Atlanta, and a citizen of Mexico residing in California, were convicted Wednesday after a seven-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee on charges related to the part each played in an international cyber fraud scheme.
Olufolajimi Abegunde, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Javier Luis Ramos-Alonso, 29, of Seaside, California, participated in a criminal organization in which members “spoofed” emails and created fake profiles on dating websites in order to fool victims into sending money to bogus bank accounts under the control of members of the conspiracy. The proceeds would be laundered and subsequently wired out of the United States to destinations including West Africa.
Abegunde, who received an MBA from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, engaged in black-market currency exchanges over the life of the conspiracy. Purporting to hold himself out as a legitimate businessman, the proof at trial showed that Abegunde claimed association with a business entity that was not yet operational in late 2017, so for his primary source of income he relied on his off-the-book currency exchanges. Through this network, Abegeunde played a key role, along with Ramos-Alonso, in laundering fraud funds from an Oct. 3, 2016, business email compromise (BEC) of a land title company located in Bellingham, Washington. The proceeds of another BEC perpetrated in July 2016 upon a real estate company in Memphis, Tennessee, also moved through parts of the same criminal organization.
Abegunde, who faced numerous account closures from banks in the United States, used a complicated network of third-party bank accounts to disguise his illicit activity. The proof at trial established that Abegunde told people that he could not receive payments into accounts that could be “tracked,” and that he preferred to engage in cash transactions because they were easier to clean and “eliminated the risk.”
In July 2014, Ramos-Alonso met Tammy Dolan through an online dating site. Ramos-Alonso engaged in a three-year romantic relationship with Dolan, who claimed to be an Australian American living in Africa, despite never meeting or speaking with Dolan. Shortly after meeting Dolan, Ramos-Alonso began sending money to her through an intricate network of strangers based in Africa and the United States, and he continued to do so despite receiving multiple warnings from businesses and individuals that he was facilitating criminal conduct. The evidence at trial established that Dolan was actually a front for individuals connected to the money-laundering scheme who were directing Ramos-Alonso to move funds. The evidence at trial established that, by the time of the first BEC in July 2016, Ramos-Alonso had “graduated” to a position of trust within the criminal organization, as he received and disbursed a large portion of a $154,000 wire transfer before the victim bank could freeze the funds. In October 2016, Ramos-Alonso received and dispersed approximately $60,000 associated with the Oct. 3, 2016 BEC in Washington, a portion of which he deposited (or attempted to deposit) into accounts controlled by Abegunde. Ramos-Alonso funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud funds on behalf of the criminal organization.
In addition to his financial activities, Abegunde also engaged in a conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Abegunde was married during his studies at Texas A&M, but divorced his wife in 2016 to marry a U.S. service member through whom he could obtain immigration and health care benefits and also open new bank accounts. He continued to live with his first wife in Atlanta while his U.S. service member wife was deployed to South Korea. While incarcerated and awaiting trial in the Western District of Tennessee, Abegunde continued his conspiratorial activities, trying to convince his fake spouse, who has since filed for divorce, to refuse to testify against him. Abegunde is contesting the divorce from his fake spouse. Abegunde also engaged in witness tampering by sending a self-written Motion to Dismiss bearing his former attorney’s name and professional attestation. The evidence at trial established that Abegunde drafted and sent the motion, which his attorney expressly did not authorize, to his faux spouse in an effort to deceive her into not testifying against him.
Five other individuals have pleaded guilty to being involved in the scheme. Additionally, three foreign nationals are awaiting extradition to the United States to face trial. Several others are still at large.
Sentencing for Abegunde and Ramos-Alonso is set for June 21, 2019, before the Honorable Judge Sheryl H. Lipman.
The FBI’s Memphis Field Office investigated the case with assistance from agents in Atlanta and San Jose, California. Senior Trial Attorney Timothy C. Flowers with the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra L. Ireland prosecuted the case.
For more information or to view a list of aliases used by members of the conspiracy on dating websites and social media, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/victim-witness-program.
Two Men Found Guilty in International Cyber-Fraud Scheme Involving Online Dating and Business Email CompromisesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A citizen of Nigeria residing in Atlanta, and a citizen of Mexico residing in California, were convicted Wednesday after a seven-day trial in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee on charges related to the part each played in an international cyber fraud scheme.
Olufolajimi Abegunde, 31, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Javier Luis Ramos-Alonso, 29, of Seaside, California, participated in a criminal organization in which members "spoofed" emails and created fake profiles on dating websites in order to fool victims into sending money to bogus bank accounts under the control of members of the conspiracy. The proceeds would be laundered and subsequently wired out of the United States to destinations including West Africa.
Abegunde, who received an MBA from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, engaged in black-market currency exchanges over the life of the conspiracy. Purporting to hold himself out as a legitimate businessman, the proof at trial showed that Abegunde claimed association with a business entity that was not yet operational in late 2017, so for his primary source of income he relied on his off-the-book currency exchanges. Through this network, Abegeunde played a key role, along with Ramos-Alonso, in laundering fraud funds from an Oct. 3, 2016, business email compromise (BEC) of a land title company located in Bellingham, Washington. The proceeds of another BEC perpetrated in July 2016 upon a real estate company in Memphis, Tennessee, also moved through parts of the same criminal organization.
Abegunde, who faced numerous account closures from banks in the United States, used a complicated network of third-party bank accounts to disguise his illicit activity. The proof at trial established that Abegunde told people that he could not receive payments into accounts that could be "tracked," and that he preferred to engage in cash transactions because they were easier to clean and "eliminated the risk."
In July 2014, Ramos-Alonso met Tammy Dolan through an online dating site. Ramos-Alonso engaged in a three-year romantic relationship with Dolan, who claimed to be an Australian American living in Africa, despite never meeting or speaking with Dolan. Shortly after meeting Dolan, Ramos-Alonso began sending money to her through an intricate network of strangers based in Africa and the United States, and he continued to do so despite receiving multiple warnings from businesses and individuals that he was facilitating criminal conduct. The evidence at trial established that Dolan was actually a front for individuals connected to the money-laundering scheme who were directing Ramos-Alonso to move funds. The evidence at trial established that, by the time of the first BEC in July 2016, Ramos-Alonso had "graduated" to a position of trust within the criminal organization, as he received and disbursed a large portion of a $154,000 wire transfer before the victim bank could freeze the funds. In October 2016, Ramos-Alonso received and dispersed approximately $60,000 associated with the Oct. 3, 2016 BEC in Washington, a portion of which he deposited (or attempted to deposit) into accounts controlled by Abegunde. Ramos-Alonso funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraud funds on behalf of the criminal organization.
In addition to his financial activities, Abegunde also engaged in a conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Abegunde was married during his studies at Texas A&M, but divorced his wife in 2016 to marry a U.S. service member through whom he could obtain immigration and health care benefits and also open new bank accounts. He continued to live with his first wife in Atlanta while his U.S. service member wife was deployed to South Korea. While incarcerated and awaiting trial in the Western District of Tennessee, Abegunde continued his conspiratorial activities, trying to convince his fake spouse, who has since filed for divorce, to refuse to testify against him. Abegunde is contesting the divorce from his fake spouse. Abegunde also engaged in witness tampering by sending a self-written Motion to Dismiss bearing his former attorney’s name and professional attestation. The evidence at trial established that Abegunde drafted and sent the motion, which his attorney expressly did not authorize, to his faux spouse in an effort to deceive her into not testifying against him.
Five other individuals have pleaded guilty to being involved in the scheme. Additionally, three foreign nationals are awaiting extradition to the United States to face trial. Several others are still at large.
Sentencing for Abegunde and Ramos-Alonso is set for June 21, 2019, before the Honorable Judge Sheryl H. Lipman.
The FBI’s Memphis Field Office investigated the case with assistance from agents in Atlanta and San Jose, California. Senior Trial Attorney Timothy C. Flowers with the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra L. Ireland prosecuted the case.
For more information or to view a list of aliases used by members of the conspiracy on dating websites and social media, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdtn/victim-witness-program.
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Twin Falls Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Jeremy Hill, 41, of Twin Falls, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 130 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Hill was sentenced by U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill. Hill was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on March 13, 2018, and pleaded guilty on December 4, 2018.
According to court records, on February 7, 2018, Idaho State Police troopers saw Hill driving a Chevrolet Blazer without mud flaps. Troopers attempted to stop Hill. In response, Hill fled at a high rate of speed. As he was fleeing, he threw methamphetamine from the Blazer. Hill eventually crashed his Blazer. Idaho State Police troopers then arrested Hill. The Blazer was searched. Within the Blazer, troopers found more than fifty grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and $2,523 cash.
