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3 April 2019
Career Offender Gets Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Trafficking Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston man who sold pure methamphetamine was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Stuart commended the investigation conducted by the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the Nitro Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
“Haddox is a career offender – 18 felony convictions,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “He distributed a large quantity of 100% pure meth - pure and powerful. His significant sentence is well-deserved.”
Jason Haddox, 35, previously pled guilty to aiding and abetting the distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. On April 4, 2017, police investigators used a confidential informant to purchase a quarter ounce of methamphetamine from Haynes in South Charleston. Haddox supplied Haynes with the methamphetamine. Investigators then executed a search warrant on Haddox’s South Charleston residence on April 7, 2017, where they recovered over two ounces of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and thousands of dollars of drug trafficking proceeds. Haynes is currently awaiting trial.
At the sentencing hearing, the United States argued that Haddox was a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who had been distributing up to 20 ounces of methamphetamine a month with his co-defendant Mary Haynes. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger noted that Haddox had been convicted of 18 felonies and was a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines. The Court found Haddox accountable for over 260 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine.
Haddox will remain in custody until he reports to a federal prison. Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman handled the prosecution.
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Bureau of Prisons Employee Pleads Guilty to Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
A Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employee pleaded guilty today to making false statements, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Tammy Karasawa, 44, of Pueblo West, Colorado, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements before U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello of the District of Colorado. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 5, 2019.
Karasawa was employed at the BOP U.S. Penitentiary Florence ADX facility as a cook foreman. According to admissions made in connection with her plea, beginning in approximately the summer of 2017, Karasawa began a physical relationship with an inmate under her supervision. On Aug. 18, 2017, while Karasawa and the inmate were engaging in a physical encounter, one of Karasawa’s coworkers saw the pair, confronted them, and reported the incident to his superiors. The same day, Karasawa was interviewed by agents from the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General regarding this conduct. Karasawa admitted that she made multiple false statements during the course of this interview including denying having any type of physical relationship with the inmate.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General investigated this case. Trial Attorney Nicole Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section is prosecuting the case.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Selling Heroin and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jose O. Felix, 38, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura A. Higgins and Jeremiah E. Lenihan, who are handling the case, stated that on July 11, 2018, the DEA conducted a controlled purchase of heroin from the defendant. On July 19, 2018, a federal search warrant was executed at Felix’s residence at the Marine Drive Apartments in Buffalo. During the search, investigators recovered quantities of controlled substances, four firearms, ammunition, and $192,614 in U.S. currency, along with multiple drug ledger notebooks, cutting agents, and a money counter.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.Sentencing is scheduled for July 31, 2019, before Judge Skretny.
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Bronx Man Sentenced to Life in Prison in Connection with Fatal Carjackings of Two Livery Cab DriversRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TYRONE FELDER, a/k/a “Man Man,” was sentenced to life in prison plus 34 years for killing two livery cab drivers during fatal carjackings: Maodo Kane, whom FELDER killed in the Bronx on August 5, 2014, and Aboubacar Bah, whom FELDER killed in the Bronx on August 12, 2014. FELDER was also sentenced for participating in two armed robberies in Yonkers on August 5, 2014, as well as firearms offenses related to the carjackings and the robberies. A jury found FELDER guilty on September 6, 2018, after a trial before U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti, who also imposed today’s sentence.
United States Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Tyrone Felder cruelly killed two innocent men who were simply trying to earn an honest living. The swift action of the FBI, the NYPD, and the Yonkers Police Department stopped him before he could kill again. Now Felder will spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Briccetti said he was “astonished by the audacity and brutality” of FELDER’s crimes.
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and the evidence presented in court during the trial:
On August 5, 2014, FELDER and three other men carjacked Maodo Kane in order to steal his cab. FELDER and his crew forced Mr. Kane to drive to an isolated street near Hunter Avenue in the Bronx. After another carjacker pulled Mr. Kane from his vehicle, FELDER shot Mr. Kane once in the back of his head, killing him. FELDER’s crew then used the stolen car to commit two gunpoint robberies of businesses in Yonkers.
Subsequently, on August 12, 2014, the same crew carjacked Aboubacar Bah, again to steal his car to use in robberies. When Mr. Bah resisted, FELDER shot him in the back of the head inside his vehicle on Bryant Avenue in the Bronx. Mr. Bah’s vehicle careened down the street, crashing into parked cars before coming to a stop. FELDER and his crew pulled Mr. Bah’s body from the car and drove off in the vehicle, intending to commit further robberies. The carjackers soon abandoned the cab and their plans because they believed police were onto them.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Yonkers Police Department caught FELDER and his crew several days later. Among other investigative techniques, the special agents and detectives working the case gathered surveillance video from dozens of cameras in the Bronx and Yonkers, piecing together the crew’s movements during their crimes.
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FELDER’s co-defendants, Kareem Martin, a/k/a “Jamal Walker,” Takiem Ewing, a/k/a “Mulla,” and Tommy Smalls, a/k/a “Tommy Guns,” previously pled guilty to participating in the fatal carjackings described above and await sentencing by Judge Briccetti.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD, the City of Yonkers Police Department, and the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Gerber, Scott Hartman, Hagan Scotten, Anden Chow, and Celia Cohen are in charge of the prosecution.
Bronx High School Teacher Charged with Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Angel M. Melendez, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the arrest of JONATHAN SCHWEITZER for possession and distribution of child pornography. SCHWEITZER was arrested today and presented before United States Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Jonathan Schweitzer received, possessed, and distributed child pornography, including depictions of young children. The allegations are particularly disturbing in light of Schweitzer’s position as a school teacher. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect children.”
Special Agent-in Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “Schweitzer works in a position of trust, responsible for teaching the young people of New York City for more than a decade. Yet, he is alleged to have shared and received child pornography in various dark-web chatrooms. The abuse and exploitation of children for viewing pleasure is abhorrent, and we will seek to arrest those predators so that they face justice for their actions.”
Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “This individual allegedly violated his professional trust as a teacher to commit one of the most heinous crimes imaginable. I’d like to thank our local, state and federal law enforcement partners involved in this case for their hard work and diligence to ensure that those allegedly responsible for these egregious offenses are held accountable for their actions.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint filed today[1]:
Between at least February 2019 and March 2019, SCHWEITZER, who is employed as a teacher at a high school located in the Bronx, used a peer-to-peer file sharing network to share approximately 10 unique video files known to contain child pornography. The child pornography included depictions of prepubescent children engaged in sexual activity with other children or adults. On April 3, 2019, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at SCHWEITZER’S apartment and recovered his laptop computer, which contained numerous files containing child pornography.
SCHWEITZER, 41, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of distribution and receipt of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
The charges in the Complaint are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mr. Berman praised the New York City Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations for their outstanding investigative work.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Espinosa is in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for fentanyl distribution.
Tequan Brown, a/k/a “Purp,” 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release. In February 2019, Brown pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl.
Brown was responsible for distributing 2.28 grams of fentanyl in May 2018.
This case was part of Operation Landshark, a federal investigation that targeted impact players and repeat offenders in Brockton and Boston, each of whom had prior convictions for acts of violence, firearm offenses, and/or drug trafficking. It is alleged that many of the Operation Landshark targets are among the top 30 criminal offenders responsible for violent acts and firearms in Brockton.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins; Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley made the announcement. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force and Southeastern Massachusetts Gang Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Plymouth and Essex County Sheriff’s Offices; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; U.S. Parole Commission; U.S. Postal Inspection Services; and the U.S. Secret Service.
Operation Landshark 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 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.
Box ElderWoman Sentenced for Theft of Government PropertyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Box Elder, South Dakota, woman convicted of Theft of Government Property was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Amy N. Garcia, age 34, was sentenced on April 1, 2019, to 6 months in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $4,904.38 in restitution to Dakota Plains Legal Services.
Garcia was charged on July 26, 2016. The conviction stems from Garcia, a former secretary and paralegal for Dakota Plains Legal Services (DPLS) in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, altering and cashing five old DPLS checks issued to her. While Garcia was employed by DPLS she was paid by direct deposit, but was provided a payroll check for her records that was identical to a printed check with one exception, the word “VOID” was printed where the numeric dollar amount would normally appear. Between May and June 2016, Garcia took copies of the five voided checks and altered the checks by removing the word “VOID” and the original date on the checks, and then inserting a dollar amount and new date. Garcia then cashed the checks at various locations. In total, Garcia fraudulently stole $4,904.38 in funds rightfully belonging to DPLS. DPLS receives federal funding in order to provide civil legal representation to low income persons.
“Our office takes conduct like this very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Anyone who steals from the United States government or steals from a federal program will spend some time in federal prison.”
Jeffrey E. Schanz, Inspector General of the LSC, Office of Inspector General, stated: “We hope the prosecution of Amy Garcia offers a strong deterrent to others contemplating stealing Legal Services Corporation (LSC) funds that are intended to provide much needed legal services to an underprivileged population. We appreciate the leadership offered by the U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota in prosecuting individuals who steal funds meant to serve the civil legal needs of the poor in our country.”
