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18 March 2019
Two Jackson County Men Indicated on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Two Jackson County, Illinois, men have been indicted on federal methamphetamine-related charges, Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. Jonathan R. Moore, a/k/a "J-Mo," 33, of Carbondale, and Elijah S. Lacy, a/k/a "E," 34, of Murphysboro, were indicted in a three-count indictment. Count 1 charges that, between December 2018 and January 28, 2019, Moore and Lacy conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Count 2 charges that, on January 28, 2019, Moore knowingly and intentionally attempted to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Count 3 charges that, on January 28, 2019, Lacy knowingly and intentionally attempted to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The offenses are alleged to have occurred in Jackson County. Each violation carries a maximum penalty of 10 years to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and supervised release of not less than 5 years.
The indictment was returned on March 5, 2019. On March 13 and March 14, Lacy and Moore appeared in federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Both Moore and Lacy have been ordered held without bond pending a May 20, 2019, jury trial.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Postal Inspection Service are conducting the ongoing investigation. The Murphysboro Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Carbondale Police Department, and Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
Three East Bay Defendants Indicted for Conspiring to Defraud the United StatesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND –A federal grand jury handed down a superseding indictment charging Ali Mugalli Hassan, Mugalli Ahmed Hassan, and Ahmed Ahmed Hasan Dharahan with conspiracy to defraud the United States, benefits fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Western Region Special Agent-in-Charge Lori Chan.
According to the superseding indictment issued on March 14, 2019, and unsealed this morning, defendant Ali Mugalli Hassan, 29, of Alameda, Calif., owned and operated a convenience store on International Boulevard in Oakland. Members of Ali Mugalli Hassan’s family served as cashiers at the store, including co-defendants Mugalli Ahmed Hassan, 48, and Ahmed Ahmed Hasan Dharahan, 38, both of Oakland. The superseding indictment alleges the defendants defrauded the USDA by unlawfully trafficking federal benefits.
The convenience store was an authorized vendor for the USDA’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program). SNAP helps economically disadvantaged persons pay for essential food items for themselves and their families. Program recipients receive their benefits via an electronic benefits transaction (EBT) card, which operates much like a debit card but limits purchases to program-eligible items. The store conducted a high-volume of SNAP transactions, including redeeming over $2.3 million in SNAP benefits between August 2014 and November 2017. According to the superseding indictment, the defendants purchased benefits from store customers for 50 cents on the dollar, thus enabling the customers to use the cash they received for any purpose. The defendants then conducted fraudulent SNAP transactions through the convenience store and redeemed the full dollar value of the benefits from the USDA. As part of the scheme, the defendants and others also kept customers’ EBT cards and used these cards at other stores to purchase items for themselves using the federal benefits.
Each defendant was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit benefits fraud and to defraud the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371; one count of benefits fraud, in violation of 7 U.S.C. § 2024(b); one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349; and twelve counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and 18 U.S.C. § 2.
Defendants were arrested and made their initial appearance this morning in federal court in Oakland before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kandis A. Westmore. Magistrate Judge Westmore arraigned the defendants and released them on bond. The Court also scheduled appearances tomorrow for identification of counsel for Ahmed Ahmed Dharahan and Ali Mugalli Hassan, as well as further bond hearings for all three defendants.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face the following maximum statutory sentences:
Charge
Maximum Statutory Sentence
Conspiracy to Commit Benefits Fraud and to Defraud the United States
5 years of imprisonment
$250,000 fine
Benefits Fraud ($5,000 or more)
20 years of imprisonment
$250,000 fine
Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
20 years of imprisonment
$250,000 fine
Wire Fraud (each count)
20 years of imprisonment
$250,000 fine
In addition, the court may order up to three years of supervised release (for each count), additional assessments, and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court 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. Attorney Katie Burroughs Medearis is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Jessica Rodriguez Gonzalez. The prosecution is the result of an investigation led by the USDA-OIG with the assistance of the Oakland Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Third and Final Defendant Pleads Guilty in Pawn Shop Scheme to Sell Stolen GoodsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On Friday, March 15, 2019, David Gutman, age 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme to accept and sell stolen goods from the Chesapeake Pawn Brokers, in Edgewood, Maryland. Two co-defendants, Marina Gelfen, age 55 of Reisterstown, Maryland and Dmitry Babich, age 48, of Owings Mills, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. Gelfen and Babich owned and managed Chesapeake Pawn, where Gutman was an employee.
The guilty pleas were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Sung “Jimmy” Yi of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; and Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler.
According to their plea agreements, between January 1, 2015, and July 8, 2018, Gelfen, Babich, and Gutman paid cash to “boosters,” a common term for shoplifters, in exchange for merchandise stolen from Home Depot. The products include exclusive brands sold only through the Home Depot, such as Makita, Ryobi, Ridgid, and other brand power tools, to include drills, wrenches, saws, and lithium batteries. The products were frequently new and still in the original store box. The conspirators sold the items on eBay, with the payments being made through PayPal.
As detailed in their plea agreements, the conspirators bought these items from boosters at Chesapeake Pawn, at far less than their retail value, knowing that the boosters stole them directly from Home Depot. Gelfen and Gutman admitted that they paid boosters over $70,000 for stolen products, while Babich paid boosters over $11,000 during the year that he was part of the conspiracy. The conspirators listed and sold the stolen items on eBay under at least eleven different eBay user names, including the names of relatives and associates, in an effort to conceal the high volume of transactions. From January of 2015 through May 2018, those eBay accounts recorded over $1.5 million in sales. The conspirators would advertise much of the merchandise that they bought from boosters on eBay as “NEW,” “Brand New,” and “Sealed.”
Between July 2015 and July 14, 2018, an undercover officer from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office posed as a booster, and on at least five occasions brought items purportedly stolen from Home Depot to Chesapeake Pawn to sell. The defendants all purchased items from the undercover, knowing they were stolen, and later sold those items on eBay.
As a licensed pawn broker business, Chesapeake Pawn is required to enter all items that are sold to Chesapeake Pawn into the Regional Automated Property Information Database (RAPID) within 24 hours of the purchase date. RAPID is a law enforcement tool used for tracking transactions conducted by pawn brokers in an effort to guard against the sale of, and to aid in the recovery of, stolen merchandise. The conspirators entered many of the stolen items into the RAPID system, even though they knew the items were stolen.
As part of their plea agreements, Gelfen, Gutman, and Babich are all required to forfeit any proceeds or property obtained as a result of the scheme, and to pay restitution totaling $132,605.30.
The defendants each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for Gelfen on June 3, 2019, for Babich on June 5, 2019, and for Gutman on June 19, 2019, all at 3:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the Secret Service and the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation and thanked investigators from Home Depot for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, who is prosecuting the case.
# # #Texas Resident Heads to Prison for Using a Firearm to Rob Local WhataburgerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 22-year-old Beaumont resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Dveaunta Montez Hall pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2018.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced Hall to 100 months in federal prison - 16 months for the robbery offense as well as a 84-month consecutive term for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The prison term will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On March 14, 2018, the Corpus Christi Police Department (CCPD) responded to an aggravated robbery at the Whataburger located in the 4100 block of South Staples. Hall had entered the business and pointed an assault rifle at employees and customers inside while demanding money from the register. The male then fled the location on foot.
Shortly thereafter, responding officers located Hall, who still had the assault rifle in his possession, near the location. During the investigation, officers discovered Hall had stolen the assault rifle from a nearby apartment shortly before committing the robbery.
Hall will remain in federal custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
CCPD and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
Staten Island Attorney Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Richard Luthmann, a Staten Island attorney, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and extortion conspiracy before United States Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr. As part of his guilty plea, Luthmann stipulated that he obstructed justice following his arrest, by sending a threatening letter to a potential witness whom he believed was cooperating with the government and violating a court order regarding discovery materials.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jonathan Carson, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, Office of Export Enforcement, New York Field Office (Commerce), announced the guilty plea.
Beginning in summer 2015, Luthmann, co-defendant George Padula and the victim participated in a scheme in which they contracted with overseas companies to sell and ship them containers of valuable scrap metal, but instead packed the containers with cheap filler material, such as concrete blocks. As part of the scheme, Luthmann registered shell companies, including Omni Metal Corporation, with the New York Department of State and recruited a client of his law practice to be the nominal president of Omni. At the direction of Luthmann and Padula, the client opened bank accounts to facilitate the fraud, and between October 2015 and December 2015, the over-seas companies wired over $500,000 to those accounts. That money was then transferred into accounts controlled by Luthmann or a co-conspirator.
On December 5, 2016, Luthmann lured the victim to his law office, ostensibly to sign some paperwork. Once there, Padula and co-defendant Michael Beck blocked the victim from leaving. Beck then pulled out a firearm, aimed it at the victim’s head and knee, and claimed the victim owed him $10,000 because Beck had purchased a $7,000 debt that the victim owed Padula, plus a $3,000 “vig,” or interest payment, that Beck had added. The victim was then permitted to leave, but not before being warned by Padula not to contact the police.
When sentenced, Luthmann faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count.
Padula and Beck have previously pleaded guilty, respectively, to wire fraud conspiracy (Padula), kidnapping conspiracy (Beck), extortion conspiracy and use of a firearm in connection with a crime of violence (Padula and Beck).
