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29 April 2019
St. Louis County Executive Indicted for Pay to Play SchemeRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Steven V. Stenger, of Clayton, was indicted last Thursday on three counts of honest services bribery/mail fraud.
The Indictment alleges that beginning in October 2014 and continuing through December 31, 2018, Stenger and various individuals and companies schemed to defraud and deprive the citizens of St. Louis County of their right to his honest and faithful services, and the honest and faithful services of the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership’s Chief Executive Officer, through bribery and the concealment of material information. The purpose of the scheme was for Stenger to secretly use his official position to enrich himself through soliciting and accepting campaign contributions from individuals and their companies in exchange for favorable official action, and for individuals and their companies to enrich themselves and their companies by secretly obtaining favorable action for themselves and for their companies, through corrupt means.
Specifically, the Indictment alleges that Stenger, in exchange for campaign donations and several fundraising events, took official action to insure that John Rallo and his company, Cardinal Insurance, obtained insurance contracts through St. Louis County during 2015 and 2016. Further, the Indictment alleges that Stenger took official action to insure that John Rallo and his company, Cardinal Creative Consulting, obtained a 2016 consulting contract through the St. Louis County Port Authority. Additionally, Stenger took official action to insure that John Rallo and his company, Wellston Holdings, LLC, obtained options to purchase two properties in Wellston, Missouri which were held by the Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority of St. Louis County during 2016 and 2017. The Indictment also alleges that Stenger, in exchange for campaign donations and fundraising activities, took official action to insure that “Company One,” as set forth in the Indictment, obtained a 2019 - 2021 state lobbying contract from the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. The Indictment alleges that Stenger took steps to hide, conceal and cover up his illegal conduct and actions, including making false public statements.
Stenger is scheduled to appear at 1:00 p.m. for his initial appearance and arraignment on his Indictment before U.S. Magistrate Noelle Collins, Courtroom 15 North, Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse, 111 S. 10th Street, St. Louis, Missouri.
If convicted, each charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Restitution is also mandatory. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
As is always the case, charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute as much as 45 kilograms of methamphetamine.
David McKinnie, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge David P. Rush to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to money laundering.
By pleading guilty today, McKinnie admitted that he distributed as much as 45 kilograms of methamphetamine in Greene and Jasper counties from May 2016 to Feb. 20, 2018. McKinnie also admitted that he transmitted a $3,000 money gram to his supplier in Oklahoma, which involved the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.
According to McKinnie’s plea agreement, he purchased up to three pounds of methamphetamine from his supplier each week for three years, for which he paid approximately $6,000 to $9,000 per pound.
Under federal statutes, McKinnie is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull II. It was investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Shreveport resident sentenced to 12 months in prison for lying on ATF form to buy a firearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Thomas Ray Beaird, 41, of Shreveport, was sentenced Thursday to 12 months and one day in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for attempting to purchase a firearm from a pawn shop. He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release.
Beaird attempted to purchase a handgun from a licensed Shreveport firearms dealer on June 29, 2018. Beaird lied on an ATF form 4473 to purchase a Ruger LCP .380-caliber gun. Beaird marked on the form that he was not subject to a court order restraining him from harassing, stalking or threatening a child or an intimate partner or child of such partner. Beaird was arrested on June 20, 2018 for second degree kidnapping of his wife. A Caddo Parish juvenile court judge also granted a protective order against Beaird on behalf of his juvenile children on June 21, 2018. Personal service of the protective order was made at the Caddo Correctional Center on June 26, 2018. Beaird pleaded guilty to the federal charge on December 18, 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 lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Seven Indicted in "Card Cracking" SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – An indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court in Providence on Friday charges seven individuals with allegedly participating in a “card cracking” scheme, with the intent of defrauding banks of approximately a million dollars.
In a “card cracking” scheme, a group of people create counterfeit checks and recruit complicit bank account holders who allow use of their bank accounts to deposit the bogus checks and the use of their ATM cards to withdraw funds prior to the bank determining that the checks are counterfeit.
The indictment charges Stefan C. Gaye aka “Swizzy,” 27, Edmilson A. Rodrigues aka “2Fly,” 20, Nestor Concepcion aka “Nestor J,”23, Luis Rodriguez aka “Clout Lord,” 19, Terrell Witherspoon, 23, and Leslie Susana, 20, all of Providence, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud. Shaun Dennis, 25, of Providence, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
The return of the indictment is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Providence Police Chief Colonel Hugh T. Clements, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Stephen Marks, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Joseph W. Cronin, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
According to the indictment and information presented to the Court, it is alleged that members of the conspiracy solicited individuals with access to legitimate business and public agency checks to photograph the checks and send them to a counterfeiter. The information was used to create counterfeit checks. It is alleged that members of the conspiracy then solicited others via social media, often times college students, to allow the bogus checks be deposited into their bank accounts. Using ATM cards belonging to the account holders, either members of the conspiracy or, at times the actual account holders, under the supervision of members of the conspiracy, would attempt to withdraw cash from the accounts prior to the bank determining that the deposited checks were counterfeit.
It is alleged that over the past six years, members of the conspiracy created and deposited in banks in Rhode Island and Massachusetts approximately a million dollars worth of bogus checks.
Stefan Gaye and Terrell Witherspoon have been arrested and arraigned in U.S. District Court. Nestor Concepcion, Luis Rodriguez, and Shaun Dennis are currently detained at the ACI on unrelated charges and will be appear in U.S. District Court for arraignment on May 6, 2019. Arrest warrants have been issued for Edmilson Rodrigues and Leslie Susana.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation was initiated by the Providence Police Department’s Detective Bureau, Financial Crimes Unit. They sought the assistance of federal law enforcement and the case was then investigated jointly by U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the FBI.
United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman thanks the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General, Rhode Island State Police, and the Warwick and North Providence Police Departments for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.
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Schuylkill County Man Sentenced to Eight Years’ Imprisonment for Heroin and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Marquese Whitted, age 33, of Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment followed by four years on supervised release by Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo, for participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed heroin and methamphetamine in the Schuylkill County area in 2016.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Whitted previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. At today’s sentencing hearing, the Court found that Whitted was responsible for 100 grams of heroin (which is equivalent to 4,000 retail bags), and more than 400 grams of methamphetamine. The Court also found that Whitted had created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury when he used his vehicle to ram a police van and attempted to ram another police van while attempting to flee from police in October 2016.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and local police in Schuylkill County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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San Fernando Valley Man Arrested in Terror Plot to Detonate Explosive Device Designed to Kill InnocentsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Fernando Valley man was arrested Friday night after he received what he thought was a live bomb, but in fact was an inert explosive device that was delivered by an undercover law enforcement officer as part of an investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force.
Mark Steven Domingo, 26, of Reseda, a former U.S. Army infantryman with combat experience in Afghanistan, faces federal charges in a terrorist plot in which he planned to detonate an improvised explosive device (IED) for the purpose of causing mass casualties.
In a criminal complaint filed Saturday by federal prosecutors and unsealed earlier today, Domingo was charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists. Domingo, who has been in federal custody since his arrest, is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in United States District Court.
According to a 30-page affidavit in support of the complaint, since early March, Domingo “planned and took steps to manufacture and use a weapon of mass destruction in order to commit mass murder.”
“This investigation successfully disrupted a very real threat posed by a trained combat soldier who repeatedly stated he wanted to cause the maximum number of casualties,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “Protecting Americans from terror attacks is the number one priority of the Justice Department, and anyone who plots to use a weapon of mass destruction will be held to account.”
“I’m extremely glad to be announcing that we interdicted a potential terrorist attack, rather than outlining the FBI’s response to yet another tragedy,” said Paul Delacourt, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “At no time was the public in danger and there is currently no known threat to public safety. I’m very proud of the agents and officers assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force who diligently marshaled the resources of our law enforcement partners in a short period of time and in doing so, ensured the safety of Southern California residents.”
“I can tell you, unequivocally, that this partnership, coupled with our ability to be nimble, ultimately resulted in dozens of innocent lives being saved in Southern California,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Michel R. Moore.
In online posts and in conversations with an FBI source, Domingo expressed support for violent jihad, a desire to seek retribution for attacks against Muslims, and a willingness to become a martyr, according to the affidavit. After considering various attacks – including targeting Jews, churches, and police officers – Domingo decided to detonate an IED at a rally scheduled to take place in Long Beach this past weekend. As part of the plot, Domingo asked his confederate – who actually was cooperating with the FBI as part of the investigation – to find a bomb-maker, and Domingo last week purchased several hundred nails to be used as shrapnel inside the IED.
“Domingo said he specifically bought three-inch nails because they would be long enough to penetrate the human body and puncture internal organs,” the affidavit states.
