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4 April 2019
Boone County Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Transporting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. — Kerry M. Kennedy, 30, of Florence, Kentucky, was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in federal prison, by United States District Judge David Bunning, for Transportation of Child Pornography.
Kennedy previously admitted that, in July 2018, he posted approximately 88 videos depicting sexually explicit images of children to his online Dropbox account. Law enforcement found hundreds more images of child pornography after executing search warrants on this same account. In his guilty plea, Kennedy also admitted that he used messaging applications such as “Kik” and “Chat Now!” to get and share child pornography with others. He confirmed that when he downloaded files from these applications, they would automatically upload to his Dropbox account.
Under federal law, Kennedy must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for a term of 15 years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Wade T. Napier.
Belgrade man sentenced for firearm violationRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Belgrade man who admitted lying when he bought a semi-automatic pistol in Livingston was sentenced today to nine months of time served and one year of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Stacey James Wondra, 26, pleaded guilty on Dec. 6 to false statement during firearms transaction.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.
Prosecutors said evidence showed that Wondra was charged in Gallatin County in December 2017 with felony burglary and was released on conditions, including he not possess a firearm. On March 14, 2018, Wondra bought a 9mm semi-automatic pistol at a pawn shop in Livingston. On the paperwork for the transaction, Wondra answered “no” to whether he was under indictment or information for any felony charges. Wondra’s answer deceived the firearms dealer about his legal status for buying a firearm.
Five days later, Livingston police responded to a report of a person being held captive with a gun at a motel. Wondra and another person were hanging out at the motel and others confirmed that the pair had been handling the 9mm pistol throughout the weekend. The two got into an argument in the motel room, prompting law enforcement’s initial response. Wondra told officers he had purchased the gun a few days earlier, and the gun was found during a search of the room. Wondra then went back to the pawn shop that same day and pawned the gun he had purchased five days earlier.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Arizona drug trafficker sentenced in meth conspiracyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—An Arizona man who repeatedly brought pound loads of methamphetamine to Billings for distribution was sentenced today to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Wilfrido Varelas-Rubio, 24, of Glendale, AZ, pleaded guilty earlier to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.
In April 2018, law enforcement drug task agents began investigating a meth trafficking conspiracy that was bringing large quantities of the drug to the Billings area, prosecution evidence showed. Agents learned from a variety sources that Varelas-Rubio led the conspiracy and repeatedly brought meth to the community. On June 15, 2018, agents were notified that Varelas-Rubio was in town, selling meth and staying at a hotel.
Investigators got a search warrant for Varelas-Rubio’s room and found him there. A search turned up 14 ounces of individually wrapped meth, $6,800 cash, four cell phones and a storage unit code. Varelas-Rubio was taken to the Yellowstone County Detention Facility as agents went to a storage unit, where Varelas-Rubio had rented a secured parking space. Officers seized a Buick Lucerne that was in the space and searched it after getting another warrant. Agents found about 3.5 pounds of meth in a sophisticated concealment compartment. Lab tests determined that all of the meth seized in the case was substantially pure. The total amount of meth seized was the equivalent of about 15,600 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI.
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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Arizona Woman Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to a Financial InstitutionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that VALERIE SCHONES, age 54, of Tucson, Arizona, a former employee of an undisclosed entity, XYZ Financial, LLC, also located in Tucson, Arizona, has pleaded guilty yesterday to a Bill of Information charging her with Making False Statements to a Financial Institution.
According to court documents, beginning in or around October 2008 and continuing to on or about May 2009, SCHONES, along with co-defendants PATRICK HEALEY and JARED CASTELLAW made false statements to the Federal Housing Administration “FHA” in order to assist low-income borrowers wishing to purchase homes in St. Bernard in qualifying for FHA insured loans that they would not otherwise have qualified for. In total, due to the acts of the defendants, the FHA suffered a loss in excess of $852,415.
SCHONES faces a maximum of 30 years imprisonment, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, supervised release of up to 5 years, and a special assessment of $100. The Court set sentencing in this matter for July 10, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharan E. Lieberman and Edward J. Rivera.
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Area Man Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing His Niece, Beginning When She Was 11 Years OldRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 49-year-old man, formerly of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of multiple charges for sexually abusing his niece when she was 11 and 12 years old, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
The defendant, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, recently resided in Northwest Washington with his wife and children. He was found guilty by a jury on April 3, 2019, of four counts of second-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances, misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child with aggravating circumstances, and assault. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Craig Iscoe ordered that he be held without bond until sentencing on May 31, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, the victim lived in Florida with her mother during the year, but visited her father and his family in the District of Columbia every summer. When she visited the District of Columbia, she spent part of her time with the defendant and his family.
In the summer of 2016, when the victim was 11 years old, the defendant began sexually abusing her during these visits. The nature of his abuse escalated over time. The defendant pressured the victim not to tell, and she was afraid to disclose the abuse for fear of not being believed and of causing stress within the family.
Following the defendant’s final act of abuse in June 2017, the victim could not keep the abuse a secret anymore, and she disclosed the abuse to her aunt, the defendant’s wife. The victim later disclosed to her father, as well, and the abuse was then reported to the Metropolitan Police Department. The defendant was arrested in July 2017.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Liu praised the work of members of the Youth and Family Services Division of the Metropolitan Police Department. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenechukwu Okocha, who investigated and indicted the case; Appellate Division Deputy Chief John Mannarino; Victim/Witness Assistance Unit Chief Sarah McClellan; Paralegal Specialists Brenda C. Williams and D’Yvonne Key; Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson; Victim/Witness Services Coordinator La June Thames; and Litigation Technology Specialist Jeanie Latimore-Brown.
Finally, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Loeb, who prosecuted the case at trial.
Amarillo Man Sentenced for Shooting at Wife at Public Middle SchoolRead the Press Release
An Amarillo man who shot at his wife during a youth football practice session was sentenced yesterday to 2 years and 9 months in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Stephen Andrew Hale pleaded guilty to discharge of a firearm in a school zone in December 2018.
According to his plea documents, Mr. Hale – who was under a protective order at the time of the incident – confronted his wife at Horace Mann Middle School’s football field in August 2018.
As the argument escalated, he gave chase, shooting five rounds from his Ruger .357 magnum revolver in her direction. Though around 50 parents and children were present, no one was injured. When law enforcement arrested Mr. Hale shortly thereafter, officers discovered the firearm, loaded, in the front seat of his car.
“Anytime we can use federal firearm laws to stem the tide of violence against women, we will,” said U.S. Attorney Nealy Cox. “Randomly firing a weapon at a public school is unlawful, no matter who the intended victim – and the fact that Mr. Hale targeted his wife makes this incident all the more troubling. In fact, because of the protective order against him, Mr. Hale was prohibited from having a gun at all.”
Research shows that abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners than abusers who don’t have that same access to a gun. The U.S. Attorney recently announced an initiative designed to fight domestic violence using existing federal firearm laws.
“Mr. Hale’s actions endangered the lives of his family and approximately 50 innocent people,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas Field Division Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “One instance of violent crime against an intimate partner or family member is one too many. Firearms do not belong in the hands of domestic violence offenders.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Amarillo Police Department, and the Potter County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Frausto prosecuted the case.
Alva Man Arrested for Interstate Murder PlotRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – VERNON WAYNE BROCK, 69, of Alva, has been charged by complaint with hiring someone to commit murder, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an affidavit in support of an arrest warrant filed in federal court today, Brock hired a Kansas resident to commit a murder in Oklahoma City. The individual from Kansas is alleged to have contacted the FBI and cooperated in the investigation.
The affidavit states that Brock and the individual from Kansas are partners in Oklahoma vape shops and that Brock was upset with a former vape shop employee who refused to continue a sexual relationship with him. Brock allegedly wanted the individual from Kansas to arrange the murder of the former employee’s boyfriend in Oklahoma City in exchange for $5,000.
According to the affidavit, Brock identified the boyfriend by sending a picture to the individual from Kansas and confirming "that’s the guy we want dead." The affidavit includes several alleged quotes by Brock from recorded conversations between Brock and the individual from Kansas, including:
- "Are they going to thump her around a little bit? And do him? Cause that’s what I wanted."
- "I’d rather do him, thump her and I mean thump her hard. And tell her if she says one word to the cops about anything there will be someone come back to get her . . . ."
- "The main thing is for them to throw the scent off of everything. . . . What they want to say to him is, . . . you didn’t pay us for our drugs or something like that, and you owe us a million dollars, then pop, before he has anything to say either way."
FBI agents arrested Brock on the afternoon of April 3, with the assistance of the Woods County Sheriff’s Office, after Brock delivered a $5,000 check to the individual from Kansas at a café in Harper, Kansas. Brock appeared this afternoon for an initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Shon T. Erwin.
