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22 April 2019
U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
FARGO – U.S. Attorney Drew H. Wrigley announced on April 18, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota hosted a National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Awards Ceremony to raise awareness about crime victims’ rights and to recognize individuals in the state who provide outstanding services to victims. Victim assistance awards were presented to the following individuals:
Assistant United States Attorney Victim Assistance Award, Matthew Greenley, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fargo.
Support Staff Victim Assistance Award, Nicole Olson, Paralegal Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Fargo.
Victim-Witness Advocate Assistance Award, Carly Mahoney, Victim Specialist, FBI, Bismarck.
Special Agent Victim Assistance Award, Jim Shaw, Special Agent, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Fargo and Tim Litzinger, Special Agent, Homeland Security Investigations, Grand Forks.
State Law Enforcement Victim Assistance Award, Jesse Smith, Special Agent, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Fargo.
Crime Victim Service Legacy Assistance Award, Jeanne Thomas, Victim Specialist, FBI, Grand Forks.
Special Courage Victim Assistance Award, Lindsey Sholl, Fargo.
Special U.S. Attorney Recognition, Lisa Hanson, Fargo.
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) of the U.S Department of Justice leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, by promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme –Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future. – celebrates the progress made by those before us as we look to a future of crime victim services that is even more inclusive, accessible, and trauma-informed.
Two More Plead Guilty for Roles in Interstate Marijuana Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—In related criminal cases, Cole Williams Griffiths and Raleigh Dragon Lau pleaded guilty today for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic marijuana grown in Hood River, Oregon and Portland to Virginia, Texas, and Florida.
Drug proceeds, in the form of bulk U.S. currency, were returned to Oregon via U.S. mail and passenger luggage on commercial airlines. As part of this investigation, federal authorities have seized approximately 11,000 marijuana plants, 546 pounds of processed marijuana, more than $2.8 million in cash, 51 firearms, 26 vehicles, trailers, pieces of heavy equipment, a yacht, and three houses used as marijuana grow sites, all since August 2017.
Griffiths, 30, of Hood River, and Lau, 33, of Portland, both pleaded guilty to conspiring to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana, maintaining drug-involved premises, and money laundering.
Conspiring to manufacture, possess with intent to distribute, and distribute marijuana and maintaining drug involved premises carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $10 million fine, and a lifetime of supervised release. Money laundering carries a max sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.
Griffiths and Lau will be sentenced on August 5 and 7, 2019, respectively, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Jones.
As part of their plea agreements, Griffiths and Lau have agreed to forfeit any criminally-derived proceeds and property used to facilitate his crimes identified by the government prior to sentencing.
Co-defendants Brittany Lesanta Kizzee, 28, of Houston, Texas and Paul Eugene Thomas, 38, of Portland, pleaded guilty on November 27, 2018 and April 10, 2019, respectively. Thomas will be sentenced on August 6, 2019, and Kizzee will be sentenced on August 7, 2019. Co-defendant Trent Lamar Knight, 30, of Houston, is scheduled to plead guilty on May 8, 2019. Finally, co-defendant Jody Tremayne Wafer, 29, of Houston, is scheduled for trial on June 18, 2019.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
This case was brought as part of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program, the centerpiece of the department’s strategy for reducing the availability of drugs in the U.S. OCDETF was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack on drug trafficking by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations. Today, OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in coordination with state and local law enforcement.
Trip to McDonald's with a Loaded Assault Rifle Leads to 9 Year Prison Sentence for Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Antoine D. Johnson, Jr., 28, of East St. Louis, Illinois, has been sentenced to 9 years in prison, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced today. Johnson had been charged in a federal indictment with one count of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty to the charge in January 2019 and faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The federal case against Johnson arose on February 18, 2018, after police received a report of multiple shots fired into a family-occupied home in Washington Park earlier that morning, with injuries to two adults. During the ensuing investigation, officers with the East St. Louis Police Department surrounded a vehicle as it sat idling in the drive thru of the McDonald’s restaurant on State Street. Johnson was sitting in the front passenger seat of the vehicle holding a loaded Norinco SKS semi-automatic assault rifle. After Johnson and the driver refused to comply with commands to exit the vehicle, and upon observing Johnson’s rifle pointed in their direction, the officers opened fire. The driver attempted to flee but crashed the car into a pole beside the restaurant. Both occupants of the vehicle were arrested at the scene. Johnson sustained a gunshot wound to his hip and shrapnel damage to one of his eyes. The driver and the responding officers were uninjured.
At the time of his offense, Johnson was on probation in St. Clair County for a 2015 aggravated robbery conviction. Investigators were able to link both Johnson and the rifle to the Washington Park shooting, and as part of his plea deal with the United States, Johnson admitted firing 11 rounds into the residence on February 18 and agreed to plead guilty in St. Clair County Circuit Court to one count of aggravated battery with a firearm. His sentence in that case is expected to run consecutively to his federal sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was jointly investigated by the East St. Louis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James G. Piper, Jr., and Alexandria M. Burns.
Texas family charged in scheme to obtain multiple Masters tickets for resaleRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Ga: Four members of a Texas family have been charged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain multiple Masters Golf Tournament tickets.
Stephen Michael Freeman, of Katy, Texas, is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in an information filed with U.S. District Court in Augusta, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Freeman’s parents, Steven Lee Freeman and Diane Freeman, of Helotes, Texas, and sister, Christine Oliverson, of San Antonio, Texas, each are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud.
The charges carry possible penalties of up to 20 years in prison along with substantial monetary fines. Any defendants charged are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to court documents, the four defendants used names and addresses from a purchased bulk mailing list to create multiple fraudulent accounts in the Augusta National Golf Club’s online ticket application system. All this occurred without the knowledge or permission of the individuals whose identities were used.
Then, if any of those names were chosen to receive Masters tickets and the defendants were notified via the email addresses provided for them, Stephen Michael Freeman would create fake identification documents to persuade the Augusta National to change the winner’s mailing address to one that was under control of the conspiracy. Once the defendants received the tickets at those addresses via U.S. Mail, they would then resell the tickets at a substantial profit.
“The Masters is one of the world’s great sporting events, and tickets to the tournament are cherished by their fortunate recipients,” said Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Using fraud and deceit to circumvent the Augusta National’s generous lottery system is despicable, and those who follow the rules in hopes of winning tickets deserve better than to have their chances diminished by profiteering con artists.”
“Because of the defendants’ greed, they now face substantial prison time if convicted of the alleged crimes,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The FBI will always make it a priority to investigate anyone who tries to circumvent a fair process, whether it is the Masters or any other private or public entity.”
The case was investigated by the FBI, and is being prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Lyons.
Texas Couple Each Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Forced Labor and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
U.S. District Court Judge Reid O’Connor sentenced defendants Mohamed Toure, 58, and Denise Cros-Toure, 58, of Southlake, Texas, to seven years in prison each and ordered them to pay $288,620.24 in restitution. A federal jury convicted the defendants of forced labor, conspiracy to commit alien harboring, and alien harboring on Jan. 11 following a four-day trial. As a consequence of their convictions, the defendants, who are citizens of Guinea and lawful permanent residents of the United States, may lose their U.S. immigration status and be removed to Guinea pursuant to law. Today’s sentences were announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey McGallicher of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Houston Field Office.
“I hope that today’s sentence brings some measure of justice and healing to the victim, who suffered untold trauma as a result of the defendants’ heinous crimes. The defendants stole her childhood and her labor for years, enriching themselves while leaving her with pain and an uncertain future,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “I am very grateful to all who supported, and continue to support, the victim as she attempts to rebuild her life. The Department of Justice will continue to investigate and vigorously prosecute human traffickers and vindicate the rights of their victims.”
“Forced labor trafficking cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute – in part because victims are often afraid to speak out,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “It took tremendous courage for this young woman to share her story at trial. She was brought to this country at a young age, pressured to stay quiet, and forced to work for this family without pay for 16 years. I want to commend her, as well as the witnesses who helped shine a light on her circumstances. If we want to wipe out human trafficking, we need to remind witnesses to speak up, and ask the community to remain alert.”
“Today’s sentence sends a strong message to those abusing and exploiting individuals: you will be held responsible for your vicious acts,” said Jeffrey McGallicher, Special Agent in Charge of the DSS Houston Field Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service wields a global law enforcement reach, is committed to investigating these crimes wherever they occur, and remains dedicated to its partnerships in pursuing justice for the victims of human trafficking.”
According to the evidence at trial, the defendants, members of wealthy and powerful Guinean families, arranged for the victim, then a young child from a rural Guinean community, to travel alone from her home in West Africa to the defendants’ home in Southlake, Texas, in early 2000. Once in the United States, the defendants forced the victim to cook, clean, and take care of their biological children, some of whom were close in age to the victim, without pay for the next 16 years.
Evidence at trial further established that the defendants physically, emotionally, and verbally punished the young victim when she disobeyed or otherwise failed to perform the required labor to their satisfaction. For example, the defendants called the victim a “dog,” “slave,” and “worthless.” They repeatedly hit her on multiple occasions, including with an electrical cord. They forced her to sleep alone in a nearby park as punishment, abused her by shaving her head and washing her outside with a hose, and rendered her completely dependent on them for everything. They isolated her from her family and society and prevented her from receiving any education, while their own children attended school and college.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Houston Field Office, investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah Bailey and Special Litigation Counsel William Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lewis of the Northern District of Texas.
