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20 March 2019
Anne Arundel County Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a Minor to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Glenn Ranger, age 56, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, to 40 years in federal prison, followed by 40 years of supervised release, for two counts of production of child pornography in connection with his sexual abuse of a young boy. At today’s sentencing hearing, the government also presented evidence to the Court that Ranger sexually abused a young girl in the 1990’s, beginning when the girl was approximately 5 years old. Judge Bennett found that Ranger sexually abused the minor girl and took that into consideration in imposing the sentence. Judge Bennett ordered that upon his release from prison, Ranger must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief David A. Spencer of the Easton Police Department; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess.
“Glenn Ranger is a predator and our communities are safer because he will now serve 40 years in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This is an especially egregious case because it involves such young children and the impact of Ranger’s crimes on the victims will continue for the rest of their lives. We are very grateful to the person who turned the child pornography over to authorities, so that Ranger could be brought to justice.”
According to his guilty plea, beginning in at least 2004, Ranger knowingly persuaded, enticed, and coerced a prepubescent male to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce videos and images of that conduct. Specifically, Ranger sexually abused John Doe, beginning when John Doe was approximately seven-years-old, and recorded the abuse. The boy was unaware that Ranger was recording the abuse.
In July 2014, Ranger leased a storage unit in Pasadena, Maryland, but failed to pay the rent for the unit. The contents of the unit were purchased at auction by a resident of Easton, Maryland, in March 2018. After observing the nature of the contents, the individual turned them over to law enforcement. The contents of Ranger’s storage unit included computers and other digital devices, VHS tapes, framed photographs, and binders containing printed and organized images of child pornography erotica. The framed photographs included five images of child pornography, including images documenting Ranger’s abuse of John Doe, which were produced by Ranger. The digital devices were forensically examined and were found to contain over 200 images of child pornography and more than 10,000 child exploitive/age difficult images. Two of the VHS tapes contained videos of Ranger sexually abusing John Doe on three separate occasions, and also show Ranger taking sexually explicit photographs of John Doe. The XD card used to store the images was also located among the items from Ranger’s storage unit.
Ranger was arrested on April 4, 2018. Ranger’s mobile phone was forensically examined after his arrest and revealed that Ranger had visited the social media profile of John Doe, and had made over 46,000 searches using terms such as “nude teen boys,” “nude teenager girl,” “nude teenager boy,” “pure nudist,” and “familys nude.”
Ranger has been detained since his arrest.
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI-Baltimore, the Maryland State Police, the Easton Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the federal case.
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Albany Man Charged with Distributing and Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael J. Kurtz, age 55, of Albany, was arrested on Monday on charges that he distributed and received child pornography over the internet.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
According to a criminal complaint, between September 29, 2018 and December 1, 2018, Kurtz received and distributed images of child pornography through a peer-to-peer file sharing program on his home computer. An initial forensic review of his computer revealed that it contained numerous files depicting child pornography. The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Yesterday, Kurtz appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, who ordered him detained pending further proceedings.
If convicted, Kurtz faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-release supervision of at least 5 years and up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the New York State Police, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashlyn Miranda.
This case is prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Accountant Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Charge for Running Ponzi Scheme that Cheated Investors Out of More than $27.5 MillionRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A certified public accountant pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud charge for running a Ponzi scheme that defrauded her victims, many of whom were clients of her accounting firm, out of tens of millions of dollars over a span of two decades.
Carol Ann Pedersen, 66, of Long Beach, entered her plea before United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who scheduled a July 10 sentencing hearing, where Pedersen will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
According to her plea agreement, between 1996 and September 2017, Pedersen executed her scheme by serving as her victims’ unlicensed investment advisor – even though she only was licensed to be a CPA. Through her firm, Carol A. Pedersen, C.P.A., she solicited her accounting clients’ investments through two types of investment opportunities that she offered: “Time Deposit” and “Client Pool,” the plea agreement states. The victims were told that Time Deposit would invest in low-risk securities providing a fixed return on their money after a period of time while Client Pool would invest their money in the stock market through an investment pool Pedersen had established with other investors’ funds, court papers state. During the course of the scheme, Pedersen’s victims invested more than $40 million into these accounts and the total loss to the victims was at least $27,550,720.40, according to court documents.
Pedersen admitted in her plea agreement that after she took her victims’ money, she deposited the funds into her personal accounts, and then used that money to pay her credit card bills, establish trust accounts for her family, and purchase real estate. In an effort to avoid detection and in the classic hallmark of a Ponzi scheme, Pedersen used some of her victims’ money to make distribution payments to her other victims, and she falsely represented the payments as returns on their investments. Pedersen also admitted to avoiding detection by creating fraudulent documents, including false account statements and an online “virtual portfolio” that she falsely represented enabled her victims to track their investments’ progress, court papers state.
For example, on July 30, 2015, Pedersen wired $3 million from a purported “Client Pool” account to a personal account that she controlled, the plea agreement states.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The Securities and Exchange Commission today filed a civil complaint against Pedersen in connection with the fraudulent scheme.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julian Andre and Alexander Wyman of the Major Frauds Section.
11 Charged in National Foreclosure Relief ScamRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has charged 11 people from across the country with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in a scheme to defraud distressed homeowners by falsely representing that they could help the victims save their homes. This included more than 50 victims in the Southern District of Ohio.
Eight defendants have been arrested to date. The indictment was returned on March 6 and unsealed today.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Robert Manchak, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), Northeast Region, Todd Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Tommy D. Coke, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Pittsburgh Division, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector in Charge, USPIS, New York region, announced the charges.
According to the 26-count indictment, from 2013 through 2018, the defendants took advantage of homeowners’ desperation to save their homes and used money from homeowner victims to personally enrich themselves.
Those arrested to date include:
Name
Also Known As
Age
Residence
Lorin K. Buckner
62
Hamilton, Ohio
Garrett Stevenson
41
Cincinnati, Ohio
Damien Byrd
40
Norfolk, Va.
Stacy Kay Slaughter
58
Gahanna, Ohio
Marcus A. Mullings, Jr.
57
Hackensack, N.J.
Talia Marie Stephen-Mullings
Marie Hightower
36
Hackensack, N.J.
Amal Mahepaul Balmacoon
Martin
37
South Ozone Park, N.Y.
John Nelson
66
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Companies named in the indictment include:
- MVP Home Solutions, LLC, also known as
- Stay In or Walk Away
- Bolden Pinnacle Group Corp., also known as
- Home Advisory Services Network
- Home Advisory Services Group Inc.
- Silverstein & Wolf Corp.
Joel Harvey, 36, of Cincinnati, Dessalines Sealy, 55, of Brooklyn, N.Y. and Rafiq Bashir, 35, of Jacksonville, Fla. have also been charged in the indictment.
It is alleged that defendants were involved in a multilevel marketing scheme, which promised affiliates commissions by recruiting distressed homeowners to the above named companies.
They used multiple ways to recruit affiliates, including conference calls and direct mailings. For example, some co-conspirators hosted weekly conference calls where participants from across the country dialed in to hear details of the scheme and share sales strategies. During the calls, defendants encouraged affiliates to recruit homeowners to their companies on the promise of easy money.
Some co-conspirators also allegedly promoted, organized and attended conferences in which affiliates came to hear details of the scheme in person. For example, some co-conspirators organized and participated in a national conference in Columbus, Ohio in April 2015 in which they provided “deep impact training” and techniques for affiliates to convince homeowners to enroll in Bolden Pinnacle Group and Silverstein & Wolf Corporation programs.
Affiliates were encouraged to be aggressive in recruiting homeowners. Affiliates used online databases and court records to identify vulnerable, financially distressed homeowners who had recently received notice of foreclosure on their home.
According to the indictment, some co-conspirators mailed more than 22,000 postcards in the Southern District of Ohio and elsewhere promising that they could “stop foreclosure” or “stop the sheriff sale” for a fixed fee. Co-conspirators also reached out to homeowners using Craigslist ads, websites, emails and social media platforms.
On the promise of reducing or eliminating mortgage obligations in exchange for a fee, initial recruiters would collect payments from homeowners and refer the victims to the co-conspirator companies.
Among other things, the referral programs promised:
- to negotiate with mortgage lenders on the homeowners’ behalf for the purchase of the mortgage notes at a discount;
- to negotiate the sale of their home and release of their mortgage loans through a short sale and/or deed in lieu of foreclosure sale;
- to stop an imminent foreclosure sale;
- to remove the mortgage lien via a tender offer; and
- achieve short sale prices at a fraction of the value of the outstanding lien/note.
“These programs were fraudulent,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “The defendants performed virtually no negotiations on behalf of the homeowners and never successfully purchased a mortgage note or provided a new, lower-cost mortgage. They never removed a mortgage lien or performed short sales as advertised.”
Further, defendants represented that they had “proprietary” methods or “legal tactics” to help homeowners stall or completely avoid foreclosure. In actuality, the indictment says defendants persuaded homeowners to file chapter 13 bankruptcies in order to delay foreclosure actions.