This case was investigated by the Idaho State Police.
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Twice-removed Illegal Alien Found in Pittsburgh Area is Charged with Immigration ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A citizen of Mexico has been indicted by a federal grand jury on a charge of violating federal immigration law, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on March 20, named Damian Benitez-Castro, 43, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Benitez-Castro was previously deported or removed from the United States on October 14, 2008, and again on May 11, 2010. Benitez-Castro then illegally reentered the United States and was located in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 2 years in prison, a fine of $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of not more than 1 year, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Treasurer of Police Charity Arrested for Stealing over $400,000 Meant for Families of NYPD Officers Killed in the Line of DutyRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jonathan D. Larsen, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division (“IRS-CI”), announced the arrest of LORRAINE SHANLEY today on charges of bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. SHANLEY, the former volunteer treasurer of a nonprofit charity, allegedly participated in a scheme in which she obtained over $410,000 of the charity’s money meant for the families of New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) officers killed in the line of duty. SHANLEY surrendered this morning and will be presented today in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Lorraine Shanley allegedly capitalized on tragedy and monetized people’s generosity. As alleged, Shanley stole over 20 percent of the donations to a charity whose sole mission is to help the families of NYPD officers killed in the line of duty. Thanks to the investigative work of the IRS and special agents from our Office, Shanley will be prosecuted for her actions.”
IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said: “As alleged in the complaint, Lorraine Shanley violated her position of trust at a charity and victimized families who have already sacrificed so much. IRS-CI is committed to following the money and investigating those individuals who steal from charities for their own personal gain.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed today[1]:
For many years, from at least 2010 to 2017, SHANLEY served as a volunteer treasurer for a charity that provides financial support to the families of NYPD officers killed in the line of duty (“Charity-1”). During that time period, Charity-1 received approximately $1.9 million in donations, over 99 percent of which came from NYPD employees, from an average of 5,500 NYPD employees per year.
SHANLEY was an authorized signatory on Charity-1’s bank account and credit card, and was authorized to use them for Charity-1’s operations. But SHANLEY also used the bank account and credit card to benefit herself and her family members, fraudulently obtaining over $410,000 from 2010 to 2017. For example, using Charity-1’s bank account and credit card, SHANLEY:
- Wrote at least $45,000 in checks that were either payable to family members, or that were made out to other people but which SHANLEY double endorsed and deposited into her own accounts;
- Paid approximately $29,000 for her grandchild’s private school tuition;
- Paid approximately $63,000 for legal services and expenses related to criminal charges against SHANLEY’s son;
- Paid approximately $32,000 for personal dental expenses and approximately $25,000 for landscaping on her personal residence; and
- Purchased over $8,000 in event tickets, including over $1,400 for Barbara Streisand concert tickets.
On many of the checks SHANLEY wrote for unauthorized purposes, SHANLEY forged the signature of another authorized signatory on Charity-1’s bank account. SHANLEY’s fraudulent conduct was uncovered when a new volunteer with Charity-1 reviewed the charity’s tax returns and records as part of an effort to modernize the charity’s operations.
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SHANLEY, 68, of Staten Island, New York, is charged with one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other term of imprisonment imposed. The maximum and mandatory minimum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the IRS-CI. He also thanked the New York City Police Department for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Brett M. Kalikow is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Three Time Drug Trafficking Felon Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine while possessing firearms pled guilty March 21, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Brandon Lee Boone, 46, from Des Moines, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a stolen firearm. Boone was previously convicted of manufacture/deliver/possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in 2004 and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver in 2008, both in the Iowa District Court. Boone was also previously convicted of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon in the United States District Court in 2009 and felony drug trafficking of methamphetamine in Minnesota in 2018.
At the plea hearing, Boone admitted his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed at least 15 kilograms of mixed methamphetamine from January 2018 through February 2018. During a traffic stop, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, of a vehicle Boone was a passenger in on February 6, 2018, law enforcement seized over 800 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine and three firearms, including a stolen AR-15 rifle with an extra capacity magazine. Boone admitted he and another possessed the methamphetamine with intent to distribute it and aided and abetted another’s possession of firearms during the time and in furtherance of the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Boone remains in U.S. Marshals custody pending sentencing. Boone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and ten years up to life of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police Department, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-3004. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Three Defendants Sentenced for Their Roles in Fraudulent Tax Refund SchemeRead 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 Emmanuel Collins, a/k/a Scooter, 40, Quintella Wilson, 36, and Jocelyn Carson, 28, all of Buffalo, NY, who were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims (Collins and Carson) and aiding and abetting fraudulent returns, statements, or other documents (Wilson), were sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. Collins was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $110,475 in restitution. Carson was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay restitution totaling $19,640. Wilson was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to pay restitution totaling $6,300.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wei Xiang, who handled the case, stated that between 2012 and 2015, Collins organized various individuals in Buffalo to file fraudulent tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, claiming false income and tax withholdings on false W-2 forms.
For the tax years 2013 and 2014, defendant Carson provided Collins with her name, date of birth, and social security number. Collins then gave Carson a fraudulent W-2 Form to file with the IRS. In addition, Carson introduced another individual to Collins for the purpose of obtaining a fraudulent W-2 form to be filed with the IRS.
Wilson assisted Collins in part by driving the tax filers to tax return preparers to file the fraudulent forms.
Investigators identified 16 fraudulent filings in the conspiracy that claimed $124,787 in false refunds. Collins generally took a cut of each tax refund that was fraudulently obtained.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Jonathan D. Larsen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office.
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Third Member of Methamphetamine Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
Madison, Wis. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Ryan Witter, 36, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 126 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
The amount of methamphetamine attributable to Witter was approximately 680 grams, which Judge Conley described as a conservative estimate. Witter conspired with others, including Tyrone Butterfield, whom he met when they were previously incarcerated together. Witter arranged for the shipping of numerous packages of methamphetamine from his sources in California, including his mother, to Butterfield in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Almost all of this methamphetamine was distributed into the Red Cliff Reservation.
During the course of the conspiracy, Witter was incarcerated for a prior drug charge and while in custody, he continued to arrange for the delivery of methamphetamine to the Red Cliff Reservation. Judge Conley described this as complete disregard for the laws and rules of society.
Four individuals, including Witter, have been charged for their roles in this methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Rita Witter, Ryan Witter’s mother, was sentenced to three years and Simon Sayers was sentenced to 90 months. Tyrone Butterfield’s sentencing is scheduled for April 3.
The charge against Witter was the result of an investigation conducted by the Red Cliff Police Department; Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Drug Enforcement Administration in Wisconsin and California; Bayfield County Sheriff’s Office; Ashland Police Department; and the Fremont (California) Police Department. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – David Diaz Rodriguez, 68, of Edcouch, Texas, entered a guilty plea today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Rodriguez was stopped by the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team as he was traveling from Florida to Texas. On searching his truck, officers found a shotgun and an AK-47 with a fully loaded magazine that was reported stolen out of Escambia County Florida. Rodriguez has a 2006 felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine from Kane County, Illinois. He will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on June 10, 2019 at 10:00 a.m., and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Jackson County MET Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
SoCal Trio Indicted for Allegedly Conspiring to Sell 100 Pounds of Methamphetamine at Luxury Orange County HotelRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A federal grand jury has returned a four-count superseding indictment charging three men with conspiring to sell 100 pounds of methamphetamine at a luxury hotel in Huntington Beach.
The grand jury on Tuesday charged Rami Haddad, 38, of Costa Mesa, Steven Barragan, 37, of Montebello, and Ernest Tyrone Walton, Jr., 37, of Anaheim, with conspiracy to distribute 100 pounds of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 39.94 kilograms, or 88 pounds, of methamphetamine. Haddad has been charged with using a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and now faces an additional charge of knowingly distributing 4.5 kilograms, or 9.9 pounds, of methamphetamine. The defendants’ arraignment on the indictment is scheduled for April 1 in Santa Ana.
According to an affidavit filed with a criminal complaint in the case, on January 16, Haddad agreed to sell 10 pounds of methamphetamine for more than $15,000 but first requested the buyer meet at his home. During the meeting at Haddad’s home, Haddad allegedly showed the buyer a .38-caliber revolver. Haddad later delivered the 10 pounds of methamphetamine in a black duffel bag to the buyer, who was staying at the Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort, court papers state.
