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Friday 1 March 2019
Mexican National Sentenced to 235 Months for the Distribution of Methamphetamine and Unlawfully Re-Entering the United States after DeportationRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Jose Navarro Rios, 45, a Mexican national residing in Lancaster Ky., was sentenced today, to 235 months in federal prison, by United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves, for distributing methamphetamine and illegally re-entering the United States after having previously been deported. Judge Reeves also ordered Rios to pay a $4,000 fine and ordered five years of supervised release. Rios will be deported following service of his sentence.
Rios admitted that he sold approximately 13 pounds of methamphetamine, on four prior occasions, between March 28, 2018 and April 18, 2018. The methamphetamine was manufactured in Mexico and transported to Kentucky for distribution. Rios also admitted he had been deported from the United States on two prior occasions and had unlawfully re-entered the United States.
Under federal law, Rios must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, FBI; Kristoffer Cortex, Acting Assistant Field Office Director , ICE; Steven Igyarto, Resident Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security; Richard Sanders, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ICE, DHS, KSP, and and the Lexington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Roger W. West.
Men with convictions for attempted murder with a firearm and abduction among five people indicted in federal court for firearms crimesRead the Press Release
Five people – including men with convictions for attempted murder with a firearm and abduction -- were indicted in federal court for firearms crimes.
Indicted are: Malik Abdul Aziz, also known as Tommie Beaman, 48, of Cleveland; Tonio Burton, 28, of Cleveland; Diablo Tate, 38, of Euclid; Hannibal Yarbo, 27, of Cleveland, and Johnny L. Geiger, Jr., 22, of Maple Heights.
“These cases demonstrate again why firearms enforcement is vital to making our community safer,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “These defendants include people convicted of attempted murder, abduction and other crimes. These defendants have no business carrying firearms or ammunition.”
“ATF’s core mission is reducing violent gun crime in our communities,” said ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Roland Herndon. “We work side by side with our federal, state, and local partners to follow the gun and remove the most violent criminals from our streets.”
Aziz on December 28, 2018, possessed .32-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite previous convictions for attempted murder with a firearms specification, aggravated robbery with a firearms specification, felonious assault with a firearms specification, kidnapping with a firearms specification, aggravated robbery with a firearms specification and attempted burglary, according to the indictment.
Burton on December 10, 2018, possessed a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite previous convictions for drug trafficking, assault on a police officer and drug possession, according to the indictment.
Tate on October 4, 2018 possessed a DPMS AR-15 rifle and 26 rounds of ammunition despite previous convictions for drug trafficking, assault on a police officer and drug possession, according to the indictment.
Yarbo on January 16, 2019, possessed a Smith & Wesson 9 mm handgun and 18 rounds of ammunition, despite previous convictions for abduction and drug trafficking, according to the indictment.
Geiger on June 7, 2018, made false and fictitious statements when attempting to purchase a Taurus 9 mm pistol from Point Blank Range and Gun Shop in Mentor, namely that he was the actual buyer of the firearm, and that he had never been convicted of a felony, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cleveland Division of Police and the Euclid Police Department. They are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Galvin, John Hanley, Kathryn Andrachik, Scott Zarzycki and Payum Doroodian.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing and Selling Stolen Firearm in D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eric Rory, 40, of Suitland, Md., was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for illegally possessing and selling firearms.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Henry P. Stawinski III, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department.
Rory pled guilty on Dec. 14, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year. He was sentenced by the Honorable Randolph D. Moss. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
The guilty plea followed an investigation last spring by ATF and the Prince George’s County Police Department into Rory’s activities selling firearms. According to the plea agreement, in May of 2018, Rory arranged to sell a firearm to another individual in the Fairfax Village area of Southeast Washington. Rory met the individual and drove him around the block in his SUV. While inside the car, Rory sold the man a 9-mm handgun that was previously stolen from a federally licensed firearms retailer in Virginia. Rory sold the firearm and ammunition for $700. Rory possessed a second firearm inside the SUV but did not sell it on that date.
At the time of his arrest, Rory was on supervised release after pleading guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia to a 2012 drug trafficking offense; he was sentenced to a five-year prison term for that crime. Additionally, Rory was convicted in 2013 of a drug offense in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.
Rory is additionally charged with possession of two firearms and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances in the District of Maryland in connection with this investigation. That matter is pending.
This case is being investigated by ATF and the Prince George’s County Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin L. Rosenberg and Gregory Rosen of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Maryland Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Federal Racketeering, Drug Conspiracy and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
A Baltimore, Maryland man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to participate in a drug distribution conspiracy and a violent racketeering enterprise known as Trained To Go (TTG). The racketeering conspiracy included eight murders, as well as drug trafficking and witness intimidation.
Brandon Wilson, aka Ali, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake in the District of Maryland. A federal jury convicted Wilson and seven co-defendants on Oct. 31, 2018. Wilson was convicted of RICO conspiracy, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wilson and his co-defendants were also convicted of a drug distribution conspiracy involving heroin, marijuana and cocaine.
The sentencing was announced by Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur for the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office; Acting Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Baltimore District Office; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby.
According to the evidence presented at their 24-day trial, Wilson and his co-defendants are all members of TTG, a criminal organization that operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. As part of the conspiracy, each defendant agreed that a conspirator would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity for TTG.
The evidence at trial showed that members and associates of TTG sold heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, and worked to defend their exclusive right to control who sold narcotics in TTG territory. Specifically, the evidence proved that between May 20, 2010 and Jan. 9, 2017, Wilson, his co-defendants, and other members of TTG committed acts of violence, including eight murders, shootings, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. Murders were committed in retaliation for individuals robbing TTG members of drugs and drug proceeds, or while TTG members robbed others of their drugs and drug proceeds, as well as in murder-for-hire schemes. A gun recovered during a search of Wilson’s residence on Jan. 10, 2017, was determined to have been used in a Jan. 9, 2017 murder. Further, the defendants engaged in witness intimidation through violence or threats of violence, to prevent individuals from cooperating with law enforcement.
The leader of the gang, Montana Barronette, aka Tana, and Tanner, 23, of Baltimore, was sentenced to life in prison on Feb. 15.
The remaining defendants convicted at the trial are all from Baltimore, and face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the racketeering and drug conspiracy. They include: Terrell Sivells, aka. Rell, 27; John Harrison, aka Binkie, 28; Taurus Tillman, aka Tash, 29; Linton Broughton, aka. Marty, 25; Dennis Pulley, aka Denmo, 31 and Timothy Floyd, aka Tim Rod, 28. The defendants remain detained.
Three other TTG members, previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced to between five and 25 years in prison. Another defendant, Roger Taylor, aka Milk, is a fugitive.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force, which includes FBI special agents and task force officers from the Baltimore, Baltimore County, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments. FBI Baltimore Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force is responsible for identifying and targeting the most violent gangs in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to address gang violence and the associated homicides in Baltimore. The vision of the program is to use federal racketeering statutes to disrupt and dismantle significant violent criminal threats and criminal enterprises affecting the safety and well-being of our citizens and our communities.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Wilson is still facing charges for allegedly assaulting employees of the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) while he was detained and being transported to and from the courtroom during their trial. The indictment alleges that on Oct. 31, 2018, Wilson assaulted two Maryland Department of Correction officers in the Chesapeake Detention Facility as they attempted to search Wilson prior to his being transported to U.S. District Court for the continuation of his trial.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the ATF, the DEA, the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City. This Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney John C. Hanley, formerly of the Justice Department’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel C. Gardner and Christopher J. Romano of the District of Maryland.
Maryland Businessman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding International Labor UnionRead the Press Release
A Maryland contractor pleaded guilty today to defrauding a large, international labor union, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Inspector General Scott S. Dahl of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General and Director Arthur F. Rosenfeld of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Howard W. Janoske, 74, of Oakland, Maryland, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and theft and embezzlement of labor union funds before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia. Sentencing is scheduled for July 12, 2019.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Janoske is the president and co-owner of a plumbing and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor located in Maryland. For nearly two decades, Janoske’s company has provided maintenance services to an international labor union located in Herndon, Virginia. Between in or about May 2012 and at least in or about mid-2015, Janoske and his company provided the union’s facilities and real estate manager with tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks in exchange for the awarding of the union’s service agreements and maintenance contracts. The benefits included a high-end outdoor kitchen and free HVAC and plumbing services for the union manager and a relative over a multi-year period. With the union manager’s knowledge, Janoske and his subordinates submitted inflated and fraudulent invoices to the union to recoup expenses for these personal benefits.
The Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General and the Office of Labor-Management Standards investigated the case. Trial Attorney Edward P. Sullivan of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section is prosecuting the case.
Marshall County woman admits to drug distribution chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –Samantha J. Simmons, of Moundsville, West Virginia, has admitted to methamphetamine distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Simmons, age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Simmons admitted to selling methamphetamine in June 2018 in Marshall County.
Simmons face up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
Man Indicted for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 27, 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Yadiel José Mangual (a resident of Florida with family ties to Puerto Rico) for mailing firearms from Florida to Puerto Rico illegally, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The investigation was a joint effort between the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobbaco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Mangual is facing five counts including Conspiracy to Deliver firearms and Ammunition to a Common Carrier without Notification (18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 922(e)), Delivery of Firearms to a Common Carrier without Written Notification (18 U.S.C. § 922(e)), and violating 18 U.S.C § 1715 which declares firearms as nonmailable.
As part of a coordinated operation, USPIS along with ATF identified package containing firearms sent through the mail from Florida to Puerto Rico. A federal search warrant was obtained for the subject package, which was wrapped in decorative gift-wrapping with the word “baby” written across the wrapping in various colors. Inside the package, federal agents found one Glock pistol, one AR type pistol, three .40 caliber magazines, rounds of .40 caliber ammunition and .223 caliber ammunition, and one (1) dual 5.56 caliber drum magazine. The investigation revealed that Yadiel José Mangual, and other unknown individuals, conspired to mail firearms from Florida to Puerto Rico. Specifically, Mangual mailed, from Tampa, Florida to addresses in Puerto Rico, two packages containing firearms. He then flew to Puerto Rico where he planned to retrieve the packages and deliver the firearms to others. One of those packages was intercepted by USPS, leading to Mangual’s arrest.
“We will vigorously prosecute those involved in the illegal trafficking of firearms, which are subsequently used in the commission of violent crimes,” said United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “We will continue working with the all law enforcement authorities to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, who all too frequently endanger our community.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeanette Collazo is in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, the defendant faces up to two (2) years in prison for the charges under 18 U.S.C. § 1715; and five (5) years in prison for the charges under 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 922(e)). An indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Lower Brule Man Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Aiding and Abetting.
Grant Whitney, age 19, was indicted on February 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 21, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on July 1, 2018, Whitney and another individual assaulted an individual with shod feet, which resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.
The charges are merely accusations and Whitney is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Whitney was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Los Angeles Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Obtain Fraudulent Commercial Driver's LicenseRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Rahim Mahboob, 67, of Los Angeles, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to two years and three months in prison and a $58,500 fine for conspiring to commit bribery, identity fraud, and unauthorized access to a computer, and a separate count of identity fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Mahboob conspired with former DMV employee and co‑defendant, Lisa Terraciano, to pay her money to alter DMV records that caused commercial driving permits to be issued for Mahboob’s clients. Mahboob was responsible for the issuance or attempted issuance of no less than 39 fraudulent commercial licenses, including permits, for which he paid Terraciano.
This case was a part of a series of ongoing investigations by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Office of Internal Affairs, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosanne L. Rust prosecuting the cases.
Mahboob was ordered to self-surrender to begin serving his sentence on June 3, 2019.
Lewis County man admits to role in a methamphetamine distribution operation in Monongalia CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Douglas Charles Knicely, of Jane Lew, West Virginia, has admitted to his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Knicely, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Knicely admitted to participating in a drug distribution operation in October 2018 in Monongalia County.Knicely faces no less than 10 years and up to life incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Morgantown Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Leader of Baltimore Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact MARCIA MURPHY
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4885
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Ernest McRae, a/k/a Rat and Man Man, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland today to 17 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute heroin, powder cocaine, and crack cocaine.
The sentence 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; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration – Baltimore District Office; and Acting Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to their plea agreements, from at least January 2012 through October 24, 2017, McRae and co-defendant Jackie Bagley controlled a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in and around 1100 North Montford Avenue in Baltimore, distributing heroin, fentanyl, and powder and crack cocaine. McRae and Bagley supplied lieutenants with drugs on a regular basis. The lieutenants, in turn, supplied street-level dealers, who sold the drugs to users. The street-level dealers were allowed to keep a portion of the proceeds and turned the rest over to the lieutenants, who then turned these profits over directly to McRae and Bagley on a nearly daily basis. Over the course of the conspiracy, over a dozen different street-level dealers worked for the DTO, distributing approximately 375 to 750 ten-dollar doses of heroin on a daily basis. In 2017, McRae began cutting the heroin with fentanyl.
McRae also admitted that on June 25, 2017, he was visiting clubs near Custom House Avenue in Baltimore and got into an argument with a person on the street. McRae went to his car and retrieved a pistol with an extended magazine. A concerned citizen notified nearby Baltimore Police officers, who were on patrol in the area. When McRae realized the police were responding to the area, he hid the firearm in the wheel well of another vehicle. Police recovered the gun and arrested McRae, who subsequently posted bail and was released before being arrested on federal charges.
Fifteen co-defendants, including Jackie Bagley, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug distribution conspiracy. Bagley, age 39, of Baltimore was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and twelve other co-defendants received sentences ranging from time served to 10 years in federal prison.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the ATF, the DEA and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew DellaBetta and Michael C. Hanlon, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Lead Defendant Pleads Guilty to Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
DAYTON – The lead defendant in a Southwestern Ohio methamphetamine conspiracy pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today. Salvador Ramirez (also known as Listo), 24, of West Chester, is the final defendant to plead in this case.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio and Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the plea entered into today before U.S. District Judge Walter H. Rice.
Ramirez and six others were arrested in July 2018 on federal charges of engaging in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy in the Miami Valley and across Southern and Central Ohio. They were charged with manufacturing and distributing narcotics and laundering their proceeds.
As part of this case, DEA agents and task force members have seized more than 140 pounds of methamphetamine, seven kilograms of fentanyl, two kilograms of heroin and more than $130,000 in cash.
Co-conspirators who have already pleaded guilty include:
- Tamara McQueen, 21, Hamilton
- Luiz Roberto Diaz-Magana, 29, Queretaro, Mexico
- Jesus Garcia, aka “Jesse Garcia”, 49, West Chester
- Joshua L. Leach, 34, Plain City
- Brandi Danyell Loy, aka Brandi Richey, 34, Plain City
- Takeea Trammell, 41, Dayton
As part of his plea, Ramirez admitted to arranging bulk deliveries of methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin and then overseeing redistribution of the drugs to dealers from Columbus to Dayton. He also personally collected hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds.
Ramirez and McQueen, as part of this scheme, traveled from Southern Ohio to California in April 2018 to acquire bulk amounts of the drugs to sell in Ohio. During their drive back to Ohio, law enforcement in Wyoming discovered their car and the contraband within it. Ramirez and McQueen, however, eluded police in Wyoming and fled back to Southern Ohio where they resumed their drug trafficking.
Upon returning to West Chester, Ramirez began accepting delivery of kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from Texas and elsewhere in the Southern United States. He would keep the drugs in various storage lockers throughout Southern Ohio until he could find a buyer for him.
Finally, as part of the conspiracy, Ramirez and his associates planned to open in Southern Ohio their own laboratory to manufacture kilogram quantities of methamphetamine. To aid this plan, Ramirez was providing housing and security for a chemist that a Mexican cartel sent to the area for the purpose of opening the laboratory.
Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute this amount of methamphetamine is a crime punishable by a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
“Today’s guilty plea of Ramirez represents the end of this organization’s ability to cause further destruction in our communities,” Special Agent in Charge Plancon said. “Methamphetamine trafficking will not be tolerated in southern Ohio and law enforcement will continue to work tirelessly to bring individuals like Ramirez to justice. This organization trafficked a variety drugs, including methamphetamine, fentanyl and heroin, that continue to cause devastation to families throughout the Miami Valley. The DEA and its partners are committed to identifying, investigating, and dismantling drug trafficking organizations that continue to prey on those addicted to drugs.”
Glassman commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent G. Tabacchi, who is representing the United States in this case, and the DEA agents and task force officers who investigated the case.
Investigating agencies include the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the police departments in Monroe and Middletown.
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Lake Woman Pleads Guilty to Delaying or Destroying U.S. Mail by a Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
Natchez, Miss. – Virginia Perkins, 49, of Lake, Mississippi, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III to delay or destruction of U.S. mail by a postal employee, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Cave, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (OIG), Southern Area Field Office.