If you know someone who may be a victim of trafficking or otherwise believe you have information pertaining to human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Texas Couple Each Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Forced Labor and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
U.S. District Court Judge Reid O’Connor sentenced defendants Mohamed Toure, 58, and Denise Cros-Toure, 58, of Southlake, Texas, to seven years in prison each and ordered them to pay $288,620.24 in restitution. A federal jury convicted the defendants of forced labor, conspiracy to commit alien harboring, and alien harboring on Jan. 11 following a four-day trial. As a consequence of their convictions, the defendants, who are citizens of Guinea and lawful permanent residents of the United States, may lose their U.S. immigration status and be removed to Guinea pursuant to law. Today’s sentences were announced by Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox of the Northern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey McGallicher of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Houston Field Office.
“I hope that today’s sentence brings some measure of justice and healing to the victim, who suffered untold trauma as a result of the defendants’ heinous crimes. The defendants stole her childhood and her labor for years, enriching themselves while leaving her with pain and an uncertain future,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “I am very grateful to all who supported, and continue to support, the victim as she attempts to rebuild her life. The Department of Justice will continue to investigate and vigorously prosecute human traffickers and vindicate the rights of their victims.”
“Forced labor trafficking cases are notoriously difficult to prosecute – in part because victims are often afraid to speak out,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox. “It took tremendous courage for this young woman to share her story at trial. She was brought to this country at a young age, pressured to stay quiet, and forced to work for this family without pay for 16 years. I want to commend her, as well as the witnesses who helped shine a light on her circumstances. If we want to wipe out human trafficking, we need to remind witnesses to speak up, and ask the community to remain alert.”
“Today’s sentence sends a strong message to those abusing and exploiting individuals: you will be held responsible for your vicious acts,” said Jeffrey McGallicher, Special Agent in Charge of the DSS Houston Field Office. “The Diplomatic Security Service wields a global law enforcement reach, is committed to investigating these crimes wherever they occur, and remains dedicated to its partnerships in pursuing justice for the victims of human trafficking.”
According to the evidence at trial, the defendants, members of wealthy and powerful Guinean families, arranged for the victim, then a young child from a rural Guinean community, to travel alone from her home in West Africa to the defendants’ home in Southlake, Texas, in early 2000. Once in the United States, the defendants forced the victim to cook, clean, and take care of their biological children, some of whom were close in age to the victim, without pay for the next 16 years.
Evidence at trial further established that the defendants physically, emotionally, and verbally punished the young victim when she disobeyed or otherwise failed to perform the required labor to their satisfaction. For example, the defendants called the victim a “dog,” “slave,” and “worthless.” They repeatedly hit her on multiple occasions, including with an electrical cord. They forced her to sleep alone in a nearby park as punishment, abused her by shaving her head and washing her outside with a hose, and rendered her completely dependent on them for everything. They isolated her from her family and society and prevented her from receiving any education, while their own children attended school and college.
The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Houston Field Office, investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Rebekah Bailey and Special Litigation Counsel William Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Lewis of the Northern District of Texas.
If you know someone who may be a victim of trafficking or otherwise believe you have information pertaining to human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Tax Preparer Sentenced for Falsifying Tax Returns and Stealing IdentitiesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Kela Burns, 36, of Bridgeton, was sentenced to 44 months in prison for her role in preparing fraudulent tax returns; access device fraud; social security fraud; bank fraud; and, aggravated identity theft. Burns appeared today before U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel.
According to court documents, Burns fraudulently prepared federal tax returns and used identifying information of others through her business, Priority Tax Services between January 1, 2016 and April 15, 2018. In addition, she fraudulently used social security numbers not assigned to her in order to commit bank fraud between May 27, 2016 and November 16, 2016.
Burns pled guilty in December 2018 to seven counts – one count of preparing a fraudulent tax return; one count of access device fraud; two counts of social security fraud; two counts of bank fraud; and one count of aggravated identity theft. Additional court filings revealed that after her guilty plea, Burns continued to file fraudulent tax returns on behalf of previous clients of her tax preparation business. As a result, of the continued criminal conduct, Burns’ lost credit for acceptance of responsibility, and was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal’s Service at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing instead of being permitted to surrender herself to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Office of Criminal Investigation, the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Tracy Berry is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Stuart Physician Sentenced to Prison After Having Been Convicted at Trial of Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a doctor who previously worked in Stuart, Florida, was sentenced to prison after having been convicted by a federal jury of committing repeated acts of health care fraud.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Miami Regional Office, George L. Piro, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, and Ashley B. Moody, Florida Attorney General, made the announcement.
Sheetal Kanar Kumar, M.D., 48, formerly of Stuart, Florida, was found guilty by a trial jury, on February 15, 2019, of committing twenty-three counts of health care fraud (Case No. 18-14063-CR-Marra). U.S. District Judge Kenneth A. Marra, sitting in Fort Pierce, Florida, sentenced Dr. Kumar to a total of 24 months in prison, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release.
“No one has a license to defraud our health care system,” stated U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “Those individuals, like Dr. Kumar, who cast aside their professional responsibilities to pad their personal pockets with fraudulently obtained tax dollars will face serious consequences. We encourage the public to report suspected health care fraud to law enforcement. We must protect our vital healthcare programs from abuse.”
“Vulnerable patients sought out Dr. Kumar for critical medical treatment. Instead she was exploiting these individuals for personal gain,” said Shimon R. Richmond, Special Agent in Charge HHS-OIG. “We will continue to protect patients and federal healthcare programs by investigating individuals who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of beneficiaries and taxpayers.”
"The FBI and our partners devote vast resources to investigate, catch and prosecute those committing health care fraud," said Justin E. Fleck, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. "To those fraudsters still bilking the system to line their pockets with illicit cash, know that we are committed to rooting out this kind of fraud and reclaiming money that was dishonestly obtained."
Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “Make no mistake, health care fraud is a serious crime that steals tax dollars and increases insurance rates. The Florida Attorney General’s Office will continue to work with our federal partners to protect Florida’s health care market and arrest, prosecute and convict anyone trying to defraud Medicaid and Medicare.”
According to the court record, including evidence introduced at trial, Dr. Sheetal Kumar owned and operated the medical practice Advanced Healthcare for Women in Stuart, Florida. Dr. Kumar was an obstetrician and gynecologist who treated incontinence. From at least as early as January 2014, until July 2017, Dr. Kumar submitted or caused the fraudulent submissions of claims to Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies. The fraudulent claims sought money for specific health care benefits, items, and services that were not provided as billed. As a result of such false and fraudulent claims, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies, made payments in the approximate amount of $637,000.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of HHS-OIG, FBI and Florida Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorneys Daniel E. Funk and Diana M. Acosta.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
St. Joseph Man Sentenced for Meth, Stolen Firearm Used in Two Recent ShootingsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A St. Joseph, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing methamphetamine and a stolen firearm that had been used in two recent shootings.
Jeremy G. Helton, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 11 years in federal prison without parole.
On Jan. 4, 2019, Helton pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
Helton was asleep in the driver’s seat of a stolen Hyundai Elantra, which was obstructing a lane of traffic as it was sitting half on the grass and half on the roadway, at about 4:45 a.m. on May 28, 2018. When St. Joseph police officers arrived, the engine was running and the vehicle was in gear with the brake lights illuminated. Officers used their vehicles to box in Helton’s vehicle, then an officer focused his spotlight on Helton, who started to wake up.
As officers opened the driver’s door, Helton started thrashing about grabbing for his waistband, the steering wheel, windshield wiper controls, and the gear shifter. Officers were able to pull him from the vehicle as another officer took the vehicle out of gear and turned off the engine. As Helton was being removed from the vehicle, a loaded Sig Sauer .40-caliber pistol fell to the ground. The firearm had previously been reported as stolen.
Officers arrested Helton and searched him. Officers found a large baggie with approximately 47.8 grams of methamphetamine in his shorts pocket, as well as a glass pipe with methamphetamine residue and a digital scale. Officers also searched Helton’s vehicle and found four cell phones, a box of ammunition, two more glass pipes, and a suspected cutting agent for the methamphetamine.
Helton, who has a prior felony conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, told officers, “Felon or not, I’m always going to have a gun on me.” According to court documents, investigators later learned the firearm recovered from Helton was used in two shootings in St. Joseph a few days earlier, on May 20 and May 25, 2018, based upon a comparison of recovered cartridge casings from the shootings.
Helton was on probation supervision for a Missouri felony non-support case at the time of these federal offenses. In addition to his prior felony conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, Helton has previously been convicted of the felony offenses of non-support, fraudulent use of a credit device, first-degree tampering (twice) and receiving stolen property (two counts).
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh A. Ragner and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the St. Joseph, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Scottsdale, Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Javier Ivan Torres, age 29, of Scottsdale, Arizona, entered a guilty plea to Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), punishable by not less than 10 and not more than life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000.00 fine, or both.
The Indictment alleges that on or about December 27, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Heatherman represented the United States.
School Owner Indicted on Charges of Defrauding Department of Veterans Affairs Program Dedicated to Rehabilitating Disabled Military VeteransRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The owner of a physical security school has been indicted by a federal grand jury for defrauding a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program dedicated to rehabilitating military veterans with service-connecting disabilities and for making false statements to the VA.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.