On January 28, Haddad allegedly informed the buyer that he had ordered 100 pounds of methamphetamine through his supplier. A few days later, Haddad packaged methamphetamine in his garage, where he kept the .38 caliber revolver for protection, according to the affidavit. On February 4, law enforcement observed Haddad and Walton walking out of Haddad’s home carrying large black boxes, and loading the boxes into Walton’s car, court papers state. Haddad and Walton then drove separately to the Kimpton Shorebreak Huntington Beach Resort for the delivery and sale of the 100 pounds of methamphetamine, according to court documents. Haddad was arrested in the hotel lobby as he made his entrance, while Walton later was arrested nearby, court papers state.
After his arrest, Haddad admitted to picking up the shipment of methamphetamine a few days earlier with Barragan’s assistance, and discussing with Barragan the possibility of diluting the methamphetamine to make it appear larger than it was, the affidavit states. Haddad then admitted to packaging the narcotics into small plastic bags and putting them into boxes so they could be delivered to the buyer, court papers state. The narcotics seized in that arrest totaled 39.94 kilograms, or 88 pounds, of methamphetamine, according to the indictment.
If convicted on all charges, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel S. Lim of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Shreveport felon who led police in a car chase sentenced to 42 months on gun chargeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Deaunte D. Noyes, 29, of Shreveport, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to three and a half years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Noyes was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow imprisonment.
Shreveport police officers engaged in a chase on August 28, 2017 with a vehicle that had been reported stolen. After a high-speed pursuit, Noyes wrecked the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Upon searching the wrecked vehicle, officers found a Taurus, Model PT99, 9 mm-caliber pistol and ammunition that Noyes had placed under the seat. Noyes was previously convicted of attempted illegal carrying of a weapon while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance and attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, both of which are felonies. According to federal law, Noyes is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on August 24, 2018, to illegally possessing the pistol.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for reductions in crime.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Seven-time convicted felon sentenced to 25 years in prison for possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Anthony Joseph Meaux, 38, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Meaux was called in by his probation officer on December 21, 2016 pursuant to an outstanding warrant and suspicions of his involvement in an armed robbery in Crowley. During that encounter, the probation officer discovered that Meaux was in possession of an Arminius Model HW7 .22 caliber revolver pistol. Meaux has seven prior felony convictions: two for simple burglary, three for simple robbery and two for drug-related offenses. According to federal law, he is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on September 11, 2018.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for reductions in crime.
The ATF and the Louisiana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Seven-Time Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Gun and Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Quniton Kinyoun Peairs, 34, of Pascagoula, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Three times during May 2018, Peairs sold methamphetamine, along with a firearm, to a confidential informant for the South Mississippi Metropolitan Enforcement Team and the ATF. On one occasion, Peairs brought another individual with him who sold a shotgun stolen from the Pascagoula Police Department to the confidential informant. Peairs has seven prior felony convictions in Jackson County from 2006 through 2015.
Peairs faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for the firearm charge and a maximum of 20 years for the drug charge. He further faces fines up to $1,000,000 along with at least 3 years of supervised release. He will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on June 11, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.
The South Mississippi Metropolitan Enforcement Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Sawed Off Shotgun Dealer Sentenced to 36 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOISE – Roy Ulysses Benitez, 26, of Nampa, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court to 36 months in prison for possessing an unregistered firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also placed Benitez on supervised release for three years after he is released from prison. Benitez was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boise on December 12, 2017. He was found guilty of the crime after a three-day jury trial in December 2018.
According to court records, on July 26, 2017, Benitez sold firearms to a confidential informant working for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. One of the firearms was a sawed off shotgun with a barrel length of less than 16 inches. Under federal law, it is illegal to possess certain firearms, like sawed off shotguns, unless the firearm is registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Benitez had not registered the sawed off shotgun in that record.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. 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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Rowan County Man Sentenced to 156 Months in Federal Prison for Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A Rowan County man was sentenced to federal prison on Wednesday, March 20, 2019, for distributing heroin, announced Matthew G.T. Martin, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
CURTIS CARL COWAN, age 53, of Salisbury, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on December 3, 2018, to one count of distribution of heroin. COWAN was sentenced by United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr. to 156 months of imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was a “career offender” under federal law, based on his prior convictions for second degree kidnapping, attempted second degree kidnapping, and extortion.
On both May 15, 2017 and April 12, 2017, COWAN sold approximately 1 gram of heroin to a confidential informant working with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office. Both transactions occurred in the public parking lots of retail businesses located in Salisbury, North Carolina.
This case was investigated by the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry M. Meinecke.
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Project Safe Neighborhoods Prosecution ResultsRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – In connection with the U.S. Attorney’s Office continuing efforts to reduce violent crime through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich today announced the results of three sentencings in firearms-related cases.
- Virlee Osborne, 48, of North Las Vegas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in August 2018, to possession of a stolen firearm. On June 27, 2017, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers arrested Osborne in connection with a separate investigation. During his arrest, officers found a pink and silver .38 revolver with an obliterated serial number inside a bag that Osborne was carrying. He admitted he knew the firearm was stolen. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
- Armando Bazua, 35, of Compton, California, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty without the benefit of a plea agreement in December 2018, to felon in possession of a firearm. On February 10, 2017, Bazua was seen on social media posting photographs and videos shooting a .40 caliber handgun and a 9mm handgun at a firing range in Las Vegas. He has a prior felony conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in California and is prohibited from possessing firearms. The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.
- Julio Abundis, 24, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Miranda Du to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in October 2018, to felon in possession of a firearm. On September 29, 2017, Abundis was stopped by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers for driving a suspected stolen vehicle. During a search of the vehicle, officers found a .38 caliber revolver under the front passenger seat. Abundis admitted it was his firearm. He has a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault in California and is prohibited from possessing firearms. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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Port Sulphur Man Pleads Guilty in Cocaine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that defendant ALBERT VEREEN, JR., age 37, of Port Sulphur, LA, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiring to traffic cocaine hydrochloride and cocaine base (“crack”), in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846. VEREEN is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, a possible fine up to $5,000,000, and a period of supervised release of at least four years.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman is scheduled to sentence VEREEN on June 12, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office (PPSO), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), New Orleans Police Department (NOPD), Kenner Police Department (KPD), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Houston Police Department (HPD) in their investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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Owner of “Arctic Treasures” Indicted for Misrepresentation of Goods and Violations of the Marine Mammal Protection ActRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Lee John Screnock, 58, of Anchorage, d.b.a. “Arctic Treasures,” has been charged with one count of misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products, and two counts alleging violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
According to the indictment, beginning at an unknown time and ending no later than June 2018, Screnock allegedly offered, displayed for sale, and sold goods in a manner that falsely suggested that it was Indian produced, an Indian product, and the product of a particular Indian or Indian tribe or Indian arts and crafts organization. As alleged in the indictment, Screnock fraudulently represented hundreds of items for sale in his business as being carved by Alaskan Native artisans when he had in fact carved them himself. The indictment further alleges that Screnock violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act by knowingly offering illegal wildlife parts for sale, including a polar bear skull and a walrus oosik.
If convicted, Screnock faces a maximum of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Office of Law Enforcement (OLE) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Orleans Investment Adviser Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Orleans investment adviser was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for defrauding her clients of more than $3 million and using those funds for her own expenses.
Kimberly Kitts, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2018, Kitts pleaded guilty to an Information charging her with one count of investment adviser fraud, four counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Beginning in 2011, Kitts engaged in various schemes to misappropriate her clients’ assets in order to pay her personal expenses. In one scheme, she directed client assets to a bank account for Marquis Consulting, an entity she controlled. In another scheme, Kitts used her position as an investment adviser to divert her clients’ funds to her own account and then took the funds for her own personal use. This included cashing her clients’ annuities, transferring funds out of her clients’ brokerage accounts and directing distributions from her clients’ Individual Retirement Accounts. In total, Kitts misappropriated approximately $3,085,939 from her clients.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit prosecuted case.
Optician Charged with Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that a Bill of Information was filed Tuesday, March 19, 2019 against a Georgia optician charging him with identity theft in connection with the submission of fraudulent claims to health care benefit programs.
Specifically, JOHN ANTHONY MARSH, age 55, of the Atlanta, Georgia region was charged with one count of identity theft. MARSH operated Magazine Medical Group & Associates, LLC in New Orleans. MARSH is charged with submitting claims for reimbursement for medical services using a misappropriated National Provider Identifier of another physician to submit the claims.
