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Friday 15 March 2019
Two Members of Violent West Baltimore Gang Sentenced to up to Life in Prison for Federal Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Two Baltimore, Maryland men were sentenced today to life and 30 years, respectively, in prison for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG). The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking and witness intimidation.
John Harrison, aka Binkie, 28, and Linton Broughton, aka Marty, 25; both of Baltimore, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake to serve life in prison, and 360 months in prison, respectively, each followed by five years of supervised release. Broughton, Harrison and their co-defendants were also convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. Harrison participated in the murder of five individuals and a firearm recovered from Broughton was found to be used in four of those murders.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur for the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the FBI Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby made the announcement.
“For years, John Harrison, Linton Broughton, and other members of the vicious Trained To Go gang brought death and violence to the streets of Baltimore,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski. “We thank our hard-working prosecutors, as well as our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, for their dedication in dismantling this vile gang.”
“Violent gang members must know that gun crime leads to federal time,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “As this case demonstrates, all too often, guns and drugs go hand in hand—and both are killers. Thanks to the partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement, these drug dealers will no longer peddle death in West Baltimore. Harrison, Broughton and their TTG co-defendants will be removed from the community they terrorized and serve their sentences in federal prison, where there is no parole - ever.”
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, Broughton, Harrison and their co-defendants are all members of TTG, a criminal organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
The evidence at trial showed that members and associates of TTG sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. The evidence showed the Broughton was one of TTG’s primary distributors of heroin and marijuana. Broughton distributed the drugs from multiple locations in Sandtown. In addition, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and Jan. 9, 2017, Broughton, Harrison, their co-defendants, and other members of TTG committed acts of violence, including eight murders, shootings, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in murder-for-hire schemes. Harrison was found to have participated in the murder of three people on July 7, 2015, as well as two other murders. A gun that Broughton had hidden was recovered on Jan. 28, 2016, was determined to have been used in the murders on July 7, 2015, as well as another murder committed by Harrison. Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, aka Tana and Tanner, 23, of Baltimore, was sentenced to serve life in prison on Feb. 15. Co-defendant Brandon Wilson, aka Ali, 24, also of Baltimore, was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison on March 1, 2019.
The remaining defendants convicted at the trial are all from Baltimore, and face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracies. They include: Terrell Sivells, aka Rell, 27; Taurus Tillman, aka Tash, 29; Dennis Pulley, aka Denmo, 31; and Timothy Floyd, aka Tim Rod, 28.
The defendants remain detained.
Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison. Another defendant, Roger Taylor, aka Milk, is a fugitive.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Harrison is still facing charges for allegedly assaulting employees of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) while he was detained and being transported to and from the courtroom during their trial. According to the indictment, on Sept. 21, 2018, Harrison and a co-defendant assaulted two Deputy U.S. Marshals and a U.S. District Court Security Officer as they were being escorted from the courtroom during a break in the trial. The charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Baltimore Police Department, ATF, DEA, Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley, formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano and Daniel C. Gardner of the District of Maryland prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Two Members of Violent West Baltimore Gang Sentenced to Life and 30 Years in Prison, Respectively, for Federal Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake today sentenced John Harrison, a/k/a Binkie, age 28, from Baltimore, to life in prison, and sentenced Linton Broughton, a/k/a Marty, age 25, also from Baltimore, to 30 years in federal prison, each followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG). The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking; and witness intimidation. Broughton, Harrison, and their co-defendants were also convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving heroin, marijuana, and cocaine. Harrison participated in the murder of five individuals and a firearm recovered from Broughton was found to be used in four of those murders.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
“Violent gang members must know that gun crime leads to federal time. As this case demonstrates, all too often, guns and drugs go hand in hand—and both are killers,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Thanks to the partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement, these drug dealers will no longer peddle death in West Baltimore. Harrison, Broughton, and their TTG co-defendants will be removed from the community they terrorized and serve their sentences in federal prison, where there is no parole - ever.”
“For years, John Harrison, Linton Broughton, and other members of the vicious Trained To Go gang brought death and violence to the streets of Baltimore,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski. “We thank our hard-working prosecutors, as well as our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, for their dedication in dismantling this vile gang.”
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, Broughton, Harrison and their co-defendants are all members of TTG, a criminal organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
The evidence at trial showed that members and associates of TTG sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. The evidence showed the Broughton was one of TTG’s primary distributors of heroin and marijuana. Broughton distributed the drugs from multiple locations in Sandtown. In addition, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and January 9, 2017, Broughton, Harrison, their co-defendants, and other members of TTG committed acts of violence, including eight murders, shootings, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in murder-for-hire schemes. Harrison was found to have participated in the murder of three people on July 7, 2015, as well as two other murders. A gun that Broughton had hidden was recovered on January 28, 2016, was determined to have been used in the murders on July 7, 2015, as well as another murder committed by Harrison. Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, a/k/a Tana, and Tanner, age 23, of Baltimore, was sentenced to life in prison on February 15, 2019. Co-defendant Brandon Wilson, a/k/a Ali, age 24, also of Baltimore, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on March 1, 2019.
The remaining defendants convicted at the trial are all from Baltimore, and face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracies. They include: Terrell Sivells, a/k/a Rell, age 27; Taurus Tillman, a/k/a Tash, age 29; Dennis Pulley, a/k/a Denmo, age 31; and Timothy Floyd, a/k/a Tim Rod, age 28. The defendants remain detained.
Three other TTG members previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison. Another defendant, Roger Taylor, a/k/a Milk, is a fugitive.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Harrison is still facing charges for allegedly assaulting employees of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) while he was detained and being transported to and from the courtroom during their trial. According to the indictment, on September 21, 2018, Harrison and a co-defendant assaulted two Deputy U.S. Marshals and a U.S. District Court Security Officer as they were being escorted from the courtroom during a break in the trial. If convicted of the assault charges, Harrison faces a maximum sentence of eight years in prison. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski commended the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Romano, Daniel C. Gardner, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Two Fairbanks Men Plead Guilty to Federal Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Andrew Mac Saunders, 43, and Ian David Bowman, 30, both of Fairbanks, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to federal identity theft charges.
According to court documents, on Jan. 19, 2018, the Alaska State Troopers (AST) responded to a report that Saunders and Bowman were perpetrating a scheme to manufacture and use counterfeit identification documents and counterfeit checks. A search warrant was executed on their shared residence in Fairbanks, where AST seized three computers, three external hard drives, a flip camera, a scanner, check printer paper, blank check papers, and printers containing blank check papers.
The seized computers contained at least 51 unique counterfeit identification documents, including Alaska State Driver’s Licenses of actual other persons. Ten of the counterfeit identification documents displayed Saunders’ photograph along with the names and addresses of other actual persons; 21 of the documents displayed Bowman’s photograph; and 20 other documents displayed the photographs of their co-conspirators. Numerous stolen items were also seized that contained the names and personal information of actual persons, including 19 Alaska State ID cards, a real U.S. passport, W-2 and W-4 documents, tax forms, and U.S. mail. Saunders, Bowman, and their co-conspirators also used the seized laptop and printers to manufacture and print counterfeit checks with routing numbers and account numbers of numerous other actual persons’ bank accounts. The routing numbers were obtained by stealing mail from numerous people, including people in Fairbanks and North Pole, Alaska.
The investigation revealed that the purpose of the scheme was for Saunders, Bowman and their co-conspirators to use the counterfeit identification documents and counterfeit checks to fraudulently purchase, among other things, cell phones and other items in Fairbanks and North Pole. After using the counterfeit identification documents and checks to purchase these items, many of the items were sold for cash. The investigation further revealed that Saunders, Bowman and their co-conspirators used the proceeds obtained from these sales to purchase illegal narcotics.
The sentencing hearings have been scheduled for June 7, 2019, in Fairbanks. Saunders and Bowman each face a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, or both, on the charges. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the criminal history, if any, of the defendants. As part of their plea agreements, Saunders and Bowman have also agreed to pay restitution to victims for costs associated with credit monitoring services, among other things, which will be determined at sentencing.
The Alaska State Troopers (AST) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan D. Tansey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Corso.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing HeroinRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Ambrose Dejuan Nelson, 40, of Dallas, Texas, pled guilty today before U.S. District U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to possession of a controlled substance, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On July 7, 2018, a Jackson County Sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Nelson. The deputy noticed Nelson, the sole occupant in the car, put something in the back seat. He also noticed that Nelson appeared to be under the influence of something. Nelson was administered several tests to determine whether he was in fact under the influence, and he failed all examinations. Nelson was subsequently arrested and he began to struggle with the deputy. During the altercation, Nelson snapped his cell phone in half and destroyed it. The deputy searched the rest of Nelson’s car and found a bag containing a substance which tested positive for heroin and weighed over 17 grams.
Nelson will be sentenced on March 15, 2019, by Judge Ozerden, and faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Jackson County Sheriff’s Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
Statement by United States Attorney Mike Stuart on Mosque Shootings in Christchurch, New ZealandRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart issued the following statement:
"The heinous acts of mass and brutal violence that targeted mosques in New Zealand are troubling and repugnant on many levels. My heart is broken for the victims of this senseless event. Violence against any people on the basis of religion or, for that matter, any basis, are acts that deserve our unified condemnation. Today, we are all New Zealanders.”
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Statement by Attorney General William P. Barr on Mosque Shootings in Christchurch, New ZealandRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr issued the following statement:
"Violence on the basis of religion is evil. Today's attack in New Zealand is a sobering reminder that the threat of political and religious violence is real and that we must remain vigilant against it. The Justice Department joins in mourning with the people of New Zealand.”
Statement by U.S. Attorney MacDonald in Response to the Attacks in Christchurch, New ZealandRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald issued the following statement in response to the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand:
“United, we must condemn all acts of violence fueled by hatred, bigotry, and intolerance. My commitment to freedom and safety for all of our faith communities and houses of worship is unwavering. This is a sad day and we are grieving with the people of Christchurch, New Zealand,” said U.S. Attorney MacDonald.
