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Friday 25 January 2019
Randolph County man admits to role in methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
ELKINS, WEST VIRGINIA – Phillip Grant Boyles, of Kerens, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Boyles, age 32, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Boyles admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine from December 2017 to March 2018 in Tucker and Randolph Counties.
Boyles faces not less than five years and no more than 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $5,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon S. Flower is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Mountain Region Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force investigated.U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
NYPD Detective Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MICHAEL BONANNO, a New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) detective, pled guilty today to his role in a bank fraud scheme that used stolen checks and bank account numbers from New York-based victims. BONANNO pled guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud before U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe. Bonanno’s co-conspirator, Domenic Aiello, previously pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Debra Freeman on January 4, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Instead of upholding his duty to investigate and enforce the law, Michael Bonanno, who was at the time a detective in the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers unit, broke the law by brazenly attempting to swindle hundreds of thousands of dollars from residents of New York. I commend the FBI and the Internal Affairs Bureau of the NYPD for their outstanding work in this investigation.”
According to the Information and Complaint filed in this case, other public filings, and statements made during the plea proceeding:
BONANNO is an NYPD detective and was a member of the NYPD Crime Stoppers unit, which receives and investigates anonymous tips about criminal activity from members of the community.
From November 2016 to March 2017, BONANNO and Aiello stole and attempted to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the bank accounts of multiple New York residents in two ways. First, on over 20 occasions, BONANNO and Aiello made payments on BONANNO’s mortgage and credit card bills using stolen account information from various victims. Second, on at least 15 occasions, BONANNO and Aiello attempted to deposit fraudulent and stolen checks in BONANNO’s bank accounts.
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BONANNO, 44, who resides in Staten Island, New York, pled guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Each count carries a maximum term of 30 years in prison. BONANNO is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gardephe on April 26, 2019. The maximum potential penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Affairs Bureau of the NYPD in this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicolas Roos and Danielle R. Sassoon are in charge of the prosecution.
Moroccan Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault on Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Moroccan man was sentenced today to 5 years in prison for assaulting federal law enforcement officers and failing to depart the United States.
According to court documents, Zakaria Taoufik, 40, staged a violent outburst on a Royal Maroc passenger flight at Dulles International Airport as ICE officers attempted to execute his lawful removal to Morocco. Taoufik was being deported following of an aggravated felony conviction. Once aboard the aircraft, Taoufik screamed threats and obscenities, and repeatedly slammed his head into the on-board entertainment screen in front of him until it shattered. He assaulted the ICE officers escorting him, attempting to head-butt and bite them. He spat deliberately into the face of one of the officers, hitting him in the eye and also hitting another officer in the eye. Taoufik knew that he had an infectious disease at the time he spit at and attempted to bite the officers. As a result of his highly disruptive conduct, the captain ordered him off the plane. This was Taoufik’s second successful attempt to prevent his removal, as he previously foiled an earlier attempt to remove him from Atlanta in October 2017.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Reilly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Hill prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-73.
Meth Conspiracy Sends Richland County Man to Prison for More Than 20 YearsRead the Press Release
Justin R. Mason, 35, of Olney, Illinois, has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison on methamphetamine-related charges, Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today.
Mason previously pleaded guilty to a one-count federal indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (Ice) or 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The conspiracy occurred between August 2017 and March 2018, in Richland County and elsewhere.
Two other Olney residents were also indicted with Mason. Brianna N. Bare, 26, and Harvey L. Ireland, 35, have both pleaded guilty to their role in the charged conspiracy. Bare also pleaded guilty to two counts of meth distribution and was sentenced on December 27, 2018, to 87 months imprisonment. Ireland is scheduled to be sentenced on February 13, 2019.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office.
McNairy County Man Sentenced to 300 Months for Drug Conspiracy, Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms, and Possessing Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking OffensesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Joshua Tucker, 30, of Selmer, TN has been sentenced to a total of 300 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for conspiring to distribute and distributing actual methamphetamine, and being a felon in possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to the information presented in court, Joshua Tucker was a member of a drug conspiracy operating throughout West Tennessee from October 2016 to April 2017. The investigation led to the federal prosecution of Tucker, along with eleven other co-conspirators, who sold large amounts of methamphetamine at various locations throughout West Tennessee, including Bath Springs, Lexington, Parsons, Selmer, Reagan, Lutts, and Milledgeville and Iuka, MS.
Tucker’s conviction and 25 year sentence results from an extensive investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement officials into a drug trafficking organization involving co-defendant Kevin Smith and his associates, including Joshua Tucker. Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), West Tennessee 24th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) conducted a yearlong investigation and utilized various investigation strategies to determine that Tucker had sold over two kilograms of actual methamphetamine (ICE) to co-conspirators who resold the ICE between December 2016 and April 2017.
The investigation further revealed that Tucker, a convicted felon, possessed firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. On April 27, 2017, investigators with McNairy County Counter-Drug Unit and Selmer Police Department executed a probation search at Tuckers home. During the search, officers located an AR-15 style rifle along with a 9 mm pistol in Tuckers bedroom. Officers located approximately 20 grams of ICE packaged for resale in a safe containing two digital scales and $5,677.75. In the same room, officers located drugparaphernalia including boxes of plastic baggies and pipes as well as .223 and 9mm ammunition. Investigators also seized five vehicles. After searching the vehicles, officers located over 400 grams of methamphetamine inside a container under the driver seat of one of the cars.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Armed Drug Trafficking Organizations will NOT continue to endanger our communities in West Tennessee with impunity. We use all available law enforcement and prosecutorial resources to pursue, disrupt and dismantle groups and conspiracies that are most responsible for the illegal sale of this poison to our citizens, and to remove dangerous offenders with firearms from our streets. This defendant and his co-conspirators have sowed addiction, pain, and destruction into our communities, and now they will reap a long prison sentence as a consequence."
"The DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to ridding our communities of those who wish to do harm through the trafficking of dangerous drugs," said D. Christopher Evans, Special Agent In Charge of DEA’s Louisville Field Division, which oversees the agency’s operations in Tennessee. "Mr. Tucker and those like him should expect to meet the full weight of the criminal justice system," Evans added.
Tucker was originally charged with several offenses, including:
• conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine;
• aiding and abetting each other to possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine;
• knowingly possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine;
• being a felon in possession of an AR-15 style rifle;
• being a felon in possession of a 9 mm pistol;
• possessing the AR-15 style rifle in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and
• possessing the 9 mm pistol in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
After a four-day jury trial in September, 2018, the defendant was found guilty as charged in each count.
On January 24, 2019, Chief U.S. District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Tucker to 240 months for the conspiracy to distribute and distributing actual methamphetamine; 120 months concurrent sentence for being a felon in possession of firearms; and 60 months mandatory consecutive sentence for possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking offenses, for an overall total sentence of 300 months (25 years). Tucker was also sentenced to supervised release for a period of 5 years.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), West Tennessee 24th Judicial District Drug and Violent Crime Task Force, and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP), along with McNairy County Counter-Drug Unit and Selmer Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Hillary Parham prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Four Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for robbing three banks and one credit union.
According to court documents, between November 2017 and April 2018, Rian Michael Lopez robbed three banks in Virginia Beach and a credit union in Chesapeake. Lopez would enter the banks or credit union brandishing what appeared to be a firearm while demanding money. The total amount taken from all the robberies was approximately $35,000. The robbery spree came to an end when an alert Virginia Beach police officer spotted Lopez casing out another bank in an automobile linked to the previous robberies. Lopez has previously served time for a 2010 federal bank robbery conviction in South Carolina.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Court Judge Rebecca Beach Smith. Assistant U.S. Attorney William D. Muhr prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-135.
Las Vegas, NV, Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Offenses Involving Transportation of a One-Year-Old Child for the Purpose of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on January 25, 2019, Chief United States District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland, sentenced Bryan James Hogle, age 43, Las Vegas, NV, to serve 45 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the charges of Conspiracy to Transport a Minor, and Coercion and Enticement. Hogle was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12,640 to the victim and $200 in special assessments to the Crime Victims’ Fund. Hogle has a prior conviction for sexually abusing a child in New Hampshire in 2008.
This case was brought to the attention of law enforcement after Dustin W. Kewley, Fargo, ND began communicating with an undercover officer from the Metropolitan Police Department – FBI Child Exploitation Task Force in Washington, DC. During the investigation of Kewley and subsequent forensic examination of his computer and cell phone, it was determined there were text conversations between Hogle and Kewley, wherein they discussed in horrific detail their plan to meet for the purpose of sexually abusing a one-year-old child.
On May 22, 2017, Kewley transported the one-year-old child from Fargo, North Dakota, to Moorhead, Minnesota, to meet Hogle, who traveled from Las Vegas, Nevada, the previous day. The two men met at a hotel in Moorhead where together they sexually abused the child. Kewley and Hogle subsequently took steps to conceal their crime such as deleting their communications and bathing the child.
On January 8, 2019, Kewley was sentenced to serve 35 years in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the charges of Conspiracy to Transport a Minor, Transportation of a Minor, Distribution of Materials Containing Child Pornography, and Possession of Materials Containing Child Pornography.
This case was investigated by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation; Federal Bureau of Investigations; Homeland Security Investigations; and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Puhl prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the nation, Project Safe Childhood, in conjunction with Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), help federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies enhance their investigative responses to offenders who use the Internet, online communications systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC Program is a national network of 61 coordinated task forces engaging in proactive investigations, forensic investigations, and criminal prosecutions. Project Safe Childhood also helps to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Internet Stalker Sentenced to More than 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DENVER – Eric Ronald Bolduan of Rochester, Minnesota was sentenced to 171 months in federal prison for stalking and making interstate threats against college students, U.S. Attorney Jason R. Dunn and FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips announced. United States District Court Judge Christine Arguello entered the sentence against Bolduan on January 24, 2019. Bolduan was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals. After serving his sentence, Bolduan is required to register as a sex offender.
Bolduan pled guilty without a plea agreement on September 6, 2018, to stalking and making interstate threats. According to facts relied upon during sentencing, including a statement of facts filed with the Court, Bolduan sent emails and text messages to a female student at the University of Colorado, threatening to kill her and her sister. He then posted pictures of the victim’s face on pornography websites, listing her actual contact information. His posts included pornographic pictures of women that were not the victim, but resembled her. Bolduan then sent messages to the victim, stating his intent to spend his free time “hunting you!” He wrote: “I will find you and watch you – sticking to the shadows, learning your patterns. When the time is right I will strike…”
The investigation revealed that Bolduan sent similar emails, text messages, and posts to a total of four victims in Colorado, but also to other victims at universities and high schools across the country. The defendant used an “anonymizer” which prevented his victims from learning his actual name or from knowing from where the threatening emails, text messages, or posts were coming. The messages were sent not only to female victims, but also to other students, friends, and family members.
“The victims in this case experienced real and profound suffering because of the acts of this defendant,” said United States Attorney Jason Dunn. “It’s possible that more young women have been victimized but just haven’t been able to identify their assailant. We encourage anyone who has experienced this kind of threat to call the FBI.”
“Eric Bolduan’s sentence illustrates the FBI’s commitment to protecting our communities,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips. “The FBI will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office to investigate and prosecute cases involving online threats and attempts to victimize innocent citizens through the Internet.”
Individuals who believe they may be victims are encouraged to contact the FBI at the following number: (303) 629-7171 (Option 1)
This case was investigated by the Denver Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation together with the University of Colorado and Boulder Police Departments. Assistant United States Attorney Valeria Spencer is handling this prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 17-cr-0384-CMA
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Honolulu Woman Sentenced to Prison for Bank Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Kathy Funtila, 46, a resident of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday to 119 months in federal prison for defrauding multiple Oahu businesses of $558,633.71 over the course of 5 years.
According to information presented in court, Funtila pled guilty in August 2018 to bank fraud and identity theft offenses that occurred while she was an accounting manager for two Oahu businesses: SMAC Hawaii (SMAC) and Pacific Rim Defense, LLC (PRD). While employed as the accounting manager at SMAC, Funtila submitted false documents to Hawaii National Bank to obtain withdrawals from SMAC’s lines of credit with Hawaii National Bank. On multiple occasions, Funtila submitted draw request forms to Hawaii National Bank that purported to be signed by the owner of SMAC. In reality, the draw request forms were not signed or approved by the owner of SMAC and contained signatures of the owner that Funtila knew had been copied from another document. After Hawaii National Bank processed the draw requests, it then transferred funds from Hawaii National Bank to a bank account controlled by SMAC. Funtila then embezzled money from SMAC’s bank accounts. While she was the accounting manager at PRD, Funtila made unauthorized charges on her company credit card and misrepresented the purpose for which the credit card charges were being made in PRD’s accounting records. Funtila also used another employee’s company credit card, without their permission, to book a $1,707 stay at the Waikiki Shore resort for one of her family members.