This case was investigated by the Legal Services Corporation, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Garcia was ordered to self-surrender to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on a future date.
Boone County Man Sentenced to Prison for Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on April 2, 2019, Clay Thomas Paulson, age 22, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose for Possession of a Firearm while Trafficking Drugs. Paulson was sentenced to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
On October 24, 2016, law enforcement responded to a report of a burglary at a home in Boone, Iowa, where 17 firearms had been stolen. Law enforcement were able to recover latent fingerprints from the burglary matching Paulson. On November 7, 2016, during an investigation into a drug trafficking conspiracy, law enforcement discovered some of the stolen firearms from the burglarized home in Boone. Further investigation led to the information that the firearms had been traded by Paulson for methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Boone Police Department, Boone County Sheriff’s Office and Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Birmingham Woman Arrested for Obstruction of Justice and Making a False StatementRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – Federal agents on Tuesday arrested a Birmingham woman for obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, FBI SAC Johnnie Sharp, Jr. and U.S. Marshal Martin Keely.
VERANDA RENEE HARRIS, 59, of Birmingham, Alabama, was arrested on April 2nd on a two-count indictment for obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal law enforcement. The grand jury returned the indictment against Harris on March 28th.
On October 29, 2018, Harris followed and photographed a juror in the employee break room at the juror’s workplace following a guilty verdict against Harris’ brother, Derrick Johnson, in federal court in October 2018, according to the indictment.
Harris was interviewed by representatives of the FBI and U.S. Marshals Service about her contact with the juror. During the interview, Harris continued to deny the juror’s allegations, despite being confronted with evidence from audio and video recordings.
“Jury service is one of the most important duties of a United States citizen, and trial by jury is one of the most important concepts of our government,” Town said. “We take very seriously those who try to impede, influence, or intimidate jurors, whether before, during, or after trials.”
The maximum penalty for obstruction of justice is ten years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The maximum penalty for making false statements to federal law enforcement is five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
FBI and U.S. Marshals Service investigated the case, which Assistant United States Attorney John J. Geer, III is prosecuting.
Billings drug dealer sentenced for meth, cocaine and firearmsRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—Billings resident Alexander Greybull, who admitted drug trafficking and firearms crimes, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release after law enforcement found methamphetamine, cocaine and a gun in a 2017 traffic stop of a vehicle Greybull was driving, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Greybull, 31, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to five felonies, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. There was no plea agreement.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Judge Watters also ordered the forfeiture of $1,240 cash and a 9 mm handgun.
Prosecution evidence showed that Billings Police officers arrested Greybull after a traffic stop on May 21, 2017. Greybull, the driver, said he didn’t have his driver’s license on him and refused to give the officer his name or birth date. The officer asked Greybull to get out of the car. During a pat down, the officer felt a bag, which contained meth, in Greybull’s pocket.
Greybull still refused to provide his name was arrested for obstruction. The officer also found about $2,000 on Greybull and several “burner” phones near the front driver’s seat. Another officer spoke with a passenger and saw Greybull’s identification on the front seat in plain view. Officers called in a K-9 officer and the dog alerted on the vehicle. After getting a warrant to search the car, officer found several containers of meth, including in a small safe that was in the trunk, cocaine, a 9mm handgun with six ammunition cartridges and a 9mm hollow point cartridge. Drugs seized totaled about 673 grams of meth, which is nearly 1.5 pounds and the equivalent of about 5,600 doses, and 26 grams of cocaine, which is about 208 doses.
A search of the phones found in the vehicle indicated Greybull’s involvement in selling illegal drugs.
Greybull, who has two prior state felony convictions--for possession of dangerous drugs and for aggravated assault--was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Greybull also has three pending felony charges in state District Court in Yellowstone County, where he is charged with assault with a weapon, aggravating kidnapping and aggravated assault in the alleged beating of a woman and kidnapping of her and her children.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Beaumont Residents Indicted for Kidnapping, Sex Trafficking ViolationsRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont man and woman have been indicted for kidnapping and sex trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Darrell Oliver Lewis, 25, and Lanyale Briana Briggs, 29, both of Beaumont, were named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Apr. 3, 2019 charging them with kidnapping and sex trafficking by means of force.
According to the indictment, on Mar. 5, 2019, Lewis and Briggs are alleged to have forcefully transported a woman from the State of Texas to the State of Louisiana with intentions of engaging in sex trafficking.
If convicted, the defendants each face up to Life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice.
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.
Baltimore Heroin Dealer Pleads Guilty to Distribution of HeroinRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Coron Demon Johnson, a/k/a Savage, age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2019, to distribution of heroin. As part of his plea agreement, Johnson admitted that death resulted from use of the heroin that he distributed.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jesse R. Fong of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Field Division; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief John Nesky of the Bowie Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, on August 11, 2017, Johnson sold heroin to an individual in Annapolis, Maryland. The customer returned to her home in Bowie, Maryland, and went to her bedroom. The next day, the individual was found in her bedroom, unresponsive. The victim was holding her cell phone. First responders administered CPR, but the victim was pronounced dead a few minutes later. Law enforcement officers recovered a paper fold containing .025 grams of heroin and the victim’s cell phone, which were located next to her body. The medical examiner performed an autopsy and determined that the victim’s cause of death was heroin intoxication.
Law enforcement officers took possession of the victim’s phone following the fatal overdose. A short time later, Johnson texted the phone, asking if the victim was “coming get some this fire today.” A law enforcement officer, posing as the victim, responded to Johnson. Johnson, via text, arranged to meet the law enforcement officer, posing as the victim, in Bowie, in order to sell the victim $139 worth of heroin.
At the agreed-upon time, Johnson texted that he had arrived at the meeting locations. Law enforcement officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. Johnson was in the passenger seat and three other people were also in the vehicle, including two minor children. Johnson had a white powder residue on his pants when he got out of the vehicle. Law enforcement recovered a paper fold with powder residue from the floorboard of the passenger side of the car where Johnson had been sitting. Johnson was also in possession of the cell phone used to text the victim’s phone.
Johnson told law enforcement that he primarily distributes heroin in the Newtowne-20 section of Annapolis. Johnson identified a picture of the victim as the individual he thought he was meeting in Bowie, and admitted that he had sold the victim heroin in Annapolis the day before.
Johnson and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Johnson will be sentenced to between eight and 15 years in prison. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2019.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Bowie Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin B. Pulice and Kelly O. Hayes, who are prosecuting the case.
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Baltimore Business Owner Indicted on Federal Charges for a Conspiracy to Set Fire to His Business in Order to Obtain Insurance ProceedsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Demetrios Stavrakis, a/k/a Jimmy, age 53, of Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland, for an arson conspiracy to allegedly damage his business by setting it on fire in order to obtain insurance proceeds. The indictment was returned on March 28, 2019 and unsealed today. Stavrakis was arrested and had his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner ordered Stavrakis to be released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services pending trial.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
The four-count indictment alleges that beginning in July 2015, Stavrakis engaged in a conspiracy to set fire to commercial property he owned in the 200 block of Haven Street in Baltimore, in order to collect insurance proceeds on the property. According to the indictment, on July 28, 2015, just before 6 p.m., Stavrakis used adhesive tape to defeat one of the security features on the front door of the building so that the person or persons setting the fire could enter the building.
According to the indictment, very early the next morning, someone disarmed the alarms inside the building by entering the four-digit codes for the alarms. Between 12:25 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., the office area of the warehouse was set on fire by using Methyl Ethyl Ketone, a flammable liquid used as a cleaning agent. The fire destroyed the office area and damaged a portion of the ceiling directly above the area. Later on July 29, 2015, Stavrakis contacted a public adjuster firm that his company had previously retained to notify them of the fire and to request their assistance in filing claims with the insurance company.
From July 29, 2015 through August 5, 2016, the adjusters, acting on behalf of Stavrakis and his companies, submitted false insurance claims totaling over $21 million. The insurance company paid a total of approximately $15,081,435. Of that amount, the indictment alleges that approximately $8,762,037 was used to purchase new machinery, purchase parts inventory, restore the building, and for other business expenses. In addition, insurance proceeds were allegedly transferred or used for other expenses, including, $600,000 which was transferred to an account in the name of Stavrakis’s wife, after which additional monthly payments of approximately $6,000 followed; approximately $98,499.20 used to purchase a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL 550, titled and registered to Stavrakis; and approximately $25,500 used to purchase a 2016 Harley-Davidson Street Glide motorcycle.
If convicted, Stavrakis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the arson conspiracy and for malicious destruction of property by fire; a mandatory 10 years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for use of fire to commit a federal felony; and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for wire fraud.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, the Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, who is prosecuting the case.
