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Thursday 28 February 2019
Page County Woman Sentenced for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced that on February 27, 2019, Devon Miller, age 28, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substances namely, Oxycodone, Adderall, and Hydrocodone, while in possession of a firearm. Miller was sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 66 months to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years.
On July 14, 2017, a Mills County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Miller. Miller did not have a driver’s license and provided a false name. Subsequent to her arrest, a search of the car located over 100 different pills, all of which were controlled substances. Located with the pills was a loaded .45 caliber handgun. An Investigation by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement found Miller was selling the pills in Southwest Iowa.
This case was investigated by the Mills County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Page County Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on February 27, 2019, Timothy Dean Curphey, age 35, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. Curphey was sentenced to 204 months in prison to be followed by a seven-year term of supervised release.
In April 2016, a concerned citizen presented a suspicious package to the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. Law enforcement examined the package, and discovered it had been sent from Mexico and contained methamphetamine disguised as candy. This investigation led to Curphey and others that had distributed over fifty pounds of methamphetamine in Southwest Iowa.
This case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Page County Sheriff’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office and Taylor County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
PROJECT CHARLESTON UPDATE: Federal Jury Finds Charleston Meth Dealer Guilty of Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A federal jury sitting in Charleston returned a guilty verdict today in the trial of a Kanawha County woman for distributing methamphetamine and conspiring to distribute at least 50 grams of methamphetamine.
“Project Charleston is working,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We have removed hundreds and hundreds of grams of meth from our city. In this case, more than 150 grams of methamphetamine were recovered in Charleston as a result of this operation. We are working with a sense of urgency to throw the drug dealers in prison and away from our families. West Virginia has paid too high a price due to the greed of those that prey on our communities. I want to commend the work of my prosecutors and MDENT officers for their work in this case. We are pleased that as a result of this verdict Charleston’s West Side will have one less meth dealer peddling poison on city streets.”
On June 18, 2018, Juanita Carrie Haynes, 54, of Charleston, sold about 3.5 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Based in part on that controlled purchase, police acquired a search warrant for the residence where the sale occurred. Officers executed that warrant on July 3, 2018, and recovered over 150 grams of methamphetamine.
Over the course of two days of testimony, witnesses for the United States described the extent of Haynes’ methamphetamine sales, most of which occurred out of a trailer located on Sissonville Road in Charleston. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury convicted Haynes on one count of distributing methamphetamine on June 18, 2018, and one count of conspiring to distribute more than fifty grams of methamphetamine in June and July of 2018.
Haynes faces a minimum of sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of forty years in prison when she is sentenced on May 31, 2019.
Haynes was one of several individuals arrested in November 2018 as a result of a long-term investigation into a drug trafficking organization on Charleston’s West Side.
The Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Monica D. Coleman and Matt Davis are in charge of the prosecution and tried the case before a federal jury. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr., presided over the trial.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Threatening Judge and AttorneyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on February 19, 2019, Andrew Simet, 41, of Omaha, was sentenced to nineteen months in prison by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey for Interstate Communication of a Threat. Simet was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term.
Simet entered a guilty plea to using social media, sending voice messages, and e-mails to an Iowa District Court Judge and an Iowa Public Defender that contained language that would knowingly be perceived as legitimate threats.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
New York Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York man was sentenced in federal court in Springfield yesterday for failing to register as a sex offender.
Jose Dones, 43, of Schenectady, N.Y., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to two years in prison and seven years of supervised release. In October 2018, Dones pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register as a sex offender. Dones received an additional six months in prison for violating the conditions of supervised release from a 2016 failure to register conviction. Dones has been in custody since his arrest on Jan. 10, 2018.
In 1994, Dones was convicted of second degree rape, and in 2008, he was convicted of forcible touching. As a result, Dones is required to register as a sex offender and has received many notices informing him of his obligation. He has been convicted four times in New York state court of failure to register as a sex offender, and in 2016, he was convicted in federal court in Massachusetts of failing to register as a sex offender.
In November 2017, Dones was released from a halfway house in Boston, and, while on supervised release in connection with his 2016 federal conviction, he lived in Boston without registering as a sex offender. In December 2017, he moved to Schenectady, N.Y., where he again failed to register.
United States Andrew E. Lelling and John Gibbons, United States Marshal for the District of Massachusetts, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Monongalia County woman admits to role in a drug distribution operation in Monongalia CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Haley Hunt, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to her involvement in a heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hunt, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility.” Hunt admitted to using a phone to help distribute a controlled substance in April 2018 in Monongalia County.Hunt faces up to four years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
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CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Haley Hunt, of Morgantown, West Virginia, has admitted to her involvement in a heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hunt, age 26, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility.” Hunt admitted to using a phone to help distribute a controlled substance in April 2018 in Monongalia County.Hunt faces up to four years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
he investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Methamphetamine Drug Trafficking Organization Leader and Three-Time Federally Convicted Felon SentencedRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida– U.S. District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced James Lester Calloway, Jr. (49, Jacksonville) to 24 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Calloway had pleaded guilty on September 12, 2018, his third federal felony conviction. Calloway was previously convicted in August 2010, in the Middle District of Florida, for conspiracy to manufacture 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, during the execution of a search warrant at Calloway’s home, DEA agents seized approximately 112 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a firearm, and $70,960 in cash. The total amount of pure/actual methamphetamine attributed to Calloway in the conspiracy was at least 4.5 kilograms.
Jason Jed Morris (51, Palatka), another member of the drug trafficking organization, previously pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Morris was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison. According to the plea agreement, Morris traveled to Jacksonville to meet with Calloway, his source of supply, and purchased 28.25 grams of methamphetamine (99% purity) in order to distribute it to his customers in the Palatka area.
Two other members of the drug trafficking organization have also been charged for their roles in this case. On January 9, 2019, Samuel Trevor Martin (36, Jacksonville) pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 15, 2019. Anthony Donta Jones (39, Atlanta, GA) has been charged with possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His case is scheduled for trial in April 2019.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, along with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Beatriz Gonzalez.
Meridian Man Pleads Guilty to Importation of Chemicals to Manufacture Synthetic Cannabinoid and Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Bilal Hamid Love, 35, of Meridian, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Bramlette III, to 168 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for importing the controlled substance AB-PINACA and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New Orleans.
On March 22, 2015, agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Postal Inspection Service found two packages that were coming from Hong Kong to a resident in Meridian, Mississippi. Inside the packages was AB-PINACA, a powder that is used in making synthetic cannabinoid. Love lives in Meridian and was also the manager at a local sporting goods store in Meridian. Agents searched the sporting goods store and found 3 firearms and numerous packages of synthetic cannabinoid for sale. Agents also searched Love’s home and found numerous items that are used in making synthetic cannabinoid, such as sprayers, AB-PINACA, flavoring, and dryers. Agents also found more firearms, cocaine and marijuana plants.
Love was charged in a multi-count federal indictment on March 7, 2018. He pled guilty on October 16, 2018.
The case was a joint investigation by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the East Mississippi Drug Task Force, the Mississippi State Crime Laboratory, and the United States Marshal Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
Members, Associates of Norteño Street Gang Charged in Heroin, Methamphetamine Drug CaseRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Thirty-three members and associates of the Norteño street gang allegedly responsible for distributing drugs around the Salt Lake City area are facing federal charges in recently unsealed complaints filed in federal court. During the investigation, agents seized methamphetamine and heroin headed to Salt Lake City from drug cartels in Mexico and drug proceeds from Utah headed south to cartels in Mexico.
U.S. Attorney for Utah John W. Huber, DEA District Agent in Charge Brian S. Besser, ATF Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston, IRS-Criminal Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Tyler R. Hatcher, Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera, and U.S. Marshal Matt Harris announced the charges today. The Salt Lake Area Metro Gang Unit assisted with the case.
The arrests in this case follow a coordinated investigation involving federal and local law enforcement partners, including the ATF, the DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Salt Lake Area Metro Gang Unit, the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service’s VFASTTwenty-seven individuals are charged in one complaint. Six other individuals are charged in five separate complaints.
The charges are the result of an investigation that started in June 2018 when the Metro Gang Unit and the ATF began targeting drug and firearms trafficking activities of Salt Lake City gang members, specifically Norteños. DEA joined the investigation in August 2018, according to the complaint.
As noted in the complaint, gang investigators documented Utah’s first Norteño group in the mid-1980s, followed by several other sub-sets in the early 1990s. Unaligned or independent street gangs began associating under the Norteño umbrella in the early 2000s. According to the complaint, the Salt Lake Valley has approximately 10 active Norteño sub-sets, with approximately 100-150 active Norteño gang members. Norteños in the Salt Lake Valley have been responsible for drive-by shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies, and homicides, the complaint says.
As a part of this proactive investigation, agents used court-authorized investigative tools to learn that Joe Gomez aka Norte Joe, age 32, and Denny Kandt aka Casper, age 41, were working with Mexican drug cartel members to distribute drugs originating from cartels in Mexico in and around the Salt Lake Valley, the complaint alleges.
The complaint alleges Gomez received shipments of methamphetamine and heroin sent by Mexico-based drug traffickers identified as Pedro LNU (Last Name Unknown) and Luis LNU and a Los Angeles-based drug trafficker referred to as UM4192 in the complaint.
The complaint also alleges Kandt, a Salt Lake City-based drug trafficker, supplied Gomez with methamphetamine. Gomez and Kandt supplied drugs to various Salt Lake City-based sub-distributors. Other Salt Lake City distributors, on occasion, supplied Gomez with drugs, the complaint alleges.
During the investigation and the execution of search warrants at several locations, agents seized approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine, 2 pounds of heroin, and more than 19 firearms.Investigators have identified 26 distributors or couriers involved in Gomez’s organization. Many of these distributors are known gang members or gang affiliates. Many are associated with sub-sets of the Norteño gang.
Throughout the investigation, agents intercepted communications indicating that representatives for the Mexico-based drug traffickers stayed at Gomez’s residence, while drugs were being distributed, to ensure that proceeds were collected and turned over to Pedro LNU and Luis LNU. Agents conducted a number of controlled drug purchases from Gomez and Kandt.
During the course of the investigation, agents seized both drugs and money from this alleged drug trafficking organization. Agents have seized drug proceeds headed to cartels in Mexico, as well as heroin and methamphetamine headed to Salt Lake County originating from cartels in Mexico.
For example, during the investigation, agents learned that on October 17, 2018, Gomez sent Jessica Rice and Angel Cordova to Los Angeles to pick up 20 pounds of methamphetamine and half a kilogram of heroin provided by Pedro LNU sand Luis LNU. Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, agents seized this delivery of 20 pounds of methamphetamine and a half-kilogram of heroin. Gomez received drug quantities of this level with some regularity throughout the investigative time period, sometimes on a monthly basis.
On another occasion, agents seized drug proceeds in the form of cash that was destined to arrive in the hands of the Mexican cartel. Some $19,820 in drug proceeds were interdicted on November 1, 2018, near Nephi, Utah. Investigators believe these seizures represent a fraction of the drug trafficking carried out by Gomez and his associates during the course of this investigation.