After Domingo provided the nails to the undercover operative for use in the construction of the bomb, Domingo sent a message on Thursday indicating that the operation was to proceed, according to the affidavit. On Friday evening, the undercover operative delivered multiple inert devices, which Domingo believed were weapons of mass destruction. After inspecting the devices and travelling to a park in Long Beach to surveil the location of the planned attack, Domingo was taken into custody.
According to the criminal complaint, Domingo posted an online video professing his Muslim faith on March 2, and the next day made another posting in which he said “America needs another vegas event” (referring to the October 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada) that would give “them a taste of the terror they gladly spread all over the world.” Following an attack on a mosque in New Zealand on March 13, Domingo posted, “there mustbe retribution.”
In response to the postings, an FBI “confidential human source” (CHS) began an online conversation that resulted in a series of in-person meetings with Domingo. During the first meeting, on March 18, “Domingo discussed with the CHS different targets for an attack, including Jews, police officers, churches, and a military facility,” according to the affidavit.
During subsequent meetings outlined in the affidavit, Domingo continued to express his desire to commit a terrorist act, at points contemplating a drive-by shooting with a modified AK-47-style rifle he owned, and at other points considering the use of an IED. During an April 3 meeting, Domingo allegedly expressed support for ISIS and said “if ISIS ‘came here,’ he would swear allegiance to ISIS,” according to the complaint.
The plan to target the rally came into shape during an April 19 meeting, when Domingo arrived to a meeting with the CHS armed with an AK-47-style rifle “to show you that I’m serious,” according to the complaint. During that meeting, Domingo referenced the Boston Marathon bombing and asked the CHS to find a person to construct an IED that he said could cause 50 casualties.
During several of the meetings, Domingo urged the CHS to maintain secrecy, stating what they were discussing were “federal charges” and “We broke federal law,” according to the complaint.
“Domingo, a former U.S. Army Infantryman, wanted to use improvised explosive devices against innocent civilians and he selected components that would make the bombs even more deadly to the victims he targeted,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers. “His arrest today mitigates the threat he posed to others in the Los Angeles community. I want to thank the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this investigation and arrest.”
“The individual charged in this case wanted to carry out a mass casualty attack with explosive devices, and he moved very quickly from talking about violence to mobilizing to commit such an attack,” said Assistant Director Michael McGarrity of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Section. “This case should remind the public of the need to be vigilant and notify law enforcement if you see suspicious behavior.”
“We strongly value the interagency cooperation and information sharing that occurs on a daily basis regarding potential threats to our region,” stated Long Beach Police Chief Robert Luna. “I want to thank all of our partner agencies for their dedicated efforts on this extensive investigation and for ensuring that the City of Long Beach was not impacted by a significant act of senseless violence."
A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted of the charge of providing and attempting to provide material support to terrorists, Domingo would face a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison.
This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes special agents with the FBI and officers with the Los Angeles Police Department. JTTF members who participated in the investigation include the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Long Beach Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Reema M. El-Amamy and David T. Ryan of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section.
Russian Citizen Indicted for $1.5 Million Cyber Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was returned charging Anton P. Bogdanov, a citizen of Russia, with wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft and computer intrusion in connection with a scheme in which he and others used stolen personal information to file federal tax returns and fraudulently obtain more than $1.5 million in tax refunds from the Internal Revenue Service.
Bogdanov was arrested on Phuket, Thailand, on November 28, 2018 pursuant to a provisional arrest request. He was extradited to the United States in March 2019. Bogdanov will be arraigned at a later date.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan D. Larsen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the charges.
“As alleged in the indictment, Bogdanov and his co-conspirators combined sophisticated computer hacking and identity theft with old-fashioned fraud to steal more than $1.5 million from the U.S. Treasury,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will use all our available resources to target and bring cybercriminals to justice, wherever they are.”
“In the digital age, many of us either fear having our personal information stolen, or have had it stolen. This investigation revealed a major scheme to defraud the federal government and victimize tax payers. Mr. Bogdanov allegedly thought he could escape justice by hiding outside of our jurisdiction, but working together with our international partners, the FBI has the ability to capture and extradite criminals for their day in court,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney.
"IRS-CI special agents remain committed to working closely with our law enforcement partners around the globe in bringing these cybercriminals to justice," stated IRS-CI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Larsen.
Between June 2014 and November 2016, Bogdanov and his co-conspirators misappropriated personally identifiable information (“PII”), such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth of identity theft victims, by gaining unauthorized access to the computer systems of private tax preparation firms in the United States. They then changed the information on the tax returns so that the refunds were paid to prepaid debit cards that he and his co-conspirators controlled. Bogdanov and his co-conspirators also used misappropriated PII to obtain prior tax filings of victims from an IRS website, and filed new tax returns, purportedly on behalf of the victims, so that refunds were paid to prepaid debit cards under their control. The debit cards were cashed out in the United States, and a percentage of the proceeds was wired to Bogdanov in Russia. Since discovering this scheme, the IRS has added additional layers of security to its website.
If convicted of the charges, Bogdanov faces up to 27 years’ imprisonment.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael T. Keilty and Jonathan E. Algor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché abroad and foreign authorities provided critical assistance in securing and coordinating Bogdanov’s arrest and extradition. The Office extends its appreciation to the Royal Thai Police, particularly the Crime Suppression Division, and the FBI’s Legal Attaché for their assistance in apprehending the defendant.
The Defendant:
ANTON P. BOGDANOV (also known as “Kusok”)
Age: 33
RussiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-197 (MKB)
Romanian Pleads Guilty in Fraud Scheme Targeting ATMs at Washington County BanksRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – A citizen of Romania pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Elvis E. Roman, 33, of Romania, pleaded guilty to a two-count Indictment and one-count Information before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, in September and October 2018, Roman participated in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud banks in Western Pennsylvania. As part of the scheme, participants installed ATM skimming devices designed to fraudulently obtain the account information associated with cards inserted into the targeted ATM machines. Using that account information, participants created cloned ATM cards and fraudulently withdrew funds from ATM machines maintained by banks in Washington County.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for Oct. 3, 2019 at 9 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 32 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s detention.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Bengel is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Secret Service and the Cecil Township, Peters Township, and South Strabane Township Police Departments conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
New York Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Long Island, New York, business owner pleaded guilty today to tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to documents filed with the court, Warren J. Krotz, 62, of Huntington, New York, owned and operated W. Krotz Enterprises Inc. (WKEI), a professional painting business that provided services throughout Long Island. Krotz admitted to evading both his individual and employment tax liabilities. From around 2010 through 2016, Krotz cashed approximately $6 million in checks at various check-cashing facilities. These checks were gross receipts of WKEI, but Krotz did not report the amounts on WKEI’s corporate income tax returns. He admitted to paying approximately $2 million in wages to employees in cash. As a result, Krotz did not withhold and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) approximately $300,000 in employment taxes.
Additionally, Krotz admitted to receiving approximately $3 million in income that he did not report on his personal tax returns. In total, Krotz admitted to causing a tax loss to the IRS of approximately one million dollars.
The Honorable Joseph F. Bianco scheduled sentencing for Sept. 25, 2019. Krotz faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison, as well as restitution and monetary penalties.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Jessica Moran and Kathryn Sparks of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
New Jersey Man Charged with Transporting AliensRead 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 Jose Rodrigo Silva-Oliveira, 43, a Brazilian citizen living in New Jersey, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with transporting aliens for financial gain or commercial advantage. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on April 28, 2019, at approximately 10:05 a.m., U.S. Border Patrol received information from the Erie County Sherriff’s Department that several subjects had possibly entered the United States illegally from Canada.
The information came from a nearby resident who observed a vessel in the upper Niagara River dropping off four or more subjects on the shoreline near West River Road on Grand Island. The subjects were then observed being picked up by a dark colored sedan and headed eastbound on Staley Road. The vehicle was subsequently pulled over by law enforcement officers. The defendant was identified as the driver of the vehicle, and the passengers were identified as Marie Aparecida, Maxwell De Castro, and Andre Luiz Felix Ferreira Cunha. A fourth passenger, later identified as Alexandro Lourenco Da Silva, fled the scene but was quickly apprehended by Border Patrol Agents on Love Road.
It was determined that the four passengers had illegally entered the United States from Canada, and Silva-Oliveira had picked up all four aliens and was transporting them within the United States. All five subjects were placed under arrest.
“As efforts are made to increase security at our southwest border, it is hardly surprising that those who seek to profit by violating the law might explore new frontiers in which to perpetrate their crimes,” noted U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “The well-being of a free society is dependent the allegiance of its members to the rule of law. Hopefully, this arrest will help to send a message to those who demonstrate a willingness to disregard the rule of law in favor of earning a profit. Conduct which is criminal along the southwest border remains criminal when undertaken along the northern border.”
Defendant Silva-Oliveira made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, and was released on conditions.