Perkins was employed as a mail carrier. On January 17, 2017, following numerous complaints regarding undelivered mail along her route, agents conducted surveillance of Perkins as she delivered mail. The agents found that mail was not being delivered as addressed. A search of her vehicle yielded approximately 2,044 pieces of letter mail and 340 flats that Perkins did not deliver. As a result of this investigation, Perkins submitted her resignation to management.
“The conviction obtained today has been the culmination of a thorough investigation completed by our agents to ensure the continued protection of the integrity of Postal Service delivery systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Cave, of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General Southern Area Field Office. “The USPS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners is vigilant and will continue to vigorously investigate these types of cases.”
Perkins is currently released on bond and will be sentenced by Judge Bramlette on June 4, 2019 , at 1:30 pm in Natchez. She faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by agents from the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Purdie.
Kevin Hassan Prósperes-Sosa Arrested for Cyberstalking and Threatening Interstate CommunicationsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– Today, United States Magistrate Judge Marcos López authorized a criminal complaint against Kevin Hassan Prósperes-Sosa, charging him for cyberstalking and threatening interstate communications, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, 2261A(2), and Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c), announced United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI and Puerto Rico Police Department.
According to the information contained in a criminal complaint, on or about January 13, 2019, an adult female’s (AF #1) 17-year-old minor daughter was grabbed by the arm by Prósperes-Sosa, while she was walking on the street on the way home from buying school supplies. The minor ran to her house, where the defendant followed her and observed as she entered the house.
On or about January 15, 2019, AF #1 presented a formal police complaint against Prósperes-Sosa, and AF #1 was subpoenaed for February 27, 2019 to be interviewed. On January 16 and 17, 2019, AF #1 observed Prósperes-Sosa standing in front of her house staring at her residence. As a result of this, AF #1 obtained a temporary restraining order from the Municipal Court of Ciales on January 24, 2019.
On February 24, 2019, AF #1 received several simultaneous messages. When she went over to her phone, she saw a Facebook friend invite from a “Kevin Prosperes,” and several Facebook Messenger messages from the same person in Spanish. A preliminary translation of this Facebook message is: “Hello, I sent you a Request fucking Bitch, you think that you know Bitch, that you reported me, but I swear to you that I am going to kill you and I am going to take your daughters and I am going to rape them, because nobody fucks with me, piece of Asshole, when I take them, specially the one with the blue hair, it’s going to be a pity, I am going to rape them until I can’t any longer and I am going to make them disappear.”
The messages were followed by a picture of Prósperes-Sosa’s full naked body in front of a mirror. After the photo, the defendant continued writing “This is what I am going to stick to your daughter, my dick, but first I will kill you because nobody fucks with me, who do you think you are Bitch”.
During this same period, on February 2, 2019, a 14-year-old female minor (FM#1) received several text messages from the same number, stating in part: I want your ass…I know where you study…I will eat your ass…I know why…call…let’s fuck, Joel.
“The threats conveyed in Prósperes-Sosa’s internet and electronic messages caused these victims substantial harm and anguish,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Through the tireless work of investigators, over the last 24 hours we have been able to identify and contact several victims of this man’s cyberstalking. This investigation is ongoing, and federal authorities will continue to prosecute those who use social media to threaten innocent victims with violent acts.”
“Victimizing someone, particularly a child, from one’s computer or smartphone may seem easy and low-risk,” said Ivan J. Arvelo, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “But my office will do everything in our power to raise the cost to those who engage in such despicable behavior. I cannot imagine the anguish suffered by those affected in this case but, at least, the prompt and decisive action of our agents have brought them some peace of mind knowing the perpetrator will behind bars for a long time.”
Special Assistant United States Attorney Cristina Caraballo and Deputy Chief of the Immigration, Cybercrimes, and Child Exploitation Unit, Nicholas Cannon, are in charge of the prosecution of the case. If convicted, Prósperes-Sosa faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years for each count, a term of supervised release of up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000.
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Kannapolis Man Sentenced in Production of Child Pornography CaseRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – A man who pleaded guilty to production of child pornography was sentenced today, announced Matthew G.T. Martin, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
ANTHONY JAMES BARRY, 19, of Kannapolis, North Carolina, pleaded guilty on November 7, 2018, to one count of production of child pornography. He was sentenced by United States Chief District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder to 204 months of imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release.
In April 2018, an adult woman made a report to the Boone Police Department (BPD) that an individual, purporting to be a modeling agent, was attempting to extort her via Snapchat; a mobile messaging application. BPD Detective Jason Reid’s subsequent investigation revealed that the IP addresses used by the suspect resolved to BARRY’s residence in Rowan County. Detective Reid also discovered that BARRY had used Snapchat to attempt to extort sexual images from numerous minors and to trade child pornography. During a May 2018 incident, BARRY, purporting to be a government agency, coerced an 11 year old girl to produce a child pornography image of her sleeping 10 year old sister.
On July 27, 2018, law enforcement agents arrested BARRY and searched his home. BARRY admitted that he found his victims by perusing LiveMe; a social media application that enables users to broadcast themselves and is popular with young people. He also admitted to trading child pornography and recalled extorting the 11 year old girl.
This case was investigated by the Boone Police Department, a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, in conjunction with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric L. Iverson.
It was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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KC Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing a firearm.
Laron J. Wainwright, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, to 20 years in federal prison without parole. Wainwright was sentenced as an armed career offender due to his prior felony convictions.
On Aug. 22, 2018, Wainwright was found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Wainwright possessed a loaded Jimenez 9mm semi-automatic handgun, which had been reported as stolen, on April 5, 2015.
According to court documents, Kansas City, Mo., police officers were dispatched to the area of 11th Street and Prospect Avenue on April 5, 2015, to investigate suspicious drug activity in the park. When they contacted Wainwright, he fled and led officers on a pursuit through the park. As Wainwright ran onto Prospect Avenue, an officer saw the loaded Jimenez 9mm handgun fall onto the street. Wainwright continued running to a nearby apartment building; he attempted to get into the building but was unable to do so, and he was placed under arrest.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Wainwright has three prior felony convictions for distribution of a controlled substance, two prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stefan C. Hughes and Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the Kansas City, 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.Jury finds Oregon man guilty of cyberstalking and making threats for numerous threats he made to his former co-workers and law enforcement officialsRead the Press Release
A jury found an Oregon man guilty of cyberstalking and making threats related to numerous threats he made to his former co-workers and law enforcement officials.
Michael A. Hagar, 48, is scheduled to be sentenced later this year. A jury found him guilty of one count of cyberstalking and two counts of interstate threatening communication after a weeklong trial.
Hagar was employed at a Goodyear store in Salem, Oregon, from 2011 through 2013. He was employed by Eaton in Portland, Oregon, from 2014 through 2015. He was involuntarily terminated from both positions, according to court documents and trial testimony.
Hager sent numerous threatening e-mails to at least seven former co-workers at Eaton and Goodyear in 2015 and 2016, as well as threatening emails to law enforcement officials in Oregon. The e-mails he sent traveled through Eaton and Goodyear data centers in Northeast Ohio, according to court documents and trial testimony.
In 2016, Hagar was personally served with a temporary stalking protective order ordering him to stop any contact with an Eaton employee identified as R.G. He was also arrested for trespassing on Goodyear property in Oregon, according to court documents and trial testimony.
On May 30, 2016, he sent an email to R.G. and Oregon law enforcement officials with the subject line: “I AM GOING TO RUIN EVERYONE OF YOU(R) LIVES,” according to court documents and trial testimony.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Riedl and Om Kakani following an investigation by the FBI.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Feb. 27 was:
JAMES MICHAEL GARCIA, 26, of Brockton, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and felony child abuse alleged to have occurred on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Garcia faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Garcia was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-07.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan, and pleading not guilty on Feb. 27 was:
JONATHAN LEVI DEPUTEE, 42, of Hardin, on charges of failure to register as a sexual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Deputee faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Deputee was detained. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Pacer case reference. 19-17.
MELISSA ANN PRETTYPAINT-ALVARADO, 41, of Crow Agency, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury alleged to have occurred on the Crow Indian Reservation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Prettypaint-Alvarado faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Prettypaint-Alvarado was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-21.
ZACHARY BENEDICT LEE, 33, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lee faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Lee was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-20.
Appearing on Feb. 26 and pleading not guilty was:
KENNETH CLARENCE ALTMAN, 26, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Altman faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Altman was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-02.