Defendants allegedly filed skeletal bankruptcy petitions that they called “pump fakes.” These petitions intentionally failed to disclose the co-conspirators as preparers and named the homeowners as filing pro se. Any relief from foreclosure delay was temporary until the bankruptcy court dismissed the proceeding.
In 2014 alone, one defendant allegedly prepared and filed petitions for 30 homeowners without their knowledge, including four homeowners in the Southern District of Ohio.
The indictment includes one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, seven counts of wire fraud, 12 counts of bankruptcy fraud, one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
“To prey on individuals desperate to find a way to save their homes is unconscionable. What makes this crime even more egregious is the alleged methods these individuals used to lure their victims, and the extensive planning and details by these scammers to not take ‘no’ for an answer if a victim was not willing to enter their program. If you believe in karma, this is what law enforcement brought today when these scammers were arrested and brought to justice for their despicable crimes,” said Inspector in Charge Philip R. Bartlett.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FHFA-OIG, USPIS, and FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo, who is prosecuting the case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
If you believe you are a potential victim of this fraud, please contact the FBI at [email protected] or 513-421-4310.
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- MVP Home Solutions, LLC, also known as
19 March 2019
Wolf Point man admits charge in fatal crashRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Wolf Point resident Andrew Preston Martell admitted on Monday he had been drinking and driving under the influence on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation last October when he crashed his vehicle, killing one of his passengers, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Martell, 32, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. He faces a maximum eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and set sentencing for June 27. Martell is detained.
Prosecutors said the crash occurred at about 10 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2018 on a county road known as Swimming Pool Road, near Wolf Point. Martell had been drinking alcohol heavily throughout the evening and was driving around the reservation with two female passengers. Martell drove off the straight road and crashed in a ditch. The vehicle rotated and rolled end over end coming to rest on the driver’s side. All three occupants were trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by emergency responders. One of the passengers was impaled by a crutch in the vehicle and died at the scene. Martell’s blood alcohol concentration was about 0.182 percent.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassady Adams prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Montana Highway Patrol, Wolf Point Police Department and Fort Peck Tribes Law Enforcement.
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Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography Outside of the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to producing and possessing child pornography in 2015 and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place between 2014 and 2015, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Jeffrey H. Ernisse, 61, pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography, one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in the Philippines, and one count of possessing child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Lynn S. Adelman. Sentencing is set for July 11, 2019.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, while law enforcement was investigating Ernisse for production of child pornography in Wisconsin, they discovered evidence of additional child pornography production from the Philippines on Ernisse’s digital devices. While traveling in the Philippines, in March 2015 and then again, in April 2015, Ernisse produced child pornography with a prepubescent minor. Between June 2014 and April 2015, he engaged in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in the Philippines. And in December 2015, Ernisse possessed child pornography in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating this case with the cooperation of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Police Department. Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan J. Paulson of the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.
This investigation is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Williamsport Man Indicted on Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Zakhary Wayne Pryer, age 39, of Old Lycoming Township, Pennsylvania, was indicted on March 14, 2019, by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Pryer distributed heroin and cocaine on five separate dates between October 12, 2018 and November 19, 2018. The indictment also alleges that on November 20, 2018, Pryer possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and additional amounts of heroin, cocaine, marihuana, and phencyclidine (PCP). The indictment also alleges that Pryer possessed three pistols in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
The case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police, the Lycoming County Narcotics Enforcement Unit, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant United States Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.]
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Waynesboro pharmacist pleads guilty to felony drug chargeRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, GA: A Waynesboro pharmacist is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to illegally obtaining opioids for his own use.
Wilton Clinton “Clint” Meeks III, 55, of Waynesboro, Ga., pled guilty on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, to acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, deception, or subterfuge, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge J. Randal Hall accepted Meeks’ guilty plea.
According to information provided in court filings and during court proceedings, Meeks acquired Oxycodone from his pharmacy, Liberty Square Pharmacy, that was not prescribed to him. Meeks did so for his own personal use, and the unlawful acquisition of Oxycodone occurred for more than one year.
Oxycodone is a Schedule II controlled substance. While the opioid is often prescribed to treat severe pain, Oxycodone carries a serious risk of addiction, abuse, and overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“An inherent tragedy of opioid addiction is that it often transitions from legitimate need to desperate compulsion,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “But that isn’t an excuse for medical professionals to break the law in pursuit of their own gratification.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said, “DEA, its law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office are committed to stopping medical professionals like Mr. Meeks from abusing their positions of trust.”
The Meeks guilty plea is the result of the U.S. Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to fight the prescription opioid crisis. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia is committed to using all available remedies under the Controlled Substances Act against doctors, pharmacists, and others who break the law.
U.S. Attorney Christine commended the hard work of the Savannah Resident Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration, which investigated Meeks, led by Group Supervisor George M. Taylor and Diversion Investigator Tierra Singleton.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Porter is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography Outside of the United StatesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty today to producing and possessing child pornography in 2015 and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place between 2014 and 2015, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Matthew D. Krueger of the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Jeffrey H. Ernisse, 61, pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography, one count of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in the Philippines, and one count of possessing child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Lynn S. Adelman. Sentencing is set for July 11, 2019.
According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, while law enforcement was investigating Ernisse for production of child pornography in Wisconsin, they discovered evidence of additional child pornography production from the Philippines on Ernisse’s digital devices. While traveling in the Philippines, in March 2015 and then again, in April 2015, Ernisse produced child pornography with a prepubescent minor. Between June 2014 and April 2015, he engaged in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in the Philippines. And in December 2015, Ernisse possessed child pornography in the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating this case with the cooperation of the Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Police Department. Trial Attorney William M. Grady of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan J. Paulson of the Eastern District of Wisconsin are prosecuting the case.
This investigation is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
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Vancleave Woman Pleads Guilty to Credit Union TheftRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Merrideth Christina McMillian, 46, of Vancleave, Mississippi, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to theft from a credit union, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
While employed as the vice president of Singing River Federal Credit Union’s Moss Point branch, McMillian stole more than $350,000 from the credit union. The fraud was discovered after an audit in August 2018 showed suspicious transactions.
McMillian carried out the fraudulent scheme by going into the bank’s computer system and releasing collateral that was used for other loans. Once the collateral was released, she used that collateral to borrow money. Agents also uncovered that in 2017, McMillian used a customer’s information, without her consent, to take out several unsecured loans. The loans ranged from $5,000.00 to $60,000.00. On another occasion, McMillian used a friend’s name and a customer’s money market account information to take out a fraudulent loan of $47,500. In total, McMillian stole more than $350,000.00.
McMillian will be sentenced on June 24, 2019, by Judge Ozerden and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000.00 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Based in Los Angeles Collects over $317 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions During Fiscal Year 2018Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – United States Attorney Nicola T. Hanna announced today that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California collected over $317 million in criminal, civil and forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year 2018.
Included in the total amount of $317,453,521 collected during the fiscal year that ended on September 30, 2018 was more than $61.2 million of restitution and fines ordered in criminal cases. The majority of this money was owed to victims of federal crimes, and some of the money helps fund programs that support victim services. As part of its commitment to collecting restitution owed to victims, the United States Attorney’s Office has shown consistent annual increases in the amount of money collected in this area, and last year’s $61.2 million is more than double the amount recovered in fiscal year 2016.
Last year’s collections also include over $235 million worth of assets forfeited to the United States for crimes committed both here and abroad, including more than $100 million recovered as part of the ongoing 1MDB international kleptocracy investigation. Prosecutors in the Asset Forfeiture Section also collected millions of dollars – including cash, numerous high-end and collectible vehicles, and residential properties – from a parking lot operator who defrauded the Veterans Administration. Forfeited assets – money and the proceeds of property that will be sold – are deposited into the Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund, and that money is used to compensate crime victims and fund a variety of law enforcement activities, including federal task forces and education initiatives.
The balance of the money collected during the preceding fiscal year – $21.2 million – was secured through civil enforcement matters in which prosecutors recovered federal funds lost primarily through fraud or other misconduct.
Additionally, the office’s Civil Division worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and colleagues in Washington to collect an additional $162.2 million in civil cases that were pursued in conjunction with these other Justice Department components, a figure that includes a $65 million settlement with Prime Healthcare Services and its chief executive officer to resolve allegations of Medicare fraud.
“We are focused on securing restitution for crime victims, recovering taxpayer money obtained by fraud, and stripping criminals of their ill-gotten gains,” said United States Attorney Nick Hanna. “The hundreds of millions of dollars we recovered in 2018 stand as a tribute to the tenacity and hard work of our prosecutors and staff.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California is based in Los Angeles and has branch offices in Santa Ana and Riverside. Currently, approximately 275 Assistant United States Attorneys serve about 20 million people who reside in the counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo.
The lawyers in the Financial Litigation Section in the Civil Division, headed by Assistant United States Attorney Indira Cameron-Banks, collect restitution, fines, civil settlements, penalties and defaulted federal loans owed to victims of federal crimes and to the United States. These efforts include locating and securing debtors’ assets through investigation, discovery and enforcement actions.
The prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Asset Forfeiture Section, led by Assistant United States Attorney Steven R. Welk, are responsible for handling all criminal and civil forfeiture matters. These attorneys work closely with federal investigating agencies and task forces, in this district and elsewhere, to deprive criminals and their organizations of the proceeds generated by their illicit activities and the property used to facilitate those crimes.
Two Illegal Aliens from Mexico Plead Guilty to Reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Jose Garcia Faustino and Ernesto Santiago-Baltazar, both age 21 and citizens of Mexico, pled guilty yesterday before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to unlawful reentry by an alien after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Garcia Faustino and Santiago-Baltazar are scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Guirola on June 6, 2019. They each face a maximum penalty of 2 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. They also faced removal from the United States following the completion of any prison sentence.
On or about January 28, 2019, an interdiction agent with the South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team conducted a lawful traffic stop on a GMC Yukon XL with South Carolina license plates on interstate I-10 eastbound in Jackson County. The agent observed a total of eight occupants in the vehicle (2 drivers and 6 passengers), which included Garcia Faustino and Santiago-Baltazar as passengers.
Border Patrol Agents arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, and interviewed the occupants of the vehicle as to their citizenships, determining none had proper documents and all were illegally present in the United States. All eight vehicle occupants were illegal aliens from Mexico. All occupants were arrested and transported to the Border Patrol Station in Gulfport. A Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent joined Border Patrol Agents and determined the six passengers were being smuggled within the United States. Further investigation revealed that both men are citizens of Mexico and had previously been ordered removed from the United States.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the United States Border Patrol, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and the City of Gautier Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.
Three honored with Executive Office of United States Attorney AwardsRead the Press Release
Pictured: Fawn Thomas, Ashley Lough, Tracie WeaverWHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –U.S. Attorney Bill Powell is applauding his staff for being recognized for their outstanding work in the Northern District of West Virginia.
The Executive Office for United States Attorneys honors staff from U.S. Attorney’s offices across the country each year to recognize exemplary work within the Department of Justice. Three staff from the Northern District of West Virginia will be honored this year.
Fawn Thomas, Administrative Officer, is being honored for Superior Performance in Administration. Fawn has worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 31 years, serving in several positions prior to becoming the Administrative Officer in 2012. Fawn has been described as a “force of nature”. Her dedication to the District and its staff is unmatched. She travels thousands of miles every year across the District trying to assure all ongoing needs are being met, and does so with a warm and generous spirit. Her work ethic is well-known to all who know her and she exemplifies the District’s motto of “One District, One Mission.” Fawn’ endless hours of dedication greatly justifies the recognition she has now received.
For Superior Performance in Prevention and Reentry Activities, the Executive Office has recognized Reentry Coordinator Ashley Lough. Ashley has been the District’s Reentry Coordinator since 2017, and also serves at the Executive Assistant to the U.S. Attorney. Ashley has worked tirelessly to implement the district’s reentry simulation in all of the District’s federal correctional facilities, as well as several within the West Virginia’s Division of Corrections’ prisons. She has put the District on a national stage as the standard in reentry efforts with this simulation. She also assists with job fairs within our federal prisons, as well as trained those in other Districts across the country on reentry efforts. Her dedication to reentry and the success of those exiting prison is unmatched. Ashley has worked with the District for four years, and with the federal government for 12 years.
Tracie Weaver, Litigation Support Specialist, is being honored for Superior Performance in Litigative Support Role. Tracie was the first Litigation Support Specialist in the District, and has worked tirelessly to master the tools necessary for exemplary work in her position. Tracie has assisted in helped to establish four fully-trained Litigation Support Specialists now in the District. She offers vital assistance and knowledge to the other specialists, to the Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the District, serving as an important part of the criminal prosecution team, and to others on a national level. Tracie has worked for the District for more than 20 years.
“I can’t say enough about these honorees. It is spectacular that a district of our size would have three Director Award recipients in the same year, particularly in light of the highly selective selection process. These awards are well deserved and reflect extraordinary work and dedication. It is a tribute to our district that we have Fawn, Ashley and Tracie. It will be one of my great professional honors to be part of the presentation ceremony. Congratulations to each of them,” said Powell.
The 35th Executive Office for United States Attorneys (EOUSA) Director’s Awards will be held on June 20, 2019 at the Robert F. Kennedy Main Justice Building Great Hall in Washington, D.C.
The EOUSA provides executive and administrative support for the 93 U.S. Attorneys located throughout the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Such support includes legal education, administrative oversight, technical support, and the creation of uniform policies. Learn more at https://www.justice.gov/usao/eousa.
Three Men Plead Guilty to Federal Drug and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that three men, two from Detroit, Michigan, and one from Huntington, entered guilty pleas today in federal court in Huntington:
Rudolph Donnell Willis, 45, from Detroit, Michigan entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute heroin. Between March and June of 2015, Willis received heroin which he delivered on multiple occasions to a residence located at 1751 Buffington Avenue in Huntington. Willis provided the heroin to the occupants of the residence and the occupants would in turn distribute the heroin to various customers. Willis later collected money from the heroin sales at the residence. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence on June 29, 2015. Just prior to execution of the warrant, officers observed Willis enter the residence. During the search, Willis and other individuals in the residence were arrested and officers seized heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine.
Willis faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 24, 2019.
The FBI Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.
Ellis Simmons, Jr., 49, from Detroit, Michigan, entered guilty pleas to possession with intent to distribute heroin and prohibited possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in federal court in Huntington. On September 14, 2015, members of the Huntington FBI Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at 2317 Lincoln Avenue in Huntington. When investigators executed the warrant, they located Simmons and two additional individuals inside the residence. Investigators subsequently seized approximately 25 grams of heroin during the search. Investigators also seized a .22 caliber pistol from a room where Simmons was located. Simmons was previously convicted of multiple felony offenses and admitted to possessing the gun. Simmons also admitted that during the month of September 2015, he and others used the residence to distribute heroin.
Simmons faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 8, 2019.
The FBI Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the plea hearing.
“The Detroit Express is very much alive,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are working overtime to intercept and prosecute the Detroit drug demons that poison our streets and our kids. Since I became United States Attorney, scores and scores of Detroit thugs have been arrested and prosecuted in the Southern District of West Virginia. Even the Detroit poison peddlers should be able to figure it out – come to my district and we will see if we can arrange for you to spend a very long time behind bars.”
Carl Dillow III, 29, of Huntington, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with distribution of fentanyl. Dillow admitted that on May 22, 2017, he met a confidential informant at the Adams Landing apartments in Huntington and gave the informant fentanyl in exchange for $70.
“Fentanyl is killing too many West Virginians,” said Stuart. “Fentanyl is the leading cause of overdose for our citizens. Anyone caught distributing fentanyl will be prosecuted to the maximum extent of the law.
Dillow faces up to twenty years in federal prison when he is sentenced on July 8, 2019.
The Huntington Police Department conducted the investigation. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie S. Taylor handled the prosecution.
These cases are being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), a focused enforcement effort that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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Tax Preparer Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Fraudlent Scheme to Steal over $1 Million from His ClientsRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that TOM SHIN was sentenced to two years in prison for aiding the preparation of a false tax return and wire fraud. SHIN pled guilty on November 29, 2018, before U.S. District Court Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Instead of honestly performing the tax services he was hired to do, Tom Shin used his expert knowledge in a scheme to defraud his clients of more than $1.3 million that was intended to pay taxes owed to the federal and state governments. Today, Shin has been held accountable for breaching his clients’ trust.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint and Indictment to which SHIN pled guilty:
SHIN was hired to prepare joint federal and state tax returns for two individuals (the “Clients”) for tax year 2017. SHIN showed the Clients completed tax return forms indicating that the Clients owed approximately $1.3 million in taxes. However, SHIN actually filed false returns on behalf of the Clients without their knowledge, which concealed the Clients’ tax liability. SHIN then, in connection with applications for extensions of time to file his personal tax returns, directed tax authorities to withdraw approximately $1.3 million from the Clients’ bank account, and then filed personal tax returns seeking an approximately $1.3 million refund. The net result of the alleged scheme would have been a transfer of approximately $1.3 million from the Clients’ bank account to SHIN.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, SHIN, 36, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release. SHIN was also ordered to forfeit $335,394.
U.S. Attorney Berman thanked the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance for their outstanding work.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Brett M. Kalikow is in charge of the prosecution.
St. Croix Man Convicted at Trial, Who Later Absconded to Puerto Rico, Pleads Guilty to Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – On Tuesday, March 19, 2019, Nathaniel Thomas, Jr., 29, of St. Croix, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr., to escape from custody, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Sentencing is scheduled for July 18, 2019.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court on March 13, 2018, the defendant was convicted of federal and local charges, including felon in possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm and reckless endangerment in the first degree in the District Court of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix Division. Upon his conviction, the District Court Judge remanded the defendant into custody pending sentencing. The Marshal Service transported the defendant to the Golden Grove Adult Correctional Facility, where federal prisoners are detained pursuant to an agreement with the Attorney General of the United States. On March 15, 2018, the defendant escaped from Golden Grove. He was located by law enforcement agents in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico on April 7, 2018 and was taken into custody.