U.S. District Judge Leslie E. Kobayashi imposed a 119 month sentence, noting that Funtila’s conduct was egregious, repetitive, and had a devastating impact on the owners of SMAC. Funtila was also ordered to pay restitution of $115,362.25, and to serve a 5 year term of supervision following her release.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar.
Fort Bend County Man Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A former Sugar Land resident has been arrested and detained for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick, Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers and Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of the FBI’s Houston Field Office.
A federal grand jury returned a sealed indictment against Warren Christopher Clark, 34, Jan. 23, 2019. It was unsealed today following his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray in Houston. He is set for a detention hearing Wednesday.
Clark was captured in Syria by the Syrian Democratic Forces, transferred to U.S. law enforcement custody this week and arrived yesterday in the Southern District of Texas.
"The arm of American Justice has a lengthy reach,” said Patrick. “The number one priority of the Southern District of Texas, along with the FBI and our other national security partners, is to keep America safe. The protection of life is the most sacred job law enforcement has."
Clark is charged with attempting to provide himself as material support to ISIS, which the Secretary of State designated as a foreign terrorist organization pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
“The FBI continues to aggressively pursue individuals who attempt to join the ranks of ISIS’s foreign fighters or try to provide support for other terrorist organizations. This fight against terrorism is not one we can combat alone,” said Turner. “The FBI relies on our domestic counterparts and foreign law enforcement agencies, as well as the public. Anyone who has information about individuals who have traveled or are planning to travel overseas to support terrorist groups should report it immediately to their local FBI office.”
The charged material support violation carries a possible penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine, upon conviction.
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and police departments in Houston and Sugar Land conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Mark McIntyre and Craig M. Feazel and Trial Attorney Michael J. Dittoe of the Justice Department’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.Former Greenville Inmate Will Remain Behind Bars After Shanking ConvictionRead the Press Release
The federal prison sentence for Detrick L. Layfield just got a lot longer. The 40-year-old inmate has been sentenced to nearly eight more years in custody for assaulting another prisoner with a makeshift weapon at the federal correctional institution in Greenville, Illinois. The 92-month sentence Layfield received this week was ordered to run consecutively to the 110-month sentence he was already serving on a firearms conviction he sustained in the Western District of Kentucky. Layfield had been scheduled for release in July 2019 before the attack.
In October 2017, Layfield was charged in the Southern District of Illinois with the prison assault, possession of contraband by a federal inmate, and attempted obstruction of justice. A federal jury in East St. Louis, Illinois, convicted him on all three charges after a two-day trial last September.
The evidence at trial established that, on September 1, 2017, Layfield was being housed at FCI-Greenville when he assaulted the victim – a fellow inmate identified in court documents only as "S.D." – with a sharp, improvised weapon known as a "shank." The attack was purportedly motivated by the fact that S.D. had been telling other inmates that Layfield did not pay his debts. A portion of the assault was caught on videotape and shown to the jury during the trial. Immediately after the attack, Layfield asked two other inmates to help him hide the weapon. One of the inmates went to the laundry room and hid the shank in a dryer. The weapon was later found after the two men were questioned and confessed their role in the attempted cover up. Shanks and other weapons are considered prison contraband, possession of which constitutes a separate offense.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigations Section and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to over 6 Years in Prison for Vicious AssaultRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Curtis Pixley, 39, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today by United States District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III to 78 months in prison for intentionally assaulting another person, and 60 months for possessing a shank in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst. The sentences will run concurrently.
On September 7, 2017, Pixley, a federal prisoner at the federal penitentiary in Yazoo City, Mississippi, retrieved a 9-inch shank from his cell, walked to a table where prisoners were seated and, as another prisoner got up from the table, began stabbing the victim repeatedly.
Pixley pled guilty on October 17, 2018 to a Criminal Information charging him with intentionally assaulting another person and possessing a shank in prison.
The maximum penalty for intentionally assaulting another person in prison is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possession of a shank in prison is 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Alton Man Admits to Producing, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Travis J. Varble, 42, of Alton, Illinois, has pleaded guilty to producing and distributing child pornography using a minor identified in court documents as "K.M." The offenses were committed between December 2012 and December 2013 in Madison County, Illinois. Varble is currently in state custody at the Danville Correctional Center serving a 17-year sentence for predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor under 13 years old.
According to the stipulation of facts agreed to by the parties, on at least two occasions, Varble employed, persuaded, induced, enticed, or coerced K.M. to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of that conduct. Varble then streamed the two explicit videos of K.M. over the internet to another individual.
Varble’s sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2019, in Benton, Illinois. He faces 15 to 30 years in prison on counts one and two (production of child pornography), and 5 to 20 years on count three (the distribution charge). All three counts also carry a fine of up to $250,000, and the possibility of a lifetime term of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott is prosecuting the case.
Thursday 24 January 2019
Two Illinois Men Plead Guilty to Bombing of Islamic CenterRead the Press Release
Michael McWhorter, 29, and Joe Morris, 23, both of Clarence, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to multiple charges including federal civil rights charges in United States District Court in St. Paul, Minnesota.
United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota Erica H. MacDonald; United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois John C. Milhiser; Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Eric S. Dreiband; and Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Minneapolis Division, announced today’s guilty pleas.
“The defendants engaged in a violent multi-state crime spree that terrorized communities, including members of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Minnesota. The defendants’ criminal acts are reprehensible and antithetical to our values as a nation. Every individual has the fundamental right to live life free from the threat of violence and discrimination, no matter who they are, what they believe, or where they worship,” said United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “The dedication and collaboration of our law enforcement partners across several jurisdictions to bring these defendants to justice is a powerful example of our unwavering devotion to seek justice for all victims, and to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any individual or group that seeks to threaten another’s civil rights through the commission of such vile hate crimes.”
"We will continue to work with our federal and state partners to identify and prosecute dangerous and radical groups that choose to terrorize our communities,” said United States Attorney John C. Milhiser.
"All people are entitled to live free from violence and fear, regardless of their religion or place of worship," said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. "The Justice Department is committed to holding hate crimes perpetrators accountable under the law for their dangerous and criminal actions against innocent community members."
“This crime was not only an attack on the intended target, it was meant to threaten and intimidate an entire community. Because of that wide-ranging impact, investigating this crime and others like it are high priority for the FBI,” said Jill Sanborn, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Minneapolis Division. “The FBI is charged with protecting civil rights and our agents in both the Minneapolis and Springfield field offices in conjunction with the Joint Terrorism Task Force swiftly investigated this case side by side with the ATF, the Bloomington Police Department and other law enforcement partners with one singular goal – to bring the bombers to justice and most importantly to help the Dar al-Farooq community begin to feel safe and secure once again.”
Defendants McWhorter and Morris pleaded guilty in the District of Minnesota to federal charges that originated in both the District of Minnesota and the Central District of Illinois. The pleas to the charges originating in the Central District of Illinois were entered in Minnesota pursuant to Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 20, which allows for the transfer of charges for the entry of guilty pleas and the imposition of sentence. McWhorter, Morris, and co-defendant Michael Hari, 47, were federally indicted on possession of a machine gun; conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats and violence (the Hobbs Act); and attempted arson, via a superseding indictment on May 2, 2018, in the Central District of Illinois. McWhorter, Morris, and Hari were indicted in the District of Minnesota on June 21, 2018, with federal civil rights charges, and possession and use of a destructive device in furtherance of a federal crime of violence.
McWhorter and Morris entered their guilty pleas earlier today before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Donovan Frank. Defendant Hari remains in custody in the Central District of Illinois.[1]
According to McWhorter’s and Morris’ guilty pleas, during the summer of 2017, Michael Hari started a militia group in central Illinois, which was eventually called the “White Rabbits,” and which defendants McWhorter and Morris, together with others, joined.
According to McWhorter’s and Morris’ guilty pleas and documents filed in court, on August 4 and 5, 2017, McWhorter, Morris, and Hari drove in a rented truck from central Illinois to the Dar al-Farooq (“DAF”) Islamic Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, leaving their mobile phones in Illinois and avoiding toll roads in an attempt to remain undetected. The defendants stopped along the way to purchase diesel fuel and gasoline, which Hari mixed in a plastic container. About an hour outside of Minnesota, Hari disclosed to McWhorter and Morris that there was a pipe bomb in the truck (which had been created using previously purchased materials) and that they were going to bomb a mosque.
As admitted by McWhorter and Morris during their guilty plea hearings, the two, along with Hari, arrived at the DAF Islamic Center, at approximately five in the morning on August 5, 2017. Morris used a sledgehammer to break a window at the DAF Islamic Center and threw the plastic container containing the diesel fuel and gasoline mixture into the building. McWhorter then lit the fuse on the pipe bomb that Hari had built and threw the pipe bomb through the broken window at the DAF Islamic Center. According to the court documents, the window that was broken was part of the DAF Islamic Center Imam’s office. When the pipe bomb exploded, it ignited the mixture in the plastic container, causing extensive fire and smoke damage to the Imam’s office together with water damage caused when the building’s sprinkler system activated. McWhorter and Morris ran back to the truck, where Hari was waiting in the driver’s seat, and drove back to Illinois. At the time of the explosion, congregants were in the mosque for morning prayers, however, the Imam’s office was unoccupied and the bombing caused no fatalities or injuries.
According to their guilty pleas, Hari selected the DAF Islamic Center because it is an Islamic house of worship. McWhorter and Morris admitted that the bombing was an attempt to scare Muslims into believing they are not welcome in the United States, and should leave the country. The defendants also stated that the DAF Islamic Center was targeted, because they believed it was far enough away from central Illinois that the three thought it unlikely they would be suspected in the bombing.
As part of their guilty pleas, McWhorter and Morris admitted to participating in an armed home invasion in the town of Ambia, Indiana on December 16, 2017, where they, masquerading as police officers, carried firearms, including two that had been illegally converted into machine guns. McWhorter and Morris also conducted armed robberies of two Wal-Mart stores, along with co-defendant Hari, one in Watseka, Illinois, and one in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, on December 2, 2017 and December 17, 2017, respectively.
McWhorter and Morris also admitted that along with co-defendant Hari, they attempted to set on fire the Women’s Health Practice in Champaign, Illinois, on November 7, 2017. Morris admitted to breaking a window and placing an incendiary device in the Women’s Health Practice and to lighting a strip of magnesium that was being used as a fuse. However, the device did not ignite and was found on the floor by an employee of the Women’s Health Practice when the employee arrived to work that morning.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Docherty and Julie E. Allyn of the District of Minnesota, with assistance from Trial Attorney Timothy Visser of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. The team also worked closely with Assistant United States Attorney Eugene Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois.
Defendant Information:
MICHAEL MCWHORTER, 29
Clarence, Ill.
Convicted:
- Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, 1 count
- Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence, 1 count
- Possession of a Machine Gun, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence, 1 count
- Attempted Arson, 1 count
JOE MORRIS, 23
Clarence, Ill.
Convicted: - Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, 1 count
- Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence, 1 count
- Possession of a Machine Gun, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence, 1 count
- Attempted Arson, 1 count
MICHAEL HARI, 47
Clarence, Ill.
Charges in the District of Minnesota: - Intentionally Defacing, Damaging, and Destroying any Religious Real Property Because of the Religious Character of that Property, 1 count
- Intentionally Obstructing, and Attempting to Obstruct, by Force and the Threat of Force, the Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Commit Federal Felonies by Means of Fire and Explosives, 1 count
- Carrying and Using a Destructive Device During and in Relation to Crimes of Violence, 1 count
- Possession of an unregistered destructive device, 1 count
Charges in the Central District of Illinois[2]:
- Possession of a Machine Gun, 1 count
- Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Threats and Violence, 1 count
- Attempted Arson, 1 count
- Possession of a firearm by a felon, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
[1] The charges against defendant Michael Hari are accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[2] Superseding Indictment Adds New Charges Against Four East Central Illinois Men
Two Belleville Women Indicted for Fraud for Purchasing New Automobiles in False NamesRead the Press Release
Yesterday, a federal grand jury for the Southern District of Illinois returned an indictment charging Tamecia C. Buckley, 36, of Belleville, Illinois, and Kyetia M. Hines, 36, also of Belleville, with conspiracy and wire fraud, announced Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The charges arise from a scheme to purchase new automobiles in false names.