RALPH KENNETH COSTA, 34, of Crow Agency, on charges of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a dating partner alleged to have occurred on the Crow Indian Reservation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Costa faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Costa was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-14.
AMBER LYNN LANPHEAR, 33, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lanphear faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and at least four years of supervised release. Lanphear was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-19.
LAWRENCE ALEX FOSTER III, 46, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, attempted possession and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Foster faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Foster was detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-18.
CRAIG AARON YEATES, 34, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, attempted possession of meth with intent to distribute and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Yeates faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-24.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Independence Woman Sentenced for Leading Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., woman has been sentenced in federal court for her role in leading a conspiracy to distribute multiple kilograms of methamphetamine.
Melanie C. Hamilton, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, to eight years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 6, 2017, Hamilton pleaded guilty to being the source of supply for the drug-trafficking conspiracy that ran from Nov. 1, 2013, to Sept. 24, 2014. Hamilton admitted that she obtained large quantities of methamphetamine, which she broke down into smaller quantities for redistribution. The totality of the investigation indicates that Hamilton was involved in the distribution of at least five kilograms of methamphetamine.
A confidential informant made three separate controlled purchases from Hamilton; on each occasion she weighed out approximately 8.3 grams of methamphetamine from a large zip-lock freezer bag that contained multiple pounds of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hamilton’s residence on Sept. 24, 2014, and seized more than a kilogram of methamphetamine, a DVR containing video surveillance of individuals coming and going from her residence, and drug paraphernalia. Hamilton told investigators that she had received one to two pounds of methamphetamine from her source every other week over the past three months (1.5 pounds per two weeks, or three pounds per month, totals nine pounds, or 4,086 grams).
Hamilton is the final defendant to be sentenced among 10 defendants who have pleaded guilty and been sentenced in this case.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Edwards. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Independence, Mo., Police Department.Illegal Immigrant and Kosciusko Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jose Luis Solorio Morales, 27, of Mexico, and Lee Morris Wade, Jr., 41, of Kosciusko, were sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III for their roles in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge J. Derryle Smith.
Wade was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,500 fine. Solorio Morales was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On December 28, 2017, Wade was sent a shipment of approximately 12 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was transported in the gas tank of a passenger vehicle. Needing somewhere to process and store the liquid methamphetamine, Wade rented a home in Jackson, Mississippi. Solorio Morales, who had been unlawfully living in Texas, traveled to Jackson to assist in converting the liquid methamphetamine to solid form.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to over 27 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Erik Betancourt-Olguin, 25, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 330 months in federal prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Securities Investigations in New Orleans.
On January 30, 2018, Olguin and three others were stopped in a vehicle in Hancock County traveling from Texas to North Carolina. They were transporting approximately 4 kilograms of 99% pure methamphetamine.
Olguin pled guilty on September 7, 2018 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The other occupants of the vehicle have all been sentenced.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Meynardie.
Illegal Alien Felon Sentenced to Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Guatemalan man was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for illegally reentering the United States after being deported at taxpayer expense.
“Perez-Augustin is a previously convicted felon who reentered the United States illegally and was ultimately arrested for aggravated sexual battery,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Individuals like Perez-Augustin represent a clear threat to the safety and security of our communities, and as such we will continue to prioritize criminal immigration enforcement cases across the Eastern District of Virginia.”
According to court documents, Hugo Perez-Augustin, 38, first illegally entered the United States in 2006 near Roma, Texas. At that time, he was removed to Guatemala. At some point after his 2006 removal, he reentered the United States illegally. Authorities discovered Perez-Augustin’s illegal presence in the United States in 2014, when he was arrested and convicted of aggravated sexual battery. Perez-Augustin will again be deported at taxpayer expense following his release from federal prison.
“This individual not only entered the country illegally on more than one occasion, but then proceeded to commit egregious crimes while in the U.S.,” said Jeffrey M. Jacoff, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations Washington, D.C. “ICE will continue to prioritize public safety threats who have no regard for the nation’s immigration laws.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey M. Jacoff, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-132.
Hays Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud in Dispute over WillRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman pleaded guilty today to mail fraud in a scheme to make it appear that when her employer died he left half his estate to her, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Wanda Oborny, 66, Hays, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. In her plea, she admitted that in 2013 she mailed a fraudulent purported codicil of Kansas banker Earl O. Field’s will to Ft. Hays State University. The document falsely claimed Field had left a fourth of his estate to the university, a fourth to his lawyer and half to Oborny. In fact, Field left the majority of the estate to the university.
Sentencing is set for May 29. Both parties have agreed to recommend Oborny be sentenced to a year on federal probation and ordered to pay $1,200 to the university. McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.
Hartford Men Charged with Stealing Federal Law Enforcement Vehicle and EquipmentRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on February 27, 2019, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging DOMINQUE PERRY, 23, and JOSE NUNEZ-TORRES, also known as “Jose Nunez” and “J-Money,” 19, both of Hartford, with stealing government property.
As alleged in the indictment and statements made in court, on January 29, 2019, Perry and Nunez-Torres stole a 2016 Honda Accord from a residence in Newington. The vehicle was the property of a federal law enforcement agency, and contained fully loaded firearm magazines for multiple weapons, ammunition, handcuffs and other restraints, a ballistic vest and its component parts, and raid jackets. After stealing the vehicle, Perry drove the Accord to a location in Bloomfield where he and Nunez-Torres removed the vehicle’s tires and rims. Perry and Nunez-Torres subsequently sold the tires and rims, and attempted to sell the loaded firearm magazines, ammunition, ballistic vest and other items.
Perry was arrested on February 6 on a federal criminal complaint, and Nunez-Torres was arrested today. Most of the stolen items have been recovered.
The indictment charges Perry and Nunez-Torres with one count of conspiracy to steal government property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and one count of theft of government property, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Newington and Hartford Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by U.S. Attorney Durham.
Harrisburg Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG -The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Terrance Harden, age 27, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania was indicted on February 27, 2019, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Harden possessed with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine on May 31, 2018, in Harrisburg, and possessed a loaded 9mm handgun in furtherance of drug trafficking as a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Baer is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Franklin Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Escape and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that Brian Sanborn, 54, of Franklin, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to attempted escape and witness tampering.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 14, 2018, Sanborn called his girlfriend from the Strafford County House of Corrections. At the time, Sanborn was detained having been indicted on federal charges related to the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Sanborn was scheduled to go to federal court the next day, May 15, 2018, to change his plea. During the recorded phone call, Sanborn instructed his girlfriend to call his mother and to follow the transport van to and from Strafford on May 15 because “something might fall out of that . . . van and you might need to pick something up.”
On May 15, 2018, after pleading guilty to distributing methamphetamine and while being transported back to the Strafford County House of Corrections, Sanborn attempted to escape the transport van by prying open the door to the cage inside the van with a six-inch piece of metal that he had smuggled into the van. Sanborn’s actions were recorded on video cameras in the van and the deputies transporting Sanborn apprehended him before he could flee. Sanborn called his mother the next day and said, in a recorded phone call, that he “fell out of the back of the van and will probably be facing escape charges.”
Another inmate was in the transport van with Sanborn when he attempted to escape. At Strafford, Sanborn sent the inmate a note that said that Sanborn knew his name and knew that the inmate had a girlfriend and child. In the note, Sanborn also offered to pay the inmate to keep quiet about what he saw in the van. The inmate informed Sanborn that he was not interested in Sanborn’s help and wanted nothing to do with the situation. After this, other inmate associates of Sanborn began to harass the inmate and told him, among other things, that he was a “rat” and threatened to beat him up or kill him.
Sanborn pleaded guilty to attempted escape and witness tampering. He will be sentenced on June 5, 2019.
This matter was investigated by the Strafford County Sherriff’s Office and the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter.
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Four Nashville Men Sentenced to More Than 75 Years Collectively, in Prison for Reign of Violence in Public Housing AreasRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – March 1, 2019 – Four Nashville men were sentenced this week, by Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw, Jr., to more than 75 years in federal prison, collectively, for their violent conduct during an 8-month violent crime spree in 2014-2015, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Terrance Christopher Kimbrough, aka Lil Chris, aka Rampage, 22, was sentenced on Wednesday to 42 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in August 2018 to two counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence resulting in death; Hobbs Act robbery; and other federal firearms offenses.
