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8 April 2019
Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man has pleaded guilty in federal court to his role in a conspiracy that distributed 45 kilograms of methamphetamine in southwest Missouri.
Kenneth R. Friend, 48, of Springfield, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool on Friday, April 5, to participating in the conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Greene, Polk, Christian, Jasper, Laclede, and Webster Counties from June 1, 2013, through Nov. 29, 2014. Friend also pleaded guilty to money laundering by engaging in monetary transactions to promote unlawful activity.
Beginning in 2012, the Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted by other agencies, investigated one of the largest methamphetamine distribution rings in southwest Missouri. The investigation resulted in the indictment of 29 defendants.
The conspiracy was responsible for the distribution of more than 45 kilograms of methamphetamine.
During the conspiracy, Friend obtained large amounts of methamphetamine from various sources. For example, Friend paid one source $20,000 in early November 2014 for two pounds of methamphetamine. Friend also intended to purchase a large amount of methamphetamine from one of his sources on Nov. 27, 2014. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers arrested Friend, his then-girlfriend and one of his suppliers. During the execution of a federal search warrant at the supplier’s residence in Springfield, agents found approximately $20,000 and approximately five and a half pounds of methamphetamine. Friend admitted that he intended to purchase at least two of the five and a half pounds seized from this source of supply. Agents also seized $34,310 from Friend, which he had intended to use to purchase the two pounds of methamphetamine. Agents also seized Friend’s 1992 Harley Davidson motorcycle, which he used to distribute methamphetamine and which he purchased with proceeds from the sale of methamphetamine. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Friend must forfeit the cash and the motorcycle to the government.
Friend is among 29 defendants who have pleaded guilty in this case; 27 of those defendants have been sentenced.
Under federal statutes, Friend is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randall D. Eggert, Nhan D. Nguyen and Cynthia J. Hyde. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Shamokin Man Sentenced to Four Years’ Imprisonment for Conspiring to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Adam Poeth, age 33, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania was sentenced on March 28, 2019, by United States District Matthew W. Brann to 48 months’ imprisonment followed by a 4-year term of supervised release for conspiring to sell 100 grams or more of heroin, which is equivalent to approximately 4,000 individual doses of heroin.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, in August 2018, Poeth pled guilty to conspiring with others to distribute heroin. Co-defendant, Chad Snyder was sentenced to time-served followed by a 3-year term of supervised release on February 8, 2019. The final co-defendant, Frank Galasso, age 65, of Sunbury, Pennsylvania, is awaiting trial.
The investigation was conducted by the Berwick Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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Septuagenarian Heads to Prison for Possessing over 30K Images of “Morphed” Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 72-year-old resident of Corpus Christi has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Clifford Mecham Jr. was found guilty during a bench trial in in January 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack, who presided over that trial, sentenced Mecham to 97 months in prison. Additional information was also presented today, including letters from the victims detailing how the offense had impacted them and their families. In handing down the sentence, the court noted she felt the need to protect the community and was especially concerned that Mecham seemed to have no concept of why what he did was wrong. Mecham was further ordered to pay $2966.78 in restitution to the known victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Mecham will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At trial, the court heard that at the time of his arrest, Mecham was in possession of 31,562 images and 1,741 videos containing child pornography which he had created himself. He had morphed images and videos of pornographic actresses and models and replaced their faces with the faces of children. In many images, Mecham altered the images further by morphing the male actors faces with his own to make it appear as though he was engaging in various sexual acts with the children.
When authorities took Mecham into custody he explained that he created the images because he thought they were “cute.”
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department’s – Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany L. Jensen is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Rochester Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of Minors and AdultsRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Quondall D. Davis, 24, of Rochester, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking of an adult by force. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the defendant was identified by investigators during an investigation into prostitution in Rochester. Officers were told that Davis, who goes by “Hot Dog,” would place an ad on the website “backpage.com.” Once a customer responded, “Hot Dog” would reach out to one of his girls and have them picked up by a driver. The complaint further states that “Hot Dog” would use his Facebook account to contact the girls. Following a date, the girls gave half of the profits to “Hot Dog.” Investigators also learned that girls would have sex with different guys in order to receive heroin. If the girls received heroin, they were to give all of it to “Hot Dog” but would not get any money in return.
Investigators reviewed Davis’s Facebook account and observed, among other items, a photo of a contact with the name “LongWay” with a mobile telephone number connected to an advertisement associated with prostitution in the Syracuse, NY.
The investigation has identified three minor victims and one adult victim who have been involved in prostitution activities with the defendant.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson and is being held pending a detention hearing on April 11, 2019.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Ravenna man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for drug and firearms crimesRead the Press Release
A Ravenna man was sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for drug and firearms crimes.
Jesse Templeton, 37, was sentenced to 123 months in federal prison. A jury last year convicted Templeton on one count of possession with intent to distribute dimethyltrytapmine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Templeton on July 4, 2018, possessed more than 1,200 grams of dimethyltrytapmine and a Sig Sauer .40-caliber pistol, according to court documents.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Daly and Aaron Howell following an investigation by the Portage County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Prison Time and Stiff Penalties Await Tax Fraudsters, Prosecutors WarnRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, NC - With the deadline for filing income tax returns a week away, U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray and Matthew D. Line, Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations Division, jointly announce recent tax fraud prosecutions and sentencings, and deliver a powerful warning to those who are thinking about breaking the law by committing tax crimes.
“As April 15th approaches, we assure taxpayers who file honest tax returns and pay their taxes on time that my office works diligently to catch tax cheats. Whether it’s failing to report income, falsely padding deductions on returns to obtaining inflated refunds, or stealing innocent victims’ identities to file fraudulent tax returns, our experienced tax prosecutors work with dedicated IRS criminal investigators to find those who try to cheat our tax system and hold them accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.
“The IRS Criminal Division takes tax violations of law very seriously. Our largest enforcement program is directed at the portion of American taxpayers, who willfully and intentionally violate their known legal duty of filing and paying their fair share of taxes. With the April 15 tax deadline looming, it is important for people to have confidence that when they pay their taxes, their neighbors and co-workers are doing the same,” said Special Agent in Charge Line.
Attorney Indicted for Tax Fraud
John Hanzel (3:19-cr-82). On March 27, 2019, an indictment was unsealed charging Hanzel with three counts of filing false tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2014. From in or about 2011 to the present, Hanzel was a resident of Cornelius, N.C., and was an attorney with the law firm John F. Hanzel, P.A. Hanzel’s law practice included, among other things, counseling his clients to set up offshore corporations and offshore bank accounts to purportedly protect income and assets from creditors, including the IRS. During the relevant time period, Hanzel did not have a personal bank account and did not pay himself a salary from his law firm. Instead, Hanzel wrote checks from his law firm account to pay for personal expenses including utility bills, mortgage payments, and credit cards. Hanzel fraudulently deducted personal expenses paid out of his law firm bank account as business expenses, including by falsely categorizing such as expenses as costs of goods sold and other deductions. From 2011 through 2014, Hanzel reported minimal income on his Federal Individual Income Tax Returns, Forms 1040, and paid minimal federal income tax. However, Hanzel actually received substantial income that he hid from the IRS by falsely deducting personal expenses as business expenses and by living out of his business bank account.
Other Tax Prosecutions
In the last year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of IRS-CI, has investigated and prosecuted numerous individuals for criminal tax violations. Tax enforcement prosecutions include:
Indictments
Aminta A. Smith (3:18-cr-107). On March 18, 2019, a superseding indictment was returned charging Smith with aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and filing false tax returns for herself for 2013, 2014, and 2015. The indictment alleges that, between 2012 and 2015, Smith prepared and submitted to the IRS more than 1,300 tax returns, many of which included false information such as false income and false education expenses, which qualified filing individuals for inflated tax refunds. The indictment further alleges that the Charlotte-area tax return preparer kept a portion of the tax refund as her fee. For tax years 2013 to 2015, Smith also filed U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns that did not include much of the income she earned for preparing tax returns, which resulted in Smith receiving large tax refunds. Smith faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison for each charge of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and three years in prison for each charge of filing a false tax return.
Guilty Pleas
James E. MacAlpine (1:18-cr-92). On February 4, 2019, MacAlpine pleaded guilty to evasion of payment of his taxes. MacAlpine, a resident of Buncombe County, was the owner/operator of “James E. MacAlpine, DDS,” an orthodontic practice in Buncombe County. MacAlpine has a long history of tax non-compliance – he failed to file tax returns for tax years 1996 through 2000, and in other years, MacAlpine filed tax returns self-assessing taxes due and owing, and then failed to pay those taxes. Between 2000 and 2017, MacAlpine took numerous affirmative acts to evade the payment of his taxes including, opening and closing bank accounts to evade IRS levies and filing frivolous documents to the IRS for the purpose of harassing the IRS. In 2014, the United States District Court entered a judgment that MacAlpine owed the IRS additional taxes, interest, and penalties in the aggregate amount of more than $1.9 million for tax years 1999, 2000, and 2002 through 2006.
Vincent Griggs (3:18-cr-383). On January 11, 2019, Griggs pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return. Griggs operated an audio-visual services company and failed to report gross receipts of more than $700,000 from 2011 through 2015 to the IRS from the business. As a result, Griggs fraudulently obtained the Earned Income Tax Credit for 2014 and 2015, and he had additional tax due and owing to the IRS of approximately $124,971 for tax years 2011 to 2015.
