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5 April 2019
Paterson, New Jersey, Woman Admits Calling in Hoax Bomb Threats to Camden Federal Courthouse and Hughes Justice Complex in TrentonRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Paterson, New Jersey, woman today admitted calling in hoax bomb threats to the federal courthouse in Camden and the Hughes Justice Complex in Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Amdije Toska, 40, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to an information charging her with one count of hoax bomb threats.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On the morning of Jan. 12, 2018, Toska called the Clerk’s Office of the Camden federal courthouse and stated there was a bomb in the building. The Clerk’s Office employee who answered the phone recognized Toska as a civil litigant with a case assigned to a U.S. District Court judge, who had previously issued an order directing Toska to cease all communications with the Clerk’s Office and permitting the Clerk’s Office to disconnect future calls from Toska.
Later than morning, Toska called back and said, “There’s a bomb in the building, run.” Bomb detecting K-9 units from the Camden County Police, U.S. Park Service (Philadelphia Office) and Camden County Sheriff’s Office responded to the federal courthouse.
That afternoon, Toska again called another bomb threat into the Clerk’s Office. When the employee who answered the phone asked Toska why she was making bomb threats, Toska responded, “The judge is torturing me, so I am torturing you, an eye for an eye.”
Meanwhile, earlier that same morning, Toska called the Hughes Justice Complex and stated that there was a bomb in the building. As a result of this call, officials at the Hughes Justice Complex evacuated the building.
The following post on “Amie Toska’s” Facebook account appeared that day: “I have had enough of being ignored I am prank calling the entire world.” Also, a Twitter account believed to be associated with Toska posted a “reply” stating, “I just called Doj in DC, Camden courts and Njtpd lawyer and told them there’s a bomb in the building then I hung up…There is no bomb but I will continue to scare them until I am heard…I want JUSTICE DAMMIT.” Another “reply” stated, “I’m not gonna stop calling the courts/doj/or njt lawyer and telling them there’s a bomb in the building. I will make them suffer by getting them scared. Let them shit in their pants for days. Idgaf….I want JUSTICE.”
The count of making hoax bomb threats is punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for July 18, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the U.S. Marshal Service, under the direction of United States Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., District of New Jersey, and special agents of the FBI, South Jersey Resident Agency, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Harpster, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Deputy U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Skahill and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden, New Jersey.
Operation Big Red Results in Multiple Drug Trafficking Arrests in Red River CountyRead the Press Release
TEXARKANA, Texas - U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown announced today that nine individuals have been arrested following a lengthy investigation into drug trafficking in the Eastern District of Texas.
On Apr. 5, 2019, a combined task force of federal, state and local law enforcement executed federal arrest and search warrants in the Clarksville, Texas area as the result of Operation Big Red. The operation is the result of an investigation into a methamphetamine trafficking organization operating in the area. Much of the information came from the investigation and federal prosecution a related drug trafficking enterprise in the area. On Feb. 20, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a 12-count indictment charging seven individuals with various drug conspiracy violations related to the possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Those arrested and named in the indictment are:
Marvin Earl Baty, 44, a current inmate in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Holderville, OK; Jacory Dewayne Coulter, 33, of Clarksville; Gregory Lamont Dillard, 48, of Clarksville; Victor Gonzales, 44, of Clarksville; Miguel Angel Hernandez, 57, of Clarksville; Brandon Charles Nickerson, 40, of Clarksville; and
Neopholis Dontray Scales, 33, of Clarksville.If convicted, they each face from 10 years to life in federal prison.
The operation today involved approximately 100 law enforcement officers from the following agencies: Texas Department of Public Safety, including the Special Response Team, Special Weapons and Tactics Team, Criminal Investigation Division, Aircraft Operations Division, Highway Patrol Division, Victim Services, and Communications Services; Red River County Sheriff’s Office; Clarksville Police Department; Mt. Pleasant Police Department SWAT Team; Texas Parks and Wildlife; Federal Bureau of Investigation; United States Marshals Service; and Texas Child Protective Services. In addition to the nine arrests, law enforcement officers seized illegal drugs and at least one firearm.
This case is being investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigation Division and the Red River County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.
An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Omaha Man Sentenced for Multiple RobberiesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Sean C. Cortez, age 38, was sentenced in federal court today in Omaha, Nebraska, for two counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery. The Honorable Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Mitchell to 133 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $1,295.00 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Mitchell will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On July 8, 2018, Cortez entered the Phillips 66 Select Mart at 3707 Center Street, Omaha, and approached the front counter. The counter area is surrounded by bulletproof glass. Cortez pointed his hand, acting as if he had a gun, and demanded money from the clerk. When the clerk, who was behind the counter, didn’t comply, Cortez ran out of the store.
On July 13, 2018, Cortez robbed the U.S. Bank at 3225 South 42nd Street, Omaha. He entered the bank and slid a teller a note demanding money. The teller gave Cortez $444.00 and he left the bank.
On July 14, 2018, Cortez robbed the First National Bank located inside the Hy-Vee at 5150 Center Street, Omaha. Similar to the U.S. Bank robbery, Cortez passed a teller a note demanding $100 bills. As she was pulling out the money, Cortez told her to hurry up. He was able to leave the bank with $851.00.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Great Plains Violent Crimes Task Force and Omaha Police robbery unit.
Ohio Man Who Allegedly Pretended to be Missing Illinois Boy Charged with Lying to Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – An Ohio man who pretended to be a missing Illinois boy has been charged federally with making false statements to federal agents.
Brian Michael Rini, 23, formerly of Medina, Ohio, was arrested last night and is currently in federal custody. Rini was presented in federal court at 11am today for an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Litkovitz.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Todd A. Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Robert Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville, Ky. Division, Cincinnati Police Chief Eliot K. Isaac, Newport Police Chief Thomas Collins, Hamilton County Coroner Dr. Lakshmi Sammarco and Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Neil announced the charge.
According to the criminal complaint and affidavit filed today, Newport, Ky. police officers responded to a call on Wednesday in which the caller described Rini as wandering the street, looking confused and in need of assistance.
Rini allegedly told officers his name was Timmothy Pitzen and that he was abducted when he was six years old and he “just wanted to go home.”
Local authorities confirmed that Timmothy’s name was associated with a missing and possibly abducted child. Specifically, in 2011, Timmothy, then six years old, went missing from Aurora, Ill. Timmothy was picked up at his school by his mother and a few days later, his mother was found deceased in a Rockford, Ill. hotel room.
Several notes were found in the hotel room that claimed Timmothy was with people who loved him and would take care of him. The notes also stated he would never be found.
Posing as Timmothy, Rini allegedly claimed he had recently escaped from a hotel room in which two men had been holding him captive. He said he had been sexually and physically abused for years while in captivity and that he was having abdominal pain.
Rini was transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Emergency Room because of the complaint of abdominal pain, and there, FBI task force officers met with Rini to potentially investigate sex trafficking and crimes against children. FBI special agents and a detective from the Aurora, Ill. police department also spoke with Rini.
It is alleged that Rini continued to claim to be Timmothy throughout conversations in the hospital.
On Wednesday and yesterday, Rini refused to provide his fingerprints to investigators at Children’s Hospital; however, yesterday, he agreed to submit a buccal swab for DNA testing.
DNA test results confirmed Rini’s identity. As a known felon, Rini’s DNA was known to the FBI. Ohio Department of Corrections records indicate Rini was released from an Ohio prison on March 7, 2019.
Once law enforcement officers confronted Rini about his true identity, Rini immediately stated he was not Timmothy Pitzen. He allegedly said he watched a story about Timmothy on 20/20 and stated he wanted to get away from his only family. When questioned further, it is alleged that Rini stated “he wished he had a father like Timmothy’s.”
Further investigation by the FBI found that Rini had allegedly portrayed himself as a juvenile sex trafficking victim on two prior occasions. In those instances, he was only identified once he was fingerprinted.
Making false statements to federal agents is a federal crime punishable by eight years in this case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Christy L. Muncy are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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North Port Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Heroin, Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found Ashanti Roundtree (44, North Port) guilty of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and heroin, possessing a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Roundtree faces a maximum penalty of life and a mandatory minimum of 20 years in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 11, 2019.
Roundtree was indicted on November 21, 2017.
According to testimony presented at trial, from about October 2014 through on or about February 26, 2015, Roundtree directed the illegal narcotics distribution activities at a “trap house” located at 200 Granada Boulevard, in North Port, Florida. Roundtree supplied drugs to the residents of the house, then sold the drugs on Roundtree’s behalf, purchased the drugs for their own use, or used them with the promise of paying Roundtree later. Along with supplying the residents with heroin, cocaine, synthetic marijuana (spice), marijuana, and a variety of prescription pills, Roundtree supervised the sale of the drugs, including setting the prices and the hours of sale. He also collected the proceeds from the various drug transactions and participated in drug transactions, by either selling drugs directly to customers or giving drugs in exchange for sexual favors.
During the illegal activities, Roundtree used violence, fear, and intimidation to maintain his position as leader of the conspiracy. While at the trap house, he commonly carried a Taurus firearm for protection. Additionally, co-conspirators and other witnesses saw Roundtree pistol-whip someone with the gun and point it at persons. As a previously convicted felon, Roundtree is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
On February 26, 2015, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the trap house and recovered a loaded Taurus firearm. Forensic testing confirmed Roundtree’s DNA on the firearm and ammunition magazine. Agents also recovered an assortment of controlled substances, including heroin, marijuana, cocaine, prescription pills, and drug paraphernalia.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Port Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael C. Baggé-Hernández and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell.
New Multilateral Framework on Procedures Approved by the International Competition NetworkRead the Press Release
On April 3, 2019, the Steering Group of the International Competition Network (ICN) unanimously approved a multilateral framework on procedures among antitrust enforcement agencies globally to promote fundamental due process in competition law investigation and enforcement. The framework is based on the principles of the Antitrust Division’s Multilateral Framework on Procedures (MFP), an initiative that was originally announced by Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim at the Council of Foreign Relations in June of last year.
The Antitrust Division, in consultation with a dozen leading competition agencies from around the world, developed the proposal, which was then introduced to the global antitrust community last fall and received overwhelming support. At the request of several partner agencies, the Antitrust Division agreed to implement the proposed arrangement through the International Competition Network to take advantage of existing structures and to reduce administrative burdens. The multilateral framework implements this initiative by utilizing established ICN institutions and processes, and will be open to all national, supranational, and customs territory-specific competition agencies around the world, whether or not a member of the ICN.