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St. Croix Man Sentenced for His Role in Attempting to Smuggle Marijuana through the Henry E. Rohlsen AirportRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Gibbs Bully, 52, of St. Croix, was sentenced on March 14, 2019, in District Count on one count of Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Chief Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Bully to a prison sentence of 18 months, followed by four years of supervised release, and imposed a fine of $4,000 and a $100 special assessment. Bully was ordered to surrender to the U.S. Marshals on April 15, 2019 to serve his sentence.
Bully previously pled guilty to the charge on January 10, 2018. According to court documents, his codefendant traveled on an American Airlines flight from Miami, Florida, to St. Croix via the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport. Mr. Bully solicited, aided and abetted his codefendant in checking one box onto the flight containing five separate vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana, weighing approximately 4.5 kilograms. Once the codefendant arrived in St. Croix, Bully retrieved the box containing the marijuana from the baggage carousel. He was immediately detained by Customs and Border Protection officers.
The case was investigated Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security, and the marijuana was analyzed by the DEA Southeast Crime Laboratory in Miami. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston.
Springfield Woman and Man Charged with Stealing Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Springfield residents were charged in federal court in Springfield for stealing Social Security benefits.
Hilda Griffin, 37, and Daquan Harris, 24, were each charged with three counts of theft of public money and one count of conspiracy. Harris appeared in federal court in Springfield on March 13, 2019, and was released on conditions. Griffin appeared in federal court in Springfield yesterday and was also released on conditions.
According to the indictment, Griffin served as the representative payee for three individuals who were receiving Social Security benefits. Griffin failed to disclose that the individuals stopped living with her in October 2014, and that she continued to receive benefits on the individuals’ behalf through December 2014. It is alleged that Griffin then conspired with Harris to have him receive the benefits intended for the three individuals and provide those benefits to her. Harris received benefits intended for the three individuals from January 2015 through October 2016. In October 2016, Griffin reapplied to receive Social Security benefits on behalf of the three individuals, despite the fact that they were still not in her custody. Griffin improperly received benefits for two of the individuals from November 2016 through March 2017, and for the third individual from November 2016 through May 2018.
The indictment further alleges that Griffin stole more than $8,915 worth of Social Security benefits paid to her on behalf of the three individuals, and that Harris, conspiring with Griffin, stole more than $21,870 in benefits.
The charge of theft of public money provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Morgan of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Seven People Charged in $50 Million Health Care Fraud Conspiracy Targeting State Health Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A federal grand jury has returned a 50-count indictment charging seven people with defrauding New Jersey state health benefits programs and other insurers out of more than $50 million by submitting fraudulent claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
William Hickman, 42, Sara Hickman, 42, Thomas Schallus, 42, Thomas Sher, 46, all of Northfield, New Jersey, Brian Pugh, 41, of Absecon, New Jersey, John Sher, 37, of Margate City, New Jersey, and Christopher Broccoli, 47, of West Deptford, New Jersey, were all charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and with individual acts of health care fraud and wire fraud. William and Sara Hickman and Brian Pugh also were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and individual acts of money laundering. The defendants are expected to appear later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ann Marie Donio in Camden federal court. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden.
According to the indictment:
Compounded medications are specialty medications mixed by a pharmacist to meet the specific medical needs of an individual patient. Although compounded drugs are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they are properly prescribed when a physician determines that an FDA-approved medication does not meet the health needs of a particular patient, such as if a patient is allergic to a dye or other ingredient.
From July 2014 through April 2016, the conspirators recruited individuals in New Jersey to obtain very expensive and medically unnecessary compounded medications from a Louisiana pharmacy, identified in the indictment as the “Compounding Pharmacy.” The conspirators learned that certain compound medication prescriptions – including pain, scar, antifungal, and libido creams, as well as vitamin combinations – were reimbursed for thousands of dollars for a one-month supply.
The conspirators also learned that some New Jersey state and local government and education employees, including teachers, firefighters, municipal police officers, and state troopers, had insurance coverage for these particular compound medications, as did some other insurance plans. An entity referred to in the indictment as the “Pharmacy Benefits Administrator” provided pharmacy benefit management services for the State Health Benefits Program, which covers qualified state and local government employees, retirees, and eligible dependents, and the School Employees’ Health Benefits Program, which covers qualified local education employees, retirees, and eligible dependents. The Pharmacy Benefits Administrator would pay prescription drug claims and then bill the State of New Jersey for the amounts paid.
The Compounding Pharmacy agreed to pay Boardwalk Medical LLC, a company run by William Hickman and Sara Hickman, a percentage of the amount that the Compounding Pharmacy received for prescriptions obtained by Boardwalk Medical and its associates. The Hickmans then had Pugh and other conspirators recruit individuals who had coverage for compounded medications, and those conspirators found additional recruiters, including Thomas Schallus, John Sher, Thomas Sher, and Christopher Broccoli.
The conspirators recruited public employees covered by the Pharmacy Benefits Administrator to fraudulently obtain compounded medications from the Compounding Pharmacy without any evaluation or determination by a medical professional that the medications were medically necessary. The defendants paid individuals to agree to receive prescription medications from the Compounding Pharmacy. The defendants completed prescriptions for these individuals and selected the most expensive medications with the highest number of refills to obtain the highest possible insurance reimbursement. The conspirators would have prescriptions signed by a doctor who did not examine the patients. The prescriptions were faxed to the Compounding Pharmacy, which filled the prescriptions and billed the Pharmacy Benefits Administrator.
William Hickman paid Dr. John Gaffney to reward him for signing prescriptions. Gaffney previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and admitted taking payments and signing prescriptions for patients he did not see.
After the prescriptions were filled, the Compounding Pharmacy paid Boardwalk Medical a percentage of each prescription filled and paid by the Pharmacy Benefits Administrator. The Pharmacy Benefits Administrator paid Compounding Pharmacy over $50 million for compounded medications, and the Compounding Pharmacy paid William Hickman and Sara Hickman over $26 million for prescriptions obtained by the conspiracy. The Hickmans paid a portion of that amount to Pugh, Schallus, John Sher, Thomas Sher, Christopher Broccoli, and other conspirators.
The health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy count with which all defendants are charged carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. Each wire fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. Each health care fraud count carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction. Each charge of monetary transactions in criminally derived property worth more than $10,000 carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur in Newark, and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka, with the investigation leading to the indictment. He also thanked the Division of Pensions and Financial Transactions in the State Attorney General’s Office, under the direction of Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and Division Chief Eileen Schlindwein Den Bleyker, for its assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys R. David Walk Jr. and Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, Senior Trial Counsel of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Second Defendant Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Patrick Ogiony, 35, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John D. Fabian and Douglas A.C. Penrose, who are handling the case, stated that between March 2011 and June 2017, the defendant conspired with co-defendants Frank Giacobbe, Kevin Morgan, Todd Morgan, and others, to defraud financial institutions, including Evans Bank, N.A.; UBS Securities LLC; M&T Bank; Arbor Commercial Mortgage LLC; SteepRock Capital, LLC; and Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, LLC.
During the course of the conspiracy, Ogiony was employed by Aurora Capital Advisors, LLC, a mortgage brokerage company owned and operated by Frank Giacobbe. Through Aurora, the defendant brokered mortgage loans on behalf of Morgan Management, LLC, a real estate management company that managed over 100 multi-family properties. Kevin Morgan was employed as a Vice President at Morgan Management, and Todd Morgan was employed as a Project Manager.
Ogiony, his co-defendants, and others provided false information to financial institutions and government sponsored enterprises overstating the incomes of properties owned by Morgan Management or certain principals of Morgan Management. The false information induced financial institutions to issue loans: (1) for greater values than the financial institutions would have authorized had they been provided with truthful information; and (2) that the financial institutions would not have issued at the time of issuance had they been provided with truthful information. Ogiony admitted that these properties included:
• The Preserve at Autumn Ridge, Watertown, NY;
• The Eden Square Apartments, Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania;
• The Rochester Village Apartments at Park Place, Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania;
• The Reserve at Southpointe, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania;
• 7100 South Shore Drive Apartments, Chicago, Illinois;
• The Avon Commons Apartments, Avon, NY;
• The Morgan Bay Apartments, Houston, Texas;
• Brookwood on the Green, Syracuse, NY;
• The Creek Hill Apartments, Rochester, NY;
• Hickory Hollow, Rochester, NY;
• The Knollwood Manor Apartments, Rochester, NY;
• The Links at Centerpointe, Canandaigua, NY;
• The Nineteen North Apartments, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
• The Overlook at Golden Hills, Lexington, South Carolina;
• The Penbrooke Meadows Apartments, Rochester, NY;
• The Trails of North Hills Apartments, Raleigh, North Carolina;
• The Rivers Pointe Apartments, Syracuse, NY;
• The Union Square Apartments, Rochester, NY;
• The View at MacKenzi, York, Pennsylvania; and
• The Villas of Victor, Rochester, NY.In addition, the defendant, his co-defendants, and others employed various mechanisms to mislead financial institutions regarding the properties’ occupancy. Ogiony specifically:
• provided false rent rolls to lenders and appraisers on a variety of dates, overstating either the number of renters in a property, the rent paid by occupants;
• provided or conspired to provide false and inflated income statements for the properties; and
• worked with others to deceive inspectors into believing that unoccupied apartments were, in fact, occupied.In one such instance, Ogiony and his co-defendants provided false information to Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, LLC, in connection with The Rochester Village Apartments at Park Place, a multi-family residential apartment owned by Morgan Management principals. The information included falsely inflated income from storage unit rentals, false reports of rental income, and falsely reporting apartment units as occupied before certificates of occupancy were obtained for those units.