Trials
Arthur Joseph Gerard III (3:16-cr-270). On September 25, 2018, a federal jury convicted Gerard of conspiracy to impede the IRS after a week-long jury trial. Gerard was the promoter of a fraudulent tax evasion scheme and helped others to shield their assets from the IRS using nominee companies and false IRS filings. Between October 2007 and May 2016, Gerard assisted clients in hiding income and assets from the IRS using straw companies and bank accounts opened in the names of those companies. In particular, Gerard conspired with his client, Reuben DeHaan, to hide from the IRS over $2.7 million in gross receipts earned by DeHaan through his holistic medicine business. Gerard recruited his friend, Richard H. Campbell Jr., into the scheme to serve as a nominee on DeHaan’s bank accounts. Gerard also assisted DeHaan in the filing of false documents with the IRS to obstruct the IRS’ collection efforts. Gerard charged DeHaan a fee of between $1,000 and $2,500 for each straw company he created. In total, Gerard’s conduct caused a tax loss of approximately $560,000.
Sentencings
Quandella Walker (3:17-cr-343). On March 21, 2019, Walker, 29, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns for others. Through her tax preparation business, Quandella Tax Services, between January 2010 through at least 2016, Walker prepared tax returns for clients that contained false income information, to enable her clients to fraudulently qualify for inflated tax refunds. Walker also filed false tax returns for her own name.
Albert Strong (3:18-cr-131). On January 31, 2019, Strong, 59, of Union, South Carolina, was sentenced to 36 months in prison. Strong worked as a machinist/mechanic for a company at its Charlotte, N.C. location. From 2008 to 2015, Strong embezzled funds from the company using a fraudulent purchasing and billing scheme. Strong created a purported parts vendor, and then caused the company to order fictitious parts from the vendor. As part of the scheme, Strong created false invoices and submitted them to the company for payment. In all, Strong embezzled approximately $1,488,000 from the victim company. Strong failed to report the embezzled funds on his 2009 through 2015 tax returns, resulting in an approximate $450,000 tax loss.
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Federal penalties for tax crimes range from a maximum of one year in prison and a $100,000 fine for failure to file a tax return, false withholding exemptions, and delivering or disclosing false tax documents, to a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for conspiracy to defraud with respect to false refund claims. Other penalties include a mandatory term of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine for aggravated identity theft charges, three years in prison and a $250,000 fine for obstructing or impeding an investigation and filing or preparing a false tax return, and a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for tax evasion, failure to pay employment taxes, conspiracy to commit a tax offense or conspiracy to defraud.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the IRS remind tax payers to exercise caution during tax season to protect themselves against a wide range of tax schemes ranging from identity theft to return preparer fraud. Illegal scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. IRS Criminal Investigation works closely with the Department of Justice to shutdown scams and to prosecute the criminals behind them. The IRS has issued its annual “Dirty Dozen” which lists common tax scams that taxpayers may encounter, particularly during filing season. Taxpayers are urged look out for, and to avoid, the following common schemes:
• Phishing
• Phone Scams
• Identity Theft
• Return Preparer Fraud
• Inflated Refund Claims
• Falsifying Income to Claim Credits
• Falsely Padding Deductions on Returns
• Fake Charities
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Excessive Claims for Business Credits
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Offshore Tax Avoidance
• Frivolous Tax Arguments
• Abusive Tax Shelters
Education is the best way to avoid these common schemes. To learn more about the Dirty Dozen scams and for help with recognizing and avoiding abusive tax schemes, the IRS offers educational material at www.irs.gov. Suspected tax fraud can be reported to the IRS using Form 3949-A found on the IRS.gov website.
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Prior Hands-On Sex Offender Convicted of Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – After a one-day bench trial, a Las Vegas resident was convicted of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Gilbert Davila Jr., 55, was found guilty of one-count of possession of child pornography by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan. At the time of the offense that resulted in his conviction, Davila had been previously convicted in California of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and lewd acts with a minor under 14.
In August and October 2017, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a report from an online email service provider in reference to possible child pornography uploaded by a user. The report was sent to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, who in turn obtained a search warrant for information regarding the user who had uploaded the child pornography. The search warrant revealed that user account had more than 600 images of child sexual exploitation and child abuse material. A search warrant was also executed at Davila’s home. Davila was interviewed after execution of the warrant at his home, during which he confessed that he had a problem and that he had been looking at child pornography for approximately four to five years. He also stated that he performed a factory reset on his phone on the way to the interview to delete all images and videos of child pornography saved to his phone.
Sentencing has been scheduled for July 11, 2019. The maximum penalty is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elham Roohani and Rebecca Clinton are prosecuting the case.
If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, you are urged to make a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.cybertipline.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals, federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Previously Deported Dominican National Sentenced for Role in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced on Friday, April 5, 2019, in federal court in Boston for his role in a fentanyl conspiracy.
Wareng Jhonny Villar-Ortiz, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 73 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Villar-Ortiz will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In January 2019, Villar Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien.
A federal drug investigation determined that Villar-Ortiz was a mid-level drug distributor and that Saul Martinez Escarfuller had delivered a kilogram of drugs to Villar-Ortiz in late January 2018. In February 2018, Villar-Ortiz expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the drugs and made arrangements to return them to Martinez Escarfuller. On Feb. 14, 2018, agents observed Martinez Escarfuller exit Villar-Ortiz’s apartment building and drive off. A short while later, Martinez Escarfuller stopped his car and Joel Cesar Baez exited the vehicle and entered another car. Agents then stopped the second vehicle and asked Baez and the driver to exit. A large plastic bag, which was subsequently determined to contain 789.9 grams of fentanyl, was recovered from inside Baez’s coat.
Angel Milciades Santana Polanco was typically a distributor for Villar-Ortiz and he tested the quality of Villar-Ortiz’ drugs. Between Feb. 8 and Feb. 12, 2018, Santana Polanco offered to supply Villar-Ortiz with a kilogram of drugs. Before deciding whether to purchase the drugs, Villar-Ortiz wanted to test their quality. On Feb. 15, 2018, Villar-Ortiz expressed that the drugs were unacceptable and made arrangements for Santana Polanco to take them back. During a search of Villar-Ortriz’s residence, 978.6 grams of fentanyl from a hiding spot in the bathroom wall was seized.
Villar-Ortiz was previously deported from the United States in 2016.
Santana Polanco was sentenced on Feb. 1, 2019, to five years in prison and three years of supervised release. Cesar Baez, who was a runner for a fentanyl supplier, was sentenced on Jan. 29, 2019, to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Martinez Escarfuller is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30, 2019.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Ipswich, and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Plattsburgh Man Convicted of Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Sean R. Fabian, age 41, of Plattsburgh, New York, was convicted on Friday, following a 4-day jury trial, of conspiring to distribute cocaine.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Special Agent in Charge Ray Donovan, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; and Plattsburgh City Police Chief Levi J. Ritter.
The trial evidence showed that on February 11, 2018, Fabian conspired with Hannah Dyer to traffic 300 grams of cocaine from New York City to Plattsburgh for distribution. On February 13, 2018, the pair met in Albany where Fabian provided the 300 grams of cocaine to Dyer, who was to take the cocaine to Plattsburgh. The New York State Police stopped Dyer’s vehicle in Clinton County and found the drugs in a container, submerged in a fish stew.
As a result of his conviction, Fabian faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000,000, when he is sentenced by United States District Judge Mae A. D ’Agostino on July 31, 2019. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors. Fabian has been in custody since his arrest on June 21, 2018.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the Plattsburgh City Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Collyer and Troy Anderson.
Omaha Man Gets 27 Years for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Francisco A. Saldana, age 37, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court today for production of child pornography. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Laurie Smith Camp sentenced Saldana to 324 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Saldana will begin a 15-year term of supervised release and will also be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
On or about October 6, 2017, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a federal search warrant at the residence of Saldana in Omaha, Nebraska. During a search of Saldana’s computers and other electronic items, HSI agents identified child pornography including images and videos. The child pornography included images of a female, age 7, and a male, age 8. Both minors were known by Saldana. Agents determined through forensic analysis of Saldana’s computers and other electronic items that he induced both minors to take part in sexually explicit conduct on or about August 26, 2017. Using a digital device, Saldana produced at least eight (8) digital images of the minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Ohio County residents indicted on methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Justin R. Beaver, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was arraigned today on drug charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Beaver, age 26, was indicted by a federal grand sitting in Wheeling on April 2, 2019 on four counts of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Beaver is accused of distributing methamphetamine in Marshall County in November 2018.
Beaver faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ohio County man indicted on firearms chargeRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Xavier C. Coyle, of Wheeling, West Virginia, was arraigned today on a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Coyle, age 29, was indicted by a federal grand sitting in Wheeling on April 2, 2019 on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Coyle, having previously been convicted of a felony, is accused of having 9mm pistol in December 2019 in Marshall County.
Coyle faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone presided.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Aiding in Armed Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Rodrequis Council, age 33, of North Carolina, was sentenced to 108 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release on March 29, 2019, by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew W. Brann.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Council previously pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the armed bank robbery of the SPE Federal Credit Union in State College on August 22, 2017.