This historic multilateral agreement recognizes fundamental principles of transparency and procedural fairness in antitrust enforcement and promotes review mechanisms to ensure that participating agencies abide by these norms. Adopting the substance of the Antitrust Division-initiated proposal, the framework identifies universal due process principles that are widely accepted across the globe, including commitments regarding non-discrimination; transparency and predictability; proper notice, access to information, meaningful and timely engagement, and opportunity to defend; timely resolution of proceedings; confidentiality protections; avoidance of conflicts of interest; access to counsel and privilege; written enforcement decisions and public access to decisions; and availability of independent review of enforcement decisions. As in the original proposal, the framework complements these substantive norms with review mechanisms designed to ensure meaningful compliance, including consultations, agency reports on implementation, and periodic assessment meetings.
“Adopting the Framework on Competition Agency Procedures is a remarkable and historic achievement for antitrust enforcement,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Antitrust Division. “It sends a clear signal that competition agencies across the globe – despite differences in their structures and proceedings, as well as the legal systems in which they operate – are committed to procedural fairness. We are grateful that the framework approved by the ICN Steering Group, in record time, is equivalent in all respects to the principles of the MFP that was originally proposed by the Antitrust Division. By combining strong substantive principles with meaningful review mechanisms, it goes well beyond anything competition agencies have ever done before.”
Beginning on May 1, 2019, the framework will be open for signature to all national, supranational, and customs territory-specific competition agencies, including ICN member and non-member agencies. It will come into effect on May 15, 2019, at an inauguration ceremony of the charter participants during the ICN annual conference in Cartagena, Colombia.
The ICN, founded by 15 agencies including the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division, was created in October 2001 to increase understanding of competition policy and promote convergence toward sound antitrust enforcement around the world. The ICN has grown to include 138 member agencies from 125 jurisdictions, supported by a wide network of non-governmental advisors from around the world.
The ICN’s Framework on Competition Agency Procedures can be found here.
New Jersey Sex Offender Charged with Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Bellmawr, N.J., man was charged yesterday in federal court in Worcester in connection with attempting to sexually exploit an 11-year-old boy.
Jordan Winczuk, 34, was indicted on one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. Winczuk is currently in state custody in New Jersey on unrelated charges.
According to the charging document, Winczuk attempted to persuade an 11-year-old Worcester boy, whom he had met through social media days prior, to send him images of his genitals via Instagram. As a result of a 2010 conviction for sexually assaulting a boy and endangering the welfare of a child through the distribution of child pornography, Winczuk is a level 3 sex offender.
If convicted of the attempted sexual exploitation, Winczuk faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of committing the offense while being required to register as a sex offender provides for a mandatory 10 year sentence, to be served consecutive to the sentence imposed on the sexual exploitation charge. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
National Crime Victims’ Rights Week Event Set for April 7 in CharlottesvilleRead the Press Release
Charlottesville, VIRGINIA – In commemoration of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the Jefferson Area Victim Assistance Coalition will host a Community Day on Sunday, April 7 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at IX Park in Charlottesville. This event is planned as a way to highlight recovery and other resources available to crime victims in the Greater Jefferson Area, provide the community with information about law-enforcement, emphasize prevention education, and foster the ties between law-enforcement and the communities they serve.
Sunday’s event is free and family-friendly with interactive demonstrations and information available from dozens of federal, state, and local law-enforcement agencies and service providers. There will be plenty for kids, and adults, to see and do, including police motorcycles, firetrucks, police cars, K9 officers, activities, games, food, and more.
Additionally, there will be information available about local community groups, service providers, drug prevention tips, exhibitions, and more. A particular area of focus is crimes against the elderly.
Information will be available from the United States Attorney’s Office that focuses on schemes directed at seniors, such as phone scams, healthcare scams, frauds involving grandchildren, and IRS imposter scams. Additional information will be available offering tips to keep seniors safe from falling victim to these frauds, as well as information about what to do if an elder person believes they have been a victim of fraud. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will have information available regarding Project Safe Neighborhoods, (PSN) and identity theft prevention programs.
PSN, the centerpiece of DOJ’s violent crime reduction efforts, is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, and local law-enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.
The identity theft recovery program offers attendees a wealth of knowledge on steps to take to both protect their identities from being stolen and steps to take if they believe they have been the victim of identity theft. Brochures will be on-hand with important numbers, sample letters to give to creditors, and other information to take home as part of a personal recovery plan.
The Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by promoting victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme, Honoring the Past. Creating Hope for the Future celebrates the progress made by those in the past as we look into the future of a crime victims’ services future that is even more inclusive, assessable, and trauma-informed.
The Jefferson Area Victim Assistance Coalition consists of members from the Albemarle County Victim/Witness Program, Charlottesville Victim/Witness Program, Fluvanna County Victim/Witness Program, Greene County Victim/Witness Program, Homeland Security Victim Assistance Program, Louisa County Victim/Witness Program, Sexual Assault Resource Agency, University of Virginia Victim/Witness Program, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Victim Assistance Program, the Shelter for Help in Emergency and the United States Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Program.
Multiple Criminal Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Illegal Reentry to the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain today announced sentences in three separate immigration cases in which the defendants, who are all convicted criminals, were also convicted for the additional crime of illegally reentering the United States after having been previously deported. The three cases are United States v. Marcos Mendoza-Jimenez; United States v. Walter Morales-Lopez; and United States v. Melvin Ramos-Moreira.
United States v. Marcos Mendoza-Jimenez
Marcos Mendoza-Jimenez, 43, of West Chester, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, followed by immediate and permanent removal from the United States. Mendoza-Jimenez was charged by federal indictment in October 2018 with one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Mendoza-Jimenez, a native and citizen of Mexico, illegally entered the United States sometime before 2004. While living here illegally, he was convicted in 2004 for theft, assault, and false imprisonment based on an altercation with a man who Mendoza-Jimenez held captive in a car for several hours and threatened with a hammer. After his first conviction, Mendoza-Jimenez was deported and removed from the United States. The defendant returned illegally sometime in 2016. In 2018, he also assaulted a female with whom he was in a relationship.
United States v. Walter Morales-Lopez
Walter Morales-Lopez, 33, of Kennett Square, was sentenced to time served, approximately six months after pleading guilty to one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Morales-Lopez, a native and citizen of Mexico, entered the United States illegally sometime prior to 2011, when he was removed from the United States for the first time. At some point thereafter, the defendant illegally reentered the United States and engaged in a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl. He was subsequently convicted on state charges of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors, and luring a child into his car. As a result of his federal conviction on the immigration crime, the defendant will be immediately transferred into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for immediate permanent removal from the United States.
United States v. Melvin Roberto Ramos-Moreira
Melvin Roberto Ramos-Moreira, 24, of Lancaster, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison after pleading guilty to one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Ramos-Moreira, a native and citizen of Honduras, entered the United States sometime prior to 2013. In 2013, he was found in the United States, convicted in state court for stalking, and deported for the first time. At some point thereafter, Ramos-Moreira reentered the United States illegally. In 2018, he was charged and pleaded guilty to state charges of stalking, possessing an instrument of crime, invasion of privacy, and harassment following an incident where he followed a female victim shopping in a store and took pictures up the victim’s skirt.
“Those who enter our country illegally are not above the law – nobody is,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “These defendants decided they did not have to follow the rules. They not only flouted our nation’s immigration laws, but also committed additional serious crimes while they were here illegally. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to uphold the rule of law and ensure our nation’s immigration laws are enforced.”
“All three defendants were previously removed from the United States and have been convicted of crimes: Mendoza-Jimenez for assaulting and stealing from a man whom he threatened with a hammer, Morales-Lopez for sexual assault, Ramos-Moreira for a stalking conviction,” said Simona L. Flores, Field Office Director for ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Philadelphia. “ICE and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania will seek to prosecute and remove dangerous criminals who break United States law. Our officers continue to work daily with professionalism and integrity, enforcing the law as set forth by Congress.”
These cases were investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary Kay Costello, Mary E. Crawley, and Nancy Beam Winter.
Missoula couple, accountant charged with income tax fraudRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Missoula couple and their accountant on Thursday denied federal charges accusing them of conspiring to defraud the federal government by skimming money from two businesses and failing to report that income on tax returns, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Joseph Mark Baumgardner, 55, his wife, Traci Janelle Baumgardner, 48, both of Missoula, and their accountant, Daniel Brian Burke, 62, of Florence, pleaded not guilty to a 13-count indictment. The indictment charges all three with conspiracy to defraud the United States, subscribing to a false document and aiding and assisting the subscribing to a false document.
If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
The indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch presided. He continued the release of all defendants pending trial.
The indictment alleges that the Baumgardners, with Burke’s assistance, filed false tax returns for the years 2011 through 2013 for their two businesses, which are Splash Car Wash and Pro Sweep Plus. During the period, the two businesses earned gross receipts totaling $5,001,374 while the total tax paid over the same time period was $10,066.
Splash Car Wash operated two car washes, one in Hamilton and one in Missoula. Pro Sweep Plus is an industrial maintenance company. Both companies are based in Missoula.
Burke, a certified public accountant who owned and operated Burke and Company, P.C., prepared the Baumgardners’ tax returns.
The Baumgardners’ elected to have their companies taxed as flow-through entities, which are known as S Corporations. Corporate income and expenses are reported to the IRS, with the information ultimately flowing to the individual income tax returns.
The indictment alleges the Baumgardners skimmed cash from Splash Car Wash in 2012 and 2013, and with Burke’s assistance, did not report the skimmed cash on their corporate tax returns and, consequently, on their individual tax returns.
In addition, the indictment alleges the couple, with Burke’s help, inappropriately deducted personal expenses on their corporate tax returns for the two companies, and, consequently on their individual tax returns.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the IRS.
Pacer case reference. 19-14.