According to court documents, beginning in November 2014, Kimbrough was one of two individuals who robbed two men in the J.C. Napier area. During this robbery, the men targeted were ordered to strip and were then robbed of their clothing, drugs, money and identification.
On November 16, 2014, Kimbrough attempted to rob another individual, known to be a street-level drug dealer in the J.C. Napier area and shot the individual as he attempted to flee. Kimbrough chased the individual through the neighborhood and fired several rounds at him, causing him to seek treatment at a local hospital for gunshot wounds and other injuries sustained while fleeing.
On November 26, 2014, Kimbrough participated in the robbery of Brendon Leggs, at a market near the J.C. Napier area. During this robbery, Kimbrough and Calvin Starks approached Leggs as he sat in his car and demanded drugs and money. As Leggs attempted to drive away, Kimbrough and Starks fired a total of 18 rounds at Leggs, striking him twice and killing him. Calvin Starks was sentenced in August 2017 to 35 years in prison.
A week later, on December 3, 2014, Kimbrough and a juvenile shot and killed Monte Watson, near the intersection of Lewis and Robertson Streets, in the J.C. Napier area. Kimbrough was aware that Watson had witnessed him murder Leggs and had been searching for him in order to silence him.
On February 23, 2015, Kimbrough fired multiple rounds into the engine compartment of an occupied car, in the J.C. Napier neighborhood, because the driver refused to give him a ride.
Kimbrough also shot a member of the Bloods Gang on July 4, 2015, on Porter Road in Nashville and on July 17, 2015, Kimbrough participated in a shootout between two rival groups, in the J.C. Napier neighborhood. During this shootout, two women were stuck by gunfire and were treated for gunshot wounds at a hospital.
Ricky Watkins, 25, was also sentenced on Wednesday to 107 months in prison, for providing the .38 caliber revolver to the juvenile who participated with Kimbrough in the murder of Monte Watson and for helping Kimbrough rob the two men in November 2014. Watkins pleaded guilty to these charges in 2017
Michael Calloway, Jr., 24, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition, charges which resulted from an incident on November 23, 2014, where he shot into a vehicle occupied by three adults and a young child in the J.C. Napier area. Calloway pleaded guilty in August 2018 and is currently serving a separate 15-year sentence resulting from federal charges relating to another shooting in the J.C. Napier neighborhood in April 2015.
Brandon Starks, 23, also sentenced yesterday received the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition and providing Terrance Kimbrough with the gun and ammunition, which he used in the February 2015 shooting. While released on bond, Starks also committed an armed robbery of a U.S. Soldier stationed at Fort Campbell in July 2017. Starks pleaded guilty in February 2017.
A fifth man, Javonta Campbell, 25, was sentenced to five years’ probation, with a requirement that he complete 400 hours of community service focused on reaching youth in the JC Napier/South Nashville areas, and preventing those youth from participating in firearms and violent crimes such as those committed by all five of these defendants. Campbell pleaded guilty to participating in the November 2014 incident with Michael Calloway, where he shot into a vehicle occupied by three adults and a young child, and also participated in the February 2015 incident with Terrance Kimbrough, where Kimbrough shot multiples times into the engine compartment of an occupied car.
Over 50 defendants have been charged and convicted in a series of cases in an intensive, ongoing, effort to address violence in the J.C. Napier/Tony Sudekum and James Cayce public housing developments in South Nashville.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sunny A.M. Koshy prosecuted the cases.
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Four Cleveland men indicted for their roles in a conspiracy in to sell large quantities of cocaine in Greater ClevelandRead the Press Release
Four Cleveland men were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy in to sell large quantities of cocaine in Greater Cleveland.
Named in the seven-count indictment are: Angel Rios, 36; Jamie Hernandez-De La Paz, 37; Felix Cruz, 37, and Edwin M. Tavarez, 44. Each is indicted with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least five kilogram of cocaine.
Rios and Cruz are charged with maintaining a drug house on Hodgson Avenue which they used to store and sell marijuana.
De La Paz is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Cruz is charged with a being a felon in possession of a firearm. He possessed a Glock pistol and ammunition on February 1 despite a previous drug conviction, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit two firearms and nearly $100,000 in cash seized during the investigation.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police and Ohio State Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa Darden and Patrick Burke.
A charge is only an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 168 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Reginald Gant, 33 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Theresa L. Springmann after pleading guilty to Possessing with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Gant was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on June 17, 2016, Gant was in possession of 100 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, a Schedule I Controlled Substance. At that time, Gant possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking offense.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fort Wayne Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
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Former U.S. Probation Officer Pleads Guilty to Lying to the FBIRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the guilty plea of DENNIS EDWARD BRESNAHAN, 55, a former United States Probation Officer, to two counts of making false statements to the FBI. BRESNAHAN, who was indicted on August 15, 2018, entered his guilty plea earlier today before Judge Robert W. Pratt in U.S. District Court in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
“People who work in the criminal justice system hold positions of trust over others and are to use that authority appropriately,” said Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Minneapolis Division. “The FBI takes seriously its responsibility to maintain the integrity of the criminal justice system by investigating allegations where that trust was violated. All citizens, including the vulnerable victims in this case, expect and deserve equal protection under the law.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, for more than twenty-five years, and until August 22, 2016, BRESNAHAN was employed as a United States Probation Officer for the District of Minnesota. In his role, BRESNAHAN was responsible for supervising defendants on federal pretrial and supervised release, and had access to records and maintained communications with individuals under his supervision. Between January 2016 and April 1, 2016, BRESNAHAN engaged in sexually inappropriate conduct with an individual (identified as “Witness A”) under his supervision, including repeated phone and email discussions of a sexual nature.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, on August 22, 2016, FBI agents interviewed BRESNAHAN regarding both his sexually inappropriate conduct in his role as a United States Probation Officer and his relationship with Witness A. BRESNAHAN admitted to engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior and to receiving one topless photograph from Witness A. When FBI agents asked BRESNAHAN whether he had asked for additional sexual photographs from Witness A, BRESNAHAN lied and said that he had not. FBI agents then asked BRESNAHAN if he had engaged in any similar inappropriate sexual conduct with other probationers, including asking for sexual photographs, to which BRESNAHAN again lied and claimed that he had not. However, upon further investigation, it was revealed that BRESNAHAN had in fact asked for sexual photographs from other probationers, specifically an individual identified as Witness B. Witness B was under BRESNAHAN’S supervision from July 2013 until approximately February 2014. During that time, BRESNAHAN engaged in multiple email exchanges of a sexual nature with Witness B, including asking for sexual photographs.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie E. Allyn and Allen A. Slaughter are prosecuting the case.
Defendant Information:
DENNIS EDWARD BRESNAHAN, 55
Forest Lake, Minn.
Convicted:
- Making false statements or representations to an agency of the United States, 2 counts
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Former Oil City Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing 10 Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa – A former resident of Oil City, PA has been sentenced in federal court to two-and-a-half years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
On February 27, 2019, Judge Cathy Bissoon sentenced Emmett Freshcorn, 30, on one count of possession of firearms by convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on December 11, 2017, Freshcorn, who is a convicted felon, went into a gun store with another individual. Freshcorn gave that individual money to purchase a BMG, .50 caliber rifle. Freshcorn then carried the rifle out of the store and took possession of it. Further, on March 7, 2018, Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Explosives recovered the remaining firearms and ammunition from locations connected to Freshcorn in Oil City, PA.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Wheeler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Oil City Police conducted the investigation leading to the plea and sentence in this case.
Former Oil City Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing 10 Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa – A former resident of Oil City, PA has been sentenced in federal court to two-and-a-half years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for violating federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
On February 27, 2019, Judge Cathy Bissoon sentenced Emmett Freshcorn, 30, on one count of possession of firearms by convicted felon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on December 11, 2017, Freshcorn, who is a convicted felon, went into a gun store with another individual. Freshcorn gave that individual money to purchase a BMG, .50 caliber rifle. Freshcorn then carried the rifle out of the store and took possession of it. Further, on March 7, 2018, Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Explosives recovered the remaining firearms and ammunition from locations connected to Freshcorn in Oil City, PA.
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.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Lanni and Special Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Wheeler prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Oil City Police conducted the investigation leading to the plea and sentence in this case.
Former Mississippi Corrections Officer Sentenced to Five Years Imprisonment for Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
The Honorable Chief Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sentenced Defendant Reginald Laterry Brown, 27, a former Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) officer, to serve five years imprisonment for violating the civil rights of an inmate housed at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF). Brown previously pled guilty on Nov. 16, 2018, to assaulting the victim, identified as L.H., by kicking him, stomping on him, and punching him. Brown’s assault resulted in bodily injury to L.H. and involved the use of a dangerous weapon. At the time of the incident, Brown was working as a corrections officer at CMCF in Rankin County, Mississippi.
