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Friday 8 February 2019
Man Sentenced for Speeding Away with Border Patrol Agent Hanging out of Driver’s WindowRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Sausedo (619) 546-9689 and Katherine McGrath (619) 546-9054
SAN DIEGO – John Leland Combs was sentenced to 30 months in prison today for assaulting a U.S. Border Patrol agent by speeding away in a stolen car while the agent was leaning inside the driver’s window, and then leading Border Patrol agents on a high-speed chase on State Route 94, endangering everyone on the road that morning.
Combs was convicted by a federal jury on November 6, 2018 of assault on a federal officer and high speed flight from a checkpoint.
According to evidence presented at trial, the assault occurred during the early morning hours of September 2, 2017. Agent Norberto M. Ribac was assigned to the Brown Field Border Patrol Station All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Unit patrolling in the area of Tecate, California. At approximately 5:40 a.m., Agent Ribac discovered northbound shoeprints in the sand approximately 300 yards west of the Tecate Port of Entry. Agent Ribac followed the footprints to Industrial Road, where he discovered Combs standing next to his car, a stolen Hyundai Genesis, and talking on his cell phone, mere yards north of the border fence in Tecate.
Agent Ribac approached Combs and asked him if there was anything or anyone in the car. Combs said he was alone and voluntarily opened the trunk of the car for Agent Ribac to inspect. As Agent Ribac requested registration and records checks for the car, Combs got inside the car in an apparent attempt to leave the area. When Agent Ribac reached into the car through the driver’s side window to turn the engine off, Combs sped off. While Agent Ribac was attempting to free himself from the moving car, the car struck him on his right elbow and on the right side of his head, breaking his ATV helmet.
In an attempt to flee the State Route 94 Checkpoint, Combs hit speeds over 70 mph while swerving in and out of traffic on a winding two-lane highway. As Combs veered over the cone lane and into the eastbound lane of the checkpoint, video footage showed the agents successfully deploying spike strips. Combs eventually lost control of the car and swerved into a residential driveway. He attempted to flee on foot, but was quickly arrested.
“Agent Ribac put his life on the line to keep our community safe,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “I’m very glad it’s the defendant, and not the brave agent, who is paying the price for this audacious crime. We will use our legal arsenal to vigorously prosecute those who assault dedicated U.S. Border Patrol agents and endanger the public with dangerous escape attempts.”
“We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their tenacity and professionalism in presenting a strong case in support of our agent,” said San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott. “The community in which we serve has spoken in favor of law and order, and every agent in this Sector appreciates the support as we work to provide a secure border.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Sausedo and Katherine McGrath.
DEFENDANT Case No. 17cr3026-CAB
John Leland Combs
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault on a Federal Officer, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111
Maximum Penalty: 12 months’ prison, $100,000 fine; 1 year supervised release
High Speed Flight from a Checkpoint, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 758
Maximum Penalty: 5 years’ prison, $250,000 fine; 3 years’ supervised release
AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security, Border Patrol Intelligence
U.S. Border Patrol
MS-13 Gang Members Charged with Assault In-Aid-Of RacketeeringRead the Press Release
Luis Rivas, Dennis Cabrera and Javier Rodriguez, members of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a transnational criminal organization, will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon in federal court in Brooklyn on an indictment charging them with assault in-aid-of racketeering. The defendants were arrested earlier today and transferred to federal custody. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the indictment and arrests.
According to court filings, the defendants are members of MS-13. On October 22, 2018, while the defendants were incarcerated on state charges at the Manhattan Detention Complex, they assaulted a fellow inmate who they suspected to be a member of the rival Latin King gang, punching, kicking and stabbing him with a makeshift knife, first in his cell and then in a hallway of the facility. The brutal assault was captured on video surveillance footage. At the conclusion of the assault, Rivas flashed an MS-13 hand sign at the victim.
The victim suffered multiple puncture wounds to his back, torso and arms, including two deeper lacerations that required stitches.
“As alleged, the defendants are members of the MS-13, an international gang known for its culture of violence,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Unprovoked, they assaulted and stabbed an inmate housed with them for no other reason than the inmate’s suspected affiliation with a rival gang. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold MS-13 members accountable for their crimes.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in the investigation.
“The gang members charged in this investigation displayed once again their disregard for obeying the law and for human life, allegedly stabbing and beating another inmate while incarcerated for other crimes. The FBI New York Safe Streets Task Forces work each day to disrupt and dismantle MS-13 in our communities, so their dangerous and criminal actions don’t harm innocent people.”
“Targeting and dismantling gangs and crews, and preventing the violence so often associated with their illegal activities, continues to be among the highest priorities for the NYPD and our law enforcement partners,” stated NYPD Commissioner O’Neill. “By precisely targeting the relatively small percentage of people responsible for committing much of the violence in New York, we are making the safest large city in America even safer. We remain relentless in our efforts to identify, arrest, and prosecute anyone who involves themselves in such behavior whether it is on our streets or in our jails.”
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment.
Today’s indictment is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent international criminal organization. The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States, comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district, and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by our law enforcement partners including the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI and NYPD.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nadia E. Moore and Nadia I. Shihata are in charge of the prosecution.
Mississippi Accountant Convicted of Tax FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal jury today in Hattiesburg, Mississippi convicted certified public accountant Carl Nicholson of conspiracy to defraud the United States, six counts of aiding in the preparation of false tax returns, and four counts of filing false tax returns, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and United States Attorney Mike Hurst for the Southern District of Mississippi.
“Today, justice prevailed, the rule of law was enforced, and a long-time tax cheat was held accountable for his crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Hurst. “I commend our prosecutors, agents, and state investigators for their tireless work in bringing this individual and others like him to justice. Today’s verdict proves that no one is beyond the reach of the long arm of the law. We will continue to work with our partners and use every resource available to root out fraud and corruption throughout our state.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from 2012 to 2014, Nicholson conspired with a client to falsely classify personal expenses as business expenses and filed false tax returns on the client’s behalf. On one occasion, Nicholson directed that a $250,000 payment to one of the client’s personal trusts be classified as a business expense. Nicholson was also found guilty of filing his own false personal income tax returns for 2012 through 2015. Specifically, he falsely claimed expenses, failed to report income, and under-reported the gain on the sale of his accounting firm Nicholson & Company.
Sentencing has been scheduled for May 23, 2019. At sentencing, Nicholson faces a maximum of five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and three years for each charge of filing false tax returns and aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. He also faces supervised release and restitution.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and United States Attorney Hurst thanked special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and investigators with the Mississippi Auditor’s Office, who investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Jay Golden and Trial Attorney Kim Shartar, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Libby man sentenced for illegally possessing firearmsRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—Libby resident Joshua David Hoffman was sentenced on Friday to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release for illegally possessing three firearms, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Hoffman, 43, pleaded guilty in October to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided. He also ordered the forfeiture of firearms and ammunition seized in the case.
Prosecutors said that on June 9, 2018, law enforcement pulled over Hoffman, who admitted he had firearms in his possession. In a search of his vehicle, law enforcement found a 9 mm pistol, a .22 caliber rifle and a .40 caliber pistol, along with 216 rounds of assorted ammunition. Hoffman, having been previously convicted of a felony, was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
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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Lexington Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy and Attempted Possession of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. — Brandon Hayden, 37, of Lexington, was found guilty today, by a federal jury, of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana and attempt to possess with the intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana.
The jury returned the verdict after a 2-day trial. The evidence established that on July 17, 2018, Hayden was at the Love’s truck stop in Richmond, Kentucky to meet an anticipated delivery of 200 pounds of marijuana. Earlier in the month, Hayden had received multiple photographs of bags and bales of marijuana buds on his cellular telephone, with texts indicating that marijuana was on its way to him. On July 17, 2018, the marijuana was being hauled in multiple duffle bags, inside the cab of a tractor-trailer that had picked up the marijuana from El Paso, Texas and South Carolina. Hayden met Vincent Raglin, a co-defendant who pleaded guilty to the conspiracy, in the parking lot of the truck stop. Hayden and Raglin then drove to the spot where the tractor-trailer was parked. After Raglin got out of his vehicle and collected the first duffle bag, the two were arrested. The total weight of the marijuana was 91.9 kilograms.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration; Richard Sanders, Commissioner, Kentucky State Police; and Charles Matthews, Chief of Police, Pineville Police Department, jointly announced the jury’s verdict.
Hayden is currently scheduled to appear for sentencing, in Lexington, on May 13, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. Hayden faces a maximum prison sentence of 30 years. However, his sentence will be imposed by the Court after consideration of the United States Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Kentucky State Police, and the Pineville Police Department.
Law Enforcement Officers Join Lewiston High School Students for a Day of LearningRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced today that on February 12, 2019, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, the Androscoggin County District Attorney Office, the Lewiston Police Department, and the FBI will present the TRUST (Teach mutual Respect and Understanding through SimulaTion) Program to about 40 Lewiston High School students at The Green Ladle, 156 East Ave., Lewiston.