The case may be monitored through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Meth investigation that yielded 12 pounds and firearm sends Laurel man to prisonRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Laurel resident Jefferson Scott Perrigo, who admitted meth trafficking and firearms crimes, was sentenced on Thursday to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release after agents found about 12.5 pounds of meth in his vehicle and a storage unit, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Perrigo, 45, pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. There was no plea agreement.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
Prosecutors said evidence showed that drug task force officers learned in the fall of 2017 from an informant and Crime Stoppers reports that Perrigo was distributing meth in Billings. The investigation involved using a confidential informant to make controlled meth buys from an associate of Perrigo’s known to deal meth for him and placing tracking devices on vehicles of both Perrigo and his associate. The vehicles frequented a storage unit in Billings. After getting a search warrant for Perrigo’s vehicle and the storage unit, agents found a semi-automatic handgun in a backpack, body armor and three packages of meth totaling about 2.5 pounds in the vehicle and 10 packages of meth, each weighing about a pound, in the storage unit. The amount of meth seized is the equivalent of about 45,359 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams and Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the FBI’s Big Sky Western Transnational Organized Crime 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.
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Mass. Men Sentenced for Transporting Illegal AlienRead the Press Release
UTICA, NEW YORK – Mohan S. Saini, age 63, of Arlington, Massachusetts, and Melvin Claudio, age 22, of Lawrence, Massachusetts, were sentenced yesterday for transporting an illegal alien within the United States. Saini was sentenced to time served (3 days in jail), followed by 3 years of supervised release, with 100 hours of community service, and a fine of $50,000. Claudio was sentenced to time served (4 days in jail), followed by 3 years of supervised release, and 50 hours of community service.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Robert N. Garcia, Chief Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
In February 2018, Saini hired Claudio to help him pick up an illegal alien near the border and transport him to Massachusetts. On February 18, 2018, Saini and Claudio drove in separate cars to the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation near Hogansburg, New York. While there, Claudio waited in a public parking lot and Saini drove to a remote location where he picked up Anil Singh, an illegal alien from India who had just crossed the border. Saini transported Singh to where Claudio was waiting, and Singh transferred to Claudio’s car. After Singh was successfully transferred to Claudio’s car, they all left the reservation driving east toward Massachusetts.
A Border Patrol Agent had observed the transfer of Singh between the cars on the reservation. After Saini and Claudio had left the reservation, they were each stopped and arrested by Border Patrol.
Anil Singh, age 28, and a citizen of India, was convicted of the misdemeanor offense of entry without inspection on February 26, 2018, and sentenced to time served (8 days in jail).
This case was investigated by Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Marshalltown Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – On April 4, 2019, Dana Andrew Eller, age 38, of Marshalltown, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime. Eller was sentenced to 270 months in prison to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
In April 2018, officers with the Mid Iowa Drug Task Force interdicted a package containing methamphetamine and marijuana intended for Eller’s Marshalltown residence. After officers delivered the package to Eller, a search warrant was executed at his residence. Inside Eller’s residence, officers discovered over 2.8 kilograms of methamphetamine, over 100 grams of marijuana, and three firearms. Two of the firearms were loaded with live rounds of ammunition and were in close proximity to drugs and drug-related materials.
This matter was investigated by the Mid Iowa Drug Task Force, Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, Tama County Sheriff’s Office, Marshalltown Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Marion County man admits to firearms chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Marcus Devaughn Coleman, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to a firearms charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Coleman, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Coleman, who is prohibited from having a firearm, admitted to having 9mm pistol in March 2018 in Marion County.
Coleman faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Man Pleads Guilty to Charges of Stealing Senate Information, Illegally Posting Restricted Personal Information of U.S. Senators on WebsiteRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former staff member who worked in an office of a United States Senator pled guilty today to federal charges stemming from his theft of Senate information and the illegal posting of restricted personal information of five U.S. Senators on the Wikipedia website, as well as related conduct.
The announcement was made by Alessio D. Evangelista, the Acting U.S. Attorney in this case, and Matthew R. Verderosa, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police.
Jackson A. Cosko, 27, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to five federal offenses: two counts of making public restricted personal information; one count of computer fraud; one count of witness tampering, and one count of obstruction of justice. Under federal sentencing guidelines, which are to be calculated at a later date, Cosko could face a prison term within the range of either 30 to 37 months or 46 to 57 months. The plea agreement requires Cosko to forfeit computers, cellphones and other equipment used in the crimes. The Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, the U.S. Capitol Police began an investigation on Sept. 27, 2018, after it was determined that the Wikipedia pages of three U.S. Senators had been edited to include restricted personal information without their knowledge or permission. This information included home addresses and personal telephone numbers. These edits took place roughly contemporaneously with public – and highly publicized – Senate proceedings related to a nomination for the U.S. Supreme Court. Then, on Oct. 1, 2018, similar information was posted on the Wikipedia pages of two additional Senators.
“Doxxing” is the act of gathering, by licit and illicit means, and posting on the Internet personal identifying information (“PII”) and other sensitive information about an individual.
In a statement of offense submitted as part of today’s plea, Cosko admitted that he had been angry about his termination in May 2018 from his employment as a computer systems administrator in the office of another U.S. Senator (described in court documents as Senator #1). As a result, beginning no later than July 2018 and continuing until October 2018, he engaged in an extensive computer fraud and data theft scheme. He admitted that he carried out the scheme by breaking into Senator # 1’s office on at least four occasions and accessing Senate-owned computers for the express purpose of stealing proprietary electronic information, including the personal contact information for numerous other Senators. He then published the contact information for five U.S. Senators (identified as Senators #2, 3, 4, 5, and 6) using Wikipedia and Twitter, with the intent to threaten and intimidate these five Senators and their families.
On the night of Oct. 2, 2018, according to the evidence, a witness saw Cosko at a computer in Senator # 1’s office. The witness confronted Cosko, who left the office. Later that evening, according to the statement of offense, Cosko sent a threatening e-mail to the witness, titling it, “I own EVERYTHING” and warning that, “If you tell anyone I will leak it all.” Additionally, that evening Cosko attempted to delete electronic evidence from items including a laptop computer that he used to obtain and download the stolen data.
An investigation led to Cosko’s arrest the following day by the U.S. Capitol Police.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Demian S. Ahn, Tejpal S. Chawla, and Youli Lee. Assistance was provided by Paralegal Specialists Diane Brashears and Matthew Ruggierio and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, all of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran man who has been charged with multiple murders in El Salvador was sentenced today to one year in prison for illegally reentering the United States.
According to court documents, Fily Giovany Amaya-Martinez, 36, a known MS-13 member, was removed at taxpayer expense from the United States to El Salvador in 2003 following a conviction for an aggravated felony in Fairfax County. Amaya-Martinez reentered the United States illegally in 2009 after being charged with multiple murders in El Salvador and lived undetected in northern Virginia until an anti-gang task force discovered his illegal presence in 2018.
“After allegedly committing multiple murders in El Salvador, this violent MS-13 gang member fled El Salvador and illegally crossed our southern border to get back into the United States,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This case is a prime example of our need for strong borders and why this office continues to prioritize criminal immigration cases. My thanks to the dedicated anti-gang task force agents for their outstanding work on this important case, and for removing this dangerous felon from our community.”
“Amaya-Martinez fled justice in his home country and defied the laws of this country when he illegally reentered,” said Lyle Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. “Today’s sentencing answers his defiance. We stand with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in resolute commitment to continue to ensure that our communities are safe from dangerous criminals.”
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Lyle Boelens, Acting Field Office Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Dober and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Berrang prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-413.
Lafayette Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Dennis A. Jones, 47 years old, of Lafayette, Indiana, was sentenced by District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his plea of guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Jones was sentenced to 70 months imprisonment followed by 5 years supervised release and ordered to pay $25,000 in restitution to five victims.
According to court documents, between February 2015 and January 2016, Jones downloaded and received child pornography from the internet, including the dark web. Law enforcement found Jones in possession of over 2,000 still images and over 45 videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct including materials featuring prepubescent minors and materials depicting torture and violence against children.
This case was investigated by the FBI with the assistance of the Lafayette Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abizer Zanzi.
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Lady Lake Man Indicted for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Brian Alan Jones (36, Lady Lake) with producing child pornography. If convicted, Jones faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, and up to 30 years, in federal prison.
According to court documents, Jones produced sexually explicit images of a minor. Jones took photographs of the victim’s genitalia on his cellphone and sent them to an undercover officer who was posing as a pedophile.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has violated one or more of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Felicetta.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to 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.
Justice Department observes national crime victims’ rights week with events throughout the countryRead the Press Release
WHEELING – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, 2019, the Northern District of West Virginia’s United States Attorney’s Office will speak to several schools about social media, online safety and drug prevention, as well as hold a human trafficking training in Shepherdstown, all to help prevent and support victims in the district.
“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."
“We act on behalf of crime victims and do what they cannot. We investigate, prosecute, and advocate for proper punishment, including payment of appropriate restitution. We work every day to try and assuage their fear, anxiety or loss. Victims of crime deserve no less, and we will continue to work diligently on their behalf,” said Powell.
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. This year’s observance takes place April 7-13, with the theme: Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.
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 Northern District of West Virginia Victim Witness Program at 304-234-0100.
Justice Department Observes National Crime Victims’ Rights Week with Events Throughout the CountryRead the Press Release
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 7-13, 2019, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa is participating in multiple events throughout the state, including honoring an Algona, Iowa, police officer with the highest federal honor in Iowa for victim services by a law enforcement officer.
“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."
“It is a crucial to our criminal justice system that we hear the voices of crime victims,” said United States Attorney Peter E. Deegan, Jr. “The events of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week give law enforcement and the public the chance to show victims of crime that others stand with them, hear their voices, and recognize their courage.”
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. This year’s observance takes place April 7-13, with the theme: Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.