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Arizona Man Who Transported Fentanyl to Connecticut is SentencedRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERICK CRESPO-ESCALANTE, 49, of Arizona, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for transporting fentanyl to Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 21, 2016, law enforcement officers stopped a tractor-trailer Crespo-Escalante was driving on Route 34 in Derby. After a search of the cab of the tractor-trailer revealed a box that contained 25 kilograms of fentanyl, Crespo-Escalante was placed under arrest.
The investigation revealed that Crespo-Escalante was transporting the shipment of fentanyl on behalf of his associate, Omar Villarreal, from California to a location in Waterbury.
Crespo-Escalante has been detained since his arrest. On April 4, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl.
Crespo-Escalante, a citizen of Mexico and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., faces immigration proceedings when he is released from prison.
Villarreal, of La Puente, California, has been detained since his arrest on May 15, 2017. On August 30, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and one count of traveling in interstate commerce to promote an unlawful activity. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 8.
This matter has been investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, which includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Vatti.
Allen Woman Indicted for Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Allen, South Dakota, woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, a Controlled Substance.
Clara Poor Bear, age 28, was indicted on August 14, 2018. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 28, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each Count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between October 1, 2016 and January 31, 2017, Poor Bear knowingly and intentionally conspired and distributed methamphetamine on the Rosebud Reservation.
The charge is merely an accusation and Poor Bear is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Poor Bear was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for May 28, 2019.
911 Call Leads to Indictment on Explosive and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – PHILIP JAMES HEATH, 51, of Lawton, has been charged in a two-count indictment with being a felon in possession of both explosives and firearms, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On February 4, 2019, Heath was charged by complaint with possession of firearms after a felony conviction. According to an affidavit executed by a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, on the morning of January 30, 2019, officers of the Lawton Police Department responded to a 911 call regarding a domestic disturbance at an apartment. The woman who made the call allegedly told the dispatcher Heath had pointed a gun at her and threatened her. The complaint explains that after the responding officers detained Heath, they saw the buttstock of a rifle in plain view, sticking out from between a mattress and box springs. They are alleged ultimately to have discovered three pistols and two rifles. Because of items discovered in the apartment, numerous FBI personnel responded immediately to assess and mitigate any threat and to ensure public safety.
After several weeks in Comanche County custody on state charges, Heath was transferred to federal custody in early March. On March 11, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Purcell ordered him held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.
Today a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment that alleges not only illegal possession of firearms, but also illegal possession of explosives, which under the relevant criminal statute includes detonating cord. The indictment seeks forfeiture of five firearms, 1,404 rounds of various kinds of ammunition, and two lengths of detonating cord.
If found guilty of either count, Heath 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 Lawton Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the FBI. Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Hale and Travis D. Smith, 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.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations and that Heath is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Reference is made to public filings for more information.
2 April 2019
Window Rock Man Sentenced to 15 Years Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Larondo James Stash, 39, of Window Rock, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 15 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release with sex offender registration, treatment, and testing. Stash had previously pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of a child.
The victim reported to medical personnel that Stash had been inappropriately touching her since she was a young child. Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation began an investigation, which led to Stash’s arrest and prosecution. Both Stash and the victim are members of the Navajo Nation, and the abuse occurred within the Navajo Nation Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-08017-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-042_Stash
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
West Hartford Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Downloading Child Pornography from the Dark WebRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARK ROHRER, 38, of West Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for downloading child pornography from the dark web.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Rohrer had a user account on a dark web internet site that promoted child pornography. Using Bitcoin, Rohrer downloaded images and videos of child pornography from the website in January 2016.
Images of child pornography were found on Rohrer’s home computers after a court-authorized search of his residence on April 3, 2018.
On September 14, 2018, Rohrer pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography.
Rohrer, who is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing, was ordered to report to prison on May 29, 2019.
This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the West Hartford Police Department and Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Weare Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Karl Messner, 63, of Weare, pleaded guilty in federal court on Monday to possession of child pornography, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, starting in June 2016, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a number of CyberTipline Reports regarding suspected child pornography activity. The internet protocol, or IP, addresses associated with those reports all resolved to Messner’s residence in Weare, New Hampshire. In October 2016, investigators obtained a federal search warrant for that residence. During an interview at his house, Messner admitted to viewing child pornography, and that images could be found on his laptop and thumb drives. Investigators seized a laptop and thumb drive on which they later found images of child pornography following a forensic analysis.
Messner is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16, 2019.
“The protection of children is one of the most important duties of law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Child exploitation crimes, including those related to child pornography, are very serious matters. In order to protect the innocence of children, we will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who commit these crimes.”
This matter was investigated by Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Weare Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Waterbury Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CHRISTOPHER SAUNDERS, 37, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 25, 2018, Waterbury Police arrested Saunders on Buckingham Street after he was found in possession of a loaded Glock, Model 21, .45 caliber pistol. Saunders also possessed several rounds of .223 caliber rifle ammunition in his pocket.
The pistol had been reported stolen in Vermont in April 2017.
In 2013, Saunders was convicted in Florida of felony burglary and theft offenses.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2019, at which time Saunders faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Saunders has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Wagner Man Sentenced for Obtaining Controlled Substances by FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Wagner, South Dakota, man convicted of Obtaining Controlled Substances by Fraud was sentenced on April 1, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Robert Fox, Jr., age 36, was sentenced to 5 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Fox was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2018. He pled guilty on January 3, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between January 20, 2016, and February 1, 2016, when Fox, who had previously been convicted of a felony, knowingly and intentionally obtained hydrocodone, a Schedule II controlled substance. Fox, complaining of back pain stemming from an injury in 2005, was prescribed a 20-day supply of Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen (80 tablets). Fox subsequently lied and made misrepresentations to multiple medical providers at various medical facilities in an effort to obtain additional hydrocodone tablets.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
Fox was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Unlawful Firearm Possessor Sentenced to 40 MonthsRead the Press Release
BOISE – Pedro Colis, 24, of Hailey, Idaho, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 40 months in prison, followed by 3 years’ supervised release, for unlawful possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Colis was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Edward J. Lodge.
According to court records, on April 14, 2018, Colis was driving his vehicle in Lincoln County. Colis had two handguns placed on the passenger seat. While driving, Colis attempted to move the two handguns from the front seat to the rear seat floorboard with one hand. As Colis attempted to move the firearms, one went off. A bullet struck Colis in his upper leg. He was treated at a local hospital, where he was interviewed by law enforcement. Colis admitted to possessing the two handguns. A records check confirmed that Colis was previously convicted of possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver in 2013. Due to this conviction, Colis was a prohibited possessor of firearms at the time he shot himself.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the City of Shoshone Police Department.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. 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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U.S. Attorney’s Office Settles Disability Discrimination Allegations Related to the CPA ExamRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached an agreement with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) related to testing accommodations for individuals who are blind or have low vision who take the Uniform Certified Public Accountant Exam (the CPA exam). This agreement resolves allegations of discrimination on the basis of disability under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“People who have vision-related disabilities deserve equal opportunities to take the CPA exam and gain licensure to the profession,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “We are pleased that AICPA and NASBA worked cooperatively to adopt measures that will ensure these individuals receive appropriate auxiliary aids so that their CPA exam results accurately reflect their aptitude rather than reflecting their impaired visual skills.”
In order to become a licensed CPA, one must pass the CPA exam, which consists of four separate sections, available only on a computer. When the United States began its investigation in August 2017, there was no auxiliary aid software available to exam-takers with low vision that would allow them to both magnify the computer screen and have the computer read aloud sections of the text. Instead, those exam-takers had to use alternative auxiliary aids, and sometimes a human reader, for some portions of the exam, rather than the screen reader/magnifier they requested that was recommended by their qualified professional health care provider as appropriate for their disability. AICPA now makes screen reader/magnifier software available to exam-takers with low vision for all four sections of the exam and has made the text of the Authoritative Literature (resource materials for use during the exam) accessible through a screen reader. Under the terms of the settlement agreement, AICPA is continuing to work with advocacy organizations and auxiliary aid software developers to ensure ongoing accessibility of the exam to individuals with vision-related disabilities.
Additionally, the AICPA will pay $15,000 to an individual who was a subject of the alleged discrimination. The United States will also identify other aggrieved persons who are blind or have low vision and recently took the CPA exam with an inappropriate auxiliary aid. Each additional aggrieved person shall receive up to $10,000 from AICPA, based on the details and extent of discrimination they suffered. Individuals who believe they are aggrieved persons under the terms of the agreement should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (617) 275-8756.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of Lelling’s Civil Rights Unit handled the case.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Two Sentenced on Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va.—United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced today that two men were sentenced on drug charges in federal court in Bluefield.
“A drug dealer is a drug dealer,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Regardless of whether they are selling opioids or cocaine, we’ll do everything we can to protect West Virginia families and put drug dealers behind bars.”