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United Attorneys Moira Kim Penza and James P. McDonald are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants
RICHARD LUTHMANN
Age: 39
Staten Island, New YorkGEORGE PADULA III
Age: 30
Staten Island, New YorkMICHAEL BECK
Age: 60
Staten Island, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-664 (JBW)
Springfield Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for enticing a person whom he believed to be a minor (but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer) to engage in illicit sex.
Daniel Rowland, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Rowland to 15 years of supervised release following incarceration.
Rowland, who pleaded guilty on May 21, 2018, admitted that he posted a Craigslist advertisement seeking a “younger babygirl.” A detective with the Greene County Sheriff’s Department, operating in an undercover capacity, sent an email to Rowland. The detective portrayed a 14-year-old female. During the course of multiple email exchanges, Rowland made clear that he wanted to establish a “boyfriend/girlfriend” relationship, which would have to remain secret.
As the email exchanges continued, Rowland’s messages became more sexual in nature. Rowland sent sexually explicit videos along with messages explaining that he wanted to engage in those sexual acts with her. They arranged a meeting, and when Rowland arrived at the location, he was arrested.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.
Project Safe Childhood
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."South Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A South Charleston man pled guilty today to distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of firearms charges announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Brandon Starr Clemons, 33, entered his guilty plea before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“Meth. Felon. Guns,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We’re prosecuting so many of these cases, I’m starting to feel like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day. Great work as always by MDENT and ATF.”
On December 12 and 13, 2016 Clemons sold methamphetamine to an MDENT informant. On December 13, 2016, police executed a search warrant at Clemons’ Ford Street address in South Charleston where they recovered two semiautomatic pistols. Clemons told the officers that he had sold approximately one ounce of methamphetamine in the days leading up to his arrest. Clemons had previously been convicted in Kanawha County Circuit Court in 2008 of delivery of a controlled substance.
Clemons faces up to 30 years in federal prison when his is sentenced on June 20, 2019. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua C. Hanks is responsible for the prosecution.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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Sisseton Man Charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child Appears in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sisseton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and for abusive sexual contact.
Storm Gaylord Blue, age 25, was indicted on December 4, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on March 5, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
According to the Indictment, in October 2017, in Roberts County, South Dakota, Blue engaged in forcible sexual acts with a child. The maximum penalties upon conviction for each count are as follows: life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both; a mandatory minimum term of five (5) years, up to life, of supervised release; $100 special assessment for victim/witness fund; $5,000 assessment to the domestic trafficking fund; and restitution may be ordered.
The charges are merely accusations and Blue is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.
Blue was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date of May 14, 2019, has been set.
Silver Spring Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for FirebombingRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel today sentenced Darius Eric Wilder, age 41, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for committing arson, and for using, carrying and possessing a destructive device during and in furtherance of a crime of violence, related to the firebombing of his ex-girlfriend’s apartment. A federal jury convicted Wilder of those charges on August 16, 2018.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Baltimore Field Division; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department, and Fire Chief Scott Goldstein of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service.
“The evidence at trial proved that Darius Wilder attempted to firebomb his ex-girlfriend’s apartment,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This kind of violence will not be tolerated. If he had been successful in starting the fire, Wilder could have killed all of the residents of the apartment complex where the victim resided, including the woman and her three children. We are all safer with Darius Wilder removed from the community for 35 years in federal prison, where there is no parole – ever.”
“Darius Wilder is a violent criminal who used Molotov cocktails to commit arson in an attempt to seriously injure his ex-girlfriend, her children, and endanger the surrounding community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada. “We are glad to see that justice has been served and remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement and emergency service partners to stop violent offenders like this.”
According to the information presented at Wilder’s four-day trial, on April 15, 2017, at approximately 9:22 p.m. the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service responded to a fire on the balcony of an apartment in Gaithersburg, Maryland, which they located and extinguished. Investigators from the Montgomery County Office of Fire and Explosives Investigation conducted an investigation and located two incendiary bombs, commonly known as Molotov cocktails. One of the Molotov cocktails was on the balcony of the apartment, and damaged the wooden decking and children’s bikes. The second Molotov cocktail was on the ground below. The liquids within the bottles as well as wick material found in the debris field were submitted to the ATF Forensic Science Laboratory, which later confirmed the presence of gasoline. The ATF National Laboratory Center also conducted DNA analysis of the bottles and found that Wilder was a possible contributor to the DNA profile found on one of the Molotov cocktails.
According to trial testimony, at the time of the fire, the woman who leased the apartment resided there with three children. The woman had recently attempted to end a relationship with Wilder, but Wilder continued to contact the woman. The evidence showed that in February 2017, Wilder threatened to light himself on fire and sent several photographs, depicting a gas can and a lighter with a flame, via numerous text messages to her. Evidence presented at trial, including cell site location information, demonstrated that on March 8 and March 9, 2017, Wilder loosened and removed the lug nuts from the tires on the woman’s vehicle. Later in March 2017, the woman discovered broken glass placed in front of her car tire. Google searches found on Wilder’s cellphone during a forensic analysis also showed that on March 18, 2017 Wilder searched for images of gas lines and brake lines found under the type of vehicle driven by the woman. Finally, the evidence showed that on April 15, 2017, the day of the firebombing, Wilder texted and called the woman repeatedly, with the last text occurring at 9:13 p.m. Cell location data established that Wilder’s cell phone was located in the area of the apartment complex at around the time of the fire.
Witnesses testified that on April 18, 2017, law enforcement saw Wilder leave his residence carrying a cooler with a black trash bag on top. Wilder got into his vehicle and drove away. Law enforcement attempted to stop Wilder’s vehicle, but Wilder rammed a police vehicle and ran away. Montgomery County Police officers pursued and arrested Wilder. A search of the vehicle recovered three lighters, a black plastic bag containing a gas can with gasoline, a 48-quart red cooler, a backpack containing a composition book and a tire iron. According to trial testimony, following his arrest, Wilder admitted to law enforcement that he filled up a gas can at a gas station nearby, transferred the gas into the bottles, and put the bottles together on the side of the house.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Sykes, who prosecuted the case.
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Salvadoran National Sentenced for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national was sentenced on Friday, March 15, 2019, in federal court in Boston for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Juan Martinez Sola, 22, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to time served in prison, approximately 16.5 months, and three years of supervised release. Martinez Sola will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. In November 2018, Martinez Sola pleaded guilty to one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Nov. 1, 2017, Martinez Sola, who unlawfully entered the United States in 2012, was arrested in possession of a loaded firearm in East Boston.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The U.S. Marshals Service has provided crucial assistance with the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods Efforts Spur Record Breaking Number of Federal Gun Prosecutions and Significant Violent Crime Reductions in HuntingtonRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced a record-breaking number of federal gun prosecutions in 2018 as part of on-going Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) efforts to reduce violent crime in Huntington. In early 2018, soon after taking office, Stuart joined forces with the Huntington Police Department, City of Huntington officials and federal, state and local law enforcement partners to launch Project Huntington to identify and prosecute the most violent offenders. The focused collaboration has met with staggering results.
The City of Huntington saw a dramatic decline in violent crime in 2018, reversing the sharp rise in violent crime that occurred in the City in 2017. Homicides dropped by 53% in the city and overall violent crime offenses dropped approximately 20% in calendar year 2018.
The Operation Saigon Sunset takedown in April 2018 was a seminal event that delivered a knockout blow to the City’s violent crime. The OCDETF investigation culminated into a massive takedown of violent drug offenders, dismantling a multi-state drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing a significant amount of fentanyl, heroin and violence into Huntington. In conjunction with the takedown, approximately 60 other individuals were arrested on various federal and state violent crime, firearms and drug related charges. Just as violent crime numbers began trending downward post takedown, first responders report that overdoses in the city, which had previously been some of the highest in the state, began trending downward as well. Treatment professionals also report an increase in substance use disorder treatment referrals following the April takedown.
The year also brought a record number of new prosecutors to the Stuart’s office, four of which were specifically allocated to prosecute violent crimes. In the last year, Stuart has more than doubled the number of federal prosecutors assigned to his office in Huntington. With the additional resources, the U.S. Attorney’s Office-SDWV prosecuted over 100 defendants for firearms-related offenses in calendar year 2018. In FY 2018, there was a 25% increase in the number of defendants charged with firearms offenses in the District, further representing a 74% increase from the average number of defendants prosecuted in FY 2014 through 2017.
“When I became United States Attorney, the City of Huntington was under siege,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “From the day I took the oath of office, I made the City of Huntington one of my priorities and vowed to work with all our partners to take the streets back from the diabolical drug dealers and drug thugs who have caused destruction, death and despair. While we have made tremendous progress over the last year, you won’t find us resting on our laurels. There is still much work left to do.”
“The Huntington Police Department's PSN-based Violent Crime Initiative allows for the rapid investigation, timely apprehension and thorough prosecution of criminals before they can become violent offenders in our City,” said Huntington Police Chief Hank Dial. “Our partnership with the DEA, the ATF, the U.S. Marshals Service and U.S. Attorney Mike Stuart's Office has greatly enhanced our local efforts to reduce violent crime in Huntington. PSN is an essential program to our effort of keeping the citizens of our country safe.”