Thomas faces a term of imprisonment of not more than five years and a fine of not more than $250,000 on his current charges. He is currently serving a twenty-three year federal sentence for his previous federal convictions.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshal Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for drug trafficking and illegally possessing firearms.
Steven S. Price, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court ordered this federal sentence to be served consecutively to an unrelated state conviction.
On Nov. 8, 2018, Price pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and to possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
On Jan. 17, 2018, Springfield police officers executed a search warrant at Price’s residence after receiving information that he was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine. They found seven ounces (approximately 198 grams) of methamphetamine and $6,202 inside a backpack on the floor next to where Price was sitting. Price also had $910 in the pocket of the backpack. Officers also searched Price’s vehicle, a 2000 GMC Sierra, and found a Smith and Wesson .40-caliber pistol, a Beretta .380-caliber pistol, and 49 ounces (approximately 1.389 kilograms) of methamphetamine behind the driver’s door panel.
According to court documents, Price has accumulated over 20 criminal convictions since his involvement with the criminal justice system began in 2005. Price has been convicted several times for possessing controlled substances, as well as stealing, passing a bad check, possession of marijuana, possession of narcotic paraphernalia, and numerous traffic offenses. While on supervision for his various offenses, Price accumulated over 40 violations, including one for possession of contraband while incarcerated.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Shelby Township Resident Sentenced for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Shelby Township resident will spend 14 months in prison for tax evasion and pay restitution and a $20,000 fine, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider announced today.
Joining Schneider in the announcement was Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Office of the Internal Revenue Service ‐ Criminal Investigation.
The defendant, Mersed Bebanic, 35, owned and operated three businesses, including Century Trucking Inc, Century Trucking Services LLC, and Century Innovations. Bebanic was required to file personal income tax returns for tax years 2011 through 2014 and had a duty to report an accurate net profit of his business on Form 1120S of his U.S. Income Tax Return for S Corporation and to pay any income tax due. Instead, in April 2014, Bebanic prepared and filed a Form 1040 Individual Income Tax Return with the IRS for the 2013 tax year and underreported his total income. Bebanic reported his taxable 2013 income as $34,073.00 and the total taxes on his income as $10,790.00 when Bebanic knew his total income for 2013 was substantially higher. As a result, the tax due and owing on his income for 2013 was also substantially higher, totaling $281,368.00.
Factoring in penalties, the loss associated with Bebanic’s tax evasion scheme from 2011 through 2014 totaled $1,224,461. Bebanic agreed to pay the total amount of his restitution by applying funds seized from his home during the execution of a search warrant in August 2016.
Bebanic filed a false 2013 individual income tax return knowing that the total income and tax due reported on his 2013 return were false. Bebanic admitted in court he met with his accountant in April of 2014 and provided information that overstated his business expenses, therefore, understating his profit. The inaccurate profit transferred to his personal income tax return. Despite knowing the information was not accurate, Bebanic signed and caused a false return.
Manny Muriel, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit’s IRS Criminal Investigation, stated, “Mr. Bebanic deliberately underreported business income to evade a true assessment of tax due and owed to the U.S. Treasury; however, Mr. Bebanic’s actions could not escape the attention of IRS-CI and he’ll no longer be able to cheat the American taxpayers.”
The case was investigated by agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation.
Self-Styled Diamond and Gold Exporter Convicted of Wire Fraud and Commodities FraudRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE— A federal jury convicted Fritz Kramer of wire fraud and commodities fraud today in connection with a fraudulent export scheme, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The guilty verdict follows a six-week jury trial before the Honorable Edward J. Davila, U.S. District Judge.
The jury found Kramer, 70, with a last known residence in Norway, guilty of eleven counts of wire fraud and one count of commodities fraud. The evidence at trial showed that from December 2008 through July 2016, Kramer fraudulently solicited funds from investors, stating that he was a gold and diamond exporter. Kramer told his victims that their money would be invested in an “export project” in which Kramer would purchase gold and diamonds from the Democratic Republic of Congo and have them exported to Europe, Asia, and the United States. Kramer falsely promised investors that they would receive up to ten times the amount of money they invested and that the profits could be earned in as little as one month. Based upon Kramer’s false representations, more than three dozen victims were convinced to send money, totaling millions of dollars, to entities purportedly operating the bogus export project. The evidence at trial demonstrated that no return on investment was ever received by any of the investors.
On July 12, 2018, a federal grand jury handed down a superseding indictment charging Kramer with eleven counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343, and one count of commodities fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1348. The jury convicted Kramer on all counts.
The defendant is currently in custody pending sentencing. Judge Davila scheduled Kramer’s sentencing hearing for July 15, 2019. For each count of wire fraud, Kramer faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution. Kramer also faces a maximum statutory penalty of 25 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, plus restitution, for the commodities fraud count. In addition, Judge Davila may order Kramer to serve an additional term of supervised release. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maia Perez and Jeff Nedrow are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Susan Kreider and Nina Burney-Williams. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Schenectady Man Sentenced to 46 Months for Cocaine and Crack ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Yusef Boothman, aka “Rocket,” age 39, of Schenectady, New York, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, for conspiring to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine with the leader of a drug ring that operated in Schenectady and Albany.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Between August 2016 and May 2017, Boothman redistributed cocaine and crack cocaine received from Darren Clay Robinson, aka “Mountain.”
The following defendants have pled guilty in connection with the conspiracy and been sentenced as follows by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino. Corey White, aka “Stacks,” pled guilty to conspiring with Robinson to distribute heroin.
Name
Residence
Sentence
Darren Clay Robinson, aka “Mountain”
Schenectady and Teaneck, New Jersey
135 months in prison
8 years of supervision
Corey White, aka “Stacks”
Schenectady
125 months in prison
6 years of supervision
Jose Gilberto Harris
Manhattan
87 months in prison
4 years of supervision
Shenika D. Boyd, aka “Misses”
Albany
46 months in prison
6 years of supervision
Marty Humphrey
Schenectady
15 months in prison
3 years of supervision
Lashaunda Tarver, aka “Shaunda”
Schenectady
Time served
3 years of supervision
Jalessa Scott
Schenectady
Time served (about
14 months in jail)3 years of supervision
Bobby R. Graham
Albany
Time served
3 years of supervision
Willie C. Hayes, aka “Man”
Schenectady
Time served
3 years of supervision
Kimberly Petties, aka “Shorty”
Schenectady
Time served
3 years of supervision
Manuel Clemente
Manhattan
Time served
3 years of supervision
Kristy L. Smith
Schenectady
Sentencing Pending
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Capital District Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes FBI Special Agents and members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, including the Schenectady Police Department, Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Albany County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, and the New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Registered Sex Offender Allegedly Faked Court Documents in Order to Secure Housing VouchersRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Federal agents arrested a Cincinnati man this weekend on charges of defrauding the government and making false statements.
Gary Wipperman, 57, of Cincinnati, allegedly created fictitious court documents that included forged judges’ signatures in order to obtain housing vouchers.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General, announced the charges, which were unsealed yesterday evening.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Wipperman was convicted in Greene County in 1993 of gross sexual imposition and felonious sexual penetration involving a 9 year old victim. In 1999, he was adjudged a sexual predator and required to register his residence every 90 days for life.
A regular data review conducted by HUD in 2018 revealed that Wipperman had registered his residence at an address that is subsidized by federal funding through HUD.
HUD regulations prohibit any individual who is subject to a state lifetime sex offender registration requirement from receiving assistance from HUD.
Follow-up investigation indicated that in 2015, Wipperman was selected from a waitlist to receive housing choice vouchers from the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority, but was denied the vouchers because of his sexual predator status.
Wipperman requested a review of the decision to deny him housing and HUD held an informal review hearing in February 2016.
Prior to that hearing date, Wipperman allegedly provided fictitious documents to HUD – some of which included forged signatures – including:
- an opinion signed by a Federal Magistrate Court Judge in the Southern District of Ohio but issued by the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals that claimed Wipperman was entitled to “have the same rights as one never charged and given the presumption of innocence unless convicted in a new trial”;
- an opinion from a Federal District Court Judge in the Southern District of Ohio that vacated Wipperman’s convictions;
- an opinion from a Federal Appellate Court Judge for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals that ordered Wipperman “deemed innocent of all charges”;
- an opinion from a Federal Appellate Court Judge for the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals that found Wipperman “innocent until proven guilty in a court of law” and
- a docket sheet from the United States Supreme Court.
“According to the complaint, Wipperman went to a hearing before HUD in February 2016 and swore under oath that both the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit had declared him innocent,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “He backed those claims with supposed court documents. None of it was true.”
In that same month, HUD granted Wipperman permission to proceed with his application for subsidized housing, based on the aforementioned documents and hearing.
Since April 2016 until at least February 27, 2019, Wipperman has paid a portion of his rent using housing choice vouchers.
Wipperman is charged with forgery of the signature of any judge (up to five years in prison), theft of government funds (up to 10 years in prison) and making false statements (up to five years in prison).