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 United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa will participate in and encourages the public to attend the following events:
- On April 7, there will be an opening ceremony as the kick-off event for National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2019. The ceremony will be held at Horizons, 819 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids at 1:00 P.M. This event will include a proclamation from Mayor Brad Hart declaring the week to honor victims of crime. The ceremony will feature the presentation of the Jennifer Clinton Domestic Violence Service Award. There will also be a keynote address given by a domestic violence survivor;
- On April 8, from 6:30 to 7:30 P.M. at Horizons, 819 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, there will be a Memorial Craft Night, where memorial boxes will be crafted to process trauma experience, honor loved ones lost, and share a safe space with others. Light refreshments and crafting materials will be provided;
- On April 11, there will be a candle-lighting ceremony and speakers as part of the National Crime Victims’ Rights Week 2019 Commemoration. The commemoration will occur at the Iowa Department of Corrections, 510 East 12th Street, in Des Moines, from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M.;
- On April 12, there will be a Candle Light Vigil at Horizons, 819 5th St. SE, Cedar Rapids, from 7:00 to 8:30 P.M. The annual Survivor's candlelight vigil offers families of victims of crime, survivors of violent crime, and loved ones to join together in memorial. The event will share a slideshow of the victims, offer a chance to light memorial candles, and celebrate the lives of those lost. The candlelight vigil will have light refreshments, music, and spoken poetry;
- On April 13, the Go the Distance for Crime Victims 5K run/walk will be held at Thomas Park in Marion. Registration begins at 7:00 A.M. More information is available at http://GotheDistance5k.com.
Also, on April 12, United States Attorney Deegan will present the Law Enforcement Victim Services Award to Officer Marcus Bacha of the Algona Police Department in a ceremony beginning at 1:00 P.M. at the Algona Police Department, 121 W State St., Algona. This award is presented to law enforcement officers in Iowa who go beyond the call of duty to help crime victims. It is the highest federal honor in Iowa for victim services by a law enforcement officer.
“When a teen girl with special needs disclosed she was being abused by a family member, Algona Police Officer Marc Bacha investigated the victim’s complaint, and after a great deal of hard work and determination, secured the evidence, that led to a conviction,” said United States Attorney Deegan. “The perpetrator received a 15 year prison sentence and the victim is moving on with her life. Officer Bacha’s willingness to hear and act on the victim’s cries for help is what makes him an outstanding choice for a Victims’ Rights Award.”
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 Victims’ Rights Week can be found at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/. You may also contact the U.S. Attorney’s Victim Witness Program at (319)363-6333.
Jury Convicts Former Kansas City Business Owner of Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An owner of a former Kansas City business, Barrett Prelogar, 48, was convicted by a federal trial jury today of corruptly endeavoring to impede the due administration of the internal revenue laws.
Prelogar was a founding partner of the now-defunct Winntech Digital Systems, Inc. The company primarily produced electronic displays used in stores or at trade shows.
Prelogar failed to pay over to the government the payroll taxes withheld from Winntech employees’ paychecks in 2002 and 2003. He then obstructed the TRS’s collection process of the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty, which had been assessed against him personally for the unpaid trust fund taxes of Winntech. He also obstructed the IRS’s collection of the income taxes he owed for 2008.
On Oct. 28, 2009, Prelogar filed his 2008 tax return. The return reported over $500,000 in gross income and a tax due and owing of $120,103. Prelogar did not submit any payments with the 2008 tax return. Yet, from November 2009 through April 2011, he paid a total of more than $362,000 towards a house at the Lake of the Ozarks, a house near the Plaza in Kansas City, Mo., a house in Leawood, Kan., a Porsche, a Jeep, and a boat. During that time, he made no payments on his 2008 tax debt.
Subsequently, Prelogar engaged in several strategies from May 2011 to March 28, 2016, to obstruct the collection of taxes and penalties he owed to the government. Prelogar used corporate funds to pay his personal expenses, structured cash withdrawals from Winntech’s bank account to avoid federal bank reporting requirements, and cashed his payroll checks from his wife’s company, Bare Skull Innovation, LLC, rather than placing the money into a personal bank account, all to avoid IRS collections.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for approximately 3 1/2 hours before returning the guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough, ending a trial that began Monday, April 1, 2019.
Under federal statutes, Prelogar is subject to a sentence of up to three years 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. Attorney Paul S. Becker and Trial Attorney David Zisserson of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Tax Division. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Jacksonville Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child Sex Abuse Photos over the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Marc Lionel Lewis (51, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to a federal charge that he distributed images depicting the sexual abuse of children over the internet. Lewis faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison, and a potential life term of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender. A sentencing date has not been set.
According to court documents, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began an investigation to identify individuals who were using a particular file-sharing network to access and distribute child pornography over the internet. Agents confirmed that a host computer located in Jacksonville, Florida was offering files depicting child pornography for sharing over the internet, and were able to download images of young children being sexually abused from this host computer. Further investigation revealed that these files were being shared over the internet, by Lewis, at his Jacksonville residence.
On July 17, 2017, HSI agents executed a federal search warrant at Lewis’s residence and seized several computer devices. Forensic analysis of the computer media revealed approximately 37 images of child pornography and 142 images of child erotica. Lewis had attempted to delete these files using anti-forensic software, but the contraband images, as well as evidence of the file sharing program, remained and were recovered. By accessing and downloading child pornography through the file-sharing program, Lewis knowingly made it available for sharing and distribution to other users over the internet.
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This 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.
Jackson Man Sentenced to Statutory Maximum 10 Years in Federal Prison Under Project EJECT for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Christopher Younger, 38, of Jackson, was sentenced yesterday, by U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate, to 120 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana K. Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Younger was previously convicted of multiple felonies, including house burglary, embezzlement, and auto burglary. On January 31, 2018, Younger was found in possession of a firearm when members of the U.S. Marshals’ Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force went to arrest him for violating his parole from the Arkansas Department of Corrections.
Judge Wingate highlighted Younger’s extensive criminal history as part of the explanation for his decision to sentence the defendant to the statutory maximum, citing the fact that Younger had been convicted of multiple offenses across multiple states. Additionally, the court ruled that the sentence will run consecutive to any outstanding state sentence that Younger is currently serving.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Murray and Andrew W. Eichner.
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 Man Pleads Guilty Under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Donte Porter, 33, of Jackson, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On March 20, 2018, the Clinton Police Department received a call regarding a black male brandishing a firearm and acting suspicious at the Auto Zone in Clinton. The man left the scene in a black Nissan Maxima before officers arrived. The officers found a vehicle matching the description and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver, later identified as Donte Porter, drove off headed towards Jackson. The officers chased Porter into Jackson, where the vehicle finally came to a stop. A search of the vehicle revealed a handgun in the center console. Porter has a 2008 conviction for house burglary in Hinds County.
Porter will be sentenced by Judge Wingate on July 2, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, followed by a three year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Clinton Police Department, and the Jackson Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley.
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 Man Pleads Guilty Under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Adrian Charleston, 24, of Jackson, entered a guilty plea on Friday, April 5, 2019 before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana K. Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Charleston was previously convicted of manslaughter in Hinds County in 2013 and was sentenced to serve twenty years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with fifteen of those years suspended. On June 30, 2018, Charleston possessed a firearm and tried to hide the evidence by discarding the firearm in a dumpster before being caught by law enforcement.
Charleston will be sentenced by Chief Judge Jordan on July 19, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Inmate at Federal Correctional Institute at Allenwood Pleads Guilty to Assault of Correctional OfficerRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Demetrius Catching, age 28, formerly of Lexington, Kentucky, and currently inmate at FCI Allenwood, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani to assault on a correctional officer.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Catching admitted to punching a correctional officer during an altercation on March 7, 2016.
Judge Mariani ordered a presentence investigation report to be completed. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. O’Hara is prosecuting the case.
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 is up to eight years in prison, 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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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 5 was:
MONWELL DWIGHT BOOTH, 38, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Booth faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-27.
KATRINA MARIE BOLEJACK, 24, of Billings, and DAVID ANDREW MEYERS, 24, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bolejack and Meyers face a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Bolejack and Meyers were detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the FBI and Billings Police Department. Pacer case reference. 19-26.
Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 2 was:
TANIA LONGTIN, 35, and JAMIE ALAN CORDELL, 45, both of Wyoming, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Longtin and Cordell face a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $4 million fine and five years of supervised release. Longtin and Cordell were detained. The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Pacer case reference. 07-69.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Illegal Alien Sex Offender Sentenced for Returning to the United States after DeportationRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year old Guatemalan citizen has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for illegally re-entering the United States after deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Edward Estuardo Jacinto-Garcia pleaded guilty Nov. 27, 2018.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle sentenced Jacinto-Garcia to 72 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court considered that prior to Jacinto-Garcia’s first deportation from the United States, he had been convicted of sexual assault and had previously been convicted of illegally re-entering the country and failing to register as a sex offender. In handing down the sentence, Judge Tagle noted that it was appropriate given the seriousness of the offense and to protect the public. Jacinto-Garcia was on supervised release at the time of the new offense. Judge Tagle revoked that term and ordered he serve an additional two months to be served consecutively.
On Oct. 14, 2018, Border Patrol (BP) agents encountered a group of seven undocumented aliens in the brush near U.S. Highway 281 who had attempted to circumvent the immigration checkpoint near Falfurrias. At the time of the arrests, agents determined Jacinto-Garcia was a citizen and national of Guatemala who had previously been deported from the United States and had re-entered without permission.
In custody since his arrest, Jacinto-Garcia will remain in federal custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Holyoke Man Sentenced for Selling CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Holyoke man was sentenced on Wednesday, April 3, 2019, in federal court in Springfield for selling cocaine.
Carlos Maldonado, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 30 months in prison and six years of supervised release. In October 2018, Maldonado pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Maldonado was arrested in September 2016 and has been in federal custody since.
“The government asked for a sentence of 216 months for this career offender,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Maldonado has previously served seven years in prison for assault with intent to murder and has a prior federal conviction for drug dealing – the crime he was sentenced for Wednesday. We respectfully disagree with the Court’s sentence of 30 months.”
On July 15, 2016, Maldonado distributed cocaine to a government witness in Holyoke. This was Maldonado’s second federal narcotics-related conviction, as he was convicted in 2015 in federal court in Springfield for possessing heroin with the intent to distribute and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. Maldonado had been released from a residential re-entry center in May 2016, only two months prior to the time of committing the offense for which he was sentenced on Wednesday.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Acting Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; and Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Guatemalan National Sentenced to Prison for Assault on Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On April 5, 2019, Walfre Lopez-Giron, 25, of Guatemala, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Raner C. Collins to six months’ imprisonment to be followed by a term of two years supervised release. Lopez-Giron had previously pleaded guilty to assault on federal officers.
On Nov. 27, 2018, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended a group of individuals who had entered the country illegally in an area near Three Points, Ariz. Lopez-Giron fled from the agents, but was later arrested. During his arrest, Lopez-Giron threw sand in one agent’s eye and spat in another agent’s face.