Also, Ogiony, his co-defendants, and others made misrepresentations and engaged in conduct designed to conceal from the lending financial institutions that they obtained cash from the loan proceeds, which was not used to purchase or maintain the premises. Ogiony, his co-defendants, and others did so by, at times, providing false documentation of obligations purportedly associated with the properties, and by misrepresenting the actual purchase prices of properties.
Defendant Kevin Morgan was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and is awaiting sentencing. Charges remain pending against Frank Giacobbe and Todd Morgan. 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.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Manchak.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
Rocky Mount Man and Woman Sentenced for RobberiesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that yesterday in federal court, Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced JAQUIN JAMAL PRATT, 20, and nikita shontel taylor, 26, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina to 120 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release and 87 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release respectfully.
PRATT and TAYLOR were named in a Superseding Indictment filed on September 19, 2018, charging them with interference with commerce by robbery. On December 12, 2018, and November 14, 2018, respectively, PRATt and TAYLOR each pleaded guilty to one count of interference with commerce.
On November 27, 2017, PRATT and TAYLOR robbed Saslow’s Jewelry in Wilson, North Carolina. They zip-tied employees then stole jewelry items valued at over $25,000. On December 8, 2017, PRATT and TAYLOR robbed Swift’s Fine Jewelry in Knightdale, North Carolina. Once again they zip-tied employees and stole jewelry valued above $30,000.
Mr. Higdon commented: “We are extremely pleased with the sentences imposed by the Court. While we cannot fully restore the victims in this case because they will always have to live with the fear and memory of being tied up and robbed. We hope the Court’s sentence will bring some measure of comfort and will deter others from committing similar crimes. And, of course, for the next seven plus years, these defendants won’t be in a position to threaten or harm anyone else.”
This case was initiated through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Knightdale Police Department, Wilson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Erin Blondel handled the case on behalf of the government.
Rochester Daycare Worker Arrested, Charged with Attempting to Have Sex with A MinorRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Hashim J. McCullough, 37, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with attempted production of child pornography, and enticement of a minor. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of life, and $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on March 7, 2019, an FBI Special Agent working undercover as a 14 year old girl (UC) received a friend request from user “ucdamandatmademerich.” The UC accepted the friend request and the two began communicating.
The UC indicated “just want to let u know up front im only 14 years old.” “ucdamandatmademerich” responded by stating “You are very much welcome baeb,” “Really 14 wow” and “You live in Rochester ny.”
A review of the “ucdamandatmademerich” profile indicated the user lived in Rochester and worked at a daycare. Subsequent investigation determined “ucdamandatmademerich” is the defendant who works at the YMCA located on Lewis Street in Rochester.
The UC and McCullough continued to communicate on another social media account set up by the UC. On March 7, 2019, the UC received a message from the defendant requesting photos of the UC who sent a photo showing a clothed female. McCullough then asked for naked pictures of the UC. As the communications continued, the defendant discussed having sexual intercourse with the UC. McCullough also sent a photo of a naked male to the UC.
On March 12, 2019, the defendant suggested that he and the UC meet up for sex. “Daddy taking this Thursday off from work to be with you.” The UC responded by stating “Can you do Friday I got a big test I can’t miss.” McCullough then stated “Ok bae.” The UC agreed to meet the defendant in person on March 15, 2019 at an apartment complex in the Town of Brighton. McCullough arrived at the apartment complex this morning to meet with the UC and was immediately arrested by law enforcement officers.
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate judge Jonathan W. Feldman and was held pending a detention hearing on March 21, 2019, at 9:00 a.m.
Members of the public who have specific information related to this case are urged to contact Bivona Child Advocacy Center at 1-585-935-7800.The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
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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Owner of Debt Collection Service Charged for Corruptly Providing Benefits to Obtain Business from Cook County Circuit Court Clerk’s OfficeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of a debt collection company spent tens of thousands of dollars in an effort to corruptly influence and obtain business from court clerks in Florida and Illinois, including the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk, according to a federal indictment returned in Chicago.
DONALD DONAGHER, JR., 67, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., and Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., was the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Harrisburg, Pa.-based PENN CREDIT CORPORATION. From 2009 to 2016, Donagher and Penn Credit provided money and services to benefit the court clerks and related individuals and entities, corruptly seeking favorable treatment in the awarding of the courts’ debt collection work, the indictment states. The efforts included payments to certain clerks’ campaign committees, donations to charities supported by certain clerks, financial sponsorship of events hosted by certain clerks, and free or discounted “robocalls” made by Penn Credit on behalf of certain clerks’ campaigns, according to the indictment.
The indictment was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It charges Donagher and Penn Credit with one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, and five counts of federal program bribery. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; and Patrick M. Blanchard, Cook County Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather K. McShain and Ankur Srivastava.
According to the charges, Donagher in June 2011 caused Penn Credit to pay $5,000 to a scholarship fund named for the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk. Later that summer, Penn Credit began collecting debt for the Clerk’s Office, the indictment states. On Aug. 19, 2011 – less than three weeks after Penn Credit began its work for Cook County – Donagher sent an email to Penn Credit employees and an Illinois lobbyist, advising that Donagher had promised the Cook County Clerk “10k of ‘early’ money,” the indictment states. The following month, Donagher caused a $10,000 contribution to be made in his name “towards the fundraising efforts of Contributions to Friends of [the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk],” the indictment states. The indictment further states that, several months later, Penn Credit made hundreds of thousands of phone calls on behalf of the Cook County Circuit Court Clerk without invoicing or receiving payment from the Clerk’s campaign.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The conspiracy charge is punishable by up to five years in prison, while the maximum sentence for federal program bribery is ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Old Town Man Sentenced to 35 Years for Sexual Exploitation of Children, and Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Patrick Monahan, 52, of Old Town, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 35 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for sexual exploitation of children, and distribution and possession of child pornography. The defendant pled guilty to these charges on September 10, 2018.
According to court records, the defendant, posing online as a teenager, separately persuaded two minors to send him over the internet videos of themselves engaging in sexual activity. The defendant subsequently uploaded some of these videos to a pornographic website that could be accessed by the general public. In addition, the defendant possessed child pornography on his computer.
“When Congress passed the child pornography laws, they had a person like you in mind,” said Judge Woodcock during the sentencing. “I have to conclude you are simply incorrigible. You cannot stop yourself. The only way you can stop is if society stops you. It is my duty to put you in a place where you can do no more harm, where you cannot create any more victims.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Old Town and Orono Police Departments, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit. 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Old Town Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Kenneth McLay, 47, of Old Town, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. to 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for distribution and possession of child pornography. The defendant pled guilty to these charges on September 10, 2018.
According to court records, the defendant obtained sexually explicit videos of a minor from the internet and uploaded some of these videos to a pornographic website that could be accessed by the general public. In addition, he possessed child pornography on his computer.
“The conclusion I have to arrive at, and I don’t do it lightly, is you are fundamentally incorrigible; you cannot stop yourself,” said Judge Woodcock during the sentencing. “You represent a clear and present danger to children in our society because you simply cannot stop sexualizing them.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Old Town and Orono Police Departments, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit. 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Nine Individuals Indicted for Participating in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Concord – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that nine individuals have been charged with participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy. The indictments are the culmination of a year-long investigation by the FBI in coordination with federal, state, and local authorities in New Hampshire.
On March 6, 2019, the following individuals were charged with participating in a conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, cocaine and crack cocaine:
- George Cruz, 30, Nashua, New Hampshire;
- Lawrence Fortenberry, 65, Nashua, New Hampshire;
- William Greenleaf, 42, Nashua, New Hampshire;
- Donald Johnson, 34, Nashua, New Hampshire;
- Isaiah Kinard, 29, Manchester, New Hampshire;
- Marvin Morrison, 36, Nashua, New Hampshire;
- Terray Morrison, 30, Nashua, New Hampshire;
- Melvin Nooks, Jr., 28, Fitchburg, Massachusetts; and
- Melvin Stanford, 40, Manchester, New Hampshire
As a result of a coordinated operation involving federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, all of the above-listed individuals have been arrested.
If convicted, Morrison, Stanford, Cruz, and Nooks Jr. face a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum sentence of life, as well as a fine of up to $10 million. The other defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million.
“Drug traffickers endanger the health and safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The arrest and prosecution of drug traffickers is a top priority for this office. We are working closely with the FBI and all of our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution of drugs in order to protect the citizens of the Granite State.”
“As alleged, these individuals distributed crack cocaine in New Hampshire for several years and disrupting drug trafficking organizations like this one is a critical part of our mission. The FBI will continue to focus our energy, and expertise to help our law enforcement partners stem the tide of drugs flooding our streets,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
The indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation was the product of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force; the Nashua Police Department; the New Hampshire State Police; the Manchester Police Department; New Hampshire Probation and Parole; DEA; Massachusetts State Police Department; Portsmouth Police Department and the Federal Protective Service. The United States Marshals Service also assisted in the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, and Anna Krasinski.
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New London Psychiatrist and Mental Health Clinic Pay over $3.3 Million to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney John H. Durham, Special Agent in Charge Phillip Coyne of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Connecticut Attorney General William Tong today announced that DR. BASSAM AWWA and his medical practice, CONNECTICUT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSOCIATES, P.C. (“CBHA”) have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments in which they will pay $3,382,004 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
AWWA, a psychiatrist, is the owner of CBHA, a medical practice located in New London. The practice provides behavioral health and addiction medicine services to Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.
As part of AWWA and CBHA’s treatment of patients with substance use disorders, AWWA and CBHA regularly conducted urine drug screening tests on urine samples collected from patients treated at the practice. Although the test screens a patient’s urine for multiple classes of drugs, Medicare considers it a single test that should be billed only once per patient encounter.