Francis Engles, 63, of Bowie, Maryland, was charged on April 18, 2019, in a 20-count indictment by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. The indictment was unsealed today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The indictment alleges that Engles was the co-owner and operator of Engles Security Training School (Engles Security). Engles Security was located in Maryland and specialized in security guard and related courses. In August 2015, Engles Security became an approved vendor of the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) program, which provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. Thereafter, Engles submitted documents to the VA representing that he was providing 15 veterans with months-long courses for 40 hours per week and over 600 total hours. In fact, Engles Security allegedly offered veterans far less than what Engles represented to the VA. Engles allegedly ended some classes after less than a month, even though he represented to the VA that the veterans’ classes would last for several months. In some instances, he allegedly offered only a few hours of class per day, while representing that the students would be in school for forty hours per week. According to the indictment, Engles frequently cancelled classes without notice or makeup classes and instructors showed up late and ended class early.
To advance and prolong his scheme, Engles allegedly created and sent to the VA “Certificates of Training” stating that veterans had completed courses that they in fact had not completed or, in some instances, had not taken at all. Similarly, Engles allegedly submitted letters to the VA falsely stating that the veterans had been employed by Engles’ private security business. Engles also allegedly instructed veterans to sign attendance sheets representing that they had attended class sessions, which they did not in fact attend.
Engles allegedly charged the VA thousands of dollars more for veterans’ courses than he charged non-veterans who took the same or similar courses. In total, the VA paid Engles Security over $300,000 for the purported education of 15 veterans.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA Office of Inspector General are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
School Owner Indicted for Defrauding Department of Veterans Affairs Program Dedicated to Rehabilitating Disabled Military VeteransRead the Press Release
The owner of a physical security school has been indicted by a federal grand jury for defrauding a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) program dedicated to rehabilitating military veterans with service-connecting disabilities and for making false statements to the VA.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Kim Lampkins of the VA Office of Inspector General (OIG), Mid-Atlantic Field Office made the announcement.
Francis Engles, 63, of Bowie, Maryland, was charged on April 18, 2019, in a 20-count indictment by a federal grand jury in Washington, D.C. The indictment was unsealed today.
The indictment alleges that Engles was the co-owner and operator of Engles Security Training School (Engles Security). Engles Security was located in Maryland and specialized in security guard and related courses. In August 2015, Engles Security became an approved vendor of the VA’s Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (VR&E) program, which provides disabled U.S. military veterans with education and employment-related services. Thereafter, Engles submitted documents to the VA representing that he was providing 15 veterans with months-long courses for 40 hours per week and over 600 total hours. In fact, Engles Security allegedly offered veterans far less than what Engles represented to the VA. Engles allegedly ended some classes after less than a month, even though he represented to the VA that the veterans’ classes would last for several months. In some instances, he allegedly offered only a few hours of class per day, while representing that the students would be in school for 40 hours per week. According to the indictment, Engles frequently cancelled classes without notice or makeup classes and instructors showed up late and ended class early.
To advance and prolong his scheme, Engles allegedly created and sent to the VA “Certificates of Training” stating that veterans had completed courses that they in fact had not completed or, in some instances, had not taken at all. Similarly, Engles allegedly submitted letters to the VA falsely stating that the veterans had been employed by Engles’ private security business. Engles also allegedly instructed veterans to sign attendance sheets representing that they had attended class sessions, which they did not in fact attend.
Engles allegedly charged the VA thousands of dollars more for veterans’ courses than he charged non-veterans who took the same or similar courses. In total, the VA paid Engles Security over $300,000 for the purported education of 15 veterans.
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office and the VA OIG are investigating the case. Trial Attorney Simon J. Cataldo of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
Roff Man Sentenced to 80 Months for Possession of Material Involving Sexual Exploitation of MinorsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Dalton Wayne Woods, age 25, of Roff, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 80 months’ imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for Possession Of Certain Material Involving The Sexual Exploitation Of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and 2252(b)(2). The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Indictment alleged that between on or about March 19, 2017, to on or about May 5, 2017, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant knowingly possessed, attempted to possess and access with intent to view matters which contained visual depictions, of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, as that term is defined in Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2256(2)(A)-(B), and said visual depictions had been transported in interstate commerce by computer.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Protecting children from the sexual deviants who pursue them is a top priority of the Department of Justice. Those who participate in the despicable business of child pornography – including those who possess it – victimize children in the cruelest and most heinous and inhumane ways. Perpetrators use modern technology to obtain and view the abuse of children. The law enforcement community will use technology in every lawful way to pursue and bring to justice those who victimize children.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
Puerto Rican Man Sentenced for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Puerto Rican man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester in connection with a heroin conspiracy.
Ivan Cruz-Rivera, 50, of Dorado, P.R., was sentenced to 76 months in prison and four years of supervised release. In December 2018, Cruz-Rivera and co-defendant Carlos Jimenez, 52, of Englishtown, N.J., were each convicted following a 12-day trial on charges of possession with intent to distribute heroin and distribution of more than 100 grams of heroin, and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and to distribute heroin. Cruz-Rivera was found responsible for more than 100 grams of heroin with regards to the conspiracy charge. Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24, 2019.
On Oct. 4, 2013, federal agents were surveilling garages on Union Street in Leominster where they believed drugs were being sold. The agents observed two men in a Lexus with New Jersey plates entering the property and leaving over 90 minutes later. After the Lexus left, an individual at the garage sold heroin to a cooperating source for $7,500.
A law enforcement officer subsequently followed the Lexus and stopped the vehicle in Sturbridge after the driver committed a traffic violation. The driver and passenger were visibly nervous – the driver’s hands were trembling and the passenger was avoiding eye contact and fidgeting. The driver provided a New Jersey license and conspicuously displayed his firefighter badge, which identified him as Carlos Jimenez, and the passenger, Cruz-Rivera, presented a Puerto Rican identification card. When questioned about the purpose of the trip to Massachusetts, Jimenez gave conflicting answers and said that they had just come from Lawrence. Jimenez denied having weapons or drugs in the car, but indicated that his passenger had some cash in the car. When Cruz-Rivera was questioned about transporting large sums of cash in the car, he gave evasive answers before finally stating that there was $1,000 in the car. After Jimenez consented to a vehicle search, $44,000 in a black bag was recovered.
The cash was seized, but Jimenez and Cruz-Rivera were released. Subsequently, a cooperating witness provided law enforcement with information regarding Jimenez and Cruz-Rivera’s drug trafficking activity. In approximately 2012, the cooperating witness began purchasing heroin from Cruz-Rivera. On Oct. 4, 2013, Jimenez told the cooperator that he drove for the drug delivery because it was less likely that he would get in trouble if they were pulled over because he was a firefighter.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; Fitchburg Police Chief Ernest Martineau; Leominster Interim Police Chief Michael Goldman; and Lunenburg Police Chief James P. Marino made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office and William F. Abely of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Priority One: Building Safer CommunitiesRead the Press Release
It has now been a year since I was appointed by the President to serve as the United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, a district encompassing 42 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes. On that day, I made a commitment to use the tools at my disposal to combat the violent crime epidemic that has long plagued our state; aggressively prosecute public corruption; combat opioid addiction and fatalities; enforce existing immigration laws against criminal aliens; and hold accountable those individuals and companies who damage our environment, thereby endangering our health and quality of life. By prioritizing prosecutorial resources and building meaningful and lasting relationships with our many dedicated local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, I am pleased to report that – though much work remains – we are making progress.
Our number one priority remains eradicating violent crime through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”) initiative, which targets felons with firearms and those involved in criminal enterprises who use firearms to intimidate, threaten, and kill those living in the neighborhoods where they operate. Since the implementation of this initiative, we have more than tripled the number of firearm and violent crime cases prosecuted by my office.
And the results have been remarkable. With few exceptions, violent crime rates have dropped throughout the district. In Monroe, homicides declined 54 percent in 2018 compared to 2017, and violent crime as a whole dropped by 24 percent. Likewise, Lafayette saw a 62 percent decline in its homicide rate, while Shreveport saw its violent crime rate drop 14 percent. To put it in human terms: last year there were 257 fewer victims of violent crime in Shreveport, 261 fewer in Monroe, and 42 fewer in Lafayette. Each of these numbers represent a man, woman, or child who has been spared death, injury, or life-long trauma by our collaborative effort to target those perpetrating violence. Available data indicates that 2019 will bear out even further reduction in violent crime in Shreveport, Monroe, and Lafayette, and further expansion of the PSN initiative into Lake Charles and Alexandria.
Aggressive prosecution of street gangs also remains a core component of our strategy. Late last year, prosecutors from my office convicted the core members of the “Block Boyz”, a notorious street gang that long terrorized Shreveport’s Queensborough neighborhood with firearm violence, armed robberies, drug peddling, and witness intimidation. The members of this gang are now in federal prison and the Queensborough neighborhood is free from their menace.
Make no mistake: violent crime and gang cases are difficult and often involve personal risk to the law enforcement officers who confront these violent criminals. But the stakes of shying from our responsibility are higher. Doing nothing means that we allow our neighborhoods to be ruled by street gangs, with children afraid to play in their front yards and elderly residents afraid to answer their front doors. The Constitution mandates that my duty as U.S. Attorney is to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Lawlessness will not stand under my watch. We will not allow a culture of violence to deprive honest, hardworking Louisianans of the freedoms and opportunities we cherish as Americans.
We are also making progress on other priorities. We continue to identify and prosecute public officials who abuse our trust or use public office as a way to illegally line their own pockets. In recent weeks, we convicted at trial Patrick Hale Dejean, a Jefferson Parish Justice of the Peace who stole hard-earned wages from vulnerable citizens appearing in his court, and former prison warden Nathan Burl Cain II, who used his position as Warden to embezzle taxpayer money. Currently under indictment are Caddo Parish Commissioner Lynn D. Cawthorne who is accused of defrauding taxpayers out of more than $500,000.