Benjamin Allen III, 31, of Princeton, was sentenced to 188 months in prison for distributing hydromorphone. Allen pled guilty in December, admitting that on January 10, 2017, he distributed a quantity of hydromorphone to an informant in Princeton. He also admitted that he distributed hydromorphone on two other occasions in Princeton in January of 2017 and once in Bluefield in March of 2017, and that on March 28, 2017, he possessed hydrocodone and hydromorphone pills in Princeton with the intent to distribute them. The case was investigated by the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, the Bluefield Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
James Kelsor, 46, of Northfork, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for distributing cocaine. Kelsor also pled guilty in December, when he admitted that on September 30, 2016, he distributed a quantity of cocaine to an informant in Bluefield. He also admitted that he distributed cocaine to an informant in Bluefield on October 3 and October 5, 2016. The Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force investigated the case.
Assistant United States Attorney John File handled the prosecution of the cases. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences.
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Two Men Plead Guilty to Heroin Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A West Virginia man and an Alexandria man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin in and around Northern Virginia.
According to court documents, Rodney Malcolm Livengood, 57, of Martinsburg, and Nicholas George March, 28, of Alexandria, conspired to obtain heroin from sources of supply in Baltimore and bring it back to Sterling for distribution to users. After the narcotics were packaged for individual sale, Livengood and March delivered the heroin to users in Loudoun and Fairfax counties.
Livengood and March each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and distribution of a controlled drug and face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison when sentenced on June 28. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Mark R. Herring, Attorney General of Virginia, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-96.
Two Brothers Sentenced for Operating A Marijuana RingRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Alexander Green, 33, of San Francisco, CA, and his brother Charles Green, 30, of Long Island City, NY, who were convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and conspiracy to commit money laundering, were sentenced to serve 48 months and 27 months respectively in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Eldridge, who handled the case, stated that between January 2010 and March 2014, Alexander Green obtained significant quantities of marijuana from the State of California and was shipping allotments to his brother Charles Green in New York City. Once the marijuana arrived on the East Coast, marijuana was subsequently transported upstate for distribution to customers in the Rochester area. The marijuana was transported either by Charles Green or by several individuals working on his behalf. Both defendants admitted that at least 100 kilograms of marijuana was involved in their drug trafficking enterprise. Charles and Alexander Green set the pricing of the marijuana. Once the marijuana was received in Rochester, it was then distributed to various customers located in the Rochester area.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers seized $221,344 from Alexander Green. Specifically, $1,100 in cash was seized from Alexander Green in March 2011 in Jackson County, Oregon, along with five pounds of marijuana from the car he was driving; $99,914 in cash was seized from a car in which Alexander Green was a passenger in November 2013 in Ukiah, California; and $120,330 in cash was seized from Alexander Green at the San Francisco Airport in January 2014. Those sums of currency, totaling $221,344, were forfeited as marijuana trafficking proceeds, as was $50,000 surrendered by Alexander Green and $50,000 surrendered by $50,000 by Charles Green prior to their sentencings. In total, $321,344 in drug proceeds was forfeited by the defendants.
The sentencings are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
Three L.A. Residents Charged in Darknet Drug Ring that Allegedly Shipped Methamphetamine to Buyers Around the WorldRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three people accused of being part of an international drug trafficking ring are in custody on federal charges alleging they used the Darknet to obtain drugs and offer narcotics for sale, and then shipped pound quantities of methamphetamine to buyers in the Philippines, New Zealand, Poland and other foreign destinations.
An eight-count indictment returned on March 22 by a federal grand jury charges the three defendants with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and substantive drug trafficking offenses. The defendants are:
- Michael Alan Goldberg, 34, of Panorama City, who allegedly directed the conspiracy, even after being taken into federal custody in June 2018;
- Donnica Rabulan, 31, of Panorama City; who is Goldberg’s wife, and
- James Caleb Kueker, 41, of the Hollywood Hills.
Rabulan, who in addition to the conspiracy charge faces four counts of distributing methamphetamine, was arraigned Monday afternoon in United States District Court. Kueker, who also is charged with one count of possession with the intent to distribute ketamine, as well as with one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was also arraigned on Monday. Rabulan and Kueker each entered not guilty pleas and were ordered to stand trial on June 4.
Goldberg, who also faces one count of intentionally distributing methamphetamine, is scheduled to be arraigned on April 8.
The eight-count indictment followed a criminal complaint filed on March 1 that outlined how the three defendants used the Darknet to purchase narcotics with cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin, and then made 59 shipments of methamphetamine and other illegal drugs to international buyers. During the course of the alleged conspiracy, Goldberg was arrested on an unrelated fraud case and was sentenced to 42 months in federal prison on that matter.
In May 2018, one shipping company security manager in Van Nuys contacted federal law enforcement about seven parcels destined for the Philippines that were suspected of containing controlled substances, according to the affidavit in support of the complaint. The seven packages cumulatively contained nearly 21 kilograms of methamphetamine, and had contact information with telephone numbers linked to Goldberg, the affidavit states.
The indictment alleges that Rabulan shipped methamphetamine to international buyers, while Kueker collected tens of thousands of dollars in illicit proceeds from the sales on Goldberg’s behalf.
Search warrants executed on March 11 led to the discovery of suspected drug labs at Kueker’s homes in the Hollywood Hills and Valley Village, as well as a loaded AK-47-style rifle in the bedroom of Kueker’s Hollywood Hills residence, court papers state. Federal agents also recovered more than $150,000 in suspected drug proceeds in a safe deposit box registered to Kueker, according to court documents. Three residents of the house were arrested and were charged in separate indictments alleging possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
If convicted on all counts, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison. The conspiracy count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. The count alleging firearm possession in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Roger Hsieh and Ian Yanniello of the General Crimes Section and Special Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Waters of the Asset Forfeiture Section.
The Founder and Chairman of a Multinational Investment Company, a Company Consultant and Two North Carolina Political Figures are Charged with Public Corruption and BriberyRead the Press Release
A federal criminal indictment unsealed today in the Western District of North Carolina charges the founder and Chairman of a multinational investment company, a company consultant and two North Carolina political figures with public corruption and bribery, for their alleged participation in a bribery scheme involving independent expenditure accounts and improper campaign contributions.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray for the Western District of North Carolina and Special Agent in Charge John A. Strong of the FBI Charlotte Field Office, made the announcement.
The indictment charges Greg E. Lindberg, 48, of Durham, North Carolina, and founder and Chairman of Eli Global LLC (Eli Global) and the owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group (GBIG); John D. Gray, 68, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and a consultant for Lindberg; North Carolina state political party Chairman Robert Cannon Hayes, 73, of Concord, North Carolina; and Chairman of a Chatham County political party and an Eli Global executive John V. Palermo, 63, of Pittsboro, North Carolina, with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and aiding and abetting. Hayes is also charged with three counts of making false statements to the FBI.
The defendants made their initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler in federal court in Charlotte.
“The indictment unsealed today outlines a brazen bribery scheme in which Greg Lindberg and his coconspirators allegedly offered hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions in exchange for official action that would benefit Lindberg’s business interests,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Bribery of public officials at any level of government undermines confidence in our political system. The Criminal Division will use all the tools at our disposal—including the assistance of law-abiding public officials—to relentlessly investigate and prosecute corruption wherever we find it.”
“Thanks to the voluntary reporting of the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, we have uncovered an alleged scheme to violate our federal public corruption laws,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Improper campaign contributions erode the public’s trust in our political institutions. We will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of public corruption, safeguard the integrity of the democratic process, and prosecute those who compromise it.”
“These men crossed the line from fundraising to felonies when they devised a plan to use their connections to a political party to attempt to influence the operations and policies of the North Carolina Department of Insurance,” said Special Agent in Charge Strong. “The FBI will root out any and all forms of public corruption. We remain committed to ensuring those who violate the public’s sacred trust are held accountable.”
The criminal indictment alleges that in January 2018, the elected Commissioner of Insurance (Commissioner) of the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) reported concerns to federal law enforcement about political contributions and other requests made by Lindberg and Gray, and agreed to cooperate with the federal investigation that was initiated.
According to allegations in the indictment, from April 2017 to August 2018, Lindberg, Gray, Palermo and Hayes devised a scheme to defraud and deprive the citizens of North Carolina of the honest services of the Commissioner, an elected State official, through bribery. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants engaged in a bribery scheme involving independent expenditure accounts and improper campaign contributions, for the purpose of causing the Commissioner to take official action favorable to Lindberg’s company, GBIG. As the indictment alleges, the defendants gave, offered, and promised the Commissioner millions of dollars in campaign contributions and other things of value, in exchange for the removal of NCDOI’s Senior Deputy Commissioner, who was responsible for overseeing regulation and the periodic examination of GBIG.