The government alleges that AWWA and CBHA submitted claims to Medicare for multiple units of urine drug screening tests, when they knew or should have known that only one unit of service could be billed per patient encounter. By coding their claims using multiple units, instead of a single unit, the government alleges that AWWA and CBHA submitted false claims to the Medicare program and received payments that they were not entitled to receive.
In addition, the government alleges that AWWA and CBHA submitted claims to Medicare for alcohol tests conducted on patient urine samples that they know or should have known were a component of the urine drug screening test for which AWWA and CBHA were already being paid by Medicare.
Finally, the government alleges that AWWA and CBHA defrauded the Connecticut Medicaid program by submitting claims for definitive urine drug tests (also known as “quantitative” or “confirmation” tests) that were not actually performed, and by improperly submitting claims to Medicaid for specimen validity testing of urine samples.
To resolve the governments’ allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, AWWA and CBHA have agreed to pay $3,383,004, which covers claims submitted to the Medicare program from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2015, and claims submitted to the Medicaid program from April 1, 2013 to March 31, 2016.
As part of the settlement, AWWA and CBHA have entered into a three-year billing Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that is designed to ensure future compliance with the requirements of federal healthcare programs.
“It is alleged that, for years, these defendants recklessly overbilled Medicare for drug screening tests,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “Medical practices and physicians who treat patients for substance abuse must bill their services accurately and honestly, and health care providers who submit false claims to federal health care programs will be held accountable.”
“It is critically important that we protect federal healthcare programs upon which millions of people rely,” said Special Agent in Charge Coyne. “Thus, we will hold accountable providers who submit false claims to Medicare and receive payments to which they are not entitled.”
“Providers enrolled in the Connecticut Medicaid program are expected and trusted to bill the program accurately and honestly,” said Attorney General Tong. “For years, the defendants betrayed that trust and overcharged the Medicaid program for certain services they provided to Medicaid recipients. This settlement holds those who defrauded this taxpayer-funded program accountable. I want to thank the Connecticut Department of Social Services’ Office of Quality Assurance for assisting with this matter and for their continued efforts in combatting health care fraud.”
This matter was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, and the Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard M. Molot, and Assistant Attorney General Gregory O’Connell of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS or the Health Care Fraud Task Force at (203) 777-6311.
New Hampton Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
William Rolen, age 56, of New Hampton, Iowa, has been charged with attempted enticement of a minor and distribution, receipt, possession, and accessing child pornography. The charges are contained in an Indictment unsealed on March 12, 2019, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.
The Indictment alleges that, between February 2018 and March 2018, Rolen attempted to entice a person who he believed to be under 18 to engage in criminal sexual activity. The Indictment also alleges that, between 2015 and 2018, Rolen distributed, received, possessed, and accessed child pornography.
If convicted, Rolen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $1,250,000 fine, and at least five years and up to life on supervised release following any imprisonment.
Rolen appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids for a detention hearing and was held without bond. Rolen’s next appearance for trial is set for May 13, 2019.
As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and is being investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Police Department, the New Hampton Police Department, and the Chickasaw County Sheriff’s Office.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 19-2014.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Aggrevated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
CONCORD - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that Deandray Buckley, 27, of Belleville, Michigan, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Buckley was part of an interstate scheme with others to steal people’s personal identifying information, including social security numbers and bank account information. Buckley obtained this identification information from his accomplices and online and then used it to obtain fake driver’s licenses with other people’s identifying information and his or an accomplice’s photograph. Buckley and an accomplice used the fake driver’s licenses to impersonate bank customers and withdraw or attempt to withdraw money from those bank customers’ accounts. When entering a bank branch, Buckley or an accomplice wore slings on their arms or bandaged their fingers together in case bank tellers asked why the signature on the withdrawal slip did not match the account owners’ signature on file at the bank.
Between October 2017 and February 2018, Buckley or an accomplice entered over 17 bank branches in New Hampshire, Kansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Rhode Island and stole or attempted to steal over $90,000 from other people’s bank accounts. On February 27, 2018, Buckley was arrested by the Salem, New Hampshire Police Department after attempting to withdraw $6,000 from another person’s bank account at a Citizen’s Bank branch in Salem. Branch employees recognized Buckley from previous internal fraud alerts, denied the transaction, and called the police. In addition to identifying information from the known fraud victims, Buckley and an accomplice’s cell phones contained bank account information or social security numbers of at least 52 other individuals.
Buckley pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. He will be sentenced on June 25, 2019.
Another alleged participant in the scheme is charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas. A defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“Identify theft and fraud crimes cause very real damage to their victims,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We take these fraud crimes very seriously and work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute fraudsters who victimize citizens of the Granite State.”
“The deliberate use of someone else’s identity for financial gain creates considerable impacts for victims,” said U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Inspector in Charge, Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division. “The loss of time and money among other things, can be devastating. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will continue to work diligently to keep our customer’s personal information secure.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the United States Secret Service, and the Overland Park Kansas Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter from the District of New Hampshire and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley from the District of Kansas.
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Mexican national indicted for aggravated identity theft and making a false claim of U.S. citizenshipRead the Press Release
A Mexican national was indicted on charges of aggravated identity theft and making a false claim of United States citizenship.
Javier Sanchez-Cruz, 38, knowingly and willfully claimed and represented himself to be a United States citizen when, in fact, he was a citizen of Mexico. In the course of committing this crime, he possessed and used the identity of a United States citizen, according to the indictment.
Sanchez-Cruz lived in New Philadelphia using the identity of a resident of Puerto Rico, according to court documents
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement/Department of Homeland Security. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Media Advisory: United States Attorney’s Office and Sioux City Human Rights Commission to Host Forum on Protecting Places of WorshipRead the Press Release
SIOUX CITY, IA –United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. and the Sioux City Human Rights Commission will host a community forum focused on protecting places of worship. Leaders of the interfaith community, representatives of houses of worship, and other community stakeholders and members are encouraged to attend to discuss hate crime laws, identifying and reporting hate crimes, and best practices for creating safe and secure houses of worship. The event will conclude with a panel discussion featuring officials from the FBI, DoJ, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Sioux City Police Department.
Event Details
When: 5:30PM-8:30PM, Thursday, April 25, 2019
Where: Sioux City Public Museum, 607 4th Street, Sioux City, IA
This event is open press. Photography permitted. A press release will be provided and interview opportunities will be available.
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Lucedale Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Mack Allen Bradley, 49, of Lucedale, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Halil Sul Ozerden to 108 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
Bradley was stopped after agents observed him meeting with another individual in an area of McClain, Mississippi, where numerous drug arrests had taken place. After what appeared to be an attempt to elude the officers, Bradley’s vehicle was stopped and, after consent to search, approximately an ounce of 98% pure methamphetamine was discovered in the vehicle. Bradley pled guilty on December 21, 2018, to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Long Island Chiropractor Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Raymond R. Pellegrino, a chiropractor, pleaded guilty to health care fraud. Today’s plea took place before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco. When sentenced, Pellegrino faces up to 10 years in prison, as well as restitution of $2,110,000, forfeiture of $504,444 and a fine to be determined.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the guilty plea.
“Pellegrino abused his position of trust as a health care provider by billing millions of dollars in fraudulent claims for services that doctors never provided,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Today’s guilty plea sends the message that those who engage in such criminal conduct will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Department of Financial Services for its assistance in the case.
Pellegrino operated chiropractic offices in West Hempstead and Hicksville, New York. He hired medical doctors for part-time work and then billed Anthem Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield under the taxpayer identification numbers of those doctors for osteopathic manipulation and other services purportedly provided to beneficiaries. Between December 2013 and September 2014, Pellegrino was paid over $2 million for fraudulent claims filed with Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, billing for medical services that he knew the doctors had not provided.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly and Madeline O’Connor are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
RAYMOND R. PELLEGRINO
Age: 50
McKinney, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-496 (JFB)
Lincoln Man Sentenced for Distributing Child Pornography on TwitterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Keenen G. Russell, 24, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 78 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard, for the receipt and distribution of child pornography. After his release from federal prison, Russell will be required to serve 5 years on supervised release and register as a sex offender.
In September of 2016, the Omaha office of the Department of Homeland Security received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) concerning two tips they had received from Twitter, Inc. In August of 2016, a Twitter user posted numerous images of suspected child pornography on their Twitter account. Twitter identified the images as being suspected child pornography, suspended the user’s account and forwarded the identifying information to NCMEC. Twitter identified the user and account holder as Keenen Russell. Of the 59 total images, 12 images were child erotica and 27 images were child pornography as defined by federal law. In November of 2016, a federal search warrant was served on Russell’s residence in Lincoln. An Apple iPad was seized and after forensic examination, an additional 346 images and 771 thumbnails of child pornography were located.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Lawsuit Against Southern Ute Police Officers FailsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The U.S. District Court in Denver found that three Southern Ute Police Officers were not liable after the shooting of an Ignacio resident by an officer during a confrontation in December 2012, announced United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn. In response to the Court’s opinion, U.S. Attorney Dunn said the following:
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud of our partnership with the Indian Tribes in southwest Colorado, as is evident in our office’s defense of Southern Ute Indian Tribe police officers. Yesterday’s decision by Senior Judge Richard P. Matsch denied the claims of a plaintiff who incorrectly alleged that these officers acted improperly during a confrontation in 2012. Our thanks go to our law enforcement partners that aided this effort, as well as those from our office’s Civil Division who ensured that justice prevailed.”
Click here for the Court's Opinion
Lauderdale County Man Sentenced to 77 Months for Possession with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Michael Cole Beasley, AKA "Trickle", of Lauderdale County has been sentenced to federal prison for 77 months for Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 12, 2018, Michael Cole Beasley, 40, had an active violation of probation warrant out of the Lauderdale County Circuit Court. Investigators with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department received information on Beasley’s location. When law enforcement arrived to a vacant lot on Highland Street in Ripley, TN, Beasley was asleep in a black Chevy pickup truck. Upon searching the vehicle, investigators discovered several small bags of marijuana protruding from the top of a Crown Royal bag on top of the center console, which contained 13 bags of methamphetamine with a total net weight of 7.017 grams and 100% purity. Also located in the truck were digital scales, rolling papers, a torch, a hollow USB micro-pen, and two cell phones. At the time of his arrest, Beasley was on federal supervised release for a prior conviction in 2011 for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm, for which he received a sentence of 63 months.