Marquis Buckley, age 41, of Virginia, pled guilty to committing the armed bank robbery on July 3, 2018, in the Eastern District of Virginia, where he also faced charges related to two other bank robberies in Virginia. Buckley was sentenced to 184 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for his participation in the three robberies on October 3, 2018.
The matter was investigated by Ferguson Township Police Department, Penn State University Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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North Bay Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Agusto Wosbeli Aguilar Meda, a/k/a Maza, was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in Marin County, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) Special Agent in Charge Chris Nielsen. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, U.S. District Judge.
Meda, 36, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty to the charge on December 19, 2018. In pleading guilty, Meda admitted that between June 8, 2018, and September 18, 2018, he conspired with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a substance containing methamphetamine. Specifically, Meda admitted that he was the leader of a conspiracy to sell methamphetamine in San Rafael, and he arranged multiple narcotics transactions during the conspiracy. On October 22, 2018, a federal grand jury handed down a superseding indictment charging Meda with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(B)(viii), as well as five counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Meda pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge and the distribution charges were dismissed.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer sentenced Meda to a four-year period of supervised release to begin after he is released from prison.
Meda’s co-defendant, Melvin Martinez, also pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy on December 19, 2018. On April 3, 2019, Judge Breyer sentenced Martinez to 30 months in prison and a five-year term of supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Weingarten is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the DEA and the Marin County Major Crimes Task Force.
New York Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on Federal Extortion ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tony John Evans, 30, formerly of New York, N.Y., was sentenced today to five years in prison for his role in a wide-ranging scheme that caused a Maryland man to embezzle more than $4 million from his employer in Washington, D.C.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Evans pled guilty in September 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of interference with interstate commerce by extortion and aiding and abetting and causing an act to be done. He was sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. Following his prison term, Evans will be placed on three years of supervised release. In addition, he was ordered to pay $4,217,542 in restitution, as well as $3,119,010 in a forfeiture money judgment.
Evans and several members of his family were indicted in April 2018.
In his plea agreement, Evans admitted that from January 2017 through April 2017, he worked with other individuals to extort and defraud others out of money, precious metals, and luxury merchandise. As part of the scheme, he pretended to be a mobster in order to get a Maryland man to provide him and his fellow conspirators with money, luxury goods, and gold. Evans threatened to harm the man and his family if payments were not made.
As a result of Evans and other conspirators’ actions, the man embezzled more than $4 million from his employer in the District of Columbia over a three-month period for the purpose of providing it to Evans and the other conspirators. Towards the end of the conspiracy, the man delivered more than $1 million in gold—which he had purchased with embezzled funds—to a hotel in New York. Evans admitted that he retrieved the gold bars, delivered them to other individuals, and sold several of the bars to a gold dealer in New York in exchange for cash.
In October 2017, the FBI executed a search warrant on Evans’s safe deposit box at a bank in New York. The safe deposit box contained gold and expensive jewelry, including luxury watches and diamonds. As part of his plea agreement, Evans agreed to forfeit his rights to all of the items recovered from the safe deposit box. He also surrendered two additional one-kilogram gold bars to the FBI, along with a Rolex watch, which he purchased with criminal proceeds.
Charges against five co-defendants remain pending.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who is assisting with forfeiture issues, Paralegal Specialists Brittany Phillips and Joshua Fein, former Paralegal Specialists Jessica Mundi and Kristy Penny, and Forensic Accountant Bryan Snitselaar.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Kent and Kondi Kleinman, who investigated and are prosecuting the case.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2019: “Honoring Our Past, Creating Hope for the Future”Read the Press Release
Victim Witness Coordinator Polly Montano (619) 546-8921
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 8, 2019
SAN DIEGO – National Crime Victims’ Rights Week – a time for law enforcement, prosecutorial agencies, victim advocates and community members to come together and support victims of crime – is April 7-13.
Upholding the rights of victims not only protects victims of crime, but enhances public safety and fosters public confidence in our criminal justice system. Agencies that participate in this weeklong tribute will acknowledge and honor crime victims nationwide.
The San Diego County Victim Assistance Coordinating Council (VACC) and the United States Attorney’s Office in San Diego invite you to attend the 30th annual Candlelight Tribute for Crime Survivors on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. The tribute will be held at the San Diego Police Officers’ Association Hall, 8388 Vickers St., San Diego, CA 92111. The keynote speaker will be U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer, Jr. The Tribute is a time to memorialize victims and to hear inspirational words from local law enforcement agencies, victim advocates and personal stories from the victims themselves.
The Tribute is sponsored by the VACC. VACC is comprised of the following agencies: Alliance for Community Empowerment; the Crime and Trauma Recovery Program; the District Attorney’s Victim Assistance Program; the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Victim Witness Program; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Victim Assistance Program; the Center for Mindful Relationships; Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD); Mothers with a Message; Parents of Murdered Children; San Diego Police Department Crisis Intervention; San Diego County Sherriff’s Department; the United States Attorney’s Office Victim/ Witness Program; the U.S. Marshals Office; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and other victim advocates.
By providing a single, uniform message from these agencies and service providers, we can help increase awareness and improve the assistance provided to all crime victims.
To receive further information about National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, and ideas on how to serve victims in your community please visit www.ovc.gov or www.sdcvacc.com.
Navajo Man from Breadsprings, N.m., Arrested on Federal Murder ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Troy Livingston, 18, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation who resides in Breadsprings, N.M., made his initial appearance in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., this morning on a criminal complaint charging him with murdering a Navajo woman with malice aforethought. Livingston remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which are scheduled for April 9, 2019.
The criminal complaint alleges that Livingston beat the victim to death with a flashlight and his feet at a residence Breadsprings, which is located in the Navajo Indian Reservation, on April 6, 2019. According to the criminal complaint, the victim was Livingston’s girlfriend.
If convicted of the charge in the criminal complaint, Livingston faces a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Charges in criminal complaints are only accusations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Crownpoint office of the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Cowen is prosecuting the case.
Middlesex County, New Jersey, Man Admits Attempting to Obtain United States Citizenship by FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Iselin, New Jersey, man today admitted that he attempted to fraudulently obtain United States citizenship, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Pal Singh, a/k/a “Surinder Singh,” a/k/a “Harpal Singh,” 67, an Indian national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas to an information charging him with one count of attempted naturalization fraud.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In March 1992, Singh applied for admission into the United States as a tourist at Los Angeles International Airport by presenting an Indian passport that purported to contain an entry visa to the United States. Singh was refused admission because the entry visa was deemed fraudulent and he was detained pending exclusion proceedings. Singh thereafter applied for asylum in the United States in his true name, and he was released on bond while his asylum claim was evaluated. In June 1993, an immigration judge in New York denied Singh’s asylum application and Singh was ordered to surrender for deportation. Singh failed to appear for his deportation as ordered.
In August 1995, Singh fraudulently applied for asylum in the United States under the identity of “Harpal Singh,” and claimed that he had entered the United States by crossing the United States-Mexico border in December 1994. Singh did not disclose that he had previously been denied asylum under his true identity. In March 1996, an immigration judge denied Singh’s second asylum application and he was again ordered to surrender for deportation. Singh again failed to appear for his deportation.
In May 1996, Singh fraudulently applied for asylum in the United States under the identity of “Surinder Singh,” claiming that he had entered the United States by crossing the United States-Mexico border in November 1995. Singh did not disclose that he had previously been denied asylum under his true identity and under the identity of Harpal Singh. This application further claimed that Surinder Singh had been beaten and tortured in India in 1994 despite the fact that Singh had been living in the United States at the time under his true identity. In June 1996, the Immigration and Naturalization Service granted Singh’s third asylum application in the name of “Surinder Singh” based on fraudulent information provided by Singh.
In December 2015, Singh filed an Application for Naturalization, Form 400-N, with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security under the identity of Surinder Singh. He falsely answered questions relating to his identity, his prior immigration applications, and his immigration status, among others. In May 2018, Singh appeared in the identity of Surinder Singh before an officer of the Department of Homeland Security in Newark for an interview, which was conducted under oath and video-recorded. Singh was also assisted by counsel and by a Punjabi interpreter. Singh falsely answered additional questions relating to his identity, his prior immigration applications, and his immigration status, among others.
A qualified fingerprint examiner from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Biometric Support Center has compared fingerprints taken of Singh when he initially attempted to enter the United States in March 1992 to fingerprints taken in the names of Harpal Singh and Surinder Singh in connection with the above-described immigration proceedings. The fingerprint examiner concluded that the same individual made all of the fingerprints.
The attempted naturalization fraud charge carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 5, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas S. Kearney of the U.S Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alexis Fernando Lopez, age 23, a Mexican National, entered a guilty plea to Possession With Intent To Distribute Cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B) and Title 18, United States Code, Section 2, punishable by not less than 5 and not more than 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000.00 fine, or both.
The Indictment alleges that on or about November 28, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, did knowingly and intentionally possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.
Mexican National Men Sentenced for Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Two Mexican national men were sentenced for the felony offense of Reentry of a Removed Alien, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Carlos Rodriguez-Diaz, 26, and Huber Rodriguez-Diaz, 24, both received a sentence of “time served.” They had both been in custody since December of 2018, nearly four months of federal incarceration. The Court ordered both men remanded to ICE custody to begin administrative deportation proceedings. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“These two brothers, both in their twenties, had four prior removals between them,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “If they want to live and work in our country, they need to enter our country legally and follow our immigration laws.”