During the time frame relevant to the indictment, Lindberg, Gray, Palermo and the Commissioner held numerous in-person meetings at different locations, including in Statesville, North Carolina, and had telephonic and other communications with each other, and with Hayes, to discuss Lindberg’s request for the personnel change in exchange for millions of dollars, and to devise a plan on how to funnel campaign contributions to the Commissioner anonymously. In order to conceal the bribery scheme, Palermo allegedly set up, at the direction of Lindberg, two corporate entities to form an independent expenditure committee with the purpose of supporting the Commissioner’s re-election campaign, and funded the entities with $1.5 million as promised to the Commissioner. Also, at Lindberg and Gray’s direction, Hayes allegedly caused the transfer of $250,000 from monies Lindberg had previously contributed to a North Carolina state party of which Hayes was Chairman, to the Commissioner’s re-election campaign.
On or about Aug. 28, 2018, FBI agents interviewed Hayes about his involvement with and knowledge of the alleged improper campaign contributions. During the interview, Hayes allegedly lied to FBI agents about directing funds, at Lindberg’s request, from Lindberg’s campaign contribution to the North Carolina state political party to the Commissioner’s re-election campaign; about having any discussions with the Commissioner about Lindberg or Gray; and about discussing with the Commissioner personnel issues related to the Commissioner’s office.
The details contained in this indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI is in charge of the investigation, which is ongoing.
Trial Attorney James C. Mann of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Stetzer and Dana Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
The Founder and Chairman of A Multinational Investment Company, A Company Consultant, and Two North Carolina Political Figures Are Charged with Public Corruption and BriberyRead the Press Release
UPDATE
John V. Palermo, a defendant in this case, was acquitted of the charges alleged in the indictment as described in the press release below.
Charlotte, N.C. – A federal criminal indictment unsealed today in the Western District of North Carolina charges the founder and Chairman of a multinational investment company, a company consultant, and two North Carolina political figures with public corruption and bribery, for their alleged participation in a bribery scheme involving independent expenditure accounts and improper campaign contributions.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray for the Western District of North Carolina and Special Agent in Charge John A. Strong of the FBI Charlotte Field Office, made the announcement.
The indictment charges Greg E. Lindberg, 48, of Durham, North Carolina, and founder and Chairman of Eli Global LLC (Eli Global) and the owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group (GBIG); John D. Gray, 68, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and a consultant for Lindberg; North Carolina state political party Chairman Robert Cannon Hayes, 73, of Concord, North Carolina; and Chairman of a Chatham County political party and an Eli Global executive John V. Palermo, 63, of Pittsboro, North Carolina, with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds and aiding and abetting. Hayes is also charged with three counts of making false statements to the FBI.
The defendants made their initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler in federal court in Charlotte.
“The indictment unsealed today outlines a brazen bribery scheme in which Greg Lindberg and his coconspirators allegedly offered hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions in exchange for official action that would benefit Lindberg’s business interests,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Bribery of public officials at any level of government undermines confidence in our political system. The Criminal Division will use all the tools at our disposal—including the assistance of law-abiding public officials—to relentlessly investigate and prosecute corruption wherever we find it.”
“Thanks to the voluntary reporting of the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, we have uncovered an alleged scheme to violate our federal public corruption laws,” said U.S. Murray. “Improper campaign contributions erode the public’s trust in our political institutions. We will work with our law enforcement partners to investigate allegations of public corruption, safeguard the integrity of the democratic process, and prosecute those who compromise it.”
“These men crossed the line from fundraising to felonies when they devised a plan to use their connections to a political party to attempt to influence the operations and policies of the North Carolina Department of Insurance,” said Special Agent in Charge Strong. “The FBI will root out any and all forms of public corruption. We remain committed to ensuring those who violate the public’s sacred trust are held accountable.”
The criminal indictment alleges that in January 2018, the elected Commissioner of Insurance (Commissioner) of the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) reported concerns to federal law enforcement about political contributions and other requests made by Lindberg and Gray, and agreed to cooperate with the federal investigation that was initiated.
According to allegations in the indictment, from April 2017 to August 2018, Lindberg, Gray, Palermo and Hayes devised a scheme to defraud and deprive the citizens of North Carolina of the honest services of the Commissioner, an elected State official, through bribery. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants engaged in a bribery scheme involving independent expenditure accounts and improper campaign contributions, for the purpose of causing the Commissioner to take official action favorable to Lindberg’s company, GBIG. As the indictment alleges, the defendants gave, offered, and promised the Commissioner millions of dollars in campaign contributions and other things of value, in exchange for the removal of NCDOI’s Senior Deputy Commissioner, who was responsible for overseeing regulation and the periodic examination of GBIG.
During the time frame relevant to the indictment, Lindberg, Gray, Palermo and the Commissioner held numerous in-person meetings at different locations, including in Statesville, North Carolina, and had telephonic and other communications with each other, and with Hayes, to discuss Lindberg’s request for the personnel change in exchange for millions of dollars, and to devise a plan on how to funnel campaign contributions to the Commissioner anonymously. In order to conceal the bribery scheme, Palermo allegedly set up, at the direction of Lindberg, two corporate entities to form an independent expenditure committee with the purpose of supporting the Commissioner’s re-election campaign, and funded the entities with $1.5 million as promised to the Commissioner. Also, at Lindberg and Gray’s direction, Hayes allegedly caused the transfer of $250,000 from monies Lindberg had previously contributed to a North Carolina state party of which Hayes was Chairman, to the Commissioner’s re-election campaign.
On or about Aug. 28, 2018, FBI agents interviewed Hayes about his involvement with and knowledge of the alleged improper campaign contributions. During the interview, Hayes allegedly lied to FBI agents about directing funds, at Lindberg’s request, from Lindberg’s campaign contribution to the North Carolina state political party to the Commissioner’s re-election campaign; about having any discussions with the Commissioner about Lindberg or Gray; and about discussing with the Commissioner personnel issues related to the Commissioner’s office.
The details contained in this indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI is in charge of the investigation, which is ongoing.
Trial Attorney James C. Mann of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Stetzer and Dana Washington of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting the case.
St. Croix Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Marijuana at Federal Courthouse Facility on St. CroixRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – On Thursday, March 28, 2019, Dion Alfred-Carlton Williams, 20, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr., to possession of marijuana, United States Gretchen Shappert announced. Sentencing is scheduled for July 31, 2019.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, On March 10, 2017, the defendant and his co-defendant attempted to enter the secure parking lot at the District Court to drop off paperwork. The defendant was the passenger in the car that his co-defendant drove to the court. The security officer denied them entrance and instructed the co-defendant driver to park in the visitor lot. The driver refused and caused a disturbance, causing a special agent to approach his car. The agent smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car. A search of the car yielded two Ziploc bags containing 10 vials of marijuana. The co-defendant stated the marijuana was for sale. The defendant stated that he was an unemployed drug user and claimed that the marijuana was his. He also stated that he had just bought the marijuana for $100. The defendant was also searched and a dime bag of marijuana was found on him.
Williams faces a term of imprisonment of not more than one year and a $1,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Federal Protective Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
Somerset County Man Admits Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, man today admitted receiving images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Lomere T. Walls, 27, of Franklin Park, New Jersey, pleaded before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an indictment charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Walls used a peer-to-peer file sharing program, which he installed on his computer several years ago, to download videos and images of child sexual abuse. Between July and November of 2016, law enforcement downloaded dozens videos of child pornography from Walls’ computer. After executing a search warrant at Walls’ home in November of 2016, agents located 149 videos and 92 images of child sexual abuse on Walls’ computer and phone. Walls admitted that he had been actively searching for videos and images of child pornography, which he had previously saved on his computer.
The receipt of child pornography charge to which Walls pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Walls will be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 5, 2019.U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Newark Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. The investigation was also assisted by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Michael Robertson.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Eric Mark, Esq., Newark
Sheboygan Couple Indicted on Methamphetamine and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that earlier today, a federal grand jury indictment was issued against Ey Lao (age: 34) and Lola Chang (age: 33) both of Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
The indictment alleges that the duo possessed in excess of 50 grams of actual (also known as “crystal”) methamphetamine with the intent to distribute the controlled substance in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a) and 841(b)(1)(A). If convicted of that charge, each faces a mandatory 10 year prison sentence and up to a lifetime of imprisonment. They could also be fined up to $10,000,000. Lao is additionally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, contrary to Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(c)(1)(A). Lao faces up to 10 years imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a felon, and a mandatory 5 years imprisonment up to a lifetime of imprisonment for possessing the firearm in furtherance of drug distribution.
This case was investigated by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office and the Brown County Drug Task Force. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Humble.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Seven Indicted on Schenectady Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Six men were arrested and appeared in court today on charges of distributing drugs in the city of Schenectady, New York. A seventh person was already in custody and will be arraigned at a later date.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The following defendants were charged by indictment in unrelated cases:
Name
Age
Residence
Charge(s)
Robert Atkins
Rhamel Pate
36
37
Schenectady
Schenectady
Conspiracy to distribute, and distribution of, crack cocaine
Lasun Blount
28
Albany
Distribution of crack cocaine
Darryl Carr
39
Schenectady
Distribution of crack cocaine;
Possession of a firearm by a felon
Raymel Diaz
24
Schenectady
Distribution of crack cocaine
Darryl Flannagan
29
Schenectady
Distribution of heroin
Additionally, a seventh person, Trevon Brunson, age 21, of Schenectady, is in state custody and will be arraigned at a later date on charges of distributing heroin.