“A correctional officer who inflicts cruel and unusual punishment on an inmate in his custody betrays the trust placed in those who hold positions of power and authority,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of every person and holding officers who break the law accountable.”
“This office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who betray their sacred oath and violate our criminal laws,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst of the Southern District of Mississippi. “I want to thank our prosecutors, DOJ trial attorneys, and the agents who brought this man to justice. Without their diligent effort, these ugly abuses may never have come to light and this defendant would not have been held accountable. An abuse of power is an abuse of our system, and such abuses will not be tolerated in this district.”
“When correctional officers fail to uphold their oath of office and the rights of those they are sworn to protect, it undermines the criminal justice system as a whole,” said Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi. “This sentencing should send a clear message that the FBI takes these allegations seriously, and that civil rights investigations remain a top priority for the FBI.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi Field Office. Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes of Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Former Logan County Schools Superintendent Sentenced on Charges Relating to Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Phyllis Doty, a former Superintendent of Logan County Schools, was sentenced to 42 months in prison and three years of supervised release, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. She was also ordered to pay the full amount of restitution in the amount of $25,083.10. Doty, 65, was convicted by a federal jury sitting in Charleston on August 31, 2018 of felony counts of conviction, including four counts of wire fraud, two counts of theft from a program receiving federal funds, one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The guilty verdict came after a four day jury trial. The Court did not impose a fine based on the finding that Doty’s significant state pension has been suspended as a result of her felony conviction.
“Doty’s sentence is another signal of my commitment to punish public corruption,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “To quote Judge Faber, “It is a serious breach of the public trust.” I agree. There’s no such thing as a little bit of public corruption. As is clear from my record, this office takes public corruption and violations of the public trust extremely seriously. In each case in which the public trust is violated we will prosecute to the maximum extent of the law. The public deserves honest public officials. I want to thank my prosecution team, the FBI and the West Virginia Commission on Special Investigations for their extraordinary work in this case.”
Doty, who retired from Logan County Schools in 2016, stole over $12,000 in electronic devices purchased by the Logan County Board of Education and used public funds to decorate and supply her son's August 2015 wedding. The scheme began in 2011 when the Logan County Board of Education regularly purchased Apple iPods and iPads for Logan County Schools staff. The jury found that between 2011 and 2015, Doty stole at least 20 of these devices, and either sold them on eBay for profit, or gave them to family members as gifts. Doty directed the purchase of the devices or purchased them herself, and then sold them online or gave them away to her family.
Doty’s scheme also included ordering over $6,500 in wedding supplies with Logan County Board of Education money. These items included bread baskets, easels, drink dispensers, columns, decorative urns and a colonnade. Doty claimed that these items were requested by Logan County teachers. However, the teachers testified that they knew nothing of these orders and the items mostly remained in boxes until they were used for the wedding. Evidence at trial showed that Doty gave some of these items away to the wedding planner following the wedding.
Doty further attempted to cover up her scheme once an investigation into suspicious spending became public. She attempting to influence Logan County teachers of the falsehood that she had permission to take iPods purchased by the Logan County Board of Education. She also asked the wedding planner to return the gifted urns to a Logan County school.
Former Assistant United States Attorney Gabe Wohl and Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes were responsible for the prosecution. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Virginia Legislature Commission on Special Investigations investigated the matter. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing.
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Former High School Teacher Sentenced for “Celebgate” HackingRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to almost three years in prison for charges of unauthorized access to a protected computer and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, Christopher Brannan, 31, intentionally accessed without authorization Internet and email accounts, including Apple iCloud, Yahoo!, and Facebook accounts, and obtained complete iCloud backups, photographs, and other private information belonging to more than 200 victims, including both celebrities and non-celebrities. Brannan hacked email accounts by answering security questions that he could easily research by reviewing victims’ Facebook accounts.
Brannan also gained access to victims’ accounts by using phishing email accounts designed to look like legitimate security accounts from Apple. Because of the victims’ belief that the email had come from Apple, the victims would provide their usernames and passwords. Brannan would then access the victims’ email accounts, and search for personal information such as sensitive and private photographs and videos, including nude photographs. Authorities identified Brannan as a suspect during a California-based FBI investigation into hacked iCloud accounts commonly known as “Celebgate.”
As part of Brannan’s plea agreement, the United States made a non-binding recommendation to the Court that he be sentenced to 34 months in prison. At sentencing, Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the government’s recommendation and imposed the agreed-upon sentence.
This matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI in Los Angeles into the leaks of photographs of numerous female celebrities in September 2014. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, which is leading the prosecution, filed charges against Brannan in April, and the parties later agreed to transfer the case to the Eastern District of Virginia for further prosecution.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas M. Chadwick, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after the sentencing hearing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian R. Hood of the Eastern District of Virginia and Ryan White of the Central District of California prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-118.
Former Canton Resident Extradited from Ireland Sentenced on Mortgage Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A dual U.S.-Irish citizen was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston on charges arising out of a multi-year mortgage fraud scheme.
Patrick Lee, 46, formerly of Canton and Easton, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to four years in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $842,552 to victim lenders. Lee will also be subject to asset forfeiture, in an amount to be determined later.
In November 2018, Lee pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction. He was extradited from Ireland in 2017 to face the charges, marking the first extradition from Ireland to the United States since 2012.
Between July 2005 and May 2007, Lee engaged with others in a mortgage fraud scheme. Specifically, Lee or a relative bought five multi-family buildings in Dorchester and South Boston, financed those purchases with fraudulently obtained mortgage loans, and quickly converted the buildings to condominiums which facilitated the resale of individual units in the buildings to straw buyers. The straw buyers were recruited for this purpose and their purchases were financed with fraudulently obtained mortgage loans. The straw buyers were assured that they would not have to put any money down or pay the mortgages, and that they would get a fee at closing and/or a share of the profits when the properties were sold. The loans were funded with interstate wire transfers from the mortgage lenders to the closing attorneys’ conveyancing accounts, and the proceeds were then distributed to Lee and/or a family member, the recruiters, and others involved in the scheme. According to the government, mortgage lenders suffered losses of about $3.9 million. Many of the lenders are no longer in business or no longer hold the fraudulent loans at issue.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Stephen A. Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra S. Bower and Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Five Previously Deported Aliens Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that five previously deported aliens were indicted separately on February 27, 2019, by a federal grand jury for illegal reentry into the United States. These matters arose in counties throughout the District including Bradford, Columbia, Cumberland, Luzerne, and York.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Leovijildo Mitra-Hernandez, age 38, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in July 2008. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States again sometime after July 2008, and was found in the United States in York County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Jose Luis Ochoa-Arevalo, age 38, of El Salvador, was previously deported from the United States to El Salvador in February 2008. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after February 2008, and was found in the United States in Columbia County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Jose Antonio Rascon-Romero, age 30, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in May 2012. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after May 2012, and was found in the United States in Bradford County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Miguel Diaz-Palma, age 45, of Mexico, was previously deported from the United States to Mexico in October 2011. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after October 2011 and was found in the United States in Wilkes Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
Tony Hernan Rengifo-Rosas, age 53, of Peru, was previously deported from the United States to Peru in September 2001. He is alleged to have illegally reentered the United States sometime after September 2001, and was found in the United States in Lemoyne, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania after eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Assistant United States Attorneys James T. Clancy and Joanne Hoffman are prosecuting the cases.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Defendants face a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Five Individuals Arrested for Hobbs Act, Carjacking, and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On March 1st, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment against five individuals for interference with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), carjacking, kidnapping, and possessing and brandishing a machinegun in furtherance of a crime of violence, announced United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez.
The indictment alleges that on February 19, in the District of Puerto Rico, José González-Cirino; Carlos Diaz-Medina; Adlay De Aza-Casillas; Egadier Omar Díaz-Andrades; and Eddie Escalera-Martínez, conspired to unlawfully take motorcycles from Evinmotors, a company engaged in the retail sale of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, watercraft, and boats, in the presence of a security guard, against his will by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury, by threatening the security guard with a firearm and tying him up inside his vehicle in an attempt to commit the robbery.