“The TRUST Program arose out of the belief that young people and law enforcement officers can benefit from spending time together, discussing challenges and perspectives on law enforcement, and better understanding each other,” said U.S. Attorney Frank. “It is modeled on similar programs run by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices that have been successful in Alabama (Bridging the Gap) and Florida (Building Lasting Relationships).”
The half-day Program will start at 8:30 a.m. and conclude at 1:00 p.m. It will include: (1) presentations about investigating, prosecuting, and sentencing in criminal cases; (2) student role-playing exercises involving a call for service for a domestic disturbance complaint and a traffic stop; and (3) use of force simulations.
OPEN PRESS (except for the use of force simulations; simulator equipment will be made available to the press at the conclusion of the simulations). Students with media permissions will be identified.
NOTE: All media must RSVP to [email protected], arrive by 8:15 a.m. and possess a government-issued photo I.D. (such as a driver’s license) as well as valid media credentials.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maine is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me
Justice Department Files First of its Kind Action to Stop Tennessee Pharmacies’ Unlawful Dispensing of OpioidsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced an action today to stop two pharmacies, their owner, and three pharmacists from dispensing controlled substance medications, including powerful opioids that have been linked to abuse and diversion. The action is part of a coordinated effort by the Department’s Prescription Interdiction & Litigation (PIL) Task Force to deploy all available criminal, civil, and regulatory tools to reverse the tide of opioid overdoses in the United States. Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee, D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Louisville Field Division, and Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
In a civil complaint unsealed today in the Middle District of Tennessee, the United States alleges that Celina, Tennessee, pharmacies, Oakley Pharmacy, Inc., d/b/a Dale Hollow Pharmacy (Dale Hollow) and Xpress Pharmacy of Clay County (Xpress), the pharmacies’ owner, Thomas Weir, and pharmacists John Polston, Michael Griffith, and Larry Larkin were dispensing, and billing Medicare for, prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act. According to the United States’ complaint, the defendants’ unlawful dispensing of opioids has been tied to the deaths of at least two people and numerous others have been treated at hospitals for serious overdoses within a short time of obtaining controlled substances from the pharmacies.
“Pharmacies and pharmacists have a legal obligation to dispense controlled substances properly, so as not to put patients’ health at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will use every available tool to stop individuals and entities responsible for the improper distribution of controlled substances.”
The complaint alleges that the pharmacies and pharmacists filled numerous prescriptions for controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and in violation of the pharmacists’ corresponding responsibility to ensure that prescriptions were written for a legitimate medical purpose. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the defendants routinely dispensed controlled substances while ignoring numerous “red flags” or warning signs of diversion and abuse, such as unusually high dosages of oxycodone and other opioids, prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in dangerous combinations, and patients travelling extremely long distances to get and fill prescriptions. The complaint further asserts that the pharmacies falsely billed Medicare for illegally dispensed prescriptions.
Judge Aleta A. Trauger of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee issued the temporary restraining order. Along with injunctive relief, the United States seeks civil monetary penalties and treble damages.
“The civil complaint unsealed today contains disturbing allegations of high-risk dispensing practices by the defendants,” said U.S. Attorney Don Cochran. “Given the national public health emergency resulting from the opioid crisis in our nation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will use every resource at our disposal, including seeking injunctive relief and civil monetary penalties as we have here, to stop pharmacies and pharmacists from continuing to abuse their dispensing authority to fuel this epidemic.”
“The action supported today by the Drug Enforcement Administration should serve as a warning to those in the pharmacy industry who choose to put profit over customer safety,” said D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Louisville Field Division, which covers Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. “Pharmacists serve on the front lines of America’s opioid epidemic and they share responsibility with physicians to protect those whom they serve from the dangers associated with prescription medications. We will be vigilant in holding them accountable,” Evans added.
“The opioid epidemic has been devastating for Tennessee and neighboring states,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the HHS Office of Inspector General. “Physicians and pharmacists have a dual responsibility to ensure that these medications are only prescribed and dispensed when they are medically necessary.”
The United States is represented by Trial Attorneys Ross Goldstein and Donald Lorenzen of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre for the Middle District of Tennessee, and Attorney Scott Dahlquist for the DEA’s Office of Chief Counsel. This investigation is being conducted by the DEA and the HHS Office of Inspector General.
A complaint is merely an allegation and there has been no determination of liability.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, visit its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdtn.
Justice Department Files First of its Kind Action to Stop Tennessee Pharmacies' Unlawful Dispensing of OpioidsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – February 8, 2019 - The Justice Department announced action today to stop two pharmacies, their owner, and three pharmacists from dispensing controlled substance medications, including powerful opioids that have been linked to abuse and diversion. This action is part of a coordinated effort by the Department’s Prescription Interdiction & Litigation (PIL) Task Force to deploy all available criminal, civil, and regulatory tools to reverse the tide of opioid overdoses in the United States. U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee, Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Louisville Field Division, and Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
In a civil complaint unsealed today in the Middle District of Tennessee, the United States alleges that Celina, Tennessee, pharmacies, Oakley Pharmacy, Inc., d/b/a Dale Hollow Pharmacy (Dale Hollow) and Xpress Pharmacy of Clay County (Xpress), the pharmacies’ owner, Thomas Weir, and pharmacists John Polston, Michael Griffith, and Larry Larkin were dispensing, and billing Medicare for, prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act and the False Claims Act. According to the United States’ complaint, the defendants’ unlawful dispensing of opioids has been tied to the deaths of at least two people and numerous others have been treated at hospitals for serious overdoses within a short time of obtaining controlled substances from the pharmacies.
“The civil complaint unsealed today contains disturbing allegations of high-risk dispensing practices by the defendants,” said U.S. Attorney Don Cochran. “Given the national public health emergency resulting from the opioid crisis in our nation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office will use every resource at our disposal, including seeking injunctive relief and civil monetary penalties as we have here, to stop pharmacies and pharmacists from continuing to abuse their dispensing authority to fuel this epidemic.”
The complaint alleges that the pharmacies and pharmacists filled numerous prescriptions for controlled substances outside the usual course of professional practice and in violation of the pharmacists’ corresponding responsibility to ensure that prescriptions were written for a legitimate medical purpose. Specifically, the complaint alleges that the defendants routinely dispensed controlled substances while ignoring numerous “red flags” or warning signs of diversion and abuse, such as unusually high dosages of oxycodone and other opioids, prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances in dangerous combinations, and patients travelling extremely long distances to get and fill prescriptions. The complaint further asserts that the pharmacies falsely billed Medicare for illegally dispensed prescriptions.
Judge Aleta A. Trauger of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee issued the temporary restraining order. Along with injunctive relief, the United States seeks civil monetary penalties and treble damages.
“Pharmacies and pharmacists have a legal obligation to dispense controlled substances properly, so as not to put patients’ health at risk,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt for the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice will use every available tool to stop individuals and entities responsible for the improper distribution of controlled substances.”
“The action supported today by the Drug Enforcement Administration should serve as a warning to those in the pharmacy industry who choose to put profit over customer safety,” said D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Louisville Field Division, which covers Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia. “Pharmacists serve on the front lines of America’s opioid epidemic and they share responsibility with physicians to protect those whom they serve from the dangers associated with prescription medications. We will be vigilant in holding them accountable,” Evans added.
“The opioid epidemic has been devastating for Tennessee and neighboring states,” said Derrick L. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge at the HHS Office of Inspector General. “Physicians and pharmacists have a dual responsibility to ensure that these medications are only prescribed and dispensed when they are medically necessary.”
A complaint is merely an allegation and there has been no determination of liability.
The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre for the Middle District of Tennessee; Trial Attorneys Ross Goldstein and Donald Lorenzen of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch; and Attorney Scott Dahlquist for the DEA’s Office of Chief Counsel. This investigation is being conducted by the DEA and the HHS Office of Inspector General.
A complaint is merely an allegation and there has been no determination of liability.
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Judge sentences Lame Deer woman to prison for methRead the Press Release
BILLINGS—A Lame Deer woman convicted in a large methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy that brought multi-pound quantities to Montana from California was sentenced on Thursday to nine months in prison, two years of house arrest and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Brandy Joy Pretty On Top, 31, pleaded guilty in July 2018 to possession with intent to distribute meth.
U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.