The charges in the indictments are merely accusations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Six defendants appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and are scheduled for detention hearings later in the week.
These cases were investigated by the FBI and its Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, with assistance from New York State Police-Troop G, the Schenectady Police Department, the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office, the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service, the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, the Albany County District Attorney’s Office, the Albany Police Department, the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Office of Special Investigations, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the Troy Police Department.
The firearm charge against Carr was investigated by the Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert A. Sharpe, Michael Barnett, and Emily Powers.
Rockford Man Indicted on Charges of Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was indicted today by a federal grand jury on charges of sex trafficking.
TRAVIS THOMAS, also known as “Travis Thompson,” “Dontaveous Harper,” and “Dontavious Harper," 28, was charged with sex trafficking and transporting an individual in interstate commerce for the purposes of prostitution.
As alleged in the indictment, Thomas coerced the victim to engage in sex acts from December 2017 to April 2018, and transported the victim from Illinois to Wisconsin and Texas in February 2018 to engage in prostitution.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Jeffrey Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Hoffman Estates Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica V. Mallory.
The sex trafficking count is punishable by a statutory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison. Transporting an individual for prostitution is punishable by up to ten years in prison. Transportation of an individual for prostitution through coercion is punishable by up to a maximum of life in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rochester Man Sentenced to 63 Months for Participating in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Dennis Chaney, 31, of Rochester, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for participating in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, as a result of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, agents and task force officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration learned that on March 12, 2018, Chaney intended to travel from New Hampshire to a location in Lawrence, Massachusetts to purchase drugs. Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed Chaney’s vehicle arrive. They then followed the vehicle toward New Hampshire and provided information about the investigation to the New Hampshire State Police. A trooper observed the vehicle and stopped the vehicle for traffic violations. The trooper used his drug detection dog, which alerted to Chaney’s vehicle. A search warrant subsequently was executed on the vehicle, which resulted in the discovery of approximately 225 grams of fentanyl.
On March 14, 2018, Chaney telephoned his source in Lawrence, Massachusetts and ordered more drugs. Agents conducted surveillance in the area of the transaction and observed Chaney’s vehicle arrive. They then followed the vehicle toward New Hampshire and again shared this information with the New Hampshire State Police. A trooper observed the vehicle and stopped the vehicle for traffic violations. After a drug detection dog alerted to the vehicle, a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 98 grams of fentanyl.
During the investigation, Chaney ordered and purchased approximately 845 grams of fentanyl.
Chaney previously pleaded guilty on October 10, 2018.
“This case once again highlights the interstate transportation route traffickers have used to import the deadly drug fentanyl into New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “In order to stop this illegal practice, law enforcement will continue to be aggressive in our efforts to identify, prosecute, and incarcerate those who are distributing this lethal substance. Those who choose to sell fentanyl in the Granite State should understand that they are very likely to find themselves in federal prison.”
“Fentanyl is causing great damage to our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those, like Mr. Chaney, who are contributing to the crisis. Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Chaney accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.”
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky, Seth R. Aframe and Debra M. Walsh.
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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Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting A ChildRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
ROCHESTER, N.Y. U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that John Kohlmeier, 38, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa to coercion and enticement of a minor. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of life.Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard A. Resnick, who is handling the case, stated that between February 2018 and March 19, 2018, the defendant and co-defendant Bonnie Hughes sexually abused a 10-year-old girl. During that time, Kohlmeier and Hughes together engaged in illegal sexual contact with the minor victim on numerous occasions. These instances of abuse occurred at 130 Milford Street in Rochester, always with Hughes present and, in some instances, participating.
Hughes took two sexually explicit pictures of the minor victim using the minor victim’s cell phone and sent them to Kohlmeier.
Also between February 2018 and March 19, 2018, the defendant used a cell phone to entice and attempt to entice the minor victim into have sexual conduct with the defendant by texting with Hughes. In addition, on March 19, 2018, forced the minor to engage in a sexual act.
Kohlmeier was recently convicted in New York State Court.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Patrick D. Phelan, and Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, under the direction of District Attorney Sandra Doorley.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 24, 2019, at 9:15 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Scott Wilbert, 47, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan W. Feldman to possession of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, the defendant will be sentenced to serve 15 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Marangola, who is handling the case, stated that the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force identified Wilbert sending child pornography from his computer web camera to another user of an online chat site. As a result, the New York State Police began to investigate the defendant, who was identified as a registered sex offender from a prior conviction for sexual abuse of a child.
In February 2016, officers executed a search warrant at Wilbert’s residence on Garson Avenue in Rochester and seized a laptop computer and SD cards containing thousands of images and videos of child pornography. A forensic examination of the computer and SD cards recovered sexually explicit photographs of prepubescent children, some as young as toddlers.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton, and Special Agents of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gary Loeffert.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date before U.S. District Judge David G. Larimer.
Revere Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Revere man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with importing and selling counterfeit apparel.
Paul G. Adri, 34, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2019. Adri was arrested and charged by complaint in December 2018 and was released on conditions.
Adri improperly utilized trademarks held by Adidas, Nike, MLB, the NFL, and the NBA, among others, by importing counterfeit goods from Hong Kong and China and selling them on eBay. Adri ignored two separate notices from U.S. Customs and Border Protection relating to his illegal counterfeiting activities.
The charge of trafficking in counterfeit goods and services provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin of Lelling’s Cybercrime Unit is prosecuting the case.
Retired Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Bruce L. Lamon, 64, of Hillsboro, Oregon, pleaded guilty today to one count of tax evasion after failing to pay $744,000 in personal income taxes.
“As a retired attorney, Lamon was well-versed in the law and clearly knew tax evasion was a crime. It’s a crime of greed and arrogance that hurts every citizen who lawfully pays their taxes,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
“Mr. Lamon’s chosen profession to serve those seeking justice from the law stands in stark contrast to his admission of guilt to evade his personal tax liability,” said IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Justin Campbell. “IRS-Criminal Investigation prioritizes bringing to justice individuals who engage in tax evasion in order to protect the integrity of the tax system by ensuring everyone pays their share.”
According to court documents, between 2006 and 2012, Lamon worked as a commercial litigator at a law firm in Honolulu, Hawaii earning a substantial income. After retiring in 2012, he withdrew all the funds in his retirement account—approximately $395,000—and moved to Hillsboro. As of mid-October 2015, Lamon owed approximately $744,000 in individual income taxes for calendar years 2008 through 2013. To conceal his assets from the IRS and evade payment of his taxes, Lamon paid cash for vehicles, titling them in his former spouse’s name, and purchased rental properties with cash using an LLC registered in Hawaii.
On October 22, 2018, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment alleging Lamon evaded payment of his taxes for calendar years 2008 through 2013 and failed to disclose rental income in an application to proceed In Forma Pauperis in a civil case he filed in federal court in 2016.
Lamon faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 9, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Marco A. Hernandez.
As part of the plea agreement, Lamon will pay $744,000 in restitution to the IRS. At sentencing, the government will move to dismiss Count 2 of the October 2018 indictment charging Lamon with giving a false statement.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and prosecuted by Seth D. Uram, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and IRS-CI remind Oregonians that tax day is Monday, April 15, 2019. For tips to assist taxpayers in choosing a reputable tax professional or preparing their own taxes, visit the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/help-resources.
Princeton Couple Sentenced to Prison for Federal Robbery and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – A Princeton husband and wife were sentenced to federal prison for federal robbery and gun charges, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Sarah K. Bailey, 39, and Michael Justin Bailey, 38, were each sentenced to federal prison for 16 years, and 20 years and 6 months, respectively. Both defendants previously entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Southern Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, with the assistance and co-operation of law enforcement personnel in the states of Virginia and North Carolina.
“A modern day Bonnie and Clyde – the Baileys committed heinous crimes,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The exemplary work of law enforcement brought their string of violence to an end. The Baileys will now be spending many years behind bars.”
“These violent criminals threatened the safety of our communities,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey of the Louisville Field Division. “ATF, strives to be ‘no better partner’ to federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Together, we will continue to aggressively investigate, arrest and pursue prosecution of these offenders. Our shared commitment to reducing violent crime continues to make West Virginia safer for everyone.”
The Baileys previously admitted to robbing two separate video poker parlors in the Southern District of West Virginia. The Baileys admitted that on October 26, 2017, they robbed a video poker parlor near Peterstown, West Virginia. The Baileys further admitted that during the robbery, a 76 year old employee was struck several times in the head with a club, causing injury to the employee. They admitted to then binding the employee with duct tape, and stealing money and personal items from this employee.