The investigation in this case was conducted by United States Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution was handled by Raquel Arellano, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-02664-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-045_Lopez-Giron
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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.
Fort Thompson Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon was sentenced on April 1, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Rain Blaine, age 19, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison, 2 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Blaine was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 14, 2018. He pled guilty on January 8, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on June 24, 2018, when Blaine became upset with an individual during a conversation and stabbed the victim in the abdomen. Blaine then dropped the knife and began to physically assault the victim with his hands and feet. The victim had to be airlifted to Sioux Falls, where he was treated for his injuries.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Blaine was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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Former Navy Federal Credit Union Employee Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Child Pornography in PensacolaRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Michael Lee DePine, 62, of Pensacola, pleaded guilty today to the production and possession of child pornography. Based upon his guilty plea, he will be required to register as a sex offender. Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the guilty plea.
In December 2018, law enforcement officers received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that DePine and a local minor female were engaged in illicit sexual communications and activity via Facebook Messenger. After Homeland Security Investigations and the Pensacola Police Department geo-located DePine’s criminal activity to his Pensacola residence, law enforcement obtained a federal search warrant for the residence.
In January 2019, law enforcement searched DePine’s residence. While searching the residence, DePine was located at his place of employment, Navy Federal Credit Union. A forensic review of DePine’s seized digital media confirmed that he was in possession of multiple child pornographic images and videos of the minor victim. DePine produced these images and videos of the minor female in his bedroom at the residence. The investigation revealed that DePine had been picking the minor female up at her residence in the middle of the night to bring her back to his residence and engage in sexual acts. DePine also provided the minor female with intimate apparel and electronic funds for her expenses.
U.S. Attorney Keefe said: “Tragically, the Internet and social media can allow child predators a gateway to victimize children, the most innocent and vulnerable members of our communities. Together with our investigative partners, we will vigilantly pursue and prosecute those who hurt minors.”
“The harm this predator has caused to a young child is unimaginable to most of society,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “Thanks to the diligence of our special agents and the Pensacola Police Department, he will be held accountable for that harm, and we hope today’s guilty plea is a small step on the road to recovery for the young survivor of his crimes.”
DePine faces the following penalties:
- Production of Child Pornography – A mandatory minimum of 15 years up to a maximum of 30 years in prison;
- Possession of Child Pornography – A maximum of up to 10 years in prison;
- Registration as a Sex Offender; and
- Forfeiture of his Pensacola residence, his 2016 Lexus, and all the electronics used to commit the offenses.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 14, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola.
The case was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the Pensacola Police Department, and the North Florida Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel David L. Goldberg.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Former Leader of Honduran Cocaine Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 37 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
The former leader of a large-scale Honduran drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to 37 years in prison for trafficking thousands of kilograms of cocaine bound for the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement.
Noe Montes-Bobadilla, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady for the Eastern District of Virginia. According to court documents, Montes-Bobadilla, was the leader of the Montes-Bobadilla drug-trafficking organization, or “Los Montes,” one of the largest drug cartels in Honduras. Los Montes dominated the drug-trafficking activity in the area of Francia, Honduras, in the Department of Colón. At that location and in the neighboring La Mosquitia region, Montes-Bobadilla’s organization and associates received shipments of cocaine sent via boats, clandestine aircraft, and even submarines by Colombian suppliers. Each shipment generally carried hundreds of, if not more than a thousand, kilograms of cocaine. Montes-Bobadilla worked closely with other drug-trafficking organizations, such as Los Valles and Los Cachiros, to import the cocaine in Honduras and transport it north through Central America and Mexico to its ultimate destination, the United States. To protect his cocaine-trafficking operations, Montes-Bobadilla bribed law enforcement officers and officials, and engaged in numerous acts of violence, including murder. Through these efforts, Montes-Bobadilla and his organization distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine destined for the United States.
“Montes-Bobadilla was a violent leader of one of the largest drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras,” said U.S. Attorney Terwilliger. “The resources and collaborative efforts used to investigate this massive drug trafficking organization is a prime example of the extraordinary investigative capabilities of federal law enforcement and prosecutors here in the Eastern District. My sincere thanks to the DEA and the prosecution team for their outstanding work on this high-impact, international drug trafficking organization - also known as a DTO.”
“This is a prime example of how federal and state agencies can work together to make a major impact on a local, state, national and inter-national scale, said Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent In Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division. “DEA would like to give special thanks to the Virginia State Police for their tireless contribution in bringing Noe Montes-Bobadilla and his organization to justice.”
The case was investigated by the DEA as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), Operation Harpoon through DEA’s HIDTA Task Force in Annandale, Virginia. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
Assistance in the investigation and prosecution was provided by the Virginia State Police, FBI’s Washington Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York, the Middle District of Florida, and the Southern District of Florida. Assistance was also provided by the Honduran National Police.
Trial Attorney Anthony T. Aminoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler and James L. Trump of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
Former Leader of Honduran Cocaine Trafficking Organization SentencedRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The former leader of a large-scale Honduran drug trafficking organization was sentenced today to 37 years in prison for trafficking thousands of kilograms of cocaine bound for the United States.
“Montes-Bobadilla was a violent leader of one of the largest drug trafficking organizations in Honduras,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The resources and collaborative efforts used to investigate this massive drug trafficking organization is a prime example of the extraordinary investigative capabilities of federal law enforcement and prosecutors here in the Eastern District. My sincere thanks to the DEA and the prosecution team for their outstanding work on this high-impact, international drug trafficking organization—also known as a DTO.”
According to court documents, Noe Montes-Bobadilla, 35, was the leader of the Montes-Bobadilla drug trafficking organization, or “Los Montes,” one of the largest drug cartels in Honduras. Los Montes dominated the drug trafficking activity in the area of Francia, Honduras, in the Department of Colón. At that location and in the neighboring La Mosquitia region, Montes-Bobadilla’s organization and associates received shipments of cocaine sent via boats, clandestine aircraft, and even submarines by Colombian suppliers. Each shipment generally carried hundreds of, if not more than a thousand, kilograms of cocaine. Montes-Bobadilla worked closely with other drug trafficking organizations, such as Los Valles and Los Cachiros, to import the cocaine in Honduras and transport it north through Central America and Mexico to its ultimate destination, the United States. To protect his cocaine trafficking operations, Montes-Bobadilla bribed law enforcement officers and officials, and engaged in numerous acts of violence, including murder. Through these efforts, Montes-Bobadilla and his organization distributed thousands of kilograms of cocaine destined for the United States.
“This is a prime example of how federal and state agencies can work together to make a major impact on a local, state, national and inter-national scale, said Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent In Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division. “DEA would like to give special thanks to the Virginia State Police for their tireless contribution in bringing Noe Montes-Bobadilla and his organization to justice.”
The case was investigated by the DEA as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation Harpoon through DEA’s HIDTA Task Force in Annandale, Virginia. The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
Assistance in the investigation and prosecution was provided by the Virginia State Police, FBI’s Washington Field Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of New York, the Middle District of Florida, and the Southern District of Florida. Assistance was also provided by the Honduran National Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas W. Traxler and James L. Trump, and Trial Attorney Anthony T. Aminoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:15-cr-290.
Former Employee of D.C. School Admits to Transporting Child Pornography Across State Lines and Accessing it over the Dark WebRead the Press Release
A West Virginia man pleaded guilty today to transportation of child pornography, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. DeSarno of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
According to court documents, in 2013, Paul Joseph Wilson, 49, lived and worked at a school in Washington, D.C. While living in a dormitory at the school, Wilson downloaded child pornography from the internet and subscribed to child-pornography-specific newsgroup services. Wilson later transported child pornography from D.C. to Virginia. Wilson also admitted to being a member of a child pornography website that operated over the dark web and to using the dark web to access and download images of children being sexually abused. Sentencing has been set for July 12, 2019 before Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Trial Attorney Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel Smith III of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc.
Former Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A former Indiana attorney, who also prepared tax returns for Indianapolis-area clients, pleaded guilty yesterday to tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and Josh J. Minkler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
Scott C. Cole, 54, of Brownsburg, Indiana, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion for his multi-year effort to evade the payment of taxes and penalties on income he failed to report on his 2002 tax return.
According to the Superseding Indictment and court filings, Cole was an attorney and preparer of tax returns. As the result of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits of Cole’s 2001 and 2002 tax returns, the Tax Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit determined that Cole owed over $1,000,000 in taxes and penalties, stemming from Cole’s fraudulent omission of over $1.5 million of income from his individual tax returns for those years. From 2011 through 2017, when the IRS sought to collect those taxes, Cole took various steps to evade payment of his tax debt. His efforts included opening bank accounts in the names of nominees, such as family members, directing payment for legal and tax preparation services performed by him be made payable to nominee companies he controlled, paying personal bills from bank accounts maintained in the names of nominees, and dealing extensively in cash and money orders. Cole also prepared tax returns for clients that omitted his name as the paid preparer of those tax returns, a violation of the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations. Because of Cole’s acts of evasion, the IRS collected less than $3,000 of the total tax debt Cole owed for the 2001 and 2002 tax years.
Cole resigned from the Indiana bar following the filing of a complaint by the Supreme Court of Indiana Disciplinary Commission in 2014, which charged Cole with the filing of fraudulent tax returns with the IRS and the State of Indiana for the 2001 and 2002 tax years.
U.S. District Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson, who presided over Cole’s guilty plea yesterday, is expected to schedule Cole’s sentencing for late summer 2019.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Minkler commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, the IRS Revenue Agents, who conducted the underlying audits, and the prosecutors on the case, Assistant United States Attorney James M. Warden from the Southern District of Indiana, and Assistant Chief Stanley J. Okula, Jr. of the Tax Division.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website at www.justice.gov/tax.
Fmr. Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway Sentenced to 56 Months in Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
Former Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway was sentenced this afternoon to 4 years and 8 months in federal prison for public corruption, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Councilmember Caraway pleaded guilty on August 9 to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. He resigned his seat on the Dallas City Council later that same day.