If convicted, MARSH faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine as to Count 1 of the Information.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services for their work investigating the case. U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the Information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Jared Hasten of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrice Harris Sullivan.
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Ohio woman admits to using someone else’s passportRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Khourtney Alexandra King, of Canton, Ohio, has admitted to using another person’s passport, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
King, age 29, pled guilty to one count of “Misuse of a Passport.” King admitted to giving another person’s passport to her employer as proof of identity and citizenship in November 2017 in Ohio County.King faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn M. Adkins is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Niagara Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun 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 Milton Williams, Jr., 35, of Niagara Falls, NY, pleaded guilty, before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that on December 12, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a New York State search warrant at the defendant’s residence at 1364 Pierce Avenue in Niagara Falls. Officers recovered three loaded firearms and additional assorted rounds of ammunition. In addition, officers recovered marijuana and a large quantity of cocaine.
Today’s plea is the result of an investigation by the Niagara Falls Police Department, under the direction of Superintendent Thomas Licata, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 24, 2019, before Judge Wolford.
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New Orleans Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine-Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DAWN CONRAVEY, age 38, of New Orleans, was sentenced yesterday after previously pleading guilty to participating in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy throughout the New Orleans area. Specifically CONRAVEY pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. '' 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B) and 846.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle sentenced CONRAVEY to time served, followed by 3 years of supervised release, with year one served as home confinement.
According to court documents, during the timeframe of this conspiracy, codefendant Steven LYONS was a major methamphetamine distributor in the New Orleans area. LYONS obtained methamphetamine by U.S. Mail and other means from several sources, including codefendants Carlos Mario CANTU-COX and Christopher CANTU-COX in Texas (who also supplied Anna THOMPSON); Eric WILLIS in Texas; Trung PHAM in California; and Garret TEMPLETON in Louisiana. Codefendants Tommy WELLS, Clark McALPIN, Dwayne CLAUSE, and CONRAVEY acted as sellers or brokers of methamphetamine for LYONS in the New Orleans area.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Amtrak Police, and St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Milford Business Owner Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM F. ANDERSON, 50, of New Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Anderson owns several companies, including W.F. Anderson, LLC, a landscaping and excavation business based in Danbury; 1959, LLC; Retaining Wall Solutions; Wil-Rent; and Jacobs Creek Farm, LLC. For the 2007 through 2014 tax years, Anderson failed to pay more than $1.2 million in federal income taxes on nearly $4 million in income. Anderson committed multiple acts of evasion including, using business income to purchase cashier’s checks to keep income out of his accounts, conducting structured transactions to avoid the filing of Currency Transaction Reports (“CTRs”), and misrepresenting on a form that was filed with the IRS in May 2015 that he had less than $1,000 in a business checking account when, in fact, he had written checks for tens of thousands of dollars shortly before the submission of that form to conceal those assets from the IRS.
Federal law requires all financial institutions to file a Currency Transaction Report (“CTR”) for currency transactions that exceed $10,000. To evade the filing of a CTR, individuals will often structure their currency transactions so that no single transaction exceeds $10,000. Structuring involves the repeated depositing or withdrawal of amounts of cash less than the $10,000 limit, or the splitting of a cash transaction that exceeds $10,000 into smaller cash transactions in an effort to avoid the reporting requirements.
On November 5, 2018, Anderson pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion.
Anderson is required to cooperate with the IRS to pay all outstanding taxes, interest and penalties, which total more than $1.7 million.
Anderson, who is released on a $50,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on April 24, 2019.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate the Arms Export Control ActRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Cedar Knolls, New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to violate the Arms Export Control Act, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Michael Stashchyshyn, 56, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Stashchyshyn conspired with others to export night sighting equipment, firearm parts, and ammunition to Ukraine without the requisite license issued by the State Department. The items were purchased in the United States by Stashchyshyn’s co-conspirators, and shipped to Stashchyshyn who owned a freight forwarder business in Parsippany, New Jersey. Stashchyshyn then shipped the items to an individual in Ukraine in violation of U.S. law and regulations. The items shipped are contained on the Federal Munitions List and are controlled by the International Traffic in Arms (ITAR) regulations. They are illegal to ship without a license from the State Department, which the defendant and his co-conspirators did not have.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for July 24, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Charles A. Eberle and Shardul Desai are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Michael Stashchyshyn.
New Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Gun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDWARD LUGO, 37, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on September 19, 2018, Lugo possessed a 9mm Kel-Tec Model P-11 pistol and more than 100 rounds of assorted ammunition.
Lugo’s criminal history includes felony convictions in Connecticut and New York for firearm, weapon, drug, larceny and possession of stolen property offenses.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Lugo is scheduled to be sentenced on June 19 at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and up to a $250,000 fine.
This matter is being investigated by the Statewide Narcotics Task Force, New Haven Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Margaret E. Maigret and Sarah P. Karwan.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Natchitoches man pleads guilty to methamphetamine, firearm offensesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Reginald T. Warren, 37, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to the guilty plea, law enforcement officers with the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant on March 7, 2018 for Reginald Warren’s residence in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Agents found a total of more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the residence and a loaded Charter Arms .38-caliber revolver in close proximity to the methamphetamine.
Warren faces 10 years to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine for the methamphetamine offense. He faces at least five years in prison for the firearm offense. Drell set the sentencing date for June 20, 2019.
The DEA, Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force and Liberty County Sheriff’s Office in Texas conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan is prosecuting the case.
Montgomery Man Facing 40 Years in Federal Prison Following Drug Trafficking and Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama- Cody Eugene Mobley, 29, of Montgomery, Alabama was convicted last week of federal drug trafficking and firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley, ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson, and Montgomery Police Chief Ernest Finley.
On June 6, 2018, a federal search warrant was executed at Mobley’s residence on Butler Road in north Montgomery. During the search, law enforcement found a pound of crystal methamphetamine, drug distribution paraphernalia, and a number of firearms. Among the firearms found were a sawed-off shotgun, a pistol equipped with a silencer, and an AR-15 style rifle, which was equipped with a bump stock.
In September of 2018, Mobley was charged in a five-count indictment for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered short barrel shotgun and possession of an unregistered firearm silencer.
The case was tried beginning March 12 and the jury returned a verdict late Friday afternoon finding Mobley guilty on all five counts. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Mobley on June 20, 2019 where he will be facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 40 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Unfortunately, drug trafficking and guns go hand in hand, and this can make for a dangerous combination,” said U.S. Attorney Franklin. “In this case, the defendant had multiple guns loaded and ready to use in connection with his drug trafficking business. These were not your every day, run-of-the-mill guns, and they certainly should not be in the hands of a drug dealing convicted felon. Our office will continue to make it a priority to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Nothing is more important than keeping our communities safe. DEA, along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, will continue to utilize our combined resources to target individuals trafficking drugs and guns, threatening the safety of our citizens in this region of Alabama and throughout the country. This ‘career offender’s’ conviction sends a message of our unending resolve to pursue drug traffickers who wreak havoc in our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley.
“ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers are the driving force to reduce the violent crime that plagues our neighborhoods. This conviction illustrates the effective partnerships with law enforcement and the community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson.
“At MPD, we appreciate our close working relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and want to thank our federal partners for bringing this investigation to a successful conclusion with the conviction of Mr. Mobley,” said Montgomery Police Chief Ernest Finley.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Montgomery Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Bates and Kevin Davidson.
Missouri City Man Sentenced for Having Trafficked a 12-year-old Girl for SexRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Missouri City man has been ordered to prison for sex trafficking of a minor female, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Eddie Charles Larue pleaded guilty Oct. 11, 2018, to one count of sex trafficking.
Today, U.S. District Judge Sim Lake sentenced LaRue to 180 months in federal prison. Additional information was also presented today, including a letter read by the child victim detailing her disappointment, fear and bouts of crying when she thinks about what happened to her. Larue will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Larue will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the time of his plea, Larue admitted that from July 3-4, 2017, he recruited a 12-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts for money along the 1.3 mile stretch of Bissonnet St., commonly referred to as “The Track.” He also admitted he used force and threats of force to compel his victim into prostitution and collected all of the money she earned.
The Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) conducted the investigation. HTRA law enforcement includes members of the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Houston Police Department, sheriff’s offices in Harris and Montgomery counties, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Attorney General’s Office, Department of State, Department of Labor, IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed the HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as a national model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian Edwards and Jill Stotts are prosecuting the case.