The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Jeffrey Wilson, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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New Britain Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS CIRINO, also known as “Gordo” and “G,” 42, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 135 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cirino coordinated the shipment of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico to various locations in Connecticut. Cirino and his associates then distributed the drug in central Connecticut, and also in northeastern Pennsylvania. Investigators seized approximately 13 kilograms of cocaine during the investigation.
On October 18, 2017, a grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging Cirino and seven associates with cocaine trafficking offenses. Cirino has been detained since his arrest on October 25, 2017. On January 22, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
In April 2007, Cirino was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 168 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release, for crack cocaine and firearm offenses. In 2008, his term of incarceration was reduced to 135 months and, in 2015, it was reduced to 120 months. He was released from custody in October 2015 and was on supervised release while he was involved in the cocaine trafficking conspiracy that led to the October 2017 indictment.
Cirino still faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This matter has been investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Middletown and New Britain Police Departments. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney H. Gordon Hall.
Natchez Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – Kevin Singleton, 41, of Natchez, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette, III, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more heroin, possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley, and Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics (MBN) Director John M. Dowdy, Jr.
"We owe a huge debt of gratitude to our law enforcement partners and prosecutors for taking this significant drug dealer off the streets of Natchez and bringing him to justice. As a result of their hard work, this criminal’s ill-gotten gains have been forfeited and he is no longer peddling his poison on our streets. This case is a prime example of how partnerships across all levels of law enforcement are making our neighborhoods safe again," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
"With this conviction, DEA and our federal, state and local law enforcement partners have taken down a drug trafficker responsible for distributing large quantities of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine in Natchez area and beyond. By removing this criminal from the streets, he can no longer threaten the health and safety of our communities. We will continue to work together to target criminal organizations and their assets to ensure that drug traffickers are held responsible for the harm they cause," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Byerley.
"Working with our federal and local law enforcement partners substantially enhances our efforts to keep illegal drugs off the streets of our communities," said MBN Director Dowdy. "The guilty plea today ensures that this major narcotics trafficker will no longer plague Natchez or southwest Mississippi."
This case is the result of an extensive investigation targeting illegal narcotics distribution in the Natchez area that involved the distribution of cocaine and methamphetamine. During the investigation, on March 2, 2018, federal and state agents executed a search warrant at Singleton’s residence and seized approximately 25.5 kilograms of cocaine hydrochloride, approximately 114.2 grams of heroin, and approximately 1.9 kilograms of methamphetamine with a substance purity of approximately 99%. Agents also seized approximately $1.1 million in cash from Singleton’s residence. Three firearms were seized, including a DPMS A-15 .223 semi-automatic rifle loaded with a high capacity magazine holding 44 rounds of .223 caliber ammunition, with an additional magazine loaded with 30 rounds of .223 ammunition, and 66 additional rounds of .223 caliber ammunition. Also seized was a Glock .40 caliber handgun loaded with 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition with an additional Glock magazine loaded with 12 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, and 12 additional rounds of .40 caliber boxed ammunition. A Smith & Wesson .38 Special +P revolver was also seized. Singleton is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Singleton will be sentenced by Judge Bramlette on August 13, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine, followed by at least 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He faces the same maximum penalty for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He faces a maximum penalty of at least 5 years but not more than 40 years and a $5,000,000 fine for possession with intent to distribute heroin, and a maximum penalty of not less than 5 years and a $250,000 fine for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Marshals Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carla J. Clark.
Munster Doctor SentencedRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - Jay Kaushik Joshi, age 34, of Woodridge, Illinois was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Philip P. Simon to 15 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release, a $7,500 fine, and a $100 special assessment after pleading guilty to the felony offense of dispensing hydrocodone, an opioid, outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
“Prescribing controlled substances that are not medically necessary intensify the opioid problem our Nation faces,” said US Attorney Kirsch. “We, working with our law enforcement partners, are focused on reducing opioid abuse in the Northern District of Indiana. Doctors who abuse their authority are just one of the areas on which our partners are focusing.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message to the medical “professionals” who exploit their power, prey on the delicate members of our community who are struggling among today’s opioid crisis, and their loved ones. The trust that is dissolved does a disservice to the true medical professionals who care for us and our families,” remarked Chicago Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Brian M. McKnight.
According to documents in the case, Joshi practiced medicine at Prestige Clinics in Munster, Indiana. Joshi was a medical doctor licensed to practice medicine in the State of Indiana and until November 21, 2017, was registered by the Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe schedule II, III, IV, and V controlled substances, including opioids. Between September 2017 and December 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration and Munster Police Department obtained information about Joshi’s history of prescribing controlled substances through Indiana’s prescription monitoring system, INSPECT. INSPECT is a tool to address the problem of prescription drug abuse and diversion of controlled substances. Investigators obtained data from INSPECT, which showed that from April 2017 to November 21, 2017, Joshi issued over 6,000 prescriptions for controlled substances, the most of any medical provider in Lake County and the ninth-most in the entire State of Indiana, including more than 150 hospitals. At sentencing, Joshi was held responsible for his involvement in the distribution of hydrocodone, an opioid, outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Joshi’s medical license has been suspended since February 7, 2018.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Munster, Indiana Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas Mahoney and Diane Berkowitz.
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Monroe County Man Sentenced to Forty-Five Months in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WILKES-BARRE - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Steven Silva-Lugo, age 32, of Henryville, Monroe County, was sentenced on April 26, 2019, by Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo to forty-five months’ imprisonment and three years on supervised release for his role in a Monroe County-based cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Silva-Lugo previously pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to distribute between 280 grams and 840 grams of crack cocaine, as well as between 3.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of powder cocaine, in the Monroe County area between May and July 2015. Silva-Lugo was one of eleven individuals indicted by a grand jury in July 2015 and charged with conspiring to distribute powder cocaine, crack cocaine and/or heroin in the Monroe County area.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pocono Mountain Regional Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This prosecution is also part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
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Monongalia County residents admit to drug chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Three Monongalia County residents have admitted to their involvement in a drug distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Tyler Hammack, of Westover, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base Within 1,000 Feet of Protected Location.” Hammack, age 22, admitted to working with another to sell cocaine base near Mascoli Park in Monongalia County in July 2018.
Kenneth Buzzo, of Granville, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Buzzo, age 58, admitted to selling cocaine base in Monongalia County in June 2018.
Sandra Riggleman, of Granville, West Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Distribution of Cocaine Base.” Riggleman, age 59, admitted to selling cocaine base in Monongalia County in April 2018.
Hammack faces at least one year and up to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Buzzo and Riggleman each face up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Mississippi County Sheriff Sentenced to 10 months for Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Cory Hutcheson, 35, of East Prairie, MO, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in St. Louis for illegally monitoring the location of other law enforcement officers and civilians without a warrant by entering mobile telephone numbers into a law enforcement database. Hutcheson received a sentence of 10 months—6 months to be served in the Bureau of Prisons and 4 months home confinement. In addition to the sentence imposed, Hutcheson was required to resign as Sheriff of Mississippi County on November 20, 2018.
Numerous victims appeared at Hutcheson’s sentencing including Missouri State Highway Patrol Troopers whose location was tracked by Hutcheson. For a three year period, including after being elected Sheriff of Mississippi County, Hutcheson uploaded false and fraudulent documents to a law enforcement database to obtain the location of over 200 mobile phone users. Hutcheson submitted thousands of requests and obtained the location data of hundreds individual phone subscribers without valid legal authorization, and without the consent or knowledge of the targeted individual. The location information request was submitted using wire communications transmitted in interstate commerce.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol and was prosecuted in cooperation with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Gwen Carroll and Lindsay McClure-Hartman handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Mission Man Indicted for Criminal Contempt ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Criminal Contempt.
Frank Iron Heart, age 39, was indicted on February 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 24, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 6 months in federal prison and/or a $1,000 fine, and $10 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on December 18, 2018, Iron Heart willfully and unlawfully disobeyed and resisted a subpoena issued by the U.S. District Court requiring him to appear at a federal hearing in Pierre, South Dakota.
The charge is merely an accusation and Iron Heart is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore is prosecuting the case.
Iron Heart was released on his own recognizance pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Mexican Man Who Used a Fraudulent Social Security Card Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Mexican man who used a false identification document to obtain a job was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.
Charly Martinez-Hernandez, age 19, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and living in Cascade, Iowa, received the prison term after an February 20, 2019, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of an identification document.
At the guilty plea, Martinez-Hernandez admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card bearing an alias name when he completed an employment form at a business in Dyersville, Iowa, on August 20, 2018. The Social Security number was assigned to someone else. Martinez-Hernandez also used a fraudulent state of California identification card with the same alias name bearing his photo as part of the application process.
Martinez-Hernandez was admitted into the United States in April 2018 on a visitor visa with authorization to remain in the United States until October 14, 2108. Martinez-Hernandez overstayed his visa and failed to leave the United States as required. Martinez-Hernandez was found by immigration agents on December 29, 2018, after he was charged in Dubuque, Iowa, with operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated (OWI). That charge is still pending.
Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Martinez-Hernandez was sentenced to 106 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Martinez-Hernandez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-1001.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Mexican Man Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
A man who entered the United States illegally from Mexico was sentenced on April 26, 2019, to time served of 90 days.
Angel Bahena-Delgado, age 23, from Mexico, received the sentence after a February 15, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the guilty plea, Bahena-Delgado admitted he had illegally entered the United States from Mexico in August of 2018, after previously being deported on May 8, 2017.
Bahena-Delgado was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Bahena-Delgado was sentenced to time served. He must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-04007.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
McLaughlin Woman Charged with Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Distribution of a Controlled Substance.
Carlene Cloke, age 65, was indicted on March 12, 2019. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 23, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $1,000,000 fine, 3 years, up to life, of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between December 21, 2016, and March 27, 2017, Cloke knowingly and intentionally distributed a substance containing a detectable amount of Hydrocodone and Oxycodone.
The charge is merely an accusation and Cloke is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Cloke was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Maryland Man Sentenced to over 17 years in Jail for an Armed Carjacking and Shooting of an Uber DriverRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gene James, 29, of Calvert County, MD, has been sentenced to over seventeen years in jail stemming from his involvement in a shooting and armed carjacking of an Uber driver that occurred on November 19, 2016, in Southeast, Washington, DC, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Following a trial in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, on February 13, 2019, a jury returned a verdict of guilty on ten counts including Armed Carjacking and weapons-related offenses. On April 26, 2019, the Honorable Michael O’Keefe sentenced the defendant to 206 months’ incarceration, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
The government’s evidence established that on November 19, 2016, the victim, who was employed as an Uber driver, was standing beside his running vehicle at the corner of 16th and W Streets SE. James and his two co-defendants, Jameik Bassil and Travonn Davis, drove up to the intersection and James jumped out with an assault rifle and a drum magazine, threatening the victim. As the victim and James struggled over the gun, it went off multiple times, striking the victim in the leg. The two co-defendants ran over to help James and then all three fled the scene with the defendant driving the victim’s car. MPD officers located the victim’s car several blocks away and stopped James a block from the car. James’s fingerprint was found in the victim’s car, and the drum magazine was recovered near his location.
MPD officers arrested James that night and he has been in custody ever since. Co-defendants Bassil and Davis were arrested after further investigation, including an analysis of GPS tracking data. They both pled guilty to Armed Robbery and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and were sentenced in 2017 to 76 months and 96 months’ incarceration respectively.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the MPD officers who immediately responded to the scene and followed a trail of evidence that led to the defendant’s arrest on the same night of the offense. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Korba, Brittany Keil, and Julia Cosans, with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kerkhoff, as well as paralegals Antoinette Sakamsa and Daphne Theresa Nelson who helped prepare the case for trial.
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19-069
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Extradition of Pakistani Man for Attempted Heroin ImportationRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher T. Tersigni, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) Special Operations Division (“SOD”), announced today the extradition of MUHAMMAD KHALID KHAN for attempting to import heroin into the United States and laundering what he believed to be narcotics proceeds into the United States. KHAN was taken into custody by Nigerian authorities in Lagos, Nigeria, on February 9, 2019, and extradited to the United States today. He will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox later today. An initial conference is scheduled before United States District Judge Vernon S. Broderick, to whom the case is assigned, for May 1, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman stated: “As alleged, Muhammad Khalid Khan was making high-level heroin deals to send multi-hundred kilogram shipments at a time to the United States. Unbeknownst to Khan, he was dealing with undercover law enforcement. The extradition of Khan from halfway around the world to face justice in New York is emblematic of this Office’s commitment to keep potentially deadly heroin out of our neighborhoods.”
DEA-SOD Special Agent in Charge Christopher T. Tersigni stated: “Khan’s extradition to the United States means he will no longer be able to ship poison into our communities. We look forward to bringing him to justice to answer for the crimes he is accused of.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and Indictment,[1] which were unsealed today:
Beginning in October 2017, Khan, an Asia-based drug trafficker, began talking to and meeting with individuals who he believed were heroin traffickers interested in purchasing multi-kilogram quantities of heroin for importation into the United States and Australia. Those individuals were, in fact, an undercover foreign law enforcement agent, a confidential source working at the DEA’s direction, and an undercover DEA agent posing as a New York-based heroin distributor. Between approximately October 2017 and June 2018, Khan attempted to send hundreds of kilograms of heroin hidden in maritime shipping containers to New York City and Australia, and laundered hundreds of thousands of dollars of what he believed to be narcotics proceeds from Australia into the United States. In January 2018, Khan sold a four-kilogram heroin sample to the undercover agents, with the understanding that two kilograms of heroin would be sold in the United States, and two kilograms would be sold in Australia. Following the success of this sample shipment, KHAN planned to supply larger, multi-hundred kilogram quantities of heroin for importation to and distribution within the United States and Australia.
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The Indictment charges KHAN, 31, a citizen of Pakistan, in three counts: (1) attempting to import heroin into the United States, (2) international promotional money laundering, and (3) international concealment money laundering. If convicted, KHAN faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison on Count One, and a maximum sentence of 20 years on each of Counts Two and Three. The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division’s Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Field Division Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force, Financial Investigations Unit, and DEA Dallas Field Division; the DEA Dubai, Islamabad, Kabul, Lagos, New Delhi, and Canberra Country Offices, and the Sydney Resident Office; the United States Central Command; the Royal Canadian Mounted Police; the Government of Nigeria; and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. The defendant’s arrest and subsequent extradition are also the result of the close cooperative efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebekah Donaleski and Kimberly J. Ravener are in charge of the prosecution.
The allegations contained in the Complaint and the Indictment 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 Indictment and the description of the Complaint and Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Luzerne County Man Guilty of Drug Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Rodney Williams, age 36, of Wilkes-Barre, pleaded guilty on April 26, 2019, before Senior U.S. District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo, to distributing fentanyl to another person that resulted in the death of that person.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Williams admitted to supplying fentanyl to a drug customer on or about December 17, 2017, and the customer subsequently died as a result of ingesting the fentanyl in Kingston, Pennsylvania. Police found the deceased’s body on December 19, 2017.
Judge Caputo ordered a presentence investigation to be completed and scheduled sentencing for July 17, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Kingston Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Lowell Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man was sentenced and a Lawrence woman pleaded guilty on Friday, April 26, 2019, in federal court in Boston for their roles in separate fentanyl conspiracies operating in the Merrimack Valley.
Edilberto Calle-Alvarez, 24, a Colombian national with legal permanent residence residing in Lowell, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to time served (approximately six months), six months of home confinement, and three years of supervised release. In January 2019, Calle-Alvarez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Sabrina Aixa Ramos, 28, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and heroin – aiding and abetting. Sentencing has been deferred, as Ramos has been admitted to the Court sponsored RISE program.
In October 2018, Calle-Alvarez and Ramos were charged along with dozens more during a federal sweep targeting impact players and repeat offenders in and around the City of Lawrence, all of whom have prior convictions for acts of violence, firearm offenses and/or drug trafficking, and those with criminal records who are in the United States illegally.
On Aug. 2, 2018, Calle-Alvarez sold 20 grams of fentanyl to an undercover police officer during a months-long federal investigation. Calle-Alvarez was part of a drug organization that was distributing large quantities of fentanyl throughout the Merrimack Valley.
Ramos conspired with co-defendant Sergio Manuel Lara-Suarez and others to distribute fentanyl by coordinating and facilitating the sale of powder fentanyl and fentanyl pressed into pills shaped to look like Oxycodone to an undercover agent. On several occasions, Ramos either directly sold fentanyl pills to an undercover agent or arranged for meetings between an undercover agent and Lara-Suarez to purchase significant quantities of fentanyl. Lara-Suarez pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced in May 2019.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; United States Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig Estes and Philip Cheng are prosecuting the cases.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Long Island Business Owner Admits Role in Scheme to Defraud Illinois CompanyRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENNETH J. PEDROLI, 60, of Stony Brook, New York, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud related to a scheme to defraud an Illinois-based company.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately February 2015 and December 2018, Pedroli conspired with an employee of an Illinois-based company (“Company A”) to defraud Company A through a scheme involving purchases of electronic components that Pedroli made from Company A for a business he operated in Islandia, New York. As part of the scheme, Pedroli was instructed by the employee of Company A to place his orders and list prices at a fraction of Company A’s published prices. After Pedroli’s orders were submitted to Company A at the discounted prices, the products were shipped from Company A to Pedroli. Pedroli was instructed by the Company A employee to pay only a portion of the invoiced price and to make the payments directly to the employee, which Pedroli did.
The government contends that Company A was defrauded of more than $3 million through this scheme.
Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2019, at which time Pedroli faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Pedroli is released on a $500,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Law Enforcement Officers Join Massabesic High School Students for a Day of LearningRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that on May 1, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the York County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and York County District Attorney’s Office will present the TRUST (Teach mutual Respect and Understanding through SimulaTion) Program to about 50 Massabesic High School students at Massabesic High School, located at 88 West Road, in Waterboro, Maine.
“The TRUST Program arose out of the belief that young people and law enforcement officers can benefit from spending time together, discussing challenges and perspectives on law enforcement, and better understanding each other,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “It is modeled on similar programs run by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices that have been successful in Alabama (Bridging the Gap) and Florida (Building Lasting Relationships).”
The half-day Program will start at 9:00 a.m. and conclude at about 1:00 p.m. It will include: (1) presentations about investigating, prosecuting, and sentencing in criminal cases; (2) student role-playing exercises involving a call for service for a domestic disturbance complaint and a traffic stop; and (3) use of force simulations.
OPEN PRESS (except for the use of force simulations; simulator equipment will be made available to the press at the conclusion of the simulations). Students with media permissions will be identified.
NOTE: All media must RSVP to [email protected], arrive by 8:45 a.m. and possess a government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license) as well as valid media credentials.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maine is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me.
Jury Convicts Minnesota Man for Iowa Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute meth was convicted by a jury on April 25, 2019, after a four-day trial in federal court in Sioux City.
Raul Flores Marin, 47, from Bigelow, Minnesota, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute meth, one count of possession with intent to distribute meth, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The verdict was returned following about 4 hours of jury deliberations.
The evidence at trial showed that in the early morning hours on July 19, 2017, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a suspicious pickup truck with Minnesota license plates trespassing on property in rural Osceola County. While traveling towards the residence, law enforcement observed a pickup bearing Minnesota plates heading away from the property. Shortly after following the truck, it veered onto the left-hand side of the gravel road and almost into the ditch and a traffic stop was initiated. Law enforcement encountered Marin and after a search of the truck, law enforcement located and seized a 9mm handgun along with over 15 grams of methamphetamine. Evidence at trial further showed that Marin was involved in a conspiracy that distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine mixture in the Osceola County, Iowa area.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Marin was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the verdict was returned and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Marin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and was investigated by the Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, Osceola County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa Great Lakes Drug Task Force, and Iowa Division of Criminalistics Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-4011. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Joseph Meli and James Siniscalchi Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Securities and Wire Fraud for Participating in A Broadway Ticket Resale Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JOSEPH MELI and JAMES SINISCALCHI were charged this morning with securities fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud, stemming from their participation in a fraudulent Broadway ticket investment scheme wherein MELI and SINISCALCHI purported to use investor funds to purchase tickets to Broadway shows for resale on the secondary market, but instead appropriated investment funds for their personal use.
SINISCALCHI was arrested this morning and is expected to be presented today in Magistrate Court before the Hon. Kevin N. Fox. MELI is presently incarcerated following his conviction in a prior federal case and will be presented when he arrives in the District.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Joseph Meli and James Siniscalchi engaged in a scheme to defraud investors by lying about purported access to blocks of Broadway tickets. As alleged, the acting was all done by the defendants, who posed as legitimate businessmen but appropriated the money they said would be invested in theatre tickets.”
According to the Complaint[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and the Indictment and statements made in court proceedings related to MELI’s prior conviction:
Beginning in at least March 2017 through in or about April 2018, MELI and SINISCALCHI falsely represented to partners in a business entity (the “Entertainment Company”), that MELI and SINISCALCHI owned a large number of tickets to live events, or intended to purchase a large number of tickets to live events, and would sell those tickets to the Entertainment Company using investor money the Entertainment Company had solicited for the purpose of reselling those tickets on the secondary market for profit. Representatives of the Entertainment Company, in reliance on statements made by MELI and SINISCALCHI, represented to investors that investor funds would be used to purchase bulk tickets to live shows, and promised investors a share of these profits. In fact, MELI and SINISCALCHI failed to invest the investor monies as promised, but rather diverted investor monies to their own personal use, including sending $455,000 to a close relative of MELI’s, and $105,000 to a residential management company that managed an apartment MELI was leasing.
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SINISCALCHI, 46, of New York, New York, and MELI, 44, of New York, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, one count of securities fraud, and one count of wire fraud. The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The securities fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5 million, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the work of the Special Agents from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mortazavi is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Making False Statements to the Transportation Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
A 33-year-old Mexican national, unlawfully in the United States, has been sentenced to prison for making false statements to a federal agency and for using a false social security number, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores
Today, U.S. District Court Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Juan Manuel Mata-Cruz, of Tulsa, to 5 months in federal prison to be followed by 1 year supervised release. After his release from prison, he will face deportation proceedings.
“Illegal aliens attempting to illegally access our critical infrastructure with fake green cards is disconcerting. Cases like this have my full attention. This defendant put at risk the safety and security of passengers, airport employees and aircrews,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The defendant’s attempt to obtain an Airport Security Badge using a counterfeited green card and Social Security Card was quickly uncovered. Credit goes to the men and women of the the Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Air Marshals Service, the Social Security Administration/Office of Inspector General, and the Tulsa Airport Security Office. They should be commended for upholding federal security laws and procedures which ensure the safety of those traveling and working in U.S. airports. This was quality work by dedicated civil servants.”
On November 9, 2018, Mata-Cruz knowingly made false statements on Tulsa International Airport (“TIA”) paperwork when applying for a security identification badge that would have allowed him unrestricted access to the TIA aircraft operating area. Mata-Cruz was required to obtain the badge as part of his recently obtained position as a restaurant worker at the airport. On the TIA badge application, Mata-Cruz claimed to be a U.S. citizen and used a fraudulent social security number. Individuals who apply to work in U.S. airports are required to fill out federal background check paperwork that asks specific questions about legal status and previous convictions. Convicted felons and illegal aliens are among those prohibited from working in an airport.
Mata-Cruz has been in custody since his November 9, 2018 arrest and will remain in custody of the U.S. Marshal pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
This case resulted from a joint investigation performed by Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Air Marshal Service, (“FAMS”), the Social Security Administration/Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) and the Tulsa Airport Security Office. Assistant United States Attorney Charles M. McLoughlin prosecuted the case.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pled guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Samuel Crawford, 40, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base or “crack.”
“Crack is not a thing of the past,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Crack was an epidemic and today it’s even more powerful and more deadly. Selling crack to make money, it’s a story repeated to often on the streets of Huntington.”
On December 4, 2016, officers with the Huntington Police Department conducted a search warrant at Crawford’s residence at 204 West 6th Avenue in Huntington. Officers seized approximately 12 grams of crack cocaine. Crawford admitted he intended to sell the cocaine for money.
Crawford faces up to twenty years in federal prison when he is sentenced on August 5, 2019.
The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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Honduran Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
A man who entered the United States illegally from Honduras was sentenced on April 26, 2019, to four months’ in prison.
Jose Palma-Murillo, age 31, from Honduras, received the sentence after a March 7, 2019, guilty plea to one count of illegal re-entry.
At the guilty plea Palma-Murillo admitted he had illegally entered the United States from Honduras on an unknown dated after previously being deported in June of 2013. On February 5, 2019, Palma-Murillo came to the attention of ICE authorities after his arrest in Emmetsburg for driving while license revoked and failure to provide proof on insurance.
Palma-Murillo was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Palma-Murillo was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 1-year term of supervised release after the prison term.
Palma-Murillo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Fletcher and investigated by Enforcement and Removal Office of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Bureau.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 19-CR-03008.
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Hazleton Man Guilty of Methamphetamine and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Juan Elvis Monsanto, age 59, of Hazleton, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, pleaded guilty on April 25, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Monsanto admitted to committing the crime in February 2016, in Hazleton. Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Hazleton Police executed a search warrant at Monsanto’s residence and seized 453 grams of methamphetamine and 150 grams of cocaine.
Judge Mariani ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be completed and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Monsanto is detained in prison pending sentencing. Monsanto agreed not to oppose deportation and removal from the United States following his prison sentence.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Hazleton Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offenses is 40 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Hartford Man Admits Distributing Synthetic Opioids While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SETH WATSON, 34, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to distributing synthetic opioids and admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and Hartford Police Department received information that Watson was selling heroin and cocaine from a grocery store on Mather Street in Hartford. In February and March 2017, investigators made four controlled purchases of purported heroin from Watson. Laboratory testing of purported heroin purchased during the first two transactions determined that the substance was fentanyl, furanylfentanyl and U-47700. The substance purchased during the third transaction was fentanyl and U-47700, and the substance purchased during the fourth transaction was fentanyl and heroin.
On March 28, 2019, Watson was arrested after investigators conducted a controlled purchase of narcotics from Watson and found him in possession of approximately 781 bags containing a total of approximately 21 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin. He has been detained since his arrest.
Watson pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl, furanylfentanyl and U-47700, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on July 11, 2019.