If found guilty of murder-for-hire, Brock faces a potential penalty of ten years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
This case is a result of an investigation by the FBI–Oklahoma City Field Office. Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Altshuler, the case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on the most violent offenders and partners with local prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime. To enhance local effectiveness, the Western District of Oklahoma has emphasized prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that Brock is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
Activity in the United States Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced CECIL EUGENE CROW, 56, and REBECCA ALLISON McINTOSH, 59, both of Grand Junction, Colorado for firearm and drug related charges. Crow was sentenced to eighty months of imprisonment to be followed by sixty months of supervised release for the charge of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. McIntosh received seventy months imprisonment for the charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and will be on supervised release for three years. Both were arrested in Cortez, Colorado.
Beginning in February of 2017, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization in the Natrona County, Wyoming area. Through the investigation, agents with the DCI Central Enforcement Team obtained information that Rebecca McIntosh was traveling to California, obtaining large quantities of methamphetamine and returning to Natrona County in order to deliver the methamphetamine to a co-conspirator. As part of the investigation, agents were tracking McIntosh’s vehicle movements as she traveled from Colorado to California and then back toward Wyoming. Later with the help of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, DCI agents conducted a traffic stop on McIntosh’s vehicle. McIntosh and her husband, Cecil Eugene Crow, were found in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of one pound of methamphetamine, which was hidden in a secret compartment, and a loaded firearm.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
3 April 2019
Youngstown man indicted on cocaine trafficking chargeRead the Press Release
A Youngstown man was indicted on cocaine trafficking charges.
A grand jury charged Frank Martinez, Jr., 33, with one count of with possession with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine.
Martinez knowingly and intentionally possessed with the intent to distribute at least 5 kilograms of cocaine on March 7, according to the indictment.
Prosecutors are also seeking to forfeit a Glock 9 mm pistol seized on March 7, according to the indictment.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique
to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by Youngstown Police Department, Mahoning Valley Law Enforcement Task Force and the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Woman Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Conspiracy that Resulted in Shooting Death of Co-ConspiratorRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Kathleen Marie Hydar, 31, of Jefferson County, pled guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine and sentencing has been set for July 9, 2019.
According to court documents, in the evening hours of October 10, 2017 and into the early morning hours of October 11, 2017, Hydar invited co-defendant Courtney Brown to come from the City of Saint Louis to Jefferson County, Missouri. Hydar had informed Brown that she knew of a way for them to “make some money” that evening. Brown picked up Hydar in a vehicle being driven by Ramone Thomas. Also in the car were co-defendants Paris Devine, Raymond Seay, and an unindicted subject.
When Hydar got into the vehicle, she informed Devine and other members of the group that she knew of a location where they could steal large amounts of methamphetamine, United States currency, and firearms. Hydar instructed the driver, Ramone Thomas, to make a stop at another residence prior to going to the aforementioned target location. While at this residence, Hydar described, in detail, where Brown, Devine, Seay, and Ramone Thomas could locate a large amount of methamphetamine, firearms, and currency within a trailer owned by victim Chad Coffman. After describing where the others could locate these items, Hydar got back into the vehicle and proceeded to direct the driver, Ramone Thomas, to the victim’s residence. Hydar also made a phone call to victim Chad Coffman to ensure he would not be home when the group arrived to burglarize his trailer.
When they arrived at the victim’s residence shortly before 4:00 a.m. on October 11, 2017, Brown, Devine, Seay, and Thomas exited the vehicle, kicked in the main door, and made entry.
Shortly after Seay, Brown, Devine, and Ramone Thomas entered, victim Chad Coffman arrived home and interrupted the burglary. Hydar jumped into the driver’s seat of the vehicle and fled the scene.
While in the trailer, Thomas, Seay, Devine, and Brown heard victim Chad Coffman arrive home. Ramone Thomas passed off a firearm he had brought to the residence to co-defendant Courtney Brown, and they all attempted to flee from the trailer. As Brown exited the residence, he turned the corner, raised the firearm, and discharged it one time, believing he was shooting at victim Chad Coffman. The projectile struck Ramone Thomas in front of the residence, killing him.
Chad Coffman pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to 96 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Paris Devine pleaded guilty on February 11, 2019 and is set for sentencing on July 9, 2019. Raymond Seay pleaded guilty on March 13, 2019 and is set for sentencing on June 11, 2019. Courtney Brown pleaded guilty on March 29, 2019 and is set for sentencing on June 25, 2019.
Hydar faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000,000 fine. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Major Case Squad and the Jefferson County Prosecutor’s Office.
Wayne County Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Travis Wright, 53, of Wayne County, pled guilty Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett to illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives,
On March 3, 2018, a Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper observed a 2000 Dodge Dakota pickup truck with a Missouri license plate traveling south on Mississippi Highway 145 at a high rate of speed. The Trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle, but the driver of the truck, later identified as Travis Wright, ignored the Trooper’s attempt to stop him. Instead, he accelerated to speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour. At one point during his attempt to evade law enforcement, Wright drove his truck northbound in the southbound lane against oncoming traffic. Wright eventually exited the highway and continued driving in a reckless manner until he ran into a barbed wire fence. Wright exited the truck, went to the rear of the vehicle, and began trying to remove a loaded .12 Gauge shotgun and a rifle. The Trooper commanded Wright to stop and show his hands. Wright ignored these commands and began to flee into the woods. The Trooper deployed his taser and was able to apprehend Wright after a short struggle. Officers later discovered that Wright has numerous prior convictions, including several convictions for burglary in Missouri. Wright was subsequently charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Wright will be sentenced by Judge Starrett on July 23, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Carter.
Vermont Army National Guard Supply Sergeant Indicted for Stealing Pallets of Military Gear from Rutland ArmoryRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that Ammon Yule, 42, of Chittenden, Vermont was arrested today. A federal grand jury indicted Yule for three counts of theft of government property and three counts of mail fraud in connection with Yule’s work as a Vermont Army National Guard supply sergeant in Rutland.
Yule pled not guilty to the charges at his arraignment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy. Judge Conroy ordered Yule released on conditions pending trial.
According to court records, Yule devised a scheme through which he ordered large quantities of uniform items from Army warehouses in Kentucky to be shipped to his attention at a National Guard facility in Rutland. Yule then sold much of the gear he received on eBay, on which he maintained an account advertising new, official U.S. government-issue uniform items for sale. Between March 2017 and March 2018 alone, Yule stole dozens of boots, parkas and duffel bags from the U.S. government through this scheme.
If convicted, Yule faces a maximum of ten years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine on each count of theft of government property, and a maximum of 20 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count of mail fraud. The actual sentence however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the advisory Federal Sentencing Guidelines. The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.
United States Attorney Christina Nolan commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command. She stated: “My office will continue to vigilantly guard the public fisc. In particular, we will bring consequences to those who would steal precious resources from our armed services.”
The United States is represented in this matter by Assistant U.S. Attorney Spencer Willig. The defendant is represented by the Federal Public Defender.
Upshur County Convicted Sex Offender Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 38-year-old Ore City, Texas man has been indicted for child exploitation charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Jeremy OKieth Kyle, also known as Corey Webster, also known as Rick, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Apr. 3, 2019 charging him with coercion and enticement, sexual exploitation of children, traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual contact, and penalties for registered sex offenders.
According to the indictment, on various dates in 2016 and 2018, Kyle, a convicted sex offender, is alleged to have committed numerous offenses against minor female victims.
If convicted of all counts, Kyle will receive life in federal prison.
Anyone who had contact with Jeremy OKieth Kyle or Corey Webster is urged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 1-800-804-3547. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will take the necessary steps to protect the individuals’ identities and confidential information.
This case is being prosecuted 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division, the Tyler Police Department, the Longview Police Department, the Ore City Police Department, the Hughes Springs Police Department, the Daingerfield Police Department, and the Red Oak Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel C. Kummerfeld is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that an indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
United States Wins Civil Forfeiture Suit Against Taiwanese National Accused of Laundering Funds Through the United States to Assist Syrian and North Korean Regimes with Procuring GoodsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal judge has ordered the forfeiture of $148,500 in blocked funds associated with a Taiwan-based company that allegedly laundered United States dollars in business dealings with North Korean and Syrian entities, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Division.
The Honorable Richard J. Leon granted the government’s motion for summary judgment in a civil forfeiture case targeting funds held in the name of Trans Multi Mechanics Company Limited (Trans Multi). The complaint alleged that Trans Multi and its owner, Tsai Hsien-Tsai, also known as Alex Tsai, laundered United States dollars to further his exportation of goods for the benefit of North Korean and Syrian entities involved in the respective regimes’ weapons programs. The complaint sought to forfeit funds laundered by Tsai.