“One of the fundamental missions of the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is to provide decent, safe, and affordable housing. Moreover, children, who reside in these developments must not be subject to residing close to those who are ‘lifetime sex offenders,’ Special Agent in Charge Geary said. “The HUD Office of Inspector General will vigorously pursue any individual who circumvents these regulations, thus putting the safety and welfare of our community’s most vulnerable at risk. We wish to thank the U. S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Veterans Affairs Police Department, and the Cincinnati Police Department for their outstanding assistance in making today’s charges possible.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by HUD OIG, and Assistant United States Attorneys Megan Gaffney and Matthew Singer, who are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
If you information about defendant Gary Wipperman, please contact the Cincinnati Police Department at 513-765-1212.
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Republican Party Headquarters Arsonist Sentenced in U.s. District CourtRead the Press Release
Chief Federal District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl sentenced KELLEN MICHAEL SORBER, 27, on March 18, 2019 to forty-four months in federal prison for setting fire to the Albany County Republican Party Headquarters in Laramie, Wyoming.
In the early morning hours of September 6, 2018, Defendant Kellen Sorber maliciously set a fire inside the building located at 214 East Ivinson Avenue in downtown Laramie – a property used as headquarters for the Albany County Republican Party on the main level and a private residence on the second floor. The Defendant used pieces of concrete cinderblock to smash through a window and set a fire on the floor just inside the GOP headquarters. Sorber then left the area with the fire burning out of control.
The Laramie Police and Fire Departments along with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. They used DNA evidence, cell phone records, and security camera footage to identify Sorber and tie him to the crime. He was indicted on November 15, 2018.
"The arson in this case appears to have been motivated by animosity toward a political party. Regardless of viewpoint or cause, such political violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated." stated United States Attorney for the District of Wyoming, Mark A. Klaassen.
"We must continue to find ways to engage in healthy public discourse and debate over ideas without our differences devolving into the sort of disdain that leads to violence." Klaassen continued, "This senseless criminal act by Mr. Sorber caused thousands of dollars in damage to property and could have endangered the lives of other occupants of the building. I commend the excellent law enforcement investigation that led to this arrest and conviction."
Sorber was also ordered to pay a $6,200.00 fine and $100.00 in a special assessment. Upon completion of his prison sentence Sorber will be on supervised release for thirty-six months.
Poplar man admits stabbingRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Poplar resident Michael Cody Wolf today admitted he stabbed a woman in the back, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Wolf, 24, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Wolf faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He is detained.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and set sentencing for June 27.
The prosecutor said evidence would show that the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call on March 20, 2018 that a woman had been stabbed at a Poplar apartment, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Wolf was taken into custody at the scene and advised of his rights. Wolf told an officer that he “kinda snapped.”
The victim told law enforcement that Wolf had been out of his mental health medication for four days when the stabbing occurred. The victim felt something hit her in the back and realized she had been stabbed. The victim was flown to Billings Clinic and treated for life-threatening injuries.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office, the Fort Peck Tribal Police and FBI.
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Pittsburgh Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Distribute Heroin and a Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Daroy Murphy was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and para-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl in 2018, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Murphy, 27, was sentenced by United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon. Judge Bissoon also sentenced Murphy to serve six years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Murphy was on parole from a prior conviction for conspiring to distribute heroin in 2016 when he conspired to distribute heroin and para-fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl in 2018.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Jefferson Hills Police Department, the Pleasant Hills Police Department, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office Narcotics Enforcement Team, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case.
Pittsburgh Man Purchased Alprazolam on the DarkNet for Distribution, Illegally Possessed Guns and AmmoRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of attempted possession with intent to distribute alprazolam and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
James Robert Czachowski, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Court Judge Donetta W. Ambrose.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that, in April 2018, agents interdicted an international express parcel addressed to the defendant with a return address in the United Kingdom. Pursuant to extended border search authority, agents opened the package which contained 11,000 pills consistent with the size and shape of Xanax.
On April 11, 2018, United States Postal Inspectors made a controlled delivery of the parcel as addressed. The defendant’s father signed for the package. As the defendant’s father removed the package from the residence, but before he could deliver it to his son, agents stopped the defendant’s father, who stated that the package was to be delivered to his son at an address in Pittsburgh. The defendant contacted his father on the phone while his father was with the agents. The agents overheard the defendant ask his father whether he left yet and if everything was OK. Agents then went to the defendant’s residence.
The defendant admitted to investigators that he had purchased narcotics over the DarkNet for approximately one year. He admitted that he paid $4,200 for 10,000 Xanax bars and that he intended to sell them for $1.50 per bar. The defendant gave permission to search his residence and admitted to possessing a .22 revolver. A .380 9mm revolver, a Springfield XD 9mm and numerous rounds of ammunition were recovered, as well. As a result of a prior felony conviction, the defendant is prohibited from possessing firearms and/or ammunition.
Judge Ambrose scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2019. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shanicka L. Kennedy is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Czachowski.
Pennsylvania Return Preparer Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Yeadon, Pennsylvania, resident was sentenced today to 12 months and 1 day in prison for filing false tax returns and conspiring to defraud the United States, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, United States Attorney William M. McSwain, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Guy Ficco.
On Oct. 12, 2018, Deron Joe was found guilty of one count of conspiring to defraud the United States by preparing and filing false tax returns and 11 counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns for the 2007, 2008, and 2009 tax years. Court documents and evidence presented at trial showed that Joe co-owned and operated Edron Tax Professionals with his co-conspirator. From 2007 through 2010, Joe and his co-conspirator prepared tax returns for clients that falsely claimed employee business expenses and other unwarranted deductions. The false deductions allowed the co-conspirators to inflate clients’ refunds by thousands of dollars. Joe prepared the false tax returns with inflated refunds in order to grow his clientele.
The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Petrese B. Tucker for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Judge Tucker also sentenced Joe to three years of supervised release.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney McSwain commended agents of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Department of Justice Tax Division Trial Attorneys Christopher P. O’Donnell and Kathryn D. Sparks, who prosecuted the case.
Pascagoula Man Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Purchase a Firearm and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Carl Levon Haynes, 26, of Pascagoula, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 15 months in prison for being a drug user in possession of a firearm and 15 months for making a false statement in the purchase of the firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Dana Nichols. Judge Ozerden ordered the sentences to run concurrently, followed by 3 years of supervised release and a $3000 fine.
In May 2018, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were conducting undercover purchases of drugs and guns. On May 23, Haynes sold a shotgun that had been stolen from a Pascagoula police car. Haynes admitted to regular use of marijuana and the purchase of a handgun in 2017 at which time he answered “No” to a question about whether he used marijuana or other illegal substances.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty for False Representation to the Department of Labor to Employ Mexican WorkersRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – FELIPE GUTIERREZ, 48, of Oklahoma City, pleaded guilty yesterday to making a false statement and representation to the Department of Labor ("DOL") to employ Mexican workers, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to an Information filed February 12, 2019, Mr. Gutierrez, who owns and operates Felipe’s Lawn Care—a local lawn care company in Oklahoma City—falsely represented to the DOL that he had not sought or received any payment from his employees in connection with obtaining certification for their employment from the DOL.
At his guilty plea hearing yesterday, Mr. Gutierrez admitted that he submitted an H-2B Application for Temporary Employment Certification to the DOL in order to obtain permission to hire workers from Mexico. Though the Application required Mr. Gutierrez to certify that he had not sought or received any payment of any kind from these prospective workers, Mr. Gutierrez had, in fact, demanded and received payment from some of them. According to a Plea Agreement filed in the case, Mr. Gutierrez received a total of between $40,0000 and $95,000 from these workers.
At a sentencing hearing set for June 20, 2019, Mr. Gutierrez faces up to five years in prison, as well as a maximum $250,000 fine, along with a term of supervised release of up to three years. He also must pay restitution to the victims of his conduct in an amount to be determined by the court at sentencing.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia E. Barry.
Reference is made to court records for further information.
Nine Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa – Between January and March 2019, nine defendants were sentenced to significant prison terms for sex trafficking and related offenses in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum.
On March 13, 2019, the last of seven co-defendants charged with sex trafficking was sentenced before United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey. On February 5, 2019, the lead defendant in that case, Darren O. Coleman, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Coleman had previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking an adult by force, fraud, or coercion. At his sentencing hearing, Coleman was found by the Court to have trafficked several adult women in Des Moines, Iowa and Atlanta, Georgia. Coleman’s co-defendant, Mark Phillip Carter II, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor. At Carter’s January 16, 2019 sentencing, he was found to have trafficked additional young women. Carter was sentenced to 175 months in prison. Stephen Kalu Cobb, who was sentenced on March 13, 2019, pled guilty to sex trafficking an adult woman by force, fraud or coercion. Cobb was sentenced to 190 months in prison and ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to his victim. Other defendants included: Julyen Xavier Singleton – sentenced to 21 months in prison; Ronzell Montez Williams – sentenced to 36 months in prison; Breeanna Lynae Brown – sentenced to 50 months in prison; and Sarina Ann Williams – sentenced to 135 months in prison.