The complaint alleges the defendants were engaged in a typical drug trafficking scheme involving:
- Importation of drugs from Mexico into the United States
- Transportation of drugs to a destination area (Salt Lake City)
- Distribution of drugs to a re-distributors who distribute the drugs throughout the community
- Collection and transportation of drug proceeds
27 DEFENDANTS CHARGED IN US v GOMEZ, ET AL CONSPIRACY COMPLAINT
Count 1: Conspiracy to distribute Methamphetamine
Potential sentence of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum, $10 million fine, and 5 years of supervised release
(These individuals are charged in both conspiracy counts)
Joe Gomez aka Norte Joe, age 32
Denny Kandt aka Casper, age 41
Leticia Chidester, age 48
Trevor Marsh, age 55
Jessica Rice, age 43
Angel Trudy Cordova,age 37
David Calderon aka Menace, age 29
Joshua Lee Kendall aka Criminal, age 32
Melquiadez Ramirez aka Thumper, age 26
Michele Vincent Gatti aka Mike, age 45
Sulayman Sarr aka Africa, age 32
Zachariah Matthew Coles aka Zig Zag, age 43
Lisa Nicole Valdez Garcia, age 31
Steven Edward Manolito, age 32
Patrick Austin, age 50
Danial Movahhed aka Maniac, age 32
Jerry Lewis Jackson, age 56
Mark Russell Cordova, age 36
Tony Devaughn Linam aka Hoodlum, age 36
David Soto-Acosta aka Droops, age 23
Nicholas Dean MacNeil aka Nico, age 28
Ashley Marie Rodriquez, age 30
Roy Pearson, age 42
Dee Dee Cordova, age 47
(These two individuals are charged in this count only)
Sarah Ruth Gordon, age 31
Mayra Alejandra Gomez, age 35
Count 2: Conspiracy to distribute heroin
Potential sentence of life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum, $10 million fine, and 5 years of supervised release
(These individuals are charged in both conspiracy counts)
Joe Gomez aka Norte Joe, age 32
Denny Kandt aka Casper, age 41
Leticia Chidester, age 48
Trevor Marsh, age 55
Jessica Rice, age 43
Angel Trudy Cordova,age 37
David Calderon aka Menace, age 29
Joshua Lee Kendall aka Criminal, age 32
Melquiadez Ramirez aka Thumper, age 26
Michele Vincent Gatti aka Mike, age 45
Sulayman Sarr aka Africa, age 32
Zachariah Matthew Coles aka Zig Zag, age 43
Lisa Nicole Valdez Garcia, age 31
Steven Edward Manolito, age 32
Patrick Austin, age 50
Danial Movahhed aka Maniac, age 32
Jerry Lewis Jackson, age 56
Mark Russell Cordova, age 36
Tony Devaughn Linam aka Hoodlum, age 36
David Soto-Acosta aka Droops, age 23
Nicholas Dean MacNeil aka Nico, age 28
Ashley Marie Rodriquez, age 30
Roy Pearson, age 42
Dee Dee Cordova, age 47
(This individual is charged in this count only)
Colton McBride aka Lil Bandit, age 26
SIX INDIVIDUALS CHARGED IN FIVE INDIVIDUAL COMPLAINTS
Rudy Garcia aka Rascal, age 29, is charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of firearm. He faces up to 40 years in prison for the drug count with a five-year mandatory minimum and up to 10 years for the firearm count.
Billie Len Collins, age 34, is charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine. She faces up to 40 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence.
Davis Toki aka T-Down, age 38, is charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine. He faces up to 40 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence.
Rex Myers aka Lazy, age 39, is charged in a complaint with felon in possession of a firearm. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Travis Benjamin Torres aka Shorty, age 41, and Tessie Shallamar Montoya, age 37, are charged in a complaint with distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm. They face up to 40 years in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence for the drug count. The firearm count has a potential 10 years sentence.
(Indictments will being filed in these five cases later today.)
Arrest warrants are pending for Coles and Jackson. Austin, Dee Dee Cordova, Mayra Alejandra Gomez and Sarr have been released. All other defendants are in custody pending trial.
The defendants are from the Salt Lake County area.
Complaints are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Member of the Violent “Murdaland Mafia Piru” Bloods Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Drug ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Devon Dent, age 28, of Baltimore, Maryland pleaded guilty on February 27, 2019, to racketeering and drug conspiracies related to his participation in the gang activities of the Murdaland Mafia Piru (MMP), a subset of the Bloods gang. As part of his gang activities, Dent admitted that he distributed crack cocaine for the gang and that he was present when a MMP co-defendant attempted to kill a victim outside a Baltimore nightclub, shooting that person multiple times in the head and torso.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Acting Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
According to Dent’s plea agreement and court documents, MMP, also known as the “Mob” or “Mobsters,” is a violent subset of the Bloods gang that operates in Maryland and elsewhere. MMP was modeled after the Italian Mafia, and was organized hierarchically, with “the Don” at the top and various “Bosses,” “Underbosses,” “Capos,” “Lieutenants,” and “Mobsters” underneath. For many years, MMP has controlled the drug trade in large swaths of Northwest Baltimore City and neighboring Baltimore County, including Forest Park, Windsor Mill, Gwynn Oak, Howard Park, Woodlawn, and Walbrook Junction. The gang’s drug shop in the 5200 block of Windsor Mill Road was particularly lucrative due to its close proximity to Interstate 70, and it frequently attracted drug customers driving from Western Maryland and neighboring states. MMP’s members enriched themselves through drug trafficking and other criminal activities, and using violence and threats of violence to intimidate or retaliate against witnesses, protect the gang’s territories, enforce debts, and eliminate rivals.
Dent admits that he was a member of MMP and participated in the gang’s affairs through a pattern of racketeering activities, including murder, extortion, robbery, witness tampering and retaliation, money laundering, and drug distribution. Specifically, Dent admits that on October 15, 2012, he was present when a co-defendant attempted to murder a victim, shooting him multiple times in the head and torso with a .45 caliber firearm outside Club Mirage in downtown Baltimore. A closed-circuit television camera captured the incident, and showed Dent arriving at Club Mirage with four other MMP members, including one who was wearing a red shirt with the words “MOBB SQUAD” on the back and filmed the victim with a tablet device shortly before the shooting.
On November 4, 2012, Dent possessed with intent to distribute roughly 12 grams of heroin and 21 grams of crack cocaine, as well as MMP paperwork. The paperwork detailed the history and structure of the gang, as well as certain rules of conduct, including that “retaliation is a must,” and that “co-operation with authorities that lead[s] to incriminating others” is punishable by death.
On April 15 and April 22, 2015, Dent distributed crack cocaine on Gwynn Oak Avenue to an undercover officer who was wearing an audio-video recording device.
Including Dent, twenty of twenty-six defendants have pleaded guilty in the case. Trial is tentatively scheduled to begin on March 18, 2019 for the remaining defendants.
Dent and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Dent will be sentenced to between 10 and 15 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has not yet scheduled sentencing for Dent.
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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur praised the ATF, the Baltimore City and Baltimore County Police Departments, and the Baltimore City and Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Hoffman and Lauren E. Perry, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Marstons Mills Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal grand jury in Boston indicted a Marstons Mills man today on charges of distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography.
Steven Carme, 30, was indicted on one count of distribution of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. Earlier this month, Carme was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and released on conditions.
According to the charging documents, on Feb. 5, 2019, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Carme’s residence, where they seized a laptop computer, an external hard drive, and an iPhone X. An onsite forensic review of the external hard drive revealed hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
The charges of distribution and receipt of child pornography each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison. Each charge also provides for a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime 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; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Barnstable Police Chief Matthew Sonnabend made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
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.
Man with Violent History Involving Guns Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A convicted felon and domestic abuser who possessed a gun during a domestic incident was sentenced February 26, 2019, to the maximum sentence allowed, ten years in federal prison.
Kenneth Lamont Sanders, age 38, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 13, 2018, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Sanders was prohibited from possessing guns because he was a convicted felon and domestic abuser.
Evidence presented at an earlier hearing showed Sanders was in an argument with his then-girlfriend when a minor in the residence heard her yelling “Put the gun down! Put the gun down!” After police arrived on the scene, they recovered a gun in the couch at the residence. The girlfriend had visible injuries to her face and neck. During sentencing, the judge found that Sanders obstructed justice by trying to influence the testimony of the victim.
Sanders’s criminal history includes an adjudication for murder when he shot and killed another male. Sanders’s history also includes convictions for battery, aggravated unlawful use of weapons, carrying weapons, domestic assault, domestic battery, aggravated assault, battery, criminal mischief, interference with official acts, assault, assault of a peace officer, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, possession of cocaine, resisting a peace officer, and numerous alcohol-related offenses. Both the prior domestic battery and the domestic assault convictions involved guns.
Sanders was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Sanders was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. This was the maximum sentence allowed by law. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Sanders is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily K. Nydle and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1025.
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Malden Man Sentenced for Defrauding EmployerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to defraud his employer, a large facilities services company with offices in the Greater Boston area.
Vence Pires, 58, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Rya W. Zobel to one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release and restitution to be determined at a later date. In July 2018, Pires pleaded guilty one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Co-defendant Lou Amaral, 52, also of Malden, pleaded guilty on July 9, 2018, to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of money laundering and one count of tax evasion. Amaral is awaiting sentencing.
Pires and Amaral worked for the same facilities services company in the Greater Boston area. Amaral was the supervisor of the Special Services Department, and as such, he had the ability to hire employees and to contract with third-parties to provide temporary labor. Pires was an account manager who worked for Amaral in Special Services. Amaral first began taking bribes from a temporary labor company in order to steer contracts to that company. In 2014, Amaral opened up his own temporary labor company and, with the help of Pires, awarded himself the temporary labor contracts. Through this scheme, Amaral made approximately $10 million in revenue over a three-year period, resulting in harm to his employer of more than $4 million.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Lower Brule Man Charged with Burglary, Larceny, and Aiding and AbettingRead 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 First Degree Burglary, Larceny, and Aiding and Abetting.
Alan Thompson, Jr., age 23, was indicted on February 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 20, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 25 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 May 25, 2017, Thompson entered an occupied structure at night with another individual with the intent to commit larceny and stole personal property that had a value in excess of $1,000.
The charges are merely accusations and Thompson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Thompson was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has been set for April 30, 2019.
Long Island Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening to Assault and Murder Two United States SenatorsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Ronald DeRisi pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco to threatening to assault and murder United States senators in retaliation for their support of the nomination and confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. When sentenced, DeRisi faces up to 10 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement with the government, DeRisi will forfeit two rifles to the United States.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of Police, United States Capitol Police, announced the guilty plea.
“This defendant threatened to assault and murder two sitting United States senators in an effort to intimidate them and interfere with their performance of official duties,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Ours is a system of laws – not threats – and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute those who seek to undermine the integrity of our constitutional system through violence.” Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to the United States Capitol Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Suffolk County Police Department for their investigative work and assistance in the case.
“The mission of the United States Capitol Police is to protect the Congress, the U.S. Capitol, and all who work and visit here. I want to thank our investigators for their excellent work as well as our law enforcement partners and Mr. Donoghue and his staff for bringing this investigation and trial to this satisfactory conclusion,” stated U.S. Capitol Police Chief Verderosa.