“ATF strives to be ‘no better partner’ to other law enforcement agencies,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Stuart Lowrey of the Louisville Field Division. “During the past year, this partnership investigated illegal sources of crime guns and persons who illegally possessed or used guns to commit violent crimes in the Huntington area. Together, we aggressively pursued ‘traffickers and trigger pullers,’ making use of crime gun intelligence to disrupt the shooting cycle. These efforts support the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods in making our communities safer for everyone.”
“The success of the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all the law enforcement professionals in the region working in a truly collaborative fashion,” said D. Christopher Evans, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Special Agent in Charge for West Virginia. "We could not ask for a better group of professionals to work with toward the shared goal of reducing violent crime in Huntington and the surrounding communities.”
“This is a coordinated effort, which calls upon all levels of law enforcement to combine forces to stop gun violence and drug-fueled crimes in our neighborhoods, and to increase community safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Jones. “The residents of Huntington have been dealing with the drugs and violence for far too long. We will continue to use all of our tools available to make sure people who bring violence to these streets are punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
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.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
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Ponchatoula Man Sentenced for Receipt of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and for Violation of the Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DANIEL JUSTIN MAHAN, age 43, a resident of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, was sentenced Thursday, March 14, 2019 by United States District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to 151 months imprisonment, having pleaded guilty to receipt of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors and violation of the Federal Gun Control Act. Upon release from imprisonment, he will serve a 5 year term of supervised release.
According to previously filed court documents, MAHAN was arrested on March 15, 2018, by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) subsequent to the execution of a search warrant at his home. MAHAN was found to be in possession twenty-four (24) weapons and over 26,000 rounds of ammunition. MAHAN has a prior felony conviction for bank robbery which prohibits him from possessing firearms and ammunition. The FBI’s investigation further revealed that MAHAN was also in possession of a laptop computer which contained images depicting the sexual victimization of prepubescent children.
This case, which was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey N. Knight, 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.”
Pittsburgh Woman Pleads Guilty in Crack Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of Pittsburgh, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Mardeja Chapple, 24, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that in 2017, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration initiated a wiretap investigation, primarily targeting the GBK street gang and drug trafficking in and around an area known as the Greenway Projects, located in the West End of the City of Pittsburgh. The wiretap investigation revealed that from in and around November 2017 through in and around June 2018, Mardeja Chapple and her co-conspirators distributed 28 grams or more of crack cocaine in and around the area of the Greenway Projects.
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2019 at 11 a.m. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $8,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Pending sentencing, the court continued the defendant’s bond.
Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya Sulia Goodman and Rachael Dizard are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration jointly led the multi-agency investigation, which also included the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pennsylvania State Police, Robinson Township Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, Wilkinsburg Borough Police Department, and the McKees Rocks Police Department, that led to the prosecution of Mardeja Chapple.
The investigation was funded 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.
Pierre Man Indicted on Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Arlyn Keckler, age 38, was indicted on February 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 12, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison, including a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and/or a $10,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that beginning at a time unknown but no later than on May 1, 2015, and continuing to February 13, 2019, in South Dakota, Keckler knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
The charge is merely an accusation and Keckler is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the Norther Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Keckler was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Philadelphia man sentenced for drug chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Anthony Lamont Lott, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 115 months incarceration for drug charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Lott, also known as “Ant,” age 50, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in September 2018. Lott admitted to distributing cocaine base and methamphetamine in July 2017 and August 2018 in Berkeley County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, and the Martinsburg Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Pennsylvania Man Convicted at Trial of Filing Retaliatory Liens Against Multiple Public Officials Is SentencedRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Clarence Hoffert, 58, who was convicted by a federal jury of filing false retaliatory liens against federal officers and employees, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Christopher C. Conner, U.S. District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. This sentence will be served consecutive to a 32 year sentence the defendant is currently serving for statutory rape in PA.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wei Xiang and Jonathan P. Cantil, from the Western District of New York, who handled the prosecution of the case at trial, stated that in August of 2017, the defendant declared a state of “Domestic Mixed War” in a “Claim of Commercial Lien Affidavit” that he filed in Erie, PA, against seven public officials. The seven alleged lien debtors included three federal judges, two members of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division’s Torts Branch, and two officials of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
Hoffert, an inmate at State Correctional Institution in Albion, declared that the seven public officials owed him $56,000,000. In his claim, the defendant stated that each official had committed 32 different crimes, at $250,000 in damages per crime, thereby making each alleged lien debtor accountable for payment of $8,000,000.The course of events started in 2013 when Hoffert brought a civil action in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, relating to his imprisonment on a state conviction. The magistrate judge assigned to the case recommended dismissal of Hoffert’s complaint, and the district judge assigned to the case adopted the recommendation. A panel of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the judgment of the district court. Following his failed appeal, Hoffert filed an administrative claim for damages with the Torts Branch of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Division in Washington, DC. The Torts Branch denied the claim. The defendant responded to the denial with a letter threatening to add the Torts Branch to his tort claim. The Torts Branch replied with another copy of the denial letter. As a result of this series of denials, the defendant attempted to file the lien in retaliation against the two signors of the Torts Branch letters, along with the aforementioned magistrate judge, district judge, and a member of the circuit panel.
In reaching a guilty verdict, jurors determined that the attempted lien filed by the defendant was false and that Hoffert knew, or had reason to know, that material information included in the attempted lien was in fact false.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania was recused from the case, and as a result, it was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshal Service, Western District of Pennsylvania.
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North Suburban Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Operating Ponzi Scheme That Swindled Elderly InvestorsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A north suburban man was sentenced today to five years in federal prison for swindling more than $1.4 million from several clients, some of whom were elderly and had pledged their retirement savings.
RICHARD K. BOOY, the founder of Principal Financial Strategies LLC and Safe Financial Strategies Inc., used the promise of no-risk investments and guaranteed returns to persuade at least 15 clients to hand over more than $1.4 million. Although Booy claimed to be affiliated with the more widely known investment firm Principal Financial Group, he had no actual relationship with the firm and was not authorized to invest client funds with it. Instead of investing the funds as promised to clients, Booy used the victims’ money to cover personal expenses, including health insurance, fitness club membership, and purchases at Best Buy and DirecTV, and to make Ponzi-type payments to earlier investors.
Booy, 50, of Vernon Hills, pleaded guilty last year to one count of mail fraud. U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman imposed the 60-month sentence in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Craig Goldberg, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; Jeffrey A. Monhart, Regional Director of the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; and Tanya Solov, Director of the Illinois Securities Department of the Illinois Secretary of State.
“Defendant committed much of this egregious conduct while sitting in his victims’ homes and in their places of worship,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew S. Ebert argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “While face-to-face repeatedly with his victims, Booy brazenly made his pitch knowing that his actual purpose was to obtain and then devour his victims’ savings, pensions, and income.”
Booy carried out his fraud scheme from 2012 to 2016. He continued his scheme even after Principal Financial Group obtained a temporary restraining order against him that led to a court-authorized seizure of his computer and other evidence from Booy’s home.
Most of Booy’s victims were elderly, and some furnished him with their entire life savings. The victims included a Chicago pastor, a retired painter, a retired government worker, and an individual who suffers from Parkinson’s Disease.
Nora R. Dannehy Returns to U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney John H. Durham today announced that Nora R. Dannehy has returned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and will serve as Counsel to the U.S. Attorney.
Ms. Dannehy first joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut in 1991 and served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney until April 2008 when, as the Deputy U.S. Attorney, she became Acting U.S. Attorney upon the resignation of U.S. Attorney Kevin J. O’Connor. She served as U.S. Attorney until May 2010.
Ms. Dannehy was the 49th U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and the first woman to hold the position in the history of the Office, which was established in 1789.
As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ms. Dannehy specialized in the prosecution of complex white collar and public corruption cases. She also served as the Professional Responsibility Officer for the District.
In September 2008, U.S. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey appointed Ms. Dannehy to supervise a national investigation concerning the dismissal of nine U.S. Attorneys in 2006.
“Nora Dannehy has superior legal skills and an unmatched reputation for integrity,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “During her long tenure in the Justice Department, she led some of the most sensitive investigations ever undertaken by our office. I am thrilled that Nora has chosen to return to public service and look forward to working with her and relying on her counsel and decades of legal experience to further the cause of justice for the people of Connecticut and our nation.”
Ms. Dannehy departed the U.S. Attorney’s Office in December 2010 when she was appointed Deputy Attorney General for the State of Connecticut. From October 2013 to March 2019, she was employed by United Technologies Corporation as Associate General Counsel for Global Ethics and Compliance.
Prior to her service with the U.S. Department of Justice, Ms. Dannehy was an associate with the law firm of Day, Berry & Howard from 1988 to 1991. From 1986 to 1988, she served as a law clerk to Senior U.S. District Judge T. Emmet Clarie.
Ms. Dannehy graduated from Harvard Law School in 1986 and from Wellesley College in 1983.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation. The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and approximately 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Securities Fraud for Defrauding Retired Victims of More Than $400,000Read the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Rudolph Carryl, 67, formerly of Oyster Bay, N.Y., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David C. Keesler late Friday, March 15, 2019, and pleaded guilty to securities fraud, for defrauding retired victims of more than $400,000. Carryl was arrested on August 29, 2018, at a halfway house in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he was serving time for federal wire fraud charges related to a separate investment scheme.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Charlotte Office joins U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to plea related documents and court proceedings, Carryl held himself out as an investment advisor to his victims and operated Carryl Capital Management (CCM), an investment management firm with offices in New York City. CCM maintained a website that purported the firm adhered to rigorous risk control measures, and was dedicated to achieving the investment goals for its clients.