An investigation began in 2015 into a meth trafficking organization that was bringing multi-pound quantities of the drug from the San Jose area in California to Montana for distribution. The investigation ultimately led to Pretty On Top, who was identified as a local dealer on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Pretty On Top got meth from one of the San Jose area suppliers, who traveled to Montana.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force and 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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Jamaican National Sentenced to 71 Months in Prison for Lottery Fraud/Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keniel Thomas, 29, a Jamaican national, was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for trying to extort money from a couple in Washington D.C., who he tried to trick into believing they won the Mega Millions lottery, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Thomas, also known as “David Morgan,” pled guilty on Oct. 26, 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to interstate communication with the intent to extort. He was sentenced by the Honorable Chief Judge Beryl A. Howell. Following completion of his prison term, Thomas will face deportation proceedings.
According to the government’s evidence, Thomas, posing as “David Morgan,” placed a call on June 9, 2014 to a man who lived and worked in the District of Columbia. Thomas told the man that he was the head of Mega Millions and that the man was the winner of $15.5 million and a 2014 Mercedes Benz. Thomas told the man that the man needed to pay $50,000 to cover the taxes before the award was provided to him. He also told the man that he had information about his employment history. Shortly after the call, the man contacted the FBI.
The following day, the man placed a call to “David Morgan” that was recorded by the FBI. In it, Thomas again told the man that he worked for Mega Millions. This time, he said the man was the first-place winner of a prize valued at $72 million and that included a 2014 Mercedes Benz with a year of free insurance. Once again, Thomas said that the man needed to send $50,000 to him to cover the taxes on the prizes.
Over the course of the next month, Thomas made numerous calls to the man in attempts to get the money. He also reached the man’s wife and threatened violence if the money was not paid. Among other things, he claimed that he had done surveillance on the couple’s home.
An FBI investigation led to the identification of Thomas. A criminal complaint was filed against Thomas in July 2014. He was arrested on Dec. 18, 2017, after he traveled by plane from Montego Bay, Jamaica, to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He has remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter C. Lallas and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ephraim (Fry) Wernick. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Gorman and Kathryn L. Rakoczy, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
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Jackson Man Pleads Guilty under Project EJECT to Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Joseph Demond Towers, 37, of Jackson, pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
On April 5, 2018, a concerned citizen called 911 to report that a man was sitting outside a residence on a sofa and displaying a weapon. The man had pointed the weapon at a female who drove by the residence. When officers with the Jackson Police Department arrived, Towers admitted to having a gun in his pocket. Towers had several prior felony convictions out of Hinds County.
Towers will be sentenced by Judge Jordan on May 10, 2019, and faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Helen Wall.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together." PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Feb. 5 was:
TORI LASHAWN SMITH, 24, Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute heroin and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Smith was detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Smith faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and a minimum five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 18-153.
Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on Feb. 6 was:
BRANDY CHRISTINE ELLENWOOD, 29, of Polson, on charges of acquire controlled substance by fraud, deception or subterfuge. Ellenwood was released pending trial. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ellenwood faces a maximum four years in prison, a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Montana Criminal Investigation Division and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Pacer case reference. 19-2.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Hyannis Woman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyannis woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield in connection with a cocaine smuggling conspiracy.
Cristina M. Delle Femine, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to import cocaine and one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for June 6, 2019. Delle Femine was arrested in Maine on Oct. 23, 2017, and appeared in federal court in Springfield later that month.
Around May 2017, Delle Femine conspired to import cocaine into the United States from Jamaica and conspired to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
The charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine each provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $1 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Honduran National Charged with Misuse of a Social Security Number and Illegal Re-Entry of a Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced yesterday that ORLIN DANERI SUAZO-SUAZO, age 29, was charged in a two-count indictment for misuse of a Social Security number and reentry of deported alien, in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(7)(B) and 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a), respectively.
According to the indictment, ORLIN DANERI SUAZO-SUAZO (“Suazo”), used a Social Security number that did not belong to him to illegally obtain a Louisiana’s Driver’s License. The indictment also indicated Suazo reentered the United States after he was previously deported on November 3, 2006.
If convicted, SUAZO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran National Charged with Illegal Re-Entry of a Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced yesterday that EDWIN RAMON HERNANDEZ-ELVIR, age 39, was charged in a one-count indictment for reentry of deported alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1326(a).
According to the indictment, EDWIN RAMON HERNANDEZ-ELVIR reentered the United States after he was previously deported on January 2, 2003.
If convicted, EDWIN RAMON HERNANDEZ-ELVIR faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a maximum fine of $250,000, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an Indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security in investigating this matter. Assistant U. S. Attorney Irene Gonzalez is in charge of the prosecution.
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Hell's Angel "Full Patch" Member Detained on Meth Trafficking & Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A “full patch” member of the Rhode Island chapter of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club has been ordered detained in federal custody on a criminal complaint charging him with trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine and on firearms charges.
Douglas Leedham, 54, of North Providence, R.I., was detained Thursday by members of the FBI Rhode Island Safe Street Task Force during the execution of a court-authorized search of his residence. The search was conducted as part of a Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation into Leedham’s alleged drug trafficking activities.
Mr. Leedham was charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and three counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
Leedham was ordered detained in federal custody following his initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Lincoln D. Almond.
The arrest and detention of Douglas Leedham are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
According to court documents, during the course of the court-authorized search of Leedham’s residence, members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force seized a total of 44 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 19 grams of cocaine, two handguns and a 12 gauge shotgun, two body armor vests, 35 knives, four hatchets, five expandable and four flashlight batons, a set of brass knuckles, $6,422 in cash, and assorted items used in the packaging and distribution of drugs.
Found throughout the residence were clothing, memorabilia, and documents, which allegedly established Leedham’s membership in the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club.
According to court records, Leedham was convicted in Rhode Island Superior Court in September 2013 of carrying a pistol without a license. He was sentenced to a term of five years in prison - suspended with five years’ probation.
A federal criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul F. Daly, Jr.
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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Haitian Citizen Sentenced for Voting by an Alien in the 2016 General ElectionRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that DIEUDONNE SOIFILS, age 72, a citizen of Haiti and resident of Beaufort County, North Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Louise Wood Flanagan to twelve (12) months’ probation and a $25 special assessment. SOIFILS’ sentencing follows his guilty plea to voting by an alien.
According to court records, SOIFILS was registered to vote in 2012 after executing a voter registration form claiming to be a United States citizen under penalty of perjury.
SOIFILS was assigned a polling station in Beaufort County, North Carolina. SOIFILS voted in the 2012 and 2016 General Elections held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice-President, and Member of the House of Representatives.
The case was investigated by the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF) in the Eastern District of North Carolina lead by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, and assisted by Enforcement Removal Operations, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, among other agencies. The investigation as to voting fraud is ongoing.
Green Bay Man Indicted for Threatening Telephone Calls to Daycare CentersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on February 5, 2019, a federal grand jury issued an indictment against Michael J. Propst (age: 46) of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
The six-count indictment alleges that Propst placed interstate telephone calls to daycare centers in Indiana and Iowa with “the intent annoy, abuse, threaten, and harass a person” at those daycare centers contrary to Title 47, United States Code, Section 223(a)(1)(C). It further alleges that Propst’s telephone calls contained “threats to injure the person of another” in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 875(c). If convicted of all charges, Propst faces up to 21 years imprisonment and up to $1.5 million in fines, or both.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Green Bay Police Department. 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 defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Gates Man Who Attempted to Lure A Teenager for Sex Pleads GuiltyRead 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 Dillon T. Boyington, 35, of Gates, NY, pleaded guilty, before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford, to attempted online enticement of a minor. The charge carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant utilized a social media application in an attempt to meet a 14 year-old child for sex. As he traveled to meet such child on October 24, 2018, Boyington was intercepted by members of the New York State Police. Upon his arrest, the defendant was found to be in possession of condoms and candy, which he intended to give to the child.The plea is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton, and the Rochester Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 15, 2019, before Judge Wolford.
Franklin County Man Sentenced to 25 Years’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Anthony Michael Cobb, age 49, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania was sentenced on February 6, 2019, by United States District Judge Sylvia H. Rambo to 300 months’ imprisonment followed by a 6-year term of supervised release after his conviction on firearms possession and drug trafficking offenses.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, in April 2018, a federal jury convicted Cobb of three counts of unlawful possession of five separate firearms and of being a previously convicted felon who was not permitted to possess firearms. The jury also found Cobb guilty of possession with intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride (powder cocaine), cocaine base (crack cocaine), and heroin.
In imposing the 25-year sentence, Judge Rambo found Cobb to be an armed career criminal and a career offender. She imposed the 25-year sentence on each of the six counts concurrently and also ordered the sentence to run concurrent with a 41- to 100-year sentence Cobb received in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas for conduct related to his federal charges.
The investigation was conducted by the Waynesboro Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James T. Clancy and Carlo D. Marchioli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The case also is part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Four from Toledo indicted in federal court for firearms crimesRead the Press Release
Four men from Toledo were indicted for firearms crimes.
Emanuel Riley, 27, and Sevario Whitaker, 36, were charged with with theft from a federal firearms licensee, possession of silencers not registered to them, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of firearms after being convicted of a felony.