In September and October of 2018, DeRisi telephoned and left more than 10 threatening voice-messages at the offices of two United States senators in connection with the nomination and confirmation of Justice Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. When DeRisi was arrested on October 19, 2018, members of law enforcement recovered the prepaid cellular telephone that had been used to make the threatening calls, as well as live ammunition during the execution of a search warrant.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Justina L. Geraci is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
Ronald DeRisi
Age: 74
Smithtown, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-090 (JFB)
Liberty Felon Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms and Methamphetamine Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jevon Chrzanowski, age 44, of Liberty, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute 50 Grams or More of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain, of Anderson, sentenced Chrzanowski to 180 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search warrant at Chrzanowski’s residence and located: a 16 gauge shotgun; a .380 caliber pistol; a 12 gauge shotgun; over 50 grams of methamphetamine; $2,400; and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
The case was investigated by Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, SLED, DEA, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation 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 Jamie Lea Schoen of the Charleston office prosecuted the case.
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Law Enforcement Officials Announce Recent Results in Effort to Reduce Violent Crime in LexingtonRead the Press Release
Statistics Reveal Meaningful Drop in Violent Crime Reported during 2018
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Law enforcement officials announced today the results of coordinated efforts to reduce violent crime in Lexington, during 2018.
According to statistics recently released by the Lexington Police Department, violent crime in Lexington decreased by 13% in 2018, compared to 2017. This decrease included declines in homicides (down 21%), robberies (down 21%), aggravated assaults (down 11%), and shootings (down 23%). Additionally, shots fired calls decreased by 9%.
In January 2018, U.S. Attorney Robert M. Duncan, Jr.; Fayette Commonwealth’s Attorney Lou Anna Red Corn; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Stuart Lowrey, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Louisville Field Division; Fayette County Sheriff Kathy Witt; and other local, state and federal law enforcement partners, including FBI and DEA, announced the creation of the Fayette County Violent Crime Task Force, a joint effort to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in Lexington. The Task Force was formed as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, which focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and coordinates with locally based prevention and reentry programs in an effort to achieve lasting reductions in crime.
“These results indicate that our law enforcement partnerships have been effective,” said U.S. Attorney Duncan. “They validate a valuable enforcement strategy moving forward and have led to the arrest and prosecution of numerous violent offenders. That benefits not only Lexington, but the entire Central Kentucky community. Through our collective efforts, I believe we are making a difference.”
“I especially commend the men and women of the Lexington Police Department for their outstanding work in helping to reduce violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Duncan. “Daily, these officers put their lives at risk to enforce the law and help keep our community safe. We are proud to partner with them.”
Mayor Linda Gorton said thanks to the work of the law enforcement community, Lexington is one of the safest cities of its size in the country. “We are happy that our overall numbers are declining,” Gorton said. “We know there’s more work to do, but we are moving in the right direction.”
“Across the department, each officer understands the importance of collaborative, proactive police work in identifying criminal offenders, especially those with guns and illegal narcotics. We can’t do this work alone,” Chief Weathers said. “Addressing crime trends is a never-ending process. From neighborhood meetings to strategic public safety task forces, we’ll continue to look for engaging and innovative methods to prevent crime from occurring and to hold criminals accountable.”
“Our Lexington Police Officers deserve much of the credit,” said Commonwealth’s Attorney Red Corn. “The sharing of resources between local and federal partners has truly enhanced investigations and helped build successful prosecutions.”
“ATF strives to be ‘no better partner’ to other law enforcement agencies,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey of the Louisville Field Division. “During the past year, ATF and these agencies investigated illegal sources of crime guns and persons who illegally possessed or used guns to commit violent crimes in the Lexington area. Together, we pursued ‘traffickers and trigger pullers’ with every resource, including new ballistic technology and other crime gun intelligence to disrupt the shooting cycle. ATF and these efforts support the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods in making our communities safer for everyone.”
“The Fayette County Violent Crime Task Force is a force multiplier,” said Special Agent in Charge James Robert Brown, Jr., of the FBI’s Louisville Field Division. “The Task Force focused its efforts towards one goal - reducing violent crime. It is working.
Seeing ATF Agents, FBI Agents, and DEA Agents work side by side with the Lexington Police Department and other agencies has been remarkable to witness.”“The success of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all the law enforcement professionals in the region working in a truly collaborative fashion,” said D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent in-Charge of DEA’s Louisville Field Division. "We could not ask for a better group of professionals to work with toward the shared goal of reducing violent crime in our communities around Lexington and throughout Central Kentucky.”
Fayette County Violent Crime Task Force
Participants in the Fayette County Violent Task Force developed investigations of violent offenders and significant drug traffickers, resulting in the prosecution of 88 defendants in 2018 (44 defendants in state court, and 44 defendants in federal court). Here are a few examples of successful prosecutions:
U.S. v. Andre Stackhouse - In January 2018, detectives with the Lexington Police Department executed a search warrant at Stackhouse’s Lexington residence, locating 244 grams of a heroin/fentanyl mix and two firearms. Stackhouse was arrested and admitted to the distribution of heroin and to possessing the firearms for protection during his drug trafficking. Stackhouse has six prior felony convictions, including drug trafficking, from Chicago.
Stackhouse pleaded guilty and on December 8, 2018, was sentenced to 190 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to a term of 8 years of supervised release.
U.S. v. Davion Bledsoe - On April 17, 2018, Bledsoe fled from police and was involved in an injury collision. During a search of Bledsoe’s vehicle officers located distribution amounts of heroin and crack cocaine, scales, and a handgun. The substances were submitted for testing and were found to contain 8.9 grams of heroin and 18.896 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine). The firearm was a pistol that was reported stolen from Fayette County in February 2018. On September 4, 2018, Bledsoe pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and crack cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On January 14, 2019, Bledsoe was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, and 5 years of supervised release.
Commonwealth v. William Dixon: After observing a vehicle roll through a stop sign, Lexington patrol officers attempted a traffic stop. The vehicle fled, then the occupants jumped out of the vehicle and ran. One of the occupants, Dixon, threw down heroin, cocaine and a handgun as he ran. When arrested, Dixon has over $1,000 in cash. Dixon had been previously convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a convicted felon. At trial, a Fayette County jury convicted Dixon of Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, Tampering with Physical Evidence, and Fleeing/Evading Police. He was sentenced to ten years in prison in June of 2018.
Commonwealth v. Rodney Bell: Bell, who was on parole, was found to be in possession of cocaine, Xanax bars, and over $8,000 during a home visit by parole officers. Criminal records show he has prior convictions for Trafficking in a Controlled Substance, Fleeing/Evading Police, and Tampering with Physical Evidence. He pled guilty to Trafficking in a Controlled Substance and Tampering with Physical Evidence and was sentenced to serve five years in prison in June of 2018.
Operation Triple Beam – Bourbon Trail
Additionally, personnel from the United States Marshals Service, the Kentucky State Police, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Lexington Police Department, and other law enforcement agencies participated in Operation Triple Beam – Bourbon Trail Initiative (OTB-Bourbon Trail). OTB-Bourbon Trail was a three-month law enforcement initiative that focused on reducing crime in central Kentucky cities, including Lexington, by identifying and arresting violent fugitives, collecting intelligence, and removing individuals who had committed – and were committing – crimes from the community.
OTB-Bourbon Trail was operational from October 15, 2018 to December 14, 2018. During that time, law enforcement arrested 132 defendants (including several wanted for crimes in other states), seized quantities of illegal drugs (including fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana), and recovered 37 firearms. U.S. Attorney Duncan and United States Marshal Norman Arflack jointly announced the results of this additional initiative.
“Operation Triple Beam is a nationwide initiative supported by the U.S. Marshals service,” said Marshal Arflack. “We in the Eastern District of Kentucky are extremely grateful for the support we received from the U.S. Attorney’s office, Kentucky State Police, Lexington Police Department and all other local agencies who worked in collaboration to make this operation one of the most successful in the nation. I am certain that this initiative has made great strides in providing a safer environment for the citizens of Fayette and surrounding counties.”
KSP Commissioner Rick Sanders offered accolades for the successful partnerships that culminated with multiple arrests. “It’s not about who gets the credit, it’s about coming together as law enforcement officers to reduce violent crimes in our communities” said Commissioner Sanders. “That is exactly what these agencies did and we will continue to do in the future.”
Community Outreach and Engagement
In addition to enforcement efforts aimed at removing the most violent offenders from our streets, law enforcement personnel have engaged in community outreach and education. “Our law enforcement partnerships have helped remove several violent offenders from our communities, while also helping to improve existing community relationships and create new ones,” said Chief Weathers. “This helps build trust and government accountability by letting everyone know that we are serious about public safety.”
“We all recognize that enforcement alone is not enough, and sustained success requires a comprehensive approach,” added U.S. Attorney Duncan. “As prosecutors, holding offenders accountable is always our first priority, which usually means incarceration in gun violence cases,” emphasized Commonwealth’s Attorney Red Corn. “But we are also very involved in prevention, intervention, and re-entry work. PSN’s partnership with the city’s ONE LEX initiative has resulted in the sharing of useful information with offenders re-entering the community, including information about the city and community resources available to them, such as library services, mental health services, and potential employment opportunities.”
“Combatting violent crime is a cornerstone priority of the Department of Justice and of our Office, said U.S. Attorney Duncan. While we are proud of the work we have done alongside our partners, we recognize there is more to do. We are committed to carrying our efforts forward, in 2019 and beyond.”
Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Lanny Chris Carroll Sentenced to Serve 90 Months in Prison for Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – On February 28, 2019, Lanny Chris Carroll, 53, of Morristown, Tennessee, was sentenced by the Honorable Leon Jordan, Senior U.S. District Court Judge, to serve 90 months in federal prison.
Carroll pleaded guilty in August 2018 to being a felon in possession of a firearm. On February 13, 2018, officers with the Morristown Police Department were dispatched to a domestic violence call. They encountered Carroll attempting to enter a residence where his wife and her elderly father lived. His wife later advised police Carroll had called and threatened to kill her prior to arriving at the residence. After officers ordered him to stop and show his hands, Carroll drew a loaded Walther semi-automatic pistol from his waistband. Officers with the Morristown Police Department shot Carroll in the chest.
Carroll had been convicted of at least six felony offences in Hamblen County Criminal Court at the time of this crime.
“The U.S. Attorney’s office will not tolerate armed violence against police officers. We will continue to work with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners and the state district attorneys, using every tool and asset available, to ensure that violent criminals like Carroll are prosecuted and the threat they pose to the police and public is eliminated,” said U.S. Attorney J. Douglas Overbey.
Agencies involved in this investigation included the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Morristown Police Department, Third Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Robert M. Reeves, Assistant U.S. Attorney, represented the United States in court proceedings.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
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Kokomo Man ChargedRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE –A federal grand jury on February 27, 2019 returned a six count superseding indictment against Bradley M. Cox, 28, of Kokomo, Indiana, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to documents in this case, Mr. Cox allegedly gained access to a Facebook account which belonged to another person and then posed as the creator of that Facebook account to exchange explicit images with the owner of another Facebook account. Cox then threatened to publicly release the sexual pictures that the owner of that Facebook account sent to him unless the owner of that Facebook account gave Cox access to that Facebook account. Cox was given access to the second Facebook account, in which he found images depicting nude or partially nude individuals and sexually explicit material. Cox then contacted individuals depicted in that material and threatened to publicly release the nude, partially nude or sexually explicit images he had of them unless they agreed to give him additional nude, partially nude and/or sexually explicit photos and/or videos.