In or about February 2015, Carryl induced a victim identified as “M.G.” to hand over money which he promised to invest in stocks. Over the course of two years, M.G., who was Carryl’s childhood friend and a retired nurse living in North Carolina, wired more than $75,000 to an account controlled by Carryl, based on Carryl’s misrepresentations that M.G.’s money would be used to purchase stocks on M.G.’s behalf. Similarly, in or about May 2015, Carryl solicited victims “W.B.,” a retired United States Air Force veteran, and his wife “A.B.,” both of North Carolina, to invest approximately $350,000 in a purported investment fund that was managed by Carryl. To induce the retired couple to part with their money, Carryl claimed that he was a successful investment adviser who managed investments for the country of Saudi Arabia and that he was friends with wealthy celebrities.
As Carryl admitted in court, rather than invest the victims’ funds as promised, Carryl used the money to pay for personal and other expenses, and to make substantial cash withdrawals.
Unbeknownst to his victims, Carryl had been convicted of federal wire fraud charges related to a separate investment scheme, and was sentenced in New York on or about August 9, 2017, to 12 months and one day in prison. After his sentencing but before he reported to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence, Carryl continued to be in contact with W.B., assuring W.B. that his investments were doing ok, all the while failing to disclose any information about his conviction or his impending report date to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The securities fraud charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and a $5 million fine. Carryl is currently detained. A sentencing date has not been set yet.
The FBI led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Ryan, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is in charge of the prosecution.
In March 2019, U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced the Office’s Elder Justice Initiative, which aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid becoming victims of financial fraud; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners. For more information please visit: /usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative
Mission Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding was sentenced on March 15, 2019, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.
Franklin Jones, age 37, was sentenced to 9 months in federal prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $25.
Jones was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 16, 2018. He pled guilty on January 18, 2019.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on September 1, 2018, wherein Jones assaulted his domestic partner, by hitting her in the leg with a chair.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Jones was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota Man Sentenced for Distributing Methamphetamine in WisconsinRead the Press Release
Madison, Wis. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Bradley Kraemer, 34, White Bear Lake, Minnesota, pleaded guilty and was sentenced on March 14, 2019, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 78 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine.
Kraemer transported more than 100 grams of high quality methamphetamine from Minnesota to Monona, Wisconsin, on February 20, 2018. Judge Conley noted that this is Kraemer’s first federal conviction, though he has a lengthy criminal history, “dotted with numerous periods of incarceration, all having been brief in duration.”
The charge against Kraemer was the result of an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Schlipper.
McKeesport Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Multiple Drugs and a GunRead the Press Release
\PITTSBURGH -A former resident of McKeesport, PA, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Deondre Lee Purter, 24, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Purter possessed with intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl, carfentanil, and cocaine base. In addition, Purter, a convicted felon, was in possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. As a convicted felon, Purter is prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for July 11, 2019 at 10 a.m. The law provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of not less than five years in prison to a maximum of life, and a fine of up to $1,500,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses, and the criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Chad R. Parks is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Agency conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison on Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Concord – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Joshua Smith, 31, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for participating in a conspiracy to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, a drug trafficking organization that authorities allege was led by Sergio Martinez, employed the defendant to sell fentanyl to customers from various New England States, including New Hampshire. On each day that the defendant worked, the Martinez organization provided him with at least one 200-gram bag of fentanyl and expected him to sell it and return approximately $6,000 in proceeds. The defendant worked for the Martinez organization on various days. On October 20, 2017, the defendant was arrested while selling drugs for the organization. At the time, he possessed a firearm that he admitted to carrying to avoid being robbed by drug customers.
Smith previously pleaded guilty on December 18, 2018.
“Fentanyl traffickers who carry firearms present an enhanced danger to the public.” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The law enforcement community is united in its effort to stop the flow of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into New Hampshire. In order to protect the community, we will seek lengthy prison sentences for fentanyl traffickers, particularly those who use guns to further their criminal activities.”
“Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Smith accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic.”
This investigation was conducted by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.
The case was a collaborative investigation that involved the DEA; the New Hampshire State Police; the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office; the Nashua Police Department; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office; the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office; the Essex County District Attorney’s Office; the Internal Revenue Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; United States Customs and Border Protection Boston Field Office; the United States Marshals Service; the United States Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; the Manchester Police Department; the Lisbon Police Department; the Littleton Police Department; the Seabrook Police Department; the Haverhill (MA) Police Department; the Methuen (MA) Police Department; the Lowell (MA) Police Department; and the Maine State Police.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Georgiana L. Konesky and Seth R. Aframe.
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Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 102 Months for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD- Darrell Self, 44, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 102 months in prison for heroin trafficking, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 23, 2017, New Hampshire State Troopers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle Self was driving on Interstate 95 near Portsmouth. During the course of the traffic stop, Self threw an object over the guardrail of the highway. Officers later recovered the object and determined that it was a bag containing approximately 40 grams of heroin. A subsequent pat-down search of Self revealed that he had a wad of cash totaling $1,106 in his pocket.
Self previously pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to distribute on December 3, 2018.
“Our major highways provide ready access for the transportation of heroin and other dangerous drugs into New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Traffickers who transport the drugs face enhanced enforcement efforts and stiff prison sentences. We will continue to work closely with New Hampshire State Police and all of our law enforcement partners in order to bring this deadly trade to a halt.”
This matter was investigated by the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes.
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Maryland Law Firm Meyers, Rodbell & Rosenbaum, P.A., Agrees to Pay the United States $250,000 to Settle Claims that it Did Not Reimburse Medicare for Payments Made on Behalf of a Firm ClientRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur announced that Meyers, Rodbell & Rosenbaum, P.A., a law firm with offices in Riverdale Park and Gaithersburg, has entered into a settlement agreement with the United States to resolve allegations that it failed to reimburse the United States for certain Medicare payments made to medical providers on behalf of a firm client.
“Attorneys typically receive settlement proceeds for and disburse settlement proceeds to their clients, so they are often in the best position to ensure that Medicare’s conditional payments are repaid,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “We intend to hold attorneys accountable for failing to make good on their obligations to repay Medicare for its conditional payments.”
According to the settlement agreement, in and prior to 2012, Medicare made conditional payments to healthcare providers to satisfy medical bills for a client of the firm. Under the Medicare statute and regulations, Medicare is authorized to make conditional payments for medical items or services under certain circumstances, with the requirement that when an injured person receives a tort settlement or judgment, those receiving the proceeds of the settlement or judgment, including the injured person’s attorney, are required to repay Medicare for the conditional payments.
In December 2015, with the firm’s assistance and representation, the client received a $1,150,000 settlement in a medical malpractice action stemming from the client’s injuries. After Medicare was notified of the settlement, Medicare demanded repayment of the Medicare debts incurred from those conditional payments, but the firm refused to pay the debt in full, even when the debt became administratively final.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, the firm agreed to pay the United States $250,000 to resolve the Government’s claims. The firm also agreed to (1) designate a person at the firm responsible for paying Medicare secondary payer debts; (2) train the designated employee to ensure that the firm pays these debts on a timely basis; and (3) review any outstanding debts with the designated employee at least every six months to ensure compliance.
This settlement reminds attorneys of their obligation to reimburse Medicare for conditional payments after receiving settlement or judgment proceeds for their clients. This settlement should also remind attorneys not to disburse settlement proceeds until receipt of a final demand from Medicare to pay the outstanding debt.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur commended Eric Wolfish, Assistant Regional Counsel, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the General Counsel, Region III, for his work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant United States Attorney Alan C. Lazerow, who handled the case.
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Madras Man Found Guilty of Discharging Firearm During Road Rage Altercation on Warm Springs Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—On Friday, March 15, 2019, a federal jury found Dat Quoc Do, 28, of Madras, Oregon, guilty of two counts of unlawful use of a weapon for discharging a firearm during a road rage altercation on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in September 2017.
“There is simply no excuse for this sort of violence in our community. Mr. Do’s actions are very serious and could have critically injured or killed an innocent motorist,” said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “The jury clearly saw this case for what it is: an egregious and preventable overreaction to an otherwise ordinary event on the highway.”
“These acts are shocking. Handguns are not video games and this is not a movie,” said Renn Cannon, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Oregon. “By shooting towards another car, Mr. Do put lives in danger and traumatized the occupants including a child inside the vehicle.”
According to court documents and information shared during trial, on September 14, 2017, Do was riding in the front passenger seat of a vehicle driven by his girlfriend, Thao Bich Tran. The two were driving at night eastbound on Highway 26 on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation when they came upon another eastbound vehicle being driven by an adult member of the tribe. Also in the second vehicle were the driver’s adult daughter and 12-year-old niece.
Tran was tailgating the vehicle when the other driver motioned for her to pass. At some point in the encounter, the other driver’s adult daughter threw a water bottle at, but did not hit Tran and Do’s vehicle. In response, Do fired several shots out the front passenger window of their vehicle, but did not hit the other driver’s vehicle. After the initial shooting, Tran raised the passenger window and continued to the follow the other vehicle. When Tran had a clear lane to pass, she moved to change lanes.