According to documents filed in the case:
A federal firearms licensee doing business as Towers Armory was burglarized on November 19, 2018. Approximately 46 firearms, six suppressors and four gun bags were missing from the store. Video surveillance from the store showed two men entered the store at approximately 3:24 a.m. after gaining access through the ventilation system on the roof and began removing firearms. They returned to the store several times in the early morning hours and continued removing firearms.
Investigators obtained additional footage from a nearby business that showed the two men entered a Toyota Camry and drove away. A Toledo police detective recognized the vehicle as one that was used by Riley.
The vehicle was towed from Riley’s mother’s house and Oregon police executed a state search warrant. Inside the vehicle they recovered gloves, a hat, a face mask and Friday the 13th-style mask consistent with what the burglars on the store surveillance footage were wearing. Whitaker was arrested on an outstanding warrant and also found to be wearing a sweatshirt consistent with what one of the burglars was wearing.
DNA testing revealed Whitaker’s DNA could not be excluded from a red pry bar left behind at the burglary scene and the DNA of both men could not be excluded from DNA taken from the face mask recovered from the Camry.
A search of cell tower records indicates both Riley and Whitaker’s phones connected with a cell tower within one mile of the firearms store around the time of the burglary.
Darius Travell Johnson, 30, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Johnson possessed a Taurus PT-111 pistol on January 16, despite previous convictions for felonious assault and robbery, according to the indictment.
Robert Louis Winston, 58, of Toledo, was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Winston possessed a Smith and Wesson .380-caliber pistol on January 9 despite previous convictions for aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, trafficking in heroin and numerous other crimes, according to the indictment.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of "Project Safe Neighborhoods," a gun violence reduction program administered by the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio. The program targets armed criminals for federal prosecution.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Simko following investigations by the Oregon Police Department, Toledo Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (Riley and Whitaker), Sylvania Township Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the ATF (Johnson and Winston).
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former officer at Richwood Correctional Center pleads guilty for role in conspiracy to cover up physical assault of five inmatesRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that Quintail Credit, a former officer at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to cover up the physical assault of five inmates by officers. Credit, 26, of Winsboro, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to falsify documents with intent to obstruct and influence the investigation of a matter within federal jurisdiction. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph made the announcement.
“Any officer who conspires to cover up any crime or physical assault against an inmate violates federal law and will be held accountable under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Justice Department will continue to prosecute unlawful misconduct by correction officers.”
“Criminal conduct by correctional officers will not be tolerated in the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “Correctional officers deserve our respect for the jobs they do, but we must also hold them accountable when they willfully break the law and cover up the abuse of inmates.”
According to his guilty plea, Credit worked as a correctional officer at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, where on Oct. 30, 2016, he and other officers abused inmates and then conspired to cover it up. According to Mr. Credit, he and other officers sprayed a chemical agent directly in the faces and eyes of five inmates while the inmates were handcuffed, compliant, kneeling on the floor, and not posing a physical threat to anyone. Following that abuse, Mr. Credit and the other officers conspired to hide their conduct by submitting false reports.
Roderick Douglas, a former supervisor at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 31, 2019 for his role in the conspiracy to violate the civil rights of five inmates. Sentencing for Douglas is scheduled for June 5, 2019.
The count of conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. Quintail Credit is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana, who accepted the plea.
The case was investigated by the Monroe Division of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, are prosecuting the case.
Former Virginia Federal Employee Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Woodbridge, Virginia man was sentenced today to 210 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for producing child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Chief Michael L. Brown of the Alexandria Police Department made the announcement.
David Edward De Vere, 53, a former Equal Employment Specialist at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, pleaded guilty on Sept. 27, 2018 before U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia to production of child pornography.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, De Vere met and began exchanging sexually explicit messages online with a 16-year-old minor living in Colorado in March 2017. During the course of these communications, De Vere induced the minor to take and send him multiple images of the minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. De Vere also encouraged another adult with access to the minor in Colorado to sexually abuse the minor, and then traveled to Colorado in April 2017 in an unsuccessful attempt to sexually abuse the minor himself.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies. Trial Attorney William G. Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former U.S. Navy Captain Sentenced in Sweeping U.S. Navy Corruption and Fraud ProbeRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark W. Pletcher (619) 546-9714, Robert Huie (619) 546-7053 and Patrick Hovakimian (619) 546-9718
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 8, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Former U.S. Navy Captain Jeffrey Breslau, previously the director of public affairs for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, was sentenced in federal court today to six months in custody for secretly moonlighting as a paid public relations consultant for foreign defense contractor Leonard Glenn Francis.
U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino also fined Breslau $20,000, ordered him to perform 250 hours of community service, and ordered Breslau to pay $65,000 in restitution to the Navy – the amount Francis paid the Navy Captain for insider advice that helped the contractor build a business empire that cost the Navy tens of millions of dollars.
According to the government’s sentencing memorandum, Breslau authored emails and provided talking points for Francis to create relationships with five Navy admirals and win or maintain lucrative Navy contracts for his Singapore-based ship husbanding company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA).
Breslau, 52, of Cumming, Georgia, was charged in September 2018 and pleaded guilty in November to one count of criminal conflict of interest, admitting that while he was still employed by the U.S. Navy, Francis paid him more than $65,000 for the public relations consulting services. Francis pleaded guilty in 2015 to bribery and fraud charges, admitting that he presided over a massive, decade-long conspiracy involving scores of U.S. Navy officials, tens of millions of dollars in fraud and millions of dollars in bribes and lavish gifts, including luxury travel, airline upgrades, five-star hotel accommodations, top-shelf alcohol, the services of prostitutes, Cuban cigars, Kobe beef, and Spanish suckling pigs.
Breslau pleaded guilty to a conflict of interest charge. The essence of his crime, prosecutors said, was the prolific use of his specialized skills and privileged position, bestowed upon him by the U.S. Navy, for GDMA’s benefit. “Simply put,” the sentencing memo said, “the defendant sold his fiduciary alliance for $65,000.”
“Breslau was secretly advocating for Leonard Francis behind the backs of his Navy colleagues,” said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr. “Breslau’s deceit was part of an astounding culture of corruption that has been exposed and eliminated as a result of this historic investigation.”
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, from October 2009 until July 2012, Breslau was a Captain in the U.S. Navy assigned as Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, headquartered in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. As part of his duties, Breslau was involved in devising the U.S. Navy’s public affairs communications strategy, and provided public affairs guidance to Pacific Fleet components and other U.S. Navy commands. From August 2012 until July 2014, Breslau was assigned to the Commanding Officer for the Joint Public Affairs Support Element in Norfolk, Virginia, where he was responsible for leading joint crisis communications teams.
Breslau admitted in his plea agreement that from March 2012 until September 2013, while serving in the above roles for the U.S. Navy, he provided Leonard Francis with public relations consulting services, including providing advice on how to respond to issues and controversies related to Francis’s ship husbanding business with the U.S. Navy. These included issues related to port visit costs, allegations of malfeasance such as the unauthorized dumping of waste, disputes with competitors, and issues with Pacific Fleet and contracting personnel.
During the course of his consulting agreement with Francis, Breslau authored, reviewed, or edited at least 33 separate documents; authored at least 135 emails providing advice to Francis; provided at least 14 instances of “talking points” in advance of meetings between Francis and high ranking U.S. Navy personnel; and “ghostwrote” numerous emails on Francis’s behalf to be transmitted to U.S. Navy personnel. During the course of this consulting agreement, Breslau accepted approximately $65,000 from Francis without disclosing the agreement to the U.S. Navy.
In one email exchange with Francis, Breslau described himself as Francis’ “priest” because of the confidential nature of the relationship. In another email, Breslau urged Francis to be discreet in his communications with other Navy officers: “Hope I was blind copied on the note below. Important to not compromise me even to your closest Navy brothers.” Francis replied, “Rest assured your identity is protected.”
In another email, Francis praised Breslau; “I like your ghost writing it truly helps me.” Breslau replied, “Thanks for the compliment with regard to the ghost emails. Glad to help.”
Prosecutors argued that Breslau should serve time in custody for the conflict of interest charge, in part because his deception had a significant impact on the Navy. “The breadth and scope of defendant’s willful illegal conduct in providing consulting services to Francis – in each instance assisting Francis against the U.S. Navy – substantially disrupted the functions of the U.S. Navy,” prosecutors wrote in the sentencing memo.
“In nearly every instance, defendant’s work consisted of advocating for Francis and against the U.S. Navy, against its officers, against its senior civilian leaders, and against its enlisted sailors,” the sentencing memo said.