“The Court found that these blocked funds were the product of Tsai’s attempts to sell tools to a Syrian company using U.S. Dollars and a series of front companies,” said U.S. Attorney Liu. “Sanctions laws are critical to our national security and foreign policy interests, and this case demonstrates that we will seek significant remedies against those companies that violate them.”
"Attempts by individuals such as Tsai to circumvent economic sanctions through money laundering undermine foreign policy established to keep the United States and its citizens safe,” said Special Agent in Charge Sallet. “This judgment underscores the FBI’s commitment to national security and serves as a reminder that the FBI will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice."
The complaint was filed in June 2016, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the complaint, Tsai frequently transacted with companies in North Korea and Syria which assisted with each regime’s respective weapons programs. On Jan. 16, 2009, the U.S. Department of Treasury Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) designated Tsai, his wife, and two companies he controlled. The designation noted that Tsai used these companies to transact with North Korean proliferators of weapons of mass destruction.
Between April and June of 2012, OFAC blocked $148,500 in the process of being transferred from a bank account in Hong Kong controlled by Tsai to a Taiwanese bank account in the name of his daughter as it traveled through the United States correspondent banking system.
Tsai was arrested in Estonia in May 2013 and subsequently extradited to the United States. He pled guilty in October 2014, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. As part of his plea agreement, Tsai admitted that he had used Trans Multi, among other companies, to continue his exporting business notwithstanding the OFAC designation against him. He also admitted that he exported machinery and tools relating to weapons of mass destruction, and that these goods were produced in the United States and purchased with U.S. Dollars. After serving a two-year prison sentence, Tsai was deported to Taiwan, where he remains today.
In his ruling, which was issued on March 29, 2019, Judge Leon agreed that there was no genuine dispute of material fact with respect to the government’s complaint, and that the Court could “easily conclude” that the funds involved in this suit stemmed from Tsai’s attempts to evade sanctions. The United States is thus entitled to the funds.
The FBI’s Chicago Division is investigating the case. Assistant U.S Attorneys Zia M. Faruqui, Arvind Lal, and Brian Hudak are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick and former Paralegal Specialist Toni Anne Donato, and special assistance from Joshua Stanton, who served as a consultant.
Union County Man Admits Possessing Loaded Handguns While Trafficking NarcoticsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union Township, New Jersey man admitted today to possessing two loaded handguns and large quantities of narcotics with the intent to distribute those narcotics, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Quadir Allen, 41, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls in Newark federal court to all three counts of an indictment charging him with possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin, and possession of firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In January 2018, officers with the Union Township Police Department obtained a warrant for Allen’s arrest after he fled from a motor vehicle stop. On January 31, 2018, officers located Allen and stopped the car in which he was driving. During the stop, officers observed a handgun on the front passenger’s seat, which they later determined was loaded with hollow-point ammunition. A search of Allen’s car revealed an additional handgun that was also loaded with hollow-point ammunition. Officers also located large quantities of heroin and cocaine, which were packaged for street-level distribution. Allen previously was convicted of aggravated manslaughter in Essex County Superior Court.
The possession of firearms by a previously convicted felon count carries a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The possession of heroin with intent to distribute count carries a minimum penalty of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum penalty of forty years’ imprisonment, and a $5,000,000 fine. The possession of firearms during a drug trafficking crime carries a minimum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed on the possession of heroin with intent to distribute count, a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for July 9, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, and officers with the Union Township Police Department with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Ferketic and Special Assistant United States Attorney Shawn Barnes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Esq.
Undocumented Alien Sentenced for Illegally Re-entering the U.S….AgainRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 38-year-old undocumented alien from Mexico is headed to federal prison following his conviction of illegal re-entry into the country after a previous deportation, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Rodolfo Casares pleaded guilty Jan. 3, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered him to serve a 60-month term of imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, Casares is expected to face deportation proceedings following the sentence. At the hearing, additional evidence was also provided that included Casares’ prior convictions.
On Sept. 21, 2018, Custom and Border Protection (CBP) agents encountered Casares as they were conducting Linewatch operations near Hidalgo.
Upon investigation, law enforcement discovered he was illegally present in the United States. Casares was first deported to Mexico in October 2005 after having been convicted of possession of cocaine with intent to deliver in October 2005 and in April 2015. He also has a another conviction of illegal re-entry after having been found in the country again on May 14, 2018. Casares was last deported in August 2018.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
CBP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office to Host Greater Upstate Reentry Job Fair & Expo to Help Secure Employment for Individuals with Criminal RecordsRead the Press Release
Greenville, South Carolina – United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office; the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; SC Works; SC Vocational Rehabilitation; SC Department of Employment and Workforce; SC Department of Social Services; and the United States Probation Office are continuing their statewide partnership to help individuals with prior criminal backgrounds secure employment.
The Third Annual Greater Upstate Reentry Job Fair & Expo will be held Wednesday, April 10, 2019, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, at McAlister Square, located at 225 S. Pleasantburg Drive, Greenville, SC.
This job fair, which is intended as a resource for Upstate residents, is part of a series of events held annually in Florence, the Midlands, the Lowcountry, and the Upstate. The partner organizations have tailored the expo to help people with a criminal record overcome the particular obstacles they face after returning home.
The fair and expo will include area employers friendly to hiring individuals with a criminal background and other organizations who provide resources for returning citizens.
Professional dress is required. As always, the event will feature workshops on how to seek expungements and pardons of prior criminal convictions.
Interested employers or vendors should inquire with Diana Goldwire at (864) 315-9751 or [email protected].
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Two Sentenced in Jackpotting Case Involving Banks in Utah and Washington, Sentencings Set for OthersRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – Two defendants, who were involved in “jackpotting” a number of ATMs in Utah and elsewhere from Feb. 23, 2018, to March 7, 2018, have resolved their federal cases in Salt Lake City and been sentenced. Three others have entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced in May. Cases are pending for two other defendants charged in the scheme.
Josshua Perez Rivas, age 39, a Venezuelan national, was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison in late February after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft in December. According to a sentencing memorandum filed by federal prosecutors, Perez Rivas played a significant role in organizing what was a sophisticated international conspiracy to steal from banks in the United States. “The plot is remarkable for its technological sophistication and for the number of participants recruited to help ensure its success. It is a plot that requires significant planning and expertise,” they told the court.
The defendants in the case used software and equipment to reprogram ATM computers to enable them to direct the ATMs to dispense cash until emptied – an activity sometimes called jackpotting. Perez Rivas compromised the ATM computers and installed the software in almost every instance. Perez Rivas appears to have been the point person for communications between the team on the ground and their coconspirators who developed the malware.
The defendants possessed false identifications and stolen credit card numbers to allow them to rent hotel rooms and vehicles to be used in facilitation of their conspiracy without leaving a record of their identities. Computer files with approximately 600 credit card numbers that appear to have been stolen were found on data storage devices in the suitcases of one of the defendants. Using the false identifications assured the defendants that their names were not left at the hotel or associated with the license plate on the vehicle should it be caught on camera, federal prosecutors said.
Before their capture, Perez Rivas and his codefendants had successfully jackpotted five ATMs in Washington and one in Sandy, Utah. They also attempted to jackpot two additional ATMs in Salt Lake City before being arrested during the Sandy crime.
According to information included in plea agreements reached in the case, the following amounts were stolen from ATMs through the unauthorized access:
Dec. 13, 2017 Sound Credit Union ATM - Bothell, Washington $88,000
Dec. 15, 2017 iQ Credit Union - Vancouver, Washington $8,000
Dec. 16, 2017 Umpqua Bank ATM - Vancouver, Washington $16,000
Dec. 16, 2017 Columbia Credit Union ATM - Vancouver, Washington $91,000
Dec. 17, 2017 Heritage Bank ATM - Vernon, Washington $64,400
Feb. 25, 2018 Deseret First Credit Union ATM - Sandy, Utah $38,800
The two ATMS in the attempted jackpotting events in Salt Lake City contained $75,000 and $33,200. It appears these attempts were thwarted by an alarm that sounded at one ATM and the arrival of a bank customer at the other.
Starlin Garcia Caraballo, age 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank theft charged in the Washington indictment and conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse from the Utah indictment. He has been sentenced to one year in federal prison.
Joao Silva Robertson, age 29, and Pedro Rivero Velazquez, age 39, have pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank theft charged in a superseding indictment returned in the Western District of Washington and one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse charged in the Utah indictment. Sentencing for Velazquez will be May 13. Robertson will be sentenced May 20, 2018. Both plea agreements include a stipulated 30-month sentence, subject to the approval of the court.
Jean Carlos Dumont Gonzales pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse in early March and is scheduled to be sentenced May 21, 2019. His plea agreement includes a stipulation to a sentencing range of 12 to 30 months, subject to the approval of the court.