The superseding indictment alleges three counts of extortion; two counts of production or attempted production of child pornography; and one count of receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography. Mr. Cox has been detained pending trial since September of 2018 when he was initially charged with production of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Children are among our most vulnerable and innocent victims. My office will always aggressively prosecute cases that involve crimes against children. Cases such as this one, that allege the extortion of nude images, are particularly worthy of prosecution. I commend the FBI and local and county law enforcement agencies that worked hard and quickly to solve this crime.”
“This investigation highlights the tenacity and expertise of the FBI’s Crimes Against Children Task Force and was a top priority to be quickly resolved,” said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. “Mr. Cox’s alleged victimization of these individuals is reprehensible and won’t be tolerated."
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons are presumed innocent until, and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI with the assistance of the Rochester and Peru, Indiana Police Departments along with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Nokes.
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Kingsmen President and Nomad, Convicted by a Federal Jury of Murder and Racketeering, Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
A leader and member of the Kingsmen Motorcycle Club (KMC) who committed execution style murders were sentenced for their roles in a major racketeering operation that involved violence and murder.
David Pirk, 68, KMC National President, and Andre Jenkins, aka Little Bear, 40, a “nomad” which performed the role of “enforcer” within the KMC, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to serve three consecutive life terms plus 10 years in prison for their convictions following a four-month jury trial of RICO conspiracy, possession of firearms in furtherance of crime of violence, murder in aid of racketeering, possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, using and maintaining premises for drug dealing and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jenkins was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pirk and Jenkins resided in Eustis, Florida prior to going to prison.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. for the Western District of New York, Special Agent in Charge Kevin Kelly of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo and Special Agent in Charge Gary Loeffert of FBI Buffalo Field Office made the announcement.
“While their roles within the brutally violent Kingsmen Motorcycle Club may have been different, David Pirk and Andre Jenkins today share the same well-deserved fate: a lengthy prison sentence for ordering and carrying out the execution of two fellow gang members, among other serious crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Outlaw motorcycle gangs like the Kingsmen pose a significant threat to the safety and security of our communities, and I applaud the efforts of our prosecutors and our federal and local law enforcement partners in bringing these violent criminals to justice.”
“Through this prosecution, both the national president, who ordered the executions, as well as the trigger pulling member of an outlaw motorcycle club were finally brought to justice and held accountable for two senseless murders,” said U.S. Attorney Kennedy. “Those murders, together with numerous depraved and heinous acts of violence committed by defendants and others in the club, justify the sentences imposed and fittingly demonstrate that the defendants’ quest to become “1 percenters” ultimately cost them 100 percent of their freedom for 100 percent of the rest of their lives.”
“These life sentences handed down today are a clear and concise message that this criminal organization will be held accountable for their unruly and unjust actions” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Kelly. “HSI is committed to protecting the public and working with its law enforcement partners to combat organizations such as these.”
“Violent groups--whether a neighborhood street gang or a violent motorcycle gang--don't belong in our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Loeffert. “Our thoughts are with the Maue and Szymanski families today, and all those who have been impacted by the violence committed under the Kingsmen colors over the years.”
According to evidence presented by the government at trial, beginning in 2013, certain KMC members, including defendant David Pirk, wanted to establish the KMC as a one percent club. The one percent refers to a previous statement by a representative of the American Motorcycle Association that 99 percent of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens with the remaining one percent engaged in certain activities such as drug and firearm trafficking and acts of violence. The defendants, and others, participated in, directly and indirectly, acts of murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering.
According to evidence presented at trial, acts of violence committed by the KMC include:
- In September 2014, Pirk told defendant Jenkins to “take care of it.” This was in reference to KMC members Paul Maue and Daniel “DJ” Szymanski who were murdered behind the North Tonawanda KMC Chapter clubhouse on Sept. 6, 2014;
- On June 7, 2013, KMC forcibly shut down the Springville Chapter and strip members of their colors because they were non-compliant members. Brandishing firearms, KMC members struck a victim in the head with a blunt object and stole items from the Springville clubhouse. They then used bleach to clean areas where the victim bled and cut and removed portions of the rug, which contained blood; and
- On Sept. 12, 2009, a female victim was punched repeatedly in the face by a KMC member and then held against her will for three days to conceal her facial injuries from police.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assisting in the investigation were the FBI Knoxville, Tennessee and Jacksonville, Florida Field Offices; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office; the Buffalo Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the New York State Police; the Olean Police Department; the Lancaster Police Department; the Amherst Police Department; the Town of Tonawanda Police Department; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police; the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department; the Hamburg Police Department; the North Tonawanda Police Department and the Niagara County Sheriff's Office. Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Tripi and Brendan Cullinane for the Western District of New York prosecuted the case.
Kingsmen President and Nomad, Convicted by A Federal Jury of Murder and Racketeering, Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, NY – One Kingsmen Motorcycle Club (KMC) leader and member who committed execution style murders were sentenced for their roles in a major racketeering operation that involved violence and murder.
David Pirk, 68, KMC National President, and Andre Jenkins, aka Little Bear, 40, a “nomad” which performed the “muscle” within the KMC, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to serve life in prison for their convictions following a four-month jury trial of RICO conspiracy, possession of firearms in furtherance of crime of violence, murder in aid of racketeering, possession and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, using and maintaining premises for drug dealing and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jenkins was also convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pirk and Jenkins resided in Florida prior to going to prison.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. for the Western District of New York, Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo, and Special Agent in Charge Gary Loeffert of the FBI Buffalo Field Office made the announcement.
“While their roles within the brutally violent Kingsmen Motorcycle Club may have been different, David Pirk and Andre Jenkins today share the same well-deserved fate: a lengthy prison sentence for ordering and carrying out the execution of two fellow gang members, among other serious crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Outlaw motorcycle gangs like the Kingsmen pose a significant threat to the safety and security of our communities, and I applaud the efforts of our prosecutors and our federal and local law enforcement partners in bringing these violent criminals to justice.”
“Through this prosecution, both the national president, who ordered the executions, as well as the trigger pulling member of an outlaw motorcycle club were finally brought to justice and held accountable for two senseless murders,” noted United States Attorney Kennedy. “Those murders, together with numerous depraved and heinous acts of violence committed by defendants and others in the club, justify the sentences imposed and fittingly demonstrate that defendants’ quest to become “1 percenters” ultimately cost them 100% of their freedom for 100% of the rest of their lives.”
“These life sentences handed down today are a clear and concise message that this criminal organization will be held accountable for their unruly and unjust actions” said HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly. “HSI is committed to protecting the public and working with its law enforcement partners to combat organizations such as these.”
“Violent groups--whether a neighborhood street gang or a violent motorcycle gang--don't belong in our communities,” said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert. “Our thoughts are with the Maue and Szymanski families today, and all those who have been impacted by the violence committed under the Kingsmen colors over the years.”
According to court documents and evidence presented by the government at trial, beginning in 2013, certain KMC members, including defendant David Pirk, wanted to establish the KMC as a one percent club. The one percent refers to a previous statement by a representative of the American Motorcycle Association that 99 percent of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens with the remaining one percent engaged in certain activities such as drug and firearm trafficking and acts of violence. The defendants, and others, participated in, directly and indirectly, acts of murder, assault, robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering.Acts of violence committed by the KMC include:
• In September 2014, Pirk told defendant Jenkins to “take care of it.” This was in reference to KMC members Paul Maue and Daniel “DJ” Szymanski who were murdered behind the North Tonawanda KMC Chapter clubhouse on Sept. 6, 2014;
• On June 7, 2013, KMC forcibly shut down the Springville Chapter and strip members of their colors because they were non-compliant members. Brandishing firearms, KMC members struck a victim in the head with a blunt object and stole items from the Springville clubhouse. They then used bleach to clean areas where the victim bled and cut and removed portions of the rug, which contained blood; and
• On September 12, 2009, a female victim was punched repeatedly in the face by a KMC member and then held against her will for three days to conceal her facial injuries from police.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force. Assisting in the investigation were the FBI Knoxville, Tennessee and Jacksonville, Florida Field Offices; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; the North Tonawanda Police Department; the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office; the Erie County Sheriff’s Office; the Buffalo Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the New York State Police; the Olean Police Department; the Lancaster Police Department; the Amherst Police Department; the Town of Tonawanda Police Department; the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police; the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Department; and the Hamburg Police Department. Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Tripi and Brendan Cullinane for the Western District of New York prosecuted the case.
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Kentucky Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Waynesburg, Kentucky, man who was caught at a traffic stop with 10 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a spare tire was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Kevin Ray Wilson, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On Oct. 31, 2018, Wilson was found guilty at trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Wilson was driving a 2004 Toyota 4Runner SUV on May 19, 2015, on I-70 eastbound near Highway H. A Lafayette County, Mo., sheriff’s deputy saw Wilson commit a traffic violation by failing to use a turn signal and pulling in front of a semi-tractor trailer in a careless manner. The deputy also noticed that the Toyota displayed two different license plates.
The deputy stopped Wilson’s vehicle. Wilson and his passenger, co-defendant Kenneth W. Dowell, 50, also of Waynesburg, seemed nervous and gave inconsistent statements about their trip. A police drug detection dog indicated a positive alert for the odor of illegal drugs, and the deputy searched the vehicle.
During the search of the vehicle, the deputy discovered a blanket that was covering a spare tire. The tire was deflated and off the rim. In addition to the tire, there were several pry tools and a sledge hammer lying next to the tire. The rim of the tire was scraped up with large gouges and scrape marks along the outer edge. The deputy used a knife to cut into the tire and located a blue nylon bag concealed inside. Inside the nylon bag were 10 one-pound bundles of methamphetamine. The deputy also found $2,900 (all in $100 bills and wrapped with rubber bands around it) under the front seat; Wilson also had $1,622 in cash at the time of his arrest.
According to court documents, Wilson and others had picked up and transported an additional 10 pounds of methamphetamine shortly before his arrest.
This is Wilson’s fifth felony case overall, and his 35th felony charge. Wilson has an extensive prior criminal record over the past 28 years (since the age of 18) that includes felony convictions for two counts of second-degree robbery occurring on separate dates, first-degree fleeing from police, 24 counts of second-degree criminal possession of forged instrument (in two separate cases), complicity to second-degree burglary, theft by unlawful taking over $300 (four counts), and receiving stolen property over $300. Wilson was paroled for the robberies mere weeks before committing this federal offense, after having served approximately 11 years of his 17-year sentence.
Dowell pleaded guilty on Sept. 18, 2017, to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and was sentenced to three years in federal prison without parole.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney R. Pratten. It was investigated by the Lafayette County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Kenmore Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for His Role in Debt Collection SchemeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Carmelo Collana, 49, of Kenmore, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Maura K. O’Donnell, who is handling the case, stated that between January 2014 and February 2017, Collana conspired with others in a debt collection scheme that was spearheaded by co-defendant Joseph Ciffa.