Minot Man Sentenced to 12 1/2 Years in Federal Prison for Drug, Gun, and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – United States Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on March 18, 2019, Chief Judge Daniel L. Hovland, United States District Court, sentenced Dennis Allen Corwin, age 37, Minot, ND, on charges of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance; Distribution of a Controlled Substance; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Possession or Sale of Stolen Firearm; Possession of Firearms by a Prohibited Person; Possession of a Short-Barreled Shotgun; and Laundering of Monetary Instruments. Judge Hovland sentenced Corwin to serve 12 1/2 years in federal prison, to be followed by five years supervised release.
In the summer of 2016, law enforcement identified Dennis Corwin as a leader of an organization distributing methamphetamine in North Dakota. Law enforcement was able to arrange purchases of methamphetamine in Minot and Bismarck, ND, from Corwin. After Corwin was arrested in Bismarck, approximately five pounds of methamphetamine and 30 firearms were located between his vehicle and shop in Minot, ND. Further investigation revealed the drug organization had transported in excess of 70 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico to North Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Berthold Police Department, Ward County Narcotics Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Dawn Deitz prosecuted the case.
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Mercer County Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of Social Security Income MoneyRead the Press Release
Defendant fraudulently obtained over $50,000
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Kimberly Hall entered a guilty plea yesterday to the felony offense of fraudulently obtaining Social Security income benefits, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Hall, 43, of Bluefield, Mercer County, West Virginia faces up to 5 years of in prison when she is sentenced on August 7, 2019. She will also be required to pay restitution back to the United States Treasury. United States Attorney Mike Stuart praised the work of the Social Security Administration (SSA) and SSA-Office of Inspector General (OIG).
“Theft of Social Security benefits is widespread in West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are working closely with SSA-OIG to prosecute those who steal income benefits to which they aren’t entitled.”
Hall applied for Title II Social Security benefits in 2007 and to be a representative payee for a minor child. These Social Security benefits are based on income and living arrangements, and create a duty to report a change in income or living arrangements. From 2011 to 2016, the minor child no longer resided in Hall’s home. This was a change in SSI benefits that must be reported because this change in living arrangement would have lowered the amount of money she was receiving every month. Hall further indicated that the minor child resided at her home when the child no longer resided there. From August 2011 through September 2016, Hall received $50,012 in Social Security benefits in excess of the amount she was due. On November 9, 2016, Hall gave a false statement to a SSA claims representative concerning the minor child. SSA-OIG investigators investigated the claims and Hall admitted to them that the she had given false statements and that the minor child no longer resided at her home. She also knew that she was receiving money that she was not entitled to receive.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution. Senior United States District Judge David F. Faber presided over the hearing.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Medstar Health to Pay U.S. $35 Million to Resolve Allegations that it Paid Kickbacks to a Cardiology Group in Exchange for ReferralsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – MedStar Health, Inc. (MedStar) in Columbia, Md., MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, and MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, both in Baltimore, have agreed to pay the United States $35 million to settle allegations under the False Claims Act that it paid kickbacks to MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates (MACVA), a cardiology group based in Pikesville, Maryland, in exchange for referrals, through a series of professional services contracts at Union Memorial and Franklin Square Hospitals in Baltimore.
The settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General - Office of Investigations.
“Kickbacks give doctors an incentive to pursue unnecessary treatments that are costly and sometimes even dangerous to patients,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will not tolerate medical care providers who put their patients at risk and waste taxpayers’ dollars in order to line their own pockets.”
“Kickbacks made in connection with the provision of medical services undermine the integrity of our health care system,” said Jody Hunt, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “We will take action against medical service providers who through unlawful conduct put their own financial interests ahead of the best interests of patients, we will take action.”
“Patients rightly expect their doctors will make recommendations based on sound medical practice -- not payoffs that too often result in needless and sometimes even harmful procedures,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to protect patients and taxpayer-funded government health programs from these unnecessary services, as the government contended in this case.”
The allegations resolved in the settlement include the payment of kickbacks to MACVA under the guise of professional services agreements, in return for MACVA’s referrals to Union Memorial of lucrative cardiovascular procedures, including cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology procedures, from January 1, 2006 through July 31, 2011.
Under the settlement MedStar also agrees to settle allegations that it received Medicare payments from January 1, 2006 through December 28, 2012, for medically unnecessary stents performed by John Wang, M.D., a one-time employee of MACVA who was later employed by MedStar.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by whistleblowers Stephen D. Lincoln, M.D.; Peter Horneffer, M.D.; and Garth McDonald, M.D., cardiac surgeons who practiced together as members of Cardiac Surgery Associates in Baltimore. The lawsuit, which was filed in the District of Maryland in June 2010, alleges that Union Memorial and Franklin Square, and others, violated the Anti-Kickback Act and the False Claims Act by paying various forms of illegal remuneration to MACVA to induce referrals of patients insured by Medicare for cardiac procedures which caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare.
The settlement also resolves another lawsuit brought by whistleblowers who were former patients of John Wang, M.D. who claimed that Dr. Wang, MedStar, and Union Memorial engaged in a pattern and practice of performing medically unnecessary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stent placement procedures and submitted false claims to Medicare for those cardiac stent procedures. The lawsuit was filed in the District of Maryland in December 2012.
The whistleblowers, or relators, brought their actions under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private citizens with knowledge of false claims against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Under the civil settlement announced today, the relators will receive a portion of the federal share of the recovery.
The settlement announced today was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The case was handled by Maryland Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Roann Nichols.
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MedStar Health to Pay U.S. $35 Million to Resolve Allegations that it Paid Kickbacks to a Cardiology Group in Exchange for ReferralsRead the Press Release
MedStar Health Inc. (MedStar) in Columbia, Maryland., MedStar Union Memorial Hospital, and MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, both in Baltimore, have agreed to pay the United States $35 million to settle allegations under the False Claims Act that it paid kickbacks to MidAtlantic Cardiovascular Associates (MACVA), a cardiology group based in Pikesville, Maryland, in exchange for referrals, through a series of professional services contracts at Union Memorial and Franklin Square Hospitals in Baltimore.
The settlement was announced by Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General - Office of Investigations.
“Kickbacks made in connection with the provision of medical services undermine the integrity of our health care system,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “We will take action against medical service providers who through unlawful conduct put their own financial interests ahead of the best interests of patients.”
“Kickbacks give doctors an incentive to pursue unnecessary treatments that are costly and sometimes even dangerous to patients,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We will not tolerate medical care providers who put their patients at risk and waste taxpayers’ dollars in order to line their own pockets.”
“Patients rightly expect their doctors will make recommendations based on sound medical practice – not payoffs that too often result in needless and sometimes even harmful procedures,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We will continue to protect patients and taxpayer-funded government health programs from these unnecessary services, as the government contended in this case.”
The allegations resolved in the settlement include the payment of kickbacks to MACVA under the guise of professional services agreements, in return for MACVA’s referrals to Union Memorial of lucrative cardiovascular procedures, including cardiac surgery and interventional cardiology procedures, from Jan. 1, 2006, through July 31, 2011.
Under the settlement MedStar also agrees to settle allegations that it received Medicare payments from Jan. 1, 2006, through Dec. 28, 2012, for medically unnecessary stents performed by John Wang, M.D., a one-time employee of MACVA who was later employed by MedStar.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by whistleblowers, Stephen D. Lincoln, M.D.; Peter Horneffer, M.D.; and Garth McDonald, M.D., cardiac surgeons who practiced together as members of Cardiac Surgery Associates in Baltimore. The lawsuit, which was filed in the District of Maryland in June 2010, alleges that Union Memorial and Franklin Square, and others, violated the Anti-Kickback Act and the False Claims Act by paying various forms of illegal remuneration to MACVA to induce referrals of patients insured by Medicare for cardiac procedures which caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare.
The settlement also resolves another lawsuit brought by whistleblowers who were former patients of John Wang, M.D. who claimed that Dr. Wang, MedStar, and Union Memorial engaged in a pattern and practice of performing medically unnecessary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty with stent placement procedures and submitted false claims to Medicare for those cardiac stent procedures. The lawsuit was filed in the District of Maryland in December 2012.
The whistleblowers, or relators, brought their actions under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private citizens with knowledge of false claims against the government to bring a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and to share in any recovery. Under the civil settlement announced today, the relators will receive a portion of the federal share of the recovery.
The settlement announced today was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. The case was handled by Maryland Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Roann Nichols.