As Tran began to overtake the other vehicle, Do extended his hand holding a handgun out of their vehicle’s front passenger window. Believing that Do was pointing the gun in her direction, the other driver rapidly applied her brakes. Do fired several additional rounds as Tran drove away.
The other driver called Warm Springs Tribal Police to report the incident while continuing to follow Tran and Do’s vehicle. A patrol officer later stopped their vehicle and ordered Tran and Do out at gunpoint. Both were taken into custody. Officers recovered a Springfield Armory XD .45 caliber handgun in the front-passenger door pocket of the vehicle and a .45 caliber magazine partially loaded with five rounds in the center console.
Do faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. He will be sentenced on Monday, June 10, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department and prosecuted by Paul T. Maloney and Lewis S. Burkhart, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
Local Virginia Business Settles Claim It Violated Servicemember’s RightsRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s office of the Eastern District of Virginia today announced a settlement with Lawn Doctor of Stafford-Culpepper (doing business as Beck I LLC). The settlement resolves claims that the business and its owners violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by suspending and terminating a U.S. Army Reserve soldier following his return from active duty military service.
“Men and women who serve in the national guard and reserve should never have to worry whether their civilian jobs will be waiting when they return from active duty service to our country,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is firmly committed to protecting our servicemembers’ employment rights are while they defend our rights.”
“Military reservists make tremendous sacrifices when they are called to active duty,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Such service should never be a detriment to their livelihood. We are committed to ensuring that these men and women are honored, not disadvantaged, for their military service, and will continue to hold employers who violate the rights of our servicemembers accountable.”
The case stems from a servicemember complaint that the U.S. Department of Labor referred to the Department of Justice following an investigation by the DOL’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. The complaint concerned a servicemember who was suspended and then terminated from his job as a landscaper because he reported for active duty service with his U.S. Army Reserve unit for the period Oct. 30, 2017, through Nov. 3, 2017. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre G. Brou in collaboration with Andrew Braniff, Assistant Director of the Department of Justice’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative.
USERRA protects the rights of members of the uniformed services to retain their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations, and expressly requires employers to reemploy servicemembers when they return from military service.
Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department website, the Civil Rights Division website, and the DOL’s website.
The civil claims settled are allegations only. There has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Local Business Settles Claims it Violated Servicemember’s RightsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lawn Doctor of Stafford-Culpepper, doing business as Beck I, LLC, has agreed to settle claims that the business and its owners violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) by suspending and terminating a U.S. Army Reserve soldier following his return from active duty military service.
“Military reservists make tremendous sacrifices when they are called to active duty,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Such service should never be a detriment to their livelihood. We are committed to ensuring that these men and women are honored, not disadvantaged, for their military service, and will continue to hold employers who violate the rights of our servicemembers accountable.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s involvement in this matter began with a complaint that was referred to the Department of Justice by the Department of Labor concerning a servicemember who worked as a landscaper for Lawn Doctor of Stafford-Culpeper in Fredericksburg. The servicemember alleged that on Oct. 26, 2017, he received orders for active duty service with his U.S. Army Reserve unit from Oct. 30, 2017, through Nov. 3, 2017. The servicemember alleged that he promptly informed his supervisor of his upcoming military duty and was told that failure to appear for work would be considered job abandonment. The servicemember returned to work on Nov. 6, 2017, and was immediately suspended, pending termination. On Nov. 8, 2017, Lawn Doctor of Stafford-Culpeper terminated the servicemember’s employment. The servicemember complained that as a result of the termination due to his military service, the servicemember lost income.
“Men and women who serve in the national guard and reserve should never have to worry whether their civilian jobs will be waiting when they return from active duty service to our country,” said Eric S. Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is firmly committed to protecting our servicemembers’ employment rights are while they defend our rights.”
USERRA protects the rights of members of the uniformed services to retain their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations, and expressly requires employers to reemploy servicemembers when they return from military service.
This case stems from a referral by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) following an investigation by the DOL’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre G. Brou in collaboration with Andrew Braniff, Assistant Director of the Department of Justice’s Servicemembers and Veterans Initiative, who works with DOL to protect the jobs and benefits of National Guard and Reserve servicemembers upon their return to civilian life.
Additional information about USERRA can be found on the Justice Department website and the division website, as well as on the DOL’s website.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Littleton Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Christian Taveras-Polanco, a/k/a Lemuel Cruz Cepeda, 40, of Littleton, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 6, 2018, law enforcement officers surveilled Taveras-Polanco driving around the Littleton, New Hampshire, area in a gold Hummer registered to Lemuel Cruz Cepeda and stopping at two residences for a brief time. A traffic stop was conducted on the Hummer, and Taveras-Polanco initially identified himself as a citizen of the United States named Lemuel Cruz Cepeda. A consent search of the vehicle revealed 140 grams of cocaine. Taveras-Polanco was arrested and later admitted that he is a citizen of the Dominican Republic named Christian Taveras-Polanco, not a United States citizen named Lemuel Cruz Cepeda. Officers obtained a search warrant for Taveras-Polanco’s residence and located 302 additional grams of cocaine there.
Taveras-Polanco is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2019.
“Drug trafficking causes untold damage to communities throughout New Hampshire,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. It is of vital importance that we push back aggressively against the sale of these deadly substances. We are fully committed to working with our law enforcement partners throughout the state to identify and prosecute those who are involved in distributing cocaine and other dangerous drugs.”
“We’re thankful for the successful prosecution of this individual, which should be seen as a sign of the seriousness with which federal law enforcement takes the threat posed by criminal illegal aliens who prey on U.S. citizens and the communities they hide within,“ said Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent In Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Hampshire State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarad Hodes.
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Las Vegas Real Estate Broker Convicted of Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A real estate broker, who failed to file federal income tax returns for nearly 20 years and attempted to evade more than half a million dollars in income taxes, was convicted today by a jury in Las Vegas, Nevada, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
William Waller Jr. was convicted of one count of attempting to evade the payment of federal income taxes of more than $500,000 for the years 2004-2009 and two counts of failing to file his 2011 and 2012 income tax returns.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Waller, after filing his tax return for 1998 reporting zero income, failed to file federal individual income tax returns for almost two decades. He concealed his real estate income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with various methods, including using bank accounts in the name of a business to receive his commissions and pay his personal expenses, drawing substantial amounts of cash from those accounts, and borrowing against a piece of real property he owned to eliminate his equity in the property. For example, despite earning income of more than $400,000 in 2011 and $170,000 in 2012, Waller filed no tax returns in those years.
Waller faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the tax evasion count and one year in prison on each failure to file a tax return count as well as a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution.
U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan scheduled Waller’s sentencing for June 21.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Trutanich commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and United States Department of Justice Trial Attorneys Christopher Magnani and Michael Landman, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website at www.justice.gov/tax.
Las Vegas Real Estate Broker Convicted of Tax FraudRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A real estate broker, who failed to file federal income tax returns for nearly 20 years and attempted to evade more than half a million dollars in income taxes, was convicted today by a jury in Las Vegas, Nevada, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
William Waller Jr. was convicted of one count of attempting to evade the payment of federal income taxes of more than $500,000 for the years 2004-2009 and two counts of failing to file his 2011 and 2012 income tax returns.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Waller, after filing his tax return for 1998 reporting zero income, failed to file federal individual income tax returns for almost two decades. He concealed his real estate income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with various methods, including using bank accounts in the name of a business to receive his commissions and pay his personal expenses, drawing substantial amounts of cash from those accounts, and borrowing against a piece of real property he owned to eliminate his equity in the property. For example, despite earning income of more than $400,000 in 2011 and $170,000 in 2012, Waller filed no tax returns in those years.
Waller faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for the tax evasion count and one year in prison on each failure to file a tax return count as well as a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution.
U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan scheduled Waller’s sentencing for June 21, 2019.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Trutanich commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and United States Department of Justice Trial Attorneys Christopher Magnani and Michael Landman, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website at www.justice.gov/tax.
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Justice Department Files Statement of Interest Supporting Native American Religious Land Use CaseRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today filed a Statement of Interest in U.S. District Court in New Jersey supporting a lawsuit by the Ramapough Mountain Indians (Ramapough) that the Township of Mahwah (Township) violated the tribe’s rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person’s Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) by interfering with religious assembly on property the tribe owns in the Township.
“RLUIPA is an important law protecting the religious exercise of people of all faiths. The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that this law and other laws protecting religious freedom are fully and properly applied,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Right Division.
RLUIPA protects the rights of all religious communities to worship on their land free from discriminatory barriers and unlawful burdens,” New Jersey U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. “Our office will continue to vigorously enforce the rights guaranteed by RLUIPA and take steps to ensure that it is applied correctly in our District.”
In the suit, Ramapough Mountain Indians, Inc. v. Township of Mahwah, filed last May, the Ramapough allege that the Township substantially burdened their religious exercise by rescinding a zoning permit that authorized religious worship, limiting the number of people permitted on the property for religious gatherings, demanding the removal of structures central to the Ramapough’s worship including a sweat lodge, a prayer circle, and an altar, issuing large fines, and initiating civil and criminal enforcement proceedings. The tribe also alleges that the Township treated it differently from other similarly situated nonreligious groups.