The indictment charges that in late October 2018, Buckley and Hines both submitted online credit applications under false names to Jansen Chevrolet in Germantown, Illinois. Then, on separate days, both Buckley and Hines went to Jansen Chevrolet and purchased new Chevy Malibus using those false names. For purposes of obtaining financing to purchase those cars, both Buckley and Hines provided the dealership with fraudulent documents containing the false names, including fake temporary Illinois driver’s licenses.
Both the charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud carry maximum sentences of twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The arraignments for both Buckley and Hines will be conducted on February 8, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. at the Federal Courthouse in East St. Louis, Illinois.
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 investigation was conducted by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, Fairview Heights Resident Agency, the Illinois Secretary of State Police, and the Germantown, Illinois, Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman.
Six Individuals Charged with Conspiring to Traffic More Than $30 Million of Contraband CigarettesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), Angel M. Melendez, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office (“USPS-OIG”), and Joseph Fucito, New York City Sheriff, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment in Manhattan federal court charging SHAO JUN GUO, JIAN JIANG FENG, YUE JUAN CHEN, ZHURONG GAO, SHUI YING LIN, and WO KIT CHENG with conspiring to traffic contraband cigarettes and trafficking contraband cigarettes. The defendants were arrested yesterday and will be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger today. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Jesse M. Furman. The defendants will be arraigned before Judge Furman on January 31, 2019, at 11:00 a.m.
As alleged in the Indictment, SHAO JUN GUO, JIAN JIANG FENG, YUE JUAN CHEN, ZHURONG GAO, SHUI YING LIN, and WO KIT CHENG conspired to traffic more than $30 million of contraband cigarettes to avoid approximately $30 million in taxes. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Jesse M. Furman.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, the defendants trafficked in massive quantities of contraband cigarettes, defrauding city, state, and federal governments of millions of dollars in tax revenue. That is lost tax revenue that would be used to fund research into cancer and other smoking-related illnesses, and to fund cessation and anti-smoking programs. These defendants’ alleged scheme to make millions, cheat taxing authorities, and deny funds for healthcare programs has gone up in smoke.”
USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett said: “These defendants thought they could get away with their scheme to distribute contraband cigarettes, avoiding regulations put in place to protect the public, businesses and the City from fraud. Their illegal profit went up in smoke.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “For the past six years these defendants smuggled untaxed cigarettes into the United States causing lost revenue to the U.S. economy to the tune of $30 million dollars in unpaid taxes. Whether it be drugs, counterfeit goods or untaxed cigarettes, smuggling items into the United States is a crime that we at HSI take very seriously as we work every day to secure our borders.”
USPS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Modafferi said: “In certain instances, the Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General will work with their law enforcement partners to stop those who use the U.S. Mail to facilitate their crimes. We would like to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office, USPIS, HSI, and New York City Sheriff’s Department for their collaborative efforts in developing this investigation.”
Sheriff Joseph Fucito said: “The alleged criminal conduct of the defendants deprives all New Yorkers of significant tax revenues. These lost revenues impact public safety, education, health, housing, and social services. The New York City DOF Sheriff’s Department will continue to investigate and pursue criminal conduct to ensure these invaluable services are sustained.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]: From June 2013 through January 2019, the defendants engaged in a scheme to smuggle and traffic $30 million of untaxed cigarettes in the United States to avoid at least $30 million in taxes.
* * *
SHAO JUN GUO, 42, of Brooklyn, New York, JIAN JIANG FENG of New York, New York, YUE JUAN CHEN, 41, of Bayside, New York, ZHURONG GAO, 66, of New York, New York, SHUI YING LIN, 43, of Brooklyn, New York, and WO KIT CHENG, 44, of Brooklyn, New York, have each been charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic contraband cigarettes, which carries a maximum prison term of five years; and one count of trafficking contraband cigarettes, which carries a maximum prison term of five years. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the USPIS, HSI, and the New York City Sheriff’s Department.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan B. Finkel, Elizabeth Espinosa, and Andrew Chan are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Seven Indicted for Conspiring to Harbor and Conceal Man Accused of Killing Newman Police CorporalRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today against Erik Razo‑Quiroz, 29, of Merced; Adrian Virgen-Mendoza, 25, of Fairfield; Conrado Virgen‑Mendoza, 34, of Chowchilla; Erasmo Villegas-Suarez, 36, of Buttonwillow; Ana Leydi Cervantes-Sanchez, 31, of Newman; Bernabe Madrigal-Castaneda, 59, of Lamont; and Maria Luisa Moreno, 57, of Lamont, charging them with conspiring to harbor an alien, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Ryan Spradlin announced. In addition, Razo‑Quiroz is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
U.S. Attorney Scott stated: “Law enforcement agencies that are sworn to protect the public can accomplish their mission only when they have the active cooperation and support of the community they serve. Officers who serve our community put their lives on the line every day to protect us, and they deserve that cooperation and support. When individuals act to thwart law enforcement’s efforts, they undermine the safety of those officers and the public as a whole. Today’s indictment is a significant step toward holding accountable those who chose to harbor and conceal the man accused of killing a police officer in Newman, California, Corporal Ronil Singh.”
According to court documents, between December 26 and 28, the defendants conspired to harbor and conceal Gustavo Perez Arriaga, while he evaded capture for the alleged murder of Newman Police Corporal Ronil Singh. It is alleged that in the early hours of December 26, 2018, Arriaga, an alien not lawfully present in the United States, shot and killed Corporal Singh. Thereafter, the seven defendants helped conceal and harbor Arriaga, despite knowing that he had killed a police officer. The defendants transported, hosted, and provisioned Arriaga with clothes, money, and a new cellphone; concealed the truck that Arriaga was driving when he allegedly killed Corporal Singh; and made plans and wired money to smuggle Arriaga out of California and back to Mexico. Additionally, Razo-Quiroz, a convicted felon, disposed of the gun that Arriaga allegedly used to murder Corporal Singh.
This case is the product of an investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office with assistance by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force; Southern Tri-County HIDTA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; California Highway Patrol; the Sheriffs’ Offices for Kern, Merced, and Santa Cruz Counties; and the Police Departments for Merced, Turlock, Modesto, and Santa Cruz. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen A. Escobar and Laura D. Withers are prosecuting the case.
If convicted of the firearms offenses, Razo-Quiroz faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 151 Months in Prison for Selling Heroin and Other DrugsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Antonio Rucker, 39, has been sentenced to 151 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams of heroin, 125 grams of cocaine, and over 100 oxycodone pills. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on March 15, 2018, the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation in Memphis. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Antonio Rucker. Officers immediately smelled marijuana upon approaching the vehicle. A further search of the vehicle revealed a box in the floorboard containing 100 grams of heroin, 125 grams of cocaine, and over 100 30 milligram oxycodone pills. Rucker was arrested and indicted for the above federal drug offenses.
At his change of plea hearing in October, Rucker admitted to possessing the heroin, cocaine, and oxycodone with the intent to distribute. Rucker was determined to be a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines due to the fact that he had several prior felony drug convictions on his record. At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., Rucker was sentenced to 151 months imprisonment
.U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Drug trafficking is an inherently dangerous business that is often conducted by recidivist offenders who have dedicated their lives to criminal activity, and who have no regard for the addiction, injury, and death caused by their sale of illegal drugs. This sentence demonstrates our commitment to remove career drug traffickers from our streets by seeking significant mandatory sentences for selling poison in our community."
This case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case is part of the West Tennessee Heroin Initiative, a joint task force of attorneys and law enforcement from both federal and state agencies dedicated to reducing the supply of heroin and opioids in Memphis and Shelby County.
Marion County man admits to drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Sanford Austin Mays, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to drug possession and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Mays, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of Firearms.” Mays admitted to possessing methamphetamine in Marion County in June 2018. Mays, having been previously convicted of multiple felonies, is also accused of having a .45 caliber pistol in Marion County in June 2018.
Mays faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the methamphetamine count and faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew R. Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the White Hall Police Department investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Man Sentenced to Life for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield man was sentenced today to life in prison for attempted sex trafficking of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Richard Todd Haas, 48, attempted to use a prostitute he knew to help him obtain young girls to sexually molest and produce child pornography, which he then intended to sell for a profit. Haas first met the prostitute in 2012 on the now-defunct website Backpage.com, and they got together several times for sex that year. They reconnected in May 2016, again through Backpage.com, and the woman visited Haas at his Chesterfield home to provide sexual services. During that visit, Haas shared with her his desire to have sex with children. Haas showed her child pornography on his laptop, and asked her if she had access to any young girls because they could produce child pornography together and make a lot of money. The woman feigned interest in the Haas’s proposal, but instead of actually participating in the plan, she notified the FBI.
Working in conjunction with FBI investigators, the woman stayed in contact with Haas via phone and text, and obtained incriminating text messages and recorded conversations. The FBI’s undercover investigation ended in August 2016 when investigators received information that Haas had recently sexually molested an 11-year-old girl. Federal investigators executed a search warrant on Haas’s home and business on September 1, 2016, seizing many items including his laptop. A forensic examination of the laptop revealed more than 7,000 images and movies of child pornography involving child victims whose identities are known, as well as many more child pornography images and movies involving unidentified victims.
Additionally, evidence at sentencing proved that Haas molested an 11-year old child in 2016 on multiple occasions.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and MaryJo Thomas, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian R. Hood and Heather H. Mansfield prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:16-cr-139.
MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to 27 Years’ Imprisonment for Murder on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, William Castellanos, also known as “Dizzy” and “Satanico,” a member of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, a violent transnational criminal organization, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco to 27 years’ imprisonment. The sentencing followed Castellanos’s February 2018 guilty plea to firearms-related murder charges in connection with the June 30, 2015 murder of 16 year-old Jonathan Cardona-Hernandez in Central Islip, New York.
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), Geraldine Hart, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), and Patrick J. Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), announced the sentence.
“Castellanos brutally murdered Jonathan Cardona-Hernandez simply because he believed Cardona-Hernandez was a member of a rival gang,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “With today’s sentence, Castellanos will pay for this senseless crime. The defendant’s conviction and punishment reflects the commitment of this Office and our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate, prosecute and dismantle MS-13 and any other gang that terrorizes our communities.”
“The success of our collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners is evident in today’s sentencing — the latest in a series holding MS-13 members accountable for their despicable crimes,” stated SCPD Commissioner Hart. “The Suffolk County Police Department will continue to focus our resources on halting the violence that surrounds MS-13, and I would like to thank the Eastern District of New York and the Long Island Gang Task Force for their unwavering commitment to dismantling this violent street gang.”
“The arrest, conviction and sentencing of defendant William Castellanos in connection with the 2015 murder of 16 year-old Jonathan Cardona-Hernandez is an excellent example of the professionalism and dedication of numerous law enforcement agencies that have worked tirelessly and collaborated on this case,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder. “Our residents and communities will be safer with defendant Castellanos incarcerated. Gangs and their heinous crimes can never be tolerated in any community and we are taking a proactive approach to keep our residents and police safe.”
Castellanos, who was a member of the Karlington Locos Salvatruchas clique of MS-13 (“KLS”) based in Central Islip, and two MS-13 co-conspirators targeted Cardona-Hernandez because they suspected that he was associated with a rival gang, known as “L-Block.” In the early morning hours of June 30, 2015, Castellanos and his co-conspirators drove Cardona-Hernandez to the vicinity of Nicoll Avenue and Messina Street in Central Islip. When Cardona-Hernandez exited the car, Castellanos approached him from behind and shot him multiple times with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. The co-conspirators then took turns shooting Cardona-Hernandez with a second 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Cardona-Hernandez was struck by at least 10 bullets and was found dead in the street. The shooters fled the crime scene, met with an MS-13 leader and telephoned MS-13 leaders in El Salvador to report that the murder had been successfully carried out. By the time of his arrest by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force in May 2016, Castellanos had risen to the position of leader of the KLS clique.
Today’s conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of MS-13. MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador and Honduras, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States, comprised primarily of immigrants from Central America. With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the largest and most violent street gang on Long Island. Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York. A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted on federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults. Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 45 murders in the district, and has convicted dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders. These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, NCPD, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, Rockville Centre Police Department, the New York State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Durham, Paul G. Scotti, Raymond A. Tierney, Michael T. Keilty and Justina L. Geraci are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
WILLIAM CASTELLANOS (“Dizzy” and “Satanico”)
Age: 22
Central Islip, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-403 (JFB)
January Grand JuryRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 28 indictments charging 33 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
* Aaron Arrellano-Abarca, age 40, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation from on or about January 4, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Ramon Barcenas-Diaz, age 30, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation from on or about January 4, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Ian Beals, age 25, of Omaha, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm on or about April 26, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Daniel Robert Berge, age 35, of Lincoln, Nebraska, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I of the Indictment charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine beginning on or about December 13, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, not more than $10,000,000 fine, not less than an 8-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II of the Indictment charges the defendant with felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 13, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment.