All seven defendants were Des Moines residents, who trafficked their victims in Des Moines, Iowa. The defendants exploited their victims’ vulnerabilities in order to coerce them into engaging in commercial sex acts, from which the defendants financially benefitted. These vulnerabilities included the victims’ age, substance abuse issues, financial hardship, or court supervision. The defendants used physical violence, threats of violence, emotional manipulation, and other means to coerce their victims into engaging in commercial sex acts. During the sentencing of Carter, Chief Judge Jarvey cited the impact of sex trafficking on its victims. “This is exceedingly serious behavior. It was repeated, it was abusive, it was lucrative, it was degrading, it was depraved, and it damaged young women irrevocably.” At Coleman’s sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Jarvey further acknowledged the seriousness of sex trafficking. “I can’t think of a more serious offense that I’ve seen. It was serious because it involved astounding depravity. It was serious because it involved violence. It is serious because the level of manipulation necessary to do this was chilling . . . It was cold and calculated and you developed an organization to sell human beings. I think worst of all it is serious because you preyed on weakness and people who prey on the weak or the infirm produce some of the worst crimes.”
The seven-defendant case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department, Vice and Narcotics Control Section.
Two additional defendants guilty of sex trafficking were sentenced in January 2019. On January 10, 2019, Antoinne Lee Washington, age 34, was sentenced to 327 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release for sex trafficking charges. United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose ordered Washington to pay restitution to the victims totaling $29,500. On August 1, 2018, Washington had been found guilty of one count of sex trafficking of an adult by force, fraud, or coercion, and one count of transportation for purposes of prostitution, following a three-day jury trial. At Washington’s sentencing hearing, Judge Rose remarked Washington’s “offense involves the defendant’s horrific systemic abuse and torture of [the victim] in order to force her to prostitute on his behalf for years. During the course of those crimes, he hogtied her, he repeatedly burned her, he savagely beat her, he slapped her, he raped her, and otherwise terrorized her.”
The Washington case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Urbandale Police Department.
On January 2, 2019, Bree Deontez Wright was sentenced to 151 months in prison for sex trafficking a minor. Chief Judge Jarvey ordered Wright to pay $20,000 in restitution to the victim of the offense. Wright had trafficked a teenage victim over the course of several months. At his sentencing hearing, Chief Judge Jarvey remarked, “It’s serious because the depravity of treating another human being like this is just enormous. It’s serious because it was manipulative. It’s serious because it was abusive, and it’s serious because you preyed on young women for money.”
The Wright case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Human trafficking is defined as a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, threats of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
These cases were prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Nicaraguan Man Charged with Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ALEXANDER JOSUE REYES-RAMIREZ, age 33, a native of Nicaragua, was charged Thursday, March 14, 2019 in a one-count indictment with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, REYES-RAMIREZ was previously removed from the United States on July 1, 2009. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on February 26, 2019 and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter.
If convicted, REYES-RAMIREZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 2 years, a fine of $250,000, one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee.
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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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New York Man Sentenced for Federal Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A New York man who took part in a conspiracy resulting in the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine across several counties in West Virginia was sentenced today to 238 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Marquis Edward Henderson, 33, of Bronx, New York previously pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and prohibited possession of firearms by a convicted felon. Stuart commended the investigative work of the FBI Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
“Twenty years for large quantities of methamphetamine and guns by a convicted felon,” said United States Mike Stuart. “Henderson’s criminal acts earned him every day of his nearly 20 year sentence.”
From at least February of 2016 to June of 2017, Henderson and others obtained quantities of methamphetamine and heroin from California which were mailed to the Huntington and Cross Lanes areas. Henderson and others would then distribute the drugs to customers in Cabell, Putnam, and Kanawha counties. Henderson admitted that during the conspiracy, he and others utilized a residence and a storage unit in Cross Lanes to store, prepare and distribute drugs. Henderson also employed others to distribute drugs by providing large quantities of drugs on credit and receiving payment for the drugs after they were sold.
On June 1, 2017, agents executed search warrants at the residence and storage unit in Cross Lanes. During the search, agents seized multiple firearms, ammunition, and over 3 kilograms of methamphetamine that was found to be 98% pure after testing by a forensic chemist. Henderson was previously convicted of a felony offense and thus, was prohibited from possessing firearms.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
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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Moss Point Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Andrew Roy Broughton, 30, of Moss Point, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 64 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Dana Nichols. Broughton was ordered to serve the 64 months consecutively to his Jackson County state sentence. He was also ordered to serve 3 years of post-release supervision and pay a $5,000 fine.
Broughton was previously convicted of felony possession of a controlled substance in Pearl River County and felony possession of a controlled substance in Jackson County. On February 28, 2018, Broughton sold three firearms, one reported stolen, to an ATF informant. On March 6, 2018, Broughton sold a fourth firearm to the informant.
The South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Monroe County Man Convicted of Sex and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on March 15, 2019, Fredrick Brown, age 37, of Monroe County, Pennsylvania, was convicted on sex and drug trafficking charges after a four-day jury trial held before United States District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the jury returned a verdict of guilty after approximately one and one half hours of deliberations. The evidence showed that between 2011 and 2014, Brown trafficked multiple women as prostitutes through force, fraud, threats of force, and coercion. Brown was also convicted of sex trafficking a 17-year-old minor. Brown worked mainly out of a hotel in Bartonsville, Pennsylvania, along with other Monroe County hotels, and transported his victims across state lines for the purposes of prostitution. Brown frequently used violent force and intimidation to compel his victims to engage in commercial sex acts.
Brown was also convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute over 280 grams of cocaine base, or “crack,” and possession with intent to distribute crack. The government presented additional evidence to show that Brown also gave his trafficking victims controlled substances such as Adderall, MDMA or “Molly,” and ecstasy to keep them awake and working to increase his profits.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Sean A. Camoni 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 the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum combined penalty under federal law for these offenses are a life term of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Mobile County Man Receives 60 Months After Conviction for Conspiring to Steal FirearmsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announces that Simeon C. Taylor, a 27 year old resident of Citronelle, Alabama was sentenced to 60 months incarceration for conspiring to receive, possess and steal firearms.
On November 29, 2018, Taylor entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in open court that on July 5, 2018, Taylor and a co-conspirator burglarized the home of M. J. in Creola, Alabama. During the burglary they stole four (4) firearms, namely, two Anderson, .30 caliber rifles, model 300 Blackout, an Anderson, .223 caliber rifle; and a Marlin, .22 caliber rifle.
Shortly after the burglary, a Creola police officer attempted to stop a red Nissan truck, registered to the co-conspirator, for speeding. First the driver of the Nissan truck tried to flee by speeding up and attempting to elude the police following behind. Next, the Nissan truck stopped and the three occupants inside jumped out and ran. Two of the occupants were caught and one got away. The three occupants were Taylor, his co-conspirator and unidentified man. The co-conspirator was caught. Taylor got away after Taylor pointed a gun at the officer chasing him. All of the stolen firearms were recovered from the Nissan truck. Additionally, two receipts with Taylor’s name were seized from the Nissan truck.
After waiving his Miranda Rights, the conspirator stated that he and Taylor burglarized the residence and stole the firearms. He also stated that the other man was not involved. He also said that Taylor told him to run from the police. The two officers who attempted to stop the Nissan truck for speeding picked Taylor out of a photo line-up as the person who fled and was not caught at the scene and as the person who pointed a handgun at one of the officers.
Officers of the Creola, Alabama Police Department along with special agents of the FBI investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney's Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Mobile County Businessman Sentenced to One Year Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Felony Conviction for Trafficking in Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Khalil N. Al-Mashni, a 50 year old resident of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,008.96.
On December 12, 2018, Al-Mashni entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in open court that in 2018, a cooperating citizen (CI) identified Al-Mashni as an individual he illegally sold cigarettes to in the past, which allowed Al-Mashni to knowingly evade the taxes due on the cigarettes that was required by The State of Alabama Dept. of Revenue. The ATF set up an undercover operation designed to confirm this conduct and to show that it continues. The ATF agents used the CI to act in an undercover capacity along with an undercover law enforcement officer to sell quantities of contraband cigarettes on numerous occasions to Al-Mashni that did not have a visible paid cigarette tax stamp affixed.
From December 4, 2017 through May 11, 2018, the CI sold approximately 600 packs of untaxed Newport and Lucky Strike cigarettes to Al-Mashni for various amounts of money on two different occasions while Al-Mashni was at Springhill Quick Stop, his place of business located at 2800 Springhill Ave., Mobile, Alabama. The amount of cigarettes sold to Al-Mashni exceeded 10,000. The tax loss to the State of Alabama is $405.00. The tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service is $603.96.
Officers of the Mobile, Alabama Police Department and special agents of the ATF investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney=s Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Mobile County Businessman Sentenced to One Year Probation and Ordered to Pay Restitution After Felony Conviction for Trafficking in Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Reginald Lyons, a 43 year old resident of Mobile, Alabama was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,008.96.
On December12, 2018, Lyons entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement and admitted in open court that in 2018, a cooperating citizen (CI) identified Lyons as an individual he illegally sold cigarettes to in the past, which allowed Lyons to knowingly evade the taxes due on the cigarettes that was required by The State of Alabama Dept. of Revenue. The ATF set up an undercover operation designed to confirm this conduct and to show that it continues. The ATF agents used the CI to act in an undercover capacity along with an undercover law enforcement officer to sell quantities of contraband cigarettes on numerous occasions to Lyons that did not have a visible paid cigarette tax stamp affixed.