On June 4, 2015, Judge Chatigny sentenced Watson to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of ammunition by a previously convicted felon. He was released from prison in April 2016 and was on supervised release when he distributed the opioids that led to his arrest in March 2017.
When Watson is sentenced, he faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
The FBI Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Guatemalan Man Sentenced for Destruction of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Alfonso Us-Juarez, age 23, of Guatemala, was sentenced in federal court today in Omaha for destroying property of the United States. Senior United States District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Us-Juarez to 3 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal prison system. After his release from prison, Us-Juarez will begin a 6-month term of supervised release. Additionally, Us-Juarez was order to pay restitution in the amount of $2,015.20.
Us-Juarez was issued an Order of Removal in El Paso, Texas, in August of 2017. He was released on humanitarian grounds, given a hearing to consider his claim and given an electronic bracelet to track his whereabouts. On January 4, 2019, Us-Juarez failed to appear for his immigration hearing in Omaha, Nebraska. Immigration agents went to the location of the most recent geo-location from the electronic monitoring device. Us-Juarez was found at that location and arrested. Agents further discovered the electronic device had been cut from Us-Juarez’s ankle and destroyed. As part of his plea agreement and a condition of his supervised release, Us-Juarez has agreed to removal by Immigration Officials.
This case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Gladstone Woman Charged in Arson-for-Hire Attempt of KC BusinessRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Gladstone, Mo., woman was charged in federal court today with attempting to hire an arsonist to destroy her commercial building in Kansas City, Mo., which contained several businesses.
Mia Lee Jamison, 67, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., with one count of the attempted malicious destruction of property. Jamison remains in federal custody pending a detention hearing.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, Jamison met an undercover agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives on Tuesday, April 23. She allegedly offered to pay the undercover agent $150,000 to burn her commercial building. Mia Plaza is located near the corner of 39th Street and Bell Avenue in Kansas City. Three businesses currently operate at that location – 39th World of Spirits (a liquor and grocery store), Bob Wasabi Kitchen (a sushi bar), and Sahara Sheesha Lounge (a hookah lounge).
Jamison allegedly told the undercover agent that she was going to be losing ownership of the building. She had a $1.6 million insurance policy on the building, which she told the undercover agent was worth more than the value of the building. Jamison wanted the fire to look like an accident, the affidavit says, and the undercover agent agreed to set the fire between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. to limit the risk to the tenants.
The next day, on Wednesday, April 24, Jamison again met the undercover agent at her residence. They drove to the bank together and then to her building. Jamison allegedly paid the undercover agent $3,500 upfront; the rest would be paid after she collected her insurance money. According to the affidavit, Jamison told the undercover agent that she had previously discussed burning her building down with another potential arsonist, but then decided to find someone else.
On Friday, April 26, Jamison allegedly told the undercover agent she needed her building burned before Monday because she discovered she would no longer own her building after that day due to an ongoing civil lawsuit. She told the agent she would be willing to pay more money than the original agreement, the affidavit says, because she was accelerating the date to destroy the building.
On Sunday, April 28, Jamison met with the undercover agent for the last time. She allegedly told the undercover agent that she had removed the video surveillance cameras at the building in preparation for the fire.
Investigators recorded all of the meetings between Jamison and the undercover agent by either audio or video recording equipment, or both. At approximately 4 a.m. today, investigators contacted Jamison at her residence to conduct a ruse interview. Following the interview, they told Jamison her building had not actually been damaged by a fire and was still standing, and placed her under arrest.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Ft. Thompson Man Indicted on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Ft. Thompson, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Maintaining a Drug Involved Premises.
Michael George Fallis, age 41, was indicted on April 9, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 24, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in prison and/or a $10,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that beginning at a time unknown but no later than December 1, 2015, and continuing to November 14, 2018, in South Dakota, Fallis knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, and unlawfully and knowingly used and maintained a place for the purposes of distributing and using methamphetamine.
The charges are merely accusations and Fallis is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Fallis was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Fraudster Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Employers of Nearly $5 MillionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Michael Peterson, age 48, of Alpharetta, Georgia, on April 26, 2019, to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Peterson pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud four employers, including an employer in Maryland, of a total of almost $5 million. Judge Blake entered an order requiring Peterson to pay restitution of approximately $3.9 million.
The guilty plea and sentence were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to Peterson’s plea agreement, from March 2014 through March 2018, Peterson defrauded several employers by obtaining pay for non-existent contracts that he falsely claimed to have obtained or was in the process of obtaining from various entities. While employed at each of the companies he defrauded, Peterson occupied a position of trust as an executive salesperson within the company.
Specifically, Peterson created fake e-mail accounts and identities, which he falsely represented to his employers were officials at companies with which he claimed to have obtained contracts. Peterson created and signed false documents, sent e-mails to himself and co-workers purportedly from those officials, in an effort to conceal his fraud. All the while, Peterson admitted that he collected salaries ranging from $115,000 to $150,000 per year, commissions, loans, travel reimbursements, and other benefits from his employers. Eventually, each of Peterson’s employers became suspicious, uncovered the fraud, and then terminated Peterson’s employment.
For example, from February 2015 to October 2016, Peterson worked remotely from his residence in Georgia, first as Vice President for Business Development and then as Vice President of Sales at Company B, headquartered in Glenwood, Maryland. Company B provided health care services for various entities. From March 2015 until September 2016, Peterson deceived Company B employees into believing that they were conducting business with employees from Mitas Tires North America, Inc, or persons authorized to represent Mitas in connection with a multi-million dollar contract. Company B undertook various steps to implement the alleged contract with Mitas, including hiring an additional 11 employees to work on matters related to the contract. Over the course of the next year, Peterson continued to deceive Company B employees into believing that the Mitas contract was progressing towards implementation, including by having co-conspirators pose as officials at Mitas. Between April and July 2016, Peterson’s supervisor tried repeatedly by telephone and e-mail to arrange an in-person meeting with alleged Mitas employees, but each time the meeting was postponed or cancelled at the last minute. Eventually, the supervisor became so suspicious that he drove to the location in New Jersey that he understood to be the Mitas headquarters, but there was no Mitas facility at that location. Company B undertook an internal investigation into Peterson’s conduct, including the Mitas contract and two other contracts Peterson had obtained. Company B determined that neither Mitas nor the other two companies had ever contracted with, or had any association with Company B, and that Peterson had presented fraudulent contracts. Company B terminated Peterson’s employment in October 2016.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who prosecuted the case.
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Fort Yates North Dakota Woman Charged with Drug Trafficking and TheftRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Yates, North Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Distribution of a Controlled Substance and Theft by an Employee of an Indian Gaming Establishment.
Candace Crow Ghost, age 41, was indicted on March 12, 2019. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 23, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $1,000,000 fine, 3 years up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between December 21, 2016, and March 27, 2017, Crow Ghost knowingly and intentionally distributed a substance containing a detectable amount of Hydrocodone and Oxycodone, and further embezzled funds from the Grand River Casino, a gaming establishment operated by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, in excess of $1,000.
The charges are merely accusations and Crow Ghost is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Crow Ghost was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
The case was brought as part of The Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities.
Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspector Service; U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about The Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Former probation officer charged with extorting a paroleeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Tyrique F. Williams, a former officer with Georgia’s Department of Community Supervision, has been charged with accepting bribe payments from a parolee in exchange for allowing the parolee to avoid wearing an ankle monitor, taking polygraph examinations, and attending treatment classes.
“Officers from Georgia’s Department of Community Supervision serve our citizens faithfully and honorably every day,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Williams, however, allegedly violated both his oath of office as a law enforcement officer and the law when he traded his integrity for money.”
“As citizens, we place our safety and trust in the hands of the law enforcement officers sworn to protect us. When officers betray that trust, they place the community and their fellow law enforcement officers in danger. The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office is committed to working hand in hand with its partners to ensure those that betray their badge are identified and held accountable for their actions,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.
“The reputation of law enforcement officers is one of their most valuable tools. The alleged illegal actions committed by Mr. Williams are a disservice to our agency and its upstanding employees who take their oath of office to heart. DCS has zero tolerance for misconduct or illegal activity. Despite the situation being unfortunate and regrettable, DCS was happy to assist in the investigation and will continue to partner with investigative authorities to remove the likes of Williams from our noble profession,” said Racheal B. Peters, Director of Public Affairs for the Georgia Department of Community Supervision.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: the Georgia’s Department of Community Supervision is responsible for the probation and parole supervision of over 200,000 adult felony offenders and certain juvenile offenders.
In the fall of 2014, Williams began working as a probation officer with the Department of Community Supervision. From 2016 to 2018, the Department of Community Supervision managed a parolee (“Parolee”), who had previously served 14 years in prison for a sexual offense. While on parole, the Parolee completed a number of courses and treatment classes and the Parolee never incurred a parole violation. Nevertheless, once Williams became responsible for the supervision of the Parolee, Williams told the Parolee that additional conditions and restrictions would be placed on the Parolee.