* Erica L. File, age 33, and Marcus D. File, age 35, are charged with theft of US currency from her employer, First Nebraska Bank, in the amount of $12,143.00 on or about August 10, 2017. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment for each, a $1,000,000 fine for each, a 3-year term of supervised release for each, and a $100 special assessment for each.
* Omar Garcia-Sanchez, age 35, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and Lanae Biggs, age 28, of Las Vegas, Nevada, are charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and marijuana on or about October 28, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, not more than $10,000,000 fine, not less than a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Damingo Burks, age 30, of Omaha, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm on or about November 18, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* David E. Doll, age 59, of Bennington, Nebraska, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Counts I-V charge the defendant with failure to pay over withholding and FICA taxes from on or about September 30, 2012, and continuing through at least on or about June 30, 2013. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 5 years’ imprisonment for each count, a $250,000 fine for each count, a 3-year term of supervised release for each count, and a $100 special assessment for each count.
* Nicholas Gragg, age 27, of Omaha, is charged with felon in possession of a firearm on or about December 11, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Carlos Hernandez-Degante, age 24, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation from on or about December 23, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Miguel Angel Lopez Alvarado, age 24, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation from on or about December 31, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Timothy Lukowski, age 45, of Omaha, is charged with Bank Fraud on or about September 5, 2018, and continuing on or about September 21, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Javier Marino-Ortiz, age 47 of Columbus, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about January 14, 2019, following an aggravated felony conviction. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Ronald L. Miner, age 38, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine between on or about January 1, 2015, continuing on or about October 30, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, NLT 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Carlos M. Molina, Jr., age 41, of Omaha, and Whitney G. Volenec, age 34, of Omaha, are charged in a four-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) between on or about October, 2018 continuing on or about November, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendants with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 18, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, not more than $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Volenec with distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 1, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a 4-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges Volenec with distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about October 10, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, a 4-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Thomas Newland, age 34, of Omaha, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death on or about May 22, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, not more than $10,000,000 fine, not less than a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on or about May 22, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, not more than $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on or about May 22, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, not more than $1,000,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jaime Carlos Ortiz Vidales, age 34 of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation on or about January 8, 2019, following an aggravated felony conviction. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Manuel Palma-Peralta, age 30, of Omaha, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation from on or about January 14, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Tawhyne M. Patterson, age 25, Damon D. Williams, age 27, and Dante D. Williams, age 25, are charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendants with murder with a firearm during a crime of violence on or about July 31, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendants with robbery of personal property, U.S. currency in the amount of $85,000 on or about July 30, 2018, and continuing through July 31, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Logan P. Reifschneider, age 23, of Mitchell, Nebraska, is charged in an eight-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with false statements to a financial institution on or about November 8, 2011. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with unauthorized use of Access Devises from on or about July 18, 2015 to on or about September 28, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges the defendant with aggravated identity theft on or about February 9, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment consecutive, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count IV charges the defendant with false statements to a financial institution on or about September 28, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count V charges the defendant with unauthorized use of Access Devises from on or about May 10, 2015, to on or about January 8, 2017. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VI charges the defendant with aggravated identity theft on or about May 30, 2016. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment consecutive, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VII charges the defendant with aggravated identity theft on or about September 15, 2016. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment consecutive, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count VIII charges the defendant with aggravated identity theft on or about December 22, 2016. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment consecutive, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Alfonso Us-Juarez, age 20, of Omaha, and Maria Reyes-Taperia De Us, age 22, of Omaha, are charged with destroying two GPS units belonging to the United State on or about January 4, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine for each, a 3-year term of supervised release for each, and a $100 special assessment for each.
* Juan Carlos Ruiz Palacios, age 40, of Omaha, is charged in a five-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about May 15, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, $5,000,000 fine, NLT 4-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Counts II through IV charges the defendant with distribution of methamphetamine on or about May 27, 2015, June 19, 2015 and July 2, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 20 years’ imprisonment each count, not more than $1,000,000 fine each count, a 3-year term of supervised release each count, and a $100 special assessment each count. Count V charges the defendant with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) on or about July 9, 2015. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Frank Sadecki, age 34, of Omaha, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about November 15, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 40 years’ imprisonment, not more than $5,000,000 fine, not less than a 4-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Edilberto Sandoval-Ortiz, age 41, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation from on or about December 20, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Rowland Sudbeck, age 61, of Hartington, Nebraska, is charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on or about November 15, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is Life imprisonment, not more than $10,000,000 fine, 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Ramon Verjan-Velazquez, age 47, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation following a felony conviction on or about January 17, 2019. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Aron Villareal Moreno, age 40, of Grand Island, Nebraska, is charged with illegal reentry after deportation following a felony conviction on or about August 16, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
* Jordan Wolfe, age 20, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges the defendant with assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm on or about December 2, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges the defendant with assault resulting in serious bodily harm on or about December 2, 2018. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Hastings Man Sentenced for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Michael Brandon Richardson, 29, formerly of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 2 years in prison by Senior United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for failing to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). After his release from prison, Richardson will serve five years on supervised release and still be required to register.
SORNA, also known as the Adam Walsh Protection and Safety Act, requires that a convicted sex offender register in each jurisdiction where the offender resides, where the offender is employed, or where the offender is a student, and that the sex offender maintain current registrations.
Richardson was convicted previously of Sexual Assault/Incompetent - 3rd Degree (a Misdemeanor) on January 13, 2009, in Nuckolls County District Court, Nebraska, and was required to register as a sex offender for 15 years. After that conviction, Richardson relocated to Georgia where he initially registered but then failed to re-register, and a warrant was issued. In February, 2018, the Nebraska State Patrol was informed by Georgia law enforcement that Richardson appeared to have obtained a Nebraska driver’s license in November, 2017, and had listed an address in Hastings. After investigation it appeared that Richardson had been living and working in Hastings since June of 2017, but was now living in Superior, Nebraska. The Nebraska State Patrol confirmed that Richardson had not registered as a sex offender in Nebraska since his return from Georgia. Richards was arrested by the U.S. Marshals in August, 2018, and has remained in custody since that time.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the United States Marshals Service.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Fresno Man Charged with Two Counts of Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Darnell Pearson, 40, of Fresno, charging him with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
“This defendant is alleged to have sold cocaine that was, in fact, fentanyl and caused the deaths of two people and serious injury to two others,” U.S. Attorney Scott stated. “Fentanyl is extremely dangerous and is a serious public health threat in our area and the nation as a whole. Even trace amounts of this drug can be lethal, and it poses serious risks to those who come into contact with it, including first responders. We will continue to work with our state and federal partners to target those who distribute this poison in our communities.”
According to court documents, on January 7, 2019, law enforcement officers responded to a call concerning an overdose in Fresno and found three individuals on the ground with faint or no pulse. All three individuals were transported to Community Regional Medical Center for treatment. One of the individuals was pronounced dead on January 10, 2019. A toxicology report determined that the cause of death for the individual was overdose from fentanyl. The other two individuals survived and were later released from the hospital. Pearson is charged in count one with distributing fentanyl to the three individuals resulting in death of one and serious bodily injury to the other two.
The second count of the indictment charges Pearson with distributing fentanyl to a victim in Madera, resulting in death on January 7, 2019.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, and the Madera Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laurel Montoya and Jeffrey A. Spivak are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Pearson faces a minimum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a $1 million fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal inmate admits to threatening the PresidentRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nathan Allen Danforth, a federal inmate at FCI Hazelton, was sentenced today to 15 months incarceration, to be served consecutively to the sentence he’s currently serving, after admitting to threatening the President of the United States, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Danforth, age 32, pled guilty to one count of “Threats Against the President.” Danforth admitted to mailing a letter containing threats to murder the President, cause the President pain, and to watch the President die a slow, painful death.
Danforth faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service and Special Investigative Services – USP Hazelton investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Federal Jury convicts Memphis man of Armed Pharmacy Robbery, firearm offense, and drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal jury has convicted Jesse Robert Coop, 41, for the Armed Business Robbery of a CVS Pharmacy, brandishing a firearm during of a crime of violence, and conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute various controlled prescription drugs. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty verdict today.
According to the information presented in court, on April 27, 2018, two individuals, one black and one white, entered CVS Pharmacy located at 6620 Winchester Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee. The white individual walked around the store as the black individual pulled out a revolver and demanded drugs from the pharmacist. The pharmacist provided the individual with drugs from the safe, and then both individuals fled the business. Witnesses stated that they heard a motorcycle as the individuals left the area.
A tracking device had been placed in one of the pill bottles, and it led the Memphis Police to a residence located at 6070 Knightsbridge in Memphis. Officers surrounded the house and demanded everyone inside to exit. Keith Harrington and Jesse Coop exited the house and were later arrested without incident.
Officers later obtained a search warrant and found multiple pill bottles in the house containing various controlled substances. Coop admitted to participation in the robbery and that he was the driver of the motorcycle with Harrington as a passenger when they fled the pharmacy.
Based on the surveillance footage, defendant Harrington matched the description of one of the robbers, and the pharmacist also identified defendant Harrington in a photo line-up. The stolen prescription drugs had a total value of $44,250.
On August 21, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an indictment against defendant Jesse Coop and co-defendant Keith Harrington, 30, charging Robbery affecting interstate commerce (Hobbs Act) in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1951; use and carry of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence in violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c); and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances: Oxycodone, OxyContin, Morphine, Hydrocodone, and Nucynta.
On January 11, 2019, co-defendant Keith Harrington pled guilty to all of the indicted charges, and his sentencing is scheduled on April 12, 2019. On January 23, 2019, after a two-day trial, a jury found defendant Jesse Coop guilty as charged in the indictment. Sentencing for Coop is scheduled on May 3, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. Coop and Harrington each face possible sentences of up to 20 years for the Hobbs Act Business Robbery, up to 20 years for each drug conspiracy count, and a mandatory minimum consecutive sentence of 7 years for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Robberies of businesses with a firearm are especially dangerous and violent due to the high risk of death and serious bodily injury to innocent victims. Pharmacy robberies for controlled substances present the further dangerous risk of hundreds of prescription opioids being unlawfully distributed into the community, causing further potential addiction, injury, and death. As demonstrated in this case, we will not tolerate this senseless gun violence and will use all available resources to remove dangerous offenders from our communities for a very long time. Gun Crime is Max Time."
The case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Whitmore prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Fairview Heights Man Sentenced to Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on January 24, 2019, Michael Norris, 30, of Fairview Heights, Illinois, was sentenced for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm. At the time of his arrest, Norris was on supervised release in a prior federal case involving a conviction for Possession of a Firearm by a Person with a Misdemeanor Conviction for a Crime of Domestic Violence. A petition to revoke Norris’s supervised release was filed in that case after his arrest.
Pursuant to a sentencing agreement, the Honorable Michael J. Reagan sentenced Robinson to a total of 3 years in federal prison combining the new conviction as well as the supervised release revocation case for sentencing purposes. Norris’s prison sentence will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Norris also agreed to forfeit the firearm that he illegally possessed.
Court proceedings revealed that on April 7, 2018, a Fairview Heights police officer conducted a traffic stop on Norris’s vehicle for expired plates and excessive window tint. A records search indicated that Norris’s driver’s license was suspended. He was arrested for driving while his license was suspended. A search of his vehicle led to the discovery of a loaded 9mm handgun in the center console, as well as multiple baggies of marijuana.
The case was investigated by the Fairview Heights, Illinois, Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hoell.
Enforcer of a Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Life for Heroin Trafficking and Murder ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Donald Stewart a/k/a “OG,” 55, of St. Louis, was sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and two counts of possession of a firearm (with death resulting) in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry.
According to the evidence presented at trial, defendant Donald Stewart a/k/a “OG,” was an enforcer for the Donald White drug trafficking organization. Over several years, White’s drug trafficking organization engaged in acts of violence with a rival drug trafficking organization. Defendant Stewart was recruited as a shooter for the White drug trafficking organization and engaged in several acts of violence for the organization. Additionally, defendant Stewart was a street level heroin dealer for the organization. Defendant Stewart’s residence in the 5100 block of Northland was used as a heroin distribution hub, used to store weapons, and used to plan out various acts of violence including murder committed by Stewart and other members of the organization.
On March 26, 2010, Michael McGill was lured to the 5200 block of Maffitt where he was gunned down by members of the White organization as part of the ongoing drug war. On July 23, 2010, Darrion Williams, Jr. was lured to an alley behind the 5200 block of Maffitt for a purported drug deal where he was gunned down by Stewart and other members.