On September 18, 2018, United States District Court Judge Jon P. McCalla sentenced Beasley to 24 months imprisonment for the supervised release violation. On November 14, 2018, Beasley pled guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1). On February 28, 2019, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker sentenced Beasley to 77 months imprisonment followed by four (4) years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "This defendant has a long criminal history of felony and misdemeanor convictions involving violence, drug possession, and property offenses, and was on federal supervised release status for a firearms offense and state probation for a felony drug offense. Mr. Beasley has devoted his adult life to a career of criminal conduct in Lauderdale County, and that prior history has finally caught up with him again for possession of meth with a dangerous purity level. This sentence removing him from the community for more than 6 years will make Lauderdale County and West Tennessee a safer place."
This case was investigated by the Lauderdale Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Neal Oldham prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Cabin Creek man pled guilty to a federal firearms charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Hughie Wayne Petry, 38, pled guilty to being in possession of a stolen sawed off shotgun that was not registered to him with the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. The investigation was conducted by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
On May 6, 2018, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office received a call from an individual in the Cabin Creek area that a male had a sawed off shotgun and was yelling threats in the street. A Kanawha County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the call, and located the individual who attempted to escape by jumping into an area creek. The Deputy tracked down Petry and was able to recover the sawed off shotgun. Petry admitted being in possession of the sawed off shotgun; that he stole the sawed off shotgun; and that it was not registered to him as required by the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Petry faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 20, 2019.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Arthur is handling the prosecution.
KC Man Sentenced for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for attempting to distribute child pornography over the internet.
Donnie Brett Butcher, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Butcher to 10 years of supervised release following incarceration.
Butcher pleaded guilty on Aug. 17, 2018. The investigation began when a federal undercover agent was contacted online by Butcher, who shared the password to two online folders that contained images and videos of child pornography. FBI agents executed a search warrant at Butcher’s residence on March 6, 2017, and seized various electronics media, including a MacBook computer and an external hard drive.
Although Butcher admitted to agents that he downloaded and exchanged child pornography with his MacBook computer, which contained full-disk encryption, he refused to provide a password so that investigators could examine the computer. Investigators found approximately 11,000 images and videos of child pornography on external storage devices, including videos depicting bondage, bestiality and sexually explicit activity with toddlers.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."Justice Department Obtains Largest Ever Settlement Against Property Management Company for Alleged Violations of Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – PRG Real Estate Management and several related entities have agreed to pay up to $1.59 million to resolve allegations of violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act for obtaining unlawful court judgments against military tenants and by charging improper lease termination fees.
“The incredible sacrifices our servicemembers make when they deploy and move frequently should never create financial or legal hardships for them,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This settlement helps ensure that these men and women are honored for, not disadvantaged by, their military service, and that servicemembers’ rights are protected going forward.”
This settlement is the largest ever obtained by the Department against a landlord or property management company for violations of the SCRA.
“When landlords violate the SCRA, it causes disruption in the lives of servicemembers and their families. Our men and women in uniform deserve all the protections the SCRA provides them against civil lawsuits while they are defending our nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “We thank PRG for its cooperation in this case. This substantial settlement clearly sends the message that the Department of Justice is committed to the vigorous enforcement of federal laws that protect servicemembers.”
Under the settlement, PRG will pay up to $1.49 million to compensate 127 servicemembers who had 152 unlawful default judgments entered against them and nearly $35,000 to compensate 10 servicemembers who were charged early lease termination fees in violation of the SCRA. PRG will also pay a civil penalty of approximately $62,000 to the United States. The settlement also requires PRG to repair the credit of affected servicemembers, provide SCRA training to its employees and develop new policies and procedures consistent with the SCRA.
The Department launched its investigation after Navy legal assistance attorneys in Norfolk reported that PRG had obtained eviction and money judgments against servicemember-tenants in Virginia state courts by filing affidavits that failed to accurately disclose the tenants’ military status. Under the SCRA, if a landlord files a civil lawsuit against a tenant and the tenant does not appear, the landlord must file an affidavit with the court stating whether the tenant is in the military before seeking a judgment. If the tenant is in military service, the court typically cannot enter judgment until it appoints an attorney to represent the tenant and the court must postpone the proceedings for at least 90 days.
In a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department alleged that from 2006 to 2017, PRG obtained at least 152 default judgments against 127 SCRA-protected servicemembers by failing to disclose their military service to the court or by falsely stating that they were not in the military. Landlords and lenders can verify an individual’s military status by searching the Defense Manpower Data Center’s free publicly available website or by reviewing their files to see if there are applications, military leave and earnings statements, or military orders indicating military status.
The complaint further alleged that PRG imposed unlawful charges against servicemember-tenants who attempted to terminate their leases early in order to comply with military orders. The SCRA allows military tenants to terminate a residential lease early if the servicemember receives deployment or permanent change of station orders or enters military service during the term of the lease. If a tenant terminates a lease pursuant to the SCRA, the landlord may not impose any early termination fee.
The servicemembers who will receive compensation under this settlement were tenants at the following properties:
• Linkhorn Bay Apartments – Virginia Beach
• The Courtyards of Chanticleer – Virginia Beach;
• Hilton Village Townhomes – Newport News;
• Heritage Trace Apartments – Newport News;
• Hyde Park Apartments – Chester; and
• Ashton Creek – Chester.
An independent settlement administrator will contact the servicemembers to be compensated through this settlement in the upcoming months. The independent administrator will locate victims and distribute payments at no cost to servicemembers.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre G. Brou of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.
Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $470 million in monetary relief for over 119,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Justice Department Obtains Its Largest Ever Settlement Against Property Management Company for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that PRG Real Estate Management and several related entities have agreed to pay up to $1,590,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by obtaining unlawful court judgments against military tenants and by charging improper lease termination fees. This settlement is the largest ever obtained by the Department against a landlord or property management company for violations of the SCRA.
Under the settlement, PRG will pay up to $1,490,000 million to compensate 127 servicemembers who had 152 unlawful default judgments entered against them and $34,920.39 to compensate 10 servicemembers who were charged early lease termination fees in violation of the SCRA. PRG will also pay a civil penalty of $62,029 to the United States. The settlement also requires PRG to repair the credit of affected servicemembers, provide SCRA training to its employees and develop new policies and procedures consistent with the SCRA.
“When landlords violate the SCRA, it causes disruption in the lives of servicemembers and their families. Our men and women in uniform deserve all the protections the SCRA provides them against civil lawsuits while they are defending our nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “We thank PRG for its cooperation in this case. This substantial settlement clearly sends the message that the Department of Justice is committed to the vigorous enforcement of federal laws that protect servicemembers.”
“The incredible sacrifices our servicemembers make when they deploy and move frequently should never create financial or legal hardships for them,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This settlement helps ensure that these men and women are honored for, not disadvantaged by, their military service, and that servicemembers’ rights are protected going forward.”
The Department launched its investigation after Navy legal assistance attorneys in Norfolk, Virginia, reported that PRG had obtained eviction and money judgments against servicemember-tenants in Virginia state courts by filing affidavits that failed to accurately disclose the tenants’ military status. Under the SCRA, if a landlord files a civil lawsuit against a tenant and the tenant does not appear, the landlord must file an affidavit with the court stating whether the tenant is in the military before seeking a judgment. If the tenant is in military service, the court typically cannot enter judgment until it appoints an attorney to represent the tenant and the court must postpone the proceedings for at least 90 days.
In a complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Department alleged that from 2006 to 2017, PRG obtained at least 152 default judgments against 127 SCRA-protected servicemembers by failing to disclose their military service to the court or by falsely stating that they were not in the military. Landlords and lenders can verify an individual’s military status by searching the Defense Manpower Data Center’s free publicly available website or by reviewing their files to see if there are applications, military leave and earnings statements, or military orders indicating military status.
The complaint further alleged that PRG imposed unlawful charges against servicemember-tenants who attempted to terminate their leases early in order to comply with military orders. The SCRA allows military tenants to terminate a residential lease early if the servicemember receives deployment or permanent change of station orders or enters military service during the term of the lease. If a tenant terminates a lease pursuant to the SCRA, the landlord may not impose any early termination fee.
The servicemembers who will receive compensation under this settlement were tenants at the following properties:
- Linkhorn Bay Apartments – Virginia Beach, Virginia;
- The Courtyards of Chanticleer – Virginia Beach, Virginia;
- Hilton Village Townhomes – Newport News, Virginia;
- Heritage Trace Apartments – Newport News, Virginia;
- Hyde Park Apartments – Chester, Virginia; and
- Ashton Creek – Chester, Virginia.
An independent settlement administrator will contact the servicemembers to be compensated through this settlement in the upcoming months. The independent administrator will locate victims and distribute payments at no cost to servicemembers.
This matter was handled jointly by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $470 million in monetary relief for over 119,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations may be found at http://legalassistance.law.af.mil.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 12 was:
OSCAR ANTONIO VALENZUELA, 27, of Los Angeles, CA, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. Valenzuela was detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Valenzuela faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the FBI’s Big Sky West Transnational Organized Crime Task Force. Pacer case reference. 18-127.
ALEXANDER FELIZ BULLTAIL, 27, of Billings, on charges of receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment for a felony. Bulltail was detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bulltail faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-13.