Breslau is the 18th current or former U.S. Navy official to plead guilty in the expansive corruption and fraud investigation involving Francis and GDMA. So far, 33 defendants have been charged in the U.S. and 22 have pleaded guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark W. Pletcher, Robert Huie, and Patrick Hovakimian of the Southern District of California and Assistant Chief Brian R. Young of the Fraud Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
DEFENDANT Case Number: 18-CR4208
Captain (retired) Jeffrey Breslau Age: 52 Cumming, Georgia
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conflict of Interest, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § § 208(a), 216
Maximum Penalty: 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
Defense Contract Audit Agency
Former School Police Officer Sentenced for Filing a False Income Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
On February 6, 2019, a former Palm Beach County School Police Officer was sentenced federally for filing a false income tax return.
Ariana Fajardo Orshan, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, George L. Piro, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, Michael J. De Palma, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Frank Kitzerow, Chief of Police, Palm Beach County School District, made the announcement.
Ronnie Arnest Williams, 57, of West Palm Beach, Florida, previously pled guilty to filing a false personal income tax return for tax year 2017. As part of his plea, Williams was required to surrender his certificate to be a police officer and resigned as a school police officer. Williams had held certificates to be a corrections officer since 1985 and a police officer since 1994 and had worked in law enforcement for approximately 32 years. Williams was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg to time served and 12 months of supervised release.
According to the court docket, including information presented to the court at the time Williams entered his guilty plea, the defendant contacted a parent of a child at the school where he was employed as a safety officer, to obtain the names of minor children he could claim as dependents on his pending 2017 personal income tax return. Williams wanted two children’s names and social security numbers to claim as dependents so that his refund for the 2017 tax year would be increased. Law enforcement was notified of Williams desire to defraud the IRS.
In order to facilitate the investigation, Williams, was provided, by the FBI, with false names and social security numbers that he used when filing his return. The IRS received the false tax return that claimed a refund of more than $5,000 greater than that which Williams was entitled and promptly rejected the filing as the social security numbers did not match the ages of the children being claimed. Immediately after the rejection, Williams filed a personal income tax return that did not claim any dependents.
During this tax season, citizens should be aware of the extensive investigative efforts conducted by federal law enforcement agents of the Internal Revenue Service, the FBI and other agencies into the crime of filing false income tax returns.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI and the Palm Beach County School Police Department in this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen L. Cohen.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former Ravn Alaska Supervisor Sentenced for Stealing Mail from U.S. Postal ServiceRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced today that a former Ravn Alaska supervisor has been sentenced for stealing mail, including Apple computers destined for school districts in Alaska villages, from the U.S. Postal Service.
Breadoflife “Presley” Faiupu, 37, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason to serve five years of probation, with six months of community confinement in a halfway house. In addition to his sentence, Faiupu was also ordered to pay $90,000 in restitution, joint and severally with his co-defendants. In October 2018, Faiupu previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and one count of mail theft.
During the course of the conspiracy, Faiupu and his co-defendant, Congress Lepou, abused their positions as supervisors at Ravn Alaska to steal computers from the mail, and then recruited those they supervised to help find buyers for the stolen computers. The investigation further revealed that Faiupu and Lepou would then share the proceeds from the sales with those they were tasked to supervise, thus ensuring their silence.
Specifically, from March 2015 to April 2017, Faiupu and Lepou used Ravn Alaska’s supervisor truck – intended for the transportation of mail from the U.S. Postal Service facility to Ravn airplanes for delivery to Alaska villages – to take articles stolen from the mail and drive them to the Ravn employee parking lot to load into their personal vehicles. Faiupu and Lepou recruited ramp agents Hubert Barte, Paulo Maae, Rogelio Daquis, as well as former ramp agent Harold Velicaria, to help find buyers for the stolen Apple computers. Lepou and Faiupu would then receive cash from Barte, Maae, Daquis, and Valicaria for the stolen computers, before sharing the proceeds.
During the course of the conspiracy, Faiupu and Lepou stole approximately 60 Apple computers from the mail. The total approximate retail value of stolen Apple computers attributable to Faiupu is $90,000. The majority of those computers were intended for delivery to school districts in Alaska villages. Lepou is scheduled to be sentenced on March 13, 2019, at 1:30 p.m.
Judge Gleason noted that the seriousness of the offense was based on the impact to the children who were waiting for computers to be delivered to rural school districts, but were instead stolen by Faiupu and his co-defendants and sold for a profit.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. The Alaska State Trooper Technical Crimes Unit assisted in the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aunnie Steward.
Former Property Manager Sent to Prison for Defrauding Homeowner AssociationsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Harlow White, 77, of Gilbert, Ariz. was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay $291,420 in restitution. White had previously pleaded guilty to money laundering for using stolen client funds to enrich himself. White will self-surrender to custody at a date to be determined by the court.
White was the President and CEO of Eagle Property Management, Inc., a property management company whose clients included Homeowners Associations throughout the metropolitan area. In 2005, ownership transferred to White’s daughter and the company began operating as EPMI. Between January 2010 and May 2014, EPMI - with White’s knowledge stole at least $1.2 million directly from HOA clients’ bank accounts. The stolen money was used, in part, to cover approximately $300,000 in personal charges on White’s American Express credit card.
“Harlow White abused the trust of the clients he was supposed to serve, using their money to pay for his own personal expenses,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the community by prosecuting financial crimes like these, and today’s prison sentence will serve as a warning to business owners who may be considering illegal schemes.”
“This defendant and his co-conspirators abused their positions for their own personal benefit by taking advantage of hundreds of homeowners throughout the Valley,” said Rodney Wellman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Phoenix Field Office. “Today’s sentencing is a reminder that the Secret Service is committed to aggressively investigating and pursuing financial crimes.”
“This is yet another example of a businessperson knowingly using a company bank account to pay his personal expenses,” stated IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr. “The sentencing of Mr. White will serve to discourage other business owners from doing the same while delivering justice to those who do business in an ethical manner."
The investigation in this case was conducted by U.S. Secret Service and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Monica B. Edelstein, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-01228-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-009_White
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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.
Former Owner of Stenotype Institute of Jacksonville Sentenced to Prison and Ordered to Pay over $288,000 in Restitution to Former Students and U.S. Department of EducationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey S. Schlesinger has sentenced Gloria Wiley (73, Danville, KY) to one year and one day in federal prison for failing to refund federal student aid money, commonly referred to as Stafford Loans and Pell Grants. The court also ordered Wiley to pay $288,875.92 in restitution to former students of Stenotype Institute, the U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Wiley had pleaded guilty on November 13, 2018.
According to court documents, Wiley was the owner of Stenotype Institute of Jacksonville, Inc.—a Jacksonville-based stenography school that provided professional education to individuals pursuing stenography careers, including court reporting and medical transcription. Stenotype was authorized to receive federal student aid funds from the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of its students to cover tuition, fees, and living expense stipends. Excess funds drawn on behalf of students were required to be refunded to the U.S. Department of Education or to the student within 45 days.
Beginning in June 2015, instead of refunding the excess funds, Stenotype began tracking the amounts owed in a spreadsheet. Meanwhile, Wiley continued to draw funds from the school for personal use. In total, Wiley and Stenotype held approximately $290,000 in refunds due to the U.S. Department of Education and to former students, and $9,000 due to the Department of Veterans Affairs, none of which have ever been paid. Stenotype ceased operations in March 2016, shortly after a program review by the U.S. Department of Education.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Laura Cofer Taylor.
Former North Carolina Board of Elections Election Official Sentenced to Prison for Aiding and Abetting Voting by an Alien in the 2016 General ElectionRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that DENSLO ALLEN PAIGE, age 66, of Wake County, North Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Louise Wood Flanagan to two (2) months active time in the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons, one (1) year supervised release, $250 fine, and a $25 special assessment. PAIGE’s sentencing follows her guilty plea to aiding and abetting voting by an alien.
According to court records, PAIGE, a paid volunteer and former election official with the North Carolina Board of Elections, advised Guadalupe Espinosa-Pena, a Mexican citizen, to register to vote and to vote in the 2016 General Elections.
PAIGE knew that Espinosa-Pena was not a United States citizen. Espinosa-Pena had been twice denied naturalization. However, PAIGE told Espinosa-Pena that “if he wanted his voice to be heard, he needed to vote.” PAIGE assisted Espinosa-Pena in completing his voter’s registration form.
The first question in Espinosa-Pena’s voter registration form was “Are you a citizen of the United States of America?” The form contained two boxes, one for “Yes” and one for “No.” The form further stated “IF YOU CHECKED ‘NO’ IN RESPONSE TO THIS QUESTION, DO NOT SUBMIT THIS FORM.”
According to statements made by PAIGE, she assisted Espinosa-Pena in the completion of the voter registration form and intentionally left the citizenship question unanswered. PAIGE said that she then submitted the form to a Board of Elections official for processing. At some later point, after the form had been submitted to the Board of Elections, some other person apparently checked the citizenship block “yes,” and Espinosa was allowed to register to vote.