On April 25, 2013, defendant Terrance Wilson, a/k/a “Mutt,” entered pleas to drug conspiracy and firearms charges. According to the plea agreement defendant Wilson also served as an enforcer for the White drug trafficking organization and participated in both the McGill and Williams murders.
In May of 2018, after a ten-day trial and 62 witnesses, a federal jury returned the three guilty verdicts. The conviction of Donald Stewart and Terrance Wilson along with previous convictions of Donald White and members of his organization has dismantled the drug organization and ended their reign of violence.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Intelligence and Homicide Divisions, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Dos hombres de Illinois se declaran culpables al bombardeo de un centro islámicoRead the Press Release
Michael McWhorter, de 29 años, y Joe Morris, de años 23, ambos vecinos de Clarence, Illinois, se declararon culpables hoy ante múltiples cargos, entre ellos cargos relacionados con derechos civiles federales, ante el Tribunal de Distrito Federal en St. Paul, Minnesota. La Fiscal Federal para el Distrito de Minnesota, Erica H. MacDonald; el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Central de Illinois, John C. Milhiser; el Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles, Eric S. Dreiband; y la Agente Especial Encargada de la División del FBI en Minneapolis, Jill Sanborn, anunciaron hoy las declaraciones de culpabilidad.
«Los acusados cometieron una serie de delitos violentos sin precedentes en múltiples estados que aterrorizaron comunidades, entre ellos los miembros del Centro Islámico Dar al-Farooq en Minnesota. Los actos delictivos de los acusados son reprehensibles y antitéticos a nuestros valores como nación. Cada individuo tiene derecho a vivir libre de la amenaza de violencia y discriminación, no importa quién es, en qué creen o dónde rezan», declaró la Fiscal Federal Erica H. MacDonald. «La dedicación y colaboración de nuestras agencias asociadas de orden público en varias jurisdicciones para llevar a estos acusados ante la justicia es un poderoso ejemplo de nuestra devoción a la búsqueda de justicia para toda víctima y al enjuiciamiento, con todo el peso de la ley, de cualquier individuo que intente amenazar los derechos civiles de otro mediante la comisión de delitos de odio tan viles».
«Seguiremos trabajando con nuestras agencias federales y estatales asociadas para identificar y enjuiciar a grupos peligrosos y radicales que elijan aterrorizar a nuestras comunidades», afirmó el Fiscal Federal John C. MilHeiser.
«Todas las personas merecen vivir libres de violencia y miedo, independientemente de religión o lugar de culto», comentó el Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles, Eric Dreiband. «El Departamento de Justicia se ha comprometido a hacer que los autores de delitos de odio rindan cuentas ante la ley de sus acciones delictivas y peligrosas, cometidas contra miembros inocentes de la comunidad».
«Este delito no solo fue un ataque contra el objetivo pretendido, sino que tuvo la intención de amenazar e intimidar a una comunidad entera. Debido a ese enorme impacto, la investigación de este delito y de otros parecidos es una de las prioridades principales del FBI», dijo Jill Sanborn, la Agente Especial Encargada de la División del FBI en Minneapolis. «El FBI tiene el deber de defender los derechos civiles y nuestros agentes en las oficinas locales en Minneapolis y Springfield, juntos con el Equipo de Tarea Conjunta contra el Terrorismo, investigaron este caso rápidamente en cooperación con la Agencia de Control de Bebidas Alcohólicas, Tabaco, Armas de Fuego y Explosivos (ATF, por sus siglas en inglés), la Policía de Bloomington y otras agencias del orden público asociadas con una única meta: llevar a los terroristas ante la justicia y, más importante aún, ayudar a la comunidad de Dar al-Farooq a empezar a sentirse segura nuevamente».
Los acusados McWhorter y Morris se declararon culpables en el Distrito de Minnesota ante cargos federales que se habían originado en el Distrito de Minnesota y el Distrito Central de Illinois. Las declaraciones ante los cargos que se originaron en el Distrito Central de Illinois se declararon en Minnesota, conforme a la Norma Federal 20 de Procedimiento Penal, que permite la transferencia de cargos para declaraciones de culpabilidad y la imposición de la condena. McWhorter, Morris y su coacusado Michael Hari, de 47 años, fueron acusados formalmente de poseer una ametralladora, de confabular a interferir en el comercio mediante amenazas y violencia (la ley de Hobbs) y de intentar a provocar un incendio, en una acusación formal sustitutiva del 2 de mayo del 2018 en el Distrito Central de Illinois. McWhorter, Morris y Hari fueron acusados formalmente en el Distrito de Minnesota el 21 de junio del 2018 ante cargos federales de derechos civiles y de posesión y uso de un dispositivo destructivo en apoyo de un delito federal de odio.
McWhorter y Morris se declararon culpables hoy ante el Juez Superior del Tribunal Federal de Distrito Donovan Frank. El acusado Hari sigue bajo custodia en el Distrito Central de Illinois.[1]
Según las declaraciones de culpabilidad de McWhorter y Morris, durante el verano del 2017, Michael Hari organizó un grupo de milicianos en el centro de Illinois, el que finalmente fue llamado los «White Rabbits» [Conejos Blancos], al que se unieron McWhorter y Morris, junto con otros individuos adicionales.
Conforme a las declaraciones de culpabilidad de McWhorter y Morris y documentos presentados ante el tribunal, el 4 y el 5 de agosto del 2017, McWhorter, Morris y Hari manejaron un camión alquilado desde Illinois hasta el Centro Islámico de Dar al-Farooq («DAF») en Bloomington, Minnesota. Dejaron atrás sus teléfonos celulares en Illinois y evitaron las autopistas de peaje en un intento de pasar desapercibidos. Los acusados pararon en su ruta para comprar diésel y gasolina, lo que Hari mezcló en un contenedor de plástico. A una hora de Minnesota, Hari divulgó a McWhorter y Morris que tenía una bomba de fabricación casera en el camión (que se había creado con materiales comprados previamente) y que iban a bombardear una mezquita.
Tal y como McWhorter y Morris admitieron en las audiencias en las que se declararon culpables, ellos dos, juntos con Hari, llegaron al Centro Islámico DAF aproximadamente a las 5 de la madrugada el 5 de agosto del 2017. Morris empleó un mazo para romper una ventana del Centro Islámico DAF y tiró adentro de edificio el contenedor de plástico que contenía la mezcla de diésel y gasolina. McWhorter encendió la mecha de la bomba de fabricación casera que Hari había construido y tiró la bomba la fabricación casera por la ventana rota del Centro Islámico DAF. Según los documentos judiciales, la ventana rota estaba en la oficina del Imam del Centro Islámico DAF. Cuando la bomba de fabricación casera explotó, se encendió la mezcla en el contenedor de plástico, lo cual provocó daños sustanciales por fuego y humo a la oficina del Imam, junto con daños por agua causados cuando se activó el sistema de aspersores del edificio. McWhorter y Morris volvieron corriendo al camión, donde Hari les esperaba en el asiento del conductor, y volvieron a Illinois. En el momento de la explosión, estaban presentes en la mezquita congregantes que habían acudido a las oraciones matinales. No obstante, la oficina del Imam estaba desocupada, por lo que el bombardeo no causó víctimas mortales o lesiones.
Según sus declaraciones de culpabilidad, Hari había elegido el Centro Islámico DAF por ser un lugar de culto musulmán. McWhorter y Morris admitieron que el bombardeo fue un intento de espantar a los musulmanes y hacerles creer que no son bienvenidos en los Estados Unidos y que deben abandonar el país. Por otra parte, los acusados también declararon que su objetivo fue el Centro Islámico DAF porque los tres creían que estaba lo suficiente lejos del centro de Illinois por lo que era poco probable que los sospecharían del ataque.
Como parte de sus declaraciones de culpabiliad, McWhorter y Morris admitieron que participaron en la invasión armada de un hogar en Ambia, Indiana, el 16 de diciembre del 2017, donde ellos, fingiendo ser policías, llevaban armas, entre ellos dos que se habían convertido ilegalmente en ametralladoras. McWhorter y Morris también llevaron a cabo, juntos con Hari, robos a mano armada de dos sucursales de Wal-Mart, una en Watseka, Illinois y otro en Mt. Vernon, Illinois, el 2 de diciembre del 2017 y el 17 de diciembre del 2017, respectivamente.
McWhorter y Morris también admitieron que, juntos con el coacusado Hari, intentaron prender fuego a una clínica de salud de mujeres que se llama Women’s Health Practice en Champaign, Illinois, el 7 de noviembre del 2017. Morris admitió que había roto un cristal y colocado un dispositivo incendiario en Women’s Health Practice y que había encendido una tira de magnesio que se estaba utilizando como mecha. No obstante, el dispositivo no se encendió y fue encontrado en el suelo por un empleado de Women’s Health Practice al llegar esa mañana a su trabajo.
El Buró Federal de Investigaciones está encabezando la investigación.
Los Fiscales Federales Auxiliares para el Distrito Minnesota, John Docherty y Julie E. Allyn, con la ayuda del Abogado de Litigios Timothy Visser, de la División de Derechos Civiles, son responsables del enjuiciamiento de este caso. El equipo también trabajo estrechamente con el Fiscal Federal Auxiliar Eugene Miller de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Central de Illinois.
Información sobre los acusados:
MICHAEL MCWHORTER, 29 años
Clarence, Illinois
Condenado:
- Impedir intencionalmente e intentar impedir, mediante la fuerza y amenazas de fuerza, el libre ejercicio de creencias religiosas, 1 cargo
- Portar y emplear un dispositivo destructivo durante y en relación con la comisión de delitos de violencia, 1 cargo
- Posesión de una ametralladora, 1 cargo
- Confabular a interferir en el comercio mediante amenazas y violencia, 1 cargo
- Intento de provocar un incendio, 1 cargo
JOE MORRIS, 23 añosClarence, Illinois
Condenado:
- Impedir intencionalmente e intentar impedir, mediante la fuerza y amenazas de fuerza, el libre ejercicio de creencias religiosas, 1 cargo
- Portar y emplear un dispositivo destructivo durante y en relación con la comisión de delitos de violencia, 1 cargo
- Posesión de una ametralladora, 1 cargo
- Confabular a interferir en el comercio mediante amenazas y violencia, 1 cargo
- Intento de provocar un incendio, 1 cargo
MICHAEL HARI, 47 añosClarence, Illinois
Cargos en el Distrito de Minnesota:
- Intencionalmente desfigurar, dañar y destrozar bienes inmuebles religiosas por motivos del carácter religioso de tales bienes, 1 cargo
- Impedir intencionalmente e intentar impedir, mediante la fuerza y amenazas de fuerza, el libre ejercicio de creencias religiosas, 1 cargo
- Confabular a cometer delitos graves federales mediante el uso de incendios y explosivos, 1 cargo
- Portar y emplear un dispositivo destructivo durante y en relación con la comisión de delitos de violencia, 1 cargo
- Posesión de un dispositivo destructivo no registrado, 1 cargo
Cargos en el Distrito Central de Illinois [2]:
- Posesión de una ametralladora, 1 cargo
- Confabular a interferir en el comercio mediante amenazas y violencia, 1 cargo
- Intento de provocar un incendio, 1 cargo
- Posesión por un delincuente de un arma de fuego, 1 cargo
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Fiscalía Federal, Distrito de Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
[1] Los cargos contra el acusado Michael Hari son acusaciones, y se lo considera inocente mientras no se pruebe su culpabilidad.
[2] La acusación formal sustitutiva agrega cargos nuevos contra cuatro hombres del centro de Illinois
Cordova Woman has Pleaded Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin Resulting in Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Glenda Aldape, 42, of Cordova has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in death and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. D. Michael Dunavant, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee announced the guilty plea today.
According to information presented in court, on the evening of March 28, 2016, the victim, Sean Heywood agreed over the phone to buy half a gram of heroin from Aldape for $75. Aldape texted Sean that she was sending "Mitch" (later identified as 38-year-old David Mitchell Murray) to deliver the heroin. Sean lived with his father, mother and grandmother at the time.
At 10 p.m., Sean told his father he was going to a nearby Huey’s location to have a beer. Surveillance tape showed Sean entering the bar area of the restaurant a few minutes after 10 p.m. and having one beer. During this period, he spoke on the phone with Mitch at least twice. The tape then shows him leaving the restaurant. After a few minutes, he left the bar and got into a car with Mitch, who then sold the heroin to Sean. Mitch then drove Sean home.