On April 19, 2018, Williams allegedly visited the Parolee’s residence and displayed a hand written note reading in substance: $3,000, no polygraph, no ankle bracelet, no supervision fee, yes or no? After reading the note, the Parolee told Williams that he would pay him the $3,000. The Parolee then contacted the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and reported Williams’ extortionate demand.
On April 27, 2018, in a meeting recorded by the FBI, the Parolee met with Williams at the Georgia Department of Community Supervision in Decatur, Georgia. During the meeting, Williams led the Parolee to a secluded area of the building, where the Parolee paid Williams $1,000 in cash. Williams told the Parolee that in exchange for a second $3,500 bribe payment, Williams would not require the Parolee to wear an ankle monitor or submit to a polygraph examination.
On May 4, 2018, in a meeting recorded by the FBI, the Parolee met with Williams at a fast food restaurant in Stone Mountain, Georgia. In the bathroom of the fast food restaurant, the Parolee paid Williams $3,500 in cash.
Notably, after the Parolee paid the two bribe payments, Williams did not make the Parolee take a polygraph examination, wear an ankle bracelet, or attend any additional treatment classes
Tyrique F. Williams, 28, of Atlanta, has been charged via criminal information with one count of Extortion under the Color of Official Right. Defendants who are charged by a criminal information, typically plead guilty shortly after being arraigned.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, and the Georgia’s Department of Community Supervision.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Davis, Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Section, and Leanne M. Marek are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former correctional officer sentenced after smuggling narcotics into Hays State PrisonRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Mark Edward Jeffery, a former Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) officer, who smuggled alcohol, drugs, and contraband cellphones into Hays State Prison, has been sentenced to federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
“Smuggling illegal contraband into a prison jeopardizes the safety of jailers and inmates alike,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Contraband also fosters criminal activities both inside and outside of prisons. Correctional officers like Jeffery, who disgrace their badge, can expect to be prosecuted and join the prison population they were eager to accommodate by committing these crimes.”
“Jeffery betrayed the trust placed in him by the Department of Corrections through his illegal and potentially dangerous activity,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The investigation and prosecution of this case shows that we will not tolerate corrupt staff who violate their sworn duties as government employees and jeopardize the safety of their fellow officers.”
“We are pleased to see that justice has been served on this former Officer for his role in jeopardizing our non-negotiable mission of public safety,” said GDC Commissioner Timothy C. Ward. “Ridding our prisons of corrupt staff and shedding light on those who choose to ignore that mission remains a top priority.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: On April 17, 2017, Jeffery began working as a correctional officer at Hays State Prison in Trion, Georgia. The facility opened in 1990 and currently holds approximately 1,680 male prisoners.
On February 7, 2018, one of Jeffery’s fellow correctional officers observed a large rectangular object, wrapped in black electrical tape, hidden in Jeffery’s beverage container. The fellow officer notified a supervisor about possible contraband. Later that day, the prison’s chief of security asked Jeffery to consent to a search of his person and belongings. Jeffery consented to the search and correctional officers found one brown glass smoking utensil, four cellular phone chargers, four smartphones, two bags containing 190 pills, a plastic bag with methamphetamine, and a water bottle with alcohol.
Mark Edward Jeffery, 34, of Fairmount, Georgia, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Harold L. Murphy to five years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. A federal grand jury indicted Jeffery, and he pleaded guilty on February 11, 2019 to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brock Brockington prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Vault Manager Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Stealing over $4 Million from KeybankRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that Gerardo Adan Cazarez Valenzuela, a/k/a “Gary Cazarez,” 34, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 10 years in prison, with no credit for seven years he served in a Mexican prison. In January 2019, Valenzuela pleaded guilty to theft of bank funds, as charged in a 2011 superseding indictment.
According to court documents, on or about July 29, 2011, Valenzuela was the Vault Manager for KeyBank when he stole approximately $4.3 million dollars in U.S. Currency from KeyBank in Anchorage, and then flew in a chartered jet to Washington, bought a car, obtained an AK-47 for protection and drove to Mexico. He mailed his and his girlfriend’s cell phones to Florida and New York to throw off investigators. The investigation revealed that Valenzuela’s motive to rob his employer was his concern that Keybank was going to make his position obsolete and he would be out of a job.
Months prior to his theft, Valenzuela told his girlfriend that he could rob the bank noting that the bank had video surveillance, but no physical surveillance at that time. In June 2011, he started to put his plan into action, which began with requesting that his brother obtain a firearm for him. On July 8, 2011, Valenzuela falsely trained new employees on vault procedures, effectively removing dual controls over the vault and laying the groundwork for his ability to steal $4.3 million a few weeks later.
On July 26, 2011, Valenzuela purchased an airplane ticket for his girlfriend from Anchorage to Seattle. Two days later, he then stole $30,000 from Keybank, which he used $24,000 to rent a private jet for himself to make his escape the next day. On the day of his theft, July 29, 2011, Valenzuela told the branch manager he was going to organize an ice cream social for bank customers, giving him an excuse to stay late as he cleaned up. Late at night and without dual controls in place, Valenzuela was able to access the vault without another employee present. He boxed up $4.3 million in cash, rolled it out of the vault to his car in the parking lot, and loaded the money into his car. Valenzuela drove to where the private jet was waiting for him in Anchorage and he flew to Seattle.
Valenzuela had set the timer on the vault lock for the maximum time allowable, giving him six days to escape to Mexico. By the time Keybank discovered his theft, Valenzuela and his girlfriend were already in Mexico; however, Valenzuela was arrested by Mexican authorities on Aug. 2, 2011, when a random search of his luggage at a checkpoint revealed $3.8 million in cash, firearms, and ammunition.
Cazarez was charged and convicted in Mexico of criminal offenses analogous to money laundering and illegal possession of firearms for smuggling the cash and firearms into Mexico. After serving a term of seven years in prison for his Mexican conviction, Cazarez was extradited to the U.S. for the crimes charged in the superseding indictment.
Chief Judge Burgess noted that the most important sentencing factors in this case were the “magnitude of the crime” and Valenzuela’s lack of candor with the court. At the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented that Valenzuela had executed a “fail safe plan” that included stashing $500,000 in Washington before he fled to Mexico so that if he were caught he would still have money when he was released. That money has still not been recovered.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance in the case, as did the government of Mexico.
Former United States Postal Service Manager Pleads Guilty to Bribery, Witness Tampering and False Statements to Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A former United States Postal Service manager pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to charges of bribery, witness tampering and false statements to federal officials.
Kenneth LaFlamme, 54, of Fort Myers, Fla., pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with one count each of bribery, witness tampering, and false statements to federal officials. U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled LaFlamme’s sentencing for Sept. 5, 2019.
“If committing the underlying offense of bribery wasn’t bad enough, the defendant’s attempt to interfere with a witness in order to influence grand jury testimony in his favor is particularly egregious,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling. “We will prosecute people who intentionally interfere with the criminal justice system.”
“We are gratified to have contributed to this investigation and applaud the exceptional work by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said Special Agent in Charge Scott Pierce of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “Along with our law enforcement partners, the Postal Service OIG will continue to aggressively investigate those who would engage in fraudulent activities against the Postal Service.”
“Today, Mr. LaFlamme finally accepted responsibility for taking thousands of dollars in bribes from two towing contractors, in exchange for sending business their way,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “Not only did he embrace the practice of ‘pay to play,’ but he also lied about it. Anyone who takes advantage of their position for personal gain, and in furtherance of criminal misconduct, will be held accountable.”
Between 2015 and 2018, LaFlamme served as the Manager of the USPS’ Vehicle Maintenance Facility in Springfield. In this capacity, for approximately two years, LaFlamme solicited and received weekly bribes from two towing contractors in exchange for directing valuable business to their companies. After federal investigators served subpoenas on the contractors in April 2018, LaFlamme attempted to influence the grand jury testimony of one of the contractors. When federal investigators later interviewed LaFlamme, he lied about his bribery and witness tampering.
The bribery charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, the charge of witness tampering provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison and the charge of making false statements provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Scott Pierce, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Contract Fraud Investigations Division; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Former Mortgage Broker Charged with Deed Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 58-year-old man is set to appear in Houston federal court on allegations contained in a 10-count indictment to include conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, wire fraud and violations of a federal money laundering statute, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Clarence C. Roland III, of Tacoma, Washington, is accused of fraudulent acquisition of real property through the manipulation and filing of fraudulent deed documents in county records across the country.
He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan at 10:00 a.m. today.
The indictment, returned in December 2018, alleges Roland fabricated fraudulent documents to defraud mortgage holders by causing the property records to reflect their interests in the real property had been eliminated.