From February 16, 2018 through March 9, 2018, the CI sold approximately 600 packs of untaxed Newport and Kool cigarettes to Lyons for various amounts of money on three different occasions while Lyons was at Mitchell Brothers, his place of business located at 1300 Arlington Street, Mobile, Alabama. The amount of cigarettes sold to Lyons exceeded 10,000. The tax loss to the State of Alabama is $405.00. The tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service is $603.96.
Officers of the Mobile, Alabama Police Department and special agents of the ATF investigated the case and brought it to the U. S. Attorney=s Office for prosecution. The prosecutor assigned to the case is Assistant United States Attorney, Gina S. Vann.
Minneapolis Man Charged with Wire Fraud, Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald announced two separate federal indictments against OTIS RAY MAYS, JR., 26, charging him with production and receipt of child pornography and wire fraud. Following his arraignment and detention hearing yesterday before Magistrate Judge Katherine M. Menendez, MAYS was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
According to the allegations in the first indictment, from May 2017 through September 20, 2017, MAYS devised a scheme to defraud two victims, a husband and wife couple. As part of the scheme, MAYS falsely told the couple that he was a lawyer and offered to help them with the eviction of tenants from their rental properties. MAYS also told them that their son, a college student, had visited terrorist websites and, as a result, was facing federal, criminal, terrorism charges. MAYS told the victims that in exchange for a payment of $30,000, their son could avoid being detained on those federal terrorism charges, and in exchange for further payment of $6,222, those charges would be dropped. Additionally, MAYS told the victims that their son’s computer contained videos that had been “pirated” and in exchange for a $305,000 payment, MAYS could resolve any legal difficulties arising from the allegedly pirated videos. In total, MAYS stole more than $340,000 from the victims.
According to the allegations in the second indictment, on November 20, 2017, and on November 29, 2017, MAYS engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a minor victim for the purpose of producing video recordings of the conduct. Additionally, on November 29, 2017, and on December 1, 2017, MAYS received multiple video files containing child pornography.
Based on the evidence obtained in both cases, authorities believe there may be additional victims of the alleged conduct. Anyone with information about this matter is encouraged to call the FBI at (763) 569-8000. Callers may remain anonymous.
These cases are the result of an investigation conducted by Bloomington Police Department, Richfield Police Department, and the FBI.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Docherty.
Defendant Information:
OTIS RAY MAYS, JR., 26
Minneapolis, Minn.
Charges:
- Wire fraud, 3 counts
- Production of child pornography, 9 counts
- Receipt of child pornography, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Michigan man admits to role in a drug distribution operation in Monongalia CountyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Maurice Swift, of Highland Park, Michigan, has admitted to his involvement in a heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Swift, age 39, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Heroin within 1000 feet of Protected Location.” Swift admitted to selling heroin near West Virginia University in June 2017 in Monongalia County.Swift faces one to 40 years incarceration and a fine of up to $2,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Mon Metro Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Mexican National Indicted for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced today that OMAR ORTIZ-HERNANDEZ, age 26, was charged Thursday, March 14, 2019 in a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, OMAR ORTIZ-HERNANDEZ (“HERNANDEZ”), reentered the United States after he was previously deported on November 26, 2017. If convicted, HERNANDEZ 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 Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
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Metro Man Sentenced to Thirteen Years in Federal Prison After Shooting at Midwest City Police Executing a Search WarrantRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – ANTHONY DEWAYNE HILL, 52, of Midwest City, Oklahoma, was sentenced yesterday to serve thirteen years (156 months) in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and for discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, announced First Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to a complaint filed on June 1, 2018, officers with Midwest City Police Department served a "no-knock" search warrant on Hill’s residence, on May 24, 2018, for evidence related to possession and distribution of controlled substances. During execution of the warrant, when officers broke out a bedroom window to enter the home, Hill retrieved a 9mm Ruger pistol from between the mattresses. According to the complaint, Hill pointed the gun toward the window and fired a round. The bullet passed near two Midwest City Police Officers, but did not strike or injure them. According to the complaint, Midwest City officers found cocaine and electronic scales in the bedroom closet, and Hill admitted to the officers that he had sold narcotics for approximately two years. Hill was arrested on June 1st for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and he has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
On June 20, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment charging Hill with (1) possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, (2) being a felon in possession of a firearm, and (3) using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. According to the indictment, on May 24, 2018, Hill possessed with intent to distribute approximately 20.5 grams of a mixture or substance containing cocaine base. The indictment further alleges that on May 24, 2018, Hill was a felon in possession of a firearm and that he discharged a firearm during the drug trafficking crime involving the 20.5 grams of cocaine base.
On October 2, 2018, Hill pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and to discharging a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. As part of a plea agreement, the United States agreed to dismiss the drug-distribution charge at sentencing.
Yesterday, Judge David L. Russell sentenced Hill to thirteen years in federal prison for the offenses. At sentencing, Judge Russell noted that it was Hill’s fourth conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm. After serving his prison sentence, Hill will serve three years of federal supervised release.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Midwest City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Patterson, and is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on the most violent offenders and partners with local prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime. To enhance local effectiveness, the Western District of Oklahoma has emphasized prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Meth Distributor Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Willie John Wells, 54, of Theodore, Alabama, was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment for his participation in an interstate methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Well entered a guilty plea to the charges in 2017.
United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed the sentence, and ordered that Wells under treatment for drug abuse while in custody. He also ordered that Wells will serve a five-year term of supervised release when he completes his custody sentence, during which he will also undergo testing and treatment for drug abuse. Wells was not ordered to pay a fine, but he was ordered to pay the $100 special mandatory assessment.
The case was investigated by the Mobile Police Department, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, MCSENT, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria A. Bedwell.
McAlester Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kody Oscar Maynard., age 31, of McAlester, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Felon In Possession Of Firearm & Ammunition, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2), punishable by not more than 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleged that on or about May 8, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, having been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, did knowingly possess in and affecting commerce a firearm and ammunition which had been shipped and transported in interstate and foreign commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Pittsburg County Sheriff’s Office, the District 18 Drug Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The Honorable Kimberly E. West, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Edward Snow represented the United States.
Maryland Man Traveled to Other States to Steal Utility Terrain Vehicles and Mowers, then Took Them Back Home to SellRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Middle River, Maryland, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen motor vehicles, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Harvey Leemore, age 43, pleaded guilty to two counts before United States District Judge David S. Cercone.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that on numerous occasions between January of 2017 and July of 2017, Leemore and others traveled from Baltimore, Maryland to various retail dealerships in Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia for the purpose of stealing utility terrain vehicles and lawn tractors from those retail dealerships. After stealing these items, Leemore and his co-conspirators took the items back to Maryland and sold them.
Judge Cercone scheduled the sentencing for July 23, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of $500,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Pennsylvania State Police, the Cranberry Township Police, the Western PA Auto Theft Task Force, the Town of Orange Police Department (VA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Harvey Leemore.
Louisiana-Based Licensed Clinical Social Worker Pleads Guilty to Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Louisiana-based licensed clinical social worker pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicaid.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin of the Middle District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office and Director Jeff W. Traylor of the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
Michael Dan Gaines, 66, of Baker, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles of the Middle District of Louisiana, who accepted his plea.
Gaines was a supervisory-level licensed clinical social worker at St. Gabriel Health Clinic Inc. (St. Gabriel), which was a federally qualified health center (FQHC) headquartered in St. Gabriel, Louisiana that contracted with the Iberville Parish School Board to provide medical services within the school district. As a FQHC, St. Gabriel could provide primary care services to students as well as services related to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, provided that such services were medically necessary, among other requirements. As part of his guilty plea, Gaines admitted that he and other St. Gabriel practitioners provided character development seminars and other educational programs to entire classrooms of students during regular class periods. Gaines further admitted that St. Gabriel then submitted numerous fraudulent claims to Medicaid, falsely representing that the practitioners had performed group psychotherapy. In addition, Gaines admitted that to facilitate the fraudulent scheme, he and others falsely diagnosed students with mental health disorders.
According to the indictment, during the relevant time period, St. Gabriel’s claims for group psychotherapy services totaled more than $1.8 million.
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG, the FBI and the MFCU, and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. Trial Attorneys Justin M. Woodard and Jared Hasten of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill of the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion.
Louisiana-Based Licensed Clinical Social Worker Pleads Guilty to Medicaid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Louisiana-based licensed clinical social worker pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicaid.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Brandon J. Fremin of the Middle District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office and Director Jeff W. Traylor of the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) made the announcement.
Michael Dan Gaines, 66, of Baker, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. His sentencing has not yet been scheduled by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles of the Middle District of Louisiana, who accepted his plea.