At approximately 12:30 p.m., Sean’s father found Sean unresponsive on the bathroom floor. Memphis emergency personnel arrived at the house and pronounced Sean dead at 1:02 a.m. Law enforcement also responded and tagged all of the items as evidence – a plastic bag of heroin in his pocket, syringe, spoon and 0.19 grams of heroin, and Sean’s cell phone. The autopsy results concluded the cause of Sean’s death was a lethal dose of heroin.
The next day, on March 29, 2016, MPD officers conducted a forensic search of the victim’s cell phone. Detective Bogue with MPD took that information and discovered Sean had been buying drugs from Glenda Aldape. Bogue then used Sean’s phone and pretended to be Sean trying to set up another buy of heroin from Aldape at Huey’s. Officers set up surveillance and watched an individual arrive at Huey’s matching her description at approximately 10:15 PM. To confirm that this was her, Bogue texted her again while surveilling her, telling her to come to El Porton instead, which is next door. They witnessed her leave the Huey’s parking lot and drive to El Porton. Officers then closed in on her and arrested her. They searched her incident to arrest and found 0.47 grams of methamphetamine in her pocket, as well as 0.08 grams of heroin and various other pills in her purse. The 0.08 grams of heroin was packaged in exactly the same fashion as the heroin found in Sean’s pocket on the night of his death.
Aldape gave a statement to officers admitting to setting up the drug deal with Sean on the 28th, to sending Mitch to deliver the heroin to Sean that same night, and to being in possession of the heroin on the 29th in order to sell to Sean.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Under our district-specific opioid strategy, heroin distribution cases resulting in death receive top priority for investigation and federal prosecution, regardless of quantity of heroin involved or the prior criminal record of the offender. Our Heroin Initiative also provides time-sensitive case coordination between law enforcement agencies and medical examiners, to ensure that opioid overdose death cases are investigated quickly and thoroughly to identify the nature and source of the drug distribution. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute and seek the maximum guidelines sentences in these cases in order to disrupt trafficking organizations, hold the distributor accountable for the death of the victim, and to deter others from selling poison to our citizens."
On August 20, 2018, Aldape's co-defendant, David Mitchell Murray, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in death, and will be sentenced on March 1, 2019. Sentencing for Aldape is set for April 26, 2019, before U.S. District Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr. Both Aldape and Mitchell face a minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life imprisonment.
This case was investigated the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Memphis Police Department Organized Crime Unit (OCU).
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. William Crow is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Berkeley County man indicted for firearms violationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nathan Johnson, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Martinsburg on January 23, 2019 for a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Johnson, age 42, is charged with two counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Johnson, a person prohibited from having firearms, is accused of possessing an unregistered .410 caliber short-barreled shotgun, as well as 33 other firearms. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March 2017 in Berkeley County.
Johnson faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Finucane is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Berkeley County man indicted for firearms violationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Nathan Johnson, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Martinsburg on January 23, 2019 for a firearms violation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Johnson, age 42, is charged with two counts of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Johnson, a person prohibited from having firearms, is accused of possessing an unregistered .410 caliber short-barreled shotgun, as well as 33 other firearms. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March 2017 in Berkeley County.
Johnson faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Finucane is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
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.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Berkeley County man admits to filing false tax returnRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jay D. Dehaven, of Hedgesville, West Virginia, has admitted to filing a false tax return, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Dehaven, age 39, pled guilty to one count of “Filing False Income Tax Return.” Dehaven admitted to understating his income by more than $136,000, resulting in an unpaid tax of more than $50,000. The crime took place in October 2016 in Berkeley County.Dehaven faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod J. Douglas is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Internal Revenue Service investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
A Monongalia County man sentenced for firearms conspiracy chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Tommy Calhoun, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced to 12 months incarceration for his involvement in an illegal firearms operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Calhoun, age 53, pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Violate Federal Firearms Laws” in May 2018. Calhoun admitted to being involved in a conspiracy that included making false statements to purchase firearms, trading firearms for controlled substances, and transporting and selling the firearms in New York. The crime occurred in Morgantown, Monongalia County and elsewhere from May 2017 to June 2017.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Wednesday 23 January 2019
Walgreen Co. Agrees to Pay $3.5 Million to Settle Allegations Under the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger announced today that Walgreen Co. (“Walgreens”) has agreed to pay $3.5 million to the United States and the State of Wisconsin to settle allegations that Walgreens violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicaid for stimulant medications without complying with Medicaid rules designed to ensure that stimulants are dispensed for appropriate medical treatment.
Walgreens operates retail pharmacies throughout Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Medicaid program will reimburse a pharmacy for dispensing certain stimulant medications only if the pharmacy first verifies with the prescribing physician that the physician prescribed the stimulant for medically appropriate treatment, such as treatment for attention deficient disorder. The False Claims Act prohibits a pharmacy from knowingly submitting claims for payment for medications in violation of Medicaid’s rules.
The United States and the State of Wisconsin allege that, from 2011 through 2014, Walgreens violated Wisconsin Medicaid rules by dispensing routinely stimulant medications to Wisconsin Medicaid beneficiaries without first verifying that the prescribing physician ordered the medication for medically appropriate treatment. The United States and the State of Wisconsin further allege that, by failing to verify that medications were prescribed for appropriate treatment, Walgreens dispensed and billed Wisconsin Medicaid for medically unnecessary medications.
“Pharmacies play an important gate-keeping role in the Medicaid program to ensure that the millions of dollars spent each year on prescription medications buy drugs that are medically necessary,” stated United States Attorney Krueger. “This settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice will hold pharmacies accountable.”
“The dispensing of medications of any kind needs to be done following all protocols and with proper verification to ensure the medical necessity of the treatment,” said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “This settlement includes an OIG Corporate Integrity Agreement that contains requirements, such as multi-site claims reviews to be conducted by an Independent Review Organization, that seek to aid adherence to Federal health care program rules. The OIG will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to protect the health and safety of Medicaid patients and vital taxpayer dollars.”
“The Federal Bureau of Investigation prioritizes the protection of consumers and will continue to hold accountable healthcare providers who misuse the Medicaid program,” said FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Justin Tolomeo. “This $3.5 million settlement shows that violations of Medicaid rules have a significant impact on the healthcare industry and taxpayer funds.”
Although the U.S. Attorney’s Office generally is not issuing press releases during the current lapse in appropriations, this announcement is being made because the settlement falls under the same Corporate Integrity Agreement that was recently announced in relation to cases being settled in the Southern District of New York. See https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/manhattan-us-attorney-announces-2692-million-recovery-walgreens-two-civil-healthcare. The investigation resulted from whistleblower lawsuits filed under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Consequently, the whistleblowers will recover a share of the settlement amount. As part of the settlement, the United States, the State of Wisconsin, and the whistleblowers asked the district court to dismiss the qui tam complaint.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Carter represented the government in this matter. The FBI, OIG, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Control & Elder Abuse Unit assisted in the investigation. The settlement agreement states allegations only; Walgreens does not admit liability for the allegations.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth B. Gales 414-297-1700
Three Sentenced for Conspiring to Provide Illegal Big Game Hunts in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and PreserveRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Casey Richardson, 48, of Huson, Montana, Jeffrey Harris, 45, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and Dale Lackner, 74, of Haines, Alaska, were sentenced Friday, Jan. 18, 2019, in federal court to five years of probation for violations of the Lacey Act and other federal laws.
As part of their sentence, Richardson was also ordered to pay $14,000 in restitution, Harris was ordered to pay $26,000 in restitution, and Lackner was ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution. Restitution was to be made to the Department of Interior Restoration Fund on behalf of the National Park Service, and to the State of Alaska. The defendants are prohibited from any hunting or to assist in any hunting for the five years of probation. They were each ordered to perform over 100 hours of community service, and assist in providing and paying for public service announcements which would include a statement about the importance of understanding and following hunting laws and regulations. In addition, Richardson and Harris were each sentenced to serve three months in a halfway house followed by three months of home confinement, and Lackner was sentenced to six months of home confinement. During the periods of home confinement, the defendants will be on electronic monitoring.
The three men previously pleaded guilty to several violations of the Lacey Act and other federal laws. Richardson pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and two counts felony Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. Harris pleaded guilty to one count felony Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act, one count felony Lacey Act False Record, one count False Statements, and one count Conspiracy to Use Substance to Incapacitate Game. Lackner pleaded guilty to one count misdemeanor Conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act and one count Lacey Act False Record.
According to court documents, a federal investigation was launched in December 2015 after an anonymous letter was received by the State of Alaska Wildlife Troopers, Wildlife Investigations Unit. The letter indicated illegal hunting activities were occurring at Ptarmigan Lake Lodge (PLL), which is located within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska. PLL is owned by Urban Rahoi and was permitted to operate as a concessionaire within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve to provide sport hunting guide services. Richardson and Harris are not Alaska residents nor registered guides. Lackner is an Alaska resident and was a registered guide beginning in 2015.
During the 2014 and 2015 hunting seasons, out-of-state hunters illegally hunted and killed Dall Sheep at PLL without being accompanied by a registered guide. In 2014, Harris guided an out-of-state hunter at PLL, with the hunter harvesting a Dall Sheep. Harris falsified the hunt record indicating the hunt was conducted by a registered guide. In 2014, at PLL, Harris harvested two brown bears without a guide present and without possessing a harvest ticket or locking tag for either bear. One of the brown bears was harvested out of season and the hunt record was falsified. Also in 2014, Richardson conspired with Lackner to harvest a Dall Sheep at PLL. Lackner falsified the State of Alaska Sheep Harvest Report indicating he harvested the sheep and later transported the sheep to Montana, to Richardson.
In 2015, Richardson guided three out-of-state hunters, on three separate hunts at PLL. All three hunters harvested Dall Sheep. Harris falsified two of the hunt records indicating the hunts were conducted by registered guides. Lackner falsified the third hunt record indicating that hunt was conducted by a registered guide.
In 2014 and 2015, multiple illegal bait site locations were determined to be maintained by PLL and not registered with the State of Alaska. Xylitol, an artificial sweetener which is toxic to canines and birds, was used at the unlawful bait sites to poison wolves and bears.
On July 5, 2016, the National Park Service suspended Urban Rahoi’s concession contract pending the outcome of the criminal investigation and directed Urban Rahoi to refund all hunt clients that may have been booked for 2016 and 2017 hunt seasons. Urban Rahoi was issued a Federal Violation Notice for an unregistered bait site, surrendered his State of Alaska guide/outfitter license, and made a donation to the National Park Foundation. Justin Field, of Team Fate Outdoors, was issued a Federal Violation Notice for unlawful commercial filming, without a permit, of a 2015 Dall Sheep hunt.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the State of Alaska Wildlife Troopers, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks conducted the investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Retta Randall.
Three Men Charged in ‘Swatting’ Schemes in which Admitted Hoax-Maker Targeted Individuals, Schools and a Convention CenterRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Three men allegedly conspired with admitted “swatter” Tyler Rai Barriss to make hoax reports of bombs and murders to police departments, high schools and a convention center across the United States, according to three indictments unsealed today.
The three new cases allege that the men agreed with Barriss to make false reports of explosives and armed individuals to generate a law enforcement response that was intended to harass and intimidate their targets and to evacuate public buildings.
Special agents with the FBI this morning arrested two of the defendants, and a third has agreed to surrender to federal authorities in Los Angeles.
Those charged in the indictments unsealed today are:
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Neal Patel, 23, of Des Plaines, Illinois, also known by his Twitter handles @internetlord and @defeat, who was arrested this morning;
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Tyler Stewart, 19, of Gulf Breeze, Florida, also known by his Twitter handle @tragic, who was arrested this morning; and
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Logan Patten, 19, of Greenwood, Missouri, also known by his Twitter handle @spared, who has agreed to surrender.
The three defendants are charged in separate indictments with conspiracy and conveying false information concerning the use of an explosive device.
“Swatting,” according to the indictments, is “the action or practice of harassing a victim by deceiving an emergency service into sending police and emergency service response teams, including special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams, to the victim’s address, often by making a false report of a serious law enforcement emergency – such as a murder or hostage situation – at the victim’s address to trigger the deployment of the response team.”
Patel allegedly conspired with Barriss over several days in early December 2017 to make false police reports to law enforcement authorities in Milford, Connecticut. The pair also conspired to make a false bomb threat targeting a video game convention in Dallas, Texas, according to the indictment. Patel also faces bank fraud charges for allegedly using unauthorized credit card numbers to purchase items of clothing for Barriss.
Stewart is charged with conspiring with Barriss to cause the evacuation of a high school in Gurnee, Illinois by making two false bomb threats in early December 2017. In the second incident, Barriss allegedly called the Gurnee Police Department, claimed the explosives had been left in a high school classroom, and stated he was high on methamphetamine and was considering shooting teachers and students.