Specifically, the defendant opened various corporations and bank accounts, used to process and facilitate payments used by debt collection agencies operating under various names, including Lakeside Mediations, Lincoln Mediation, Valentine Legal Mediation, First Point Mediation, State Filing and Legal Services and Elite Services. With the knowledge and assistance of Collana, these debt collection agencies placed fraudulent telephone calls to individuals throughout the United States, in an attempt to collect money, and utilized fraudulent tactics, including false threats of arrest, false claims that the callers/collectors were attorneys, and false claims as to criminal charges pending against the “debtors.”
In furtherance of this scheme, the employees of the debt collection agencies directed the individuals to make payment into or through bank accounts owned or operated by the defendant who then remitted the funds to the owners of the respective debt collection shops, in return for a percentage fee and/or salary.In addition, Collana maintained an account with TLO, an online commercial database, used to gather personal information as to individuals, such as address, employer, and date of birth. The defendant provided employees of the debt collection agencies with access to TLO, in order to assist the employees in contacting and collecting from the individuals to whom they placed calls. Collana also at times provided debt files to employees of the various debt collection agencies.
Between February 2015 and December 2016, approximately $788,961 from fraudulent collection activities was deposited into the defendant’s accounts.Collana was charged along with five other defendants. To date, three have been convicted, including Joseph Ciffa who is awaiting sentencing.
Today’s plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special-Agent-in-Charge Kevin Kelly; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Jonathan D. Larsen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office; and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Boston Division Inspector-in-Charge Joseph W. Cronin.Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2019. At 12:30 p.m. before Judge Arcara.
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Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man pled guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Kyle Randolph Thompson, 31, of Cross Lanes, pled guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine. The South Charleston Police Department conducted the investigation.
“Pure methamphetamine - powerful and potent,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Drug dealers, drug traffickers and drug thugs have levied serious damage to our communities and families. Our goal is to remove the bad guys from our streets so that the good guys can build a state filled with thriving communities and families.”
Thompson admitted that on January 31, 2017, he sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant. He told the court that he had met the informant, and sold over 12 grams of pure methamphetamine in exchange for $1,000 in U.S. currency. After the sale, Thompson was stopped and arrested, at which time he was found to be in possession of the currency, digital scales, and several cell phones.
Thompson faces a minimum of five years in federal prison and up to forty years when he is sentenced on May 22, 2019.
The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Assistant United States Attorney L. Alexander Hamner is handling the prosecution.
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Justice Department Requires Divestiture of Thales’ General Purpose Hardware Security Module Business in Connection with its Acquisition of GemaltoRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that it is requiring Thales S.A. to divest its General Purpose Hardware Security Module (GP HSM) business in order for Thales to proceed with its proposed $5.64 billion acquisition of Gemalto N.V. GP HSMs are secure encryption processing and key management devices that are most frequently included as components of complex encryption solutions used by government and private organizations to safeguard their most sensitive data. The proposed divestiture will fully resolve all competition concerns.
“This structural solution fully preserves competition in the sale of these critical machines used by corporations and governmental agencies to protect their most sensitive data,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “As a result, American consumers and taxpayers will continue to benefit from competition in this industry.”
The Department’s Antitrust Division today filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction while simultaneously filing a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Department’s competitive concerns.
According to the complaint, Thales and Gemalto are the world’s leading providers of GP HSMs and are significant direct competitors in the United States. Together they account for 66 percent of the U.S. market for the sale of GP HSMs. Thales and Gemalto are each other’s closest competitors and compete head to head in the development, marketing, service and sale of GP HSMs. Without the divestiture, the proposed acquisition would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, reduced innovation, and fewer choices for GP HSMs.
The proposed settlement requires Thales to divest, as a viable ongoing business, Thales GP HSM Products business. This includes all tangible and intangible assets primarily related to the production, operation, research, development, sale, or support of any GP HSM Product. Additionally, because Thales and Gemalto currently compete to develop new products and services, the settlement requires the divestiture of certain intellectual property and research capabilities for products under development. The settlement also includes several provisions designed to improve the effectiveness of the decree and the Division’s future ability to enforce it.
The Antitrust Division cooperated closely with its enforcement partners around the world, including the European Commission, throughout the course of their respective investigations.
Thales is an international company incorporated in France with its principal office in Paris. Thales is active globally in five main industries: (1) aeronautics; (2) space; (3) ground transportation; (4) defense; and (5) security, including data security products. In 2017, it had global revenue of approximately $19.6 billion.
Gemalto is an international digital security company incorporated in the Netherlands with its principal office in Amsterdam. Gemalto is active globally in providing authentication and data protection technology, platforms, and services in five main areas: (1) banking and payment; (2) enterprise and cybersecurity; (3) government; (4) mobile; and (5) machine-to-machine Internet of Things. In 2017, Gemalto had global revenue of approximately $3.7 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Aaron D. Hoag, Chief, Technology & Financial Services Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 7100, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against New London LandlordsRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney John H. Durham today announced that the Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office have filed a lawsuit in the District of Connecticut alleging that female tenants and applicants of residential rental properties in and around New London, Connecticut, were subjected to sexual harassment, coercion, intimidation and threats, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit alleges that from at least 2011 through 2016, Richard Bruno sexually harassed female tenants and applicants of rental properties owned or co-owned by Bruno, Domco LLC, and Domco II LLC. Bruno was an agent and property manager for Domco, which was owned by Bruno’s ex-wife. Domco II was owned by Bruno and his ex-wife. According to the complaint, Bruno engaged in harassment that included making unwelcome sexual advances and comments; engaging in unwanted sexual touching; demanding or pressuring female applicants to engage in sexual acts to obtain rental privileges; evicting or threatening to evict female tenants who objected to or refused sexual advances; entering the homes of female tenants without their consent; asking to take and taking pictures and videos of the bodies of his tenants and their female children; and establishing, maintaining and forcing his tenants and their minor female children to view “dungeons” or “sex rooms” in the rental properties.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate the victims, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination.
Bruno, a former resident of Waterford, Connecticut, has been incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Institute at Otisville since 2017. On May 8, 2017, Bruno pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Sept. 28, 2017, to 16 years in federal prison in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut for producing child pornography in one of the properties owned by defendant Domco II, with one of the minors who resided in one of properties owned by defendant Domco.
“Female tenants should never be subjected to sexual harassment in a place that should be free from coercion and intimidation,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Civil Rights Division is committed to enforcing the Fair Housing Act and taking action against landlords and property managers who prey on women and cause them to feel unsafe in their own homes.”
“This federal lawsuit represents a significant step toward achieving justice and compensation for vulnerable victims of civil rights violations,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “Everyone has the right to be free from unwanted sexual harassment and intimidation by a landlord or property manager, loan officer or housing official, maintenance worker or security guard. Individuals who are being victimized as a condition of their housing have rights, and all are encouraged to report this type of reprehensible behavior to the Justice Department.”
In October 2017, the Justice Department launched an initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. In April 2018, the Department announced the nationwide rollout of the initiative, including three major components: a new joint Task Force with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to combat sexual harassment in housing, an outreach toolkit to leverage the Department’s nationwide network of U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and a public awareness campaign, including the launch of a national Public Service Announcement.
Individuals who believe that they have been victims of sexual harassment or other types of housing discrimination at rental dwellings previously owned or operated by Richard Bruno, Domco or Domco II, or who have other information that may be relevant to this case, can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Investigator John Sereno at 203-696-3036, or [email protected].
Victims of sexual harassment related to housing can also contact the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative by calling 1-844-380-6178, or through email at [email protected]. Individuals can also report sexual harassment and other forms of housing discrimination by e-mailing the U.S. Attorney’s Office at [email protected].
More information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt.
Justice Department Alleges Conditions at Boyd County Detention Center Violate the ConstitutionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division concluded an investigation into conditions at the Boyd County Detention Center in Catlettsburg, Kentucky. The Justice Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that conditions at the Jail violate the Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution. Specifically, the Department concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe that Boyd County routinely subjects prisoners to excessive force through the use of chemical agents, electronic control devices, and restraint chairs. The Department also concluded that there is reasonable cause to believe Boyd County routinely violates prisoners’ rights to bodily privacy through its use of restraint chairs.
As required by the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), the Department provided the Jail written notice of the supporting facts for these alleged conditions and the minimum remedial measures necessary to address them.
“The Constitution guarantees all prisoners the reasonable expectation of personal privacy and the right to be free from excessive use of force,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “Our investigation found reasonable cause to believe that the Jail inflicts punishment without justification and fails to protect its prisoners’ reasonable expectations of privacy. The Justice Department hopes to continue to work with the Jail to resolve the Department’s concerns.”
The Civil Rights Division initiated the investigation in November 2016 under CRIPA, which authorizes the Department to take action to address a pattern or practice of deprivation of constitutional rights of individuals confined to state or local government-run correctional facilities.
This investigation was conducted by attorneys with the Special Litigation Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Judge sentences Billings man to prison for firearms crimesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings man convicted at trial of firearms crimes was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release on Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Jerome Lawrence Wigmore Jr., 49, was convicted in a two-day jury trial in October on all three counts, including felon in possession of firearms, possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of a firearm not identified by a serial number.
Prosecutors presented evidence that law enforcement officers served an arrest warrant on Wigmore in a Billings motel room on Jan. 4, 2018. Officers found that Wigmore possessed a .357-caliber revolver and a .22 caliber weapon made from a rifle, which was not identified by a serial number. Wigmore is prohibited from possession firearms because of a prior felony conviction for aggravated assault in Rosebud County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Marshals Service Montana Violent Offenders Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Joplin Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Meth, FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing more than 1.4 kilograms of methamphetamine and a firearm.
Keith K. Koile, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 25 years in federal prison without parole.
On Aug. 29, 2018, Koile pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, a confidential informant who had traveled with Koile on multiple occasions to Oklahoma City, Okla., to obtain methamphetamine, told investigators that Koile had agreed to deliver two pounds of methamphetamine to him. The confidential informant met Koile at a residence in Lawton, Kan., then followed him to the Cherokee Casino in Grove, Okla. While the confidential informant waited, Koile left to pick up the methamphetamine; when Koile returned, he placed a black backpack in the back seat of the confidential informant’s vehicle and got in the front passenger’s seat. They left the casino, traveling east on Interstate 44 towards Springfield, Mo.
A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper stopped the vehicle for speeding in Lawrence County, Mo. The trooper ordered the confidential informant, who was driving, to get out of the vehicle. He complied, but Koile refused. The trooper observed Koile making furtive movements by reaching under the passenger seat. Koile then got out of the vehicle and began to walk towards the front of the vehicle, refusing to comply with commands to get on the ground; the trooper took Koile to the ground.
The trooper searched the vehicle and found a loaded Springfield Armory .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol underneath the passenger seat where Koile was reaching. The backpack contained approximately 1,416 grams of methamphetamine, which was 99 percent pure, and drug paraphernalia.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Koile has a prior felony conviction for being a drug user in possession of a firearm.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nhan D. Nguyen. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team.
Inver Grove Heights Cell Phone Store Robber Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of JAMAAL MARQUIE MAYS, 34, to 180 months in prison for the armed robbery of an Inver Grove Heights business. MAYS and his co-defendant, JAQUON KESHAWN MOMAN, 26, were charged in a superseding indictment on February 7, 2018. MAYS, who pleaded guilty on September 21, 2018, was sentenced yesterday before Chief Judge John R. Tunheim in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota. MOMAN pleaded guilty on August 1, 2018, and was sentenced on January 2, 2019, to 72 months in prison.