A change of plea hearing has been set for June 4, 2019, for Carlos Eduardo Goncalves Duran, age 33.
A federal arrest warrant is pending for Luis Mendez Mata, age. 43, who is alleged to have been part of the conspiracy to install malicious software that would allow them to direct the ATMs to dispense cash from the financial institutions.
Perez Rivas still faces charges in Washington.
Defendants convicted in the case will be jointly responsible for paying $306,200 in restitution to victim banks.
All seven defendants in the case are Venezuelan nationals.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Salt Lake City is prosecuting the case. FBI Special agents are investigating the case.
Two Defendants with Multiple Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – In connection with the U.S. Attorney’s Office continuing efforts to reduce violent crime through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich today announced the results of two sentencings in firearms-related cases.
- Terry Tremell Lomax, 30, of Las Vegas, was sentenced April 1, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in December 2018, to felon in possession of a firearm. On May 17, 2017, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop after Lomax committed a series of traffic infractions. In an attempt to flee and avoid the vehicle stop, Lomax sped through a red light, drove up onto a sidewalk, then stopped the car and fled on foot around a residence. During the foot pursuit, he threw a fully loaded .40 caliber handgun on the front porch of the house. Law enforcement was able to apprehend Lomax and they recovered his handgun. He has four prior felony convictions in Nevada, including battery with use of a deadly weapon, battery with use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
- Giuseppe Russo, 30, of Las Vegas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to five years and five months in prison and three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm. On July 18, 2017, police attempted to stop Russo outside of a department store. While fleeing from law enforcement, he grabbed a 9mm handgun from his pants and rotated his body toward the officer who was in pursuit, aiming the weapon in the direction of the officer. The officer shot Russo and then administered first aid and called for medical assistance. Russo has three prior felony convictions in Nevada, including assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and possession of a firearm by a felon. The prison sentence is to run concurrently with any sentence imposed in two separate state court cases. The case was investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide program by the Department of Justice that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, the Department announced the reinvigoration of PSN. For more information about PSN, visit www.justice.gov/usao-nv.
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Two Convicted in North Texas Multi-Million Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –Two Texas men have been found guilty by a jury following an investment fraud trial in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Thurman Bryant, III, 46, of Frisco, Texas and Arthur Franz Wammel, 46, of Houston, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud today by a jury following a trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant that lasted nearly two weeks.
According to information presented in court, the defendants devised and executed an investment fraud scheme that claimed to earn investors a guaranteed minimum 30% annual return on investment. In addition, Bryant promised an investment that would be placed in a secure escrow account, when in fact the money was funneled to Wammel for securities trading and other purposes. Evidence at trial showed that the defendants separately spent money on personal expenses such as home leases, home improvements, car leases, expensive jewelry, and private school tuition, and that defendant Wammel spent a large amount of money on expenses related to a Rolls-Royce, a Ferrari and a Range Rover. Additional evidence showed that the investors contributed over $22 million to the scheme.
Bryant and Wammel were indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 13, 2017.
“The trial evidence showed that the defendants’ scheme was very similar to a classic Ponzi scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “Many of the victims were family and friends of one of the defendants. This case shows the harm that can be caused by greed and false promises of safe investments. The United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI are dedicated to the investigation and prosecution of these types of criminal fraud schemes.”
Under federal statutes, Bryant and Wammel each face up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing 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 U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Gibson, Glenn Roque-Jackson, and Anand Varadarajan.
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Town of Hempstead Councilman Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Edward Ambrosino, a Town of Hempstead Councilman, pleaded guilty to tax evasion before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. When sentenced, Ambrosino faces up to five years in prison, as well as restitution to the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for taxes owed for the tax years 2011 through 2014. In addition, Ambrosino agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $700,000.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan D. Larsen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI), announced the guilty plea.
“Just like the people who put him in office, Ambrosino owed it to his fellow citizens to pay his fair share of taxes,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding accountable public officials who violate the law.”
Ambrosino was an attorney licensed to practice in New York State, specializing in economic and industrial development and financings, and formerly was “Of Counsel” at a law firm in Uniondale, New York. In addition, since March 2003, Ambrosino has served as a Councilman for the Town of Hempstead.
In 2011, Ambrosino incorporated Vanderbilt Consulting Group, Inc., and was the company’s sole shareholder. Ambrosino subsequently opened and controlled a bank account in the name of Vanderbilt, and was the sole authorized signer on that account. From 2013 through 2015, Ambrosino diverted more than $800,000 in legal fees from clients, including the Nassau County Industrial Development Agency and the Nassau County Local Economic Assistance Corporation, that he was required to provide to his law firm, and deposited them into the Vanderbilt bank account. Ambrosino neither admitted nor denied wrongdoing regarding this conduct, but as part of his guilty plea earlier today, he agreed to pay $700,000 in restitution to the law firm.
Ambrosino also evaded substantial income tax, and filed false and fraudulent corporate tax returns on behalf of Vanderbilt for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 tax years. Ambrosino evaded the assessment of income tax by claiming false and fraudulent business expense deductions, and failing to report funds he diverted from his former law firm. As a result, the IRS suffered a tax loss of approximately $254,628, which will be recouped by the IRS via restitution.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile and Raymond A. Tierney are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
EDWARD AMBROSINO
Age: 54
North Valley Stream, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-162 (JS)
Stowe Man Sentenced to 18 Years’ Imprisonment for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that United States District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo sentenced Hakeem James Hughes, age 30, of Stowe, Pennsylvania, to 216 months’ imprisonment followed by 15 years of supervised release for child exploitation offenses.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Hughes previously pleaded guilty to using minors to produce child pornography. Hughes coerced and persuaded minors to engage in sexual acts with him, often providing them phones and electronic games in exchange, and video recorded the encounters.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Child Exploitation/Human Trafficking Group. Assistant United States Attorney James T. Clancy prosecuted 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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St. Louis County Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 44, of St. Louis County, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and one count of providing material support to terrorists. Hodzic appeared today before Judge Catherine D. Perry who accepted his plea and set his sentencing for June 18, 2019. U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen for the Eastern District of Missouri, Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI’s St. Louis Division and Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers made the announcement.
Charged in the indictment are: Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, his wife Sedina Unkic Hodzic, and Armin Harcevic, all of St. Louis County, Missouri, Nihad Rosic, of Utica, New York, and Mediha Medy Salkicevic, of Schiller Park, Illinois. All defendants are charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and with providing material support to terrorists. Ramiz Zijad Hodzic and Nihad Rosic are also charged with conspiring to murder and maim persons in a foreign country. Armin Harcevic pleaded guilty on February 25, 2019, and Mediha Medy Salkicevic pleaded guilty on March 21, 2019. The remaining defendants have pled not guilty. As is always the case, charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Disrupting and preventing terrorist activities are critical priorities for this District in its continuing mission to protect our Nation's security. I commend the Joint Terrorism Task Force for their commitment and tenacity in a lengthy, complex, and successful investigation and prosecution. But, make no mistake, our work in this regard is never done,” said United States Attorney Jeffrey Jensen.
"Ramiz Hodzic solicited and collected money from the other defendants,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. “He sent more than $10,000 worth of materials and cash to terrorist overseas, including to a St. Louisan who was killed fighting for ISIS.”
Hodzic faces up to 15 years imprisonment and/or fines of up to $250,000 for each count. In determining the actual sentence, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Metropolitan and St. Louis County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Drake, Howard Marcus and Kenneth Tihen of the Eastern District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section.
St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Roosevelt Dowling, 58, of St. Croix, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base ("crack") before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr., United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on or about January 30, 2017, while executing a search warrant on Dowling’s residence, law enforcement officials seized approximately 31 grams of crack, 759.5 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, 19 marijuana plants, two digital scales, and $6,690 in cash.
Dowling faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, a four-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $8,000,000.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and the Virgin Islands Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meredith J. Edwards.
South Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl in Public Housing DevelopmentRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Boston man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to distributing heroin and fentanyl.
Jomar Ventura, 24, pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for July 10, 2019. Ventura was arrested and charged in September 2018 and has been in custody since.
On March 19, March 28, April 24, and May 4, 2018, Ventura distributed heroin and fentanyl in and around the Mary Ellen McCormack public housing development in South Boston.
The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is 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.