Patten is charged with hiring Barriss, also in December 2017, to swat individuals by making false reports to the Indianapolis (Indiana) Metropolitan Police Department and the Hamilton County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Department. Patten also allegedly schemed with Barriss to swat a high school in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, at the direction of an uncharged juvenile. In this case, Patten is also charged with making threats to injure in interstate commerce.
Patel and Stewart are expected to make initial court appearances where they were arrested today in the Northern District of Illinois and the Northern District of Florida.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Barriss pleaded guilty on November 13 to a total of 51 charges brought by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles, Kansas, and Washington, D.C. His sentencing in United States District Court in Wichita, Kansas, is scheduled for March 1. Pursuant to a plea agreement, Barriss has agreed to serve a sentence of 20 to 25 years in federal prison.
The charge of conspiracy carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and the charge of conveying false information concerning the use of explosive device carries a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The charge of making threats to injure in interstate commerce carries a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
The two bank fraud charges alleged against Patel each carry up to 30 years in federal prison.
The investigation into the swatting incidents is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The cases announced today are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney George E. Pence of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section.
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Second Former Honduran Mayor Charged with Conspiring to Import Cocaine into the United States and Related Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christopher Tersigni, the Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today that charges have been filed in Manhattan federal court against former Honduran mayor Amilcar Alexander Ardon Soriano and, in a separate Superseding Indictment, Mario Jose Calix Hernandez. The charges in each indictment include conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related weapons offenses involving the use and possession of machineguns and destructive devices. The United States is seeking the defendants’ extraditions from Honduras and Guatemala.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged, Amilcar Alexander Ardon Soriano and Mario Jose Calix Hernandez each conspired to import massive quantities of cocaine into the U.S. and used heavy weaponry to protect drug shipments. Ardon Soriano allegedly used his position as a Honduran mayor to facilitate his own drug trafficking, and to exact a ‘tax’ on other traffickers, making millions of dollars in the process. Thanks to the DEA, both men now face criminal charges in the U.S.”
As alleged in the Indictments filed in federal court:[1]
From at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2016, multiple drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras and elsewhere worked together, and with support from certain prominent public and private individuals, including Honduran politicians and law enforcement officials, to receive multi-ton loads of cocaine sent to Honduras from, among other places, Colombia via air and maritime routes, and to transport the drugs westward in Honduras toward the border with Guatemala and eventually to the United States. For protection from official interference, and in order to facilitate the safe passage through Honduras of multi-hundred-kilogram loads of cocaine, drug traffickers paid bribes to public officials, including certain mayors and members of the National Congress of Honduras.
Ardon Soriano was previously the mayor of El Paraíso, Copán, in Honduras. Between approximately 2000 and approximately 2015, including at times while acting as mayor of El Paraíso, ARDON SORIANO engaged in large-scale drug trafficking activities with traffickers located in, among other places, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Ardon Soriano is the second former Honduran mayor charged in the Southern District of New York with crimes related to drug trafficking. In July 2018, Arnaldo Urbina Soto, the former mayor of Yoro, Honduras, was charged in a separate Indictment with conspiring to import cocaine into the United States and related firearms offenses. See United States v. Urbina Soto, et al., 18 Cr. 497 (DLC).
As alleged in the Indictment, ARDON SORIANO participated in processing, receiving, transporting, and distributing large loads of cocaine that arrived in Honduras via planes and go-fast vessels. In Honduras, ARDON SORIANO had access to at least one cocaine laboratory as well as a clandestine airstrip that was used to receive cocaine-laden aircraft dispatched from South America. ARDON SORIANO and others participated in providing heavily armed security for cocaine shipments transported within Honduras, including by members of the Honduran National Police and drug traffickers armed with, among other weapons, machineguns. ARDON SORIANO also leveraged his power in El Paraíso by charging a per-kilogram tax on cocaine transported by other traffickers through the area that he controlled. As a result of these illegal activities, ARDON SORIANO earned millions of dollars from the distribution and sale of the cocaine that he worked with others to import into the United States. ARDON SORIANO used some of the drug proceeds to fund political campaigns in Honduras for himself and one or more of his associates.
As alleged in a separate Superseding Indictment, between in or about 2005 and in or about 2016, CALIX HERNANDEZ participated in large-scale drug trafficking with traffickers located in, among other places, Colombia, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico. Like ARDON SORIANO, CALIX HERNANDEZ and others participated in providing heavily armed security for cocaine shipments transported within Honduras, including by members of the Honduran National Police and drug traffickers armed with, among other weapons, machineguns. CALIX HERNANDEZ’s co-defendant and alleged co-conspirator is Juan Antonio Hernandez Alvarado, a/k/a “Tony Hernandez,” a former member of the National Congress of Honduras and the brother of the current president of Honduras. On November 23, 2018, Hernandez Alvarado was arrested in Miami. He was subsequently brought to the Southern District of New York and faces the same drug trafficking and firearms charges as CALIX HERNANDEZ as well as an additional charge of making false statements to U.S. federal agents.
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ARDON SORIANO, 43, a citizen of Honduras, is charged in three counts: (1) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, (2) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine importation conspiracy, and (3) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and to possess machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine importation conspiracy.
CALIX HERNANDEZ, 36, a citizen of Honduras, is charged in three counts in a separate Superseding Indictment: (1) conspiring to import cocaine into the United States, (2) using and carrying machineguns and destructive devices during, and possessing machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine importation conspiracy, and (3) conspiring to use and carry machineguns and destructive devices during, and to possess machineguns and destructive devices in furtherance of, the cocaine importation conspiracy.
If convicted, ARDON SORIANO and CALIX HERNANDEZ each face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison on Count One, a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison on Count Two, and a maximum term of life on Count Three.
The maximum potential sentences in these cases are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit, New York Strike Force, and Tegucigalpa Country Office. Mr. Berman also thanked the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Southern District of Florida.
These cases are being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emil J. Bove III and Mathew J. Laroche are in charge of the prosecutions.
The charges contained in the Indictments are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment charging Ardon Soriano, and the separate Superseding Indictment charging Calix Hernandez, as well as the descriptions of the Indictments set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Monongalia County woman sentenced for drug distribution chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jayla Shade, of Morgantown, West Virginia, was sentenced today to six months incarceration for a drug distribution charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Shade, age 22, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Use of Communication Facility” in December 2017. Shade admitted to using a phone to distribute and assist in a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. The crime occurred in Monongalia County in February 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Mon Metro Drug and Violent Crime Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, led the investigation.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Maryland man indicted on drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Tyree Ryles, of Baltimore, Maryland, was indicted on drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Ryles, age 29, was indicted on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm,” one count of “Distribution of Controlled Substance,” and one count of “Possession of a Firearm in Futherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.” Ryles, having previously been convicted of crimes in the Circuit Court of Baltimore City, Maryland, is accused of illegally possessing a 9mm pistol and a .40 caliber pistol, and is also accused of exchanging said firearms for heroin in August 2015 in Jefferson County.
Ryles faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for unlawful possession count, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the furtherance count, and faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the heroin count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Ronreco Lashawn Broughton, 38, of Moss Point, Mississippi, pled guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr. to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
From December 2017 through February 2018, Broughton sold small quantities of drugs, including methamphetamine, Xanax bars, and marijuana, along with 8 firearms to the Jackson County MET Team and ATF. He was previously convicted of felony possession of a controlled substance in Pearl River County and felony possession of a controlled substance in Jackson County.
Broughton will be sentenced by Judge Guirola on April 23, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a 250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Jackson County MET Team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Four Convicted Felons Plead Guilty or Sentenced in Albany on Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY – Four defendants in four unique cases entered guilty pleas or were sentenced in Project Safe Neighborhoods related cases today, said Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) is a Department of Justice initiative to partner with local law enforcement to reduce violent crime rates, remove guns from the hands of convicted felons and ultimately make communities safer. In the Middle District of Georgia, the federal prosecutions of gun crimes increased by 25% in 2018 over 2017.
The four defendants are as follows:
Rontavis Davis, 39, of Albany, Georgia, was sentenced to 120 months and three years supervised release by the Honorable Leslie Gardner on one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. According to the plea agreement, drugs and a pistol were found on Mr. Davis during a routine traffic stop in Dougherty County in February 2018. Mr. Davis was previously convicted of Theft by Receiving Stolen Property and Forgery on June 13, 1997, Child Molestation on May 5, 1997, Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon on August 1, 2002, Possession of Cocaine on August 20, 2007, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender on August 20, 2007, and Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute on September 13, 2013, all cases in Dougherty County Superior Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah McEwen is prosecuting this case for the Government.
Isiah Price, 28, of Dawson, GA, was sentenced to 48 months and three years supervised release by the Honorable Leslie Gardner on one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. According to the indictment, Mr. Price was illegally in possession of a 9mm caliber handgun. A police report reveals that the handgun was found in Mr. Price’s possession during the investigation of an aggravated assault. Mr. Price was previously convicted of the felony offense of Theft by Taking Motor Vehicle in Terrell County Superior Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Dasher is prosecuting this case for the Government.
LaFabian Savage, 23, of Cordele, GA, was sentenced to 30 months and three years supervised release by the Honorable Leslie Gardner on one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon and one count of Possession of Marijuana with the Intent to Distribute. According to the plea agreement, Mr. Savage fled from police on foot when law enforcement officers were attempting to execute a warrant at a Cordele business in January 2017. When Mr. Savage was apprehended, he had two bags of marijuana weighing a total of 51 grams, scales and a loaded revolver. Mr. Savage was previously convicted of Theft by Taking in Crisp County Superior Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Dasher is prosecuting this case for the Government.
Kenneth Diamond Fountain, 28, of Valdosta, GA entered a guilty plea before the Honorable Louis Sands on one count of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. According to the plea agreement, Mr. Fountain was arrested on April 5, 2018 in Valdosta on two violent felony warrants, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Possession of Firearm or Knife During the Commission or Attempt to Commit Certain Felonies. These charges stem from an assault with a handgun on June 24, 2017 in which Mr. Fountain was allegedly the shooter, and authorities had been searching for Mr. Fountain since the incident. While a fugitive, there were a series of shootings in which Mr. Fountain was mentioned as a person of interest. Mr. Fountain was previously convicted of Assault with a Deadly Weapon in Lowndes County Superior Court. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Bowen is prosecuting this case for the Government.
“Guns do not belong in the hands of criminals, and as evidenced by the number of gun-related federal prosecutions in Albany today, law enforcement in our communities are relentless in their pursuit of stopping criminal activity by repeat felons,” said Charles Peeler, the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “Reducing violent crime is a priority for this Office, and we will continue to be ready to assist our local law enforcement partners in this mutual goal.”
“I appreciate the fact we have the teeth with a felony prosecution to go after the most dangerous people in our community who carry armed weapons,” said Greg Edwards, District Attorney for the Dougherty Judicial Circuit (Albany). “These are convicted felons, with guns, and it is vital to take away guns from people that shouldn’t have them. Convicted felons with guns will get serious time, and I hope this message sinks in for those out there who want to break 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.
Questions can be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603 or Melissa Hodges, Public Affairs Director (Contractor), United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 765-2362.
Former Harrison Police Chief Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jonathan D. Larsen, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced that ANTHONY MARRACCINI pled guilty today to tax evasion before U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas in White Plains federal court.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As he admitted in court today, former Harrison Police Chief Anthony Marraccini failed to report more than $2.5 million he earned through his ownership of a construction company and several rental properties. At a time when he was the top law enforcement officer in Harrison, Marraccini broke the law and evaded more than $780,000 in income taxes. Sworn officers of the law should be held to a higher standard. At a bare minimum, they should be expected to obey the law.”
IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said: “As the Chief of Police for the Town of Harrison, Anthony Marraccini held a position of trust in the eyes of the public. That trust was broken when he decided to commit a serious tax felony. The laws of the land apply to everybody, regardless of position or power. IRS-CI special agents will continue their work to ensure that everybody pays their fair share.”
According to the allegations contained in the Information:
During the relevant time period of 2011 to 2016, MARRACCINI was the Chief of Police for the Town of Harrison, New York. MARRACCINI also owned and operated Coastal Construction Associates LLC (“Coastal Construction”), a construction business, and was also employed as a salesperson for two title companies. In addition, MARRACCINI owned several residential rental properties. MARRACCINI reported some of Coastal Construction’s revenue and expenses, and the rental income from some of his rental properties, on his personal federal income tax return.