On December 19, 2018, both men were found in Hurricane, Putnam County, West Virginia. Federal agents with ICE had received a tip that a person was working illegally at a Hurricane restaurant. ICE agents investigated and located the Rodriguez-Diaz brothers walking to the restaurant. Believing one of the men to be the target of the investigation, ICE agents requested identification. Both men immediately admitted that they were not in the United States legally and had no identification documents. ICE agents took Carlos and Huber Rodriguez-Diaz into federal custody.
Fingerprinting matched Carlos to three prior removals from the United States in 2014, 2015, and 2018. Huber has one prior removal from the United States in 2014 that his fingerprints matched. In all cases, the Rodriguez-Diaz brothers were found by immigration judges to be in the United States illegally and they were deported to Mexico. Neither man had obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Both Carlos and Huber Rodriguez-Diaz further admitted to ICE agents that they were Mexican citizens.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is responsible for both of the prosecutions. United States District Judge Robert C Chambers imposed the sentences.
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Meth Distributor Heads to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Houston resident has sentenced in Corpus Christi federal court following his conviction for possessing with intent to distribute crystal methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Aaron Dee Summer III pleaded guilty Jan. 31, 2019, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute narcotics.
Today, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Janis Graham Jack sentenced Summer to 145 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court noted Summer did not have a minor role in the offense as he claimed.
On Nov. 17, 2018, law enforcement conducted an inspection of a charter bus traveling north through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immigration checkpoint near Falfurrias. During the investigation, authorities discovered luggage belonging to Summer with 28 bundles totaling approximately 13.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.
Law enforcement arrested him and discovered he was hiding an additional kilogram of Fentanyl strapped to his torso underneath his clothing. Summer admitted he had transported narcotics on the bus from Mexico and the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas on several occasions over the previous six months.
Summer has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and CBP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton is prosecuting the case.
Maryland Man Charged with Interstate Transportation of a Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has charged Rondell Henry, age 28, of Germantown, Maryland, by criminal complaint with interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle. Today, the government filed a motion arguing for Henry to be detained pending trial as a flight risk and a danger to the community. Specifically, the government’s detention memo alleges that Henry, who claimed to be inspired by the ISIS terrorist organization, stole a U-Haul van with the intention of using it as a weapon against pedestrians on sidewalks within the National Harbor complex along the Potomac River in Maryland. A detention hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, 2019, at 12:45 p.m. in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas M. DiGirolamo.
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Acting Chief Russell E. Hamill, III of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Michael L. Brown of the City of Alexandria (Virginia) Police Department.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur stated, “We continue to gather evidence, as well as review evidence already obtained as part of this ongoing investigation.”
According to the criminal complaint and other court documents, on March 26, 2019, the Alexandria Police Department was contacted concerning a leased U-Haul vehicle that had been stolen from a parking garage at a mall in Alexandria, Virginia. The driver, who had rented the U-Haul vehicle had noticed a man driving a blue BMW follow the U-Haul off Interstate 395 and onto mall property, then follow the U-Haul into the parking garage and park a few spaces away. When police responded to the garage, they found the BMW near where the U-Haul had been stolen. A check of the BMW’s registration records revealed that the BMW was registered to Rondell Henry.
On March 27, 2019, the stolen U-Haul was located at the National Harbor in Maryland. Law enforcement reviewed video surveillance of the area that showed Henry parking and subsequently exiting the stolen U-Haul. Henry was arrested the following day.
According to the detention memo, for two years, Henry has harbored “hatred” for those who do not practice the Muslim faith. Allegedly inspired by videos he watched of foreign terrorists, Henry decided to conduct a vehicular attack, similar to the 2016 truck attack in Nice, France, for which ISIS claimed responsibility. After stealing the van, Henry drove around, arriving at Dulles International Airport in Virginia at approximately 5:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. The government’s motion for detention alleges that Henry exited his U-Haul and entered the terminal, trying to find a way through security, allegedly to harm “disbelievers” in a way designed for maximum publicity. After more than two hours of failing to breach Dulles’s security perimeter, Henry allegedly returned to the U-Haul.
According to the motion for detention, Henry then drove the U-Haul from Virginia to the National Harbor in Maryland, arriving around 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 27. The motion for detention alleges that Henry parked the U-Haul and walked around a popular part of National Harbor. According to the motion for detention, Henry finally broke into a boat to hide overnight.
By the following morning, Thursday, March 28, police officers had discovered the location of the stolen U-Haul. When Henry leapt over the security fence from the boat dock, observant Prince George’s County Police officers arrested him.
If convicted, Henry faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the City of Alexandria Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked his office’s national security prosecutors, who are handling the case.
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Marshall County woman sentenced for drug distributionRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Jamie L. Moore, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 87 months incarceration for drug distribution, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Moore, age 47, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Methamphetamine” in February 2019. Moore admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine in 2017 and 2018 in Marshall County.
The judge also ordered the forfeiture of a property located at 1512 Lindsay Lane in Moundsville, West Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
MS-13 Member Pleads Guilty to Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An MS-13 member pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to racketeering conspiracy.
Nelson Cruz Rodriguez Cartagena, a/k/a “Inquieto,” 24, a Salvadoran national illegally residing in Everett, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2019. Rodriguez Cartagena was arrested in Everett and charged in June 2018 after law enforcement determined that he had reentered the United States.
According to court documents, MS-13 is a violent, transnational criminal organization whose branches, or “cliques,” operate throughout the United States, including in Massachusetts. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline within the group. It is alleged that most of the MS-13 cliques in Massachusetts, including the Everett Locos Salvatrucha (ELS) clique, belonged to MS-13’s East Coast Program, and that these cliques worked both independently and cooperatively to engage in criminal activity and to assist one another in avoiding detection by law enforcement.
Rodriguez Cartagena is a full member, or “homeboy,” in MS-13’s ELS clique. On recorded prison calls with a detained ELS clique leader, Rodriguez Cartagena discussed buying guns for the Everett clique; maintaining and supervising the clique’s marijuana trafficking business; the need to collect dues from clique members; the need to send money to MS-13 leaders in El Salvador due on the 13th of each month; and reporting on the clique’s day-to-day racketeering activities. When the clique leader began to suspect that a member of the ELS clique had cooperated with law enforcement leading to his arrest, he enlisted Rodriguez Cartagena’s help to ferret out the informant. Rodriguez Cartagena provided the true names of two young Everett clique members, and the leader concluded that one of them, Jose Aguilar Villanueva, a/k/a “Fantasma,” was the clique member responsible for his arrest. Once ELS (incorrectly) identified Villanueva as an informant, members of the Everett clique, including Rodriguez Cartagena, met at the clique’s “destroyer house,” – a residence where clique members stored knives, machetes, marijuana, and money – to plan the murder of Villanueva. Ultimately, on the night of July 5, 2015, two young ELS probationary members, or “chequeos,” lured Villanueva into a park in Lawrence and stabbed him to death. Villanueva was 16 years old.
The charge of RICO conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Rodriguez Cartagena will face deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Carol A. Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Gross; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement.
MEDIA ADVISORY: United States Attorney Mike Stuart to Host 19th Annual Operation Reach Out Opening CeremonyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, 2019, United States Attorney Mike Stuart will be hosting the 19th Annual Operation Reach Out Opening Ceremony. Stuart will present Excellence in Victim Advocacy and Justice Awards to federal, state and local partners engaged in fighting violence against women.
What: Operation Reach Out Ceremony & Reception
Where: Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse
300 Virginia Street East, 5th Floor
Charleston, WV
When: Tuesday, April 9 @ 11:00am
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
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Lima man indicted on charges of using firearms while trafficking cocaineRead the Press Release
A Lima man was indicted on charges of using firearms while trafficking cocaine.
Gregory L. Buckmon, 36, was charged in a seven-count indictment with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, using a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Buckmon at different points in 2018 possessed cocaine and various firearms. It was illegal for Buckmon to possess firearms because of previous convictions for burglary, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant's sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigating agency in this case is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley A. Futrell and Matthew D. Simko.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lewiston Woman Pleads Guilty to Creating Fraudulent Marijuana CertificationsRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Stephanie Beck, 41, of Lewiston, Maine, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to manufacture marijuana.
According to court records, the defendant was licensed by Maine’s Department of Professional and Financial Regulation as a Certified Clinical Supervisor and an Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Between December 1, 2017, and February 27, 2018, the defendant provided patient names to a nurse practitioner (including the names of MaineCare recipients), who, in turn, created fraudulent medical marijuana certifications. These fraudulent certifications allowed a marijuana trafficking conspiracy to illegally cultivate marijuana plants under the cover of, but in violation of, the Maine Medical Use of Marijuana Program.
The defendant faces up to 20 years in jail and a $1,000,000 fine. She will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the Maine Attorney General’s Healthcare Crimes Unit, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Lackawanna County Man Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Stanley, age 40, of Dalton, Pennsylvania, owner of Nick Stanley Paving, Inc., was indicted on April 2, 2019, for tax evasion and structuring transactions to evade a reporting requirement.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Stanley took affirmative steps to evade the payment of taxes while owing $1,062,312.10 for tax years 2005 to 2011.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
Criminal Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each offense charged is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Kauai Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Rowenalynn P. Yorkman, 48, of Kekaha, Hawaii, was sentenced today to 30 months of imprisonment for defrauding the United States Department of the Navy and its employees. As part of her sentence, Yorkman must pay $364,838.33 in restitution, and serve 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price announced that, according to court documents and information presented in Court, from January 2011 to June 2015, Yorkman was employed by the Department of the Navy as a travel clerk where she tracked and reviewed travel claims for personnel. Yorkman, without authorization, used a co-worker’s account to enter false information and create fraudulent voucher amendments for expenses travelers did not incur. Yorkman then approved these voucher amendments for payment into her own bank account. She then converted these funds for her personal use. During her scheme, Yorkman defrauded the United States government and travelers of at least $364,838.33.