In the past year, we have also dramatically increased our efforts to enforce this country’s immigration laws – particularly against violent criminal aliens, including the capture and prosecution of ICE’s “Most Wanted” fugitive, who was here illegally after having been convicted and subsequently deported for indecent liberties with a child.
In the fight against opioids, we recently convicted two drug traffickers who were carrying enough of the synthetic opioid – fentanyl – to kill every man, woman, and child in the state of Louisiana, and we have federally charged a Monroe man with intentionally selling fentanyl-laced heroin responsible for at least one person’s death. He faces up to life in prison. We also continue to investigate and prosecute doctors, pharmacists, and other medical professionals who operate so-called “pill mills,” which fuel addiction and, ultimately, cause death.
Finally, we continue to defend the state’s environmental treasures from those who would illegally exploit or damage them. In a recent case, we convicted the owners and managers of a defense contracting company for their roles in defrauding the government and turning Camp Minden, Louisiana, into the largest illegal dumping ground for military explosives and munitions in the history of our country – resulting in a tremendous explosion that endangered countless lives.
Obviously, my office does not act alone in its mission. Without exception, the sheriffs, police chiefs, and district attorneys throughout the Western District have provided vital and enthusiastic support to our efforts. It is through coming together to uphold the Rule of Law that we can continue to “secure the blessings of liberty” for our citizens.
David C. Joseph is the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, an area that encompasses two-thirds of the State of Louisiana, including the cities of Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Alexandria. Joseph serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer in his district and oversees the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States. For more information visit, www.justice.gov/usao-wdla and @USAO_WDLA on Twitter.
President of Michigan Electric Company and Three Construction Firms Agree to Pay $466,500 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Tooles Contracting Group, LLC, of Detroit, Michigan, Commercial Contracting Corporation (CCC) of Auburn Hills, Michigan, G&B Electric, Inc., and G&B Electric’s President, James Gierlach, both of Ferndale, Michigan, have agreed to pay the United States $466,500 to resolve allegations that Gierlach, G&B Electric, and Tooles engaged in bid rigging and inflating invoices submitted to the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) as part of contracting work performed to increase the accessibility of Amtrak stations in Hammond, Louisiana, Beaumont, Texas, Alpine, Texas, and Little Rock, Arkansas. CCC, as the minority owner of Tooles, also contributed to the settlement.
Based on its investigation, the United States contends that Gierlach and a Tooles employee engaged in bid rigging when the Tooles employee shared a bid for the electrical work on the Beaumont, Texas, station with Gierlach. As part of this scheme, Gierlach paid cash to the Tooles employee in exchange for this information.
The United States also contends that Gierlach and G&B Electric submitted false invoices for their work at other Amtrak locations. First, in November 2010, at Tooles’ urging, Gierlach submitted an invoice for $28,440 in excess of the work that had been completed at the time. Second, Tooles and G&B Electric caused false claims related to carpenters to be submitted to Amtrak. Tooles requested that Gierlach place certain carpenters as subcontractors to G&B Electric and submit a change order for $115,000 to cover the cost of the carpenters. The true cost of this work was approximately half of that amount and G&B Electric and Tooles agreed that G&B Electric could keep the difference in exchange for future renovations of Tooles’ office building. Tooles approved the overinflated invoices that comprised the change order, which was then paid by CCC. All Amtrak contracts pass through Amtrak’s Philadelphia procurement office.
“Government contractors must be honest in their bidding and in their billing,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Bid rigging damages both the government and the market by rewarding corruption. This settlement reflects the seriousness with which my Office takes these allegations and the lengths we will go to investigate false claims submitted by contractors that are the result of an unfair bidding process.”
“We’re proud of the tenacity displayed by our investigative staff and the U.S. Attorney’s office, a team effort that helped bring this complex case to its resolution,” said Kevin Winters, Amtrak’s Inspector General. “This work underscores the importance of our mission and our commitment to detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse.”
The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Paul J. Koob. The case was investigated by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General.
Pennsylvania man admits to his role in a heroin distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Chad Juan M. Neal, of Duquesne, Pennsylvania, has admitted to heroin distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Neal, also known as “CJ,” age 25, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin” and one count of “Distribution of Heroin.” Neal admitted to conspiring to distribute heroin in Harrison County, West Virginia and elsewhere from January 2016 to May 2016.
Neal faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Pair of Shooters Sentenced to Statutory MaximumRead the Press Release
Two men who discharged firearms in Marion were sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.
Mykael Robertson, age 20, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 5, 2018, guilty plea to possessing ammunition after sustaining a conviction for domestic violence. Yecary Harris, age 19, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 5, 2018, guilty plea to possessing ammunition as a felon.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that in May 2018, while at the Houby Days celebration, Robertson was assaulted by a group of men. On May 24, 2018, Robertson and Harris were passengers in a vehicle when they observed two vehicles, each driven by an individual they associated with the assault. Robertson and Harris had the driver of their vehicle position the vehicle in front of the other two cars. As the vehicles turned onto First Street in Marion, directly next to Thomas Moore Park, Robertson and Harris leaned out of their respective windows and began discharging their firearms at the two vehicles behind them. One bullet struck the windshield of one of the vehicles, causing injury to the driver. Officers eventually recovered six shell casings and multiple bullet fragments from the scene.
Robertson and Harris were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge CJ Williams. During the sentencing hearing, the Judge Williams noted that defendants’ acted in “an incredibly reckless manner that could have resulted in multiple fatalities.” Robertson and Harris were each sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. They must also each serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Robertson and Harris are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the Marion Police Department, The High Risk Unit of the Sixth Judicial Probation Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-0060.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Ottawa Man Sentenced for Seeking Child, Mother for SexRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – An Ottawa man was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison for driving to Missouri to meet what he believed was a mother who was willing to sell her 10-year-old daughter for sex, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, he was ordered to pay $5,000 to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Michael David Mitchell, 64, Ottawa, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of interstate travel to engage in unlawful sexual conduct. The investigation began when investigators received information that Mitchell was looking for a woman with a minor child to become his sex slaves. Mitchell communicated with an undercover investigator posing as a broker who could find Mitchell what he wanted. In his plea, Mitchell admitted that in June 2017 he drove from Ottawa, Kan., to Independence, Mo., to meet a woman he had been told was willing to make the deal. He brought money with him to pay a $5,000 finder’s fee.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.
Ohio man sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Cornell D. Wallace, of Canton, Ohio, was sentenced today to 77 months incarceration for drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Wallace, age 28, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Wallace admitted to selling methamphetamine in August 2018 in Marshall County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Nineteen Members of a Drug Trafficking Organization Indicted for Distributing Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Marijuana throughout Western TennesseeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A total of nineteen individuals have been indicted in two separate indictments for conspiracy to distribute Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Marijuana in the Western District of Tennessee. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictments today.
On March 18, 2019, a federal grand jury returned indictments charging 4 defendants with conspiracy to distribute Methamphetamine and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm that had been shipped in interstate commerce. On April 15, 2019, in a case connected to the previous indictment, a federal grand jury returned indictments charging 15 defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana which remained sealed until the defendants’ arrests. This investigation was conducted in conjunction with prosecutors in Jackson as part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program, which seeks to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
These indictments follow a year-long investigative operation known as "Two Foot Shackle", involving agents with the FBI and ATF as well as other state and local law enforcement agencies in this joint operation, and using a variety of investigative techniques, sources, and methods. These defendants are alleged to have participated in a conspiracy to distribute narcotics throughout the Western District of Tennessee.
The four defendants in the first indictment are:
- Walter McPeake
- Johnny Todd
- Sheldon Hart
- Kevin Finch
Count 1 charges Walter McPeake, Johnny Todd, Sheldon Hart and Kevin Finch with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
Count 2 charges Walter McPeake with knowingly and unlawfully receiving and possessing a stolen firearm that had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, knowing and having reasonable cause to believe the firearm was stolen.
Kevin Finch is currently released on bond. However, McPeake, Todd and Hart remain in custody.
If convicted, the defendants each face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years imprisonment and up to life.
Ten of the fifteen defendants in the second indictment that are currently in custody are:
- Timmy Jermaine Cole
- Anthony McElrath
- Kelvin Pettigrew
- Lynnie Ray Pettigrew
- Nickolas Atkins
- Cornelius Talley
- Cindy Cannon
- Scotty Tubbs
- Rolando Garibaldi-Alvarado
- Steven Williams
Five defendants remain at large, and their indictments remain under seal.
Count 1 charges Timmy Jermaine Cole, Lynnie Ray Pettigrew, Kelvin Pettigrew, Nickolas Atkins, Cornelius Talley, Cindy Cannon, Scotty Tubbs and Steven Williams with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
Count 2 charges Timmy Jermaine Cole, Lynnie Ray Pettigrew, Rolando Garibaldi-Alvarado, Kelvin Pettigrew, Anthony McElrath, and Nickolas Atkins with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 5 kilograms of Cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
Count 3 charges Timmy Jermaine Cole, Lynnie Ray Pettigrew, Kelvin Pettigrew, Nickolas Atkins, and Cornelius Talley with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 1000 kilograms of marijuana, a Schedule I controlled substance.
During this investigation, agents seized multiple firearms, approximately 15 pounds of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and approximately 60 pounds of marijuana.
If convicted, the defendants each face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years imprisonment and up to life.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "These indictments and takedown operation represent another great example of law enforcement working together to remove criminals from the Western District of Tennessee. Criminal enterprises that distribute these harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide. We are taking the fight to the drug trafficking organizations in order to dismantle them and remove them from our streets."