Gaines was a supervisory-level licensed clinical social worker at St. Gabriel Health Clinic Inc. (St. Gabriel), which was a federally qualified health center (FQHC) headquartered in St. Gabriel, Louisiana that contracted with the Iberville Parish School Board to provide medical services within the school district. As a FQHC, St. Gabriel could provide primary care services to students as well as services related to the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, provided that such services were medically necessary, among other requirements. As part of his guilty plea, Gaines admitted that he and other St. Gabriel practitioners provided character development seminars and other educational programs to entire classrooms of students during regular class periods. Gaines further admitted that St. Gabriel then submitted numerous fraudulent claims to Medicaid, falsely representing that the practitioners had performed group psychotherapy. In addition, Gaines admitted that to facilitate the fraudulent scheme, he and others falsely diagnosed students with mental health disorders.
According to the indictment, during the relevant time period, St. Gabriel’s claims for group psychotherapy services totaled more than $1.8 million.
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG, the FBI and the MFCU, and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana. Trial Attorneys Justin M. Woodard and Jared Hasten of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill of the Middle District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion.
Local gang member sentenced to federal prison for threatening a tow truck driver with a gunRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Terry M. Williams has been sentenced to federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, after Williams threatened a tow truck driver with a gun to prevent his vehicle from being towed. He also threatened to shoot and kill the apartment maintenance man who called for the tow. Williams is a three-time convicted felon and self-professed member of the “Duct Tape” gang.
“Williams threatened to kill two people who were simply doing their jobs,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “He then audaciously attempted to influence the testimony of the maintenance employee while in local custody. Williams, a three-time convicted felon and local gang member, will no longer be a menace to the community. This case demonstrates how Project Safe Neighborhoods is strategically and aggressively working to make our communities safer.”
“Even after three felony convictions, Williams showed no indication he would change and continued to be a menace to society,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Atlanta field office. “We will use every legal resource to protect our citizens and keep criminals like Williams where they can do no harm, and this case reflects that.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: On January 8, 2018, a tow truck driver attempted to remove Williams’ vehicle which was improperly parked at a DeKalb County apartment complex. After Williams noticed his vehicle on the tow truck, he blocked in the tow truck driver using another vehicle. Williams then exited his vehicle, pointed a gun at the tow truck driver, and demanded that the driver remove Williams’ vehicle from the tow truck or be killed. Fearing for his life, the tow truck driver removed Williams’ vehicle from the tow truck. Williams then turned his anger on the apartment maintenance employee who called for the tow. Williams threatened to kill the maintenance employee and shoot up the apartment complex in a profanity-laced rant, which the employee recorded on his cellular telephone. Williams then fled the scene and was later arrested after a traffic stop.
While in custody in the DeKalb County jail, Williams instructed his girlfriend to locate the maintenance employee and have him sign an affidavit on Williams’s behalf in an effort to dismiss the charges. The gun which Williams used to threaten the tow truck driver was later found in the apartment which Williams shared with his girlfriend, together with a quantity of crack and powder cocaine. Williams illegally possessed this firearm after being previously convicted of three prior felonies involving drug possession, drug distribution, and theft. The evidence also revealed that Williams had been causing problems at the apartment complex for months preceding this incident, including brandishing a gun in his waistband and threatening an off-duty police sergeant who lived at the same complex.
Terry M. Williams, 40, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to three years, eight months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Williams was convicted of these charges on December 11, 2018, after he pleaded guilty during his jury trial.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and DeKalb County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Herskowitz, Chief, Cyber and Intellectual Property Crime Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Morris prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In keeping with the Attorney General’s mission to reduce violent crime, the Northern District of Georgia’s PSN program focuses on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities, and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Michigan Church Religious Land Use CaseRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today filed a Statement of Interest in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan supporting a church’s claims that the City of St. Ignace, Michigan, violated its rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) by barring it from locating a church and coffee shop in the City’s downtown zoning district.
“Religious groups in America have the fundamental constitutional right to use land for religious exercise, free from discriminatory restrictions, and to be treated on equal terms with nonreligious groups,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will continue to enforce federal civil rights laws protecting religious freedom so that communities across the country can establish and grow their places of worship.”
“My office is pleased to take action to help protect these fundamental rights and to ensure that local zoning actions and ordinances that violate the law by failing to treat individuals and religious institutions on equal terms with nonreligious assemblies or institutions will not stand,”said Andrew B. Birge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.
The case, Hope Lutheran Church v. City of St. Ignace, involves a congregation that sought to purchase property in the City’s downtown General Business District to locate a church that would include outreach activities, including a nonprofit coffee shop. After the City denied approval, the church filed a lawsuit, alleging that the City barred it from operating in the business district even though the City permits other similarly situated secular assembly uses to operate in the district, including municipal buildings, assembly halls, and theaters.
The United States’ Statement of Interest argues that Hope Lutheran Church has properly stated a claim under RLUIPA’s “equal terms” provision, and that the City’s justifications for barring churches from the business district, such as tax generation and the impact of Michigan’s law limiting the distance between churches and liquor-serving establishments, are not valid bases under RLUIPA to treat churches less favorably than similarly situated secular assemblies.
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. Last year, the Justice Department announced its Place to Worship Initiative, which focusses on RLUIPA’s provisions that protect the rights of religious institutions to worship on their land. More information is available at www.justice.gov/crt/placetoworship.
In July 2018, the Department of Justice announced the formation of the Religious Liberty Task Force. The Task Force brings together Department components to coordinate their work on religious liberty litigation and policy, and to implement the Attorney General’s 2017 Religious Liberty Guidance.
Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Hotline at (855) 281-3339 or the Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (800) 896-7743, or on the complaint portal on the Place to Worship Initiative website.
Jury Convicts Narcotics Trafficker Involved in Multi-Million Dollar DealRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a narcotics trafficker from the Dominican Republic yesterday who was involved in a multi-million dollar deal to obtain a large quantity of cocaine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Luis M. Liriano-Toribio, 32, traveled from New York to Northern Virginia last October to assist Luis Rafael Tavarez and Manny Lizardo with a drug trafficking operation. Tavarez sought to obtain 100 kilograms of cocaine in exchange for $2.5 million in cash. Law enforcement seized over $1.15 million in cash at the time of the arrests.
The government presented evidence showing that Liriano-Toribio and Tavarez spoke via telephone and FaceTime on 66 separate occasions within a nine-day period preceding the deal, including 16 separate occasions on the day of their arrest. Evidence presented at trial also included a photograph of Lizardo holding large stacks of cash, and text messages in which Liriano-Toribio and Tavarez discussed meeting late at night in the weeks leading up to the massive drug transaction.
Tavarez, who pleaded guilty on February 27, served as the leader and organizer of the operation and was arrested at a hotel in Vienna in possession of over $1 million in cash. Lizardo, who pleaded guilty on March 11, was arrested with Liriano-Toribio in a parking garage in Fairfax while both men were attempting to take possession of the cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
The jury convicted Liriano-Toribio of attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. He faces a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on June 21. 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, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, Raymond Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the verdict. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-426.
Judge sentences Great Falls man to four years in prison for firearms crimeRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS—A federal judge today sentenced a Great Falls man, who said his job was to collect drug debts, to 48 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Justin Carlton Whitman, 37, pleaded guilty in December to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Judge Morris also ordered the forfeiture of a 9mm semi-automatic pistol that was seized in the case.
Prosecutors said evidence showed that because of a 2013 conviction, Whitman was prohibited from possessing firearms. Whitman was charged with the firearms crime after a 911 call on Feb. 4, 2017 by a Great Falls man who said his grandson came to his home and told him there were people in a SUV parked in the driveway. The people had a gun and were demanding money. The grandson also said Whitman was in the car and had a pistol in his waistband as well as a machete.
Great Falls police officers responded and found the SUV still in the driveway. Officers identified Whitman as the driver and there was a female was in the front passenger seat. The officer had both of them get out of vehicle. Once out, the officer saw a black machete tucked between the front driver’s seat and the center console. Police obtained consent to search the vehicle and seized the machete as well as a 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the center console.
Whitman went to the police station for an interview and told officers about the incident that led to the 911 call. He acknowledged that his job was to collect drug debts in Great Falls and was supposed to collect money that evening. Whitman also admitted he possessed the pistol found in the center console but that it originally belonged to someone else.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Great Falls Police Department.
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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Joplin Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for leading a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in Jasper County, Mo.
Donald B. Loomis, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to 30 years in federal prison without parole.
On Nov. 7, 2018, Loomis was found guilty at trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in Jasper County from March 1, 2015, to Sept. 24, 2016.
Law enforcement officers began investigating methamphetamine trafficking in the Joplin area in April 2015, focusing on a violent gang that identified themselves as the Joplin Honkeys. Loomis, a member of the Joplin Honkeys, was the leader of a drug-trafficking organization and supplied multiple pounds of methamphetamine per week to distribute to others in the Joplin area.
Loomis is the final defendant to be sentenced in this case. Co-defendants Alisha D. Courtney, 48, and Terrance E. Romero, 43, both of Webb City, Mo., pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. Co-defendants Kelly C. Walker, 47, of Joplin, and Lisa M. Allison, 41, of Neosho, Mo., pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to five years in federal prison without parole.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abram McGull, II, and Josephine L. Stockard. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI, the Ozarks Drug Enforcement Team, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Webb City, Mo., Police Department, the Newton County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Jasper County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Newton County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.