Espinosa-Pena was assigned a polling station in Wake County, North Carolina. Espinosa-Pena voted in the 2016 General Election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice-President, and Member of the House of Representatives.
Mr. Higdon stated “The right to vote is a precious privilege available only to citizens of the United States. When a non-citizen votes in a federal election it serves to dilute and devalue the vote of American citizens and places the decision making authority of the American electorate in the hands of those who have no right to make those choices. This case is particularly disturbing as the defendant worked for the Board of Elections. My office will do its part to protect the rights of every American citizen to cast their vote freely and to have it counted fairly.”
The case was investigated by the Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF) in the Eastern District of North Carolina lead by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, and assisted by Enforcement Removal Operations, and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, among other agencies. The investigation as to voting fraud is ongoing.
Florida Businessman Sentenced to Prison for Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Florida man was sentenced today to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud for orchestrating a scheme that caused over $1.7 million in losses to multiple victims.
According to court documents, Armando Almirall, 37, of Oviedo, was one of the managing principals of a company called Aura Exchange LLC (AURA). Almirall and his co-conspirators, through AURA, promised their clients that they could help obtain funding for a host of business purposes, such as real estate transactions and television projects. Instead, Almirall and his co-conspirators spent large portions of their clients’ funds on personal expenses, cash withdrawals and wire transfers without the clients’ knowledge or consent.
In order to induce the victims to provide AURA with money, Almirall and his co-conspirators made a host of fraudulent misrepresentations, including representing to clients that AURA had an established business portfolio when no such portfolio existed. AURA also guaranteed victims that they would receive their initial equity deposits back when, in fact, none of the victims ever received any of their original investment nor any additional funding from AURA. Almirall further claimed that AURA had offices in Zurich, London, and New York when no such offices existed. Almirall also provided clients with fraudulent bank documents showing that AURA could obtain millions (and in one instance, billions) in funds for their clients.
In addition to the prison sentence, Almirall was ordered to pay over $1.77 million in restitution to the victims of the fraud scheme.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamar K. Walker prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-392.
Felon in Possession of a Firearm Sentenced to Five Years in Prison under Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss –Tommy Lee Hunter, Jr., 37, of Jackson, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst.
On April 4, 2018, officers with the Jackson Police Department were called to Prentiss Street after reports were received of a person shooting into an occupied vehicle. The reports came from an individual who was assisting someone move out of their home on Henry Street. The individual said that the defendant came outside on Henry Street and began an argument. During the argument, Hunter showed his firearm. The individual left in his vehicle, but Hunter began firing at him. The shots caused damage to the rear bumper of the vehicle as well as breaking the rear glass. Hunter was identified as the shooter and arrested. He had a prior felony conviction for Burglary of a Business and Second Degree Arson from Leflore County in 2005. Hunter was charged in a federal indictment on July 10, 2019 with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty on September 5, 2018.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jackson Police and with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin Chalk.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for “Empower Justice Expel Crime Together.” PSN is program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Felon Sentenced to Fourteen Years for Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Phay Lam Souphanthog, 39, of Irvington, Alabama, was sentenced this morning to 168 months imprisonment for his illegal possession of firearms. Souphanthog had been previously convicted of Manslaughter in 1999 in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, and he was arrested three times in possession of firearms from 2015 through 2017. Souphanthog was indicted on three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and convicted in November of 2018 after a jury trial on two of those counts.
United States District Court Judge Kristi K. Dubose imposed the 168-month sentence, consisting of 84 months on each count, and ordered that the sentences run consecutively. The judge ordered that Souphanthog, who is illegally in the United States, be surrendered to a duly authorized immigration official at the conclusion of his imprisonment for deportation. If for some reason he is not deported, the judge ordered that he serve a three-year term of supervised release, which would include drug testing and treatment. No fine was imposed, but he was ordered to pay $200 in special mandatory assessments.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Prichard Police Department, the MCSENT Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that PHILLIP GUIDRY, age 49, of Loranger, Louisiana, yesterday pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm before the Honorable Barry W. Ashe.
According to court documents, a March 2, 2018 search of GUIDRY’s home revealed that he possessed five (5) firearms, including shotguns and pistols. GUIDRY faces a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.
This case was brought as 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.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Louisiana State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Howard Sinkman.
Felon Found Hiding in a Closet During Search Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
A two-time felon who possessed multiple handguns and methamphetamine was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.
Eric Allen Boyer, age 36, from Hiawatha, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 2, 2018 guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
In a plea agreement, Boyer admitted he was hiding in a bedroom closet in a house on Washington Avenue SE while the Cedar Rapids Police Department conducted a search there in April 2017. During the search of the bedroom where Boyer was found, officers seized a pistol, a stolen revolver, approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine, a digital scale, syringes, and drug packaging. Boyer had the firearms, at least in part, to protect the drugs from being stolen. Boyer had previously been convicted of arson in the second degree in 2015, and of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in 2010.
Boyer was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Boyer was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Boyer is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-00047-LRR.
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Federal Judge in Del Rio Sentences Three Men to Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
In Del Rio this week, a federal judge sentenced a Del Rio man and two other men to federal prison for conducting an advanced fee investment scheme through which they obtained in excess of $5 million from their victims, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and F.B.I. Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Alia Moses sentenced Kelly Ray Coronado, 51, of Del Rio, to 51 months in federal prison. Judge Moses also sentenced co-defendants James Edward Cox, 59 of Waxhaw, NC, and Gordon Richard Moskowitz, 55, of Sarasota, FL, to 78 months imprisonment and 46 months imprisonment, respectively.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Moses ordered Cox and Coronado to forfeit to the government their respective residences which were used to conceal the illicit proceeds gained from their scheme and to pay, joint and severally, $4,249,478 in restitution to their victims. Judge Moses also ordered Moskowitz liable, along with Cox and Coronado, for $3.1 million of the total restitution in this case.
Cox and Coronado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud; Moskowitz, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The defendants admitted that from January 2010 to January 2017, they implemented a high-yield investment scheme to obtain money from multiple victims under false pretenses, promises and representations. Furthermore, they preyed on vulnerable parties – most of whom operated international non-profits – by promising them large-scale financing in exchange for upfront payments. Using a tapestry of deceit involving fake business entities, websites, and aliases, the defendants collected upfront payments from their victims, then worked together to frustrate law enforcement detection and victim redress.
Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents in Del Rio, Tampa and Charlotte conducted this investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Paul T. Harle prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Assault with A Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – German De Jesus Ventura (40, Sumter County) has pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to inflict bodily harm. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ventura is currently serving a federal sentence for a sex trafficking conviction in the District of Maryland.
According to court documents, Ventura was an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Florida, when in August 2017, he repeatedly struck another inmate in the back of the head with a homemade weapon consisting of a solid metal plate attached to a lanyard. The victim suffered a large head wound, two depressed skull fractures, and significant blood loss. A correctional officer who witnessed the assault quickly apprehended Ventura as he attempted to discard the weapon and run away from the incident scene.
This case was investigated by the FBI – Ocala Resident Agency and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Federal Indictment Charges Sacramento Woman with Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A six-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury was unsealed today, charging Leticia Tyshalle Reed, 42, of Sacramento, with making false claims to the Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to the indictment, Reed prepared and submitted federal income tax returns for tax years 2013 and 2014 for individuals that included false information and sought refunds that Reed knew the individuals were not entitled to receive.
This case is the product of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Reed faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal IndictmentsRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – United States Attorney Jeff Jensen announced today the results of this week’s Federal Grand Jury. An additional five sealed indictments were also returned.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in an indictment returned by the Grand Jury. The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Jennifer Cherry, 42, charged with Conspiracy to Defraud; Access Device Fraud; and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Brian Neal Collins, 42, charged with Knowingly and Intentionally Possess with intent to distribute controlled substances of 500 grams or more of mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of Methamphetamine.
Kevin Van Dyke, 38, charged with Access Device Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft; Possession of five or more false Identification Documents and Authentication Features.
Lionerys Rodriguez, 33, charged with Access Device Fraud; Aggravated Identity Theft; Possession of five or more false Identification Documents and Authentication Features.
Cloyd Evans, 48, charged with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Varnell E. Foote, 27, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Luis Garcia-Castaneda, 30, charged with Conspiracy to Possess with intent to distribute in excess of five kilograms of Cocaine.
Laverne C. Henderson, 36, charged with Knowingly and Intentionally possess with intent to distribute Cocaine; Felon in Possession of a Firearm; and Knowingly possess one or more Firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Janae Hoekstra, 21, charged with Bank Fraud; Social Security Fraud; Access Device Fraud; and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Craig Manning, 30, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Carjacking; and Brandishing a Firearm in furtherance of a Crime of Violence.
Willie McCranie, 49, charged with Aggravated Identity Theft; Identity Theft; and Access Device Fraud.