The Baileys also previously admitted to committing another robbery as part of the conspiracy. This robbery occurred near Bluefield, West Virginia on November 5, 2017. On November 5, the Baileys went to a video poker parlor where Sarah Bailey had previously worked near Bluefield. On this date, they used firearms that had previously been stolen to rob the video poker parlor. During the robbery, the Baileys admitted to threatening an employee and customers with the firearms and again binding an employee with duct tape. They further admitted to stealing nearly $5,000 and personal items and effects from the employee and customers. The Baileys then fled to North Carolina where they were arrested after being found in possession of the money and other stolen items from both of the robbery locations.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess handled the prosecutions. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentences.
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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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to a term of imprisonment of four years (48 months) in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a fentanyl analogue, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Termane Thomass Eleam, 33.
According to information presented to the court, on November 3, 2016, Department of Homeland Security, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Monroeville Police executed a search warrant on Rooms 238 and 305 of the Days Inn, located in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. During the search of Room 238, investigators seized suspected heroin, gloves, and distribution paraphernalia, including packaging materials, blenders, and multiple cell phones. Wilfredo Torres and Donte Spence were in Room 238. A cousin of Eleam was in Room 305 bagging the suspected heroin in exchange for payment. The drugs recovered from both rooms tested positive for a total of approximately 200 grams of furanyl fentanyl and heroin.
Eleam had departed the Days Inn just prior to the execution of the search warrant, and returned to the hotel as the search warrant was being executed. When officers searched both his person and vehicle following the execution of the search warrant, a small amount of marijuana and related paraphernalia were recovered.
Previously, Torres was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Spence was sentenced to three years in prison for their roles in the conspiracy.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Department of Homeland Security, the Pennsylvania State Police and the Monroeville Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Eleam.
Pittsburgh Felon Indicted on Federal Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of violating federal firearms laws and drug possession, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Kalief Jamil Malik Rethage, 39, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from September 25, 2018, to December 10, 2018, Rethage was unlawfully in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, a spent cartridge, and various ammunition. Rethage is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition because he is a convicted felon. The Indictment further alleges that on December 10, 2018, Rethage was in possession of marijuana.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 11 years in prison, a fine of not more than $500,000.00, a term of supervised release not more than 3 years, or a combination thereof. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case with valuable assistance from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Paterson Police Officer Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Concealing Civil Rights Crime in Connection with Another Officer’s Assault of Attempted Suicide VictimRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A City of Paterson police officer was sentenced today to six months in prison for concealing the assault of an attempted suicide victim by another police officer at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Paterson, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Police Officer Roger Then, 29, of Paterson, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to Count 4 of the indictment against him, charging him with misprision of felony, for concealing the civil rights crime committed by his partner, Ruben McAusland. U.S. District Judge William H. Walls imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and another case and statements made in court:
Then and McAusland were police officers with the Paterson Police Department. On March 5, 2018, they responded to a call from an attempted suicide victim. The victim called 911 and was taken by the Paterson Fire Department to St. Joseph’s Medical Center. Then and McAusland responded to the victim’s residence and subsequently followed the Fire Department to the hospital to monitor the victim.
Two videos captured some of the events that took place in the hospital that night. In the first video, captured by hospital surveillance, the victim was in a wheelchair. McAusland was standing at the hospital admissions desk. The victim appeared to throw an object down the hallway. McAusland, looking angry, pushed the victim’s wheelchair with his hands and punched the victim in the face. As the victim fell towards the ground, still in the wheelchair, Then grabbed the victim by the back of the neck and further pushed the victim to the ground. Then reached for his handcuffs, but McAusland told Then not to handcuff the individual and McAusland further stated, “I got this.”
In the second video, taken by Then, using his cellular telephone, the victim was on his back in a hospital bed. The victim said, “Right here? See my cheek?” McAusland said, “You have the right guy today.” Then turned the camera toward himself and smiled. Then next turned the camera back towards the victim and McAusland. The victim said, “Ha, ha, bitch.” McAusland responded, “I’m a what?” The victim said, “Do it.” McAusland put on a pair of hospital gloves and proceeded to violently strike the victim twice across the face. McAusland then stood over the victim and said, “I ain’t fucking playing with you.” The victim covered his face with his hands and was silent. McAusland continued, “Calm your ass down.” Rather than intervening to stop McAusland’s assault of the victim, Then recorded it.
Then and McAusland submitted a police report in connection with the events of March 5, 2018. The police report did not mention that McAusland punched the victim and that Then grabbed the victim by the neck and pushed the victim towards the ground, as captured in the first video. The police report also did not mention that McAusland violently struck the victim, twice, in a hospital room, as depicted in the second video. Nor did the police report mention that Then had recorded the second assault on his cell phone and failed to intervene to stop it from happening.
The victim suffered multiple injuries to his face, including an eye injury that required surgery, as a result of these assaults.
McAusland previously pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to distribute narcotics and deprivation of civil rights under color of law and was sentenced March 27, 2019, to 66 months in prison.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Walls sentenced Then to one year of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes, the Paterson Police Department, under the direction of Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale and Police Chief Troy Oswald, and the Paterson Police Department Office of Internal Affairs for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Agarwal, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Lee M. Cortes Jr., Deputy Chief of the Special Prosecutions Division.
Defense counsel: John P. McGovern Esq., Newark
Para-Educator Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Bradley Smith, 66, of Jericho, Vermont, was charged by criminal complaint in United States District Court in Burlington, Vermont, with one count of possession of child pornography. Smith was arrested and made his initial appearance to answer the complaint in federal court on April 1, 2019. At the hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge John M. Conroy ordered Smith released on conditions. Smith is next scheduled to appear in Federal court on April 16, 2019.
According to court records and proceedings, the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (the ICAC) received a CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which reported that a file depicting child pornography had been uploaded to an Internet search engine. Law enforcement investigated the CyberTip and determined that the image of child pornography had been uploaded from Smith’s residence in Jericho, Vermont. On April 1, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence. At this time, Smith disclosed, among other things, that he possessed child pornography on his computer, that he had been interested in child pornography for “decades,” and that he found images of child pornography to be sexually arousing. A forensic preview search of Smith’s computer revealed that he possessed more than 100 images of suspected child pornography.
Prior to execution of the search warrant and his arrest, Smith was employed as a para-educator in a first-grade classroom at the Union Memorial School in Colchester, Vermont.
Special Agent Caitlin Moynihan of Homeland Security Investigations is the lead Federal investigator. She can be reached at (802) 660-5016.
U.S. Attorney Nolan emphasized that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Smith’s sentence will be determined by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Nolan commended the efforts of the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara A. Masterson is handling the prosecution of Smith. Assistant Federal Public Defender Steven L. Barth represents Smith.
U.S. Attorney Nolan noted that this prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Ohio man indicted for crossing state lines to have illegal sexual contactRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – James Vincent Scott, of Hudson, Ohio, was indicted today by a federal grand jury on a sex charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Scott, age 31, was indicted on one count of “Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct.” Scott is accused of traveling from Ohio to Harrison County, West Virginia, to engage in illegal sexual conduct in February 2019.
Scott faces up to 30 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae Demasi-Lemon is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Bridgeport Police Department investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ohio couple indicted for filing inaccurate bankruptcy claimRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Larry E. Brown and Jacinta Jo Brown, both of Wintersville, Ohio, were indicted today by a federal grand jury on a false bankruptcy charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Larry Brown, age 68, and Jacinta Brown, age 64, were each indicted on one count of “False Bankruptcy Declaration.” The Browns are accused of fraudulently omitting an interest in an ongoing claim against a corporation, as required by law.
The Browns each face up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Finucane is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
New York Man Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 20 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide and Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Adam Raishani, aka “Saddam Mohamed Raishani,” 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 20 years in prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for attempting to provide and conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers and U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman for the Southern District of New York made the announcement. Raishani pleaded guilty to a Superseding Information on Nov. 14, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams, who also imposed today’s sentence.
“Raishani tried to leave his young family to travel overseas to join ISIS,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Fortunately, he was arrested before he could leave the country. Raishani is the latest in the long line of would-be terrorists whom we have arrested and prosecuted before they could accomplish their mission to provide material support to ISIS overseas. I commend the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this result.”
“Adam Raishani may be a U.S. citizen, but he pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, the terrorist organization that seeks to destroy the ideals inherent to America,” said U.S. Attorney Berman. “In his efforts to show support to the organization, he helped another man make a trip to the Middle East so that he could join and train. Then, a year later, Raishani decided to follow him, leaving Raishani’s wife and child behind in the United States. Thankfully law enforcement was there to arrest him before he could make his dream of jihad a reality. Now, Raishani will spend the next 20 years of his life behind bars for his treachery.”