BIRD CORDELL, 24, of Billings, on charges of misappropriation of postal funds. Cordell was released pending trial. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cordell faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. Pacer case reference. 19-12.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 13 was:
ALPHONSE BIRD, 83, of Browning, on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and sexual abuse. Bird was detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bird faces a maximum life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-14.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on March 14 was:
DEREK ALAN DEMBOWSKI, 41, of Thompson Falls, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, distribution of meth, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm. Dembowski was detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Dembowski faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-10.
HATTIE MICHELLE REESE, 31, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. Reese was released. If convicted of the most serious crime, Reese faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-11.
JUAN GERONIMO PINA, 38, of Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. Pina was detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Pina faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-11.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Hesperia Man Who Allegedly Brought Rifle into Victorville Restaurant after Being Denied Alcohol Indicted on Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A convicted felon who allegedly brought an assault rifle into a Victorville restaurant after employees refused to serve him an alcoholic drink has been indicted on federal firearms and methamphetamine charges.
Francisco Alvarado Felix, 32, of Hesperia, pleaded not guilty today to the two-count indictment in United States District Court. An August 20 trial date was scheduled.
A superseding indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury on March 6, adds one felony charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Felix initially was indicted in January on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in this case, at around 1:00 a.m. on December 29, Felix visited a BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse in Victorville with his girlfriend. He attempted to order an alcoholic beverage, but BJ’s employees declined to serve him because he did not have proper identification. When restaurant employees later saw Felix sipping from his girlfriend’s alcoholic drink, the manager warned Felix he was not allowed to drink alcohol without identification and he would be forced to leave the restaurant if he did it again.
Felix left the restaurant and shortly returned. When the manager opened the doors that had been locked because of the late hour, he saw Felix remove a black rifle from under a blanket, court documents allege. Fearing for his life, the manager ran out of the restaurant after seeing Felix brandish the rifle. Felix allegedly tried to follow the manager out the lobby door, but the manager slammed the door on the rifle and grabbed the weapon. While the two men struggled for control of the rifle, a round was discharged into the ground just in front of the restaurant. Felix then pushed the manager to the ground and fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV, leaving his girlfriend behind to be interviewed by law enforcement officials, according to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint.
The following morning, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputies executed a search warrant at Felix’s residence, recovering approximately 37 grams of methamphetamine packaged in two separate baggies. Officers also found in Felix’s Lincoln Navigator SUV a black Smith & Wesson model M&P – an AR-15-type rifle which had a 30-round magazine filled to capacity and one round in the chamber.
After his arrest, Felix admitted that he was upset at being denied an alcoholic beverage and went back out to his car to retrieve his identification, according to the affidavit. He also admitted to grabbing the rifle for an unknown reason and claimed he simply wanted to scare the restaurant manager, the affidavit states.
The felon-in-possession charge in the indictment alleges that Felix was previously convicted in San Bernardino County Superior Court for felony DUI and three felony possession with intent to sell methamphetamine charges.
If convicted on both charges in the superseding indictment, Felix would face a statutory maximum sentence of 50 years in federal prison.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerry Yang of the Riverside Branch Office.
Fremont County Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 14, 2019, John Tracy Miller, age 50, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge James E. Gritzner for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. Miller was sentenced to 78 months in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release of four years.
In August 2018, Miller was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by a Fremont County Deputy for speeding and a broken headlight. In a search subsequent to the stop, 59.2 grams of methamphetamine was located in Miller’s pocket.
This case was investigated by Fremont County Sheriff’s Department, Omaha Police Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Fraudulent Political Action Committee Operator Sentenced to Two Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that WILLIAM TIERNEY was sentenced to two years in prison for conspiring to defraud tens of thousands of victims of more than $1 million in connection with political action committees falsely purporting to support causes including autism awareness, law enforcement support, and the pro-life movement. TIERNEY was also ordered to pay more than $1.5 million in forfeiture and restitution to victims, as well as an additional $50,000 fine. TIERNEY pled guilty on November 2, 2018, before United States District Judge Jesse M. Furman, who also imposed the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “The successful prosecution of William Tierney demonstrates the commitment of the federal government to rooting out fraud and corruption in political action committees. Today’s sentence sends a clear warning to anyone engaged in fraudulent political fundraising: Scam PACs are a crime and those perpetrating them will go to prison.”
According to the Information, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and evidence presented in court at sentencing:
TIERNEY defrauded tens of thousands of donors to six political action committees that he established, controlled, and operated. These scam PACs were fraudulent entities operated to enrich the defendant, targeting victims across the country to raise funds on the basis of false and misleading representations. The scam PACs purported to support voter education regarding – and the political campaigns of those who supported – various causes, including autism awareness, law enforcement, and pro-life causes, including through purported “coast to coast” education and advocacy campaigns, working with local groups and organizations, and “investing every penny . . . in the big races to come.” In truth, virtually all of the money raised was either paid to TIERNEY or used to perpetuate the fraud through additional telemarketing, fundraising, and overhead expenditures. Less than 1 percent of the money obtained by the scam PACs was contributed to candidates for office.
TIERNEY carried out the fraud through a web of shell pass-through entities utilized to conceal and disguise the scheme. Donated funds were transferred to these shell entities, which were given names that suggested activities related to marketing, consulting, and communications efforts, including for issue-specific causes. As a result, payments to the shell entities appeared to be for legitimate expenditures, including when publicly disclosed in Federal Election Commission (“FEC”) filings. In at least one instance, a website was created for one of the shell entities, falsely stating that the entity provided direct marketing and political consulting services to trade associations, candidate campaigns, political action committees, and nonprofit organizations. In fact, these and the other shell entities TIERNEY created had no active operations or employees, were retained by no outside “clients,” and served only to funnel and disguise financial transactions involving money donated to certain scam PACs.
To facilitate the fraud, TIERNEY used the false identity “Bill Johnson” when meeting and corresponding with certain vendors. Another fake identity, “Emma Smith,” was used in fundraising solicitations, and was described as a “Volunteer Coordinator” for one of the PACs. In fact, neither Emma Smith nor the position of “Volunteer Coordinator” actually existed. TIERNEY also undertook efforts to avoid press coverage of the scam PACs more generally, despite the scam PACs’ claims in solicitation materials of national advocacy and awareness campaigns.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, Judge Furman ordered TIERNEY, 47, to pay restitution in the amount of $1,175,417.23, forfeiture in the amount of $410,649.18, and a fine in the amount of $50,000. TIERNEY was also sentenced to one year of supervised release.
TIERNEY pled guilty on November 2, 2018, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its contributions to the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Rossmiller and Alison Moe are in charge of the prosecution.
Fort Dodge Man Pleads Guilty to Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine and illegally possessed guns pled guilty March 12, 2019, in federal court in Sioux City.
Wayne Allen Quillen, Jr. 49, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine; possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and possession of a firearm by a felon. Quillen was convicted of possession of methamphetamine and/or amphetamine with intent to distribute in Webster County, Iowa in March 2001.
At the plea hearing, Quillen admitted that from about 2017 through July 2018, he and others conspired to distribute more than three pounds of methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. On December 27, 2017, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence Quillen and co-defendant Cody Groat resided at. At that time officers seized over ½ pound of methamphetamine, three handguns, a modified shotgun with no serial number, and assorted 9mm ammunition. It was later determined that two of the 9mm handguns had been stolen from a large scale firearm burglary/arson case in Calhoun County, Iowa.
This case was brought as 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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Quillen remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. On the drug convictions, Quillen faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, with a consecutive mandatory minimum 5 years’ imprisonment on one gun conviction, and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, up to a $24,500,000 in fines, and at least ten years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Fort Dodge Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Webster County, Iowa Sheriff’s Office, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 18-3023. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Former Social Security Administration Employee Admits Stealing Thousands of Dollars in BenefitsRead the Press Release
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill (619) 546-7924
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 15, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Social Security Administration employee Nam-Phong Hung Le pleaded guilty in federal court today to two felony charges, admitting he stole tens of thousands of dollars in government benefits intended for the elderly and the disabled.
During a hearing before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino, Le acknowledged that while he was employed as a technical expert at the Social Security Administration, he set up a bank account in the name of two recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Le admitted that he knew both recipients had left the United States and were therefore ineligible for SSI, and that he took over the newly created bank account and personally received almost $30,000 in SSI payments in their names without their knowledge. Le further admitted that his fraud cost the State of California over $20,000 in medical premium payments made to the SSI recipients after they had left the country, which made them ineligible for subsidized medical benefits.
In his plea agreement, Le, 37, admitted that he also exploited his position with the Social Security Administration to identify SSI recipients with “underpayments” – that is, individuals owed lump sum cash payments by the Social Security Administration. Le admitted that he used the same fraudulent bank account that he had previously created to steal more than $15,000 in money owed to six other individuals, including one deceased person. Le admitted that he withdrew the money at ATM locations throughout Southern California and deposited the cash into his personal bank accounts.
“The taxpayer has a right to expect that public servants will perform their duties honorably, and that programs intended to assist our nation’s most vulnerable individuals will not be compromised from within,” said United States Attorney Robert Brewer. “The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to ensuring the integrity of Social Security Administration employees, and maintaining the public’s trust in one of our nation’s oldest and most important aid programs.” Brewer also praised the work of federal prosecutor Jeffrey D. Hill and investigators with the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General.
“There is nothing more important to federal employment than public trust. When that trust is violated, it impacts the entire federal workforce and those they serve,” said Robb Stickley, the special agent in charge of Social Security's San Francisco Field Division, which is responsible for Southern California.
As a part of his plea agreement, Le agreed to pay full restitution to the Social Security Administration and the State of California’s Department of Health Care Services, and to a separate order of criminal forfeiture equal to the amount of money that Le stole from the Social Security Administration through his fraudulent bank account. Le is scheduled to be sentenced on July 12, 2019.
DEFENDANT Case Number 19-cr-0532-JLS
Nam-Phong Hung Le Chula Vista, CA Age: 37
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Social Security Fraud – Title 42, U.S.C., Section 1383a(a)(3)
Maximum penalty: 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, restitution.