Courtney McDonald, 33, charged with Knowingly and Intentionally Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances of 500 grams or more of mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of Methamphetamine.
David S. Parent, 45, charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
Tamika Sandford, 33, charged with Harboring a Fugitive and Making a False Statement.
Fayetteville Sex Offender Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Timothy Reddin, age 68, of Fayetteville, Arkansas, was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by twenty-five years of supervised release on one count of Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks, United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in July of 2018, an agent with Homeland Security Investigations was conducting an undercover investigation into the online enticement of minors to engage in sexual activity in the Northwest, Arkansas area. During such operation, law enforcement, utilizing an online persona of a 14 year old male, logged into an undercover social media account. Shortly thereafter, an individual, later identified as Reddin, contacted the 14 year old persona. Reddin quickly began inquiring about the purported minor’s sexual experience. Reddin then expressed a willingness to engage in sexual activity with the minor. In early August, specific plans were made by Reddin and the purported minor to meet and engage in sexual activity. In response, law enforcement set up surveillance on the meet location. Reddin soon thereafter arrived at the predetermined location and was taken into custody.
A federal grand jury indicted Reddin in September of 2018, and he pleaded guilty in October of 2018. During sentencing, the Government presented the Court with evidence that Reddin was a previously convicted sex offender at the time of his arrest.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the United States.
Fairfield Man Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Donald Threatt, 68, of Fairfield, was sentenced Thursday to 17 years and eight months in prison for attempted online enticement of a minor, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, in April 2017, Threatt began conversing through the Kik Messenger mobile app with an individual who identified herself as “Sarah,” a 15-year-old girl who was interested in online games, soccer, and track. Off and on over the course of many days, Threatt used Kik to tell “Sarah” the various sexual things he wanted to do to her. He discussed and agreed with the purported minor that he would visit her residence on Beale Air Force Base while her mother was away. According to the Kik chat, Threatt suggested blindfolding her and tying her up with rope. He stated that he would engage in various sexual acts with her and proposed that they take photos and a video of their sexual activity. Threatt arranged to meet her at her residence on May 12, 2017, after her mother had left for the weekend.
Unbeknownst to Threatt, the minor was actually an undercover law enforcement agent. On the day of the planned meeting, law enforcement personnel surveilled Threatt as he left his home in Fairfield, purchased rope from a home improvement store, and drove to the house where the meeting with the minor was to occur. Threatt was arrested after he pulled into the garage of the house. In his car, agents found cameras, a tripod, rope, and condoms.
According to court documents, this was not the first time Threatt attempted to prey on a child. Agents searched Threatt’s residence and seized a computer hard drive containing approximately 800 internet chats from 2008. Together, those communications showed he had been communicating with several girls under the age of 18. In those communications, Threatt discussed how he wanted to have sexual relations with the underage girls and repeatedly solicited and received nude photographs from at least one minor. In addition, in 2013, Threatt was arrested after he used email to attempt to persuade an undercover law enforcement officer that he believed to be a 15-year-old girl to meet with him to have sex. Threatt was prosecuted in state court for that offense.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew D. Segal, Jeremy J. Kelley, and Katherine T. Lydon prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Executives Convicted of Selling Falsely Labeled Body Armor to U.S. GovernmentRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted two Florida men yesterday on charges of conspiracy, making false claims on the United States government, and wire fraud.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Dan Thomas Lounsbury, Jr., 50, of South Palm Beach, and Andres Lopez-Munoz, 35, are both executives of Tactical Products Group, LLC (TPG), a Florida-based manufacturer and re-seller of various products to military, law enforcement, and private security clients. Lounsbury, Jr., is the founder, owner, and CEO of TPG, while Lopez-Munoz is TPG’s Vice President for Sales and Federal Contracting. In 2012, TPG was selected as a sub-contractor on a contract to provide certain goods, including 10 sets of hard body armor plates, to the United States government.
The Government had requested a specific type of plate, and Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz both knew that no substitutions were allowed. Furthermore, Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz both knew that these plates were intended to protect government personnel in the field. Nevertheless, Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz worked together to procure cheaper substitute plates, none of which were military-tested, and some of which were far outside of their warranty period. To get the United States government to accept and pay for these plates, Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz had fake labels created and placed on the armor, falsely representing the plates to be the specific type that the government had ordered.
Lounsbury and Lopez-Munoz face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when sentenced on May 10. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matthew J. DeSarno, Special Agent in Charge, Criminal Division, FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grace L. Hill and Raj Parekh are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-301.
El Paso County Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft of Firearms from Licensed DealerRead the Press Release
DENVER – Jennifer Scoggin, age 35, of El Paso County, Colorado, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez to serve 26 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years on supervised release for her involvement in the theft of firearms stolen from a federally licensed firearms dealer, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn and ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston. The defendant appeared at the sentencing hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion. Scoggin along with three codefendants and an unindicted juvenile stole close to 60 firearms from the Dragon Arms, a business in El Paso County.
Scoggin was indicted, along with her codefendants on September 14, 2017. She pled guilty before Judge Martinez on October 1, 2018. Scoggin was sentenced yesterday, February 6, 2019. Codefendants Camron Specht (her 18-year-old son), and her son’s friends Ryan Sharpe and Gian Carlos Vance were all sentenced to time served followed by 3 years on supervised release.
According to the stipulated facts contained in Scoggin’s plea agreement, on August 27, 2017, Scoggin along with codefendants and an unindicted juvenile, carried out a burglary of the Dragon Arms gun store, a federally licensed firearms dealer located at 1200 Dragonman Drive in El Paso County, Colorado. The Dragon Arms gun store was just down the road from Scoggin’s house.
The defendant came up with the plan to burglarize the gun store. She agreed to drive her son and his friends to the store to carry out the burglary, and demanded that they take some guns for her as well. The four young men got into the defendant’s car, and she covered them up with blankets and clothes to hide them from view. She then drove to the gun store with the codefendants hidden inside of her car. She parked the car in front of the gun store, and got out, leaving the men hidden in the car. The defendant, who has a personal relationship with the owner of the gun store, lured him away from the store. After the defendant and the gun store owner left, the codefendants and the juvenile made entry into the building by driving a vehicle through a garage door, entering the business and then leaving with at least 57 handguns, shotguns and rifles. While her son and his friends were carrying out the burglary, the defendant repeatedly texted her son to let him know how much time he had remaining until she returned with the owner. Later that night ATF agents located the defendant at her home, locating several of the stolen firearms in her house. All stolen firearms were ultimately located and seized.
“Removing stolen firearms from our streets helps reduce violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “Targeting those who steal the firearms from stores which are then given to other criminals is even more important. Congratulations to the entire team that investigated and prosecuted this case.”
“This case highlights the incredible work by our ATF Special Agents, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Springs Police Department,” said ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston. “Scoggin’s criminal actions posed a threat to our society. I am very proud of the team that not only put her behind bars but also recovered 57 stolen firearms.”
This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the Colorado Springs Police Department. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Treaster.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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.
Dunedin Psychologist Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of A Medicare AuditRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Dr. Charles Gerardi (76, Dunedin) has pleaded guilty to obstructing a Medicare audit. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, in 2012, a federal Medicare auditor performed an audit of Gerardi’s employer related to 350 claims, and more than 2,300 individual services that Gerardi had purportedly performed. In response to the audit request, Gerardi provided the auditor with a series of fabricated records, which were designed to fraudulently support the medical necessity of the claims. Gerardi knew that the claims under review were not otherwise supportable, and fabricated the records for the purpose of impeding the auditor's performance of the audit.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Jones.
District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Traffic Fatality in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Daryl G. Alexander, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison on a charge of voluntary manslaughter in a crash that killed Oren Dorell, a reporter for USA Today, in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Prior to the crash, according to the evidence, Alexander had smoked a cigarette dipped in PCP.
Alexander pled guilty on Sept. 14, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He pled guilty under what is known as the Alford doctrine. Under an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit the allegations but agrees that the government has enough evidence to secure a conviction. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed-upon sentence of 60 to 72 months in prison. The Honorable Craig Iscoe accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Alexander will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also faces revocation of his probation for an earlier offense.
According to the government’s evidence, on Friday June 8, 2018, at approximately 8:25 p.m., Alexander was driving his Toyota Camry eastbound on H Street NE, at a high rate of speed, when he struck a motorcycle operated by Mr. Dorell. A witness reported seeing the vehicle strike and run over Mr. Dorell, and then continue east before stopping at 13th and H Streets NE. When the Metropolitan Police Department arrived on the scene, Alexander was still in the car, and several citizens were banging on the window to get his attention. About 20 people, including citizens and offices, joined together to lift the car, and Mr. Dorell was underneath it. Mr. Dorell was transported to the hospital but died early June 9, 2018, a few hours later.