At Yorkman’s sentencing, Senior U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway remarked, "First of all, this was not a one-time giving into temptation," the 333 fraudulent transactions "was almost like a habit." The fraud involved "wholesale use of other people’s names and information" causing great concern.
The case was investigated by the United States Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren W.K. Ching.
Justice Department and Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office Observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with Events Throughout the CountryRead the Press Release
This week, April 7-13, 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office joins the rest of the Department of Justice in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, 2019. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will participate in an annual event that celebrates and supports crime victims.
“Victims of crime deserve justice. This Department works every day to help them recover and to find, prosecute, and convict those who have done them harm,” said Attorney General William P. Barr. “During this National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we pause to remember the millions of Americans who have been victims of crime and we thank public servants who have served them in especially heroic ways. This week the men and women of the Department recommit ourselves once again to ensuring that crime victims continue to have a voice in our legal system, to securing justice for them, and to preventing other Americans from suffering what they have endured.”
United States Attorney Christina E. Nolan stated: “The pursuit of justice for victims and their families is a central component of our mission. Those who have suffered senselessly at the hands of criminals – whether from violence, drug trafficking, financial crime, child exploitation, or other crime – will always have tireless advocates at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Working with our brave law enforcement officers, we will strive to ensure victims’ rights are protected and that they receive appropriate compensation and recovery services. We will also continue to collaborate with community partners to assist crime survivors and make Vermont safer through prevention initiatives.”Each year in April, the Department of Justice and United States Attorneys’ offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by taking time to honor victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. In addition, the Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ offices organize events to honor the victims and advocates, as well as bring awareness to services available to victims of crime. In Vermont, this year’s observance takes place April 7-13, with the theme: Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.
This year’s event in Vermont took place at the Capitol Plaza in Montpelier, Vermont on April 8. The day included a workshop in the morning presented by master storyteller Sue Schmidt. An awards ceremony followed in the afternoon to honor victim advocates and allied professionals from across Vermont who serve victims of crime.
The U.S. Department of Justice will host the Office for Victims of Crime’s annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on April 12, 2019, to honor outstanding individuals and programs that serve victims of crime.
The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week each year. President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first National Crime Victims’ Rights Week in 1981 to bring greater sensitivity to the needs and rights of victims of crime.
The Office of Justice Programs provides innovative leadership to federal, state, local, and tribal justice systems, by disseminating state-of-the art knowledge and practices across America, and providing grants for the implementation of these crime-fighting strategies. Because most of the responsibility for crime control and prevention falls to law enforcement officers in states, cities, and neighborhoods, the federal government can be effective in these areas only to the extent that it can enter into partnerships with these officers. More information about the Office of Justice Programs and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov. More information about Crime Victim’s Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/. You may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Vermont- Victim Witness Program at (802) 951-6725.
Judge sentences Billings woman to four years in meth caseRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Billings woman who admitted possessing meth for distribution was sentenced on April 4 to four years in prison and four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Leah Summer Garcia, 41, pleaded guilty earlier to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
On April 19, 2018, Garcia, who was on state probation, was arrested on two outstanding warrants while she was at the jail visiting an inmate, prosecutors said in court records. In a search of the vehicle Garcia drove to the jail, law enforcement found an ounce of meth, which is the equivalent of about 224 doses. Garcia had been linked through drug-related text messages to others in an ongoing drug investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI task force.
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.
Jamestown Woman Pleads Guilty for Her Role in Methamphetamine RingRead 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 Stacie N. Yancer, 39, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, five grams or more of methamphetamine. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia Astorga and Emmanuel Ulubiyo, who are handling the case, stated that between November 2017 and June 14, 2018, conspired with others to operate a drug trafficking organization, primarily involving methamphetamine, in the Jamestown area.
On January 10, 2018, and March 8, 2018, the defendant sold methamphetamine to an individual working with the Jamestown Drug Task Force.
On March 12, 2018, a search warrant was executed at 22 Bassett Street in Jamestown. During the search, the defendant was located in the back bedroom of 22 Bassett Street, Jamestown, NY. During the search, investigators recovered quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine; and Suboxone strips.
The defendant was charged along with 14 other defendants. She is the second to be convicted. The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Harry Snellings.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 16, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo
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Jackson Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a Firearm as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss – Harold Course, 46, of Jackson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On October 19, 2018, officers with the Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force arrived at a halfway house in Jackson to serve an arrest warrant on an individual when they observed a man asleep in the driver’s seat of a pickup truck. Agents identified the man as Harold Course. Course was not the subject of the arrest warrant, but agents observed, in plain view, a shotgun between Course and the truck’s center console. Agents determined Course was wanted by Brookhaven Police for robbery and was a convicted felon. Course had been previously convicted in Hinds County, Mississippi, of attempted business burglary on March 6, 2015.
On February 20, 2019, Course was charged in a federal indictment with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He will be sentenced on July 15, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. by Judge Reeves, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bert Carraway.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Jackson County Man Charged with Defrauding Investors in $50 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Jackson, Ohio man has agreed to plead guilty in U.S. District Court to orchestrating a $50 million dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded at least 46 investors.
Jason E. Adkins, 40, was arraigned in federal court today in Columbus.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation and Todd Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the case.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2012 and continuing through 2018, Adkins conspired to solicit millions of dollars from investors under false pretenses, failed to invest the funds as promised and misappropriated investors’ funds for his own benefit and the benefit of others.
Adkins and others claimed that they bought and sold over-sized tires commonly known as off-the-road tires, which are used on earth moving equipment and/or mining equipment. Investors were told their money would be used to buy the tires at a steep discount, and that the tires would then be re-sold to a buyer at a much higher rate.
Investors were promised a 15 to 20 percent rate of return on investment, generally within 180 days. Adkins would sometimes pay the return on investment for the first transaction with investor victims.
“Making good on early investments perpetuated Adkins’s scheme by appearing to corroborate his claims, which helped him attract more investors,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “What the victims didn’t know was that Adkins was paying off early investments with the money from later ones. Although the product that Jason Adkins was purporting to buy and sell—oversize tires—was unusual, the operation of his scheme was not. It was right out of Ponzi’s playbook.”
For example, although two specific investors were paid for their initial investment of $20,000 with Adkins in 2016, they only received $320,000 total from Adkins in return for approximately $1 million worth of investments overall.
Adkins used several methods to conceal the scope of the Ponzi scheme and to minimize associated tax liabilities. For example, he and others sent various amounts of investor funds through a long series of wire transfers to many bank accounts. He created more than 15 corporate bank accounts to receive and distribute fraudulently obtained funds from investors.
Adkins also laundered his ill-gotten proceeds for at least five years, inlcuding by investing in front businesses created by co-conspirators.
Adkins bought cars, vacations and property with the funds from the scheme. For example, he paid for the construction of a pool at his personal residence and also paid more than $20,000 to lease a private jet.
Further, Adkins failed to file individual income tax returns reporting his income derived from the scheme. In 2013, specifically, Adkins earned at least $1.1 million, which caused a tax loss of nearly $237,000 to the IRS.
“A person who creates a web of financial lies will soon be caught up in it. Mr. Adkins offered rates of return of 15 to 20 percent to investors and unfortunately these were false promises,” said William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “No matter the source of income, everyone has an obligation to the American public to pay their fair share of income taxes. The success of this investigation was a direct result of the excellent partnership amongst IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Adkins has agreed to plead guilty to three counts of wire fraud and six counts related to money laundering – all crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison – and one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation and FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas W. Squires, David M. DeVillers and S. Courter Shimeall, who are representing the United States in this case.
If you believe you’re also a victim of Adkins’s scheme, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Coordinator, Barbara Vanarsdall, at 614-469-5715.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Jackson, Ohio man has agreed to plead guilty in U.S. District Court to orchestrating a $50 million dollar Ponzi scheme that defrauded at least 46 investors.
Jason E. Adkins, 40, was arraigned in federal court today in Columbus.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation and Todd Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the case.
According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2012 and continuing through 2018, Adkins conspired to solicit millions of dollars from investors under false pretenses, failed to invest the funds as promised and misappropriated investors’ funds for his own benefit and the benefit of others.
Adkins and others claimed that they bought and sold over-sized tires commonly known as off-the-road tires, which are used on earth moving equipment and/or mining equipment. Investors were told their money would be used to buy the tires at a steep discount, and that the tires would then be re-sold to a buyer at a much higher rate.
Investors were promised a 15 to 20 percent rate of return on investment, generally within 180 days. Adkins would sometimes pay the return on investment for the first transaction with investor victims.
“Making good on early investments perpetuated Adkins’s scheme by appearing to corroborate his claims, which helped him attract more investors,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “What the victims didn’t know was that Adkins was paying off early investments with the money from later ones. Although the product that Jason Adkins was purporting to buy and sell—oversize tires—was unusual, the operation of his scheme was not. It was right out of Ponzi’s playbook.”