"The FBI is dedicated to disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations and ending the violence they bring to our community, "said Special Agent in Charge of the Memphis Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation M.A. Myers. "These arrests demonstrate the commitment of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to root out those who seek to pollute our community and should serve as a reminder that the FBI will continue to target these offenders."
ATF Special Agent in Charge, Marcus Watson said, "ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers are the driving force to reduce the violent crime that plagues our neighborhoods. These indictments illustrate the effective partnerships with law enforcement and the community."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), 24th Judicial District Drug Task Force, Decatur County Sheriff’s Office, Lexington Police Department, Dyersburg Police Department, Jackson Police Department, Selmer Police Department, McNairy County Sheriff’s Office, Hardeman County Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jerry Kitchen and Hillary Parham are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mobile County, Alabama Man Receives Statutory Maximum 120 Month Sentence for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person (Felon)Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that on April 12, 2019, Kendarius Devan Lucious of Citronelle, Alabama was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person before Chief Judge Kristi DuBose. Lucious is a felon from prior convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Lucious was found to be in possession of two firearms. On January 23, 2019, Lucious pled guilty to the offense of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On September 3, 2018, Citronelle Police Officers responded to call at an apartment complex stating that Lucious was armed and causing problems. Officers had been called to the apartment several times before but Lucious always eluded police. A relative of Lucious told police that Lucious had a shotgun and Lucious stated he was going to make police kill him. As police entered the apartment, they saw Lucious with a shotgun. Officers ordered Lucious several times to show his hands with no avail. As officers moved closer Lucious fired two 12 gauge shotgun rounds at the officers. The officers returned fire, striking Lucious. A revolver was found in Lucious’ pants pocket.
U.S. Attorney Richard Moore said: “This case demonstrates why convicted felons should not be allowed to possess a firearm. The defendant fired on law enforcement officers which we will not tolerate. If you shoot at a cop we will come after you with everything that we have. You do not shoot a cop. We intend to spread the word and convince criminals to think twice about harming those who put their lives on the line for all of us. You do not shoot a cop.”Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigations along with officers of the Citronelle Police Office, Alabama office investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney=s Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Michael D. Anderson.
Mobile County Man Receives One Year Probation for Embezzling Mail While Employed as a U.S. Postal Service Mail CarrierRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Devon J. Donald, a 26 year old resident of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to one year of probation after conviction for embezzling from the U.S. mail.
On January 17, 2019, Donald entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in open court that from on or about December 9, 2017, and continuing through on or about February 20, 2018, Donald was a mail carrier employed by the United States Postal Service. Another postal employee, Unterria J. Rogers, asked Donald to remove six priority mail parcels from the U. S. mail stream and give them to him. All of the packages Rogers requested were entrusted to Donald for delivery to the addressees along his mail delivery route. Donald removed the packages from the U. S. mail stream and gave them to Rogers. Rogers requested the packages because there were quantities of marijuana inside of each one. Donald admitted purchasing marijuana from Rogers in the past. Donald also confessed to embezzling the priority mail packages from the U. S. mail.
Inspectors of the United States Postal Inspection Service along with special agents of the United States Postal Service/Office of the Inspector General investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney's Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.Mineral County woman admits to role in a drug distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Brittany Baker, of Elk Garden, West Virginia, has admitted to her involvement in a drug distribution conspiracy, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Baker, age 22, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Baker admitted to distributing methamphetamine in June 2018 in Mineral County.
Baker faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, The West Virginia State Police, and the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Milwaukee Man Convicted of Aiding and Abetting an Attempt to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 22, 2019, Yosvany Padilla-Conde, of Milwaukee, pled guilty to aiding and abetting Jason Luedke’s attempt to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization – i.e., the Islamic State, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and al’Sham (ISIS), and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) – in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2339B(a)(1).
Padilla-Conde is a Cuban national who resided in Milwaukee at the time of the offense. He agreed to assist and did assist Jason Ludke in Ludke’s attempt to join ISIS by traveling from Wisconsin through Mexico to Syria and Iraq. Ludke and Padilla-Conde knew that ISIS engaged in terrorist activity. Padilla-Conde also swore allegiance to ISIS and expressed his intent to travel to the Middle East in videos that an undercover employee (“UCE”) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and Ludke requested that he make. The videos were sent to the UCE, who Padilla-Conde believed was an ISIS recruiter. On October 5, 2016, Ludke and his coconspirator were traveling to the Texas/Mexico border in order to accomplish their plan to join ISIS, when law enforcement located and arrested them.
Ludke was convicted of conspiring to provide material support or resources to a foreign terrorist organization – i.e., ISIS – in 2018. He is currently incarcerated.
“National security is the Department of Justice’s first priority,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “Our commitment to national security means working to prevent acts of violence before they occur. Padilla-Conde swore allegiance to an extremely violent terrorist organization and then traveled across the country in an attempt to join it. This case underscores that homegrown violent extremism remains a very real threat. The case also highlights excellent collaboration by federal and local law enforcement to blunt the threat before innocent lives are taken.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin, said “Protecting Americans from terrorist threats is the highest priority of the FBI. We are dedicated to working around the clock, here in Wisconsin, with our Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) partners at the local, state and federal level to keep our community safe from those seeking to provide support and resources to a known foreign terrorist organization.”
Padilla-Conde faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a maximum term of supervised release of life, and a maximum fine of $250,000. His sentencing is set for August 7, 2019 1:30 pm before Judge Lynn Adelman.
This conviction is the result of an extensive investigation by the FBI’s Milwaukee Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Taibleson and Trial Attorney Joseph Attias of the National Security Division.
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Michigan Home Health Agency Owner Sentenced to Prison for $8.3 Million Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
A Michigan home health agency owner was sentenced to 84 months in prison today for his role in an $8.3 million scheme to defraud Medicare.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider of the Eastern District of Michigan, Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office made the announcement.
Zahir Shah, 49, of West Bloomfield, Michigan, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Avern Cohn of the Eastern District of Michigan, who also ordered Shah to pay $ 8,339,790.28 in restitution. In May 2018, Shah pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks.
As part of his guilty plea, Shah admitted that he submitted false certifications to enroll and stay enrolled as a Medicare provider. Shah further admitted that he paid illegal kickbacks to recruiters in exchange for Medicare beneficiary referrals and billed Medicare for claims procured through these illegal kickbacks. Additionally, according to evidence presented, Shah conspired with others to submit claims to Medicare for home health services that were medically unnecessary and not eligible for Medicare reimbursement. The court ordered that Shah repay as restitution the total amount that his home health agencies received from the Medicare program from 2007 to 2017, which was over $8.3 million.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Trial Attorneys Rebecca Yuan and Howard Locker of the Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Ross of the Eastern District of Michigan handled the asset forfeiture proceedings.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Mexican National Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for 15 Pound Methamphetamine Deal in Kern CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Oscar Ivan Salazar-Avalos (Salazar), 29, a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced today to six years and nine months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Salazar’s sentence follows his guilty plea last November. According to court documents, Salazar and co-defendant Jose Manuel Sotelo-Mendoza, 26, of Ceres, delivered 15 pounds of methamphetamine to an undercover officer in Delano after Salazar negotiated with the officer for the delivery of the drug for $3,400 per pound for a total of $51,000. Salazar and Sotelo met the source of supply in Castaic in the northern part of Los Angeles County to obtain the methamphetamine.
Sotelo pleaded guilty on February 19. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, consisting of law enforcement officers of Homeland Security Investigations, California Highway Patrol, Bureau of Investigation of the California Department of Justice, Fresno Police Department, and Fresno County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Sentenced for Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court today after transporting nearly eight kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in his luggage aboard a bus.
Carlos Q. Palafox, 21, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 10 years in federal prison without parole.
On Sept. 19, 2018, Palafox pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
Palafox arrived at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station aboard a bus originating in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 29, 2017. A police service dog conducted a sniff check of the luggage under the bus and alerted to two suitcases belonging to Palafox. Palafox was questioned, and law enforcement officers searched the suitcases. Inside each suitcase were two flat bundles that contained a total of nearly eight kilograms of methamphetamine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Q. McCarther. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Cultivation in Wilderness AreaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Mauricio Vaca-Bucio (Vaca), 31, of Michoacán, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Vaca and his co-defendants Felipe Angeles Valdez‑Colima, 35, and Rodolfo Torres-Galvan, 29, also of Mexico, were apprehended after a two-month investigation in the Kiavah Wilderness, a federally designated wilderness area in the Sequoia National Forest. Law enforcement officers saw Torres and Valdez emerge from the forest and enter a Camaro driven by Vaca. They were subsequently stopped in Weldon. Officers found freshly harvested marijuana in the Camaro and located over 1,800 marijuana plants at the grow site on the trail that led to the drop point. The officers also found deadly illegal pesticides, including carbofuran and zinc phosphide, in both the vehicle and at the grow site. In pleading guilty, Vaca agreed to pay over $7,000 in restitution to the U.S. Forest Service for the damage he caused to the National Forest.
The United States Congress designated the Kiavah Wilderness in 1994, and it is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service. This wilderness area is part of the National Cooperative Land and Wildlife Management Area and the Bureau of Land Management’s Jawbone-Butterbredt Area of Critical Environmental Concern.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from Enforcement and Removal Operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Campaign Against Marijuana Planting (CAMP), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California National Guard, Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and Kern County Probation Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.