Seven Individuals Indicted and Arrested for Drug Distribution and Distribution Resulting in Death and Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Cumberland County District Attorney M.L. “Skip” Ebert, and Dauphin County District Attorney Francis T. Chardo announced that a federal grand jury in Harrisburg indicted seven individuals on March 13, 2019, for conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that the drug trafficking conspiracy entailed kilogram quantities of heroin and fentanyl for offenses that took place between January 2015 and March 13, 2019, in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties. The following defendants were charged:
[1] Adrian Ortiz-Diaz, a/k/a “Nelsito,” age 23, of Harrisburg, PA, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin; one count of distribution of fentanyl; two counts of distribution of heroin; one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injuries of G.C., C.K., E.H.;
[2] Luis Jose Alicea-Solis, a/ka “Luisito,” age 24, of Harrisburg, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl; one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injuries of G.C., C.K., and E.H.; one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin;
[3] Efrain Correa Lopez, age 22, of Harrisburg, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl; one count of distribution of heroin and fentanyl resulting in death and serious bodily injuries of G.C., C.K., and E.H.;
[4] Julio Landro-Cartagen, a/k/a “Fobo,” age 40, of Harrisburg, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl; one count of distribution of fentanyl; one count of distribution of heroin;
[5] Jeremmy Trillo-Gelpi, age 23, of Harrisburg, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin;
[6] Joan Trinta, a/k/a “Marie,” age 33, of Harrisburg, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin; and
[7] Jonathan Trinta, a/k/a “Jungee,” age 23, of Harrisburg, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and more than 100 grams of heroin.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Pennsylvania State Police, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, the Dauphin and Cumberland County Drug Taskforces, the Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, the Mechanicsburg Police Department and the Elizabethtown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daryl F. Bloom is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for defendants range from 20 years to life imprisonment. (see attached) 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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Selma Man Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Teanthony Terrell Lewis, 29, of Selma, Alabama, was sentenced today in federal court by United States District Court Judge William H. Steele to a term of 33 months imprisonment for his involvement in the illegal possession of a firearm by his brother, Christopher Reshawn Lewis. Christopher Lewis remains a fugitive on the underlying federal gun charges. Teanthony Terrell Lewis pled guilty to concealing and failing to report Christopher Lewis’ illegal possession of a firearm to appropriate authorities in December of 2018.
In federal court in Mobile this morning, Judge Steele ordered that Lewis undergo drug treatment while he is in prison, that that he serve a period of one year on supervised release when he completes his sentence. During that supervision, he will also be subject to drug testing and treatment. Judge Steele ordered that Lewis pay a special mandatory assessment of $100 but did not impose a fine.
The case was investigated by the Selma Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria A. Bedwell.
Securus Technologies Abandons Proposed Acquisition of Inmate Calling Solutions After Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission Informed Parties of ConcernsRead the Press Release
Securus Technologies Inc. (Securus) confirmed yesterday that it has abandoned its plans to acquire Inmate Calling Solutions LLC (ICS). The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division had previously informed the companies that it had significant concerns that the merger would eliminate important competition in the market for inmate telecommunications services (ITS).
Securus and ICS are two of the four major ITS providers in the United States. Correctional facilities across the United States rely on specialized telecommunications companies to provide both basic phone service to inmates and the important security features the facilities require. In addition, ITS are an important source of revenue that supports the facilities’ operations. These services are an important lifeline between the inmates in these facilities and their loved ones.
“Securus and ICS have a history of competing aggressively to win state and local contracts by offering better financial terms, lower calling rates, and more innovative technology and services. This merger would have eliminated that competition, plain and simple,” said Makan Delrahim, Assistant Attorney General of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The companies’ decision to abandon this deal is the right outcome – correctional facilities, inmates and their friends and families will continue to benefit from the robust competition between these firms.”
“I would like to thank our colleagues at the Federal Communications Commission for their cooperation throughout this investigation,” said Assistant Attorney General Delrahim. “In addition, we are grateful for the cooperation we forged with teams from several State Attorneys General offices during the course of our investigation.”
Securus is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Carrolton, Texas, that is owned by Platinum Equity, a venture capital firm. Securus is one of the two largest ITS providers in the nation.
ICS is a California LLC headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, that is owned by H.I.G. Capital LLC, a venture capital firm. It is the fourth largest ITS provider as measured by inmates served.
Saucier Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Damion Xavier Giglio, 34, of Saucier, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola Jr. to being a user of controlled substances 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 February 15, 2018, Harrison County Sheriff Deputies responded to a call regarding a shooting and found Giglio with a rifle. Giglio was out on bond for a prior aggravated assault charge and was taken into custody. He admitted to smoking marijuana since he was 16 years old and using methamphetamine. On January 8, 2019, Giglio was charged in a federal indictment with possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances.
Giglio will be sentenced on July 2, 2019 by Judge Guirola, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, along with 3 years of supervised release.
The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The case is prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Rosebud Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rosebud, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on April 1, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Machela Chauncey, a/k/a Machela Ryon, age 29, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, 4 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Chauncey was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 14, 2018. She pled guilty on January 23, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy that occurred between October 1, 2016 through January 31, 2017, where Chauncey knowingly and intentionally conspired and distributed methamphetamine on the Rosebud Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Police Department and Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Chauncey was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Recent Tax Prosecutions Serve as A Reminder to Accurately File and Pay Taxes as the April 15 Deadline ApproachesRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds all Minnesotans that the deadline for filing federal income tax returns is Monday, April 15. Although the filing season is nearing the end, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division work year round to protect the integrity of our nation’s tax system by investigating and prosecuting individuals who violate the tax laws.
“We owe it to every American taxpayer to use all lawful means to identify and prosecute those who seek to violate our nation’s tax laws. It is a matter of maintaining public confidence in our system of taxation,” stated U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald.
“Taxpayers thinking about participating in fraudulent tax schemes, such as failing to report all forms of income or falsifying deductions should take a good look at the serious and detrimental consequences of taking the next step,” stated Special Agent in Charge Gabe Grchan of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. “Those who might consider preparing false and fraudulent tax returns should be aware of the extremely negative consequences that could result in prison time, large tax bills, including substantial fines, interest and penalties.”
As the tax filing season winds down next week, the following court actions serve as a reminder to taxpayers, to think before filing a false or fraudulent tax return and to be wary of any schemes that falsify your income or deductions.
MICHAEL DEAN CARNICLE, of Henderson, Nevada, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison and ordered to pay $303,881 in restitution for willfully failing to file his tax returns. CARNICLE received gross income in the amount of $1,276,858 for tax year 2007 and $575,840 for tax year 2008, but willfully failed to file tax returns resulting in a total tax loss of $303,881.
SHARI ANN NATYSIN, of Elk River, Minnesota, pleaded guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud and tax evasion related to payments she received while employed as a bookkeeper of a family-owned concrete flooring company in Anoka, Minnesota. Utilizing her position, NATYSIN manipulated the company’s payroll processing service to overpay herself more than $630,000 while concealing the fraudulent transactions from the owners of the business. NATYSIN also attempted to file tax returns that grossly understated her income to evade the income tax she owed to the United States.
MELISSA VANG PASKEWICH, owner and operator of WIN SOLUTIONS, a temporary staffing agency, pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to pay payroll taxes and one count of filing a false tax return. During the tax years 2014 through 2017, PASKEWICH caused the business to withhold payroll taxes from only some employees’ wages and pay the amounts to the IRS as required. For most workers, whom she called “cash” employees, PASKEWICH did not pay the payroll taxes as required and did not report the employees’ wages on IRS Forms 941 and Forms 1120S. PASKEWICH admitted keeping $740,564.22 in payroll taxes and filing a false 2016 income tax return in which she only reported $80,949 in business income when, in fact, WIN SOLUTIONS’s net income was $609,538. The total criminal tax loss is approximately $1,132,110.75.
SCOTT PHILLIP FLYNN, of Orono, Minnesota, was sentenced to 87 months in prison and was ordered to pay more than $5 million in restitution for evading the assessment of millions of dollars in income taxes by fraudulently hiding millions of shares of stock that he obtained for himself. In one year alone, FLYNN received approximately $2.7 million in proceeds which he used to purchase a house in Orono, Minnesota while only reporting income of $26,136 to the IRS.
JEROME C. RUZICKA, W. JEFFERY TAYLOR, SCOTT A. NELSON, and JEFFREY LEE LONGTAIN, were recently sentenced for their roles in a massive fraud scheme perpetrated against Eden Prairie-based Starkey Laboratories, Inc. (Starkey) and its principal owner William F. Austin. Following a nearly eight-week trial, both RUZICKA and TAYLOR were convicted of mail and wire fraud and RUZICKA was convicted of tax fraud. NELSON pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud and LONGTAIN pleaded guilty to making and subscribing a false tax return.
JULIE ANN LEE, former controller of the Town & Country Club (“TCC”) in St. Paul, Minnesota, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for operating a million dollar embezzlement scheme. LEE stole more than $1 million in cash, checks, and credit card payments and, in order to conceal the shortage of funds, LEE filed false quarterly payroll tax returns with the IRS understating TCC’s payroll tax liability. At times, LEE also filed TCC’s quarterly payroll tax returns late and made TCC’s quarterly tax payments late, which resulted in TCC paying more than $300,000 in interest and penalties to the IRS.