Alexander was removed from the vehicle at the scene and placed in handcuffs. Officers attempted to conduct an initial interview, but Alexander was not coherent or responsive to any verbal directions. Officers noticed a strong chemical odor consistent with PCP emanating from the defendant as well as his vehicle. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation and treatment.
After he was released from the hospital, Alexander told police that on the evening of June 8, 2018, he drove to a Chinese restaurant in Southeast Washington, placed an order for food, and then consumed alcohol and smoked a cigarette dipped in PCP in his car. According to his interview with police, the next thing he remembered was being handcuffed by police at the crime scene. He denied any recollection of driving to H Street or striking a motorcycle.
Alexander was convicted in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in 2016 for driving under the influence of alcohol. He now faces revocation of his probation for that offense.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham praised those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department, including members of the Major Crash Investigations Unit and the First District. They also expressed appreciation for those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Stephanie Siegerist, former Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim, and Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. O’Connell, who prosecuted the matter.
Department of Justice Positions Prevail in Two Federal Religious Liberty LawsuitsRead the Press Release
Two federal courts handed down decisions this week protecting religious liberty and agreeing with the positions of the Department of Justice in those cases. In the first case, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that a federal trial court had improperly dismissed a suit by a small African Christian congregation under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The congregation alleges that Baltimore County, Maryland, improperly denied the congregation zoning approval for a new church. In the second case, the United States District Court for the District of Iowa ruled that the University of Iowa violated the First Amendment rights of a student group when the University de-registered the group for requiring its student leaders to adhere to the group’s religious beliefs, while not applying that same requirement to other student groups.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the religious, associational, and expressive freedoms enshrined in federal law,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio. “We are pleased the courts agreed with the Department in these two cases, and we will continue to work to protect the rights of people of all faiths.”
In Jesus Christ is the Answer Ministries v. Baltimore County, Maryland, the appeals court ruled that a small congregation, many of whose members are African immigrants, could proceed with its claim that the county improperly denied approval to build a small church on a 1.2-acre lot. The congregation sued under RLUIPA, which protects places of worship from discriminatory or unjustifiably burdensome application of zoning regulations. The suit alleged that neighbors opposing the plan had made racially and ethnically charged statements about the worship style of the congregation including references to “dancing and hollering” as if they were “home back in Africa.” The suit also alleged that the church had made reasonable proposals and modifications to its plan and that their religious exercise was “substantially burdened” in violation of RLUIPA by the denial. The court of appeals agreed with the brief of the United States that both of these claims should be permitted to proceed.
In Business Leaders in Christ (BLinC) v. University of Iowa, the court agreed with the Statement of Interest filed by the United States, and ruled that the University of Iowa violated students’ rights of expressive association and free exercise of religion by de-registering a Christian student group. The university had de-registered the group because BLinC limits its leadership to persons who agree with its religious beliefs. The court found that the University applied the de-registration policy in a discriminatory manner by allowing other student groups to similarly limit their membership or leadership if the University felt the groups supported the University’s “education or social purposes.”
The Department of Justice announced the Religious Liberty Task Force in July, 2018. The Task Force helps the Department fully implement the religious liberty guidance by ensuring that all Justice Department components are upholding that guidance in the cases they bring and defend, the arguments they make in court, the policies and regulations they adopt, and how we conduct our operations.
More information about RLUIPA is available on the Place to Worship Initiative homepage, www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship.
Del Rio Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
In Del Rio, a federal judge sentenced 51-year-old Timothy Robert Beasley to ten years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio.
Yesterday afternoon, U.S. District Judge Alia Moses sentenced Beasley to the prison term followed by ten years of supervised release and ordered that he pay $20,000 restitution to his victims.
On December 15, 2015, HSI agents executed a search warrant at Beasley’s residence and seized several home computers, related media and cell phones. A subsequent forensics examination of the seized materials revealed the presence of more than 120 videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit activity. On November 30, 2016, Beasley pleaded guilty to the child pornography possession charge.
“Protecting children from predators who seek to exploit them is always a priority for Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners,” said Special Agent in Charge, Shane Folden, HSI San Antonio. “Child exploitation is a global issue that takes many forms and directly impacts the United States and our communities.”
HSI agents in Del Rio conducted this investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Watters prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Colombian National Sentenced to Federal Prison for East Texas Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 35-year-old Colombian national has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Esmir Colorado-Cuero pleaded guilty on Oct. 22, 2018, to conspiracy to distribute heroin, conspiracy to money launder, and illegal reentry by a previously removed alien. Colorado-Cuero was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.
According to information presented in court, in January 2016, law enforcement officers seized a kilogram of heroin moving through Beaumont, Texas for delivery in Louisiana. Around the same time, two bulk cash seizures of over $100,000 each, were made in the Houston area. An investigation by law enforcement agents into these events identified Colorado-Cuero’s connection to a large scale heroin trafficking and money laundering conspiracy moving drugs and cash from Houston through the Eastern District of Texas. Further investigation revealed Colorado-Cuero was a Colombian national and had been apprehended and deported from the United States on at least two prior occasions.
This case is the result of an extensive joint investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. Six other defendants have been convicted and sentenced for their roles in the conspiracies.
This case was investigated by the DEA Houston Field Division; DEA Miami Field Division; Houston Police Department; Beaumont Police Department; Department of Homeland Security-Enforcement Removal Operations-Beaumont; Homeland Security Investigations-Houston; and Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Lab Tyler and Austin. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randall L. Fluke and John Craft and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tommy Coleman.
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Citizen of Mexico and Leader of Georgia-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute Large Amounts of Methamphetamine in Central FloridaRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida– Juan Alberto Flores-Jimenez (34, Tamaulipas, Mexico), a/k/a Juan Cantu, a/k/a Stoner, today pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. Flores-Jimenez is the eighteenth person to plead guilty as a result of a joint FBI and DEA investigation into drug trafficking organizations that supplied motorcycle clubs, including the Pagans Motorcycle Club, with distribution amounts of methamphetamine.
According to the plea agreement, Flores-Jimenez, an alien residing illegally within the United States, was the leader of a drug-trafficking-organization (DTO) distributing kilogram amounts of methamphetamine from Georgia to other DTOs located in central Florida. Flores-Jimenez obtained large amounts of methamphetamine from a DTO operating in Georgia. In some instances, members of different Florida-based DTOs traveled to Georgia to pick up large amounts of methamphetamine from the Flores-Jimenez DTO for further distribution in Florida. In other instances, runners associated with the Flores-Jimenez DTO transported large amounts of methamphetamine from Georgia to locations in Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. Members of the Flores-Jimenez DTO delivered the methamphetamine to individuals, who then further distributed the drugs to different groups and individuals in central Florida. Between April 2017 and September 13, 2018, Flores-Jimenez was responsible for distributing at least 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Middle District of Florida.
Flores-Jimenez, a native and citizen of Mexico, was ordered removed/deported from the United States in 2014 and 2015. On September 13, 2018, law enforcement arrested Flores-Jimenez and charged him will illegal reentry into the United States, after being previously removed. On January 2, 2019, in a separate case, he pleaded guilty to that charge.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the DEA, the Volusia Bureau of Investigation, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Daytona Beach Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sean P. Shecter.
Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy Arrested for Smuggling Heroin into JailRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy was arrested this morning on charges related to his role in smuggling heroin into the Chesapeake City Jail.
According to allegations in the indictment, from July 2017 through January 2019, Jenis Leroy Plummer, Jr., 35, as a Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy at the Chesapeake City Jail, conspired with conspirators to smuggle heroin and other contraband into the Chesapeake City Jail. The indictment alleges that on Oct. 19, 2018, Plummer drove to a cul-de-sac on Horse Run Drive in Chesapeake and picked up a package containing contraband that a conspirator had left for him to retrieve. On that same day, Plummer used his position as a Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to smuggle the contraband to an inmate in the jail. Plummer used his position as a Chesapeake Sheriff’s Deputy to obtain funds that he was not entitled to receive.
The Chesapeake Sheriff’s Office has provided significant assistance and full cooperation during the investigation.
Mr. Plummer is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin, conspiracy to obtain property under color of official right, and a separate count of obtaining property under color of official right. If convicted of all counts in the indictment, he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph DePadilla and Melissa E. O’Boyle are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:19-cr-25.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Charlestown Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Charlestown man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to bank robbery.
Robert H. Brady, 41, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2019. Brady is currently in federal custody.
On June 28, 2018, an individual, later identified as Brady, entered a branch of the Cambridge Savings Bank in Charlestown, approached a teller, and demanded the bank’s money - stating words to the effect of: “Give me everything or I will come back and blow this place up.” The teller gave Brady money from her cash drawer, which included a GPS tracking device. Brady then fled the scene.
Law enforcement activated the GPS tracking device, and a short time later, located and arrested Brady. At the time of his arrest, Brady was in possession of the bank’s money and the GPS tracking device.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.