United States Attorney MacDonald said, “These defendants showed complete disregard for human life when they made the decision to commit armed robbery of a business establishment located in a busy suburban retail area. Such brazen acts of violence will not be tolerated in our communities and we, along with our law enforcement partners, are committing all necessary resources to bringing violent criminals to justice.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, on August 17, 2017, MAYS and MOMAN entered a Verizon Wireless store in Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, armed with a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol. After waiting for customers to leave the store, MAYS and MOMAN held the store employee at gunpoint while demanding money and cell phones. The employee pretended to comply, but then shot MAYS in self-defense with a firearm the employee was licensed to carry. MAYS’ firearm was also discharged. During the exchange of gunfire, a stray bullet grazed a worker in an adjacent restaurant. MAYS was wounded and remained at the scene, while MOMAN fled on foot.
The Hobbs Act, passed by Congress in 1946, allows federal prosecutors to prosecute individuals who commit armed robberies of businesses engaged in interstate commerce.
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Inver Grove Heights Police Department. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together federal, state and local law enforcement to combat violent crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp prosecuted the case.
Defendant Information:
JAMAAL MARQUIE MAYS, 34
Unknown
Convicted:
- Hobbs Act robbery, 1 count
- Discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 180 months in prison
- Five years of supervised release
JAQUON KESHAWN MOMAN, 26
Unknown
Convicted:
- Hobbs Act robbery, 1 count
- Discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 1 count
Sentenced:
- 72 months in prison
- Three years of supervised release
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Internal Revenue Service Analyst IndictedRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted John Fry today for illegally disclosing information from Suspicious Activity Reports, misusing his computer, and illegally using a social security number, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and United States Department of the Treasury, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Special Agent in Charge Rod Ammari.
According to the indictment and a previously unsealed criminal complaint, Fry, 54, of San Francisco, unlawfully accessed and disclosed Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and SAR information pertaining to an individual taxpayer and a company owned by the taxpayer. Fry was an Investigative Analyst for the IRS’s law enforcement arm, the Criminal Investigation Division, in San Francisco. In this position, Fry had access to various law enforcement databases including the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), Palantir, and the Integrated Data Retrieval System.
The TIGTA investigation revealed that in May 2018, Fry logged on to FinCEN and Palantir from his work computer and conducted numerous searches related to the taxpayer who was a New York attorney. Fry then disclosed the SAR information to an attorney based in Newport Beach, Calif. On May 8, 2018, the attorney used a public Twitter account to circulate a dossier releasing confidential banking information related to the taxpayer and the taxpayer’s company. The SAR information that was passed to the Los Angeles attorney was published in the Washington Post on May 8, 2018. The Los Angeles attorney put Fry in contact with an investigative reporter in New York which led to confirmation of the confidential banking information and an interview, which was published in The New Yorker on May 16, 2018.
The indictment charges Fry with violations of 31 U.S.C. § 5322(a), unauthorized disclosure of suspicious activity reports; 18 U.S.C. § 1030(a)(2), misuse of a computer; and 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(8), illegal use of a social security number. An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 5 years imprisonment, and a fine of $250,000, for each violation. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Fry was previously arraigned on a criminal complaint and released on a $50,000 bond. Fry’s next scheduled appearance is at 9:30 a.m. on March 13, 2019, for arraignment on the indictment before the Honorable Joseph Spero, U.S. Magistrate Judge.
Illegal possession of sawed-off shotgun sends Billings man to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Billings resident Randy Dwayne Watts, who admitted to illegal possession of a sawed off shotgun, was sentenced on Wednesday to 57 months in prison and to three years of supervised release, said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Watts, 51, pleaded guilty in October to being a prohibited person in possession of firearms.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.
Watts was indicted after a traffic stop on Jan. 17, 2018 in which a Yellowstone County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over a vehicle that ran a red light. Watts was in the front passenger seat. A loaded, sawed off shotgun was visible between Watts and the door. The driver said the car belonged to Watts, and Watts claimed not to know there were any guns in the car. On the rear driver’s side floorboard was a loaded .22-caliber pistol. Watts was arrested on warrants. A K-9 dog altered to the car and a search warrant was obtained. Law enforcement officers found six baggies containing a total of about 12 grams of methamphetamine. Watts was prohibited form possessing firearms because of previous convictions in California and Montana.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Illegal alien from Mexico arrested in Calcasieu Parish pleads guilty to illegally re-entering U.S.Read the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Illegal alien Ernesto Garcia-Flores, 39, of Mexico, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of re-entry of a removed alien, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
Garcia-Flores was arrested on November 6, 2018 in Calcasieu Parish. After an investigation into his background, law enforcement agents learned that he had been previously deported twice. He was indicted in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division, on October 26, 2011 for re-entry of a removed alien and was deported on January 27, 2012. He was also charged by criminal complaint on February 3, 2013 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division, for unlawfully entering the United States and was removed from the United States on September 5, 2013.
Garcia-Flores faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. The court set the sentencing date for June 13, 2019.
United States Customs and Border Protection and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips is prosecuting the case.
Honduran Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Local Minor Out of State for SexRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Elvin Castron-Murcia, 20, a Honduran native residing between Louisiana and Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to traveling for illicit sexual conduct and transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity. The guilty plea was announced by Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
In May 2018, a 12-year-old female, “ENN,” went missing from Navarre after her mother discovered her communicating on Facebook with a 19-year-old male using the name “Elvin C. Murcia.” Several neighbors had observed a black Honda Civic with Tennessee license tags parked near ENN’s residence in Navarre, Florida. A search of ENN’s cellular telephone and Instagram social media account revealed images of ENN in a vehicle with a male who appeared to be the same person using Murcia’s Facebook account.
The next day, ENN’s mother was able to communicate with ENN via Facebook Messenger, and law enforcement officers determined the cellular telephone used for the conversation was located in Tennessee. A state trooper soon observed the black Honda Civic with Tennessee tags and stopped the vehicle in Alabama. ENN was identified as the vehicle passenger, and Murcia, who was using a license issued in a stolen identity, was later identified as the driver. Images and videos on Murcia’s phone located after a forensic examination confirmed that Murcia and ENN were in an online relationship that began when ENN was just 11-years-old. Law enforcement officers were able to obtain pharmacy video in Tennessee depicting Murcia purchasing birth control with ENN the day before the traffic stop and subsequent arrest of Murcia. Later in May, law enforcement officers confirmed that Murcia was illegally present in the United States and that the identity he was utilizing was that of a true citizen of Puerto Rico.
The defendant is being detained. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 20, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Pensacola.
Castron-Murcia faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for the traveling for illicit sexual conduct and a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney David Goldberg is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Heroin and Fentanyl Dealer Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin.
According to court documents and information before the court, Barry Jamel Alexander, 32, sold heroin mixed with fentanyl to an undercover police officer at a Norfolk 7-Eleven. He used his cousin as a middle man in an attempt to protect himself from criminal exposure, but the store security cameras caught him handing the drugs to his cousin and, soon after, receiving the drug money.
Earlier that month, Alexander sold heroin mixed with fentanyl to a customer who overdosed on the substance and had to be revived with Narcan. At the time Alexander sold the heroin to the undercover officer, he knew that a customer had previously overdosed on his product. Agents later interviewed some of Alexander’s customers, who reported that over a five-year period they had purchased more than two kilograms of heroin from Alexander.
Alexander pleaded guilty to conspiracy, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on June 7. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William B. Jackson and John F. Butler are prosecuting 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. 2:19-cr-5.
Harrison County woman admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Teressa Hall, of Bristol, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hall, age 34, pled guilty to one count of “Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Offense.” Hall admitted to having a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol with her when in possession of methamphetamine in December 2017 in Harrison County.Hall faces a minimum of five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted in the arrests.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Great Falls woman sentenced in meth caseRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—Great Falls resident Macedonia Frances Mondragon, who hid methamphetamine inside her body, was sentenced on Wednesday to 66 months in prison and four years of supervised release for conviction of possessing meth, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Mondragon, 33, pleaded guilty in November to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
Prosecutors said Mondragon initially was arrested on warrants after Great Falls police officers responded to a shoplifting report involving four individuals on March 16, 2018 at Walmart. Officers searched Mondragon’s purse and found stolen items, a cell phone, drug paraphernalia and a notebook that appeared to be a drug ledger. Officers also seized a money wire receipt showing that a member of the group had just transferred $800 to a person in California.
While being booked into jail on city warrants and the theft from Walmart, a detention officer found a package containing 46.4 grams of meth concealed in Mondragon’s body.
Further investigation by Homeland Security agents found that Mondragon had been involved in distributing meth in the Great Falls area for at least the previous two months.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Great Falls Police Department.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Gloucester County, New Jersey, Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of Children and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Gloucester County, New Jersey man was charged today with producing and distributing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Andrew Nicholas, 22, of Williamstown, New Jersey, is charged by criminal complaint one count of sexually exploiting children and one count of distributing child pornography. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel Schneider in Camden federal court and was detained without bail.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Feb. 26, 2019, an undercover officer entered a public Kik Messenger group and began communicating with Nicholas, who sent the officer images of child sexual abuse involving a prepubescent minor.
The count of sexually exploiting children carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The distribution of child pornography count carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum possible penalty of 20 years in prison and fine of $250,000 per count.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster, and the Washington, D.C., FBI Field Office, under the direction of Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara, with the investigation leading to the charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Nye of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Christopher O’Malley Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Camden
Georgia Men Indicted for Check Cashing Scheme Targeting BanksRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alphonso L. Howard, Jr., age 28, and Javonte J. Johnson, age 22, both of Decatur, Georgia, were indicted yesterday for creating counterfeit checks and then cashing them at banks in Saratoga and Warren Counties.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI);
and New York State Police Acting Superintendent Keith M. Corlett.
Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiring to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to the indictment, between July 1, 2018 and September 26, 2018, the defendants and others defrauded financial institutions by intercepting and stealing checks sent through the U.S. Mail; using information from these legitimate checks to create counterfeit checks drawn on the same financial accounts as the stolen, legitimate checks; and then cashing and attempting to cash the counterfeit checks at financial institutions in Saratoga and Warren Counties.
The New York State Police arrested Howard and Johnson on September 26, 2018, in Queensbury, New York. Howard and Johnson have been in custody since their arrest, and will be arraigned on the federal charges at a later date.
If convicted, each defendant faces at least 2 years and up to 30 years in prison, a maximum $1 million fine, and 5 years of post-release supervision. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of approximately $19,000 in cash possessed by the defendants at the time of their arrest, as well as a money judgment in the amount of $164,077.70.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and the New York State Police-Troop G, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett. Other agencies have assisted in the investigation and prosecution, including the District Attorney’s Offices in Saratoga and Warren Counties, the Glens Falls Police Department, the Burlington Police Department (Vt.), Vermont State Police, and the Stowe Police Department (Vt.).
Johnson has also been indicted on grand larceny and other charges in Jefferson County, New York, in a case brought by the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office and investigated by the Watertown Police Department. Johnson is presumed innocent of these charges as well.
Four Lansing Men Sentenced in Food Stamp Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that four Lansing-area men have been sentenced in connection with convictions arising out of a USDA investigation into fraud at convenience stores in Lansing, Michigan, where customers were allowed to buy prohibited items (such as cigarettes) or receive cash in exchange for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (also known as food stamps).