Marion County Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years for Shooting at Veterans Clinic in the VillagesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Senior United States District Judge James D. Whittemore today sentenced Stephen Cometa (63, Marion County) to 17 years and 3 months in federal prison for forcibly assaulting and resisting federal employees with a deadly and dangerous weapon, and for discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. A federal jury previously found Cometa guilty of the offenses on December 13, 2018.
According to the testimony and evidence presented in court, in December 2016, Cometa entered a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic in The Villages carrying a loaded AR-15 assault rifle, a concealed handgun, and hundreds of rounds of extra ammunition for both firearms. Cometa walked through the clinic to a psychiatrist’s office, interrupted an ongoing treatment session, and pointed the assault rifle at the psychiatrist as he opened the door. The psychiatrist, as well as a VA contractor and two VA police officers, struggled with Cometa for control of the assault rifle and eventually subdued him. During the struggle, Cometa fired the assault rifle, shooting holes in the walls, ceiling, and furniture.
This case was investigated by the FBI—Ocala Resident Agency, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Department of Veterans Affairs Police Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Hamilton and Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Action to Recover Ukrainian Painting Looted by NazisRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the filing of a civil forfeiture action seeking the return to its rightful owner of a painting looted from a Kyiv museum in Nazi-controlled Ukraine in the closing days of World War II. The piece, formerly entitled A Family Portrait and currently entitled An Amorous Couple or alternatively A Loving Glance (the “Painting”), painted by Pierre Louis Goudreaux, a student of Jean-Honoré Fragonard, was allegedly stolen from the Bohdan and Varvara Khanenko National Museum of the Arts in Kyiv, Ukraine, around 1943.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said: “Our Office has a long history of righting wrongs, no matter how long ago a crime was committed. Today’s action is an example of our continued commitment to ensuring that art looted by Nazis more than 75 years ago is returned to its rightful owners.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The occupying forces during World War II believed they had the right to surround themselves with the spoils of their invasion, to include art work that didn't belong to them. The Nazis secreted these works away from the public and over the course of decades many were lost forever. The FBI New York Art Crime Team works diligently to restore these paintings and artifacts to their rightful owners because the some of the wounds of that dark time can be mended even decades later.”
According to the Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court:
Before the outbreak of the World War II in the Soviet Union, the Khanenko Museum maintained the Painting under the name A Family Portrait, after the Painting had been willed to the Museum by art collector Vasilii Aleksandrovich Shchavinskii in 1924 upon his death. The Painting is seen in numerous photographs of the interior of the Khanenko Museum in the 1930s.
As part of the invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II, German troops crossed the Dnieper River into Kyiv in August 1941. To protect its inventory from the invading troops, the Khanenko Museum evacuated some of its artwork eastward into Soviet Russia, but the Painting was not listed in the checklists of the evacuated items. When the German troops occupied Kyiv beginning in 1941, Nazi Germany occupied Ukraine through an administrative entity called the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (the “RKU”). The RKU seized numerous pieces from the Khanenko Museum for display in the residences of occupying authorities. The Painting was not listed in the ledger of such seized pieces. When Soviet troops began approaching Kyiv to try to retake the city in 1943, the German authorities seized artwork for export to Germany, but the Painting was not listed in the German ledger of the exported artworks. Kyiv became a military zone in the final days of the war in Ukraine, and retreating German troops looted many remaining valuables.
In July 1944, after the Soviet Union had re-taken Kyiv from Nazi rule, the Committee for Art under the Soviet of Ministers for the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic began to review pieces stolen from the Khanenko Museum. The Committee listed the Painting, under the title An Amorous Couple, as a missing piece when the review was completed in August 1948.
In January 2013, the Painting resurfaced when it was listed on the official website of a New York auction house (the “New York Auction House”). The provenance accompanying the auction notice stated that the Painting had been held in a private collection in London and then a private collection in Massachusetts. Further investigation by the FBI established that in December 1993, the Painting was purchased from an auction house in Deerfield, Massachusetts, by a New York art dealer (the “Art Dealer”). The Art Dealer held the Painting until consigning it to the New York Auction House in January 2013. The Painting was posted for auction under the alternate title of A Loving Glance.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI are seeking forfeiture of the painting so it can be returned to its rightful owners.
Mr. Berman thanked the FBI’s Art Crime Team for their assistance.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Money Laundering and Transnational Criminal Enterprises Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel L. Raymond is in charge of the case.
Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Madison, Wis. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andrew Steiskal, 23, New Lisbon, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 15 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. Steiskal pleaded guilty to this offense on December 7, 2018.
In January 2018, a minor in Dorchester, South Carolina went to the police and reported that she had been having contact with a Snapchat user who sent her a Dropbox link to sexually explicit pictures of an adult male and a young child. Law enforcement officers ultimately were able to identify the sender, who had the user name “steisdaddy95,” as Andrew Steiskal.
Law enforcement officers searched the minor’s phone and saw the images the minor described. They also found numerous Snapchat messages from Steiskal identifying himself and the minor child as the people shown in the sexually explicit images.
The mother of the child who appears in the sexually explicit images told the Court that there were not enough words to describe how horrible the experience has been for her and her child.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Peterson said that part of what made the crime so horrible is that the defendant exploited a child who was incapable of defending herself or calling for help. Judge Peterson also pointed out that there were a number of victims here, and that the effects of the defendant’s actions would be felt long into the future.
The charges against Steiskal were the result of an investigation conducted by the Juneau County Sheriff’s Department, the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Dorchester County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.
Maine Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Donald Fillmore, 42, of Exeter, Maine, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for fentanyl trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 14, 2017, members of the New Hampshire State Police conducted a routine traffic stop and encountered Fillmore. Pursuant to a consent search, the troopers recovered approximately 714 grams of fentanyl, which Fillmore admitted belonged to him.
Fillmore previously pleaded guilty to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute on October 29, 2018.
“Fentanyl has been responsible for hundreds of overdose deaths in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “I commend the New Hampshire State Police for their efforts in this case, which led to the seizure of a significant quantity of this deadly drug. By removing this fentanyl from the distribution chain, they may have given many people a chance to survive.”
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cam T. Le.
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Leader of Serial Robbery Crew Sentenced to over 17 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The leader of a serial robbery crew was sentenced today to 210 months in federal prison for two armed robberies in Las Vegas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Cortez Harris, 29, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II sentenced Harris to five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on the morning of July 13, 2017, Harris and co-conspirators Leonard Tremillo Jr., Janellcie Gibbons, and a juvenile robbed a convenience store located on S. Rainbow Blvd. in Las Vegas. Harris pointed a firearm towards the customers in the lobby, then he and the juvenile walked behind the counter. He then pointed the firearm at an employee and told the victim to open the safe. After the victim gave Harris money from the safe, he demanded more money, pointed the gun at her head, and threatened to kill her. Tremillo stayed in the lobby with the customers. They stole approximately $1,626, and fled from the business.
Less than one hour later, Harris and his co-conspirators robbed a cash advance business located on E. Bonanza Rd. Harris approached an employee and told her not to call the police while he held a firearm to her head. During the robbery, Harris pistol-whipped the victim. They stole approximately $4,838, and fled in a get-away car driven by co-conspirator, Janellcie Gibbons.
Law enforcement identified Harris and his co-conspirators from video surveillance footage at both businesses. The robbery crew was linked to a larger series of armed robberies in Utah, Texas, and Colorado, between July 3 and July 25, 2017.
Leonard Tremillo Jr. pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 108 months in prison; Janellcie Gibbons pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 87 months in prison; and the juvenile co-conspirator pleaded guilty and was sentenced in Texas for a related robbery.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Michael prosecuted the case.
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Leader of Local Hip-Hop Group Is Sentenced to Nine Years for Bank and Wire Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, announced today that Damonte Withers, 30, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 108 months for bank fraud conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft charges in connection to a bank and identity theft scheme. In addition to the prison term imposed, Withers was ordered to serve two years under court supervision and to pay $1,068,511.87 in restitution.
U.S. Attorney Murray is joined in making today’s announcement by David M. McGinnis, Inspector in Charge of the Charlotte Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Reginald DeMatteis, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Charlotte Field Office; and Chief Kerr Putney of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department.
According to court documents and today’s sentencing hearing, Withers, also known as “Tony da Boss” on social media, and his co-conspirators, were members of a local hip-hop group known as the “FreeBandz Gang” or “FBG.”