Vaca is scheduled for sentencing on July 29. He faces a minimum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. Valdez and Torres previously entered guilty pleas and are set for sentencing on May 20 and April 29, respectively.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced for Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Pedro Pineda-Acosta, 38, a citizen of Mexico who was living in Madison, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James Peterson to 21 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States. Pineda-Acosta pleaded guilty to this charge on January 18, 2019.
Pineda-Acosta was previously deported and removed from the United States in December 2014.
While this was the defendant’s first immigration conviction, Judge Peterson was concerned with the defendant’s substantial criminal history which included several violent offenses.
The charge against Pineda-Acosta was the result of an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.
Local Resident Detained on Stalking ChargesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 31-year-old citizen of Pakistan now residing in Houston has been ordered into custody for stalking, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
A federal grand jury indicted Afzal Arsalan Rehman April 10, 2019, and was taken into custody April 15. Today, U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray found that no condition or combination of conditions would reasonably assure Rehman’s appearance in court and ordered him into custody pending further criminal proceedings.
At the hearing that began last Thursday and concluded today, the court heard evidence about Rehman’s alleged systematic torture of a victim between October 2015 and June 2018. Rehman allegedly created a Facebook account on multiple occasions which he used to send images and messages to the victim’s family, friends and colleagues. During the online harassment of the victim, Rehman used images he had created via screen capture of Skype sessions between himself and the victim during their intimate romantic relationship, according to the allegations.
He also discovered where the victim worked and allegedly called her place of business numerous times in an attempt to get someone to transfer his calls. While mostly unsuccessful, on one occasion, Rehman told someone he was outside the business and “something bad” was going to happen, according to the allegations heard at the hearing.
The court also heard that Rehman had originally entered the United States on a student visa which was revoked in August 2017. He had been enrolled in college locally and allegedly used the wifi on campus occasionally to create the Facebook accounts. According to the information presented in court, these accounts were in the victim’s name and, at first, appeared to be very normal. However, they allegedly portrayed pictures of the victim at her wedding, then later devolved into the embarrassing and harassing images Rehman captured.
If convicted, Rehman faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Local Man Convicted of Aiming Laser Pointer at an AircraftRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 20-year-old Houston man has entered a guilty plea to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Bryan Aldana, 20, admitted that on June 23, 2018, he pointed a green laser light at an Airbus AS350 B2 helicopter while it was in the air.
On June 23, 2018, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) agents were flying a the helicopter on routine law enforcement patrol. At approximately 9:00 p.m., they were headed in the northwest direction along highway US-290 when agents observed a flash of green light coming from the left side of the aircraft. At the time, they were at approximately 1000 feet elevation and traveling at a speed of 70-80 knots.
The pilot reversed the aircraft back to the southeast direction and was illuminated again by the green laser, which was powerful enough to light up the entire cockpit. The light caused a glare in the pilot’s eyes and obstructed his vision, forcing him to turn his head and maneuver the Airbus away from it. The pilot also had to close and shield his eyes from the flashing green laser inside the cockpit.
The investigation led to the source of the light at a business near the intersection of Hollister and Pitner Roads in Houston. With the help of the Houston Police Department (HPD) and the store’s security cameras, Aldana was soon identified.
Video recordings show Aldana aiming a green laser up in the sky several times and a green laser pointer at the helicopter while sitting in a chair next to a silver sedan. He was also seen placing the green laser device through the opening of the silver sedan window on to the backseat.
Officers seized the laser and submitted it to a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist to be examined. The scientist concluded the laser pointer is a Class IIIB laser system and produced a “laser beam” which could result in serious and possibly permanent retinal damage.
U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes accepted the plea and set sentencing for July 22, 2019. At that time, Aldana faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The FBI, HPD and DPS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Porto is prosecuting the case.
Loaded Handgun Lands Convicted Felon Back in PrisonRead the Press Release
Damarian K. Griffin, 22, of East St. Louis, Illinois, has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced today. Griffin pleaded guilty to a one-count federal indictment in January 2019.
On February 9, 2018, while driving in East St. Louis, Griffin knowingly possessed a Glock 19, 9mm pistol loaded with an extended magazine containing 16 live rounds. Investigators determined that he had purchased the pistol in Columbia, Missouri, and had transported it back to East St. Louis. At the time, Griffin was prohibited from possessing a gun due to a 2015 felony conviction for carjacking in St. Clair County – a crime for which he was previously sentenced to 4½ years in prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This prosecution is the result of a collaborative investigation by the East St. Louis Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ali M. Summers, James G. Piper, Jr., and Alexandria M. Burns.
Leavenworth Inmate Sentenced for Attack with PipeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – An inmate at Leavenworth federal prison was sentenced today to 42 months in prison for attacking another prisoner with a metal pipe, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Jimmy A. Eastep, Jr., 49, pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. In his plea, he admitted he was working in prison electrical shop when he attacked another inmate. Prison staff found the victim lying on the floor in a pool of blood. The victim suffered a skull fracture and other serious injuries. He was transferred to U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Mo.
McAllister commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, USP Leavenworth SIS, Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.
Lawton Woman Pleads Guilty to Fraud Involving More Than $7 MillionRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – Lori Christine Woodson, 62, of Lawton, pleaded guilty today to one count of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an information filed on January 28, 2019, Woodson induced Fort Sill National Bank to loan her and another person $1,013,902 by making false representations to the bank. In particular, Woodson overstated the value of her interest in assets, including a condominium in Snowmass, Colorado, and a closely held real estate company. She additionally understated her liabilities to other banks by approximately $3 million. Also, according to the information, Woodson defrauded two acquaintances by misappropriating purported investments in Snowmass condominiums. The information seeks more than $7.5 million in criminal forfeiture.
At a guilty plea hearing today, Woodson admitted committing bank fraud and defrauding two acquaintances. At sentencing, she faces up to 30 years in prison, as well as a maximum $1,000,000 fine and a term of supervised release of up to five years for bank fraud. She also faces up to 20 years in prison, a maximum $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release of up to three years for wire fraud. Sentencing will take place in approximately 90 days.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Inspector General and the FBI Oklahoma City Division, with the assistance of the Comanche County District Attorney’s Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William E. Farrior.
Reference is made to court records for further information.
Lawrence Man Sentenced to 12+ Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Lawrence man was sentenced today to 151 months in federal prison for distributing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, he was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution and a $5,000 assessment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
Brian Fuchs, 49, Lawrence, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of distributing child pornography. In his plea, he admitted investigators found approximately 2,000 images and 200 videos containing child pornography on his computer.
The FBI used an internet peer-to-peer file-sharing program to download child pornography from Fuchs before serving a search warrant at his home.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Flannigan for their work on the case.
Launch of Media Campaign to Prevent and Report Elder AbuseRead the Press Release
(San Juan, PR) - The US Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with the Puerto Rico Department of Justice, the PR Department of Family Affairs, the Office of the Ombudsman for the Elderly and AARP Puerto Rico, have joined efforts to create a media campaign to educate the general public on the prevention and reporting of elder abuse.
The public service campaign called Abuse can NOT be ignored. Indifference is abuse seeks to raise awareness about the abuse of the elderly and its various forms, in addition to publicizing the hotline of the PR Department of Family Affairs to report cases of abuse or suspected abuse. The campaign also aims to create awareness that preventing and reporting elder abuse is everyone’s responsibility. The public is encouraged to provide confidential information to law enforcement authorities, both at the federal and state levels.
“This educational campaign is the result of the joint efforts of federal and state agencies, the private sector, AARP of Puerto Rico and local media outlets. We commend all those who collaborated to develop and launch this campaign. Preventing and reporting cases of elder abuse is everyone’s responsibility. Together we can protect our seniors against those who take advantage of them,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, US Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
“Prosecutors from the Department of Justice have filed 154 charges against individuals who committed mistreatment, neglect, threat, financial exploitation, or fraud against the elderly in the last year. We know there are more situations and we want all of them to be reported in order to process the offenders and protect the victims. We trust that this campaign will raise awareness so that cases are reported and, better yet, help prevent cases of abuse against elderly people from occurring,” said Secretary of Justice, Wanda Vázquez-Garced.
The Secretary of the PR Department of Family Affairs, Glorimar Andújar-Matos, indicated that there are many programs available to assist the elderly, among them: adult services, adult substitute care, auxiliary services at home, multiple activities for the elderly, protection services, prevention of mistreatment to elderly people and adults with disabilities, support and guidance programs for grandparents and grandmothers raising their grandchildren, and mentoring with adoptive grandparents.
“The abuse and neglect of our elders occurs more frequently than is reported. It can occur through an omission or an action that results in harm that endangers their well-being and safety. Situations such as physical or mental health conditions place them in a state of vulnerability that requires our immediate intervention. We encourage family members and the community to be alert and report any situation to the hotline available 24 hours a day, (787) 749-1333,” said Andújar-Matos.
José Acarón, state director of AARP PR said: “This initiative is urgently needed to raise awareness among all generations that you cannot attempt against the dignity of the elderly, or anyone. Older people have the right and power to make their decisions and live their lives without being coerced, minimized, or used for the benefit of others. Seniors are a social asset, not an ATM machine, nor are they owned by anyone, even if they are family.”
Doctor Carmen Delia Sánchez-Salgado, head of the Office of the Ombudsman for the Elderly, indicated that the elderly population in Puerto Rico is subject to marginalization and prejudice, both actions that lead to isolation and indifference. Marginalized populations are exposed to vulnerability, often leading to abuse. The problem is not specifically marginality or exclusion towards our elder population, but the fact that our society allows it. We live in a society that becomes indifferent towards mistreatment and thereby facilitates it. On the other hand, despite the fact that most elderly people live in family settings, it is precisely within these scenarios that abuse and mistreatment towards them takes place. It is our citizens’ responsibility to report suspected abuse and acts of mistreatment towards this population.