Raymond Gedeon, Edward Gedeon, and Youssef El-Chaer were convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Raymond Gedeon and Edward Gedeon were each sentenced to 24 months’ custody and two years of supervised release. Raymond Gedeon was ordered to pay restitution of more than $485,000. Edward Gedeon was ordered to pay restitution of more than $241,000. El-Chaer was ordered to pay restitution of more than $39,000. Elias Abudaya was convicted of food stamp fraud in violation of 7 U.S.C. § 2024(b) and sentenced to six months’ incarceration and restitution of more than $241,000.
"My office will aggressively prosecute individuals who attempt to defraud taxpayer-funded programs, such as those designed to assist members of our community in need," U.S. Attorney Birge said.
USDA Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony V. Mohatt said, "The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps put healthy food on the table of 1.3 million Michigan residents each month. The criminal activities of the store owners and employees targeted during this investigation deprived needy citizens of the Lansing area access to nutritious meals. The USDA Office of Inspector General will continue to target those who prey on federal food assistance programs, and their recipients."
The case was jointly investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General and the FBI Lansing Resident Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sally J. Berens and Nils Kessler prosecuted the case.
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Four Family Members Charged with Federal Program Fraud, Money Laundering and PerjuryRead the Press Release
Four individuals were charged in an eight-count indictment, unsealed today, which alleges federal program fraud, money laundering and perjury, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
Schneider was joined in the announcement by Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General and Special Agent in Charge Timothy R. Slater, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division.
The indictment charges Brian Leslie Loren, 57, of Daytona Beach, Florida, Ryan Adam Loren, 32, of Orlando, Florida, Kayla Jean Loren, 29 of Orlando, Florida and Jaime Michael Johnson, 41, of South Daytona, Florida with conspiracy to commit federal program fraud between August 2008 and August 2016. Brian Loren, Ryan Loren, and Jaime Johnson are also charged with money laundering. Ryan Loren and Kayla Loren are also charged with perjury. The defendants are relatives of the former Executive Director of the St. Clair Housing Commission Lorena Loren, who was convicted of conspiring with the defendants to steal federal funds provided to the Commission by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (‘‘HUD”) to administer HUD’s low-income housing programs for assisting low-income families, the elderly and the disabled. The defendants are alleged to have unlawfully obtained over $150,000 in federal funds over the course of the conspiracy. The indictment further alleges that the defendants established joint bank accounts to facilitate access to the ill-gotten funds by the defendants and others. In addition, Defendants Ryan Loren and Kayla Loren are alleged to have testified falsely before the grand jury during the investigation of the matter.
United States Attorney Matthew Schneider said, “When we weed out corruption, our prosecutions will spread from the branches to the very roots of this poisonous, corrupt tree. No one involved in perpetrating fraud and exploiting federal programs — especially those designed for our most vulnerable citizens — is immune from prosecution.”
Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge, HUD Office of Inspector General stated, "The charges disclosed today prove our continuing resolve to root out fraud in all forms, especially when the funds involved should have been used to help our neediest families. It is our continuing core mission to work jointly with our Federal law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney's Office to protect the integrity of our housing programs and to take strong action against those who seek to personally benefit from taxpayer funded subsidies."
"These defendants are alleged to have participated in and attempted to cover up fraud against public programs that are intended to subsidize housing costs for those with a legitimate need," said FBI SAC Slater. "The FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to investigating and prosecuting this type of fraud."
This case was investigated by agents of the Detroit HUD office of Inspector General and FBI Macomb. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dawn N. Ison and Shankur Ramamurthy.
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.
Forty-three people indicted in federal court for their roles in two separate conspiracies to sell large amounts of drugs in the Mansfield areaRead the Press Release
Forty-three people were indicted in federal court for their roles in two separate conspiracies to sell large amounts of drugs in the Mansfield area.
Twenty-three people were charged in a 42-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone and marijuana, and other charges. They are: Noel Mott, 43; Donald Abrams, 59; Felicia McPherson, 37; Ivan Troup, 34; Devon Troup, 27; Deshawn Dowdell, 23; Markell Boyd, 39; Dennis Carter, 47; Marcus Caldwell, 40; Terrence Sudberry, 45; Robert Boone, 24; Kristopher Herron, 47; Jason Reid, 36; William Norris, 45; Rayshaun Walker, 25; Cynthia Huffman, 22; Tessa Christy, 36; Seth Wells, 23; Miranda Hamilton, 23; Ashlie Smith, 33; Megan Moritz, 30; Taryn Ohl, 32, and Mykel Smith, 25.
Twenty people were charged in a 61-count indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine and methamphetamine, and other charges. They are: Juan Westberry, 38; Rashad Keith, 27; Lamar Johnson, 30; Torme Johnson, 30; Ryan Schroeder, 38; Kelly Adkins, 31; Marquis Allen, 26; Tevron Allen, 23; Anthony Balg, 38; Darryl Ballinger, 24; Kelly Burns, 30; Andrew Cotton, 32; Rory Hamm, 49; Phillip Moxley, 36; Amanda Pierce, 34; Santreas Sanks, 29; Derrick Snelling, 27; Kevin Thomas, 29, and Rachel Thompson, 34.
All of the defendants are from the Mansfield or the nearby area except for Donald Adams, Felicia McPherson and the Troups, who are all from Detroit.
Approximately 36 additional people were charged with drug crimes in the Richland County Court of Common Pleas.
In the Mott indictment, the conspirators obtained heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone and marijuana from suppliers in Detroit and Mansfield, which they then sold in Mansfield. This took place between January 2016 through the present, according to the indictment.
Mott, Wells, Boone, Moritz, Hamilton and Smith traveled to Detroit to obtain large quantities of oxycodone, which they redistributed in Mansfield. Mott also obtained large quantities of heroin and fentanyl from Dowdell, Troup and others that he redistributed in in Mansfield. He also obtained fentanyl and worked with other dealers to redistribute the drugs in Mansfield, according to the indictment.
Mott is also charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutors are seeking for forfeit 14 firearms seized as part of the investigation, according to the indictment.
Huffman helped coordinate and secure Wells to serve as a driver for oxycodone resupply runs to Detroit, according to the indictment.
In the Westberry indictment, the defendants conspired together between 2015 and the present to obtain large amounts of heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine and methamphetamine to sell in the Mansfield area, according to the indictment.
Westberry obtained heroin, which he distributed to Keith, Lamar Johnson, Torme Johnson, Schroeder and Garrison, who in turn sold the heroin to other customers, according to the indictment.
Keith and Lamar Johnson obtained heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine and cocaine, which they then sold to other dealers, who distributed the drugs in the Mansfield area, according to the indictment.
Members of the conspiracy operated drug houses at locations on Rembrandt Street, Helen Avenue, Dunbilt Court, Bowman Street and West 3rd Street in Mansfield and Eckstein Road in Crestline for the purpose of storing and distributing the drugs, according to the indictment.
“These two groups sold a wide array of dangerous drugs in and around Mansfield, including fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine,” U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said. “These cases are a great example of law enforcement working together to arrest dangerous people and help make Mansfield a safer community.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Eric B. Smith said: “Collaborative law enforcement efforts have disrupted two significant drug trafficking organizations that were profiting from the addiction of our community members. The individuals arrested today brought danger and violence to our streets and they will now be held accountable for their criminal activity.”
“These are significant arrests of drug dealers who have been trafficking and dealing dangerous and deadly drugs to our citizens here in Richland County,” said Richland County Sheriff Steve Sheldon. “Again, I can’t say enough about how well federal, state and local law enforcement agencies work so well to together here in Richland County to accomplish great things.”
Mansfield Police Chief Ken Coontz said: “This major drug sweep is made possible because of the collaboration within our community, local law enforcement counterparts, FBI and DEA counterparts, Richland County prosecutors, U.S. Marshals and U.S. Attorney’s Office. We all share a common goal of making our community a safer place to live and work.”
"This multi-agency Title III investigation provided a glimpse into the dangerous underworld members of the Westberry organization have created for the Mansfield and the wider Richland County communities," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Timothy Plancon. "Today's arrests signal an important step in our continuing fight to protect our neighborhoods from violent drug traffickers."
“These arrests will have a significant impact on the wellbeing of the Mansfield community,” said U.S. Marshal Peter Elliott. “The U.S. Marshals Service will continue to work with its federal, state and local partners on large scale operations such as this to keep our communities safe.”
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.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mansfield Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Office, METRICH Drug Task Force, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals and Ohio State Highway Patrol. They are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vasile Katsaros and Jason M. Katz.
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.
Former Las Vegas Illusionist Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possession, Receipt, and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Former Las Vegas illusionist Jan Rouven Fuechtener was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $500,000 fine for possession, receipt, and distribution of more than 9,000 images and videos of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office. Due to this conviction, Fuechtener will be deported from the United States after serving his sentence, and will be barred from returning for any purpose.
“Today’s sentencing is another example of law enforcement’s steadfast commitment to this office’s Project Safe Childhood initiative,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “Federal law enforcement, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, will aggressively investigate and prosecute those that exploit children. The lengthy prison sentence imposed vindicates the victims of this defendant’s crimes and sends the message that justice was done.”
“We have no greater duty than to protect the most vulnerable among us, and the men and women of the FBI will continue to relentlessly pursue those who seek to harm our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Rouse. “Every time child pornography is viewed on the internet a child is revictimized.”
Fuechtener, who used an online alias of Lars Schmidt, 40, a citizen of Germany, pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2016, during his bench trial for the criminal charges. Instead of proceeding with sentencing, he filed a motion to withdraw his guilty plea on June 22, 2017. Over the course of a five-day evidentiary hearing, Fuechtener’s former attorneys testified that they had advised him of details of the plea agreement, including potential penalties and consequences of the plea. At the hearing, Fuechtener personally testified and called a fellow inmate, who is also charged with child pornography offenses, to testify on his behalf. The Court believed the testimony of Fuechtener’s former attorneys and denied the motion to withdraw on June 15, 2018.
In his plea agreement, Fuechtener admitted that he shared numerous child pornography files on GigaTribe, a peer-to-peer file sharing program. During the execution of a search warrant of Fuechtener’s residence, law enforcement found over 9,000 images and videos depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. These files were found on nine devices collected from all over Fuechtener’s home. Fuechtener further admitted that he used the Skype username “larusa22” to engage in chats to distribute child pornography by sharing his GigaTribe “Lars45” folder in exchange for watching a father sexually assault his daughter, and that he used Grindr to chat with others about coordinating to drug and sexually molest a young boy.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elham Roohani and Lisa Cartier-Giroux prosecuted the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child pornography, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by phone at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.justice.gov/psc.
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Five Plead Guilty to Violent Grocery Store RobberiesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Five Hampton Roads-area individuals pleaded guilty this week to their respective roles in a series of violent grocery store robberies in Chesapeake and Virginia Beach.