“Over the past year and a half, the Northern District of Texas has been relentless in rooting out public corruption, and we will continue to prioritize corruption cases,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “This case should serve as a warning to public officials across North Texas: If you betray the trust of your constituents, we will prosecute you. We’ll prosecute the bribe payers. And we’ll prosecute those who attempt to conceal bribe payments. Anyone who fosters a kickback culture, prioritizing financial interest ahead of constituent rights, will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to plea papers, Councilmember Caraway, now 66, admits he accepted roughly $450,000 in bribes from Force Multiplier Solutions CEO Robert Leonard, an entrepreneur who sold faulty stop-arm cameras for use on Dallas County school busses.
In return for these kickbacks, Councilmember Caraway voted to promote and continue Dallas County Schools’ stop-arm camera program, which relied on equipment sold by Force Multiplier. He also promoted Mr. Leonard’s planned real estate development in South Dallas.
The majority of bribes from Mr. Leonard to Councilmember Caraway – which the former Mayor Pro Tem admits he omitted from his tax returns – were funneled through a sham consulting firm run by Mr. Leonard’s business associate, Slater Swartwood. The remainder was doled out in the form of custom-made suits, fully funded trips, casino chips, fake loans, funeral expenses, and cash payments.
Both Mr. Leonard and Mr. Swartwood have pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme.
Dallas County Schools, which collected property taxes to purchase stop-arm cameras for its fleet of about 2,000 busses, was shuttered in November 2017, saddled with approximately $103 million in debt.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Wirmani, NDTX’s Public Corruption Coordinator, Marcus Busch, NDTX’s Fraud Section Chief, Chad Meacham, and Joseph Magliolo prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Sentenced for $2 Million Insider Trading Scheme Based on Confidential Information Misappropriated from an Investment BankRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RODOLFO SABLON, a/k/a “Rudy,” was sentenced to six months in prison for his role in an insider trading scheme based on material nonpublic information misappropriated from an investment bank by Daniel Rivas, a former employee at the bank. In July 2018, SABLON pled guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman. U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Today’s sentencing of Rodolfo Sablon closes the book on this multimillion-dollar, multi-pronged insider trading scheme. Sablon and his co-defendants acted as though the securities laws that are designed to keep our nation’s marketplace fair did not apply to them. However, as they all have learned, our office is committed to identifying and prosecuting these types of insider trading networks.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment filed against SABLON and his co-conspirators, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:
The Investment Bank and Rivas
From August 2013 through May 2017, Rivas was employed as a technology consultant in the Research and Capital Markets Technology Group of an investment bank (the “Investment Bank”). In this role, Rivas had access to an internal, proprietary system maintained by the Investment Bank (the “Deal Tracking System”) containing material nonpublic information (“Inside Information”) about potential and unannounced merger and acquisition transactions, including tender offers, involving the Investment Bank. The Investment Bank’s written policies prohibited the unauthorized disclosure of confidential information, which included Inside Information. Rivas had a duty, among other obligations, to maintain the confidentiality of all of the Investment Bank’s confidential information, including the Inside Information.
Overview of Insider Trading Schemes
From August 2014 through April 2017, Rivas violated the duties of confidentiality he owed to the Investment Bank by serially misappropriating material nonpublic information from the Investment Bank’s Deal Tracking System and passing that information along to friends so that they could utilize it to make profitable trades. On more than 50 occasions between August 2014 and April 2017, Rivas provided Inside Information about contemplated but unannounced merger and acquisition (“M&A”) transactions and tender offer transactions involving clients and prospective clients of the Investment Bank to friends who used that information to purchase and sell securities. In total, the insider trading based on Inside Information misappropriated by Rivas resulted in illicit profits of more than $5 million through trading in more than two dozen securities. The Inside Information was passed through three tipping chains.
The Sablon Tipping Chain
SABLON was a member of the second of three tipping chains outlined in the Indictment. In this tipping chain, Rivas passed inside information to SABLON and co-defendant Roberto Rodriguez, a childhood friend of Rivas with whom Rodriguez had maintained a close relationship as adults.
Since 2014, Rodriguez lived and worked in Miami, Florida, with SABLON, with whom he was also friends. In 2015, Rodriguez introduced Rivas to SABLON. Rivas and SABLON then communicated with each other directly and developed an independent relationship.
In the fall of 2015, Rivas disclosed to Rodriguez that Rivas had access to Inside Information by virtue of his position as a corporate insider at an Investment Bank. At Rodriguez’s request, Rivas also agreed to share Inside Information with SABLON. While Rivas had originally agreed to divulge Inside Information to Rodriguez because of their history of friendship, Rivas also learned that Rodriguez and SABLON intended to start an investment fund with the proceeds of the insider trading scheme. Rivas understood that in exchange for the Inside Information Rivas was providing to Rodriguez and SABLON, Rivas would be invited to join the investment fund as a partner once it was successfully launched.
At first, Rivas communicated with Rodriguez and SABLON primarily via phone and text message. As the scheme progressed, however, Rodriguez and SABLON increased their efforts to hide their illegal activity. On several occasions, Rivas met personally with Rodriguez and/or SABLON in Miami in order to provide them with Inside Information. Rivas also provided Rodriguez and SABLON with Inside Information using an encrypted mobile messaging application (the “Messaging App”), which allows users to set a timer to messages to irretrievably “self-destruct.”
In order to maximize the illicit profits that could be earned using Rivas’s Inside Information, Rodriguez and SABLON, in consultation with Rivas, initiated an aggressive strategy of purchasing short-term, out-of-the money call options. In total, from 2015 through April 2017, Rodriguez and SABLON earned more than $2 million in illicit profits through insider trading in more than two dozen securities based on Inside Information divulged by Rivas.
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In addition to the prison term, SABLON, 39, of Miami, Florida, was sentenced to two years of supervised release, including six months in a community confinement center. SABLON was also ordered to pay $923,566 in forfeiture and a $5,000 fine.
Co-defendant Siva pled guilty on October 18, 2018, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and fraud and was sentenced to 18 months in prison on February 22, 2019. Co-defendant Rodriguez pled guilty on September 7, 2018, to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and fraud and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. Co-defendant Jhonatan Zoquier pled guilty on August 6, 2018, to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and was sentenced to three months in prison. Co-defendant Jeffrey Rogiers pled guilty on August 13, 2018, to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and was sentenced to three months in prison.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea M. Griswold and Samson Enzer are in charge of the prosecution.
Five Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Black Market Marijuana Grow Operation in Park County NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
DENVER – Five men who had been living in Park County, Colorado, were sentenced to federal prison terms after being caught growing and harvesting large amounts of marijuana. The sentencing hearings, which happened in Grand Junction, were announced by U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn and DEA Denver Special Agent in Charge Tim McDermott.
According to facts contained in filed court documents, as well as arguments made during sentencing hearings, from approximately September 2013, Tan Duy Tran led a conspiracy to cultivate, harvest, and distribute marijuana grown in houses in the Fairplay, Colorado area. As part of this conspiracy, Tran contacted defendant Blake Outhavong and requested that he purchase a house in the Fairplay area for the sole purpose of cultivating marijuana. Tran then directed defendant Souk Outhavong to purchase yet another house in the Fairplay area, also for the sole purpose of growing and cultivating marijuana.
During this time period and continuing to March 2018, the Tran organization utilized these houses, and others in the area, to cultivate over 1000 marijuana plants, which resulted in the distribution of at least 677 pounds (over 300 kilograms) of marijuana. Tran organized the criminal activity involving 5 or more participants; and the codefendants and several others worked at Tran’s direction to cultivate, harvest and distribute marijuana. In March 2018, DEA agents executed search warrants on the houses involved in the marijuana grows. Agents discovered 460 mature marijuana plants as well as 1,656 clone marijuana plants. In another house agents found approximately 66 one-pound packages of processed marijuana being prepared for distribution. They also discovered an AR-15 style rifle, a handgun, and a gun safe with nine other firearms of various calibers. Defendants Venarong Vongsitthy and Billy Dukes were present at one of the raided homes. Both pled guilty to marijuana cultivation.
Those prosecuted in this case include:
- Tan Duy Tran, aka Ricky, age 41, who was ordered to serve 96 months in federal prison followed by 5 years on supervised release
- Venarong Vongsitthy, age 47, who was ordered to serve 60 months in federal prison followed by 4 years on supervised release
- Billy Dukes, age 35, who was ordered to serve 60 months in federal prison followed by 4 years on supervised release
- Blake Outhavong, age 48, who was ordered to serve 12 months and 14 days in prison followed by 5 years on supervised release
- Souk Outhavong, age 45, who was ordered to time served as well as a $50,000 fine followed by 5 years supervised release.
“This is not a victimless crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “These are communities where families live and kids play. It was a team effort with a positive outcome. We thank our law enforcement partners who came together to stop this illegal conduct.”
“This black-market cultivation investigation is another example of criminal elements coming to Colorado to take advantage of this state’s marijuana laws,” said DEA Denver Special Agent in Charge Tim McDermott.
The first defendants were charged by criminal complaint on March 14, 2018. On March 27, 2019 the defendants were charged by a federal grand jury. They then were held in custody pending a resolution of their case. The defendants pled guilty on dates in September, October, and November. They were then sentenced in March and April of 2019.
This case was investigated by the DEA along with the Park County Sheriff’s Office, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, and the Vail Police Department. The defendants were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Chaffin.
Federal Jury Finds Parkersburg Man Guilty of Child Pornography Crimes and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that Daniel Roy Mace, of Parkersburg, was convicted by a federal jury on 15 felony charges: 12 counts of receipt of child pornography on dates between June 24 and August 3, 2016; one count of distribution of child pornography; one count possession of child pornography depicting prepubescent minors; and one count of witness tampering. When he is sentenced on July 8, 2019, he will face up to 20 years on each count, along with at least five years for each of the 12 receipt counts and the distribution count. He will also be placed on supervised release for a term of at least five years and up to life following his release from prison, and will be required to register as a sex offender.
“Guilty on all 15 counts,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “These are emotional and difficult cases, especially considering the graphic nature of the evidence and that the conduct involves children. These cases are critically important – for the victims, for the community and our society. The timing of this case couldn’t be more apt. April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month and just yesterday, we rolled out the remarkable results over the last six months of multiple investigations regarding child exploitation. I applaud the efforts of Assistant United States Attorneys Jenny Herrald and Alex Hamner, and the entire team that worked on this case. We are in the business of protecting children.”