For example, although two specific investors were paid for their initial investment of $20,000 with Adkins in 2016, they only received $320,000 total from Adkins in return for approximately $1 million worth of investments overall.
Adkins used several methods to conceal the scope of the Ponzi scheme and to minimize associated tax liabilities. For example, he and others sent various amounts of investor funds through a long series of wire transfers to many bank accounts. He created more than 15 corporate bank accounts to receive and distribute fraudulently obtained funds from investors.
Adkins also laundered his ill-gotten proceeds for at least five years, inlcuding by investing in front businesses created by co-conspirators.
Adkins bought cars, vacations and property with the funds from the scheme. For example, he paid for the construction of a pool at his personal residence and also paid more than $20,000 to lease a private jet.
Further, Adkins failed to file individual income tax returns reporting his income derived from the scheme. In 2013, specifically, Adkins earned at least $1.1 million, which caused a tax loss of nearly $237,000 to the IRS.
“A person who creates a web of financial lies will soon be caught up in it. Mr. Adkins offered rates of return of 15 to 20 percent to investors and unfortunately these were false promises,” said William Cheung, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS, Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. “No matter the source of income, everyone has an obligation to the American public to pay their fair share of income taxes. The success of this investigation was a direct result of the excellent partnership amongst IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Adkins has agreed to plead guilty to three counts of wire fraud and six counts related to money laundering – all crimes punishable by up to 20 years in prison – and one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the IRS Criminal Investigation and FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas W. Squires, David M. DeVillers and S. Courter Shimeall, who are representing the United States in this case.
If you believe you’re also a victim of Adkins’s scheme, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Witness Coordinator, Barbara Vanarsdall, at 614-469-5715.
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Insulation Contractor Branch Manager Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging and FraudRead the Press Release
Gary DeVoe, Branch Manager for the New England Division of an insulation contractor, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for his role in schemes to rig bids and engage in fraud on insulation installation contracts, marking the first conviction in this investigation, the Department of Justice announced.
According to court documents, from at least as early as October 2011 and continuing until as late as March 2018, DeVoe, of Bethlehem, Connecticut, conspired with other insulation installation contractors to rig bids and engage in fraud on insulation installation contracts in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. Insulation installation contractors install insulation around pipes and ducts on renovation and new construction projects at universities, hospitals, and other public and private entities. In addition to his guilty plea, DeVoe has agreed to pay restitution.
“Today’s conviction is the result of a coordinated effort between the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to root out collusion and fraud that undermined the competitive process and defrauded hospitals, schools, and other victims out of millions of dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Contractors who conspire to deceive and defraud their customers will be prosecuted.”
“This defendant participated in a long-running conspiracy among insulation contractors in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York,” said U.S. Attorney John H. Durham. “They cooked up collusive bids, shared bid numbers with their competitors and communicated with co-conspirators via encrypted messaging apps, all in an effort to line their own pockets and their companies’ bottom lines. The real victims are the hospitals, universities and businesses that were duped into paying corruptly inflated bids on $45 million worth of insulation jobs throughout New England. I commend the FBI, DCIS and the Antitrust Division for uncovering this brazen scheme and their ongoing efforts to bring its perpetrators to justice.”
“Free and open markets are the foundation of a vibrant economy. For years, the defendant illegally coordinated bids on construction projects in order to enhance his own profits, eliminate competition, and ultimately steal from both public and private customers,” said Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s New Haven Field Office. “The FBI is committed to preventing this conduct that restricts all construction firms from receiving an opportunity to bid and receive contracts. Consumers deserve the benefits of competitive prices, higher quality products, services, and greater innovation.”
“Collusion and bid rigging seriously undermine the integrity of public contracting processes,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Northeast Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who deprive the benefits of competitive contracts and divert tax payer funds.”
The antitrust charge announced today carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $1 million for individuals. The fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The fines for the antitrust and fraud conspiracy charges may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. DeVoe will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
DeVoe also agreed to resolve civil forfeiture cases connected to the criminal charges. DeVoe agreed to settle the pending forfeiture action on his home for $131,000 and to forfeit all of his seized bank accounts.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the FBI’s New Haven Division, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to call the Antitrust Division’s New York Section at 212-335-8035, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Insulation Contractor Branch Manager Pleads Guilty to Bid Rigging and FraudRead the Press Release
Gary DeVoe, Branch Manager for the New England Division of an insulation contractor, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport, Connecticut, for his role in schemes to rig bids and engage in fraud on insulation installation contracts, marking the first conviction in this investigation, the Department of Justice announced.
According to court documents, from at least as early as October 2011 and continuing until as late as March 2018, DeVoe, of Bethlehem, Connecticut, conspired with other insulation installation contractors to rig bids and engage in fraud on insulation installation contracts in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts. Insulation installation contractors install insulation around pipes and ducts on renovation and new construction projects at universities, hospitals, and other public and private entities. In addition to his guilty plea, DeVoe has agreed to pay restitution.
“Today’s conviction is the result of a coordinated effort between the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to root out collusion and fraud that undermined the competitive process and defrauded hospitals, schools, and other victims out of millions of dollars,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “Contractors who conspire to deceive and defraud their customers will be prosecuted.”
“This defendant participated in a long-running conspiracy among insulation contractors in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New York,” said U.S. Attorney John H. Durham. “They cooked up collusive bids, shared bid numbers with their competitors and communicated with co-conspirators via encrypted messaging apps, all in an effort to line their own pockets and their companies’ bottom lines. The real victims are the hospitals, universities and businesses that were duped into paying corruptly inflated bids on $45 million worth of insulation jobs throughout New England. I commend the FBI, DCIS and the Antitrust Division for uncovering this brazen scheme and their ongoing efforts to bring its perpetrators to justice.”
“Free and open markets are the foundation of a vibrant economy. For years, the defendant illegally coordinated bids on construction projects in order to enhance his own profits, eliminate competition, and ultimately steal from both public and private customers,” said Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of FBI’s New Haven Field Office. “The FBI is committed to preventing this conduct that restricts all construction firms from receiving an opportunity to bid and receive contracts. Consumers deserve the benefits of competitive prices, higher quality products, services, and greater innovation.”
“Collusion and bid rigging seriously undermine the integrity of public contracting processes,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Northeast Field Office. “DCIS will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute those who deprive the benefits of competitive contracts and divert tax payer funds.”
The antitrust charge announced today carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $1 million for individuals. The fraud conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The fines for the antitrust and fraud conspiracy charges may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine. DeVoe will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims.
DeVoe also agreed to resolve civil forfeiture cases connected to the criminal charges. DeVoe agreed to settle the pending forfeiture action on his home for $131,000 and to forfeit all of his seized bank accounts.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut, the FBI’s New Haven Division, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Anyone with information in connection with this investigation is urged to call the Antitrust Division’s New York Section at 212-335-8035, or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.
Hudson County, New Jersey, Man Pleads Guilty to Bribing Mail Carriers to Steal Credit CardsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man today admitted his role in a scheme to steal credit cards from the mail, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Moussa Dagno, 24, of Harrison, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count each of bribery of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) mail carriers and employees, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Dagno, who was arrested in February of 2018, remains detained pending his sentencing.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Dagno recruited several USPS mail carriers and employees to steal credit cards from the mail in exchange for bribes of $100 per stolen card. Dagno activated the cards under false pretenses, and he and others would use the cards to purchase high-end electronics and clothing at various retail stores throughout New Jersey. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement seized six laptops and a smartphone from Dagno’s residence, all of which had been purchased with credit cards stolen by USPS workers involved in the scheme.
Several of the USPS mail carriers and employees who accepted bribes from Dagno and others have already pleaded guilty to bribery charges and are awaiting sentencing. These individuals include: former mail carriers Zenobia Gilmer, Ayesha Trotz and Kyanne Costley, who had delivery routes in Mt. Arlington, New Jersey, East Orange, New Jersey, and Elizabeth, New Jersey, as well as Jennel Williams, who formerly worked as a clerk in the Main Post Office in Newark. All four admitted to stealing credit cards from the mail and delivering those stolen cards to Dagno or another individual working with Dagno.
The bribery charge to which Dagno pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison; the bank fraud charge to which Dagno pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison; and the aggravated identity theft charge to which Dagno plead guilty carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, which will be served consecutively to the sentence Dagno receives on the other charges. The bank fraud charges carries a maximum potential fine of $1 million, while the maximum potential fine for both the bribery and aggravated identity theft is $250,000. Sentencing is currently scheduled for July 17, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the USPS - Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, Northeast Area Field Office, and inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge James Buthorn, with the investigation leading to these charges.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark J. McCarren and Jihee G. Suh of the U.S. Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Houston Woman Heads to Prison for FraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 44-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following her conviction of theft of government money, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Sheiletta McGrew pleaded guilty Sept. 17, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore ordered McGrew to serve a total 24-month sentence to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. She was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $144,943.
McGrew owned a tax preparation business called BABY STEPS 4 ME which she operated from her Houston residence. At the time of her plea, McGrew admitted she unlawfully acquired the personal identifying information (PII) of numerous individuals to include names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and other sensitive personal information. She then used the unlawfully acquired PII to file false and fraudulent income tax returns with the IRS.