MARRACCINI failed to report all of Coastal Construction’s revenue on his income tax returns from 2011 through 2016. Instead, he deposited some checks Coastal Construction received for construction work into his personal bank accounts. He also cashed some checks Coastal Construction received at a check cashing service and kept the cash for his personal use. In some instances, MARRACCINI deposited checks Coastal Construction received into Coastal Construction’s bank accounts but took portions of the deposits as cash, thus reducing the amounts of the deposits on Coastal Construction’s bank account statements. MARRACCINI then falsely represented to his tax return preparers that Coastal Construction’s bank account statements showed the vast majority of the company’s revenue for each year.
MARRACCINI failed to report more than $2.3 million in revenue for Coastal Construction for the tax years 2011 through 2016.
MARRACCINI also failed to report a total of more than $199,800 in rents received from two rental homes he owned in Purchase, New York, from 2011 through 2015. In addition, MARRACCINI failed to report $24,500 in rents he received from a rental home he owned in Rye, New York, in 2013 and 2014.
In total, MARRACCINI failed to report more than $2.5 million in revenue from Coastal Construction and the rental properties, thereby evading more than $782,000 in federal income tax from 2011 through 2016.
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MARRACCINI, 54, of West Harrison, New York, pled guilty to one count of tax evasion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentence will be determined by the court.
MARRACCINI is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Karas on May 16, 2019.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the IRS-CI and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and DrugsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury has indicted Demetrius O. Ward, 42, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Possession of a Controlled Substance in connection with his illegal possession of a stolen, loaded 9mm Taurus handgun and a bag of heroin, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois Steven D. Weinhoeft, announced today. Documents filed in the U.S. District Court allege that Ward was found to be in possession of a loaded firearm and baggie of heroin after he fled from a St. Clair County Sheriff’s Deputy and crashed into a pole on January 19, 2019.
Felon in Possession of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine up to $250,000. If convicted of the drug offense, Ward faces up to a year in prison and a $1,000 fine.
"I recognize that we live in a time, and in a region, where officer-involved shootings are flashpoints that are capable of sparking extremely emotional reactions," said United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. "In moments like these, it is particularly important to calmly and objectively assess the facts to separate right from wrong."
US Attorney Weinhoeft continued, "The facts in this case show that Demetrius Ward created an incredibly dangerous situation by crashing his car while speeding away from the police, and then fleeing on foot, before reaching for a stolen .9 mm handgun in front of an officer who was forced to make a decision that no police officer should have to make. Thankfully, no one was killed. But the case reminds us why it is important to deter people from unlawfully possessing and using firearms, and of the dangers faced by the men and women in law enforcement who put their personal safety at risk on every shift to keep the rest of us safe."
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This prosecution is the result of a collaborative investigation by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, the Illinois States Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, that charge is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Falls City Man Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Corey J. Hayes, 32, formerly of Falls City, Nebraska, was sentenced today in Lincoln, Nebraska, to 9 1/2 years in prison by Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard, for receipt and distribution of child pornography. After serving his prison sentence, Hayes will be required to be on supervised release for 10 years and register as a sex offender.
In December of 2015, an undercover agent with the Department of Homeland Security was conducting undercover investigations on a chat site wherein a chat was initiated. During the course of the online chat, the individual, later identified as Hayes, engaged in discussions to meet and have sexual intercourse with a thirteen-year-old girl. Additionally, during the course of an online chat, Hayes transmitted a photograph of himself to the agent. Hayes also sent other images depicting young girls, including images that depicted child pornography, using another chat application.
In January of 2016, HSI agents received information from the chat application, which confirmed the location of Hayes as Falls City, Nebraska. In July, 2016, agents executed a federal search warrant on Hayes’s residence and seized an iMac computer, iPhone 4s, and portable media storage devices. After forensic examinations were conducted, one hundred fifty three (153) files containing child pornography were found on the iMac computer, including six (6) of the images sent to the UC agent by Hayes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security.
Berkeley County man indicted for drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Herman Terrell Govan, of Inwood, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Martinsburg on January 23, 2019 on drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Govan, age 35, is charged with three counts of “Distribution of Heroin” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Govan is accused of selling heroin in December 2017 and January 2018 in Berkeley County. Govan, a person prohibited from having firearms, is also accused of possessing a .30 caliber rifle.
Govan faces up to 20 years incarceration and a $1,000,000 fine for each of the heroin counts. He faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Helman is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tuesday 22 January 2019
Westlake man indicted on charges he illegally accepted food stamps at Cleveland-area gas stations, laundered the profits, illegally had firearms, operated an unregulated slaughterhouse and polluted a stream by dumping animal blood in itRead the Press Release
A Westlake man with a history of food stamp fraud was indicted on charges that he continued to illegally accept food stamps at seven Cleveland-area gas stations, laundered the profits, illegally had firearms, operated an unregulated slaughterhouse and polluted a stream by dumping animal blood and other fluids into it.
Amin M. Salem, 59, and Mohamed Salem, 32, were both indicted on one count each of conspiracy to launder money and one count of engaging in real estate transactions using laundered funds.
Amin Salem is additionally charged with one count of making unpermitted discharges into a waterway, one count of distribution of adulterated, misbranded or uninspected meat and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms. That charge stems from Amin Salem having an AR-15 rifle and a Savage 12-gauge shotgun, despite previous convictions for conspiracy to defraud the United States, food stamp fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering.
Mohamed Salem, also of Westlake and Amin’s son, is also charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods for his sale of counterfeit clothing and apparel.
Zahran al-Qadan, 55, of Cleveland, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to launder money.
Prosecutors are seeking to forfeit properties at 43588 Stang Road and 7250 West Ridge Road in Elyria owned by the Salems.
According to the six-count indictment:
Amin Salem secretly owned several area gas stations: Henry’s Marathon at 3106 Fulton Road; Gas Way at 10606 Bellaire Road; Turney Sunoco at 6009 Turney Road in Garfield Heights; Harvard Gas USA at 7020 Harvard Ave.; Bellaire Gas USA at 3934 West 117th Street; Rapid Stop at 1712 East 55th Street and Memphis Shell at 7210 Memphis Ave.
Mohamed Salem managed the gas station’s finances of behalf of his father. The gas stations had terminals to accept and process Electronic Benefits Transaction (EBT) cards as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.
The gas stations and the EBT terminals inside were in the names of Mohamed Salem or another person, since Amin Salem was prohibited from owning stores that processed EBT transactions because of previous convictions for food stamp fraud and related crimes.
The gas station terminals were used by the Salems to process more than $2.7 million in fraudulent SNAP transactions between 2010 and 2016.
Amin Salem slaughtered lambs and goats at his property on Stang Road in 2015 and 2016. He sold the meat, which was not inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He also caused, without a permit, the discharge of blood and other bodily fluids from the slaughtered animals into Engle Ditch, which flows into the Black River and eventually Lake Erie.
Mohamed Salem sold meat illegally slaughtered at Amin Salem’s farm. The Salems allowed customers to pay for the illegally slaughtered meat using SNAP cards, in contravention of SNAP’s rules and regulations.
Money from the meat sales and SNAP transactions were deposited into gas station accounts and ultimately sent to accounts controlled and used by the Salems.
The Salems and al-Qadan owned the Rapid Stop gas station at 1712 East 55th Street in Cleveland. Al-Qadan also owned and operated Yahala Bakery, a grocery store and bakery in North Olmsted.
Al-Qadan used checks from Yahala Bakery to purchase illegally slaughtered meat, and caused the checks to be processed through gas station bank accounts so it appeared those transactions were for the purchase of gasoline. Al-Qadan also paid for the meat using the EBT cards of customers who allowed him to have possession of their cards and accounts.
The Salems used the funds from these fraudulent transactions to pay for lots at 26800-26900 Brookpark Road Extension in North Olmsted.
“Amin Salem is accused of engaging in a diverse array of crimes, from food stamp fraud to illegally slaughtering lambs and goats to illegally having an assault rifle and shotgun, just to name a few,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “He will now be held accountable for years of disregarding our nation’s laws and flouting the rules to enrich himself.”
"This father and son duo engaged in various illegalities to include stealing from every taxpaying citizen by engaging in food stamp fraud, a program designed to help those in need," said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert E. Hughes. "Salem put others at risk by selling unsanitary, unregulated food. The FBI will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to ensure fraudsters like these are held accountable."
“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to unraveling complex financial transactions and money laundering schemes where individuals attempt to conceal the true source of their money," stated Ryan Korner, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI Cincinnati Field Office.
“The defendant is alleged to have illegally discharged waste from an animal slaughtering operation into a local stream,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Lynn of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Ohio. “This case demonstrates that EPA and its law enforcement partners will pursue those who violate laws designed to protect the health of our communities and the environment.”
If convicted, the defendants’ sentences will be determined by the Court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant's prior criminal record, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigations, USDA-OIG, USDA-FSIS, EPA-CID, Ohio Investigative Unit, Ohio Department of Taxation, Ohio Department of Agriculture, BCI, Ohio EPA, Lorain County Sheriff's Office, Guernsey County Sheriff's Department, Cleveland Division of Police, Westlake Police Department and Strongsville Police Department.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Duncan Brown and Brad Beeson.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The burden of proof is always on the government to prove a defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
West Virginia Man Charged with Dealing in Stolen, Specialized Mining EquipmentRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Beckley, West Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges related to five thefts of specialized mine equipment that occurred in Indiana and Armstrong Counties, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The two-count Indictment names Eudell Delano Dickerson Jr., 43, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from February 2017 to January 2018, Dickerson unlawfully conspired to and did transport, transmit and transfer in interstate commerce goods that were stolen, that is, specialized mining equipment/components, with a value of $5,000 or more from mining companies located in the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Western District of Virginia to the State of West Virginia, where Dickerson is alleged to have sold the stolen mining equipment/components.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Two sentenced in cocaine distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two Martinsburg men were sentenced today for their involvement with a multi-state drug trafficking operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Kenneth Biermann-Ruz, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, age 29, was sentenced to five years probation. Biermann-Ruz pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Cocaine” in September 2018. Biermann-Ruz admitted to selling cocaine in Berkeley County in October 2016.
Adam Bensaid, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, age 20, was sentenced to time served and three years supervised release. Bensaid pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Cocaine” in September 2018. Bensaid admitted to selling cocaine in Berkeley County in January 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Lara K. Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Virginia assisted. The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug & Gang Task Force , the West Virginia State Police, the Virginia State Police, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department. Other agencies assisting in the investigation were the Winchester City Police Department; and Frederick County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Pittsylvania County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; and the Henry County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Sex Trafficker Lavelleous Purcell, a/k/a “King Casino,” a/k/a “Mike Hill,” Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison in Manhattan Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LAVELLEOUS PURCELL, a/k/a “King Casino,” a/k/a “Mike Hill,” was sentenced today by United States District Judge Denise L. Cote to 216 months in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and other related offenses.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Lavelleous Purcell, a violent and notoriously brutal predator, used physical violence and intimidation to force women into sexual servitude for his financial enrichment. Appropriately, Purcell has now been sentenced to surrender his own freedom for many years.”
According to the Indictment filed in Manhattan federal court, previous court filings, and statements made at public proceedings:
From at least in or about 2012 to in or about 2017, LAVELLEOUS PURCELL, a/k/a “King Casino,” a/k/a “Mike Hill,” the defendant engaged in the sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of numerous women across the country, including in New York, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. The defendant recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, and maintained women for the purposes of commercial sex, and he used violent force, threats of force, coercion, intimidation, and fear to force at least one woman to engage in commercial sex for his own profit. For example, the defendant strangled and choked certain of his victims, he hit and threatened to hit certain of his victims, and he kidnapped certain of his victims.
The victims of the defendant’s prostitution business were required to follow a strict set of rules, which the defendant enforced through threats, fear, intimidation, and violence. The defendant’s rules required his victims to: make money for the defendant through prostitution, give the defendant all money earned from any commercial sex acts, call the defendant “Daddy,” not speak to men other than the defendant, not look at any men other than the defendant, not talk back to the defendant, not disrespect the defendant, not have boyfriends, not wear sneakers or loose-fitting clothing, and brand themselves with a tattoo bearing the defendant’s alias, “Casino,” on their necks.
The defendant recruited women to engage in commercial sex through social media websites, and he used Backpage.com, an online classifieds website, to post advertisements for commercial sex. The defendant also booked various rental cars and hotel rooms to transport women across state lines to engage in commercial sex. Meanwhile, the defendant boasted about the violence he used against women and his prostitution of women through social media posts, phone, text, and online communications, and in person.
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In addition to his prison sentence, PURCELL, 40, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Berman thanked the FBI and the NYPD for their outstanding investigative work in this matter. Mr. Berman also thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance with this investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Sheb Swett, Jane Kim, and Margaret Graham are in charge of the prosecution.