According to court documents, from February 2014 through January 2016, Withers conspired with others to commit bank fraud by engaging in what is commonly known as a “card-cracking” scheme. As part of the scheme, Withers and his co-conspirators recruited individuals to hand over their bank account ATM/debit cards and PINs in exchange for the promise of an easy pay-day. Withers and other members of FBG would then deposit fraudulent or stolen checks into the bank accounts using the corresponding ATMs or mobile banking applications, triggering a credit to the account. Court records show that Withers and his co-conspirators would then quickly withdraw cash from the accounts, before the banks could determine the deposited checks were worthless.
In addition to the card-cracking scheme, in October 2016, Withers and several members of FBG also executed wire fraud conspiracy in which they used victims’ stolen identities to fraudulently acquire cellular phones, tablets and other goods so they could resell them for profit. Withers and other members of the conspiracy obtained victims’ names, Social Security Numbers, dates of birth, and other personal identifying information, using an Internet-based database and used that information to manufacture fake IDs, which they then used to open phone lines and complete fraudulent credit applications in the identity theft victims’ names. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement found Withers to be in possession of several items used to manufacture the fictitious identification cards, and of the personal identifying information of at least 18 individuals. Withers’ fraudulent conduct continued at least until he was charged in December 2017. Withers previously admitted to causing between $550,000 and $1.5 million in losses as a result of his fraud.
Withers’ co-defendants were previously sentenced as follows: Nemiah Davis was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release; Quadarius Thomas was sentenced to 65 months in prison and two years of supervised release; Jeffrey Monteith was sentenced to 58 months in prison and three years of supervised release; Deandre Howze was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release; Laerek Williams was sentenced to 54 months in prison and two years of supervised release; and James Willingham was sentenced to 52 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray commended the work of the United States Secret Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of this case.
Assistant United States Attorney Dallas J. Kaplan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
Las Vegas Man Convicted of Distributing OxycodoneRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Following a two-day jury trial, a Las Vegas resident was convicted of distributing large quantities of Oxycodone pills, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Daniel W. Neill for the DEA Las Vegas office.
Damien Norris, 39, was found guilty of distributing Oxycodone, a Schedule II opioid. United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2019. The maximum statutory penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to evidence presented at trial, Norris trafficked large quantities of Oxycodone in Las Vegas. He sold Oxycodone to an individual who made bi-weekly trips from Arizona for the purpose of purchasing pills from Norris. On February 23, 2107, Norris sold approximately 900 30mg oxycodone pills for $15,300.
The case was investigated by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Whang is prosecuting the case.
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KC Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in an armed robbery that was part of a three-month-long spree of armed robberies at metropolitan area businesses.
Donald L. Boggess, also known as “Old School,” 57, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 11 years and nine months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Boggess to pay $19,796 in restitution, for which he is jointly and severally liable.
On Dec. 19, 2017, Boggess pleaded guilty to the Aug. 30, 2015, armed robbery of a 7-Eleven store at 1701 Independence Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
The crime spree, which lasted from July 25 to Oct. 20, 2015, involved 13 armed robberies of businesses in the metropolitan area in which $19,796 was stolen.
Boggess is the fourth and final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Isaac J. Williams, also known as “Dat Flyguy,” 26, of Kansas City, Mo., also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison without parole. Rahnice J. Clay, 25, of Kansas City, Mo., also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole. Deitra M. Turner, also known as “Detrix Mob Turner,” 26, of Kansas City, Mo., also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in federal prison without parole.
During the armed robbery of the metroPCS store at 4513 Independence Ave., Kansa City, Mo., on Aug. 18, 2015, metroPCS robbery, Boggess was armed with a silver handgun while Williams stood by the door looking out. When Boggess demanded money, the sales clerk motioned to the cash register and Boggess opened the drawer, took approximately $2,627, and stuffed it into his hooded sweatshirt pocket. While taking the cash from the drawer, Boggess continued to point the handgun at the clerk and another employee. Williams and Boggess then fled the store and got into the getaway car with the Turner and Clay. All four divided and shared in the proceeds from the robbery.
During the armed robbery of the Phillips 66 gas station at 7531 Troost Ave., Kansas City, Mo., on Aug. 21, 2015, Williams and Turner entered the store, while Clay was at the gas pump as the lookout and Boggess remained in the car, as he was the getaway driver. The cashier was in the middle of a transaction with a customer who had just handed her a $100 bill when Williams pushed the customer out of the way and demanded the money in the register. He then pulled out a silver handgun that was wrapped in a t-shirt and pointed it at her. The cashier opened the cash register and took out all of the cash and placed it onto the counter. Williams grabbed the cash, then he and Turner (who was standing by the door as a lookout) left the store. They got into Boggess’s vehicle and Boggess drove away. The money from the robbery was split equally among the four of them.
Clay admitted that, in two robberies, she entered the store prior to the robbery then left the store when there were no other customers. A short time later, Williams and Turner entered the store. Williams, armed with a handgun, demanded money.
During the armed robbery of the metroPCS store at 723 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 11, 2015, Turner grabbed a blue metroPCS bag from the store to put the money in to. The employee handed over approximately $312. Williams and Turner ordered her to the back to unlock the safe, but she was unable to unlock the safe.
During the armed robbery of the GameStop store at 906 Westport Rd., Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 12, 2015, Turner took one of the employees to the back and collected game systems. The employee stated he handed over approximately $555 and games. Two witnesses outside the GameStop store saw Williams and Turner run to and get into Clay’s red Toyota; Clay, the getaway driver, was already in the car. Williams, Turner, and Clay split the money and video game systems.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Michael Green. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Grandview, Mo., Police Department, the Roeland Park, Kan., Police Department and the FBI.
Justice Department Awards $5.7 M to Support Native American Crime Victims in Seven StatesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – U.S. Attorney Trent Shores and The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crimes announced this week that two northeastern Oklahoma tribes were awarded more than $1.28 million to support crime victims.
The two tribes in the Northern District of Oklahoma that received funding are the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and Wyandotte Nation.
The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma received $704, 949 to hire a crime victim advocate and to develop a cultural outreach program for those affected by violence. The funding will also help improve transportation for crime victims and provide emergency shelter services and counseling services.
The Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma was awarded $579,596 to expand services to victims of domestic violence, elder abuse, sexual assault, dating violence and human trafficking by hiring a victim advocate. The award will also fund transportation to reach survivors in remote areas and provide legal and mental health services to those impacted by crime.
Nationwide, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) awarded more than $5.7 million to support crime victims in Native American communities in seven states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Washington and Wisconsin. The group of 10 awards is the second in a series of grants being made by OVC to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. OVC has now awarded more than $9 million of up to $100 million to support tribal victim service programs.
The awards—17 in total so far—will fund critical crime victim services, such as counseling, transitional housing, emergency services and transportation. The grants are supported by the Crime Victims Fund, a repository of federal criminal fines, fees and special assessments. The fund includes zero tax dollars.
“American Indian and Alaska Native communities face extensive public safety challenges, but through creative approaches that combine traditional methods with innovative solutions, they are demonstrating their determination to meet the needs of victims in their communities,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth. “These grants, part of historic levels of funding awarded by the Department of Justice to American Indian and Alaska Native communities, will provide significant resources to bring critical services to those who suffer the effects of crime and violence.”
“From domestic violence to sexual assaults, the sad fact is that Native Americans are overrepresented as victims of violent crime, particularly women and children. The Justice Department is committed to changing this alarming statistic. We must give voice to victims of violent crime in Indian Country, especially those who are murdered or missing,” said Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and Chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues. “The more than $5.7 million in grant funding reflects the Justice Department’s strong commitment to partnering with Native American communities to identify key services needed to support victims of violent crime. In my district, the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and Wyandotte Nation have been selected to receive more than $1.28 million in grants. It is important to facilitate the creation of victim advocate positions in tribal communities. Victim advocates are key to providing resources and support to victims who have suffered unspeakable crimes.”
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, American Indians and Alaska Natives experience violent crime at rates far greater than the general population.
The following eight tribes also received grant awards this week. Nearly 170 tribes are eligible to receive this funding this spring to help their communities support crime victims over the next three years:
• The Chickasaw Nation (Oklahoma) was awarded $628,737 to improve victim services by hiring additional staff and enhancing training, while also providing much-needed transportation for crime victims.
• Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Wisconsin) received $671,543 to enhance current victim services by providing transitional housing, transportation and security to victims, particularly those affected by the drug epidemic. The funds will also enable the tribe to hire victim advocacy staff for child abuse victims and expand office space to house Indian Child Welfare staff plus a victim interview room.