We are thankful to the media outlets that will be providing Public Service during this campaign: GFR Media; WKAQ 580 AM; Uno Radio Group; WAPA Radio 680 AM; WIAC 740 AM; Radio Paz 810 AM and Radio Oro 92.5 FM; Radio Isla 1320 AM; SBS; WIPR 940 AM; and Allegro 91.3 FM.
The campaign Abuse can NOT be ignored. Indifference is abuse stems from the Elder Justice Initiative, a program implemented by the U.S. Department of Justice in its 94 districts nationwide. The interagency group in the District of Puerto Rico includes the following: US Attorney’s Office; PR Department of Justice; PR Department of Family Affairs; Office of the Ombudsman for the Elderly; AARP Puerto Rico; FBI; Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of Health, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Housing Department, Office of the Inspector General; Social Security Administration; U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS); Office of the U.S. Trustee; PR Department of Health; Office of the Commissioner of Financial Institutions; Public Corporation for Supervision and Insurance of Cooperatives of Puerto Rico (COSSEC); Office of the Insurance Commissioner; Administration of Mental Health and Anti-Addiction Services (ASSMCA); Puerto Rico Bar Association; Association of Owners of Long-Term Care Centers; Puerto Rico Business Emergency Operations Center (PR-BEOC).
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Larry Mitchell Hopkins Facing Federal Firearms Charge in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Larry Mitchell Hopkins, who is also known as Johnny Horton, Jr., 69, of Flora Vista, N.M., has been charged in a criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition announced New Mexico U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson and Special Agent in Charge James C. Langenberg of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division.
Hopkins was arrested on the morning of April 20, 2019, by the FBI in Sunland Park, N.M., with assistance from the Sunland Park Police Department. He made his initial appearance on the criminal complaint in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory B. Wormuth this morning.
According to the criminal complaint, Hopkins unlawfully possessed nine firearms and ammunition in his residence in San Juan County, N.M., in Nov. 2017. The complaint alleges that Hopkins was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because he previously had been convicted of at least three felony offenses, including possessing a loaded firearm in the state of Michigan in 1996; being a felon in possession of a firearm in the state of Oregon in 2006; and impersonating a peace officer in the state of Oregon in 2006.
Hopkins remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled to be held at 9:30 a.m. on April 29, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen B. Molzen in the Rio Grande courtroom of the federal courthouse in Albuquerque.
If convicted on the charge in the criminal complaint, Hopkins faces a maximum statutory penalty of ten years of imprisonment. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a count of law.
This case was investigated by the Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI with assistance from the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI. The Sunland Park (N.M.) Police Department assisted in the arrest operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe is prosecuting the case.
Haskell Co Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenneth Edward Parnell, age 45, of Haskell County, entered a guilty plea to Felon In Possession Of Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000.00 fine, or both.
The Indictment alleges that from in or about November, 2018, until on or about December 26, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce, a firearm, to-wit, One (1) Savage Arms (Canada) Inc., Model 64, .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle, serial number 1661593, which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Haskell County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Heatherman represented the United States.
Harrison County woman admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stormey Angel Lois-Hite, of Anmoore, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Lois-Hite, age 25, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Transfer of Firearm to Prohibited Person.” Lois-Hite admitted to purchasing a .22 caliber pistol for a convicted felon in January 2018 in Harrison County.
Lois-Hite faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Harrison County man admits to a firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Kevin Alexander Miske, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Miske, age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Miske, having been previously convicted of a felony, is accused of having a .357 magnum revolver in December 2018 in Harrison County.
Miske faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Clarksburg Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michal John Aloi presided.
Goodlettsville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 22, 2019 - Brian Wimsatt, 31, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, was sentenced Friday to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy, possession and distribution of heroin which resulted in death, following an overdose death in May 2016, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Wimsatt was indicted in March 2017 and pleaded guilty to all counts in September 2018.
According to court documents, in April and May of 2016, Wimsatt was purchasing wholesale amounts of heroin and selling smaller amounts of heroin to users in and around the Goodlettsville, Tennessee area. On May 13, 2016, Wimsatt negotiated two separate heroin sales to an individual, with the latter sale occurring around 7:00 p.m. in the restroom of a local grocery store in Goodlettsville. Approximately eight hours later, the individual’s mother found him unresponsive in his car and it was later determined that he died from a heroin overdose. Four days after this death, Goodlettsville police officers stopped Wimsatt for a traffic violation and subsequently found him to be in possession of heroin and other drugs and contraband and also determined that Wimsatt had sold the heroin that caused the overdose death of the individual.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force; and the Goodlettsville, Tenn. Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ahmed A. Safeeullah.
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Florida Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a HandgunRead the Press Release
A Florida man who formerly lived in Cresco, Iowa, was sentenced today to the maximum possible sentence of ten years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Patrick Colvin, age 29, from Lake Whales, Florida, received the prison term after a guilty plea to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Authorities found a loaded gun hidden under a blanket as part of a traffic stop in Waterloo on June 4, 2018. The gun’s serial number had been obliterated. Colvin has a lengthy criminal history, including convictions relating to drug use, drug distribution, theft, and robbery.
Colvin was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Colvin was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Colvin is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jacob Schunk and investigated by a Federal Task Force composed of the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisted by the Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office and Cedar Falls Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-002040-CJW.
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District Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Brazen Robbery of Convenience Store ATMRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Arnold Boon, 33, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to federal charges stemming from a robbery in which he and at least two others drove a stolen pick-up truck through the front of a Northwest Washington convenience store and hauled off an ATM machine containing at least $130,000.
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).
Boon pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of 92 months in prison, to be followed by up to five years of supervised release. The Honorable Senior Judge Paul L. Friedman scheduled sentencing for May 2, 2019. The plea agreement also requires Boon to pay restitution to the owner of the money stolen from the ATM, as well as to the owner of the building where the store is located.
According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 19, 2018, at approximately 1:30 a.m., a stolen Ford pickup truck smashed through the front of a 7-Eleven convenience store in the 200 block of Cedar Street NW. The truck was being driven by an unidentified male wearing dark clothing and a mask. Surveillance video captured two other masked men, one later identified as Boon through DNA evidence, entering the convenience store and lifting the store’s ATM machine onto the bed of the truck. While Boon and the other suspects attempted to lift the ATM machine, video from the store captured a gold watch worn by Boon fall to the ground.
A store clerk and at least one customer were inside the store at the time of the robbery. After struggling for several minutes to lift the ATM onto the truck, the men successfully loaded it onto the truck’s bed and Boon climbed onto the bed of the truck while the other two suspects entered the cab of the vehicle and fled the area. Boon and the other suspects fled with more than $130,000 in cash that was inside the ATM.
The stolen vehicle was found idling a short distance from the location of the 7-Eleven with no occupants or the ATM machine. The next morning, the stolen ATM machine was recovered by police in a wooded area in Washington, D.C., with all the currency removed.
Police also recovered the gold watch at the crime scene, and DNA obtained from the watch eventually was matched to Boon. At the time of his arrest on March 17, 2018, Boon was in possession of a loaded semi-automatic pistol, which was recovered from the dresser drawer in his bedroom. Boon has been in custody since his arrest. At the time of the crime, he was barred from possessing a gun because of prior convictions on assault and other charges.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the FBI agents and MPD officers who investigated the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven B. Wasserman and Ethan Carroll, and Paralegal Specialist Rommel Pachoca.
Dickson Attorney Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing over $1.36 Million from Trust Funds of ClientsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – April 22, 2019 - Jackie Lynn Garton, 54, of Dickson, Tennessee, was sentenced today to 92 months in prison for stealing more than $1.36 million from the trust funds of clients, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. U.S. District Judge Eli Richardson ordered Garton to be taken into custody immediately at the conclusion of the hearing.
Garton, a practicing attorney in Dickson, was charged in December 2018 with wire fraud, tax fraud and aggravated identity theft and pleaded guilty to all charges.
According to court documents, Garton served as the trustee for several estates, including the daughter of a Tennessee State Trooper who was killed in the line of duty in 2005. Beginning in 2009, Garton began withdrawing funds under false pretenses from her account and others, without the clients’ knowledge. Garton converted the funds into cashier’s checks and used the money to enrich his lifestyle, including purchasing luxury items including a Jaguar automobile, a boat and a house.
The deceased Trooper’s daughter was unaware of the account withdrawals until 2017, when at age 24, she wanted to open a bookstore, only to learn that her account had been depleted. Garton admitted that he stole approximately $1.2 million dollars from this client and a total of more than $1.36 million from her and other clients.
In conjunction with the preparation of his 2016 taxes, Garton under reported his income to the IRS, claiming his total income was $95,875, while he actually received at least $367,223, which included funds stolen from clients. Garton failed to report the stolen income from 2009 through 2016 and intended to defraud the IRS of more than $350,000.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the IRS-Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Beth Myers and Kathryn Booth.
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DEA, Law Enforcement Prepared for Prescription Drug Take Back DayRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – U.S. Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, the DEA Providence Resident Office, and state and local law enforcement across Rhode Island today announced that final preparations are underway for the 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to be held next Saturday, April 27. The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at more than two-dozen safe and anonymous collection sites around Rhode Island and thousands of sites around the nation. The event is an opportunity to rid homes of potentially dangerous, expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
Last October Americans turned in 457 tons of unwanted prescription drugs at nearly 6,000 locations across the country. In Rhode Island, more than two tons (4,364 lbs.) of unwanted and expired prescriptions were collected and disposed of by DEA. Overall, in its 16 previous Take back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 11 million pounds – more than 5,400 tons – of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked.