In their attempt to commit the robbery, the defendants, aiding and abetting each other, possessed and brandished firearms, and took a white, four-door, 1993 Mitsubishi Mirage from the security guard, that had been transported, shipped, and received in interstate or foreign commerce -- by force, violence, and intimidation, with the intent to cause death and serious bodily harm. The defendants kidnapped the security guard by tying him up inside his vehicle while they drove around and tried to break into various warehouses to gain access to Evinmotors. Fortunately, the security guard was not harmed and defendants were ultimately unsuccessful in their attempted robbery. After alarms sounded, defendants fled the scene and were apprehended shortly thereafter by the Puerto Rico Police Department and the FBI, who are in charge of the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David T. Henek. If convicted, the defendants face up to life in prison. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Felon with 13 Prior Convictions Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing HandgunRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Darnell James Shipman, 29, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that on or about April 29, 2018, at a residence in Pittsburgh, Shipman, who is a convicted felon, brandished a 9 millimeter semi-automatic Canik pistol at another individual and threatened the individual. The court was further advised that on or about May 2, 2018, the defendant was arrested on outstanding warrants with the Canik pistol and 17 rounds of 9 mm ammunition in his possession, which were found in the center console of a vehicle he was driving. Shipman has 13 prior convictions in seven cases, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for August 6, 2019. The law provides for a total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Shipman will remain under detention pending the sentencing hearing.
Assistant United States Attorney David Lew is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Felon Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison After Being Convicted After Trial for Committing Three Armed Robberies in Less Than One HourRead the Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact MARCIA MURPHY
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced James Lorenzo Thomas, Jr., age 32, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for three counts of commercial armed robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The sentence was imposed on February 28, 2019, the jury convicted Thomas on December 3, 2018.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“James Thomas committed these robberies in broad daylight, threatened the store employees at gunpoint, attempted to intimidate a witness, and threatened a Deputy U.S. Marshal,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This prosecution and sentence send a strong message that these criminal actions cannot, and will not, be tolerated.”
According to evidence presented at his four-day trial, in less than one hour on April 6, 2017, Thomas and a co-defendant robbed businesses in Camp Springs, Clinton, and District Heights, Maryland. In each robbery the defendants brandished a firearm. In all of the robberies, Thomas and his co-defendant stole cash from the business, and in one robbery also took a victim’s cell phone. At the location of their last robbery, a game store, Thomas and his co-defendant also stole PS4s, virtual reality headsets, and an Xbox – one of which had a GPS tracker that led the police to the robbers less than 20 minutes after they left the store. The police found Thomas and his co-defendant in the getaway car, surrounded by game consoles and dividing up the cash from the robberies. The gun used in the robberies was also recovered. According to court documents, these robberies were committed while Thomas was on probation for a previous conviction for conspiracy to commit robbery.
During the trial, Thomas attempted to intimidate a witness to prevent the witness from testifying at trial. As a result, the witness initially would not answer the prosecutor’s questions. After a short recess, the witness did testify. A Deputy U.S. Marshal, who heard the attempted intimidation, subsequently testified at the trial as to what the defendant said to the witness. Thomas subsequently also threatened the Deputy U.S. Marshal.
Co-defendant Nathan Sergio Latimore, age 33, of Camp Springs, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to five robberies, including the three he committed with Thomas. On December 10, 2018, Judge Xinis sentenced Latimore to 10 years in federal prison.
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 FBI Cross-Border Task Force and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy F. Hagan, Jr. and Elizabeth G. Wright, who are prosecuting the case.
Federal Way Tax Preparer Convicted in Scheme to Prepare False Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
A 52-year-old Federal Way, Washington resident was convicted late yesterday of eight counts of aiding and assisting in preparing false income tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran. LINA PASTARS ran a tax preparation business out of her home and collected higher fees from customers by falsely inflating their deductions, so that her clients received a bigger refund. The jury deliberated about three hours following three days of testimony. Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2019.
According to testimony at trial and records filed in the case, the investigation of PASTARS began in 2015, when the IRS audited one of her clients whose 2012 tax return claimed more than $30,000 in unreimbursed business expenses. The clients claimed PASTARS has claimed the deductions without their knowledge. The IRS Scheme Development Center then began a review of returns prepared by PASTARS between 2012 and 2014 and discovered the returns had unreimbursed employee business expenses that far exceeded the average claims in the Puget Sound region. The statistical analysis revealed PASTARS claimed unreimbursed business expenses for clients that were three to four times the average claim.
On two different occasions in March and April 2015, undercover IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) agents went to PASTARS posing as clients for tax preparation. Both were very clear that they had no employee business expenses. They told PASTARS that all their expenses were reimbursed by their employers. Nevertheless, PASTARS claimed thousands of dollars in unreimbursed expenses so that the returns showed a refund. She increased the fee that she charged each undercover agent saying “If I do deduction I charge more.” Undercover audio and video of these exchanges were admitted into evidence and played for the jury.
As PASTARS deductions and promised refunds grew, so did her business. Most of her customers paid in cash – making her profit from the scheme difficult to trace. But based on those customers who paid by check or via an online payment system she went from 159 returns prepared in 2012 to 366 prepared in 2015. Over those same years her trackable income from tax prep increased ten-fold from $6,500 in 2012 to $65,470 in 2015. Those figures do not account for clients who paid in cash.
The statistical analysis of returns prepared by PASTARS between 2012 and 2015 reveal that she inflated the deductions for business expenses and charitable donations by as much as $4 million. Investigators will now calculate the tax loss for purposes of sentencing.
Aiding and assisting in preparation of false income tax returns is punishable by up to three years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Seungjae Lee and Michael Dion.
Federal Officials Close the Investigation into the Death of Terence CrutcherRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights charges against the Tulsa Police Department (TPD) officer involved in the fatal shooting of Terence Crutcher. Officials from the Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma met today with Mr. Crutcher’s family and their representatives to inform them of this decision. Mr. Crutcher was shot and killed during a confrontation with former TPD Officer Betty Shelby after he abandoned his vehicle in the middle of the roadway.
Following the shooting, a team of some of the department’s most experienced civil rights prosecutors and FBI agents conducted a comprehensive, independent review of the events surrounding the events of Sept. 16, 2016. Federal authorities examined all of the material and evidence in the State case generated by the TPD, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), and the Tulsa District Attorney’s Office (DAO), including witness statements, audio and video recordings, dispatch records, crime scene evidence, ballistics evidence, and medical reports. Following Officer Shelby’s acquittal in State court, the Department reviewed additional evidence presented during the trial and the trial transcripts. The FBI also enhanced video footage of the shooting in an effort to increase the Department’s ability to analyze the circumstances of the shooting.
The federal review sought to determine whether Shelby violated federal law by willfully using unreasonable force against Crutcher. Under the applicable federal criminal civil rights statute, prosecutors must establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a law enforcement officer willfully deprived an individual of a Constitutional right. To establish willfulness, federal authorities must show that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids. This is one of the highest standards of intent imposed by law. Mistake, misperception, negligence or poor judgment are not sufficient to establish a federal criminal civil rights violation.
After a careful and thorough review into the facts surrounding the shooting, federal investigators determined that there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt a violation of the federal statute. The evidence, when viewed as whole, is insufficient to establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Shelby’s use of force was “objectively unreasonable” under the Supreme Court’s definition, nor is the evidence sufficient to rebut her assertion that she fired in self-defense with the mistaken belief that Mr. Crutcher reached into his vehicle in order to retrieve a weapon. The evidence is also insufficient to establish that Officer Shelby acted with the specific intent to break the law.
Accordingly, the investigation into this incident has been closed. This decision is limited strictly to the Department’s inability to meet the high legal standard required to prosecute the case under the federal civil rights statute; it does not reflect an assessment of any other aspect of the shooting.
“The Department of Justice devoted significant resources to this investigation to ensure that a thorough review was undertaken. Attorneys from both the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney's Office worked closely with the FBI to examine the evidence and review applicable law,” said U.S. Attorney Shores. “Any allegation of law enforcement misconduct and willful deprivation of civil rights is taken seriously. However, the evidence in this case did not support pursuing criminal prosecution. Moving forward, I hope that citizens and law enforcement will continue to work together to better our community.”
The Justice Department is committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources required to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are fully and completely investigated. The Department aggressively prosecutes criminal civil rights violations whenever there is sufficient evidence to do so.