In September 2018, the Ramapough sought to amend their complaint. The United States’ Statement of Interest argues that the amended complaint properly state claims under RLUIPA. The United States argues that the Township has imposed a substantial burden on the Rampough’s religious exercise without adequate justification, and has not treated its use of the land equally with nonreligious uses of land. The Statement of Interest further argues that those RLUIPA claims, which allege that the Township’s conduct has “significantly chilled Ramapough’s use of the land for religious purposes,” are ripe for consideration by the court.
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.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Brought by Native American GroupRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The Department of Justice today filed a Statement of Interest in U.S. District Court in New Jersey supporting claims by the Ramapough Mountain Indians (Ramapough) that the Township of Mahwah, New Jersey, violated the tribe’s rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Person’s Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) by interfering with religious assembly on tribal property known as “Sweet Water.”
“RLUIPA protects the rights of all religious communities to worship on their land free from discriminatory barriers and unlawful burdens,” New Jersey U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. “Our office will continue to vigorously enforce the rights guaranteed by RLUIPA and take steps to ensure that it is applied correctly in our District.”
“RLUIPA is an important law protecting the religious exercise of people of all faiths. The Department of Justice is committed to ensuring that this law and other laws protecting religious freedom are fully and properly applied,” Eric Dreiband, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, said.
In the suit, Ramapough Mountain Indians, Inc. v. Township of Mahwah, filed last May, the Ramapough allege that the Township substantially burdened their religious exercise by rescinding a zoning permit that authorized religious worship, limiting the number of people permitted on the property for religious gatherings, demanding the removal of structures central to the Ramapough’s worship including a sweat lodge, a prayer circle, and an altar, issuing large fines, and initiating civil and criminal enforcement proceedings. The tribe also alleges that the Township treated it differently from other similarly situated nonreligious groups.
In September 2018, the Ramapough sought to amend their complaint. The United States’ Statement of Interest argues that the amended complaint properly state claims under RLUIPA. The United States argues that the Township has imposed a substantial burden on the Rampough’s religious exercise without adequate justification, and has not treated its use of the land equally with nonreligious uses of land. The Statement of Interest further argues that those RLUIPA claims, which allege that the Township’s conduct has “significantly chilled Ramapough’s use of the land for religious purposes,” are ripe for consideration by the court.
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.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Campion, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky, Civil Division; and Trial Attorney Noah Sacks, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Housing and Civil Enforcement Section.
Justice Department Awards over $300,000 to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe to Support Native American Crime VictimsRead the Press Release
DENVER – The Office of Justice Programs’ Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) today awarded over $391,425 to the Southern Ute Indian Tribe as part of a larger effort to assist victims of crime, announced U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. The Southern Ute grant is part of more than $5.7 million to support crime victims in Native American communities nationwide. This set of awards is the second in a series of grants being made by OVC to American Indian and Alaska Native communities. OVC has now awarded more than $9 million of a planned $100 million to support tribal victim service programs.
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe received $391,425 to expand its victim services program by providing direct victim services and trauma-informed personnel support. The funding will pay for supplies, staff training, the purchase of new equipment for forensic medical services and child forensic interviews and clinical therapeutic services for crime victims.
“I recently travelled to the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and saw firsthand how much they’ve accomplished in helping victims of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jason Dunn. “I also know that a grant, like this one, can provide a huge benefit to crime prevention and victim protection.”
“American Indian and Alaska Native communities face extensive public safety challenges, but through creative approaches that combine traditional methods with innovative solutions, they are demonstrating their determination to meet the needs of victims in their communities,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth. “These grants, part of historic levels of funding awarded by the Department of Justice to American Indian and Alaska Native communities, will provide significant resources to bring critical services to those who suffer the effects of crime and violence.”
The Justice Department is working to improve the lives of all crime victims, including American Indian and Alaska Native communities, by providing accessible resources and services. These awards—and those to come—represent the most significant victim services funding ever dispersed to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, American Indians and Alaska Natives experience violent crimes at rates far greater than the general population.
“American Indian and Alaska Native crime victims continue to face challenges in identifying vital services and resources needed to help survivors address their trauma and navigate a complex system,” said OVC Director Darlene Hutchinson. “The Justice Department has made it a priority to partner with tribes to help victims and their families rebuild their lives in the aftermath of violence.”
The Office of Justice Programs, directed by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth, provides federal leadership to improve the nation’s capacity to prevent and reduce crime, assist victims, and enhance the rule of law by strengthening the criminal justice system. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Jury Convicts Michigan Man for Trafficking Cocaine, Heroin from California to MidwestRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Following trial last week, a jury deliberated for two hours before returning guilty verdicts on all counts against Omar Gutierrez-Valle, 30, of Michigan, for his role in a conspiracy to traffic heroin and cocaine. Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow presided over the trial which began on March 11. The jury returned its guilty verdicts on March 14.
Over four days of testimony, the government presented evidence that Gutierrez-Valle was involved in a Mexico and California-based conspiracy to transport cocaine and heroin across the Mexican border into California and thereafter to the Midwest and elsewhere:
In January and February 2017, Gutierrez-Valle worked with an unnamed California coordinator to move a shipment of 10 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of heroin to the Midwest. The California coordinator had paid to illegally smuggle a Mexican national into the United States. To pay off his debt relative to being smuggled into the U.S., the coordinator told him that he was to help Gutierrez-Valle meet a courier in the Chicago area to receive a shipment of drugs. The coordinator brought the Mexican national from Los Angeles to Chicago via Amtrak and the coordinator returned to California, where he provided an over the road truck driver with the load of drugs.
On the day of the expected meeting and delivery, Feb. 26, 2017, the Illinois State Police stopped the truck driver in Henry County, Ill., for a motor vehicle safety inspection. The trooper discovered the 10 kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of heroin in the truck. Police then arranged for the truck to proceed to the agreed delivery location, a truck stop off I-80 near LaSalle, Ill., where Gutierrez-Valle met the truck to receive the drugs.
Judge Darrow scheduled sentencing for Gutierrez-Valle on July 11, 2019. Gutierrez-Valle remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in May 2018.
At sentencing, Gutierrez-Valle faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years to life for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine and at least one kilogram of heroin.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police, Black Hawk Area Task Force, and Quad Cities Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Allegro and Alyssa Raya are prosecuting the case.
Judge Sentences Pittsburgh Felon to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Stolen PistolRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH – Steven White was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm after several prior felony convictions, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on White, age 29. White was also sentenced to serve four years of supervised release following his prison sentence. In support of the sentence, the Court was informed that White unlawfully possessed a stolen pistol on June 15, 2016, while on state parole following five felony convictions and five prison sentences for drug trafficking and gun crimes. White was on parole at the time from a prior 3-6 year state prison sentence for heroin trafficking.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation leading to the conviction and sentence in this case. This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Huntington man pled guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jeremy Midkiff, 38, entered a guilty plea to an indictment charging him with distribution of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl equals death,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We prosecute every case involving fentanyl through Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S). The fentanyl crisis represents an extraordinary public health crisis. Fifty times more powerful than heroin – FIFTY TIMES – and so powerful that just a few flecks the size of grains of salt can cause rapid death. Victims, from the famous like Prince and Tom Petty to the anonymous person we don’t know, are needlessly piling up.”
Midkiff admitted that on May 2, 2017, he met a confidential informant in Huntington and gave the informant fentanyl in exchange for $70.
Midkiff faces up to twenty years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 24, 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.
This case is 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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Hayward Man Convicted of Forced Labor and Harboring Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
On December 18, 2020, United States Attorney David L. Anderson issued the following statement:
On Friday, December 18, 2020, we moved to vacate the judgment and dismiss the superseding indictment against Job Torres Hernandez. In this case, a jury concluded Mr. Torres Hernandez was guilty of multiple crimes, and the district court entered a criminal judgment against Mr. Torres Hernandez based upon that verdict. During the pendency of Mr. Torres Hernandez’s appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, we learned of circumstances leading us to the firm conclusion that at this point only a dismissal would meet the interests of justice. It is a serious step for the United States to dismiss criminal charges. Likewise, it is the solemn duty of the United States to seek justice in all its cases, and to evaluate the appropriateness of its charges throughout the course of the proceedings.
OAKLAND - A federal jury convicted Job Torres Hernandez of charges that he obtained forced labor from victims and harbored illegal aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent-in-Charge Ryan L. Spradlin. The conviction follows a ten day trial before the Honorable Jeffrey S. White, U.S. District Judge.
The evidence at trial demonstrated that since at least May 2015, Torres, 38, of Hayward, Calif., owned construction companies in Northern California at which he employed workers to whom he paid little to nothing for their labor. Torres recruited workers from Mexico to work for his construction companies and then refused to pay them the wages they had earned. Further, Torres knew the workers had come to, entered, and remained in the United States in violation of the law; he kept the workers in squalid conditions and shielded them from detection while making them work as long as 24 consecutive hours at a time. Many victims testified at trial, with the assistance of an interpreter, about how Torres treated them. Witnesses testified that Torres paid them far less than what he had promised to pay them, and when they complained, Torres threatened them or their family members. Specifically, the evidence demonstrated Torres warned his victims that if they reported him, then he would harm them physically, have associates in Mexico harm their family, and have them deported. The evidence also demonstrated that Torres told his victims that if they went to police or filed suit against him, no one would believe them. In addition, Torres housed dozens of workers on makeshift beds in a commercial warehouse in Hayward, Calif., and other properties including a garage in Hayward. The workers had limited access to toilets and showers, and at times, the properties were locked, preventing the workers from leaving. Torres harbored these individuals for the purpose of obtaining an advantage in the construction industry and for his private financial gain.