Roland and others fraudulently transferred the ownership of the real property in which the mortgage holder had an interest to shell companies Roland controlled, according to the charges. The fraudulent documents allegedly further materially misrepresented the shell companies he controlled had outstanding mortgage loans on the real properties allegedly held by another company Roland controlled. Upon the sale of the real property, Roland allegedly caused that fake loan to be paid off using seller’s proceeds.
The indictment further alleges the conspirators created and used various entities names in executing their scheme to defraud.
If convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, Roland faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine. A conviction for wire fraud carries a potential 20-year-maximum sentence and a $250,000 possible fine. He is also charged with six counts of money laundering, each carrying a maximum 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines, upon conviction.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Annis is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Former Maryland Insurance Agent and Financial Planner Pleads Guilty to Federal Wire Fraud Charge in $2.8 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jonathan Williams, age 48, of Boston, Massachusetts, a former Maryland insurance agent and financial planner with New York Life, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud clients of more than $2.8 million.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur and Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.
According to his plea agreement, from February 2006 through March 2015, Williams worked as a New York Life insurance agent and was licensed to sell insurance in Maryland, and registered with the Financial Industry and Regulatory Authority (FINRA). Williams was only authorized to sell New York Life related products and provide financial planning through a New York Life affiliate. New York Life did not sell certificates of deposit (CDs) nor was Williams authorized to sell CDs. New York Life authorized the use of “doing business as” entities (DBAs) for marketing purposes only and approved Williams’ use of Mid-Atlantic Financial and Williams Investment Group as DBAs. Williams was not permitted to have premiums made payable to him or his DBAs.
Williams admitted that from 2009 to 2015, Williams deceived New York Life and its customers, and fraudulently obtained more than $2.8 million. At Williams’ direction, customers paid money to entities with bank accounts that Williams controlled, including Advanced Retirement Solutions, Jonathan Williams Financial Planning, and Mid-Atlantic Financial. Williams used the victim funds to make cash withdrawals, to pay personal and business expenses, to pay employees, to take vacations, and other miscellaneous expenses.
For example, Williams misrepresented to one small business that he was creating a defined benefit plan for the company’s employees by purchasing life insurance, long-term policies, and other investments. In 2015, after more than five years, the business learned that Williams never created the defined benefit plan. In addition to the money that he took from the business, Williams caused New York Life and the small business to incur substantial costs to recreate the benefit plan and avoid arduous tax consequences stemming from Williams’ illegal conduct.
Further, Williams admitted that he provided fake certificate of deposit account statements to another victim, but never invested the client’s money. That victim lost more than $350,000. A third victim, who had spent more than 30 years in the U.S. Navy, invested $100,000 with Williams, supposedly for Williams to establish investment accounts with Fidelity. Williams lied to the victim in e-mails, claiming that the victim’s money was invested with Fidelity. In fact, an account was never created for the victim at Fidelity and Williams used the victim’s money for his personal enrichment.
In March 2015, Williams provided phony bank records to New York Life after officials questioned Williams about his financial transactions with New York Life customers. Even after he lost his license to sell insurance in May 2015, Williams continued to mislead clients, telling one client in July 2016 that he was leaving New York Life to work for another company. New York Life subsequently terminated Williams’ employment and paid to settle with the victims of Williams’ fraud who suffered financial losses stemming from his illegal conduct.
Williams faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for August 7, 2019 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for its work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Tamera L. Fine, who are prosecuting the case.
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Former FCI Danbury Correctional Officer Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Abusing InmateRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CARLOS SANCHEZ, 33, formerly of Middlebury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 10 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for sexually abusing an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury (FCI Danbury).
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sanchez was employed as a correctional officer at FCI Danbury. On two occasions in July and August 2018, Sanchez engaged in sexual activity with a female inmate at the prison.
On December 10, 2018, Sanchez pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse of a ward.
Sanchez who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 21, 2019.
This matter was investigated by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - A Huntington man, Juan Isom, 55, pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart.
On July 13, 2018, Troopers with the West Virginia State Police Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West executed a search warrant at the residence of Isom. Troopers located a Taurus .38 caliber revolver on the shelf of Isom’s nightstand. Isom was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law because of a 2006 felony drug conviction in Gaston County, North Carolina.
Isom faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on August 5, 2019.
The Violent Crime and Drug Task Force West conducted the investigation. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
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.
SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Fairbanks Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distribution of DrugsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Abdul Karim Oluwafemi Adepoju, 33, of Fairbanks, was sentenced on Friday, April 26, by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline to serve 68 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2019, Adepoju pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
According to court documents, on Sept. 29, 2018, an Alaska State Trooper went to a residence in North Pole, Alaska, to serve two outstanding warrants on Adepoju for State of Alaska probation and parole violations. The trooper had received a report that Adepoju was observed sitting in the driver’s seat of a green Mitsubishi car parked in front of the residence. The trooper learned that Adepoju was inside the property and subsequently arrested him.
Upon his arrest, Adepoju provided a false name to the trooper. The trooper confirmed his real identity, and determined that the name provided was Adepoju’s brother. When the trooper was reporting Adepoju’s arrest to dispatch, Adepoju attempted to throw something from his jacket toward the rear of the patrol vehicle. When Adepoju was searched, $2,791 was recovered from his person, and the item recovered from behind the patrol vehicle was a clear gallon sized Ziplock bag containing drugs. Adepoju denied the drugs were his, and began walking away. The trooper placed the Ziplock bag on his patrol vehicle, attempted to stop Adepoju, and called for backup. Adepoju then grabbed the Ziplock bag and started running away from the trooper. The trooper chased the defendant and wrestled him to the ground. While Adepoju was in handcuffs, he repeatedly tried to stand up and wrestle free. At that time, the trooper finished searching Adepoju and located a set of Mitsubishi keys.
A court-authorized search of the green Mitsubishi revealed a black zip-up case on the passenger seat, which contained additional drugs for distribution and a digital scale. The Ziplock bag was processed and inside were nine smaller clear bags containing methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin.
The Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charisse Arce.
Enfield Man Who Sold Heroin and Fentanyl to Overdose Victims is SentencedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN REED, 34, of Enfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and fentanyl.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 9:52 a.m. on August 26, 2016, Enfield Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a residence in Enfield and found an unresponsive 31-year-old male slumped over a coffee table in the upstairs bedroom of the residence. The victim was pronounced deceased. Officers searched the immediate area and seized one empty white wax fold and six full white wax folds that contained suspected heroin. Officers also seized the victim’s iPhone. An analysis of text messages revealed that the victim had ordered heroin from Reed the evening before the victim died.
At approximately 8:23 p.m. on October 27, 2016, the Enfield Police Department and emergency personnel responded to another residence in Enfield and found an unresponsive 36-year-old man outside the house. The victim was transported to the hospital for medical attention and pronounced deceased. Officers were later able to recover the victim’s cell phone and 20 white wax folds that contained suspected heroin. Analysis of the victim’s cell phone revealed that the victim also had purchased heroin from Reed two days before his death.
Reed was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on April 27, 2017. On November 20, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
The investigation revealed that Christopher Barreto, of Hartford, supplied the narcotics that Reed subsequently distributed to the overdose victims. On December 18, 2018, Judge Shea sentenced Barreto to 46 months of imprisonment.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Enfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Distribution of FentanylRead the Press Release
A Detroit, Michigan, man was sentenced for knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl in Huntington, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Joshua McCarver, 20, was sentenced to 18 months in prison by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Huntington Police Department.
“No connections to West Virginia except selling drugs. That’s all this guy did in West Virginia. We will continue to prosecute every fentanyl case and fight back against out-of-state drug dealers like McCarver,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Drug dealers from places like Detroit, Columbus and elsewhere have brought death and despair to the hills of West Virginia.”
Joshua McCarver, 20, previously pled guilty to knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl. On February 19, 2018, officers with the Huntington Police Department’s Special Emphasis Unit utilized a confidential informant to arrange a controlled buy of heroin from McCarver. McCarver arrived at the buy location in the West End of Huntington and provided the confidential informant with a substance he represented to be heroin in exchange for $70. Testing by the West Virginia State Police Lab confirmed the substance to actually be fentanyl. Officers conducted another buy from McCarver in January 2018 that also involved fentanyl. Historical information gathered by the Special Emphasis Unit revealed that McCarver had been dealing heroin in the Huntington area for at least six months prior to the January 2018 controlled buy.
While imposing the sentence, the Court noted that McCarver had no connections to West Virginia and came to the Huntington area just to sell drugs and make money. Thus, he was the type of drug dealer from a big city like Detroit, Michigan and Columbus, Ohio, that this community had come to fear.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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Delano Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Steven Andrew Dobson, 33, of Delano, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for receiving and distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, from approximately March 1, 2016, through November 11, 2016, in Kern County, Dobson was found to have received and distributed through the internet between 150 and 300 images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images also involved depictions of violence, and included depictions of prepubescent minors.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian W. Enos prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.