Theft of Public Property – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 641
Maximum penalty: 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, restitution, forfeiture.
AGENCIES
Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General
Former Intelligence Officer Pleads Guilty to Attempted EspionageRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – A former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officer, taken into federal custody by the FBI in June 2018 as he was preparing to board a flight to China, pleaded guilty Friday afternoon to attempting to communicate, deliver, or transmit information involving the national defense of the United States to the People’s Republic of China.
Ron Rockwell Hansen, 59, a resident of Syracuse, Utah, entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Dee Benson in Salt Lake City. The plea agreement includes a stipulated sentence of 180 months, subject to the approval of the Court. Sentencing in the case is set for Sept. 24, 2019, at 2 p.m.
Hansen pleaded guilty to the lead count of a 15-count indictment returned in June 2018, charging him with attempt to gather or deliver defense information, acting as an agent of a foreign government, bulk cash smuggling, structuring monetary transactions, and smuggling goods from the United States. Federal prosecutors will ask the Court to dismiss the remaining counts of the indictment at sentencing, however, the plea agreement includes an agreement that relevant conduct can be considered by the Court in determining the reasonableness of the sentence.
Hansen retired from the U.S. Army as a Warrant Officer with a background in signals intelligence and human intelligence. He speaks fluent Mandarin-Chinese and Russian, according to court documents. Upon retiring from active duty, DIA hired Hansen as a civilian intelligence case officer in 2006. Hansen held a Top Secret clearance for many years, and signed several non-disclosure agreements during his tenure at DIA and as a government contractor.
As Hansen admitted in the plea agreement, in early 2014, agents of a Chinese intelligence service targeted him for recruitment, and he began meeting with them regularly in China. During these meetings, the agents described to Hansen the type of information that would interest Chinese intelligence. Hansen stipulated that during the course of his relationship with Chinese intelligence, he received thousands of dollars in compensation for information he provided them.Between May 24, 2016, and June 2, 2018, Hansen admitted he solicited national security information from an intelligence case officer working for the DIA. Hansen admitted knowing that the Chinese intelligence services would find the information valuable, and he agreed to act as a conduit to sell that information to the Chinese. He advised the DIA case officer how to record and transmit classified information without detection, and how to hide and launder any funds received as payment for classified information. He admitted he now understands that the DIA case officer reported his conduct to the DIA and subsequently acted as a confidential human source for the FBI.
Hansen admitted meeting with the DIA case officer on June 2, 2018, and receiving individual documents containing national defense information that he had previously solicited. The documents he received were classified. The documents included national security information related to U.S. military readiness in a particular region -- information closely held by the federal government. Hansen did not possess a security clearance nor did he possess a need to know the information contained in the materials.
As a part of his plea agreement, Hansen admitted he reviewed the documents, queried the case officer about their contents, and took written notes which contained information determined to be classified. He advised the DIA case officer that he would remember most of the details about the documents he received that day and would conceal notes about the material in the text of an electronic document he would prepare at the airport before leaving for China. He admitted he intended to provide the information he received to the agents of the Chinese Intelligence Service with whom he had been meeting. He also admitted knowing that the information was to be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of a foreign nation.
Hansen was arrested June 2, 2018, on his way to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in Seattle, Wash., to board a connecting flight to China.
As a part of the plea agreement, Hansen has agreed to forfeit property acquired from or traceable to his offense, including property used to facilitate the crime.
The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Lund, Karin Fojtik, Mark K. Vincent and Alicia Cook of the District of Utah, and Trial Attorneys Patrick T. Murphy, Matthew J. McKenzie and Adam L. Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington assisted with this case.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by special agents of the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Army Counterintelligence, and the Defense Intelligence Agency.Former Defense Intelligence Officer Pleads Guilty to Attempted EspionageRead the Press Release
Ron Rockwell Hansen, 58, a resident of Syracuse, Utah, and a former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officer, pleaded guilty today in the District of Utah in connection with his attempted transmission of national defense information to the People’s Republic of China. Sentencing is set for Sept. 24, 2019.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney John Huber for the District of Utah and Special Agent in Charge Paul Haertel of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office announced the charges.
Hansen retired from the U.S. Army as a Warrant Officer with a background in signals intelligence and human intelligence. He speaks fluent Mandarin-Chinese and Russian. DIA hired Hansen as a civilian intelligence case officer in 2006. Hansen held a Top Secret clearance for many years, and signed several non-disclosure agreements during his tenure at DIA and as a government contractor.
As Hansen admitted in the plea agreement, in early 2014, agents of a Chinese intelligence service targeted Hansen for recruitment and he began meeting with them regularly in China. During those meetings, the Chinese agents described to Hansen the type of information that would interest the Chinese intelligence service. During the course of his relationship with the agents of the Chinese intelligence service, Hansen received hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation for information he provided them, including information he gathered at various industry conferences. Between May 24, 2016 and June 2, 2018, Hansen solicited from an intelligence case officer working for the DIA national defense information that Hansen knew the Chinese intelligence service would find valuable. Hansen agreed to act as a conduit to sell that information to the Chinese. Hansen advised the DIA case officer how to record and transmit classified information without detection, and explained how to hide and launder any funds received as payment for classified information. The DIA case officer reported Hansen’s conduct to the DIA and subsequently acted as a confidential human source for the FBI.
As Hansen further admitted in the plea agreement, Hansen met with the DIA case officer on June 2, 2018, and received from that individual documents containing national defense information that Hansen previously solicited. The documents Hansen received were classified. The information in the documents related to the national defense of the United States in that it related to United States military readiness in a particular region and was closely held by the United States government. Hansen reviewed the documents, queried the DIA case officer about their contents, and took written notes about the materials relating to the national defense information. Hansen advised the DIA case officer that he would remember most of the details about the documents he received that day and would conceal some notes about the material in the text of an electronic document that Hansen would prepare at the airport before leaving for China. Hansen intended to provide the information he received to the agents of the Chinese intelligence service with whom he had been meeting, and Hansen knew that the information was to be used to the injury of the United States and to the advantage of a foreign nation.
Hansen pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to gather or deliver national defense information to aid a foreign government. The plea agreement calls for an agreed-upon sentence of 15 years.
Special agents of the FBI, IRS, U.S. Department of Commerce, the Department of Defense, U.S. Army Counterintelligence, and the Defense Intelligence Agency were involved in the investigation.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Lund, Karin Fojtik, Mark K. Vincent and Alicia Cook of the District of Utah, and Trial Attorneys Patrick T. Murphy, Matthew J. McKenzie and Adam L. Small of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington assisted with this case.
Former Air Force member admits child sexual exploitation chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A former U.S. Air Force service member on March 14 admitted to charges accusing him of enticing minor boys in Montana he met online into sending him sexually explicit images of themselves, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Raymond Larry Edward Kennedy, 24, of Kalispell, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and to receipt of child pornography. Kennedy faces a mandatory minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. He is detained.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch presided. Judge Lynch will recommend Kennedy’s plea be accepted by Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, who is hearing the case.
Prosecutors said an investigation began in February 2017 when the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls contacted an agent with Homeland Security Investigations and member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force seeking help with an online child exploitation case involving Kennedy. The Air Force discharged Kennedy on Feb. 6, 2017.
The investigation found that Kennedy met a minor boy who lived in Montana on Snapchat and ultimately determined that Kennedy had met six minor boys who all lived in Montana. In Kennedy’s online communications with the boys from about July 2015 through June 2017, he received sexually explicit images of the boys’ genitals. The boys were all younger than 18 and lived in Kalispell, Big Fork and Great Falls. Law enforcement determined that Kennedy induced and persuaded one of the boys to produce a sexually explicit image of himself, which he sent to Kennedy.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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Feds Charge Two in Logan County with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Two Logan County men have been charged by a federal grand jury with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
Brad Ashley Baskerville, age 37, of Dunmor, Kentucky, and Christopher Lynn Abney, age 46, from of Russellville, Kentucky, are both charged with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, according to the federal indictment.
“The Land of Logan is well-served by close cooperation between its South Central Drug Task Force and the DEA,” said U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “Stay tuned; more to come.”
Baskerville and Abney face no less than 10 years in federal prison, and no more than life. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant United States Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus is prosecuting the case. The case was investigated by the South Central Kentucky Drug Task Force, Russellville Police Department, Logan County Sheriff’s Office, Pennyrile Narcotics Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Madisonville POD, Louisville Division. The DEA’s Louisville Division is comprised of Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia; and was created in 2018 to better address the drug challenges facing our region.
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The indictment of a person by a Grand Jury is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Durant Man Sentenced to Six Months House Confinement, $500 Restitution for Theft in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brian Douglas McGaha, age 42, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 6 months’ house confinement, 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $500.00 in restitution for Theft In Indian Country, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1151, 1152 and 661. The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
The Information alleged that on or about June 28, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Indian Country, the defendant, a non-Indian, took and carried away, with intent to steal, a voucher in the amount of $500.00, which was the personal property of another person who was an Indian, and the voucher had a value of less than $1,000.00.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah McAmis represented the United States.
Drug Trafficking Conspirator SentencedRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The second of two men who, at times, worked together to ship dozens of kilograms of cocaine through the U.S. Postal Service from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison.
Alison Skerrett, 32, of, Worcester, Mass., previously admitted to the Court that in January 2016, he entered into an agreement with William Gonzalez, 50, of Providence, to work together to purchase large quantities of cocaine from a distributor in Puerto Rico, then send the drugs through the U.S. Mail to various address in Rhode Island and elsewhere. Once the packages arrived, Skerrett would gather them up and distribute the cocaine to others.
According to information presented to the Court, from May 2016 until his arrest in June 2017, Skerrett made at least 14 trips to Puerto Rico. During each trip Skerrett either assisted Gonzalez in purchasing and shipping cocaine back to Rhode Island through the U.S. Mail or he did so on his own.