On August 1, 2016, law enforcement with the WVSP Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force began a proactive investigation into local distributors of child pornography. After identifying a potential target in the Parkersburg area, a detective downloaded eight videos of child pornography from a user located in Parkersburg over a peer-to-peer file sharing network. On August 4, 2016, a search warrant was executed at the residence from which the child pornography was being shared. Law enforcement discovered Mace’s laptop in his bedroom, actively downloading child pornography from the same file-sharing services where law enforcement had downloaded the eight videos of child pornography. Upon examining Mace’s computer, law enforcement discovered 80 videos of child pornography depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Among the 80 videos were all eight videos of child pornography that law enforcement had downloaded.
After Mace was arrested on a federal indictment charging him with numerous child pornography offenses, Mace began attempting to persuade a witness to provide a false alibi for him during testimony before a federal grand jury in January 2019. The jail calls between Mace and the witness were recorded.
The West Virginia State Police, the Parkersburg Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Violent Crime Against Children (VCAC) Task Force conducted the investigation. Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. presided over the trial. Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Alex Hamner handled the prosecution.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to EscapeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Roger Stokes, 36, of Walnut Grove, entered a guilty plea today, before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan, to escaping from federal custody, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and U.S. Marshal Mark B. Shepherd of the United States Marshals Service.
Stokes was previously convicted in the Southern District of Mississippi of felonious illegal transport of an alien, and was sentenced to two years in custody and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Court Judge Louis Guirola. Following a revocation of his original supervised release and the imposition of an additional two years in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Stokes was transferred to the Bannum Place Residential Reentry Center in Jackson to serve the remainder of his time with an anticipated release date of March 18, 2019. On January 11, 2019, after being confronted by facility personnel with a positive drug test, Stokes left the facility without permission and was caught by law enforcement in Attala County ten days later.
Stokes will be sentenced by Chief Judge Jordan on July 19, 2019 at 9:15 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The United States Marshals Service investigated the case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew W. Eichner.
Federal & Local Law Enforcement to Make Press Announcement Regarding Matter Involving Missing Aurora, Illinois BoyRead the Press Release
*********** MEDIA ADVISORY ***********
FEDERAL & LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO MAKE PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING MATTER INVOLVING MISSING AURORA, ILLINOIS BOY
The briefing will be held:
TODAY: FRIDAY, APRIL 5, 2019
WHEN: 11:30 A.M.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office
221 E. Fourth Street
Fourth Floor
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Room available beginning at 11:15 A.M. No TV lighting or multbox will be available. ID will be required for entrance at Security on the fourth floor.
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Fallbrook Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Fentanyl Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 5, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Corey Bernard Green of Fallbrook was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Battaglia to 151 months in prison for distributing the fentanyl that caused the death of 34-year-old Joseth Adam Sellars on November 3, 2017.
On November 2, 2017, Sellars told his wife, Rebecca Sellars, that he had been sober for about 100 days. Two days later, she woke up in the morning and found him lying face down on their living room floor. She called 911 but it was too late. Law enforcement arriving at the scene observed drug paraphernalia and a white powdery substance near his body.
The investigation of Sellars’ death found text messages between Sellars and Green indicating that Green had supplied heroin laced with fentanyl to Sellars on November 3, 2017, and that Sellars had taken an Uber to Green’s residence to pick up the substance. Green was also determined to have conducted a Google search for information related to Sellars’ death, Fallbrook and November 3.
The Government’s sentencing papers noted that this case was a “prime example of the extraordinarily devastating impact that fentanyl, a drug far more potent than heroin, has on lives.” Fentanyl is anywhere from 25 to 50 times more potent than heroin. As Rebecca Sellars explained in a statement filed with the Government’s sentencing papers, “[i]n an instant, the earth stopped spinning, the sun ceased shining, and all I could see was a world that I didn’t want to live in anymore.” During sentencing, Ms. Sellars told the Court that, while her husband was in treatment, she told Mr. Green directly to “leave my husband alone” and argued that this was, therefore not simply “a tragic accident.” Indeed, on the morning she awoke and discovered her husband deceased from the overdose, Ms. Sellars said, “I woke up in a very good mood because I believed my husband was 102 days sober.”
In imposing the 151 month sentence, Judge Battaglia explained that, “There is nothing more serious than the loss of life…” He also noted that, “No matter what we do, it will not bring Mr. Sellars back” and that Ms. Sellars’ statement was “very impactful.”
“As the opioid crisis continues to rage on, my office will zealously pursue cases against people who distribute fentanyl and other illicit drugs that, tragically, have the power to destroy lives,” said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer, Jr. “I commend prosecutors Larry Casper and Tim Coughlin, the Sheriff’s Department, the San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office and the District Attorney’s Office for their outstanding work in this case.”
In June of 2017, the San Diego Sheriff's Department took proactive measures to identify, investigate and arrest individuals who were distributing dangerous substances, such as fentanyl laced cocaine and dangerous opiates, into our communities. The Sheriff's Department began delegating resources in the initial stages of overdose investigations to develop critical evidence which might have been overlooked before the opioid crisis became a reality for many families. It is the Sheriff's Department goal to remove these dangerous drugs from our streets and hold people like Corey Green accountable for endangering the lives of others with reckless abandon.
DEFENDANT Case Number 18-cr-2249-AJB
Corey Bernard Green Age: 42 Fallbrook, California
SUMMARY OF CHARGE TO WHICH GUILTY PLEA ENTERED
Distribution of Fentanyl – Title 21 U.S.C. Section 841(a)
Maximum Penalty – 20 years in custody and $1 million fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
San Diego Sheriff’s Department
San Diego Sheriff’s Department Regional Crime Lab
San Diego Medical Examiner’s Office
San Diego District Attorney’s Office
United States Attorney’s Office
FBI Makes Additional Narcotics, Weapons Arrest in GreenvilleRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MISS. – Seven additional men from Greenville, Miss., face federal narcotics and weapons charges after being indicted by a federal grand jury, announced William C. Lamar, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi.
Law enforcement took the following individuals into custody on Thursday:
- Jimmy Appleton, age 44, of Greenville.
- Lamarcus Martin, age 38, of Greenville.
- James Edward Murray, aka James Edward Lunford, age 41, of Greenville.
- Cadarrius Nelson, age 26, of Greenville.
Three individuals were previously taken into federal custody: - Carl Lawrence, age 37, of Greenville was arrested by the Greenville Police Department on March 29, 2019.
- Jonathan Robinson, age 35, of Greenville was previously indicted and transferred from state custody to federal custody.
- Chaddwick Wilson, age 38, of Atlanta was arrested by the FBI Atlanta Division on Wednesday. Wilson is a former Greenville resident.
Appleton is charged in a three-count indictment with one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute – cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Martin is charged in a three-count indictment with one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute – marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Murray is charged in a four-count indictment with one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute – cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute – marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Nelson is charged in a three-count indictment with one count of possession with intent to distribute – cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute – marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Lawrence is charged in a one-count indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Robinson is charged in a two-count indictment with one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of felon in possession of ammunition.
Wilson is charged in a three-count indictment with one count of felon in possession of a firearm, one count of possession with intent to distribute – marijuana and one count of possession of a firearm in relation to and in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Appleton, Martin, Murray and Nelson made initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Jane M. Virden, United States District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi in Greenville on Thursday. Magistrate Judge Virden released Appleton, Murray and Nelson on bond, and ordered that Martin be held pending a detention hearing set for Tuesday, April 9, 2019.
Lawrence initially appeared on Monday and was released on bond on Thursday. Robinson waived his arraignment hearing and was ordered held pending trial by United States Magistrate Judge David A. Sanders. Chaddwick Wilson initially appeared Wednesday in Atlanta and has been held pending an identity and detention hearing in Atlanta scheduled for Monday, April 8, 2019.
Five Greenville men were taken into custody on similar charges on March 19, 2019.
Agencies assisting with the investigation and arrests were the Greenville Police Department, the District Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Circuit Court, the United States Marshals Service and the FBI Atlanta and Memphis Divisions. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Mims.
These charges are merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eight Men Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Telemarketing Fraud Scheme Targeting the ElderlyRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that eight defendants have been sentenced in connection with their participation in a scheme to defraud victims – many of whom were elderly – by soliciting payments over the telephone. ARASH KETABCHI, a/k/a “Zach Peterson,” RAYMOND QUILES, CHRISTOPHER WILSON, a/k/a “Eric Fields,” JACK KAVNER, a/k/a “Bob Wiley,” a/k/a “Phil Powers,” JOSEPH McGOWAN, and ANTHONY MEDEIROS pled guilty in 2018. ANDREW OWIMRIN, a/k/a “Andrew Owens,” a/k/a “Jonathan Stewart,” and SHAHRAM KETABCHI, a/k/a “Steve Ketabchi,” were convicted following a 12-day trial before United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Motivated by greed and the possibility of a quick payday, these defendants aggressively targeted the elderly and other vulnerable victims by convincing them to invest their money in various businesses. In reality, these so-called opportunities were just fraudulent schemes to steal victims’ money. Now, they have all been sentenced to prison.”
According to the allegations in the complaint and indictments filed in connection with this case, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and evidence presented at the trial of OWIMRIN and SHAHRAM KETABCHI:
Beginning in October 2013 through March 2017, ARASH KETABCHI, WILSON, KAVNER, McGOWAN, and others operated a group of telemarketing companies (the “Telemarketing Companies”) that engaged in a fraudulent scheme (the “Telemarketing Scheme”), by which they promised to earn victims (the “Victims”) money in exchange for particular Victims making an initial cash “investment” in business development, website design, grant applications, or tax preparation services. Many Victims, the majority of whom are over 70 years old, “invested” thousands of dollars with the Telemarketing Companies, but did not earn any of the promised returns. When Victims of the Telemarketing Scheme sought refunds, or fought credit card charges, the Telemarketing Companies provided explanations and documentation to the credit card companies falsely representing that the Victims had received the promised services. QUILES operated a company that provided so-called “fulfillment” services for the Telemarketing Companies, whereby QUILES’s company would send nominal items, such as boilerplate pamphlets, to Victims in order to help the Telemarketing Companies falsely demonstrate to credit card companies that they had provided services to the Victims. OWIMRIN and MEDEIROS worked as sales representatives for the Telemarketing Companies. SHAHRAM KETABCHI was responsible for, among other things, the submission of documents to the credit card companies in order to challenge the Victims’ attempts to recover their funds.