• The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (Minnesota) was awarded $719,962 to hire victim services staff who specialize in serving children, youth and families affected by crime. The funding will also provide transportation and emergency services for crime victims, and expand community outreach and awareness.
• Nenana Native Association (Alaska) received $251,912 to increase the capacity of its existing victim services program by hiring a victim services coordinator and to improve training for the staff. Funds will also support travel for victims to access necessary services locally and in Fairbanks.
• The Kalispel Indian Community of the Kalispel Reservation (Washington) was awarded $679,259 to expand the tribe’s victim assistance program to serve human trafficking victims, and develop a strategic plan to improve services to victims. The funding will also support the hiring of a victim advocate, as well as travel and training costs for staff.
• Skokomish Indian Tribe (Washington) was awarded $446,234 to expand its elder abuse program by hiring a victim advocate to focus on adult protective services. The funds will also support staff training, provide essential transportation and help purchase project-related supplies.
• Southern Indian Health Council, Inc. (California) was awarded $720,000 to improve services for child abuse victims by providing intervention, support and education. The funding will enable the tribe to hire a social worker and other staff, improve transportation for victims and cover the costs of training and program supplies.
• Southern Ute Indian Tribe (Colorado) received $391,425 to enhance staff training and improve forensic interviews with child abuse victims, while also offering trauma-informed clinical therapeutic services for crime victims. In addition, the funding will provide essential supplies and new equipment for forensic medical services.
“American Indian and Alaska Native crime victims continue to face challenges in accessing vital services and resources needed to help survivors address their trauma and navigate a complex system,” said OVC Director Darlene Hutchinson. “The Justice Department has made it a priority to partner with tribes to help victims and their families rebuild their lives in the aftermath of violence.”
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth, provides federal leadership, grants and resources to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal justice system. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov
Jury Convicts Florida Man of Attempting to Entice A Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity and Attempting to Transfer Obscene MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida– A federal jury today found Justin Scott Hunt (31, Tampa) guilty of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. Hunt faces a mandatory term of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 14, 2019.
A grand jury had indicted Hunt on August 16, 2017.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Hunt engaged in six months of online conversation with someone he believed to be a small child and the child’s mother. In reality, he was actually talking to an undercover agent. On numerous occasions, Hunt requested to meet the “child” and described, in graphic detail, the sex acts that he planned to engage in with the minor. He also sent two pictures of his erect penis to whom he believed to be the mother of the child, encouraging her to show the child the pictures, expressing hope that the child would then begin to develop “a lust or fantasy” about Hunt.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory T. Nolan and Candace Garcia Rich.
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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Judge Sentences Bank Robber to 8 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA. - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA has been sentenced in federal court to eight years (96 months) in prison followed by five years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution on his conviction of armed robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Derek Hanner, age 30.
According to information presented to the court, Hanner committed the armed robbery of the following banks:
• Citizens Bank, 2021 Wharton Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 of $8,233:
• Citizens Bank, 5550 Centre Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15232 of $ $8,024;
• Brentwood Bank, 5259 Library Road, Bethel Park, PA 15102 of $12,470; and
• Brentwood Bank, 5259 Library Road, Bethel Park, PA 15102 of $4,000.
Assistant United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Bethel Park Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hanner.
Judge Finds Pittsburgh Felon Guilty of Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been convicted in federal court for violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Ambrose J. Sample, II, 38, was convicted after a January 2019, bench trial before Senior United States District Court Judge Joy Flowers Conti. The defendant was found guilty of one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, and acquitted of a charge related to possession of a firearm. The Judge issued the verdict today after receiving and considering findings of fact and conclusions of law by the parties.
The charges in the Indictment arose from an incident wherein the defendant pulled a firearm from his waistband and fired shots into the air after a dispute with neighbors. The Court was advised that after the defendant fired shots into the air, witnesses observed his girlfriend drive away from the scene shortly after officers responded to the area. The defendant agreed to submit to a gunshot residue test of his hands and it was found that he had components of primer-gunshot residue on both of his hands. Officers obtained search warrants for the defendant’s residence as well as the residence of his girlfriend. In the defendant’s residence, officers recovered one GFL .380 ammunition. From his girlfriend’s residence, under the bed where she had been sleeping, officers recovered a firearm. Sample has been previously convicted of the charges of murder of the third degree, aggravated harassment by a prisoner, simple assault, fleeing and eluding police and tampering with physical evidence, all of which preclude him from possessing ammunition or firearms. The Court found the defendant guilty of possessing the ammunition that was present in his residence. The Court, however, found the defendant not guilty of possessing the firearm recovered from his girlfriend’s residence, as it was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the firearm was the same one possessed by the defendant.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for July 18, 2019. The law provides for a total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Judge Conti ordered that Sample remain detained pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorneys Shanicka L. Kennedy and Yvonne Saadi are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the City of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
This case is being prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a collaborative effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and communities to prevent, deter and prosecute gun crime. 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.
Irving, Texas Man Sentenced to 5 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Miguel Leon Bejarano, age 25, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced to 5 months’ imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1349. The charges arose from an investigation by the Lighthorse Police Department, the Waxahachie Police Department, and the United States Secret Service.
The Indictment alleged that in or about November, 2017, to on or about March 27, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendant knowingly and willfully conspired with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to transmit or cause to be transmitted by means of a wire communication, in interstate commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds in order to obtain money by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The conspiracy involved the use of credit card “skimming devices” placed on gas pumps by members of the conspiracy to steal credit card information, create credit cards with the information and then use those cards to receive cash at ATM’s at the Winstar and border casinos located in Thackerville, Oklahoma.
“The use of skimming devices to steal credit card information is not a new trend, but the devices used today are more difficult to detect. There are precautions we should all take to protect our credit and bank card information from thieves using skimming devices. For example, before using a gas pump, make sure the panel is closed and doesn’t show signs of tampering. Many pumps now have a security seal. If the seal is broken, don’t use that pump,” United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said. “Awareness that thieves are using this technology and exercising caution before using your credit card at the pump or at ATM’s are important to help us avoid being victims of this type of criminal scheme.”
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has additional information about this and other schemes to defraud consumers. This can be found at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog
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. Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Henson represented the United States.
Independence Man Sentenced to 108 Months Imprisonment after Previously Pleading Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ROY DAVID MELANCON, age 40, a resident of Independence, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 108 months after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Indictment charging him with receipt of images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Judge Barbier also sentenced MELANCON to a period of 5 years of supervised release after he is released from prison and ordered him to pay $10,000 in restitution to those victims who sought restitution. MELANCON will also have to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at MELANCON’S residence on February 20, 2018. Probable cause for the search warrant came from information developed in the March 2016 arrest of an individual in Canada who had traded images and videos containing depictions of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct via a cellular phone application with an individual utilizing username “makemehappy74,” who law enforcement authorities determined to be MELANCON. During the execution of the search warrant, special agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation seized electronic items including one cellular telephone and one Amazon Kindle Fire tablet that contained images and videos depicting the sexual victimization of children. A forensic examination of the devices revealed that MELANCON used them to search for, download, and save images and videos of child pornography. Some of the child victims depicted in the materials possessed by MELANCON were less than three (3) months old. Agents determined that MELANCON also sought and traded images and videos depicting the sexual victimization of children via a cell phone application. The forensic examination located not fewer than 1,000 images and 200 videos on MELANCON’S digital devices depicting children forced to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg was in charge of the prosecution.
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Illinois Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Mediha Medy Salkicevic, a/k/a Medy Ummuluna, a/k/a Bosna Mexico, 38, pled guilty today to one federal count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists. Salkicevic appeared today before Judge Catherine D. Perry who accepted her plea and set her sentencing for June 18, 2019.
According to court documents, on or before February 5, 2015, Salkicevic conspired with others to support the activities of Abdullah Ramo Pazara and others, including a conspiracy to commit outside the United States an act that would constitute the offense of murder or maiming if committed in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States. Salkicevic intended to support and provide resources to Pazara, knowing that he and his co-conspirators would use the support and resources in furtherance of their combat against Syrian government forces and others. The support consisted of money and supplies such as military uniforms, first aid material, rifle scopes, combat boots, and other supplies useful to fighters engaged in combat.
Salkicevic faces up to 15 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis and Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Metropolitan and St. Louis County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Drake, Howard Marcus and Kenneth Tihen of the Eastern District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section.