McGrew submitted the fraudulent returns without the consent of the taxpayers listed on the returns and requested the refunds be directly deposited into bank accounts she controlled.
McGrew admitted she filed at least 82 fraudulent returns during this scheme and received fraudulent refunds in the amount of $257,765.
McGrew was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman is prosecuting the case.
Hazelton Man Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Edward Gonzalez, age 30, of Hazelton, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 2, 2019, for drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Gonzalez possessed with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and a quantity of marijuana on November 30, 2018, in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. The indictment also alleges that Gonzalez possessed a .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean A. Camoni is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum total penalty under federal law for these offenses is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Great Falls man admits possessing child pornRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Great Falls resident Lothar Konrad Krauth on Monday admitted he received child pornography after an investigation found thousands of images on his computer and electronic storage devices, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Krauth, 81, pleaded guilty to receipt of child porn as charged in an indictment. Krauth faces a minimum mandatory five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Judge Morris set sentencing for July 18 and continued Krauth’s release.
The prosecution said in court records that on Oct. 10, 2018, agents from the Homeland Security Investigations team in Great Falls received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The organization reported that the user of an internet provider address in Great Falls had uploaded an image of a nude prepubescent male. The address was identified as having been assigned to Krauth.
HSI agents and Great Falls police officers served a search warrant at Krauth’s residence on Oct. 26, 2018 and seized about 20 items of electronic media, including a desktop computer, nine external hard drives, six thumb drives and other items. Investigators then obtained a warrant to search all of the seized electronic media.
A forensic examination of Krauth’s desktop computer found about 400 images of child porn, while a subsequent analysis found thousands of child porn images. The majority of the child porn images depicted prepubescent children.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bartleson and Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by HSI and the Great Falls Police Department.
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Former Erie Resident Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking ChildrenRead the Press Release
ERIE, Pa. - A former resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 14 years in prison and 10 years supervised release on his conviction of sex trafficking of a child and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David S. Cercone imposed the sentence on Thomas Patrick Petoff, 31.
According to information presented to the court, from March 2015 to October 2015, Petoff and a co-defendant, Devonte Lucas, knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, advertised and maintained two minor victims who engaged in commercial sex acts at the behest of Petoff and Lucas. Petoff’s illegal activity was ultimately stopped when members of the Millcreek Police Department observed Lucas transport a minor female to a Millcreek motel after the Millcreek officers, acting in an undercover capacity, had set up a meeting at the motel with the victim via an Internet advertisement that had been placed by Petoff. Lucas was sentenced to 13 years in prison on September 11, 2017.
Assistant United States Attorney Christian A. Trabold prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Millcreek Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Petoff.
Former Clay County High School Teacher Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sex Abuse Video over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Christopher Shawn Potter (50, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to distributing a video over the internet that depicts a young child being sexually abused. Potter faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential life-term of supervised release. He has been detained since his arrest on September 20, 2018.
Potter worked as a teacher at Clay High School in Green Cove Springs from 2016 - 2017, and was a teacher at Orange Park High School from 1997 - 2004.
According to court documents, in February 2018, Potter, utilizing the user name “Catsfan1987,” responded to a notice posted online by an undercover officer with the Orange Park Police Department who was posing as a 14-year-old child. Potter engaged in online conversations with the undercover officer during which Potter requested photos of the “child” and discussed meeting the “child” for sex. Potter sent the undercover officer a video clip depicting a young child being sexually abused and a video of Potter performing a sexual act.
On September 20, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Potter’s home and seized several computer devices and smartphones. During an interview, Potter admitted sending the video and stated that he fantasizes about sexual acts with young girls. One of Potter’s smartphones contained 21 videos depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange Park Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Palatka Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Flat Woods Woman Sentenced to 120 Months for Conspiracy to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
ASHLAND, Ky. — Kimberly Dawn Moore, 26, of Flat Woods, Kentucky, was sentenced today, to 120 months in federal prison, by United States District Court Judge David L. Bunning, for conspiracy to distribute heroin.
In August 2017, the Huntington FBI Task Force, in conjunction with the Kentucky State Police and the Ashland Police Department, seized 876 grams of heroin. The heroin had been transported from Detroit to Huntington, W.Va., as part of a conspiracy involving Moore and her co-defendants, Eric Minter and Leonard Wright, which ranged from June 2017 to August 2017. Wright and Minter organized the heroin deliveries, which were completed by Moore and an additional co-defendant. The heroin was then distributed in the Tri-State area. Moore has two prior convictions for drug trafficking in the Greenup Circuit Court.
Under federal law, Moore must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence; and upon her release, she will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for eight years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Robert Allen Jones, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Pittsburgh Field Office; Richard Sanders, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Todd Kelly, Chief of the Ashland Police Department,, jointly made the announcement.
The FBI, Kentucky State Police, Ohio State Police, and the Ashland Police Department conducted the investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Cynthia T. Rieker.
Firearm Conviction Sends Texas Man to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 52-year-old Houston man has been sentenced in Corpus Christi federal court following his conviction for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. A jury returned a guilty verdict against Donnell Eldridge Jan. 9, 2019.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack sentenced Eldridge to 85 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court commented that nothing had deterred Eldridge’s continued criminal conduct and noted the importance of protecting the community.
On June 20, 2018, officers with the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD) were conducting an investigation near City Hall located in the 1200 block of Leopard Street. As they approached a group of individuals, Eldridge quickly began to walk off and failed to respond to questions.
One of the officers continued to walk behind him and observed Eldridge remove an item from his waistband and throw it on the ground. An officer soon located a loaded .22 caliber revolver in the surrounding area.
Eldridge had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including aggravated robbery, and is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition per federal law.
Eldridge has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Corpus Christi Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lance Watt and Neel Kapur are prosecuting the case.
Federal Inmate Charged with Possession of Contraband in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Samuel Serrano, age 24, a prisoner at the United States Penitentiary, (“USP”) Allenwood, was indicted on March 28, 2019, by a federal grand jury for possession of a controlled substance.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Serrano was found in possession of ADB-FUBINACA, a synthetic form of marihuana, during a search conducted on April 12, 2017.
The charges stem from an investigation by officers at USP Allenwood and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The defendant is facing a maximum of ten years of incarceration and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Eight charged with importing cocaine concealed in food cans through airportsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Anthony Rondel Blair, Jason Arias, Daniel Newton, David Lomba Barros, Angelica Dominique Cuyugan Tuzon, Shondra Vernon, Michelle Rosa, and Madison Renee Kelleher have been indicted for their roles in a criminal network that imported cocaine into the United States from Costa Rica and laundered the proceeds.
“These defendants allegedly imported dozens of multi-kilogram cocaine shipments within food cans through several U.S. airports including Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and the Charlotte, Raleigh, and Miami airports,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Through the combined efforts of our law enforcement partners, this network has been disrupted and its members will be brought to justice. Even in the midst of the nation’s opioid epidemic, we are reminded that cocaine importation and distribution remains a national problem and a priority of this office.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division stated, “This criminal network posed a clear and present danger to the safety of the citizens in this country and abroad. Their removal makes the affected communities safer. This successful investigation illustrates how success can be achieved through law enforcement collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“Identifying and intercepting transnational drug traffickers is one of Homeland Security Investigations’ highest priorities to protect the public from the serious harm criminals inflict without any regard for the violence and public health damage they cause,” said Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta Nick S. Annan. ”The scale of this case illustrates the lengths to which criminal organizations will go as well as the interagency coordination that exists between federal, state and local law enforcement partners to identify and stop them.”
“The mission of CBP here in the Southeast and across the country is to safeguard America’s borders,” said Don Yando, Atlanta Director of CBP Field Operations. “This is yet another example of how our multi-agency partnerships and collaboration support CBP's mission of protecting the American public. We are proud to continue the work of uncovering and dismantling these types of transnational criminal organizations.”
“We will not allow our airport to be used as a hub for the spread of illegal narcotics to our communities,” said Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields. “I commend our officers for their efforts on the ground, and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for aggressively pursuing these cases.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: the indictment alleges that Blair organized groups of individuals to fly to Costa Rica from Atlanta. While in Costa Rica, Arias met with some of the conspirators and provided each with approximately four kilograms of cocaine hidden inside sealed food cans and concealed within the travelers’ checked luggage. Once the Atlanta-based travelers returned to the United States, they delivered the cans to Blair who prepared the cocaine for distribution in the Atlanta area and elsewhere. The network also had been operating in Charlotte and Boston.
Law enforcement documented over 90 separate trips for this group, and it is estimated that the conspiracy imported over 375 kilograms of cocaine into the United States using this smuggling technique.
Anthony Rondel Blair, 40, Shondra Vernon and a/k/a Frenchie, 30, both of Atlanta, Georgia, Michelle Rosa, 36, of Jonesboro, Georgia, Jason Arias, 35, and Daniel Newton, a/k/a Russia, 29, both of Charlotte, North Carolina, David Lomba Barros, 32, and Madison Renee Kelleher, 27, of Boston, Massachusetts, and Angelica Dominique Cuyugan Tuzon, 25, of Reston, Virginia, were indicted by a federal grand jury on March 27, 2019. Vernon and Rosa were arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Janet F. King. Blair is scheduled to be arraigned on April 12, 2019, also before Judge King. The remaining defendants appeared in federal courts in Charlotte, Boston, and Alexandria, Virginia.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Atlanta Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan M. Christian is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Department of Justice Announces First Step Act Implementation ProgressRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), in accordance with the First Step Act, has announced the selection of the nonprofit and nonpartisan Hudson Institute to host the Independent Review Committee. The Committee, whose members will be appointed by Hudson Institute in accordance with the Act’s requirements, will assist the Department as it develops and implements risk and needs assessment tools and evidence-based recidivism reduction programs.