According to the Superseding Information, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:
Beginning in the fall of 2015, Raishani conspired with another ISIS supporter (CC-1) to provide material support and resources to ISIS. Raishani and CC-1 agreed to travel overseas to join and wage jihad for ISIS, with CC-1 to depart first. On Oct. 30, 2015, CC-1 departed from JFK Airport for Istanbul, Turkey, where he planned to cross into Syria to join and fight for ISIS. Raishani helped coordinate CC-1’s transportation from the Bronx, New York, to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK Airport), and Raishani accompanied CC-1 from the Bronx to JFK Airport.
Raishani continued communicating with CC-1 following CC-1’s departure, using an encrypted email application in an effort to avoid law enforcement detection. For example, on Jan. 2, 2016, Raishani sent an email to CC-1 stating: “Glad tidings brother. Its [sic] been some time since your voyage. I pray to Allah The ALL MIGHTY to grant you success. Until next time.”[1] On April 1, 2016, Raishani sent another email to CC-1 stating: “I hope Allah has bestowed you what you were seeking. . . . May Allah grant you sincere and clean intentions and make you among the righteous in Janatal Firdaus [a reference to Islamic paradise]. . . . Please return this email and respond to what we agreed upon before your departure. Until next time.” On May 3, 2016, CC-1 responded to Raishani, indicating that he had succeeded in joining the Islamic State. CC-1 informed Raishani that CC-1 was “fine and well,” that CC-1 “wished you [Raishani] were here with me,” and that “here we are living with izza [honor].”
Also in May 2016, CC-1 posted content on a particular social media application (Application-1) indicating that CC-1 was living in the Islamic State and fighting on its behalf. For example, CC-1 sent messages to another user of Application-1 stating: “I’m living in the Islamic state safely and secure by the permission of Allah,” “[h]ere we are fighting the kuffars [non-believers],” and “I left the land of kuffars now I’m living in the khilafah [the caliphate].” CC-1 also posted a photograph on Application-1 that shows CC-1 carrying an assault rifle and the flag of ISIS.
Between January and June of 2017, Raishani had a series of meetings with individuals who were, unbeknownst to Raishani, a confidential source working at the direction of law enforcement and an undercover law enforcement officer. In the course of those meetings, Raishani admitted that he had previously helped another person (CC-1) travel overseas to join ISIS, and stated that he intended to travel overseas to join ISIS himself. During those meetings, Raishani also downloaded and viewed violent ISIS propaganda videos, and expressed his desire to wage jihad on behalf of ISIS and his belief that the Quran can be read to justify the violence, including beheadings, perpetrated by ISIS.
By April 2017, Raishani was actively planning to travel abroad to join ISIS. Raishani indicated that he aspired to join ISIS in Syria and that he aimed to travel before the end of Ramadan, an Islamic holy month that ran from approximately May 26 through June 24 of 2017. In June 2017, Raishani made preparations to leave, including by paying off debts and purchasing clothing that he intended to wear for training with ISIS overseas. Raishani indicated his intention to meet an ISIS member in Turkey, who would facilitate Raishani’s joining the terrorist organization in Syria. In the course of communications with an undercover law enforcement officer, Raishani conveyed that he was prepared to die, to martyr himself, for ISIS. On June 21, 2017, Raishani attempted to board a flight bound for Turkey (via Portugal) at JFK Airport, at which point law enforcement officers arrested him.
Following Raishani’s arrest, the FBI searched Raishani’s Bronx residence pursuant to a search warrant. Among the evidence recovered was a letter from Raishani addressed to members of his family, which the FBI found in a safe in Raishani’s bedroom. In the letter, Raishani – who left behind his wife and young son when he attempted to travel to Syria to join ISIS – advised his wife that she could still choose to “[j]oin” him in the Islamic State, and he expressed regret that she did not share his radical views and that he had been unable to convince her to accompany him to join ISIS. Raishani also wrote: “Do Not Divulge this document and other documents that I have giv[en] to you to the authorities. Do not believe their plots. Do not divulge my absences but instead say I went to do volunteering outside the country with my medical skills and health background.”
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In addition to the prison term, Raishani, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 20 years of supervised release.
Mr. Demers and Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD, and the NYPD’s Intelligence Division. Mr. Demers and Mr. Berman also thanked the New York Office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sidhardha Kamaraju, Jane Kim, and George D. Turner are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Kevin C. Nunnally of the Counterterrorism Section.
[1] Communications and conversations discussed herein are described in substance and in part.
New Haven Man Charged with Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging MARIANO IRIZARRY, 35, of New Haven, with one count of possession of a firearm a by a convicted felon.
The indictment was returned on March 19, 2019. Irizarry appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and entered a plea of not guilty to the offense.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of January 1, 2019, New Haven Police officers assigned to a New Year’s Eve crime prevention detail responded to a disturbance and a report of an individual with a gun in front of a nightclub on Hamilton Street in New Haven. At the scene, a bystander identified Irizarry as being in possession of a gun. After ignoring various commands from officers, Irizarry opened the driver’s side door of his vehicle and made furtive movements in the area of the steering wheel. He then closed the door and surrendered to officers. A subsequent search of the area beneath the steering wheel revealed a loaded .40 caliber Glock 27 pistol.
The firearm had been reported stolen in a residential burglary in New Haven in March 2015.
It is further alleged that Irizarry’s criminal history includes felony drug convictions in 2000 and 2010, and a felony conviction in August 2000 for illegal sexual contact with a minor.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
If convicted of the offense, Irizarry faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
Irizarry was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on February 6. He is released on a $50,000 bond.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Moss Point Man Sentenced to over Ten Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – Dale Ricardo Easterling, 43, of Moss Point, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to 128 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Easterling was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
On July 13, 2018, a Louisiana State Trooper stopped a car driven by Easterling traveling east bound on Interstate 10. The trooper observed nervous behavior by Easterling. He searched the car and found a hidden compartment with seven kilograms of cocaine. Easterling admitted that he was taking the cocaine back to Moss Point for further distribution. He further admitted that he had previously trafficked cocaine to Jackson County.
On the same date, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force executed a search warrant at Easterling’s home. They found various rounds of ammunition, over 500 grams of marijuana brownies, 1.5 kilograms of marijuana, 833 grams of Fentanyl, 5 grams of heroin, and 99 pills that looked like oxycodone. The suspected oxycodone pills were sent to the Mississippi Crime Laboratory and found to contain fentanyl and acetaminophen.
The case was investigated by FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, and the Louisiana State Police. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
Mobile Resident Receives Two Years Imprisonment for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces today that United States District Judge William H. Steele sentenced defendant Stephen Allen Mathes, 37, a resident of Mobile, Alabama, to twenty-four months imprisonment for bank robbery. As part of the sentence, the judge ordered that Mathes undergo three years of supervised release after finishing his term of imprisonment, pay a $100 mandatory special assessment, receive drug, alcohol, and mental health treatment as directed by the U.S. Probation Office, and pay restitution totaling $2,400 to the victim financial institution.
According to documents filed with the court as part of his guilty plea, around 10:00am on August 31, 2018, a white male entered BBVA Compass, 6470 US Hwy 90, Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527, a federally insured bank. He was unmasked and gave a bank teller a robbery note that said, “This is a Robbery[.] Place all 50 & 100 Bills in a [sic] envelope [.] No funny money or marked bills & nobody gets hurt!” The teller asked if the male was serious about wanting to rob the bank. He said yes. The teller gave the male $2,400, and the robber left the bank. The suspect robbed the bank by means of intimidation but did not use a weapon. The robbery note was left on the teller’s side of the counter.
A Spanish Fort Police Department detective responded to the scene around 10:30am. The bank’s surveillance system captured the robbery, but no outside video of the offense was available. The police sent pictures of the suspect to local media. A person called the police and said he recognized the robber as Mathes. The police later learned that the robber went to BBVA Compass in Daphne before 10:00am on August 31.
In a photo line-up on September 4, 2018, the BBVA Compass bank teller in Spanish Fort who had interacted with the suspect identified Mathes as the robber. Later that day, the police obtained a state warrant to arrest Mathes.
On September 6, 2018, agents with the Spanish Fort Police Department and the FBI went to Mathes’s home in Mobile, Alabama. He was taken into custody without incident and agreed to be interviewed. Mathes was transported to FBI in Mobile and Mirandized. He waived Miranda and confessed to robbing BBVA Compass in Spanish Fort and to earlier visiting BBVA Compass in Daphne to open an account. Mathes said he entered the bank in Spanish Fort on August 31 with a robbery note that he had created earlier that day. Mathes also gave a written statement and consent for police to search his phone and apartment, where agents found the shoes he wore during the robbery.
On October 25, 2018, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Alabama charged Mathes with one count of bank robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a). On December 27, 2018, Mathes pleaded guilty before District Judge Steele to the charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Spanish Fort Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sinan Kalayoglu prosecuted the case.