On December 6, 2018, a federal grand jury handed down a superseding indictment, charging Torres with one count of harboring illegal aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, in violation of 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and (B)(i), and one count of forced labor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1589(a). The jury convicted Torres of both counts.
Judge White ordered the U.S. Marshals Service to take Torres into custody immediately, pending sentencing. Judge White scheduled Torres’s sentencing hearing for June 25, 2019. Torres now faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, for harboring illegal aliens, and 20 years in prison, and a fine of $250,000, for the forced labor violation. In addition, the court may order Torres to serve an additional term of supervised release and to pay forfeiture and restitution, if appropriate. However, any sentence following conviction 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 Ravi T. Narayan and Jonathan U. Lee are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Vanessa Quant, Jessica Rodriguez Gonzalez, and Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Trafficking Unit; Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division; and the San Francisco Police Department’s Special Victims Unit.
Gulfport Man Charged with Drug Trafficking OffenseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that HECTOR EFRAIN LOBOS-CERNA, age 42, of Gulfport, Mississippi, was indicted Thursday, March 14, 2019 by a federal grand jury on one count of possessing with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B).
If convicted, LOBOS-CERNA faces a terms of imprisonment of 5-40 years, a fine of up to $5 million, and at least four years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Border Patrol, and the Kenner Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Sandman is in charge of the prosecution.
Greenwich Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges Related to Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LEONID POLLAK, also known as “Lenny,” 58, of Greenwich, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to offenses related to an investment fraud scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Pollak owned a Norwalk-based company that organized trade shows and expositions throughout the U.S. In mid-2013, Pollak induced an acquaintance to invest money in a new business venture that was supposed to organize similar expositions in Ukraine. Instead of using the money to build the new business, Pollak spent as much as $250,000 on unrelated business and personal expenses, including his home mortgage loan, groceries and clothing, automobiles, and private school tuition.
Pollak pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of illegal monetary transaction, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall on June 10, 2019.
Pollak was arrested on September 20, 2018. He is released on a $200,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the U.S. Secret Service and Greenwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher W. Schmeisser and Pilar Gonzalez.
Fort Myers Man Sentenced to Six Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge John E. Steele today sentenced Kenneth Christian Javi Garcia (24, Fort Myers) to six years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography. The court also ordered Javi Garcia to forfeit his computer, which was used to commit the offense.
Javi Garcia pleaded guilty on September 28, 2018.
According to court documents, between August 30, 2017, and September 20, 2017, the FBI was able to directly connect to Javi Garcia’s computer and download approximately 200 files containing depictions of child pornography. On November 14, 2017, a search warrant was executed at Javi Garcia’s residence, where his computer was located and seized. A subsequent forensic analysis of the computer revealed approximately 450 videos of child pornography, with created file dates ranging from February 2016 through October 2017.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Innocent Images Task Force, which includes law enforcement from the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Bradenton Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Former Stockton Couple Convicted of Human Trafficking Charges Related to Forced Labor of Foreign NationalsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After an 11-day trial, a federal jury found Satish Kartan, 45, and his wife, Sharmistha Barai, 40, guilty on March 14 of conspiracy to obtain forced labor and two counts of obtaining forced labor. In addition, Kartan was found guilty of fraud in foreign labor contracting. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the of the Diplomatic Security Service San Francisco Field Office, Sean Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento FBI Field Office, and Ryan L. Spradlin, the Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Northern California made the announcement.
“Human trafficking is a disgraceful and unacceptable crime. The defendants in this case took advantage of overseas workers, forcing them to work without pay, physically abusing them, and threatening negative repercussions if they tried to leave,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. "The Justice Department will continue to investigate and vigorously prosecute human traffickers in order to bring justice to victims.”
“These defendants exploited one victim after another, using them to labor in their home, failing to pay wages and depriving them of basic human rights,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues its commitment to protect and defend vulnerable members of our society from human trafficking.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service will continue to pursue those who abuse domestic worker visas to manipulate and exploit their employees for personal gain," said Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the of the Diplomatic Security Service San Francisco Field Office. "DSS’s strong relationship with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
“Kartan and Barai did not simply fail to pay victims for their work,” said Sean Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento FBI Field Office. “They deprived them of their dignity and robbed them of their federally protected civil rights. The FBI will work with partner agencies to protect victims of human trafficking wherever that crime occurs.”
“Millions of people worldwide are affected by this type of forced labor and human trafficking,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, the Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Northern California. “This case is a testament of the dedication of HSI and our law enforcement partners. We are committed to working together to eradicate these deplorable crimes from our community.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between February 2014 and October 2016, Kartan and Barai hired workers from overseas to perform domestic labor in their home in Stockton. In advertisements seeking workers on the internet and India-based newspapers, the defendants made false claims regarding the wages and the duties of employment. Then, once the workers arrived at the defendants’ Stockton residence, Kartan and Barai forced them to work 18 hours a day with limited rest and nourishment. Few of them were paid any wage. The defendants kept their domestic workers from leaving and induced them to keep working for them by threatening them, by creating an atmosphere of fear, control, and disempowerment, and at times by physically hitting or burning them. When a victim pushed back or said she wanted to leave, it got worse.
Victims flew from India and Nepal to testify. According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants struck one worker on multiple occasions. Barai threatened to kill her and throw her bones in the garbage, backhanded her across the face for talking back, and slammed her hands down on a gas stove, causing her to suffer first and second degree burns on her hands from the flames. The defendants also threatened several other victims to coerce them to keep working, including by telling the victims they would report them to police or immigration authorities if they tried to leave. Throughout the victims’ time in the defendants’ home, they were deprived of sleep and food. The defendants subjected the victims to verbal abuse and harassment in an effort to intimidate them into continuing to provide labor and services.
Kartan and Barai are scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The Stockton Police Department provided the initial investigation and later assistance with victim services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Katherine Lydon are prosecuting the case with the assistance of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
The Eastern District of California (Sacramento) is one of six districts designated through a competitive, nationwide selection process as a Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team, through the interagency ACTeam Initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
Former Stockton Couple Convicted of Human Trafficking Charges Related to Forced Labor of Foreign NationalsRead the Press Release
After an 11-day trial, a federal jury found Satish Kartan, 45, and his wife, Sharmistha Barai, 40, guilty on March 14 of conspiracy to obtain forced labor and two counts of obtaining forced labor. In addition, Kartan was found guilty of fraud in foreign labor contracting. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott, Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the of the Diplomatic Security Service San Francisco Field Office, Sean Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento FBI Field Office, and Ryan L. Spradlin, the Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Northern California made the announcement.
“Human trafficking is a disgraceful and unacceptable crime. The defendants in this case took advantage of overseas workers, forcing them to work without pay, physically abusing them, and threatening negative repercussions if they tried to leave,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Justice Department will continue to investigate and vigorously prosecute human traffickers in order to bring justice to victims.”
“These defendants exploited one victim after another, using them to labor in their home, failing to pay wages and depriving them of basic human rights,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office continues its commitment to protect and defend vulnerable members of our society from human trafficking.”
“The Diplomatic Security Service will continue to pursue those who abuse domestic worker visas to manipulate and exploit their employees for personal gain," said Matthew Perlman, Special Agent in Charge of the of the Diplomatic Security Service San Francisco Field Office. "DSS’s strong relationship with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
“Kartan and Barai did not simply fail to pay victims for their work,” said Sean Ragan, Special Agent in Charge of the Sacramento FBI Field Office. “They deprived them of their dignity and robbed them of their federally-protected civil rights. The FBI will work with partner agencies to protect victims of human trafficking wherever that crime occurs.”
“Millions of people world-wide are affected by this type of forced labor and human trafficking,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, the Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in Northern California. “This case is a testament of the dedication of HSI and our law enforcement partners. We are committed to working together to eradicate these deplorable crimes from our community.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between February 2014 and October 2016, Kartan and Barai hired workers from overseas to perform domestic labor in their home in Stockton. In advertisements seeking workers on the internet and India-based newspapers, the defendants made false claims regarding the wages and the duties of employment. Then, once the workers arrived at the defendants’ Stockton residence, Kartan and Barai forced them to work 18 hours a day with limited rest and nourishment. Few of them were paid any wage. The defendants kept their domestic workers from leaving, and induced them to keep working for them, by threatening them, by creating an atmosphere of fear, control, and disempowerment, and at times by physically hitting or burning them. When a victim pushed back or said she wanted to leave, it got worse.
Victims flew from India and Nepal to testify. According to evidence presented at trial, the defendants struck one worker on multiple occasions. Barai threatened to kill her and throw her bones in the garbage, backhanded her across the face for talking back, and slammed her hands down on a gas stove, causing her to suffer first and second degree burns on her hands from the flames. The defendants also threatened several other victims to coerce them to keep working, including by telling the victims they would report them to police or immigration authorities if they tried to leave. Throughout the victims’ time in the defendants’ home, they were deprived of sleep and food. The defendants subjected the victims to verbal abuse and harassment in an effort to intimidate them into continuing to provide labor and services.