ELLIS ALANCE BANKS, of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, was sentenced to 92 months in prison on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States and aggravated identity theft. BANKS filed more than 250 false tax returns seeking $1.2 million in fraudulent tax refunds. Additionally, he obtained social security numbers, dates of birth, and other personal identifying information of individuals to use to file fraudulent income tax returns.
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Rapid City Man and Woman Charged with Drug and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man and woman were charged in federal district court with Possession of a Stolen Firearm and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Cory Myers, age 44, and Esmeralda Stands, age 37, were indicted on March 19, 2019. Myers was also charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Vasknetz and Stands appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 20 years in federal prison and/or a $1,000,000 fine, lifetime supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Myers and Stands knowingly possessing stolen firearms as well as methamphetamine. Law enforcement located approximately 30 firearms in a hotel room being occupied by Myers and Stands. The firearms had been reported stolen from a storage unit in Rapid City several days prior to law enforcement recovering them in the hotel room.
The charges are merely an accusation and Myers and Stands are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Myers and Stands were detained pending trial. A trial date has been set for April 30, 2019.
Queens Man Sentenced to More than 14 Years’ Imprisonment for Six Armed Robberies in Weekend SpreesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Sean Jack was sentenced by United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly to 176 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by two years’ supervised release, for his participation in the gunpoint robberies of six gas stations and a convenience store in Queens, New York. In July 2018, Jack pleaded guilty to all charges pending against him.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, John B. Devito, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the sentence.
“Six times in two weekends, Sean Jack and his co-defendant terrorized store employees by pointing a gun in their faces,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Today’s sentence punishes the defendant for his crimes and should serve as a lesson to others that this Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to protecting the community from violent predators.”
“The defendant and his co-conspirator engaged in a brazen robbery spree that terrorized and threatened the safety of many innocent store workers and patrons,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Devito. “ATF and its partners will continue to work every day to ensure that violent individuals like Mr. Jack are brought to justice. Upon removal from society at large, they will be able to contemplate the effects of their crimes while serving substantial time in federal prison. I would like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their work on this case.”
“With violence and disorder reduced to historically low levels, the NYPD and our law-enforcement partners have further strengthened our focus on violent crime in our communities. By precisely targeting the small percentage of people responsible for committing much of the violence in New York, we are making the safest large city in America even safer. I commend the NYPD detectives, ATF agents and the prosecutors for the Eastern District of New York whose relentless hard work resulted in this arrest and sentencing,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill.
Between September and October 2017, Jack and co-defendant Brandon Commack entered gas stations and a convenience store and shopped. After bringing their selections to the counter, one of the robbers would brandish a firearm, while the second robber would take money from the cash register. In each of the robberies, one or both of the robbers wore a wig. Commack pleaded guilty in August 2018 to one robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during crimes of violence, and was sentenced on April 2, 2019 to nine years’ imprisonment.
The superseding indictment charged Jack with the following robberies in Queens:
- BP Gas Station, 59-36 Maurice Avenue, on September 24, 2017
- Mobil Gas Station, 69-08 Eliot Avenue, on September 24, 2017
- Shell Gas Station, 92-10 Astoria Boulevard, on September 24, 2017
- Speedway Gas Station, 134-15 Cross Bay Boulevard, on September 30, 2017
- 7-Eleven Convenience Store, 224-01 Merrick Boulevard, on October 1, 2017
- Sunoco Gas Station, 243-02 South Conduit Avenue, on October 1, 2017
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas Moscow and Erin Reid are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
SEAN JACK
Age: 36
Jamaica, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-569 (AMD)
Project Parkersburg Update: Testing Indicates Nearly 291 Grams of Fentanyl Seized; Enough to Kill Parkersburg, Charleston & HuntingtonRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Two Parkersburg residents arrested as part of Project Parkersburg – a major takedown and dismantling of a multi-state drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing methamphetamine and heroin – appeared in federal court today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jeffrey Hoyler, 56, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, while Nicholas Ryan Easton, 29, was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Parkersburg Police Department, the Dayton Ohio Police Department, and the Parkersburg Narcotics and Violent Crime Task Force. The long-term, joint investigation resulted in at least 29 individuals being charged in federal and state court, the seizure of 150 pounds of methamphetamine and, what was originally believed to be 4 pounds of heroin, have been determined to be comprised of nearly 291 grams of fentanyl. If the fentanyl in this case had made it to the streets of the Parkersburg region, nearly 150,000 West Virginians could have died.
“Enough fentanyl to kill nearly 150,000 people,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “While we originally believed that we seized four pounds of heroin as part of this operation, testing has recently shown that a significant portion of the seizure was comprised of nearly 291 grams of fentanyl. This is both scary and satisfying. Scary because so many West Virginians could have lost their lives and satisfying because law enforcement was able to stop this fentanyl and shut down a major drug organization.”
Stuart continued, “This is the largest meth bust in West Virginia history – and Ohio history for that matter where the meth was physically seized. Thanks to the tremendous work of federal, state and local law enforcement in Project Parkersburg, hundreds of pounds of meth, heroin and enough fentanyl to kill more than the combined populations of Parkersburg, Huntington and Charleston were seized before hitting the streets and a large, multi-state drug organization was shut down.”
Hoyler admitted to transporting cash to Phoenix, Arizona at the direction of co-defendant Terrence McGuirk and pooling the money with co-defendants Aurelius Edmonds and Antoine Terry in order to purchase approximately 150 pounds of methamphetamine which was intercepted by the FBI in Dayton, Ohio on September 19, 2018. Hoyler faces 10 years to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 17, 2019.
Easton previously pled guilty in December 2018 where he admitted selling between 50 and 200 grams of methamphetamine.
Hoyler, and Easton were charged with 15 other defendants in a two-count federal indictment in October 2018. Theodore “T.J.” Gibson, Edward Marks, Amy Rake, Troy Pastorino, and Colleen Moyle have pled guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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President of National Treasury Employees Union Chapter Indicted for Failing to Report Loans and DisbursementsRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - A federal grand jury handed down a three-count felony indictment charging Jonathon Ortino with making false statements to a government agency, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG) Special Agent in Charge Amanda Thandi, and U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards (DOL OLMS) Supervisory Investigator Kenric Michel.
According to the indictment filed March 26, 2019, and unsealed earlier today, Ortino, 45, of San Bruno, CA, was the president of the National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 165. As the president of the union chapter, Ortino was required periodically to file documents with the U.S. Department of Labor disclosing financial information regarding the union, including loans and disbursements made to the union’s officers. The indictment alleges Ortino filed documents that knowingly omitted loans, allowances, and disbursements made by the union, at least some of the proceeds of which he received. The indictment charges Ortino with three counts of making false statements to a government agency, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001(a)(2).
Ortino made his initial federal court appearance this morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was released on bond. Ortino’s next appearance, a status conference before U.S. District Judge William Orrick, is scheduled for April 25, 2019.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 5 years for each count in the indictment. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Vieira is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Kimberly Richardson. This case is brought as a result of an investigation by DHS OIG and the DOL OLMS.
Portland Baggage Handler Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges After Stealing Firearms from LuggageRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Deshawn Antonio Kelly, 27, a Portland resident and former baggage handler at Portland International Airport, pleaded guilty today to five counts of possessing a stolen firearm after he was caught stealing firearms from the checked luggage of airline passengers.
According to court documents, between August 19, 2018 and September 17, 2018, Kelly was employed as a contract baggage handler at Portland International Airport. Over a four-week period beginning August 19, 2018, Kelly stole six firearms— three 9mm pistols, two .40 caliber pistols and one .45 caliber pistol—from five different checked bags. The guns were checked by passengers traveling to and from Oregon.
On September 25, 2018, Kelly was arrested at the airport and search warrants were conducted on his person, vehicle and residence. Kelly admitted to stealing the six firearms, and told investigators where they were located.
A charge of possessing a stolen firearm carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. Kelly will be sentenced on July 29, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Portland Police and is being prosecuted by Hannah Horsley, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Polk County Convicted Felon Indicted for Federal Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 32-year-old Polk County, Texas man has been indicted for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
James Vincent Chaney was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Apr. 3, 2019 charging him with possession of an unregistered destructive device and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 27, 2019, Chaney is alleged to have been found in possession of an unregistered destructive device and a firearm at his Polk County residence. Further investigation revealed Chaney had been previously convicted of forgery in 2007 in Montgomery County, Texas and as a convicted felon is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
If convicted, Chaney faces up to 10 years in federal prison on each charge.