According to information presented to the Court, on August 28, 2016, Skerrett and Gonzalez traveled together to Puerto Rico, purchased a kilogram of cocaine, divided it up into packages of 300 gram quantities, and mailed the packages to Rhode Island. Gonzalez was arrested two days later by Rhode Island State Police. Skerrett however continued to participate in the conspiracy with the Puerto Rican cocaine distributor by continuing to purchasing large quantities of cocaine and shipping the cocaine back to Rhode Island.
During the course of the conspiracy, Skerrett possessed and delivered 14 kilograms of cocaine. Gonzalez admitted being responsible for at least 203 packages containing a minimum of 300 grams each that were shipped from Puerto Rico to Rhode Island. Gonzalez was responsible for the shipment of nearly 61 kilograms of cocaine into Rhode Island.
At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., sentenced Alison Skerrett to 60 months in federal prison to be followed by 4 years supervised release. Skerrett pled guilty on March 16, 2018, to conspiracy to possess more than one kilogram of cocaine with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of cocaine.
William Gonzalez was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., on January 11, 2108, to 72 months in federal prison to be followed by 4 years supervised release. He pled guilty on October 3, 2017, to one count each of conspiracy to possess one or more kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute and possession of one or more kilograms of cocaine with the intent to distribute.
Gonzalez’s federal prison sentence was ordered served consecutive to a sentence of 25 years - 12 years to serve imposed in Rhode Island state court on August 31, 2016, in an unrelated case. In that case, Gonzalez pleaded nolo contendre to possession of cocaine with the intent to deliver.
The sentences are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Colonel James M. Manni, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division.
Skerrett and Gonzalez’s cases in federal court were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Ferland.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island State Police and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
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Drug Seizures Top 275 Kilos in 2018Read the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –United States Attorney Bill Powell is applauding law enforcement efforts in 2018, as more than 275 kilos of illicit and dangerous drugs were taken off the streets in communities across the Northern District of West Virginia.
More than 3 kilos of fentanyl alone was seized, enough to kill 83% of the entire state of West Virginia’s population.“The combination of federal, state and local law enforcement and dedicated prosecutors from this office has resulted in extraordinary successes. Our efforts to cripple drug supply chains and prosecute every significant link we can find have been very effective. Our drug seizures have also resulted in removing many firearms from the drug dealing community. Our efforts will only intensify as additional resources are dedicated to this fight,” said Powell.
Everything from cocaine to heroin to methamphetamine were seized in large quantities. The numbers below are approximate, and received from Appalachia HIDTA, Washington-Baltimore HIDTA, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Cocaine: 15.3 kilos
Fentanyl: 3.1 kilos
Heroin: 10.7 kilos
Marijuana (including plants): 161.8 kilos
Methamphetamine: 84.6 kilos
Oxycodone: 1600 pills
Other pharmaceuticals: 49,500 pillsThe seizures were a collaborative effort between HIDTA-funded drug and violent crime task forces, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and local law enforcement.
To learn more about HIDTA and the task forces, go to https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/contact-us/task-forces.
Drug Dealer Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Springfield man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for distributing more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of his drug dealing.
According to court documents, Aidriss Saydi, 36, was one of the largest drug dealers in the Northern Virginia area over the past decade. Saydi frequently traveled to other states with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to purchase narcotics that were later shipped to him.
Over the course of the conspiracy, Saydi used dozens of people to receive drug shipments on his behalf. When shipments became more difficult given the quantity of drugs he was distributing, Saydi purchased his own plane to carry drugs to Virginia. In April of 2018, after fear that law enforcement was closing in on him, Saydi ordered a co-conspirator to hide close to a kilogram of cocaine, 30 pounds of marijuana, and a stolen handgun, all of which were later found by law enforcement. When the buried contraband could not be found, Saydi repeatedly beat his co-conspirator with another weapon, fearing that his co-conspirator had stolen them from him. As part of his sentence, Saydi agreed to forfeit $1 million and multiple vehicles.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Grieco and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Dougherty Russell prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-394.
District Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Armed Robberies in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Danzell Johnson, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for a pair of armed robberies he committed last summer in Southeast Washington, including one that resulted in a carjacking, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
A co-defendant, Kyree Black, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced on March 1, 2019, to a 15-year prison term.
Johnson and Black pled guilty in January 2019 to charges of carjacking, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The pleas, which were subject to the Court’s approval, called for Johnson to be sentenced to 15 to 18 years in prison and Black to be sentenced to 13 to 20 years. The Honorable Robert A. Salerno accepted the pleas and sentenced the defendants accordingly. Following their prison terms, Johnson and Black will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to plea documents, the first crime took place at approximately 11 p.m. on July 27th, 2018. Johnson and Black accosted the victim in the 3300 block of 10th Place SE. Johnson pointed a handgun at the man and demanded his car keys. The victim turned over the keys to his 2015 BMW. Black, who was armed with a knife, demanded the rest of the man’s possessions. The man threw his driver’s license, bank card, iPhone and charging cable at Black. He then fled to safety and contacted police. Prince George’s County, Md. Police observed the stolen car in District Heights, Md., and attempted to stop it. The driver fled and crashed. The two ran away.
The second crime occurred at approximately 12:15 a.m. on Aug. 1, 2018. This time, Johnson and Black approached a man who was walking in the area of the 700 block of 8th Street SE. Johnson pointed a gun at the victim and ordered him onto the ground. Black then removed the victim’s wallet and took about $80 in cash. Johnson took the victim’s iPhone.
Johnson was arrested on Aug. 9, 2018. In a search of Johnson, police recovered a loaded revolver as well as the iPhone taken in the Aug. 1 robbery. Black was arrested on Aug. 13. In a search of Black, police found a Metro card registered to the victim of the first robbery.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Keil, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to 130 Months in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Orlando Bell, 37, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 130 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Bell was found guilty by a jury on Oct. 31, 2018, following a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, of one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and one count of using, possessing, and carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. He was sentenced by the Honorable Trevor N. McFadden. Following his prison term, Bell will be subject to deportation proceedings to Jamaica.
The charges arose from a long-term investigation into people suspected of acting as wholesale distributors of heroin and cocaine in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Bell and numerous other defendants were indicted in December 2017 for their roles in the operation. A total of 12 people faced charges in the investigation; 10 pled guilty and two, including Bell, were found guilty of charges at trial.
The investigation determined that from at least January 2016 through December 2017, the various defendants maintained a drug trafficking organization that supplied distribution amounts of crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin to drug dealers in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. Much of the activity took place in the Birney Place area of Southeast Washington. In particular, the investigation showed that several of the defendants regularly sold crack cocaine and heroin in the 2600 block of Birney Place SE.
According to the government’s evidence, Bell obtained crack cocaine from suppliers and redistributed it. On March 8, 2017, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Bell and recovered approximately seven grams of crack cocaine and a small-caliber pistol.
The prosecution grew out of the efforts of the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force, a multi-agency team that conducts comprehensive, multi-level attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. The prosecution was sponsored and supported by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Safe Streets Task Force, including the FBI, MPD, U.S. Park Police, Prince George's County, Md. Police, Prince William County, Va., Police, and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Paralegal Specialist Mary Downing, Paralegal Specialist Candace Battle, and Legal Assistants Latoya Wade, Aiesha Bynum, and Peter Gaboton. Finally they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar R. Mohanty and Kevin L. Rosenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Des Moines Man Sentenced to Prison for Threat to Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On March 13, 2019, Freddie Armando Butler, age 31 of Des Moines was sentenced to 24 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for making a false bomb threat to the Baker County, Oregon Sheriff, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Butler was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
In March of 2016, Butler used a cell phone to leave an anonymous message for the Baker County, Oregon Sheriff. Butler stated a package that had been placed behind the Sheriff’s residence was going to explode. As part of his guilty plea, Butler admitted to leaving the message for the purpose of frightening, scaring or impeding law enforcement. In 2011, Butler was convicted of state charges involving similar conduct toward a school in Baker County.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baker County, Oregon Sheriff’s Office, and the West Des Moines Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Danbury Cocaine Dealer Arrested in Stamford Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that FERNANDO RODRIGUEZ, also known as “Sosa,” 28, of Danbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 12, 2018, Stamford Police arrested Rodriguez after he arrived at a location on Wardwell Street in Stamford to conduct a drug transaction. A search of a backpack that Rodriguez was holding at the time of his arrest revealed approximately 58 grams of cocaine and 116 grams of marijuana. A search of a secret storage compartment, or “trap,” within the vehicle that Rodriguez drove to the location revealed an additional 100 grams of cocaine, a Ruger 9mm handgun, and a loaded 9mm magazine.
Rodriguez has been detained since his federal arrest on January 10, 2019.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for June 7, 2019, at which time Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of life imprisonment.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Stamford Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
Cleveland woman sentenced to prison for making a straw purchase of two firearms that were purchased with money from a robbery and used in additional violent crimesRead the Press Release
A Cleveland woman was sentenced to three months in prison for making a straw purchase of two firearms that were purchased with money from a robbery and used in additional violent crimes.
Tyla Spencer, 22, was sentenced to three months in prison after previously pleading guilty to making false or fictitious statements to purchase firearms.
Spencer went on January 2, 2018, to the Cleveland Armory in Valley View with Lashawn Davis and a juvenile. Spencer bought them a Glock 9 mm and Glock .40-caliber handgun with cash that Davis and the juvenile got from robbing a check-cashing store in Cleveland the day before, according to court documents.
Spencer falsely stated she was the true buyer of the firearms when, in fact, she was purchasing the firearms on behalf of the males. Davis and the juvenile then used the firearms in a bank robbery and carjacking in February, according to court documents and statements in court.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki following an investigation by the FBI, the Cleveland Division of Police and the Valley View Police Department.
This case are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, 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 program was reinvigorated 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.