Kartan and Barai are scheduled to be sentenced on June 6. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service. The Stockton Police Department provided valuable initial investigation and later assistance with victim services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt and Katherine Lydon are prosecuting the case with the assistance of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
The Eastern District of California (Sacramento) is one of six districts designated through a competitive, nationwide selection process as a Phase II Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team, through the interagency ACTeam Initiative of the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security and Labor. ACTeams focus on developing high-impact human trafficking investigations and prosecutions involving forced labor, international sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion through interagency collaboration among federal prosecutors and federal investigative agencies.
Former Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office Employee Sentenced for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court for obstruction of justice, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab sentenced Erika Romanowski, 41, to serve one day in prison, followed by six months (180 days) of home detention and three years of supervised release. Romanowski was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.
In connection with her prior guilty plea, entered on November 14, 2018, Romanowski admitted that while employed as a clerk with the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), she had access to sensitive law enforcement information, including information related to ongoing federal investigations with which ACSO assisted. Romanowski further admitted that, between in and around February 2018 and in and around April 2018, she disclosed non-public, sensitive law enforcement information to two personal associates, Jewell Hall and Joelle Hollis, in an effort to protect Hall from investigation and prosecution by federal authorities. The court was further advised that Hall and Hollis were targets of an ongoing federal grand jury investigation focused on the criminal activities of a drug trafficking organization—the Greenway Boy Killas (GBK)—which operated in the West End neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Romanowski further admitted that during the course of an interview with Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on June 20, 2018, she repeatedly lied about having disclosed non-public, sensitive law enforcement information to Hall and Hollis.
On June 12, 2018, Hall, Hollis, and 14 other defendants were charged in a four-count indictment, alleging various serious drug offenses. That case currently is pending before Judge Schwab.
Assistant United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Romanowski, with assistance from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office.
Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Unlicensed Dealing in Firearms and Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Terrel Edward Elliott, Jr., age 24, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty late on March 15, 2019, to unlicensed dealing in firearms and to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. According to his plea agreement, Elliott was dealing in firearms less than two months after his release from prison and on a first-degree assault conviction in the Circuit Court of Maryland for Howard County.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Gun violence in our communities is fueled by those possessing and selling firearms illegally,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Through his actions, Terrel Elliott contributed to this alarming problem of gun violence by putting firearms in the hands of people intent on violence.”
According to his plea agreement, Elliott was convicted of first-degree assault in Howard County and was sentenced to eight years in prison, with six years and a half years suspended sentence and one year six months unsupervised probation. Elliott was also given a supervised probation period of five years. Elliott was released after serving his sentence on September 24, 2016.
Elliott was arrested on April 14, 2017 in possession of drugs, 14 .22-caliber bullets and a handgun with an obliterated serial number. On November 13, 2017, Elliott pleaded guilty in Howard County to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On February 12, 2018, Baltimore Police officers were surveilling Elliott, who had an open warrant for his arrest, when they saw him leave his residence and get into a car with a women. Officers performed a traffic stop to execute the arrest warrant, but Elliott ran away. Officers gave chase and Elliott was captured at the back door of his residence and arrested. Officers recovered a handgun from the path Elliott took.
During the ensuing investigation, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Elliott’s Instagram account. Law enforcement recovered multiple photographs of Elliott in possession of numerous firearms, as well as Instagram messages with prospective firearm customers. One of the earliest photos posted on Elliot’s Instagram account was of Elliott with a gun was on November 8, 2016—less than two months after he was released from prison. In January 2018 Elliott sold a gun to a minor and later messages reflect the discussion of more gun sales to the minor. Elliott’s Instagram is over 4,700 pages and contains numerous references to selling guns for profit. Elliott admitted that between eight and 24 firearms were involved in his offenses, and that he knew, or had reason to believe that the guns would be used or possessed in connection with other felonies, including robberies and drug trafficking.
Elliott faces a maximum of five years in prison for unlicensed dealing in firearms and a maximum of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for June 18, 2019 at 3:00 p.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Wilkinson and Michael Goldsticker, who are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Employee Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SCOTT PIERSON, 58, of Vernon, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General received information that Pierson, an Administrative Officer assigned to the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) Bradley Flight Standards District Office in Enfield, was using his FAA-issued laptop computer to access websites known to contain images of child pornography.
On July 19, 2018, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Pierson’s residence and seized computers and electronic storage devices, including his FAA-issued laptop computer. Forensic examination of the seized items revealed more than 1,500 images and videos of children, including children younger than 12 years old, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Pierson has been detained since his arrest on July 19, 2018.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date has not been scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Fairfield County Doctor Sentenced to 87 Months for Health Care Fraud and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Dr. RAMIL MANSOUROV, 49, of Darien, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for health care fraud and money laundering offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mansourov is a physician who operated out of Family Health Urgent Care, located at 235 Main Street in Norwalk. The medical practice was formerly known as Immediate Health Care, which was owned by Dr. Bharat Patel. In approximately 2012, Mansourov purchased the practice from Patel and renamed it Family Urgent Health Care, and Patel continued to work at the practice.
Between 2014 and November 2016, Mansourov billed Medicaid nearly $5 million for home, office and nursing home visits that never occurred. The investigation revealed that Mansourov used the stolen funds for both personal and business purposes, and that he transferred some of the stolen funds to a bank account in Switzerland.
Judge Arterton ordered Mansourov to pay $4,994,027 in restitution, forfeit $50,000 and surrender his federal controlled substances registration to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Mansourov has been detained since July 13, 2017, when he was apprehended after fleeing to Canada. On September 17, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count health care fraud and one count of money laundering.
On June 25, 2018, Patel pleaded guilty to narcotics distribution and health care fraud offenses. Patel admitted that he wrote hundreds of medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone, and received $158,523.95 from federal health programs as a result of this and related criminal conduct. On October 12, 2018, he was sentenced to 54 months of imprisonment.
This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Norwalk Police Department, with the critical assistance of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Hamden, Milford, Monroe, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford and Wilton Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced to 15 months in prison today for distributing fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Octavius Ellis, 23, previously pled guilty in December 2018 to knowingly and intentionally distributing fentanyl. The Huntington Police Department handled the investigation.
“Another Detroit drug thug going to federal prison by way of the Detroit to Huntington express,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “The message to Detroit and the Detroit poison peddlers – there’s plenty of room at the “inn” if you bring your poisons to West Virginia.”
On January 19, 2018, officers with the Huntington Police Department utilized a confidential informant to arrange a controlled buy of heroin from Ellis. Ellis arrived at the buy location in the West End of Huntington and provided the confidential informant with a substance he represented to be heroin in exchange for $70. Testing by the West Virginia State Police Lab confirmed the substance to actually be fentanyl.
United States District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Monica D. Coleman handled the prosecution.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (S.O.S.), an enforcement surge that seeks to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas
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###Detroit Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Federal Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man who helped sell heroin in Huntington between 2014 and 2016 pled guilty yesterday to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Charles Deshawn Lockhart, 27, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin in federal court in Huntington. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI Drug Task Force and the Huntington Police Department.
“Detroit has one of the biggest drug problems in the country and, sadly, that problem is being exported to places like Huntington, West Virginia,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “This is another case of Detroit’s problems finding their way to the streets of West Virginia. My words and my record could not be more clear – I’ll do everything in my power to lock up every Detroit poison peddler and drug thug that brings his junk into my district.”
Between November of 2014 and May of 2016, Lockhart admitted he conspired with multiple individuals to distribute heroin in the Huntington area. During the conspiracy, Lockhart received quantities of heroin on consignment which he distributed to various customers. Lockhart would then collect payment for the heroin and return it to other co-conspirators. As part of his plea, Lockhart further admitted that he distributed heroin to a confidential informant in October of 2015.
Lockhart faces up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 24, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
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Delaware Man Pleads Guilty to Crystal Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Paul Barrett, age 41, of New Castle, Delaware, pled guilty on March 15, 2019 to possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced.
According to court documents and statements made in open court, federal law enforcement began surveilling Defendant after receiving a tip that he was engaged in narcotics trafficking. Surveillance of the defendant led law enforcement to a storage unit in New Castle, Delaware. A drug sniffing dog confirmed the presence of narcotics.
Law enforcement followed Barrett as he picked up a drug package in a shopping center parking lot and returned to the storage unit. A subsequent search of Defendant’s car and storage unit yielded over two kilograms of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Weiss stated, “The resurgence of methamphetamine across the country has now reached Delaware, resulting in one of our largest seizures to date. Thanks to the cooperative investigation between the FBI, DEA and HSI, these drugs were seized before reaching our streets. Federal authorities remain vigilant and will do whatever is necessary to protect our community.”
"The FBI in Wilmington worked side-by-side with the DEA, the Delaware State Police and other federal, state and local partners to ensure we stopped Mr. Barrett from further distributing methamphetamine in the region," said FBI Baltimore Acting Special Agent in Charge Jennifer L. Moore. "These dangerous drugs have a devastating effect on our communities and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to make New Castle County and Delaware a safer place."
This case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, and the Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Attorney Weiss also wishes to thank the Pennsylvania State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Ibrahim.