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition and body armor, and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy L. Coleman.
It is important to note that an indictment should not be considered as evidence of guilt and that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Pembroke Woman Sentenced to 72 Months for Participating in Methamphetamine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Katie Jo Waters, 29, of Pembroke, was sentenced on Tuesday to 72 months in federal prison for participating in a methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between January of 2018 and May of 2018, Waters received multiple packages of methamphetamine mailed by persons in Las Vegas, Nevada. Over the same period, to pay for the drugs, Waters made 11 separate money transfers, totaling $18,700, to suppliers in Las Vegas. Postal Inspectors intercepted two of the mailed packages destined for the defendant’s address and seized a total of more than one pound of nearly pure methamphetamine. On April 11, 2018, a New Hampshire State Trooper stopped Waters and another individual in Canterbury, New Hampshire, and eventually seized more than 38 grams of methamphetamine and a Sig Sauer 9 mm. pistol from the car she was driving. Waters was arrested on federal charges on May 9, 2018.
Waters previously pleaded guilty on July 24, 2018.
“Highly pure methamphetamine has been appearing with greater frequency in New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This dangerous drug presents a serious and growing threat to public health and safety. In order to deter traffickers, we will remain vigilant in identifying, prosecuting, and incarcerating those who attempt to distribute methamphetamine in the Granite State.”
“Using the U.S. Mail to traffic illegal narcotics, such as methamphetamine, will not be tolerated,” said Inspector in Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division. “We will continue to work diligently to investigate those who engage in similar conduct, focusing our efforts on keeping our customers and the U.S. Mail safe.”
“DEA is committed to bring to justice those that distribute methamphetamine,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Ms. Waters accountable for her crimes but serves as a warning that DEA and its local, state and federal law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to keep this highly addictive drug out of the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John S. Davis. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley previously participated in this prosecution.
This case was supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). 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.
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Passing $300 in Funny Money at Six Cedar Rapids’ Businesses Leads to Nearly Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Waterloo man who passed $300 worth of counterfeit money to six Cedar Rapids businesses was sentenced on April 2, 2019, to 57 months in federal prison.
David Cummings, age 38, currently living in Waterloo, Iowa, and originally from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a September 27, 2018, guilty plea to passing counterfeit currency.
In June 2018, Cummings passed counterfeit $50 bills to six Cedar Rapids businesses. Cummings had a significant criminal history, including convictions for attempted murder and armed robbery and numerous parole and probation violations.
Cummings was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams. Cummings was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to make $300 in restitution. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Cummings is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. Cole and Justin Lightfoot and investigated by Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-cr-79.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Owner of Tulsa Software Company Indicted on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
The owner of a computer software development company, who failed to pay over payroll taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and failed to file individual and corporate income tax returns, was indicted by a grand jury in Tulsa, Oklahoma, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
“Earenest Grayson is an alleged dishonest employer who cheated both his employees and the United States government. As tax day approaches, I hope his story will dissuade other business owners from trying to cheat the system. Millions of honest small businesses pay their fair share of taxes to finance government operations. Unfortunately, Mr. Grayson’s choice not to do so has subjected him to criminal prosecution,” stated U.S. Attorney Shores.
Earenest J. Grayson Jr., of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was indicted for 10 counts of failing to account for or pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payroll taxes withheld from wages paid to employees of his business, Zealcon Corporation (Zealcon), during the years 2014, 2015, and 2016. Grayson was also indicted for three counts of failing to file corporate income tax returns for Zealcon for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015, and failing to file his own income tax returns for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015.
According to the allegations in the indictment, as Zealcon’s owner, Grayson was responsible for reporting and paying over payroll taxes withheld from the wages paid to his employees. The indictment alleges that Grayson knew of this obligation and intentionally failed to account for or pay over to the IRS more than $300,000 in taxes that had been withheld from employee wages from January 2014 through June 2016. The indictment further charges that for the years 2013-2015, Grayson did not file corporate income tax returns on behalf of Zealcon or individual income tax returns for himself, despite being legally required to do so.
If convicted, Grayson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count of failure to account for and pay over payroll taxes and one year in prison for each count of failure to file a tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
The case was investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros of the Tax Division is prosecuting the case, in coordination with Assistant United States Attorneys Charles M. McLoughlin and Victor A.S. Régal,
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Owner of Tulsa Software Company Indicted on Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
The owner of a computer software development company, who failed to pay over payroll taxes withheld from his employees’ wages and failed to file individual and corporate income tax returns, was indicted by a grand jury in Tulsa, Oklahoma, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney R. Trent Shores.
Earenest J. Grayson Jr., of Tulsa, Oklahoma, was indicted for 10 counts of failing to account for or pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payroll taxes withheld from wages paid to employees of his business, Zealcon Corporation (Zealcon), during the years 2014, 2015, and 2016. Grayson was also indicted for three counts of failing to file corporate income tax returns for Zealcon for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015, and failing to file his own income tax returns for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015.
According to the allegations in the indictment, as Zealcon’s owner, Grayson was responsible for reporting and paying over payroll taxes withheld from the wages paid to his employees. The indictment alleges that Grayson knew of this obligation and intentionally failed to account for or pay over to the IRS more than $300,000 in taxes that had been withheld from employee wages from January 2014 through June 2016. The indictment further charges that for the years 2013-2015, Grayson did not file corporate income tax returns on behalf of Zealcon or individual income tax returns for himself, despite being legally required to do so.
If convicted, Grayson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for each count of failure to account for and pay over payroll taxes and one year in prison for each count of failure to file a tax return. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
The case was investigated by special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant Chief Andrew Kameros of the Tax Division is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Operation Tooth Fairy Press ConferenceRead the Press Release
WHEN: Thursday, April 4, 2019 at 11:00 AM
WHERE: Wilmington Police Department
Blue Room
615 Bess Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney’s Office announces a press conference to discuss the sentencing of multiple defendants in a multi-year heroin and heroin/fentanyl mixture conspiracy investigation in New Hanover, Brunswick, Bladen, Duplin, and Sampson Counties. The case included one of the largest fentanyl seizures in the history of New Hanover County. The following agencies took part in the Operation: The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Coastal Carolina Criminal Enterprise Task Force, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force, Wilmington Police Department Gang Unit, New Hanover, Duplin and Sampson County Sheriff’s Offices, Elizabethtown Police Department, North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the North Carolina Department of Probation and Parole Security Threat Group.
In addition to United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. we anticipate members of the FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshal’s Service, Wilmington Police Department, New Hanover and Duplin County Sheriff’s Offices and New Hanover County District Attorney’s Office to be present at this event.
Omaha Woman Sentenced to Prison for Laundering Drug MoneyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On April 2, 2019, Valeria Ventura Ramirez, age 48, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced to 24 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to launder money, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Ventura Ramirez was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.
In 2016, Ventura Ramirez was the owner and operator of Novedades Ventura, Inc., a money service business located on Leavenworth Street in Omaha. Between July and November of 2016, Ventura Ramirez utilized multiple money transfer companies, including but not limited to, MoneyGram, Western Union, Sigue, InterCambio Express, CES and Intermex, to knowingly wire drug money from the United States to Mexico on behalf of drug traffickers operating in Council Bluffs and Omaha.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Omaha Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Ohio Gamer Pleads Guilty in Swatting that Caused a DeathRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – An Ohio gamer pleaded guilty today to conspiring to set up hoax calls to Wichita police that led to what is believed to be the nation’s first death during a swatting incident, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Casey S. Viner, 19, North College Hill, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of obstructing justice. In his plea, Viner admitted he argued with co-defendant Shane Gaskill while playing Call of Duty World War II online. Viner contacted co-defendant Tyler Barriss and asked him to swat Gaskill at 1033 W. McCormick in Wichita. Barriss was sentenced last week to 20 years in federal prison for making the hoax calls to Wichita police.
Police responded to 1033 W. McCormick believing they were dealing with a man who had shot his father and was holding his family at gunpoint. In fact, Gaskill no longer lived at the McCormick address he had given Viner and Barriss. Andrew Finch, who lived at the McCormick address, came outside to face police. As he stepped onto the porch, police told him to put up his hands. When he unexpectedly dropped his hands, he was shot and killed by a police officer.
In his plea, Viner admitted soliciting Barriss to swat Gaskill and providing Barriss with the McCormick address.
Viner admitted that when he learned of Finch’s death he performed a factory reset of his iPhone in an effort to destroy evidence of his communications with Barriss and Gaskill.
Sentencing is set for June 26. Both parties have agreed to recommend a sentence of two years on federal probation, including six months home confinement except for approved travel. A special condition prohibits Viner from taking part in gaming for two years. Viner’s cell phone will be subject to inspection by the U.S. Probation Office.