According to court documents, the individuals worked in at least six-member teams, and conducted armed robberies of a Food Lion in Chesapeake on September 25, a Food Lion in Virginia Beach on September 29, and a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach on October 3. The teams included inside and outside look-outs, getaway drivers, and two gunmen. The teams used police scanners to monitor law enforcement activity, encrypted applications, and earpieces to communicate with one another. The inside look-out would find and identify the grocery store manager, initiate the robbery, and communicate the position of the manager to masked members of the conspiracy who entered the stores with firearms. At each robbery the gunmen demanded the managers open the grocery store safe. In the final robbery at a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach, one of the gunmen shot the store manager.
Please see below for a list of defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case.
Name, Age
Hometown
Pleaded Guilty To
Maximum Sentence
Cato M. Battle, 18
Virginia Beach
1 Count of Conspiracy;
1 Count of Robbery; 1 Count of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
Mandatory Minimum 7 years; Maximum Life
Willey E. Brooks, Jr., aka “Wally”, 26
Chesapeake
1 Count of Conspiracy;
2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
Mandatory Minimum 14 years; Maximum Life
Monica Perkins, 29
Norfolk
1 Count of Conspiracy;
1 Count of Robbery;
1 Count of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
Mandatory Minimum 7 years; Maximum Life
Brandon C. Tisdale, aka “Dot, GM”, 20
Virginia Beach
1 Count of Conspiracy;
2 Counts of Robbery;
2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
Mandatory Minimum 17 years; Maximum Life
Trevor L. Tisdale, aka “T”, 24
Virginia Beach
1 Count of Conspiracy;
2 Counts of Robbery; 2 Counts of Using a Firearm During a Crime of Violence
Mandatory Minimum 14 years; Maximum Life
Keonte K. Yorkshire, aka Tae, 21 of Virginia Beach, pleaded guilty to his role in the offense on February 5 and faces a mandatory minimum of 17 years and a maximum sentence of life.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, and Kelvin L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler and Andrew C. Bosse are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Tidewater Violent Crime Task Force, in partnership with the Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Police Departments.
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. 2:18-cr-177.
Five People Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
Over the last week, five people have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in trafficking methamphetamine throughout central and northern Iowa.
Octavio Cortez Fierros, age 27, from Michoacán, Mexico, received a 420-month prison term after a September 4, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Mario Nava Zavala, age 26, from Michoacán, Mexico, received a 120-month prison term after an August 17, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Ulises Legorreta Chavez, age 30, from Michoacán, Mexico, received a 108-month prison term after an August 27, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Xiomara Gonzalez-Zambrano, age 38, from Atwater, California, received a 63-month prison term after an August 21, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Adilene Vanessa Garcia, age 21, from State Center, Iowa, received a 52-month prison term after an August 27, 2018 guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Evidence at sentencing hearings showed that Fierros was the leader of a significant drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing ice methamphetamine to customers in Waterloo, Marshalltown, and Des Moines. Fierros organized a network of individuals including Zavala, Chavez, and Garcia to assist him with the distribution of methamphetamine. These individuals were responsible for delivering methamphetamine to Fierros’ customers, collecting money the customers owed for drug debts, translating for the Spanish speaking Fierros, and counting money.
Gonzalez-Zambrano transported multiple pounds of methamphetamine from Kansas City to Des Moines for delivery to Fierros. Fierros distributed methamphetamine to his customers in pound to multiple-pound quantities. Over the course of a few months, Fierros distributed over 12 kilograms of methamphetamine, or approximately 28 pounds of methamphetamine. This methamphetamine had a street value of over $1,000,000.
All five individuals were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. They must also each serve a term of supervised release after the prison term. All are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Methamphetamine is a highly dangerous drug that severely threatens the safety of our communities,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the public from dangerous drug dealers and hold accountable those who seek to profit from methamphetamine trafficking.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa C. Williams and was investigated as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program of the United States Department of Justice through a cooperative effort of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Tri-County Drug Enforcement Task Force (Waterloo Police Department; Cedar Falls Police Department; Waverly Police Department; Bremer County Sheriff’s Office; Black Hawk County Sheriff’s Office; LaPorte City Police Department; Evansdale Police Department; Hudson Police Department), Mid Iowa Drug Task Force (Marshalltown Police Department; Marshall County Sheriff’s Office; Tama County), and Dubuque Drug Task Force (Dubuque Police Department; Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office).
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-2002.
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Fiscalía Federal Solicita AsistenciaRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Debido a recientes reportes en los medios sobre casos de acoso sexual contra menores, en particular por parte del individuo Kevin Prósperes Sosa en el municipio de Ciales, la Fiscal Federal Rosa Emilia Rodríguez Vélez junto a la Oficina de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE-HSI) y el FBI, exhortan a la comunidad a reportar cualquier incidente de acoso sexual hacia un menor bajo estricta confidencialidad, independientemente sea a través de un medio electrónico o de otra forma. Queremos que las víctimas de Prósperes Sosa lo denuncien lo antes posible; así podremos salvaguardar la seguridad de las jóvenes víctimas.
El acoso cibernético, en muchas de sus modalidades, constituye un crimen federal en contra del sector más vulnerable, nuestros niños, y es una prioridad detenerlo de forma inmediata.
Si tiene información sobre crímenes de acoso sexual y hostigamiento favor de llamar a ICE-HSI a 787-729-6969 ó 1-800-981-3030 o al FBI al 787-754-6000.
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Federal Inmates Sentenced on Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that two inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution at McDowell were sentenced on weapons charges in federal court in Bluefield. These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences.
“If I had a nickel for every shank, I’d be a wealthy man,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Shanks are a danger to law enforcement and our prison support team members. We will never allow our team members to be placed at unnecessary risk. Every inmate we find with a shank or other prohibited item will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Colin Threadgill, 27, was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possessing a handcrafted weapon known as a “shank.” Threadgill pled guilty in January, admitting that on April 10, 2018, he possessed a shank which a staff member at the prison seized.
Sterling Cleggett, 35, was also sentenced to 15 months in prison. He pled guilty in August to possessing a shank at the prison on May 3, 2018.
Each sentence was imposed to begin following completion of the sentence the inmate was serving at the time he possessed the shank. Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecutions.
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Federal Attempted Robbery and Firearms Charges Filed after Philadelphia Man Received Lenient Plea Deal from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s OfficeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Jovaun Patterson, 30, of Philadelphia. The indictment charges him with one count of attempted robbery which interferes with interstate commerce, 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and one count of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(iii). These charges stem from an alleged robbery on May 5, 2018, of the KCJ, Inc. convenience store, a business engaged in interstate commerce and located in Philadelphia.
If convicted of the attempted robbery, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment; a $250,000 fine; 3 years’ supervised release; and a $100 special assessment. If convicted of the firearms charge, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of lifetime imprisonment, a mandatory term of 10 years’ imprisonment, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed; up to 5 years’ supervised release; a $250,000 fine; and a $100 special assessment.
Prior to today’s federal indictment, Patterson was arrested for the May 5, 2018 incident and charged by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office with attempted murder, aggravated assault, robbery–threat of immediate serious injury, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a firearm on a street in Philadelphia, possessing an instrument of crime, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person. On November 15, 2018, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office permitted Patterson to enter a negotiated guilty plea to aggravated assault, robbery–threat of immediate serious injury, and possessing an instrument of crime, with a sentence of only 3½ to 10 years’ imprisonment.
“Violent crime is a top priority of the Department of Justice and my Office,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Prosecutors are supposed to advocate for victims, protect the community, and always seek justice. I can assure the citizens of Philadelphia that the prosecutors in my Office, working with our federal and state law enforcement partners, as well as with the Philadelphia police, will do everything in our power to do that in each and every case, including this one.”
“ATF remains committed to removing violent offenders from our community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brian Gallagher. “We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at all levels to make our citizens safer.”
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. October 3, 2018, marked one year since the Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN 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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Salvatore Astolfi.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Etcher Family Farms Sentenced for Violating Clean Water ActRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA – On February 26, 2019, Etcher Family Farms; Scott Allen Etcher, age 55; and Benjamin Allen Etcher, age 29, of New London, Iowa, were sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose after pleading guilty to Discharge of a Pollutant, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Etcher Family Farms was sentenced to five years of organizational probation, a $50,000 fine and a $400 special assessment payable to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Conditions of probation included: the prohibition from discharging any pollutants to a water of a the United States except in compliance with a permit from the approved authority; Etcher Family Farms will establish, implement, and enforce an Environmental Compliance Plan and the organization will not seek early termination from probation until all obligations of the plea agreement are satisfied and the Environmental Compliance Plan has been fully implemented for two years; Etcher Family Farm should pay for independent laboratory analysis of samples collected by either the Iowa Department of Natural Resources or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and Etcher Family Farms will publish a public notice of the agreement and underlying facts in a national trade publication serving the concentration animal feeding operation industry.
Scott Allen Etcher was sentenced to five years of probation and a $25 special assessment payable to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Benjamin Allen McFarland was sentenced to two years of probation and a $25 special assessment payable to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Etcher Family Farms, Scott Allen Etcher, and Benjamin Allen McFarland pleaded guilty on October 25, 2018. On or about July 22, 2015, at the Etcher Family Farms facility located in New London, McFarland negligently discharged agricultural waste pollutants or negligently caused such pollutants to be discharged. McFarland knew the substance was agricultural waste and this waste was knowingly land applied by McFarland via an umbilical hose, resulting in a discharge from a point source, a concentrated animal feeding operation. The pollutants were directly discharged and went into an unnamed tributary to Big Creek. The act of applying pollutants causing an unpermitted discharge was done under the supervision of the owner and operator of Etcher Family Farms, Scott Etcher.This matter was investigated by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Dutchess County Man Arrested for Mailing Envelopes Containing White Powder to Federal Offices in New York and ConnecticutRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK - Jason Pantone, age 34, of Hyde Park, New York, was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with mailing envelopes containing suspicious white powder to federal offices in New York and Connecticut, announced United States Attorney Grant Jaquith, James Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), John Grasso, Special Agent in Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), New York Field Division, and Joseph Cronin, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Boston Division.
Pantone was charged in a criminal complaint with conveying false information and hoax. He was arrested yesterday afternoon and appeared in federal court in Albany, New York today.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, Pantone is accused of using the U.S. mail to send envelopes containing white power to locations in New York and Connecticut. Each envelope contained suspicious white powder and a note indicating, or implying, that the powder was dangerous or intended to cause harm. The complaint alleges that beginning in February 2019, Pantone mailed envelopes addressed to the Social Security Administration Offices in the towns and cities of Plattsburgh, Binghamton, Utica, West Nyack, White Plains, New York, as well as offices in Hartford and Torrington, Connecticut. The complaint also alleges that additional letters were addressed to United States District Court offices in Syracuse, Binghamton, Albany, Plattsburgh, and Utica. All the envelopes contained a typed note, which said “ANTHRAX.”
All samples of the white powder tested thus far have not contained hazardous material.
The charge of false information and hoax carries a maximum sentence of five (5) years in prison, a one (1) year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charge in the complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Some of the agencies responding to the receipt of the envelopes containing white powder included the Albany Fire Department HazMat Team, Binghamton Fire Department HazMat, Binghamton Police Department, City of Plattsburgh Fire Department, Utica Fire Department HazMat Team, Utica Police Department, Clinton County Fire and Rescue Department, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Connecticut State Police, Federal Protective Service, Hartford Fire Department, Hartford Police Department, Torrington Fire Department, Torrington Police Department
This case was investigated by the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and the New York State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy Anderson and Stephen Green.