Earlier today, United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and DEA Providence Resident Agent in Charge Sam J. Masiello visited the Warwick Police Department where a secure collection box stands ready to collect unwanted and expired prescriptions 24 hours a day.
“Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs,” noted United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman. “Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. This is a perfect opportunity to Spring clean your medicine cabinet and safely dispose of expired or unwanted prescriptions. It just might save a life.”
“DEA has touched a nerve in America with its recent Take back events, as evidenced by the millions of pounds of pills collected during our previous 16 events,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “These events are only made possible through the dedicated work and commitment of our local, state, and federal partners, and DEA thanks each and every one of them for their continuous efforts on behalf of the American people.”
Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun added, “This program allows the public to safely dispose of unwanted and unused drugs that more often than not can wind up in the hands of someone at risk. Without the ability to safely dispose of drugs, to include opioids, our city would be adversely impacted.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at www.takepackday.dea.gov/#collectionlocator where you can search by zip code, city, or state.
US Attorney's Office photo DEA Resident Agent in Charge Sam J. Masiello, United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, and Warwick Police Chief Colonel Rick Rathbun display the Warwick Police Department's safe and secure prescription drug takeback box in the lobby of the Warwick Police Department.###
DEA Prepares for Prescription Drug Take back DayRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – United States Attorney J. Douglas Overbey wants to encourage the public to participate in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) 17th National Prescription Drug Take back Day on Saturday, April 27, 2019. The biannual event will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., at thousands of collection sites around the country, including several here in the Eastern District of Tennessee. The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.
“Over the past decade, the death toll from prescription painkillers has tripled. Every year, more people die from prescription painkiller overdoses than from heroin, cocaine, or any other illegal drug,” said U.S. Attorney Overbey. “Adolescents and young adults are especially vulnerable because many teens that begin abusing prescription drugs turn to heroin for a cheaper high. Please take this opportunity to check your medicine cabinets and take advantage of DEA Prescription Drug Take back Day to dispose of any unused, unwanted, and expired medicine safely.”
“At a time when prescription opioid pain relievers are killing more Americans than car accidents, the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day is an easy way we can all make sure that our unneeded, unused, or expired medications don’t end up in the wrong hands,” said D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent In Charge of DEA’s Louisville Field Division.
Last October Americans turned in 457 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 6,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Overall, in its 16 previous Take Back events, DEA and its partners have taken in over 11 million pounds—more than 5,400 tons—of pills. The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. (The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.)
Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose. Some painkiller abusers move on to heroin: Four out of five new heroin users started with painkillers.
Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose potential safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.
For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city, or state.
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Cudahy Resident Waheba Dais Pleads Guilty to Attempted Material Support of ISISRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin woman pleaded guilty today to a national-security crime related to her support of a foreign terrorist organization, announced United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Waheba Issa Dais, 46, was convicted of one count of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Dais’s support took the form of expert advice and assistance to ISIS, which she provided in early 2018, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B(a)(1).
According to admissions made in connection with her plea, Dais used hacked Facebook accounts in order to support ISIS. Using these accounts, she pledged her allegiance to ISIS on numerous occasions, communicated with and encouraged other ISIS supporters who described their plans to conduct attacks, disseminated information about explosives and biological weapons, and attempted to recruit new members to ISIS’s cause. For example, Dais posted videos providing step-by-step instructions on how to make an explosive belt and TNT, and she provided a detailed recipe for the poison Ricin. Dais also maintained encrypted social-media channels, where she posted messages encouraging ISIS supporters who could not travel to ISIS-controlled lands to conduct terrorist attacks in their home countries. Through those encrypted channels, she also provided detailed information about explosives, guns, attack planning, and target selection.
“From her home in Cudahy, Dais promoted ISIS’s hateful, violent agenda and provided detailed instructions on how to harm innocent people,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “This case underscores the need to remain vigilant in our efforts to identify, disrupt, and bring to justice those who would provide material support to terrorism, whether abroad or in our community. The Department of Justice is committed to protecting national security as our first priority.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Michelle Sutphin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Milwaukee Field Office said: “Protecting Americans from terrorist threats is the highest priority of the FBI. We are dedicated to working around the clock, here in Wisconsin, with our Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) partners at the local, state and federal level to keep our community safe from those seeking to provide support and resources to a known foreign terrorist organization.”
Dais faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty years, a maximum term of supervised release for life, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Her sentencing is set for September 12, 2019 at 9:30 am before Judge Pamela Pepper.
This conviction is the result of an extensive investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Milwaukee Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Taibleson and Trial Attorney Jennifer Burke of the National Security Division.
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Conman Who Pretended to Be Beverage Entrepreneur Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud Charges Stemming from $5 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Canadian national pleaded guilty today to five wire fraud charges for defrauding investors in a $5 million Ponzi scheme in which he pretended to be a successful beverage entrepreneur with close ties to well-known business executives and NBA stars such as Stephen Curry and Shaquille O’Neal.
Khemraj Dave Hardat, 50, a former resident of the Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles, entered his plea before United States District Judge Dale S. Fischer, who scheduled an August 12 sentencing hearing. As a result of today’s guilty pleas, Hardat faces a statutory maximum sentence of 100 years in prison.
In a plea agreement filed in United States District Court, Hardat admitted that, from August 2014 through November 2018, he falsely held himself out as a successful investor and businessman in the performance beverage and water-bottling industries. Hardat duped his investors by falsely representing that he had advanced educational degrees – including a Ph.D. – and that he maintained relationships with established business figures such as computer entrepreneur Michael Dell and the chief executive officer of PepsiCo.
Hardat also falsely represented that Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal was one of his business partners, and that professional basketball star Stephen Curry would be endorsing one of his company’s products, according to court documents. Furthermore, Hardat falsely claimed that PepsiCo and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. owed him more than $100 million as the result of purported business deals he consummated with them, the plea agreement states.
Hardat supported his bogus claims of financial success by showing victims doctored digital images of bank account statements showing balances inflated far beyond any amount Hardat actually had at these financial institutions. One doctored image emailed to a victim purportedly showed a balance of nearly $500 million in one bank account, while another phony image purported to show a bank account balance of nearly $170 million, court papers state.
In reality, Hardat never intended to use his investors’ proceeds for the business purposes that he represented, the plea agreement states. Instead he used the funds to pay off his personal debts, purchase luxury cars worth more than $100,000 each, pay rent at the Ritz-Carlton Residences, pay tuition for exclusive private schools for his children, and purchase luxury boxes and tickets for sporting and entertainment events, according to the plea agreement. Hardat also admitted that, in the style of a Ponzi scheme, he made payments to prior victim-investors out of subsequent victim-investors’ money.
During the course of the scheme, Hardat took in more than $5 million from investors, who have suffered losses of more than $4 million.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam P. Schleifer of the Major Frauds Section.
Carroll County Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearms and to Witness RetaliationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland –Jason Kiser, age 40, of Taneytown, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to the federal charges of illegal possession of firearms and witness retaliation. Kiser admitted that he burned the vehicle of an individual in retaliation for that person providing information to law enforcement concerning Kiser’s illegal possession of firearms.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees; and Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci.
“We take witness tampering and witness retaliation very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Those who tamper with or retaliate against a witness will face federal prosecution and federal prison, where there is no parole—ever.”
According to his plea agreement, on May 8, 2018, Kiser went to a gunsmithing store in Taneytown, Maryland, which was located in a building next to the owner’s home. The store was in the process of moving to a new location on West Baltimore Street in Taneytown. Kiser asked the owner if he could take the parts from a firearm that Kiser had brought into the store with him, and place them on a stripped receiver that Kiser planned to obtain from another store. The owner of the store knew Kiser and believed that Kiser had previously been convicted of theft of a motor vehicle and possibly other crimes and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. On May 9, 2018, an ATF investigator conducted a compliance check at the gunsmithing store and the owner advised the investigator of Kiser’s request. The ATF investigator opened a criminal investigation of Kiser.
On May 10, 2018, Kiser arrived at the gunsmithing store’s new location on West Baltimore Street in Taneytown, and provided the owner with an AR-556 rifle; a PWA, Model Commando receiver; and a Model A-15 receiver. Kiser asked the owner to place a forward grip on the AR-556 rifle and take the parts off of the PWA Commando and place them on the A-15 receiver. In coordination with investigators, on May 11, 2018, the owner advised Kiser that the firearms were ready. Law enforcement arrested Kiser as he walked towards the store. Kiser was charged in the Circuit Court for Carroll County with illegal possession of firearms. In the charging documents, the officer identified the store owner as a witness.
In the early morning hours of July 17, 2018, the store owner awoke at his house to the sound of a car horn. The store owner looked out of his bedroom window and saw his vehicle, which was parked in the carport adjacent to his residence, on fire. Firefighters extinguished the fire and called Maryland State Fire Marshals to determine the cause of the fire. Investigators located a glove from behind the carport and recovered a Folger’s plastic can cover and bolt cutters from next to the driveway. They also recovered pieces of burned debris from the vehicle. DNA evidence recovered from the glove and bolt cutters revealed a high stringency match to Kiser’s DNA, which was submitted to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) during Kiser’s previous arrests. Investigators categorized the fire as an arson, based on the DNA evidence.
Kiser and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea, Kiser will be sentenced to between eight and 10 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for August 7, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. Kiser remains detained.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane, who is prosecuting the case.
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