“The Department of Justice is committed to implementing the First Step Act,” said Attorney General William Barr. “The Independent Review Committee plays an important role in that effort by assisting in the development of a new risk and needs assessment system and improvements to our recidivism reduction programming. I am grateful to Hudson Institute for hosting this important Committee, which will lead to better policies at the Department and, ultimately, better outcomes for prisoners reentering society.”
NIJ also announced today that it is contracting with outside experts and leading researchers, including Dr. Grant Duwe Ph.D., Dr. Zachary Hamilton Ph.D., and Dr. Angela Hawken Ph.D., for assistance and consultation as the Department develops the Risk and Needs Assessment System under the Act. Dr. Duwe is the Director of Research for the Minnesota Department of Corrections, and a nationally recognized expert on the development of recidivism risk assessment systems. Dr. Hamilton is an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology and the Director of the Washington State Institute for Criminal Justice, and focuses on treatment matching through risk and needs assessment systems. Dr. Hawken is a Professor of Public Policy at the New York University Marron Institute, and is the founder and director of New York University’s Litmus/BetaGov program, which assists in the development and validation of data-driven policies. Each of these experts will bring unique expertise as they augment NIJ and the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) efforts to implement the Act.
Today’s announcements by NIJ are the latest in a growing list of accomplishments as the Department works diligently to implement the Act, signed into law in December 2018. Some other highlights of the Department’s ongoing implementation efforts include:
- NIJ has hosted “listening sessions” to receive input from more than 25 stakeholders regarding the development of the Risk and Needs Assessment System under the Act. These stakeholders represent a diverse array of viewpoints, and presented helpful information to consider as the Department implements the Act.
- The Act’s retroactive application of the Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 (reducing the disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine threshold amounts triggering mandatory minimum sentences) has resulted in 826 sentence reductions and 643 early releases.
- BOP has 20 pilot dog programs operating under Sec. 608 of the Act. BOP has also developed a youth mentoring program in accordance with the Act.
- BOP has submitted to Congress a report, in accordance with the Act, evaluating the availability of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in its facilities for inmates with substance abuse problems. BOP has also screened more than 400 inmates to identify candidates for possible enrollment in MAT programs.
- BOP has issued procedures for “compassionate release” sentence reductions under 18 U.S.C. §§ 3582 and 4205(g) (BOP Policy Number 5050.50), and 22 inmates have already received sentence reductions under this program.
- BOP has issued procedures providing for participation in the Second Chance Act home confinement pilot program under 34 U.S.C. 65401(g) (BOP Operations Memorandum 001-2019), and 23 inmates are currently participating, with additional inmates currently being screened for program inclusion.
- BOP has issued procedures providing for its employees to carry and store personal weapons under 18 U.S.C. § 4050 (BOP Policy Number 5575.01, CN-1).
- BOP has identified a screening tool to implement the Act’s dyslexia screening requirement, which will enable BOP to review the prevalence of dyslexia inside the BOP inmate population.
- BOP has issued an updated advisory memo and distributed training for federal prison facilities housing female inmates regarding the Act’s requirements prohibiting the use of restraints on pregnant inmates absent extreme circumstances (Note: BOP Policy Number 5566.06, CN-1 has prohibited the use of restraints on pregnant prisoners absent extreme circumstances since August 2014).
- The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) has issued updated procedures and forms for USMS and its contracted private detention facilities regarding the Act’s requirements prohibiting the use of restraints on pregnant inmates absent extreme circumstances.
- BOP policies and contracts provide sanitary products to female offenders in compliance with the Act.
- BOP and USMS policies and contracts comply with the Act’s requirements that prohibit certain room confinement for juvenile offenders.
- BOP offers specialized and comprehensive de-escalation training to its employees and officers in accordance with Sec. 606 of the Act. BOP has also updated its mental health awareness training regarding inmates with psychiatric disorders, and more than 14,000 BOP employees have already received the updated training.
- BOP’s Federal Prison Industries (FPI) has begun work to expand FPI’s markets under the Act. BOP is also working with the Government Accountability Office to conduct an audit of FPI.
Dennehotso Man Sentenced to 20 Months for Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Tyler Joe, 26, of Dennehotso, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 20 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Joe had previously pleaded guilty to assault of an intimate partner or dating partner by suffocation.
On Sept. 23, 2018, Joe assaulted the victim by placing his arm over her mouth and applying force so that she could not breathe. The assault occurred on the Navajo Nation, and Joe is an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. Joe’s sentence in this case was enhanced under the United States Sentencing Guidelines because he violated a court order of the Navajo Nation tribal court, which prohibited him from contacting the victim at the time he committed the offense.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8326-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-046_Joe
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Crime Gun Intelligence Center assists federal and local law enforcementRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- United States Attorney Josh J. Minker announced that Jaylen Brancheau and Donaven Meadows have been charged in federal court in separate criminal complaints. Brancheau has been charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense, and providing a false statement during the purchase of a firearm. Meadows has been charged with possession of ammunition by a prohibited person and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
“In bringing charges against these individuals, we send a strong message that illegal gun possession will not be tolerated and individuals that break the law will receive the strongest sentencing possible,” said Minkler. “CGIC connects the dots between crime guns and trigger pullers. The facts alleged in these two cases demonstrate exactly what CGIC was created to do.”
These arrests were made possible by the joint efforts of the Crime Gun Intelligence Unit (CGIC), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), and the Greenwood Police Department (GPD).
CGIC is an interagency collaboration focused on the immediate collection, management, and analysis of crime gun evidence, such as shell casings, in real time, in an effort to identify shooters, disrupt criminal activity, and prevent future violence. The primary outcome of CGIC is identifying armed violent offenders for investigation and prosecution.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Preston. Brancheau, if convicted, faces possible life imprisonment, and Meadows faces up to 20 years in prison.
In October 2017, United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler announced a Strategic Plan designed to shape and strengthen the District’s response to its most significant public safety challenges. This prosecution demonstrates the Office’s firm commitment to prosecuting those who engage in violent crime using firearms. See United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana Strategic Plan 2.3.
Collin County Teen Sentenced for Plotting Terrorist Attack at Frisco MallRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – An 18-year-old Plano man has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison for plotting a terrorist attack at a Collin County, Texas shopping mall, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis and United States Attorney Joseph D. Brown jointly today.
Matin Azizi-Yarand pleaded guilty to charges of solicitation of capital murder and terroristic threat today in state court before 296th District Court Judge John Roach, Jr. Pursuant to a plea agreement reached by prosecutors and the defendant, Judge Roach sentenced Azizi-Yarand to 20 years in prison for the solicitation charge and 10 years in prison for the terroristic threat charge. The sentences will run concurrently.
According to information presented in court, Azizi-Yarand was arrested in May of 2018 after an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force discovered he was plotting a mass shooting at the Stonebriar Centre mall in Frisco, Texas. Inspired by ISIS, Azizi-Yarand was a high school student in Plano when he began actively soliciting other individuals to assist him in the attack, which he had planned for mid-May 2018. At the time of his arrest, Azizi-Yarand had sent more than $1,400 to an undercover FBI employee for the purchase of weapons and tactical gear, had conducted surveillance on the mall, and had met with undercover federal operatives to plan the attack. The investigation determined that Azizi-Yarand specifically intended to target police officers and civilians at the mall.
The case was filed in state district court in Collin County after federal prosecutors determined that Azizi-Yarand’s age - he was 17 at the time of the offense - limited their ability to prosecute the teen in federal court. Individuals age 17 and above are considered adults under Texas state criminal law, while federal law requires an individual to be 18 to be considered an adult.
“This was a serious, serious threat,” said United States Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “There is no doubt that Azizi-Yarand would have carried out what he was planning. Federal and state law enforcement in this district are committed to working together to combat terrorist activities in this region. We greatly appreciate all of the law enforcement that moved quickly to prevent what could have been a very bad situation. The FBI and the Plano, Frisco and Richardson police departments, as part of the regional Joint Terrorism Task Force, just did a great job. And the cooperation of the Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis and his office was outstanding and allowed us to make sure the consequence reflected the seriousness of the offense.”
“We are lucky that the vigilant men and women of federal and state law enforcement stopped this ISIS-inspired mass shooting,” said Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis. “This was textbook joint investigation and prosecution that undoubtedly saved lives. I’d like to thank United States Attorney Joe Brown and his prosecutors, the FBI, and all the law enforcement agencies that make up North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force.”
"Today's plea is the result of the strong collaboration between the FBI and our partners in the North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force," said Michael Schneider, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas Division. "We work together 24/7, 365 days a year to detect, investigate, and disrupt terrorist threats in order to protect our communities from harm."
This case was investigated by the FBI’s North Texas Joint Terrorism Task Force, Frisco Police Department, Plano Police Department, and Richardson Police Department. Attorneys from both the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas and the Collin County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted Azizi-Yarand, who will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years in prison.
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