Federal Jury Finds Nashville Man Guilty of Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – March 1, 2019 – Jacquise Miller, aka, “Boo Boo,” 20, of Nashville, Tennessee, was convicted today, following a four-day trial in U.S. District Court, of possessing cocaine and marijuana with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to evidence and testimony at trial, in July 2017, Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) officers saw Miller get out of his car and leave it blocking an alley in the Cheatham Place Public Housing in North Nashville. After smelling marijuana coming from the car and seeing a marijuana cigarette in the ashtray, officers searched the car and discovered approximately $12,000 worth of cocaine, multiple bags of marijuana, digital scales, and a loaded semi-automatic handgun. Miller was later arrested by MNPD and a federal grand jury indicted Miller in November 2017.
Miller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life in prison, when he is sentenced later this year by U.S. District Court Judge Aleta A. Trauger.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department North Precinct Flex Team. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ahmed Safeeullah and Robert Levine prosecuted the case.
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Fall River Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The mother of an MCI-Cedar Junction inmate pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with smuggling drugs into the facility.
Margaret Guillemette, 58, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam. In September 2018, she was charged along with Chad Connors, 42, and William Guillemette, 39, both inmates at Massachusetts Correctional Institute – Cedar Junction (MCI-CJ) in South Walpole, and Lisa Guillemette, 42, also of Fall River. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled Margaret Guillemette’s sentencing for May 30, 2019.
According to the charging documents, Chad Connors and William Guillemette were inmates housed at MCI-CJ’s Departmental Disciplinary Unit (DDU). It is alleged that Connors was involved in a romantic relationship with a nurse assigned to the DDU. At Connors’ request, the nurse agreed to smuggle contraband, including controlled substances, into MCI-CJ. In order to do this, the nurse opened two P.O. Boxes through a third party. Connors sent letters and money to the nurse at these P.O. Boxes and, at William Guillemette’s direction, his wife, Lisa, and mother, Margaret, obtained and sent Suboxone and Alprazolam to the P.O. Boxes. The nurse subsequently smuggled the drugs into the DDU and delivered them to Connors. It is alleged that Connors and William Guillemette distributed the drugs to other inmates, who sent checks to Lisa and Margaret Guillemette as payment for the drugs. Suboxone and Alprazolam are Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances, respectively.
The nurse was previously charged and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam provide for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000 and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fairbanks Man Sentenced to Prison for Misapplying over $300,000 from Organization Receiving Federal FundsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a Fairbanks man has been sentenced to federal prison for willfully misapplying over $300,000 from an organization receiving federal funds, among other offenses.
David Michael McGraw, 39, of Fairbanks, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Beistline, to serve 18 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release. In October 2018, McGraw pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication from an organization receiving federal funds, and one count of making and subscribing a false return. McGraw paid restitution in full to the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council prior to sentencing, and was also ordered to pay $40,604 in restitution to the IRS.
According to court documents, from 2010 to 2014, McGraw was the Finance Director for the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council (“Watershed Council”), a nonprofit corporation formed to improve and preserve the water quality of the Yukon River and its watershed. During McGraw’s employment as the Financial Director, the organization received over $3.5 million in federal grant funds to address health, environmental and safety issues. The investigation revealed that McGraw intentionally misapplied approximately $315,000 from the Watershed Council for his personal benefit including, among other things, the purchase of an airplane, maintenance on the airplane, flight school for himself, the purchase of real estate, more than a dozen firearms, and online pornography fees.
The investigation further revealed that McGraw created two sham corporations to hide his embezzlement. Specifically, he intentionally misapplied funds by diverting money from the Watershed Council to two corporations set up at his direction – Clear Skies Aviation LLC and Interior Rentals LLC. McGraw used the money he diverted to these corporations to conceal the purchase of an airplane and real estate for himself using Watershed Council funds. Additionally, for the years 2011 to 2013, McGraw knowingly filed false personal income tax returns, which failed to disclose the business income he received from his criminal activity.
The IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), with assistance from the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (EPA OIG) and the National Science Foundation, Office of Inspector General (“NSF OIG”), conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward.
Former Mississippi Corrections Officer Sentenced to Five Years Imprisonment for Excessive ForceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Honorable Chief Judge Daniel P. Jordan III, of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, sentenced Defendant Reginald Laterry Brown, 27, a former Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) officer, to serve five years imprisonment for violating the civil rights of an inmate housed at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility (CMCF). Brown previously pled guilty on Nov. 16, 2018, to assaulting the victim, identified as L.H., by kicking him, stomping on him, and punching him. Brown’s assault resulted in bodily injury to L.H. and involved the use of a dangerous weapon. At the time of the incident, Brown was working as a corrections officer at CMCF in Rankin County, Mississippi.
“A correctional officer who inflicts cruel and unusual punishment on an inmate in his custody betrays the trust placed in those who hold positions of power and authority,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of every person and holding officers who break the law accountable.”
“This office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who betray their sacred oath and violate our criminal laws,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst of the Southern District of Mississippi. “I want to thank our prosecutors, DOJ trial attorneys, and the agents who brought this man to justice. Without their diligent effort, these ugly abuses may never have come to light and this defendant would not have been held accountable. An abuse of power is an abuse of our system, and such abuses will not be tolerated in this district.”
“When correctional officers fail to uphold their oath of office and the rights of those they are sworn to protect, it undermines the criminal justice system as a whole,” said Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi. “This sentencing should send a clear message that the FBI takes these allegations seriously, and that civil rights investigations remain a top priority for the FBI.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Jackson, Mississippi Field Office. Trial Attorney Julia Gegenheimer of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenda Haynes of Southern District of Mississippi prosecuted the case.
Elyria man indicted on child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
An Elyria man was indicted on child pornography charges.
Brian Louk, 58, was charged with receiving, distributing and possessing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Louk knowingly received and distributed numerous computer files which contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This took place between August 6 through December 10, 2018, according to the indictment.
The indictment also charges that on or about January 18, 2019, Louk possessed a computer that contained child pornography.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Skutnik following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Dominican National Sentenced for Federal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his role in a cocaine conspiracy.
Ricardo Ortega Vasquez, 42, a Dominican national residing in New York City, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to time-served (approximately 22 months) and three years of supervised release. Ortega Vasquez will be subject to deportation proceedings. In March 2018, Ortega Vasquez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine and to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute. Ortega Vasquez and four co-defendants, Vito Nuzzolilo and Kristin Little, both of Worcester; and Thomas Walker and Melissa Rock, both of Pemaquid, Maine, were indicted in July 2017.
According to court documents, Nuzzolilo ordered sizable quantities of heroin and cocaine from a New York-based supplier, and Ortega Vasquez transported cocaine from New York City to Nuzzolilo on behalf of the New York-based source of supply. On May 7, 2017, law enforcement seized more than a quarter-kilogram of cocaine from Ortega Vasquez in Worcester, shortly after Ortega Vasquez had taken a bus from New York City to Worcester.
In November 2017, Danielle Lloyd, 44, of Worcester, pleaded guilty to her role in this conspiracy and admitted to facilitating the shipment of heroin and cocaine from New York to Worcester on May 7, 2017, and another on April 25, 2017. Lloyd was sentenced by Judge Hillman on March 21, 2018, to time-served.
In November 2018, Walker was sentenced to 30 months in prison; in September 2018, Rock was sentenced to one year and one day in prison; and in June 2018, Little was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Nuzzolilo has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dominican National Charged with Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Boston – A Dominican national residing in Boston was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston on charges including identity theft.
Altagracia Baez Guerrero, 26, was indicted on one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. Baez Guerrero has been in federal immigration custody since Feb. 11, 2019.
According to the indictment, on March 14, 2016, Baez Guerrero falsely represented that a Social Security number was hers in an application for a learner’s permit at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
The charging statute for false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charging statute for aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra S. Bower of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing 12-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 32-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a five-year prison term for sexually abusing his 12-year-old daughter, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pled guilty in November 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of second-degree child sexual abuse. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon five-year prison term. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, the man will be required to register for 10 years as a sex offender and also complete five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 15, 2018, the victim was staying with her father at her uncle’s house. The victim was asleep on the bed with her brother. The defendant lay down behind her and sexually assaulted her. The victim “froze” while this was happening and tried to think of words to make it stop. She told the defendant to move, and she got off the bed and grabbed her phone and walked to the bathroom to call her mother. The defendant told her not to call her mother, but she called her and reported the abuse. The victim then called 911.
The defendant was arrested the same day and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, the Children’s Advocacy Center, and Children’s National Medical Center. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Supervisor Dr. Lorraine Chase, Victim/Witness Advocates Tracey Hawkins and Tracy Owusu, Paralegal Specialist Brenda Williams, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Suttenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the case.