McAllister commended the FBI, the Wichita Police Department and his co-counsel Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett for their work on the case.
New York Man Pleads Guilty in Delaware Federal Court to Conspiracy to Commit CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – United States Attorney David C. Weiss announced that Kristian James O’Hara entered a guilty plea today to one count of conspiracy to commit cyberstalking. The guilty plea was entered this morning before the Honorable Colm F. Connolly, United States District Judge for the District of Delaware. Sentencing has been scheduled for July 23, 2019. The defendant faces a maximum five years’ imprisonment for his crime.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, O’Hara engaged in an eighteen-month course of conduct, which occurred in Delaware, New Jersey, and New York, and which involved the harassment and intimidation of a former classmate of O’Hara’s, as well as the classmate’s parents and classmate’s romantic partner. O’Hara further admitted that he also engaged in cyberstalking conduct against other victims throughout this period, including former high school classmates, office co-workers, and others who rejected his advances.
Regarding his primary victim, O’Hara’s harassment took multiple forms, including late-night food orders, spoofed phone calls, and disturbing voicemails left at the victim’s childhood home in Delaware, where O’Hara and his co-conspirator falsely claimed the victim gave O’Hara a sexually transmitted disease. Often these cyberstalking acts drew from the victim’s posted messages or information shared with the victim’s social network, of which O’Hara was a part. O’Hara escalated the conduct when, after the victim rejected romantic advances once again, he engaged in further aggressions. These last acts included signing the victim’s professional work email address up for membership at such websites as Pornhub.com, barraging the victim’s new cell phone number with spoofed calls, and posting the victim’s name, likeness, and cell phone number on a sex-chat website. Each time his victim took steps to deter him, O’Hara found new means to inject himself into the victim’s life. The persistent nature of O’Hara’s conduct caused his victim to fear leaving the victim’s home alone.
U.S. Attorney Weiss said the following, “Cyberstalking conduct like this is designed to inflict psychological damage on another person. The defendant used the Internet to exact revenge on an innocent victim by using the information posted to the victim’s social network to harass. And while the victim and victim’s family adapted their lives to evade further harassment, the defendant delighted in the harm he caused and sought to inflict maximal damage. It was only when apprehended by law enforcement that the defendant stopped the cyberstalking acts he had perpetrated for years. The defendant must be held accountable for the damage he caused to these eight victims and others.”
"Mr. O'Hara scared innocent people and disrupted their daily lives because he was blinded by his obsession. No one should feel unsafe in their own home, school, or workplace, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners hope today's guilty plea will deter others from engaging in similar criminal conduct," said acting FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by FBI Baltimore - Wilmington Cyber Task Force, which was supported by the FBI New York Cyber Task Force, Newark Cyber Task Force, and the New York City Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Cloud.
Mobile County Woman Sentenced to One Year Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Felony Conviction for Trafficking in Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Shameka Mallory, a 40 year old resident of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $874.42.
On December 19, 2018, Shameka Mallory entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in open court that a cooperating citizen (CI) identified Mallory and her co-defendant, Shahid Abassi, as individuals he illegally sold cigarettes to in the past which allowed them to knowingly evade the taxes due on the cigarettes that was required by the Alabama Department of Revenue. At that time, Abassi was the owner and operator of “Quick Stop Grocery.”
The ATF set up an undercover operation designed to confirm this conduct and to show that it continued. The ATF agents used the CI to act in an undercover capacity along with an undercover law enforcement officer to sell quantities of contraband cigarettes on numerous occasions to Mallory and Abassi that did not have a visible paid cigarette tax stamp affixed. Mallory and Abassi bought the contraband cigarettes cheap and then sold them for retail prices to patrons of their store for a profit of much more than they would have received had the cigarettes been purchased lawfully and taxed by the State of Alabama prior to retail sale.
From April 13, 2018, through June 6, 2018, the CI sold approximately 520 packs of untaxed Newport cigarettes to Mallory and Abassi for various amounts of money on six different occasions while they were at their place of business called “Quick Stop Grocery,” located at 353 Cody Road, Mobile, Alabama, 36608. The tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service is $523.42. The tax loss to the State of Alabama is $351.00.
Officers of the Mobile, Alabama Police Department and special agents of the ATF investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney's Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Mobile County Businessman Sentenced to One Year Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Felony Conviction for Trafficking in Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Sakhoeuth Khan, a 33 year old resident of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,093.05.
On December 18, 2018, Sakhoeuth Khan entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in open court that in 2018, A cooperating citizen (CI) identified Khan as an individual he illegally sold cigarettes to in the past, which allowed Khan to knowingly evade the taxes due on the cigarettes that was required by the Alabama Dept. of Revenue.
The ATF set up an undercover operation designed to confirm this conduct and to show that it continued. The ATF agents used the CI to act in an undercover capacity along with an undercover law enforcement officer to sell quantities of contraband cigarettes on numerous occasions to Khan that did not have a visible paid cigarette tax stamp affixed.
From December 5, 2017 through May 24, 2018, the CI sold approximately 650 packs of untaxed Newport cigarettes to Khan for various amounts of money on five different occasions while Khan was at Two Lions, her place of business located at 763 Summerville Street, Mobile, Alabama. The amount of cigarettes sold to Khan exceeded 10,000. The tax loss to the State of Alabama is $438.76. The tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service is $654.29.
Officers of the Mobile, Alabama Police Department and special agents of the ATF investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney's Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Mobile County Business Man Sentenced to One Year Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Felony Conviction for Trafficking in Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Shahid Abassi, a 42 year old resident of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $622.17.
On December 19, 2018, Shahid Abassi entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in open court that a cooperating citizen (CI) identified co-defendant Shameka Mallory and Abassi as individuals he illegally sold cigarettes to in the past which allowed them to knowingly evade the taxes due on the cigarettes that was required by the Alabama Department of Revenue. At that time, Abassi was the owner and operator of “Quick Stop Grocery.”
The ATF set up an undercover operation designed to confirm this conduct and to show that it continues. The ATF agents used the CI to act in an undercover capacity along with an undercover law enforcement officer to sell quantities of contraband cigarettes on numerous occasions to Mallory and Abassi that did not have a visible paid cigarette tax stamp affixed. Mallory and Abassi bought the contraband cigarettes cheap and then sold them for retail prices to patrons of the store for a profit of much more than they would have received had the cigarettes been purchased lawfully and taxed by the State of Alabama prior to retail sale.
From April 13, 2018, through June 6, 2018, the CI sold 370 packs of untaxed Newport cigarettes to Mallory and Abassi for various amounts of money on six different occasions while they were at their place of business called “Quick Stop Grocery,” located at 353 Cody Road, Mobile, Alabama, 36608. The tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service is $372.42. The tax loss to the State of Alabama is $249.75.
Officers of the Mobile, Alabama Police Department and special agents of the ATF investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney's Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Missouri Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Material Support to TerroristsRead the Press Release
Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, 44, of St. Louis County, Missouri, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists and one count of providing material support to terrorists. Hodzic appeared today before Judge Catherine D. Perry who accepted his plea and set his sentencing for June 18, 2019. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey B. Jensen for the Eastern District of Missouri and Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI’s St. Louis Division made the announcement.
Charged in the indictment are: Ramiz Zijad Hodzic, his wife Sedina Unkic Hodzic, and Armin Harcevic, all of St. Louis County, Missouri, Nihad Rosic, of Utica, New York, and Mediha Medy Salkicevic, of Schiller Park, Illinois. All defendants are charged with conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, and with providing material support to terrorists. Ramiz Zijad Hodzic and Nihad Rosic are also charged with conspiring to murder and maim persons in a foreign country. Armin Harcevic, pleaded guilty on Feb. 25, 2019, and Mediha Medy Salkicevic pleaded guilty on March 21, 2019. The remaining defendants have pleaded not guilty. As is always the case, charges set forth in the indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, St. Louis Metropolitan and St. Louis County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Drake, Howard Marcus and Kenneth Tihen of the Eastern District of Missouri and Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne of the Department of Justice’s Counterterrorism Section.
Mingo County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Mingo County man pled guilty to a federal firearms charge, said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jay James Fields, 36, pled guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Logan County Sheriff’s Office the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service.
On November 3, 2017, Logan County 911 Dispatch received a call regarding two suspicious individuals who left a known drug house. A Logan County Sheriff’s Deputy proceeded to the area, and identified the two individuals described by 911. The Deputy tried to speak to Fields who fled on foot with a gun in his hand. The Deputy retrieved the gun after Fields discarded it during the chase. A Deputy United States Marshal was able to apprehend Fields.
Fields faces up to 10 years in prison on the charge of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
Senior United States Senior District Judge David A. Faber presided over the plea hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Chris Arthur is handling the prosecution.
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.
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