Five other individuals have pled guilty in connection with this case, and await sentencing:
Defendant Name
Companies
Count(s) of Conviction
William Sinclair
Olive Branch Marketing,
Paramount Business Solutions
Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1349)
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
(18 U.S.C. § 1956(h))
Michael Finocchiaro
Olive Branch Marketing,
Paramount Business Solutions
Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1349)
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
(18 U.S.C. § 1956(h))
Narcotics Conspiracy
(21 U.S.C. § 846)
Daniel Quirk
Carlyle Management Group,
Vanguard Business Solutions
Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1349)
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
(18 U.S.C. § 1956(h))
Narcotics Conspiracy
(21 U.S.C. § 846)
Peter DiQuarto
Olive Branch Marketing,
Carlyle Management Group,
Vanguard Business Solutions.
A1 Business Consultants
Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(18 U.S.C. §§ 1343, 1349)
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering
(18 U.S.C. § 1956(h))
Narcotics Conspiracy
(21 U.S.C. § 846)
Brooke Marcus
First Trend,
Tri-Star,
Elite Business Services
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(18 U.S.C. § 1349)
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ARASH KETABCHI, 45, of Wayne, New Jersey, was sentenced by Judge Stein on March 27, 2019, to 87 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $1,059,803.84 and to pay $563,427.99 in restitution.
RAYMOND QUILES, 41, of Old Bridge, New Jersey, was sentenced by Judge Stein on March 27, 2019, to 366 days in prison and three years of supervised release, ordered to perform 480 hours of community service, and to forfeit $542,673.30.
CHRISTOPHER WILSON, 33, of Teaneck, New Jersey, was sentenced by Judge Stein on April 3, 2019, to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $485,818.84 and to pay $397,850.80 in restitution.
JACK KAVNER, 32, of West New York, New Jersey, was sentenced by Judge Stein on April 3, 2019, to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $150,000 and to pay $1,705,586.05 in restitution.
JOSEPH McGOWAN, 32, of Port Chester, New York, was sentenced by Judge Stein on April 3, 2019, to 72 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $1,763,582.05 and to pay $1,705,586.05 in restitution.
ANDREW OWIMRIN, 29, of Montvale, New Jersey, was sentenced by Judge Stein on March 27, 2019, to 52 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $100,000.
SHAHRAM KETABCHI, 48, of Rancho Mission Viejo, California, was sentenced by Judge Stein on March 28, 2019, to four months in prison, three years of supervised release, including six months of home confinement, and 480 hours of community service. SHAHRAM KETABCHI was also ordered to forfeit $30,825 and to pay $563,427.99 in restitution.
ANTHONY MEDEIROS, 38, of Bloomfield, New Jersey, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nelson S. Román on September 11, 2018, to 66 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the New York City Police Department.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Kiersten A. Fletcher, Benet J. Kearney, and Robert B. Sobelman are in charge of the prosecution.
If you believe you have been a victim of these telemarketing companies: A1 Business Consultants, Elevated Business Consultants, Element Business Services, Prestige Worldwide Enterprises, Olive Branch Marketing, CTO Consulting, Carlyle Management Group, or Vanguard Business Solutions, please contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900 or [email protected]. You may also report it to Detective Christopher Bastos of the New York City Police Department at 917-480-7167 or [email protected].
Douglas Man Sentenced to over 10 Years’ Imprisonment for Child Pornography, False StatementsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On April 4, 2019, Uriel Gonzalez-Perez, 32, of Douglas, Ariz. was sentenced for separate offenses by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to concurrent terms of 120 months’ imprisonment and 46 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release. Gonzalez-Perez had previously pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography and conspiracy to commit false statements in connection with the purchase of firearms.
On Dec. 8, 2017, Gonzalez-Perez, a former Mexican police officer, was stopped during an outbound inspection at the Douglas Port of Entry. His vehicle contained 500 .50 caliber BMG links, items that are prohibited from being exported without a license. Further investigation revealed that Gonzalez-Perez and his two co-defendants were obtaining firearms and ammunition by falsifying paperwork required to purchase firearms legally. Gonzalez-Perez was illegally exporting the firearms and other items to Mexico.
A search of Gonzalez-Perez’s cell phone revealed numerous photos and videos of child pornography. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were able to identify the child and adult female depicted in the images; they were living in Puerto Penasco, Mexico and HSI provided that information to Mexican authorities. Mexican authorities arrested the adult female, who was the child’s mother, and she was later sentenced to fifteen years’ imprisonment in Sonora, Mexico.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
The investigation in this case was conducted by HSI Special Agent Robert Edwards. The prosecution was handled by Erica L. Seger, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-00033-JAS and CR 18-00230-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-044_ Gonzalez-Perez
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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.
District Men Sentenced to Prison Terms for Robbing Two Men at Gunpoint and Pistol WhippingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shawne Proctor 27, and Calvin Abney 28, both of Washington D.C., were sentenced today to prison terms of 15 years and 12 years, respectively, on charges stemming from an armed robbery and pistol-whipping that took place in Southeast Washington in June 2018, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Proctor and Abney were found guilty by a jury in January 2019 of charges of conspiracy, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The verdict followed a month-long trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The men were sentenced by the Honorable Marisa Demeo. Following their prison terms, both men will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Proctor and Abney conspired to commit the crime as part of a larger scheme to rob local drug dealers. In the early morning of June 9, 2018, Proctor, a former friend of one of the victims, called and requested marijuana. Proctor instructed the victim to drive from Maryland into the District of Columbia for the exchange.
The victim, who did not have a car, brought a friend to drive him. Upon arriving to the location, in the 800 block of Southern Avenue SE, Proctor had the men drive to a more secluded street. When Proctor entered the victim’s car to inspect the marijuana, he signaled Abney by cellphone. Abney, who was armed with a firearm, entered the car, pistol-whipped the driver, and stole money and marijuana from both men. Two unidentified individuals helped with the crime by surrounding the vehicle armed with firearms, and then driving off in the victim’s car.
The victim reported Proctor to the police and later identified Abney in a photo array. A search of both men’s cellphones revealed text messages setting up similar robberies. Proctor was arrested in June 2018, and Abney was arrested in August 2018. Both have been in custody ever since.
At the time of the incident, Proctor was on supervision following his conviction for an armed robbery offense in Prince George’s County, and Abney was on supervision for conspiracy to commit armed bank robbery, a federal offense in Maryland. Both now could face additional time in those matters.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Rickard and John Hill; Paralegal Specialists Richard Cheatham and Wanda Trice, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gauri Gopal and Alyse Constantinide, who investigated, indicted and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Shooting Construction Worker in the HeadRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lamont Jones, 51, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to seven years in prison for an attack in which he shot an employee of a construction company multiple times, including the face, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu.
Jones plead guilty in January 2019, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of assault with intent to kill. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for Jones to be sentenced to seven years in prison. The Honorable Danya A. Dayson accepted the plea and sentenced Jones accordingly. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the shooting took place on Oct 26, 2018, at about 4 p.m., with Jones approaching the victim and shooting him multiple times at close range near a construction site in the 5300 block of D Street SE. One shot struck the victim in the head.
The incident stemmed from an earlier dispute at the construction site at which both Jones and the victim were employed. Jones and another employee got into an argument at the construction earlier in the day on Oct. 26, 2018. Jones told the employee that he would kill him. Jones returned to the construction site later that day and, encountering only the victim and not the other employee, shot the victim multiple times.
The victim reported that the delivery driver for the company was the individual who had shot him. Jones was identified as the only driver that visited that construction site on Oct. 26, 2018. One of four witnesses identified the defendant from a photo array, and Jones was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) on Nov. 26, 2018.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Hill and Victim/Witness Advocate Elsa Maltese.
Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina Wolf and Alyse Constantinide, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
District Man Found Guilty of Charges in 2016 Murder on Southeast Washington SidewalkRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Andre Becton, 28, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of second-degree murder while armed and related firearms offenses stemming from a shooting that took place in Southeast Washington in September 2016, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Becton was found guilty by a jury on April 4, 2019, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Juliet McKenna scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, on the night of Sept. 15, 2016, the victim, Darnell “Kirk” Peoples, Sr., agreed to help a woman buy drugs. They encountered a group of young men who were playing craps in the 600 block of Mellon Street SE, in front of a neighborhood market. Mr. Peoples made a remark that offended the group, leading to a confrontation with Becton. Mr. Peoples tried to quash the trouble, but Becton pulled out a gun and started counting down. Mr. Peoples unsuccessfully tried to get the gun. Becton shot him two times in front of numerous people and fled the scene. Mr. Peoples, 35, stumbled across the street and collapsed, shot in the neck and the left hip.
The Metropolitan Police Department arrived within minutes and Mr. Peoples managed to mumble before he died that he was shot by “Dre from Trenton Park.” Becton was arrested on Oct. 21, 2016, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Lenerz; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Paralegal Specialists Lornce Applewhite, Stephanie Siegerist, Meridith McGarrity, Alesha Matthews, and Richard Cheatham; Victim/Witness Security Specialist Lesley Slade; Victim/Witness Services Coordinators La June Thames and Tanya Via; Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker; Investigative Analyst Zachary McMenamin; Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and interns Jeremy Kelly and Madison Jansky.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Trigoso and Lindsey Merikas, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Defense Department Employee Sentenced to Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
An Alexandria, Virginia, man was sentenced today to nine years in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for receipt of child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Chief Michael L. Brown of the Alexandria Police Department made the announcement.
Edward Thomas Parsons, 64, a former physical security specialist with the Department of Defense, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2018 before Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton of the Eastern District of Virginia to receipt of child pornography.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Parsons and his co-defendant, Bradley Robert Segert, administered an online group chat on Kik Messenger, a mobile messaging application, dedicated to soliciting child pornography from other Kik users. Between January 2015 and August 2015, Parsons received and distributed images and videos of child pornography from this Kik group chat. In addition, through the course of its investigation, law enforcement seized Parsons’s personal desktop computer and cell phone and found hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on the devices.
FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. The Task Force is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies. Trial Attorneys James E. Burke IV and William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc.