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7 March 2019
Lewis County Man Indicted on Heroin and Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Derek Damuth, age 25, of Lowville, New York, was charged today by a federal grand jury with possessing with the intent to distribute in excess of 40 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, along with possessing additional amounts of cocaine and marihuana, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Lewis County District Attorney Leanne K. Moser, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA) Raymond P. Donovan, and Acting New York State Police Superintendent Keith Corlett.
The charges in the indictment carry a mandatory minimum term of five years in prison, a maximum sentence of up to forty years in prison, and a fine of up to $5,000,000, along with a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least four years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The defendant is currently incarcerated on state offenses, and will make his initial appearance on today’s charges on March 12, 2019, before United States Magistrate Judge Thérèse Wiley Dancks.
This case is being investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New York State Police, with assistance from the Lewis County District Attorney’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. King.
Law Enforcement Executes Federal Gun and Drug Sting in PetersburgRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Over 150 law enforcement agents and officers executed a coordinated takedown this morning in Petersburg, arresting seven individuals on various drug and firearms charges including heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine distribution and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. An eighth individual was arrested in Texas and a ninth individual was already in custody on state charges.
“This operation represents our commitment to public safety in Petersburg,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Illegal firearms and drugs are often driving forces behind the violent crime that we are addressing in communities across the Eastern District. The actions taken today reflect the coordinated, skilled and brave work of law enforcement, and I want to thank the ATF and the Petersburg Bureau of Police for their partnership and commitment to reducing violent crime in Petersburg. These are serious allegations and each defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.”
“What we see today is the fruit of the strong partnership between ATF and the Petersburg Bureau of Police,” said Ashan Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division. “Going forward, ATF will continue to stand alongside the City of Petersburg and stay committed to targeting those who commit violent crimes and illegally possess firearms.”
“Today is a great day for our city,” said Kenneth Miller, Chief of Petersburg Bureau of Police. “The Petersburg Bureau of Police is committed to keeping our streets safe and making the City of Petersburg a better place to live. I’m extremely appreciative of our strong relationship with the ATF and our federal partners, and I look forward to continuing to work together to target those who choose to break the law. Today’s enforcement activity is a great example of our strategic approach going forward.”
Below is a table which lists the name, age, hometown, and respective charge(s) each defendant faces.
Name, Age
Hometown
Charge(s)
Armon Lee, 26
Warfield
Sale or Disposal of a Firearm to a Convicted Felon; Distribution of Cocaine
Terrell Dean Johnson, 30
Petersburg
Distribution of Cocaine
Titus Maurice Lee, 44
Petersburg
Distribution of Cocaine; Distribution of Heroin and/or Fentanyl; Possession of a Firearm/Ammunition by a Convicted Felon; Sale or Disposal of a Firearm to a Convicted Felon
Autrelle Malik Waddell, 22
Petersburg
Distribution of Heroin and/or Fentanyl; Sale or Disposal of a Firearm to a Convicted Felon
Miles Owanga Johnson, 39
Petersburg
Distribution of Heroin and/or Fentanyl
Charles Lee Avery, 44
Petersburg
Possession of a Firearm/Ammunition by a Convicted Felon
Tyrell Jakahree Allen, 26
Prince George
Distribution of Cocaine
Vincent Edward Stewart, 29
Petersburg
Sale or Disposal of a Firearm to a Convicted Felon
Calvin Alphonso Turner, 32
Petersburg
Distribution of Cocaine
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, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, and Kenneth A. Miller, Director of Public Safety, Petersburg Bureau of Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea-Miller and Peter S. Duffey are prosecuting the cases.
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.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
KC Man Sentenced to 23 Years for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for drug-trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm.
Robert L. White, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 23 years in federal prison without parole. White was sentenced to 20 years for the federal convictions in this case, plus three consecutive years for violating the terms of his supervised release on a previous offense.
On April 6, 2018, White was found guilty at trial of nine counts of distributing crack cocaine, three counts of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On two occasions in 2013, White was arrested in a traffic stop and officers found crack cocaine in his vehicle. On nine occasions in 2016, White distributed crack cocaine to sources who were cooperating with a law enforcement investigation.
On June 6, 2016, White was arrested after Kansas City police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop. White fled in his vehicle, then abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot, but was found and arrested. When officers searched his vehicle they found a clear plastic baggie that contained 22 individually-wrapped baggies totaling 58.5 grams of crack cocaine.
Officers executed a search warrant at White’s residence on the same day and seized $5,000, cocaine, and a loaded Kel Tec 9mm handgun.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. White has three prior felony convictions for possession of controlled substances and prior felony convictions for theft, conspiracy to possess cocaine and conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey Q. McCarther and Bradley K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.KC Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Crack Cocaine, FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for distributing crack cocaine and illegally possessing firearms.
Lamont E. Owens, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 18 years and four months in federal prison without parole. The court ordered today’s federal sentence to be served consecutively to the unexpired state sentence for a murder conviction for which he was on parole at the time of the federal offense.
On Jan. 18, 2018, Owens was found guilty at trial of possessing crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and five counts of distributing crack cocaine. Owens has been in federal custody since his arrest in October 2015.
According to evidence introduced during the trial, Owens sold crack cocaine to an undercover detective on five separate occasions between Aug. 31 and Oct. 20, 2015. Officers executed a search warrant at Owens’s residence on Oct. 27, 2015, and arrested him. He was in possession of 75 separate baggies that contained a total of 15 grams of crack cocaine.
When officers searched the residence they seized an additional 49 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 30 grams of powder cocaine, approximately 125.8 grams of marijuana, a Grand Power 9mm handgun, a Rossi .357-caliber revolver, various rounds of ammunition and $9,829.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Owens has eight prior felony convictions that arose out of a single Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court case for which he was on parole at the time of these federal offenses. A jury found Owens guilty of murdering one man and attempting to rob another. Owens and his confederates attempted to rob two drug dealers of their money and drugs and when the two victims fled the scene, Owens and his henchmen shot them. Owens was sentenced to 80 years in state prison, during which time he was cited 57 times for violations including fighting, inciting a riot, assault, possession and use of intoxicating substances, theft, contraband, creating a disturbance, insulting behavior and disobeying an order.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stefan C. Hughes and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Moore. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Justice Department Coordinates Largest-Ever Nationwide Elder Fraud SweepRead the Press Release
Attorney General William P. Barr and multiple law enforcement partners today announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, surpassing last year’s nationwide sweep. The cases during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them elderly. The Department took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases or through consumer education efforts. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of millions of more dollars than last year, putting the total alleged losses at this year’s sweep at over three fourths of one billion dollars.
Attorney General Barr was joined in the announcement by FBI Deputy Director David L. Bowdich; Executive Associate Director Derek Benner for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Joseph Simons; Louisiana Attorney General and President of the National Association of Attorneys General Jeff Landry; Director Randolph Alles of the Secret Service; Chief Postal Inspector Gary Barksdale; Barbara Stewart CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service; and former FBI director and CIA director Judge Webster and Lynda Webster.
The charges are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
“Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “But thanks to the hard work of our agents and prosecutors, as well as our state and local partners, the Department of Justice is protecting our seniors from fraud. The Trump administration has placed a renewed focus on prosecuting those who prey on the elderly, and the results of today’s sweep make that clear. Today we are announcing the largest single law enforcement action against elder fraud in American history. This year’s sweep involves 13 percent more criminal defendants, 28 percent more in losses, and twice the number of fraud victims as last year’s sweep. I want to thank the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which led this effort, together with the Department’s Criminal Division, the more than 50 U.S. Attorneys’ offices, and the state and local partners who helped to make these results possible. Together, we are bringing justice and peace of mind to America's seniors.”
A list of Elder Fraud cases by the Department of Justice is provided on this interactive map.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Justice Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act. In February 2018, the Attorney General announced the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history at the time, charging more than 200 defendants in a nationwide elder fraud sweep. In November 2018, Department of Justice and Department of Agriculture hosted the first Rural and Tribal Elder Justice Summit in Des Moines, Iowa. The Summit focused on supporting the efforts of elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse and financial exploitation in rural and tribal communities.
Technical-Support Takedown 2019
As part of the sweep, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners announced a tech-support fraud takedown, designed to combat an increasingly common form of elder fraud in which criminals trick victims into giving remote access to their computers under the guise of providing technical support. In 2018, technical-support schemes generated over 142,000 consumer complaints to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network. Consumers 60 and over filed more loss reports on tech-support scams from 2015 to 2018 than on any other fraud category reported to the Consumer Sentinel Network.
The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch, the Criminal Division’s Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section, and 10 U.S. Attorney’s Offices brought cases against perpetrators of technical-support fraud. The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and HSI partnered with the Justice Department in investigating these cases, and the FTC, several state Attorneys General and the U.K.’s City of London Police joined the effort by initiating their own cases. A fact-sheet with technical-support fraud case information can be found here.
“We’re committed to investigating financial fraud schemes against the elderly,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “We’ve dedicated additional resources to address a wide range of elder fraud threats, including technical-support fraud. Victims of these schemes often lose thousands of dollars or more apiece, which can cause significant harm to elderly victims and their caretakers. If anyone suspects that they – or a senior they know – may be a victim of fraud, we encourage them to report it to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.”
Transnational Criminal Organizations Committing Elder Fraud
“The sweep announced today brings the Postal Inspection Service to a landmark point in its battle against transnational criminal organizations committing mass mailing elder fraud,” said Chief Postal Inspector Barksdale. “In a recently unsealed case, two Canadians pled guilty and, thanks to the Spanish National Police, another was arrested in Spain for an alleged mail fraud scheme involving $180 million in losses to over one million victims. The Inspection Service has been at the forefront of protecting customers from fraud schemes for many years and we will continue to investigate and stop those who exploit older Americans for their own illegal gains.”
A fact-sheet with cases on mass mailing fraud can be found here.
Many of the cases brought as part of the elder fraud sweep announced today – including many of the technical-support fraud cases – allegedly involved transnational criminal organizations. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with numerous countries to secure evidence and capture defendants. During the sweep period, defendants in elder fraud cases were extradited from Canada, The Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Poland. A fact-sheet with examples of a few elder fraud cases involving extradition in which the Office of International Affairs played a substantial role can be found here.
Money Mule Initiative
In addition, in a novel approach, the Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners took comprehensive action against the money mule network that facilitates foreign-based elder fraud. Generally, a money mule is someone who transfers money acquired illegally in person, through the mails, or electronically, on behalf of others. Across the country, money mules receive fraud proceeds directly from victims and forward proceeds to perpetrators and ringleaders of fraud schemes—individuals who often reside in other countries. As part of the sweep, the FBI and the Postal Inspection Service took action against over 600 alleged money mules nationwide by conducting interviews, issuing warning letters, and bringing civil and criminal cases. Secret Service agents aided these efforts by seizing and forfeiting elder fraud proceeds in transit from victims to perpetrators.
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to the fight against elder fraud in conjunction with the Justice Department, and our other law enforcement partners,” said Executive Associate Director Derek Benner. “HSI Special Agents across the country have worked to address illegal fund transfers, fraudsters operating technical-support schemes, and elder fraud of all varieties. We will continue to use creative solutions to protect our nation’s seniors from fraud; financial security is critical to homeland security.”
“The Secret Service is committed to aggressively investigating and disrupting organized criminal groups who prey on our most vulnerable citizens,” said Secret Service Director Randolph “Tex” Alles. “The results of the elder fraud sweep announced today demonstrate what can be achieved though incredible partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.”
Public Education
The Department of Justice and its law enforcement partners focused the sweep’s public education campaign on technical-support fraud, given the widespread harm such schemes are causing. The FTC and State Attorneys General had an important role in designing and disseminating messaging material intended to warn consumers and businesses.
Public education outreach is being conducted by various state and federal agencies, including Senior Corps, a national service program administered by the federal agency the Corporation for National and Community Service, to educate seniors and prevent further victimization. The Senior Corps program engages more than 245,000 older adults in intensive service each year, who in turn, serve more than 840,000 additional seniors, including 332,000 veterans. Information on Senior Corps’ efforts to reduce elder fraud can be found here.
Global Efforts
Exceptional assistance from foreign law enforcement partners amplified the effectiveness of the Department’s initiative. The sweep announced today benefited greatly from the work of the International Mass-Marketing Fraud Working Group (IMMFWG), a network of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies from Belgium, Canada, Europol, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The IMMFWG is co-chaired by the Department of Justice and the FTC, and law enforcement in the United Kingdom, and serves as a model for international cooperation against specific threats that endanger the financial well-being of each member country’s residents. Due to the IMMFWG’s network of law enforcement, simultaneous technical-support fraud consumer education campaigns are being released in Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Elder Fraud Complaints
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Justice Department Announces Largest Ever Nationwide Elder Fraud SweepRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray today announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, surpassing last year’s nationwide sweep. The cases brought during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them elderly.
“Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “But thanks to the hard work of our agents and prosecutors, as well as our state and local partners, the Department of Justice is protecting our seniors from fraud. The Trump administration has placed a renewed focus on prosecuting those who prey on the elderly, and the results of today’s sweep make that clear. Today we are announcing the largest single law enforcement action against elder fraud in American history. This year’s sweep involves 13 percent more criminal defendants, 28 percent more in losses, and twice the number of fraud victims as last year’s sweep. I want to thank the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which led this effort, together with the Department’s Criminal Division, the more than 50 U.S. Attorneys’ offices, and the state and local partners who helped to make these results possible. Together, we are bringing justice and peace of mind to America’s seniors.”
The Department of Justice took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases or through consumer education efforts. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of millions more dollars than last year, putting the total alleged losses at this year’s sweep at over three fourths of one billion dollars.
In the Western District of North Carolina, a federal criminal indictment was unsealed, charging Mark C. Ramsey, 49, of Asheville, N.C., with securities fraud, for allegedly defrauding dozens of victim investors, many of whom were at or near retirement age, of more than $1.4 million. As alleged in the indictment, Ramsey induced victims to part with their money by falsely assuring them his investments were “safe” and would yield “guaranteed” returns. Instead of investing the victims’ money as promised, the indictment alleges that Ramsey used it to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors, and to fund his personal lifestyle, including to take multiple trips to casinos in Las Vegas.
The charges against Ramsey are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Elder Justice Initiative
Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI announced the Western District’s Elder Justice Initiative, which aims to combat elder financial exploitation by expanding efforts to investigate and prosecute financial scams that target seniors; educate older adults on how to identify scams and avoid getting ripped off by scammers; and promote greater coordination with law enforcement partners.
“Scammers targeting seniors are a growing concern in North Carolina. Tech support scams, lottery and sweepstakes fraud, IRS impersonators, grandparent scams, and sham business opportunities are common examples of financial schemes that victimize older Americans, leaving them in financial peril. We have a responsibility to protect our vulnerable older population from financial fraud and from scammers looking to get a hold of their money,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “That’s why we’ve partnered with the FBI to launch the Western District’s Elder Justice Initiative, to combat elder fraud and financial exploitation. Our goal is to increase federal criminal prosecutions and civil actions against wrong-doers and educate older adults on how to avoid becoming victims of scams. It’s time to take action and stop the fraud.”
“Years ago, our parents taught us not to talk to strangers. Their advice has proven to be timeless. Strangers are reaching out to us on social media, sending us emails, calling our homes and cell phones. If you fall for a scam, you can bet your life, they will call you again. They might have a different sales pitch or a different sob story, but they are the same crooks. They won’t stop until they get paid. Don’t be the person who pays them,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge John Strong. “Let’s put these predators out of business for good. Don’t fall for fraud.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI are also partnering with the AARP in North Carolina to conduct outreach and raise awareness through a series of seminars to educate seniors and prevent victimization.
The first seminar was held this morning in the format of a tele-town hall, during which more than one thousand seniors in North Carolina had an opportunity to participate in an interactive telephonic session and learn more about financial scams.
Some examples of financial fraud targeting seniors discussed during this morning’s seminar are:
- Lottery phone scams – in which the callers convince seniors that a large fee or taxes must be paid before they can receive lottery winnings.
- Grandparent scams – which convince seniors that their grandchildren are in trouble and need money to make rent, repair a car, or even money for bail.
- Romance scams – which lull victims to believe that their online paramour needs funds for a U.S. visit or some other purpose.
- IRS imposter scams – which defraud victims by posing as IRS agents and claiming that victims owe back taxes.
- Sham business opportunities – which convince victims to invest in lucrative business opportunities or investments.
Below are some tips shared with participants during the seminar on how to avoid falling victim to a financial scam:
- Don’t share personal information with anyone you don’t know.
- Don’t pay a fee for a prize or lottery winning.
- Don’t click on pop-up ads or messages.
- Delete phishing emails and ignore harassing phone calls.
- Don’t send gift cards, checks, money orders, wire money, or give your bank account information to a stranger.
- Don’t fall for a high-pressure sales pitch or a lucrative business deal.
- If a scammer approaches you, take the time to talk to a friend or family member.
- Keep in mind that if you send money once, you’ll be a target for life.
- Remember, it’s not rude to say, “NO.”
- A good rule of thumb is, if it’s too good to be true, it’s likely a scam.
For more information about the Elder Justice Initiative, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdnc/elder-justice-initiative.
To view our Public Service Announcement, please visit: https://youtu.be/qBGGAA7Mxbo
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Justice Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
Jury convicts Willard man of receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
A jury convicted a Willard man of child pornography crimes.
Karl J. Rogers, 34, is scheduled to be sentenced later this year.
Rogers was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography. He knowingly received numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. This took place between October and December 2017, according to trial testimony and court documents.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Mansfield Police Department and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman.
Jury Convicts Former OfficerRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old former sergeant with the Progresso Police Department has been convicted of two counts of aiding and abetting the attempt to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. The jury deliberated for three hours before convicting Giovanni Hernandez, of Weslaco, following a four-day trial.
Hernandez had been a sergeant with the Progreso Police Department. The jury heard that from March through August 2017, a confidential source met with Hernandez seeking assistance for a drug trafficking organization. The meetings culminated in Hernandez agreeing to scout for law enforcement to enable a vehicle he believed contained a controlled substance to pass through the Progreso area undetected.
At trial, the jury heard recordings between the informant and Hernandez discussing scouting for the drug load. The government presented evidence that once the drug load made it successfully through Progreso on July 15, 2017, Hernandez gave the informant his Progreso police badge.
The defense attempted to attack the credibility of the witnesses and denied any of Hernandez’s knowledge of the drug trafficking scheme or his attempt to participate in it. The jury was not convinced and convicted him on all counts as charged.
Hernandez had been previously released on bond but was remanded to custody after the verdict where he will remain pending his sentencing hearing, set for May 22, 2019. At that time, he faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS - Criminal Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Investigation which was dubbed Operation Blue Shame. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) James H. Sturgis and Kristen J. Rees are prosecuting this case. AUSA Anibal Alaniz is prosecuting the related drug trafficking case.
Judge Sentences Bank Robber to More than 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBUGRH, PA – A former resident of Mount Oliver, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release on his convictions on federal bank robbery charges, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Chief United Stated District Judge Mark Hornak, imposed the sentence on David Payo, 52. Payo was detained at his initial appearance and will remain detained as he begins to serve his sentence.
The court was advised that on May 27, 2017, Payo entered the PNC Bank in Homestead wearing a black baseball hat, black hoodie, and approached the teller. Payo stated, "This is a robbery, give me 50s, 100s, 20s, and no dye packs." Payo escaped with $3,460 in cash out of the front door of the bank.
The court was also advised that on June 8, 2017, Payo, wearing an orange sweatshirt, black baseball cap and black sunglasses on top of the hat, approached a teller at the Citizens Bank in Monroeville, PA. He sat down at the desk and told her, "This is a robbery." He then repeated, "This is a robbery, give me your 100s, 50s, and 20s, no 10s, and no dye packs." The teller complied and handed over $1890 in cash and one dye pack. Payo fled from the bank. A search of Payo’s residence recovered dye stained clothes from the exploding dye pack given to him at the Citizens Bank.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy M. Lanni is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The FBI Pittsburgh’s Violent Crimes Task Force, the Homestead Police Department, the Allegheny County Police Department, and the Monroeville Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the guilty plea and sentence in this case.
Indictment Charges 24 Individuals Connected to Southeastern Connecticut Drug RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging 24 individuals connected to a southeastern Connecticut drug trafficking ring with narcotics and related offenses.
The indictment, which was returned on March 5 and unsealed today after eight defendants were arrested, stems from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce East, Connecticut Department of Correction and the New London, Waterford, City of Groton and Stonington Police Departments, into the distribution of narcotics and illegal possession of firearms in southeastern Connecticut. The investigation has included court-authorized wiretaps, and controlled purchases and seizures of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, and firearms.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the investigation revealed that Anthony Whyte, of New London, obtained heroin, fentanyl and cocaine from various sources in Connecticut and elsewhere, and distributed the narcotics to other members of the conspiracy. Whyte’s co-conspirators then sold the drugs to customers and other street-level drug dealers.
On February 21, 2018, Whyte and 10 of his alleged co-conspirators were arrested on federal criminal complaints. On that date, a search of Whyte’s New London apartment revealed more than 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, more than 350 grams of heroin, and 10 firearms. Investigators seized additional narcotics, another firearm, and nearly $200,000 in cash from other members of the conspiracy.
The 22-count indictment charges each of the following individuals with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, various quantities of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and cocaine base (“crack cocaine”):
ANTHONY WHYTE, a.k.a. “Jak Mac,” 44, of New London
ROYSHAWN ALLGOOD, a.k.a. “Boy Roy,” 29, of Norwich and New London
HOLLY BUTLER, 41, of Norwich
KEMAR CAMERON, 31, of West Haven
NIREN DAVIS, a.k.a. “King,” 37, of Norwich
EARLENE DUDLEY, JR., a.k.a. “Big Fish,” 38, of Norwich
VICTOR ENCARNACION, 31, of Norwich
JOSHUA FELDMAN, 45, of New London
ANTOINE FORBES, a.k.a. “Cream,” 39, of Uncasville, Conn. and Westerly, R.I.
RAMEL GENERAL, a.k.a. “Ra,” 37, of Groton
BENJAMIN GREGOR, 33, of Uncasville
JACKIE HERNANDEZ, 41, of New London
JUAN HERNANDEZ, 35, of New London
RONALD KETTER, 38, of New London
ORLAYN MARQUEZ, a.k.a. “Cuba,” 36, of Bristol
BRIAN McCLELLAN, 29, of Norwich
AGGRAY MCLEOD, a.k.a. “Jamaican Berry,” 50, of New London
AMY SARCIA, 49, of Stonington
JEREMY SANBORN, a.k.a. “Jerm,” 40, of Ledyard
DILMA SOLANGE SILVA, 32, of Waterbury
RAYQUAN STOKLEY, a.k.a. “Gatz,” 36, of New London
SASHA SWAIN, 43, of Old SaybrookTwo defendants charged in the indictment are still being sought by law enforcement.
The indictment alleges that, between March 2018 and February 2019, each defendant conspired to distribute various narcotics. If convicted of this charge, based on the type and quantity of narcotics involved, Whyte, General and Marquez face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Allgood, Butler, Cameron, Dudley, Encarnacion, Gregor, Jackie Hernandez, Sarcia and Silva face a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and the remaining defendants face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
The indictment also charges Whyte, Allgood, Feldman, Jackie Hernandez and Juan Hernandez with one or more counts of possession and/or distribution of various narcotics. In addition, Ketter is charged with one count of using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking felony.
Whyte is charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of five years, and Sanborn is charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Finally, the indictment charges Whyte and Sarcia with conspiracy to launder monetary instruments (“money laundering”), an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. It is alleged that Sarcia accepted narcotics proceeds from Whyte. In exchange, Sarcia provided Whyte with quarterly paychecks from her business, Two Wives Pizza, and a federal W-2 tax form, in an attempt to disguise the narcotics proceeds as employment wages. Sarcia also accepted cash from Whyte for allowing him to use a building she manages to store and dispense narcotics.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Taskforce East, Connecticut Department of Correction and the New London, Waterford, City of Groton, Stonington, Norwich, Old Saybrook and UConn Police Departments, The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and S. Dave Vatti.
Harrison County man sentenced for child pornographyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jeremy Smith, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 51 months incarceration for a child pornography charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Smith, age 37, pled guilty to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography” in October 2018. Smith admitted to possessing images of a child under the age of 12 in March 2018 in Harrison County.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Perri prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bridgeport Police Department investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.
Harrison County man admits to role in methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA –Donald Hickman, Jr., of Reynoldsville, West Virginia, has admitted to his role in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hickman, age 43, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Hickman admitted to selling methamphetamine in January 2018 in Harrison County.Hickman faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Greater Harrison Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated. The United States Marshal Service assisted.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Harrison County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 6, 2019, Randy Allen Gray, Jr., age 40, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Gray was sentenced to ten years in prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release for ten years.
In December 2016, following a search of defendant’s vehicle, a pound of methamphetamine, a loaded .380 handgun under the driver’s seat and over $4,000 in cash was recovered.
This case was investigated by the Dunlap, Iowa Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, Sac County Sheriff’s Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Crawford County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Harrington Man Sentenced to Three Years for Heroin and Crack TraffickingRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Owen Fickett, 32, of Harrington, Maine, was sentenced to three years in prison and three years of supervised release today in U.S. District Court by Judge Lance E. Walker for possession with the intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base, commonly known as “crack.”
According to Court records, on March 6, 2018, a Maine State Police Trooper stopped a vehicle in which Fickett was a passenger. During a roadside investigation, the trooper discovered that Fickett was in possession of heroin and crack and about $1,200. Fickett admitted that he had been selling heroin and crack.
The case was investigated by the Maine State Police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Grant County man admits to drug distributionRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Joseph Nathaniel Hagan, of Petersburg, West Virginia, has admitted to distributing methamphetamine, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hagan, age 36, pled guilty today to one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Hagan admitted to distributing methamphetamine in January 2018 in Hampshire County.Hagan faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. 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 Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, The West Virginia State Police, and the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, 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.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Georgia Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Georgia man pled guilty to a drug charge today, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Clifford Allen Angle, 31, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The investigation was conducted by the Charleston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
“Another violent drug trafficker removed from the streets of Charleston,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Angle has prior drug trafficking convictions and was carrying a firearm when arrested by Charleston Police Officers. Drug traffickers bringing chaos and violence into our communities will be earning a chance for a stay in federal prison.”
Angle was arrested on August 1, 2017, in downtown Charleston with a firearm and a quantity of methamphetamine. Pursuant to his plea agreement, he admitted that he traveled from Georgia with approximately two ounces of methamphetamine to distribute in West Virginia. He also admitted that he has two prior drug trafficking convictions.
Angle faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine when he is sentenced on May 29, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Steve Loew is handling the prosecution. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the plea hearing.
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Four Men Indicted on Federal Kidnapping and Homicide Charges in June 2018 SlayingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment charging four men with murder and other charges in the kidnapping of a Maryland man whose body was found in an alley in Southeast Washington last June. The victim had been shot numerous times and his hands were still bound with zip-ties.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Darin Moore, Jr. 25, of Bowie, Md., and Gabriel Brown, 30, James Thomas Taylor, 30, and John Sweeney, 25, who are all from Washington, D.C., were indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on one count of kidnapping resulting in death, one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, one count of first-degree murder (premeditated), and one count of first-degree murder (felony murder). Moore, Taylor, and Sweeney were also charged with one count of using, carrying, possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes.
All four men are to be arraigned on the charges by the Honorable Judge James E. Boasberg on March 11, 2019. The defendants previously were indicted on kidnapping and related charges and pled not guilty. Today’s superseding indictment added the murder offenses.
According to the indictment and related court documents, on June 19, 2018, Moore and Sweeney abducted the victim, Andre Simmons, Jr., from Bowie, Md., and transported him to the District of Columbia. Together, the defendants then allegedly used cellphones to communicate with family and associates of the victim, making ransom demands and threatening the victim’s life. During these calls, arrangements were made with family members and associates to pick up the ransom money. As alleged in the indictment, Brown collected U.S. currency on June 20, 2018. Mr. Simmons, 28, was taken to the rear of the 600 block of Atlantic Street SE, where he was shot multiple times with a firearm. The four men then met up in Capitol Heights, Maryland, to divide up the proceeds of the ransom demand, the indictment alleges.
Moore was arrested on June 20, 2018. Brown was arrested on June 27, 2018, Taylor was arrested on Aug. 17, 2018, and Sweeney was arrested on Jan. 14, 2019. All have been in custody since their arrests.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD’s Homicide Division. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Laura Crane, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Former Uzbek Government Official and Uzbek Telecommunications Executive Charged in Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Involving the Payment of Nearly $1 Billion in BribesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (“SDNY”), Brian A. Benczkowski, the Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice (“DOJ”), Don Fort, Chief of the Criminal Investigation Division, Internal Revenue Service (“IRS-CI”), and Patrick J. Lechleitner, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Washington, D.C, announced today the filing of criminal charges against GULNARA KARIMOVA, a former Uzbek government official who is the daughter of the former president of Uzbekistan, and BEKHZOD AKHMEDOV, the former general director of Uzdunrobita, an Uzbek subsidiary of Moscow-based MOBILE TELESYSTEMS PJSC (“MTS”), the largest mobile telecommunications company in Russia and an issuer of publicly traded securities in the United States, in connection with one of the largest Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) bribery schemes ever charged, a decade-long corrupt scheme to pay KARIMOVA more than $865 million in bribes. AKHMEDOV, who helped orchestrate the massive bribery scheme on behalf of MTS and two other telecommunications companies, VimpelCom Ltd. (“VimpelCom”) and Telia Company AB (“Telia”), and their Uzbek subsidiaries, is charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA and two counts of violating the FCPA. KARIMOVA and AKHMEDOV are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering based on numerous international financial transactions they conducted to promote and conceal the bribery scheme. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Kimba Wood.
Yesterday afternoon, criminal charges were filed against MTS and another of its Uzbek subsidiaries, KOLORIT DIZAYN INK LLC (“KOLORIT”), for conspiring to violate the FCPA by paying more than $420 million in bribes through AKHMEDOV to KARIMOVA. KOLORIT pled guilty yesterday in Manhattan federal court before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken to a criminal Information charging the company with conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA. MTS entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (“DPA”) with SDNY and DOJ in connection with a criminal Information charging the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA and one count of violating the internal controls provisions of the FCPA. Pursuant to the DPA, MTS agreed to pay a total criminal penalty of $850 million to the United States, including a $500,000 criminal fine and $40 million in criminal forfeiture that MTS agreed to pay on behalf of KOLORIT. MTS also agreed to the imposition of an independent compliance monitor for a term of three years and to implement rigorous internal controls and cooperate fully with SDNY’s and DOJ’s ongoing investigation, including their investigation of individuals such as KARIMOVA and AKHMEDOV.
In related proceedings, MTS reached a civil settlement with the SEC. Under the terms of its agreement with the SEC, MTS agreed to pay a $100 million civil penalty, which SDNY and DOJ agreed to credit toward the financial penalties imposed as part of their agreement with MTS. Thus, the combined total amount of criminal and regulatory penalties paid by MTS to U.S. authorities in connection with the FCPA bribery scheme will be $850 million.
U.S. Attorney Berman said: “This is the third installment in a trilogy of cases arising from an almost $1 billion bribery scheme that reached the highest echelons of the Uzbekistan government and was orchestrated by some of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. By funneling multimillion-dollar bribe payments through the U.S. financial system, the companies and individual defendants corruptly tried to tip the global economy in their favor and line their own pockets. But they are now paying the price. Today, my Office and our law enforcement partners are sending a bold, unequivocal message that the U.S. financial system is not in business to enable foreign bribery or money laundering. This Office stands ready to prevent, prosecute, and penalize foreign corrupt practices wherever in the world we find them.”
Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski said: “Gulnara Karimova stands accused of exploiting her official position to solicit and accept more than $865 million in bribes from three publicly traded telecom companies, and then laundering those bribes through the U.S. financial system. The indictment and corporate resolution announced today, together with two prior corporate resolutions involving bribes allegedly paid to Karimova, demonstrate the Department’s comprehensive approach to foreign corruption: we will aggressively pursue both corrupt foreign officials and the companies and individuals who bribe them in order to gain unfair business advantages, and we will do everything we can to keep the proceeds of that corruption out of the U.S. financial system.”
IRS-CI Chief Don Fort said: “With the increase in globalization and ease with which funds can be moved, criminals think their financial transactions cannot be tracked – but they would be wrong. We will continue to investigate violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to ensure our country’s financial institutions are not used for devious purposes. We are committed to aggressively pursuing all who engage in corruption, money laundering, and bribery for their own personal gain and at the expense of the United States government.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Lechleitner said: “Corruption of this level and reach poisons our integrity as a participant in the global marketplace. Thanks to our skillful and collaborative investigators at ICE and the IRS-CI, Karimova and Ahkmedov’s exploitive crimes will be presented before the resolute and just eye of our courts and no longer will such corruption be permitted to metasticize across our borders.”
According to allegations contained in the Indictment filed today against KARIMOVA and AKHMEDOV and criminal Informations filed yesterday against MTS and KOLORIT, the Statement of Facts set forth in the DPA, and statements made during public proceedings in Manhattan federal court:
Between approximately 2001 and 2012, KARIMOVA and AKHMEDOV agreed that AKHMEDOV would solicit and obtain corrupt bribes for KARIMOVA from telecommunications companies, including MTS and KOLORIT, so that the companies could obtain and retain telecommunications business in Uzbekistan. The bribes were paid to KARIMOVA, who, in exchange, exercised her corrupt influence over Uzbek telecommunications industry regulators to allow the telecommunications companies to obtain lucrative business and operate in the Uzbek market. MTS and KOLORIT structured and concealed the bribes through various payments to shell companies that certain members of MTS and KOLORIT management knew were beneficially owned by KARIMOVA. In total, AKHMEDOV and others conspired to pay KARIMOVA more than $865 million in bribes. KARIMOVA, AKHMEDOV, and others agreed to launder those funds in order to promote and conceal the bribery scheme. For their part, MTS, KOLORIT, and affiliated entities paid KARIMOVA more than $420 million in bribes. A substantial portion of the illicit funds were transmitted through financial institutions in the Southern District of New York before they were deposited into bank accounts controlled by KARIMOVA in various countries around the world.
The resolution with MTS and KOLORIT, reached in coordination with the SEC, marks the third such resolution by a major international telecommunications company for bribery in Uzbekistan. On February 18, 2016, Amsterdam-based VimpelCom and its Uzbek subsidiary, Unitel LLC, entered into a resolution with SDNY and DOJ and admitted to conspiring to pay more than $114 million in bribes to KARIMOVA between 2005 and 2012. On September 21, 2017, Stockholm-based Telia and its Uzbek subsidiary, Coscom LLC, entered into a resolution with SDNY and DOJ and admitted to conspiring to pay more than $331 million in bribes to KARIMOVA between 2007 and 2010.
The investigation has thus far yielded a combined total of more than $2.6 billion in global fines and disgorgement, including more than $1.3 billion in criminal penalties paid to the United States. In related actions, DOJ has also filed civil complaints seeking the forfeiture of more than $850 million held in bank accounts in Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Ireland, which constitute bribe payments made by MTS, VimpelCom, and Telia, or funds involved in the laundering of those bribes, to KARIMOVA
* * *
KARIMOVA, 46, a citizen of Uzbekistan, was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. AKHMEDOV, 44, a citizen of Uzbekistan currently residing in Russia, was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the FCPA, two counts of violating the FCPA, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. KARIMOVA and AKHMEDOV remain at large.
KOLORIT was charged with, and pled guilty to, one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA. MTS was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA and one count of violating the internal controls provisions of the FCPA.
Mr. Berman thanked the Fraud Section of the DOJ’s Criminal Division for their collaboration and praised the outstanding investigative work of IRS-CI, the IRS Global Illicit Financial Team, and HSI. Mr. Berman also thanked the SEC’s Division of Enforcement for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation. Mr. Berman expressed his appreciation to the DOJ’s Office of International Affairs for its significant assistance in this matter and to law enforcement colleagues in Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Ireland, Isle of Man, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by SDNY’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit and the FCPA Unit of the Fraud Section of DOJ’s Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward A. Imperatore, Assistant Chief Ephraim Wernick, Senior Litigation Counsel Nicola Mrazek, and Trial Attorney Elina Rubin-Smith are in charge of the prosecution. Trial Attorney Michael Khoo of the DOJ Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (“MLARS”) is prosecuting the forfeiture case with substantial assistance from former MLARS Trial Attorney Marie M. Dalton, now an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Washington.
The charges contained in the Indictment against KARIMOVA and AKHMEDOV are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proved guilty.
Former U.S. Navy Contract Official Pleads Guilty in Bribery Scheme in Which He Received more than $1.2 Million in KickbacksRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former civilian employee of the United States Navy who was a senior procurement official for Naval Base Ventura County pleaded guilty in federal court today and admitted receiving kickbacks totaling more than $1.2 million.
Fernando Barroso Sr., 69, of Oxnard, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge John F. Walter to one count of conspiracy and one count of subscribing to a false federal income tax return. As part of the conspiracy, Barroso admitted he defrauded the United States, submitted false claims for payment and accepted bribes.
For approximately 22 years, Barroso worked as the master scheduler for the Public Works Department at the Naval Base, which included three facilities – Point Mugu, Port Hueneme and San Nicolas Island. As master scheduler, Barroso was an “approving official” responsible for approving material purchases, service contracts, vendors and payments to vendors.
According to court documents, Barroso conspired with Theodore Bauer, a Ventura County businessman who operated three entities that received contracts from the Navy. In 2008, Barroso and Bauer entered into an arrangement in which Barroso would issue and approve work orders and purchase orders for Bauer’s companies. Bauer submitted false invoices on behalf of his companies, and Barroso approved invoices and payments to Bauer’s companies – even though work was not being performed. In return, Bauer gave Barroso 50 percent of all proceeds generated by the scheme.
Prior to September 13, 2011, Bauer paid Barroso in cash – a figure that exceeded $375,000. Beginning on September 14, 2011, when Barroso created F. Barroso & Sons, Bauer paid the kickbacks by issuing checks payable to Barroso’s corporation. In December 2013, Barroso purchased a majority stake in a maintenance company, and Bauer paid kickbacks in the form of checks to that company as well. The total amount of kickbacks paid by Bauer to Barroso in the form of checks was $856,350.
In his plea agreement, Barroso also admitted that he violated government procurement regulations and violated conflict of interest laws by approving contract payments to the maintenance company he controlled. Barroso further admitted that some of the invoices issued by the maintenance company were simply fraudulent.
In relation to the tax offense, Barroso admitted that he failed to report $95,200 of kickbacks on his 2011 tax return, and that he claimed $331,225 of fictitious deductions on his 2012 tax returns. These violations caused a tax loss to the government of $105,039.
When he is sentenced by Judge Walter on June 3, Barroso will face a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison and a fine of $500,000. Barroso may also be ordered to pay restitution of $846,150 with respect to the bribery offense and $105,039 in relation to the tax offenses.
Bauer pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy to commit bribery and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Walter on June 10.
The case is a product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
The cases against Barroso and Bauer are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. O’Brien of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section.
Former Toledo police officer charged in federal court with possession of a stolen firearmRead the Press Release
A former Toledo police officer was charged in federal court with possession of a stolen firearm.
Curtis Stone, 56, of Delta, was in possession of a Taurus .380-caliber pistol on December 4, 2018, that was previously recorded as being destroyed by the Toledo Police Department.
According to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court:
Toledo police officers recovered a loaded Canik 9 mm pistol during a traffic stop in September 2018. Officers charged an occupant of the car with having a weapon under disability since he had previous convictions for drug and gang offenses.
An ATF task force officer subsequently investigated the incident and discovered the firearm had previously been recovered by Toledo police in 2015 and marked as destroyed in February 2016 by Stone, who was assigned to the Toledo Police Department’s property room at the time.
Stone retired from the Toledo Police Department in January 2018.
Toledo police obtained and executed a search warrant for Stone’s residence in Delta on December 4, 2018. They recovered the Taurus .380-caliber pistol, ten miscellaneous magazines for firearms, miscellaneous ammunition and two Toledo Police Department evidence tags/labels.
The Taurus pistol found in Stone’s home was previously recorded in Toledo Police Department property room records by Stone as having been destroyed.
“Any time a former police officer, like this defendant, appears to have broken the law, we will hold them accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman. “His conduct is not representative of the vast majority of police officers, who go to work every day looking to make their community safer.”
“This case is a disappointing example of an individual that violated the public’s trust as well as the trust of his colleagues,” said Toledo Police Chief George Kral. “We will continue to work with our federal partners to fight crime, wherever it leads. Toledoans should rest assured, the Toledo Police Department is a top-notch police organization that will hold those who fall short accountable.”
The matter remains under investigation.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
This case was investigated by the Toledo Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gene Crawford.
A charge is only an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former State Department Contractor Pleads Guilty to Stealing ComputersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former federal contractor pleaded guilty today to theft and embezzlement of up to 16 government computers from the U.S. Department of State.
According to court documents, Andrew W. Cheveers, 31, of Bowie, Maryland, was an Information Technology contractor for the State Department’s Office of Inspector General. In this role, Cheveers held a security clearance that allowed him access to certain sensitive information, and he was responsible for configuring the computers prior to the devices being distributed to U.S. government personnel.
Through the course of his criminal conduct, Cheevers admitted to stealing up to 16 Microsoft Surface Pro laptop computers. Cheveers then sold the stolen computers on Internet websites such as Craigslist and eBay from approximately July 2016 through February 2017 in order to profit from his fraudulent scheme.
Cheveers faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison when sentenced on June 21. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Steve A. Linick, Inspector General for the Department of State, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Parekh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Celeste are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:19-cr-64.
Former Rocker Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Defrauding Thousands in Nationwide Real Estate ScamRead the Press Release
Benton, IL – The former bass guitar player for the rock band, The Ataris, is bound for federal prison. Michael S. Davenport, 50, of Santa Barbara, California, was sentenced on Wednesday to serve 84 months behind bars for defrauding thousands of would-be renters and home-buyers throughout the United States from 2009 to 2016. Davenport pled guilty last September to a one-count federal indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
Davenport’s Santa Barbara-based business changed names several times but was known variously as MDSQ Productions LLC, Housing Standard LLC, Anchor House Financial, American Standard, American Standard Online, and Your American Standard. Court documents simply refer to the business as "American Standard."
As part of his guilty plea, Davenport admitted that American Standard posted ads on Craigslist listing certain houses for sale or rent at very favorable prices, when, in fact, the houses described in the ads didn’t exist. Consumers who responded to the ads were told they would have to purchase American Standard’s list of houses before they could see any additional information. Consumers were also told that the houses on American Standard’s list were in "pre-foreclosure," that they could purchase the properties by simply taking over the homeowners’ mortgage payments, and that the deeds to the homes would then be transferred into the customers’ names. The $199 fee that American Standard charged to access the list was purportedly to cover the cost of title searches and deed transfers. No matter what area of the country the consumer lived in, American Standard salespersons told them that the list contained numerous pre-foreclosure properties available in their area.
After consumers paid the $199 fee, they learned that the houses on American Standard’s list were not actually available for purchase. A substantial number of the addresses contained on
the list were fictional, or there were simply no houses at those locations. In numerous other instances, the houses were not in pre-foreclosure or any financial distress and were not available to be purchased at below-market prices. If an American Standard customer asked for more information about a specific house advertised on Craigslist, the company’s customer service department always told them that the house was no longer available.
Davenport’s conspiracy and scheme to defraud operated from approximately January 2009 through at least October 5, 2016, over which time American Standard defrauded more than 130,000 people to the tune of more than $25 million. The victims were located in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Over 100 victims of the scam were located within the Southern District of Illinois, spread across 22 counties, with multiple victims in both St. Clair and Madison counties. American Standard’s list included 534 houses located in Southern Illinois.
In handing down the seven-year sentence at the federal district courthouse in Benton, Illinois, United States District Judge Staci M. Yandle chastised Davenport for what she characterized as a crime of simple greed. "You were intoxicated with making all this money," she told the ex-rocker. "You did horrible things."
As part of his sentence, Davenport was ordered to forfeit $853,210.11 in fraud proceeds that were recovered from his credit card processing accounts, as well as $79,000 in cash that was seized from him at the Bill and Hillary Clinton Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Four of Davenport’s former employees have also been charged with participating in the American Standard fraud conspiracy. On Wednesday afternoon, just hours after Davenport’s sentencing, Cynthia L. Rawlinson, 52, of Santa Barbara, was sentenced by Judge Yandle to five years of supervised release. Rawlinson was a salesperson who also served as a manager for American Standard for a brief period of time. Earlier this year, two other American Standard sales representatives from Santa Barbara –Mark A. Phillips, 50, and Semjase E. Santana, 37 – were also sentenced to serve five years of supervised release. And last June, Carlynne L. Davis, 34, of Lompoc, California, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with her participation in American Standard. Davis’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 5, 2019.
This case is part of an ongoing investigation by the St. Louis Field Office of the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service. The Office of the Honorable Joyce E. Dudley, District Attorney for Santa Barbara County, and the Santa Maria Office of the FBI have provided substantial assistance in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman.
Former North Texas Mayor and Land Developer Convicted in Public Corruption TrialRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –The former mayor of Richardson, Texas and a land developer who she eventually married, have been convicted of federal conspiracy violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Laura Jordan, also known as Laura Maczka, 54, and Mark Jordan, 52, both of Plano, Texas were found guilty by a jury of following a trial before U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant that lasted over three weeks. Maczka was found guilty of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds and bribery concerning program receiving federal funds. Jordan was found guilty of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, honest services wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds and bribery concerning program receiving federal funds.
According to information presented in court, from May 2013 through April 2015, Maczka was the mayor of Richardson, Texas, and Jordan was a land developer. Maczka and Jordan conspired to devise and execute a scheme to defraud and deprive City of Richardson residents of the honest services of the Mayor through bribery. Maczka, contrary to her campaign promises, supported and repeatedly voted for controversial zoning changes sought by Jordan ultimately allowing for the construction of over 1,000 new apartments in Richardson near Richardson neighborhoods. The indictment alleges that, in exchange, Jordan paid Maczka over $18,000 in cash and $40,000 by check, paid for over $24,000 in renovations to Maczka’s home, paid for Maczka’s luxury hotel stays and airfare upgrades, and provided Maczka lucrative employment at one of Jordan’s companies. According to court testimony, Maczka and Jordan failed to disclose to the public that they had coordinated to effect the zoning changes Jordan wanted and that Jordan had provided a stream of benefits to Maczka.
“This kind of corrupt relationship undermines the public’s confidence in government,” said Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “This was more than an ethical violation, this was absolutely criminal. We need juries that recognize public corruption for what it is, and support prosecutions that attempt to hold accountable those that cheat. This jury certainly did that.”
Mark Jordan was taken into custody following the verdict and will appear for a detention hearing on Mar. 8, 2019.
Under federal statutes, Maczka and Jordan each face up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher A. Eason, Maureen Smith, Glenn Roque-Jackson, and Bradley Visosky.
Former Investment Advisor Sentenced for Fraud and PerjuryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former investment advisor was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for deceiving his former clients concerning the management of their retirement savings as well as lying to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Richard G. Cody, 44, of Jacksonville, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two years in prison and two years of supervised release. Cody was also ordered to pay a fine of $30,000. In November 2018, Cody pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 and two counts of making a false declaration in a court proceeding.
From May 2005 to August 2016, Cody acted as an investment advisor and managed the retirement savings of three victims, including two in Massachusetts. Cody falsely assured the victims that their retirement savings were secure, when in fact he knew they were not. Contrary to his fraudulent assurances, by 2014, the total value of their retirement savings had substantially diminished, and the retirement savings of two victims were entirely gone. In order to conceal these losses, Cody provided the victims with fraudulent account statements and tax documents. In addition, Cody failed to inform his victims that regulators had suspended him in 2013 from acting as an investment advisor.
In addition, Cody lied to the SEC during a March 2017 sworn deposition in connection with a civil enforcement action the SEC had filed against him in December 2016. Cody made false declarations regarding fraudulent documents that he denied giving to two victims of the scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to acknowledge the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil J. Gallagher Jr. and Elysa Wan of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
Former Illinois Attorney Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion in Connection with Legal Fees Stemming from Multi-Billion Dollar Tobacco LitigationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Former Illinois attorney EDWARD R. VRDOLYAK pleaded guilty today to federal tax evasion for assisting another lawyer in evading taxes on income received from a multi-billion dollar legal settlement with tobacco companies.
Vrdolyak, 81, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. The charge is punishable by up to five years in prison. U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow, Jr., set sentencing for July 23, 2019.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet S. Bhachu and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Donovan.
Vrdolyak admitted in a plea agreement that he assisted another lawyer, co-defendant DANIEL P. SOSO, in evading federal income taxes owed by Soso for the calendar years 1993 through 2004, and 2008 through 2013. The income was derived from attorney fees received in connection with a $9.2 billion settlement between the State of Illinois and a number of tobacco companies in the 1990s. At the time of the settlement, Vrdolyak and Soso were licensed Illinois attorneys. The pair collected legal fees from the settlement pursuant to agreements with one of the attorneys that represented the State of Illinois. Pursuant to these agreements, Vrdolyak made payments to Soso between 2000 and 2005 of approximately $1,925,830, representing Soso’s agreed-upon share of the fees of the tobacco litigation.
In August 2005, the IRS served a notice of levy on The Law Offices of Edward R. Vrdolyak, which required the turnover of all salary, wages and other amounts owed to Soso. Over the next two years, Vrdolyak received approximately $262,854 due Soso, but he concealed receipt of these funds from the IRS, knowing such concealment would assist Soso in evading the payment of taxes and assessments due the IRS, the plea agreement states. Vrdolyak later caused approximately $170,242 to be paid to Soso instead of remitting these funds to the IRS.
Soso, 67, of Alsip, pleaded guilty last month to one count of tax evasion. Judge Dow set Soso’s sentencing for June 25, 2019.
Former Green Bay resident sentenced to four years in prison for filing false tax returnsRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that Alma Ramirez (age 40) was sentenced today in federal court in Green Bay to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $301,370 in restitution.
Ms. Ramirez, who previously lived in Green Bay and now lives in Alabama, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, assisting in the filing of false tax returns, and aggravated identity theft. As detailed in Ms. Ramirez’s plea agreement, during the period from March 2013 through May 2016, Ramirez, and others working with her and at her direction, prepared and filed more than 60 false federal income tax returns in the names of various individuals, thereby fraudulently seeking more than $300,000 in federal income tax refunds. These tax returns included false information concerning the taxpayer’s employment, wages, the amount of federal taxes that had been withheld from those wages, dependents, and the taxpayer’s eligibility for various tax credits. Ramirez also committed identity theft by illegally using the names and social security numbers of unwitting individuals to commit her fraud offense.
In sentencing Ramirez, Judge William C. Griesbach, Chief U.S. District Judge, emphasized the seriousness of Ramirez’s crimes, the fact that Ramirez had recruited others, and the need to deter others who might be tempted to commit similar crimes.
This matter was investigated by the criminal investigation division of the Internal Revenue Service. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Matthew L. Jacobs.
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Former Equifax executive pleads guilty to insider tradingRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Jun Ying, who committed insider trading by exercising his company stock options ahead of Equifax’s public announcement of its massive data breach, pleaded guilty to a charge of securities fraud.
“Insider trading is an abuse of trust and victimizes everyone who invests in the stock market,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Our office will continue its work to keep the stock market fair for all investors.”
“We must not allow company insiders to have an advantage over regular investors, otherwise the integrity of the markets and confidence of investors deteriorates,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. "The FBI will do everything in its power to maintain a fair and equitable stock market for everyone.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges and other information presented in court: Equifax Inc. is a consumer credit reporting agency headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. During the summer of 2017, Equifax was the victim of a data breach, where hackers acquired names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, and addresses of over 145 million Americans. At the time, Jun Ying was the chief information officer of Equifax U.S. Information Solutions. In that role, he was provided sensitive information that led him to conclude that Equifax was the victim of the data breach before it was made public.
On Friday, August 25, 2017, Ying texted a co-worker that the breach they were working on "Sounds bad. We may be the one breached." The following Monday, Ying conducted web searches on the impact of Experian's 2015 data breach on its stock price. Later that morning, Ying exercised all of his stock options, resulting in him receiving 6,815 shares of Equifax stock, which he then sold. He received proceeds of over $950,000, and realized a gain of over $480,000, thereby avoiding a loss of over $117,000. On September 7, 2017, Equifax publicly announced its data breach, which resulted in its stock price falling.
Ying is the second Equifax employee to be found guilty of insider trading relating to the data breach following Sudhakar Reddy Bonthu, a former manager at Equifax, who pleaded guilty on July 23, 2018.
Sentencing for Jun Ying, 43, of Atlanta, Georgia, is scheduled for June 27, 2019, at 10:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission made contributions to the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, and Lynsey M. Barron prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former El Dorado County Gymnastics Coach Charged with Attempting to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment today against Keith Willette, 56, of Cameron Park, charging him with attempted production of child pornography, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between May 2000 and April 2002, Willette attempted to produce child pornography of a juvenile victim.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rosanne L. Rust and Trial Attorney Jessica Urban with the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Willette faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 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 charge is only an allegation; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Florida Landscaper Indicted for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
A Florida man had his initial appearance in court yesterday after being arrested on an indictment charging him with filing false tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida.
According to the indictment, Joseph J. Ferry III, owned Ferry Enterprises Inc., a residential and commercial landscaping business serving customers in Martin and Saint Lucie County. Ferry Enterprises also provided landscaping services for Martin County and the City of Port Saint Lucie.
Ferry was charged with five counts of filing false corporate income tax returns and five counts of filing false individual income tax returns with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that fraudulently understated the total income earned by Ferry Enterprises - and Ferry himself - for tax years 2012 through 2016. The indictment alleges that business income was deposited into corporate bank accounts; however, Ferry allegedly used money from the business bank accounts to pay his personal expenses, including payments on his personal mortgage and loans, purchases of firearms, home renovations, and jewelry. Ferry also allegedly withdrew more than $2.9 million in cash from the corporation’s bank accounts.
If convicted, Ferry faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison for each count of filing a false tax return with the IRS. He also faces substantial monetary penalties and restitution.
An indictment merely alleges that a crime has been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Allison J. Garnett and Sean Beaty of the Tax Division, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
Five Tulare Residents Charged in Superseding Indictment with Possessing and Selling False Identification DocumentsRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count superseding indictment today for a case involving the production and sale of false Social Security cards and green cards first charged in August 2018, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
Today’s superseding indictment adds three counts and a fifth defendant. Tulare residents Elfego Alcala, 46; Aida Corona, 37; Tamilene Cisneros, 48; Lupita Cisneros; and the fifth defendant, Maria Elena Soriano-Salinas, 57, are charged with conspiring to produce false identification documents, the production and sale of false identification documents, and fraud and misuse of visas and related documents.
According to court documents, in March, May, and August of 2018, the defendants engaged in transactions in which they manufactured and sold false identification documents to buyers. These documents included Social Security cards and green cards.
This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura D. Withers is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 15 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.
Five Tipton County Men Convicted After Jury Trial, Guilty Pleas, for 2017 Home Invasion Murder in CovingtonRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal jury has convicted three Tipton County men for their roles in a 2017 home invasion murder in Covington, TN, and two others have pled guilty for their roles in the attempted robbery resulting in death. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the convictions today.
According to information presented in court, on January 19, 2017, Willie Somerville, 21, Armoni Hall, 21, Eddie Poindexter, 21, Christian Sherrill, 24, and Darrell Owens, 32, participated in the robbery of Timothy Edwards at his home located at 1229 Douglas Street in Covington, Tennessee. They planned to rob him of drugs and drug proceeds. Somerville was armed with a 9 mm pistol and Hall with a twelve-gauge shotgun. Somerville, Hall, and Poindexter went to Edwards’ residence and kicked in the door, while Sherrill and Owens waited nearby in a getaway car. As Hall entered Edwards' residence, Edwards grabbed him and they struggled over the shotgun. Somerville opened fire with the pistol killing Edwards and seriously injuring Hall. Edwards' wife was in the back of the house and called 911. By the time police arrived a few minutes later, Edwards was already dead. Hall was found lying in the street a block away with gunshot injuries.
On December 19, 2017, a federal grand jury indicted the five men for robbery affecting interstate commerce; possession, use and discharge of firearms during a crime of violence; and use of a firearm to cause the death of Timothy Edwards. On March 5, 2019, after a week-long trial, the jury convicted Somerville of all counts, and Poindexter and Sherrill were convicted of the robbery and use of the firearm during the robbery. Hall previously pled guilty to all counts, and is scheduled to have a sentencing hearing on March 15, 2019. Owens previously pled guilty to the robbery and firearms offenses, and is scheduled to have a sentencing hearing on April 4, 2019.
Sentencing for Somerville, Poindexter, and Sherrill is scheduled for June 26, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Sheryl H. Lipman. All defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years and up to life imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "The days of brazen violence, robbery crews, trigger-pullers, and lawlessness in Covington are quickly coming to an end. The violent nature of these offenders’ criminal acts underscores the serious threat that this group posed to the community as a whole. They had no regard for human life, and will now be removed from the Covington community for decades. This should send a clear message to those who continue to engage in senseless gun violence in our small towns and rural communities: We know who you are; You will be caught and held accountable; We will bring the full weight and measure of our federal resources to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pritchard and Elizabeth Rogers are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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Felon Convicted After Three-Day Trial for Illegal Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Erick Rahumid Hobbs, a/k/a Eric Muhammad, age 39, of Baltimore, Maryland, on March 6, 2019 for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition. Hobbs was previously convicted of a felony and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to the evidence presented at his three-day trial, between October 2017 and January 2018, Hobbs was dating a woman and gave the woman’s daughter a television as a gift. After the woman broke off their relationship, Hobbs demanded that the woman return the television, even though Hobbs had given it as a gift to her daughter.
The evidence proved that on February 3, 2018, Hobbs broke a rear kitchen window to gain access to the woman’s home. When the woman and her daughter came downstairs to investigate the noise, Hobbs ordered them at gunpoint to open the front door, and he threatened to kill the woman, her daughter, her family, and the police. The woman unlocked the front door. Hobbs, still armed with the gun, forced his way into the residence, then left with the television. The woman called the police to report the incident.
On February 4, 2018, law enforcement located Hobbs in his vehicle and attempted to stop it. Hobbs fled and rear-ended a van nearby. Hobbs got out of his vehicle and was arrested. Officers recovered a loaded 9mm pistol from the ground by the driver’s side door of Hobbs’ vehicle, where Hobbs was standing at the time of his arrest.
Later that day, Hobbs was captured on recorded jail calls talking to his son and roommate. During one of those calls, Hobbs provided his son with the victim’s address and directed his son to give the address to Hobbs’ roommate who is “gonna take care of it from there.” Hobbs’ son promptly went to Hobbs’ residence and provided his phone to Hobbs’ roommate so he could talk to Hobbs. On a recorded jail call, Hobbs spelled out the victim’s first and last name for his roommate and directed his roommate to get the victim’s address from his son. On the same recorded jail call, Hobbs told his roommate that he needed someone to talk with the victim and suggested Facebook as means to contact her. The roommate agreed and subsequently sent the victim communications via Facebook. The victim notified the Baltimore County Police Department of the Facebook communications and was relocated due to concerns for her safety.
On February 5, 2018, law enforcement obtained a warrant to search Hobbs’ residence and seized 65 rounds of 9 mm ammunition—the same type of ammunition inside of the firearm—from Hobbs’ bedroom dresser, and a paper with the victim’s address written on it from the roommate’s bedroom.
Hobbs faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to life in prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for May 24, 2019, at 9:30 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Samika N. Boyd, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Goo, who are prosecuting the case.
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Federal Jury Convicts St. Louis Man for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Merwin Smith, 41, of St. Louis, MO, was convicted by a jury today in U.S. District Court in St. Louis for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Smith’s trial took place before U.S. District Court Judge John Ross who set a sentencing hearing for June 13, 2019.
According to testimony at trial, on July 17, 2016, Normandy, Missouri police were investigating a property crime at 2:00 a.m. when they observed Smith commit a traffic violation and hurriedly pull his vehicle into a driveway, striking a car that was already parked in the driveway. A Normandy Police Department Officer, in marked car and uniform, next observed Smith exit the vehicle, lean back in, and observed Smith throw a dark object out of the car’s passenger window. Following a brief search, the officer located a fully loaded .45 caliber pistol that landed on an adjacent sidewalk with scrape marks consistent with the firearm striking concrete. Smith has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon.
Smith faces a penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 or both. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
The case was investigated by the Normandy Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. This case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Rodney Holmes and Cassie Wiemken.
Federal Grand Jury Criminal Indictments AnnouncedRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the March 2019 Federal Grand Jury.
The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in an indictment returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.
Glenville L. Albright. False Statement in Connection With the Attempted Acquisition of a Firearm; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Albright, 50, of Pawhuska, is charged with making a false statement on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473 in an effort to redeem a Winchester, Ranger Model 120, 12 gauge shotgun that he had previously pawned. Albright lied on the form about his criminal record. He is further charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is the investigative agency.
Marissa Leigh Andrews and Danica Rae Pulley. Drug Conspiracy; Possession With Intent to Distribute Ecstasy. Andrews, 20, and Pulley, 25, both of Fort Dodge, Iowa, are charged with conspiring to sell ecstasy and intent to distribute ecstasy. The Pryor Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.
Anthony Dale Brannon. False Statement in Connection With the Attempted Acquisition of Firearms; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Brannon, 59, of Grove, is charged with making a false statement on the ATF Form 4473 in an effort to purchase a Remington 12 gauge shotgun and a Browning 20 gauge shotgun. Brannon lied on the form about his criminal record. He is further charged with being a felon in possession of firearms. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency.
Matthew F. Donovan. Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Donovan, 34, of Eucha, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Model Heritage Rough rider, .22 LR caliber revolver. The Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive are the investigative agencies.
John Wayne Engel. Possession of Heroin With Intent to Distribute; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime; Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Engel, 32, is charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin and possessing a firearm and ammunition to carry out his drug trafficking crimes. He is further charged with being a felon in possession of a HS Produkt, Model XD40, .40 S&W semi-automatic pistol and 38 rounds of associated ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Joshua Christopher Harrison. Theft by Employee of Gaming Establishment of Indian Lands in Excess of $1000. Harrison, 22, of Broken Arrow, is charged with embezzling more than $1,000 from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation River Spirit Casino, a gaming establishment. The FBI, Muscogee (Creek) Nation Attorney General Investigator and the Office of Public Gaming are the investigative agencies.
Rufus Hicks, Jr. False Statement in Connection With An Attempted Acquisition of a Firearm. Hicks, 39, of Tulsa, is charged with making a false statement on the ATF Form 4473 in an effort to purchase a Taurus, Model 605 Protector Ply, .357 MAG caliber revolver. Hicks lied on the form about his criminal record. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency.
Cesar Lara, Jr., Angel Ricardo Gonzalez, and Juandedios Gonzalez, Jr. Drug Conspiracy. Lara, 23, Angel Ricardo Gonzalez, 31,and Juandedios Gonzalez Jr., 44, all of El Paso, Texas, are charged with knowingly conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Oklahoma Highway Patrol are the investigative agencies.
David Mason Leslie, Jr. Drug Conspiracy; Interstate and Foreign Travel and Transportation in Aid of Racketeering Enterprises. Leslie Jr., 54, of Cucamonga, California, is charged with conspiring to possess and distribute 100 kilograms or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of marijuana. As part of the conspiracy, the co-conspirators allegedly purchased and transported shipments of marijuana from California to the Northern District of Oklahoma. Leslie and his co-conspirators allegedly distributed the drug in the northeastern Oklahoma and elsewhere, including Minneapolis, Minnesota. Leslie is further charged with traveling in interstate commerce with the intent to facilitate and manage the drug distribution business enterprise. The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS-Criminal Investigation are the investigative agencies.
Christopher P. Manzanares. False Statement in Connection With the Attempted Acquisition of a Firearm; Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition While Subject to a Domestic Violence Restraining Order. Manzanares, 28, of Broken Arrow, is charged with making a false statement on the ATF Form 4473 in an effort to purchase a SCCY CPX-1, 9 mm pistol. Manzanares lied on the form about being subject to a restraining order. He is further charged with possessing a Davis Industries, Model D-32, .32 caliber derringer while subject to a domestic violence restraining order. The Broken Arrow Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
Jason William Near, Kevin Michael Wright, and Stephanie Marie Elfman. Drug Conspiracy; Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute. Near, 39, of Lakewood, New York, Wright, 46, of Jamestown, New York, and Elfman, 31, of Jamestown, New York, are charged with conspiring to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana. The Miami Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Drug Enforcement Administration are the investigative agencies.
Feliciano Villarruel-Cabre. Reentry of Removed Alien. Villarruel-Cabre, 44, of Tulsa, is charged with having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported on July 11, 2007, from Hidalgo, Texas. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency.
Bradley Ryan Wikel. False Statement in Connection With the Attempted Acquisition of a Firearm; Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Wikel, 31, of Jay, is charged with making a false statement on the ATF Form 4473 in an effort to purchase a Remington .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle. Brannon lied on the form about his criminal record. He is further charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the investigative agency.
Evan Jamon Woodard. Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking Crimes; Possession of Cocaine With Intent to Distribute (2 counts); Possession of Marijuana With Intent to Distribute (2 counts); Possession of Heroin With Intent to Distribute. Woodard, 34, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Kahr Arms, Model CM 9, 9 mm pistol and ammunition and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. Additional he is charged with multiple counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. The Tulsa Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.
FHA Program Landlord Agrees to False Claims Act SettlementRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A real estate broker in Colonial Heights has agreed to settle allegations that he induced a low-income tenant to pay additional money for rent not permitted under a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rent subsidy program in which he was participating.
Harold Joseph Tyler, owner of Tyler Realty Group, participates in the federally-funded Housing Choice Voucher Program, a program for low-income individuals administered by HUD. In return for participating, Tyler receives a portion of the rent from housing assistance funds from HUD. The United States alleged that Mr. Tyler violated the federal False Claims Act (FCA) by certifying that he would not receive any payments in excess of the agreed rent. However, Tyler Realty Group, for a period of approximately 72 months, collected $190 per month from the tenant over and above the rent in the form of a monthly “non-refundable deposit.”
A qui tam action under the FCA is commenced by an individual, known as a “relator,” filing a complaint under seal in U.S. District Court, and providing a copy of the complaint and other evidence to the local U.S. Attorney. The United States then has an opportunity to investigate the claims. The relator in this case was the tenant who leased the residence and paid the excess amounts to Tyler Realty Group.
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General.
The matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McIntosh. The civil claims settled by this False Claims Act agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Evans City Man Charged with Robbing Zelienople BankRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – A resident of Evans City, Pennsylvania has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on one charge of bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count Indictment, returned on March 5, names Chad Vaughan, 32, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on October 23, 2018, Vaughan robbed the NexTier Bank, located at 226 South Main Street, Zelienople, PA 16063.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than twenty (20) years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense 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 and the Borough of Zelienople Police Department 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.
Euclid man indicted on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, extortion and possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
Tyrin Davis, 20, of Euclid, was indicted on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, extortion and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents:
The Toronto (Canada) Police Service’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit contacted Homeland Security Investigations after learning the 13-year-old had been enticed and extorted into sending multiple sexually explicit images of herself via Instagram and Snapchat. The girl and her mother approached the Toronto Police Service in May 2018 to report the ongoing extortion.
The suspect told the girl he would pay $1,000 if she were to send nude photos of herself. The girl stated her parents were going through a rough time financially and she thought that by sending the photos, she could do her part to help.
She sent a few nude photos, at which point the suspect began to send messages asking for more. The girl later said that the suspect told her that if she did not send more, he would put the ones she already sent online for the world to see. As a result, she sent more photos of herself to the suspect.
Once the victim realized things had gone too far, she attempted to stop communication with the suspect. The suspect sent nude photos of her to several of her friends on Instagram. The suspect also communicated with the victim’s cousin on Instagram and stated that if the cousin did not send nude pictures of herself, the suspect would post more nude photos of the 13-year-old online.
Investigators eventually traced the messages to the 13-year-old victim to an IP address assigned to Tyrin Davis on Chestnut Lane in Richmond Heights. Davis subsequently moved to Euclid.
“This case demonstrates the danger posed by the Internet, particularly for teens posting photos and communicating with people they don’t really know,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “Parents and trusted adults need to make it their business to know who their kids are talking to.”
"These cases are a painful reminder that we can never have enough conversations with our children about the potential dangers of the internet,” said Homeland Security Investigations' Special Agent in Charge Steve Francis. “Through our iGuardian educational program, HSI is fully committed to ensuring that parents and young people have all the information they need when it comes to online safety.”
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Toronto Police Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Essex County, New Jersey, Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to defraud New Jersey state benefit programs, , U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Brian Catanzarite, 43, a former gym owner from Cedar Grove, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of healthcare fraud. Judge Vazquez imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Catanzarite admitted that from March 2015 through January 2017, he conspired to defraud New Jersey state benefit programs. Catanzarite was recruited by one of his former gym members to become a sales representative of a company that marketed compounded medications. The marketing company received a percentage of every prescription that its sales representatives steered toward a particular compounding pharmacy.
To maximize his profit, Catanzarite convinced state beneficiaries to obtain compounded medications regardless of their medical necessity. On several occasions, Catanzarite even paid an advanced nurse practitioner, introduced to him by the marketing company, or used a telemedicine service that was paid for by the marketing company, to fraudulently obtain compounded medication prescriptions. Catanzarite caused losses of at least $3.5 million and personally made over $1.1 million from the scheme.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Vazquez sentenced Catanzarite to three years of supervised release and ordered restitution of $3.5 million.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ehrie; and the U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Leigh-Alistair Barzey of the DCIS Northeast Field Office, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented in these cases by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Liu, Chief of the U.S. Attorney's Office Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
Dominican National Sentenced for Fentanyl, Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her role in a widespread heroin and fentanyl conspiracy. The defendant had previously failed to appear for trial after being released on unsecured bond.
Isis Y Lugo-Guerrero, 46, a Dominican national residing in Dorchester, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Lugo-Guerrero will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. In November 2018, Lugo-Guerrero pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl and cocaine.
Lugo-Guerrero was arrested on Feb. 14, 2017, and released from custody on March 2, 2017, on $10,000 unsecured bond. The first day of her week-long trial was scheduled to begin on Sept. 10, 2018, but she failed to appear in court, and a warrant was issued for her arrest. She was arrested on Oct. 3, 2018.
Lugo-Guerrero is the sister of Jose Antonio Lugo-Guerrero, the convicted leader of a Boston-based heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization. Isis Lugo-Guerrero conspired with her brother and others by regularly obtaining heroin and cocaine from him and by supplying him with substances to cut his drugs to make additional profit.
In December 2018, Jose Antonio Lugo-Guerrero was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin, more than 400 grams of fentanyl, and more than five kilograms of cocaine, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Fall River Police Chief Albert F. Dupere; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh; Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross; Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher D. Delmonte; and Bristol Country District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
District of Oregon Takes Part in Largest-Ever Nationwide Elder Fraud SweepRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams today announced the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, surpassing last year’s nationwide sweep. The cases during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than two million Americans, most of them elderly.
"Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in our society," Attorney General William P. Barr said. "But thanks to the hard work of our agents and prosecutors, as well as our state and local partners, the Department of Justice is protecting our seniors from fraud. The Trump administration has placed a renewed focus on prosecuting those who prey on the elderly, and the results of today’s sweep make that clear. Today we are announcing the largest single law enforcement action against elder fraud in American history. This year’s sweep involves 13 percent more criminal defendants, 28 percent more in losses, and twice the number of fraud victims as last year’s sweep. I want to thank the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which led this effort, together with the Department’s Criminal Division, the more than 50 U.S. Attorneys’ offices, and the state and local partners who helped to make these results possible. Together, we are bringing justice and peace of mind to America's seniors."
"Today’s sweep sends a clear message that the Department of Justice is determined to hold accountable criminals who prey on our elderly citizens," said Billy J. Williams, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. "I want to thank our law enforcement partners from across the federal government as well as the many state, local and tribal agencies here in Oregon who assisted in bringing these cases and helping to put an end to these shameful schemes."
Three District of Oregon cases were included in the sweep:
U.S. v. Stevens et al.
On January 8, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Portland couple Ronnie Stevens, 49, and Tina Ephrem, 43, with wire fraud after they conspired to defraud an elderly couple of money and property. Stevens and Ephrem stole more than $1.5 million from the adult victims and spent the proceeds on utility bills, restaurants, cigars, retail purchases and travel to locations including Hawaii, Anaheim, California, Las Vegas, Nevada and the Spirit Mountain Lodge in Grand Ronde, Oregon. The couple was arrested on January 11, 2019 and ordered detained pending a five-day jury trial beginning on June 10, 2019. Read more.
U.S. v. Gregory
On January 22, 2019, Rodney Paul Gregory, 64, of Lebanon, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering for his role in online romance scams, some of which targeted the elderly. Between May 2017 and January 2019, Gregory acted as a money mule, receiving proceeds from various scams and wiring the money into overseas bank accounts. Gregory faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release and will be sentenced on April 4, 2019. Read more.
U.S. v. Tucker
On February 12, 2019, Tayva Tucker, 41, of Madras, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds for stealing nearly $40,000 in Social Security payments from ten mentally disabled adults. Tucker was employed by a social services organization where she oversaw outreach to mentally disabled clients as part of the organization’s mental health program. An organizational audit uncovered unusual movement of funds between various client accounts, as well as funds transferred from client accounts to Tucker. When confronted, Tucker admitted to taking clients’ Social Security benefits for her personal use. Tucker faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release and will be sentenced on April 25, 2019. Read more.
The Department took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases or through consumer education efforts. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of millions of more dollars than last year, putting the total alleged losses at this year’s sweep at over three fourths of one billion dollars.
The charges are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Since passage of the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA), the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Justice Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
A fact-sheet with technical-support fraud case information can be found here.
A fact-sheet with cases on mass mailing fraud can be found here.
A fact-sheet with examples of a few elder fraud cases involving extradition in which the Office of International Affairs played a substantial role can be found here.
Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Delaware County Attorney Charged with FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Daniel Vermeychuk, 66, of Wallingford, Pennsylvania, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with four counts of wire fraud, one count of social security fraud, and one count of theft from an employee benefit fund.
According to the indictment, the defendant obtained Social Security and pension benefit funds intended for the deceased tenant of an apartment building owned by the defendant’s wife. After the tenant’s death, the defendant continued to withdraw the benefit funds and used the money for his own purposes. According to public records, the defendant is an attorney licensed to practice in Pennsylvania.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 90 years imprisonment, full restitution, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
“Daniel Vermeychuk is charged with conduct that, if proven at trial, stands in stark contrast to the oath he swore as an attorney – to uphold the rule of law,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Instead of entering a courtroom to represent clients before the court, his next appearances will be to answer to these charges, and if found guilty, to be held accountable for them.”
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Christopher E. Parisi.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defendant Charged with Assaulting A South Georgia Postal Worker Has Initial Hearing in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
ALBANY, GA – A man charged in the assault of a federal postal employee Wednesday had an initial appearance today, announced Charles “Charlie” Peeler, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. Traveyon Devante Wilcox, of Donalsonville, GA, had his initial appearance before The Honorable Thomas Q. Langstaff, U.S. Magistrate Judge. Mr. Wilcox is facing one count of Assault on a Federal Employee, a charge that carries up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Mr. Wilcox is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt. A bond hearing before Judge Langstaff is expected within three business days.
According to the facts presented to the Court, Mr. Wilcox is accused of assaulting a postal worker on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at approximately 9:00 a.m. while the postal worker was on the job in Donalsonville (Seminole County), delivering mail in an official capacity. The defendant is accused of entering the postal vehicle during the assault.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Donalsonville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Leah E. McEwen is prosecuting the case for the United States. 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.
Council Bluffs Man Sentenced for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on March 6, 2019, Larry Eugene Burns, age 30, of Council Bluffs, was sentenced by United States Senior District Court Judge Robert W. Pratt for Bank Robbery by Intimidation. Burns was sentenced to 30 months in prison to be followed by a term of supervised release of three years.
In September 2018, Burns donned a bandana and a pink shirt, walked into Centris Federal Credit Union, and demanded money from the teller. After robbing the Credit Union, Burns ditched the bandana and pink shirt, which were later recovered in a nearby garbage can. Officers located a shirtless Burns walking a few blocks from the bank, and he matched the description given by the witnesses. Burns later confessed to the robbery and identified himself on the bank video surveillance. One month prior to robbing the Centris Federal Credit Union, Burns was released from an Iowa prison after serving an eight-year sentence for bank robbery.
This case was investigated by Council Bluffs Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Eighty-Four Months of Imprisonment for Possessing A Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Oliver Barcenas was sentenced to 84 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Special Agent in Charge Rayfield Roundtree. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Vince Chhabria, United States District Judge.
Barcenas, 28, of Richmond, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charge on December 11, 2018. According to the plea agreement, Barcenas admitted that on June 9, 2018, while on a crowded street in San Francisco, he possessed a loaded Glock 30, .45 caliber handgun, with an extended magazine. Barcenas admitted that he was approached by a San Francisco police officer, attempted to evade arrest, fled from the police, and while doing so, removed the firearm from his waistband. Further, Barcenas admitted that on June 9, 2018, he was a convicted felon and was not eligible to possess a firearm. According to court documents, San Francisco police officers arrested Barcenas hours after the Golden State Warriors’ 2018 victory in the NBA championship and during celebrations of the win. During those celebrations in San Francisco, Barcenas ran on a crowded sidewalk while holding the firearm and threw the loaded gun into the crowded street.
On August 30, 2018, a federal grand jury indicted Barcenas, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). Barcenas pleaded guilty to the charge.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chhabria ordered Barcenas to serve a three-year term of supervised release to begin at the conclusion of his prison term.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross Weingarten is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Marina Ponomarchuk. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and the San Francisco Police Department.
Convicted Felon Sentenced After Discharging Firearm in Madison Parking StructureRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Tony D. Smith, 30, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to four years in federal prison, followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Smith pleaded guilty to this charge on October 23, 2018.
On August 10, 2018, Madison Police Department patrol officers heard a gunshot in a public parking ramp in downtown Madison. The parking ramp’s security guard reported that he observed the driver of a red Dodge sedan discharge a firearm at three individuals in the ramp before speeding out of the ramp and striking through the exit’s stop arm. Security video showed the license plate of the vehicle, and an MPD officer located it shortly afterwards. Officers followed the car and conducted a high-risk traffic stop in an apartment parking lot. They identified the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle as Smith, but no firearm was located in the vehicle. Officers searched the parking ramp and located a 9mm shell casing. The following day, a citizen located a 9mm firearm near the apartment complex where Smith was arrested, and called the police. The firearm had one round in the chamber. Investigation revealed the firearm was owned by Smith’s girlfriend.
Given Smith’s criminal history and background, Judge Conley rejected his request for an 18-month sentence.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The charge against Smith was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita M. Rumbelow.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Heroin and Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man pleaded guilty today to trafficking over 200 grams of heroin and for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
“Drug traffickers in possession of firearms pose a significant threat to our communities,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Investigating and prosecuting heroin and fentanyl trafficking crimes is a top priority of this office as we continue to battle this deadly epidemic. We are committed to our mission of public safety and will continue to aggressively pursue those who choose to endanger the safety of the communities we serve.”
According to court documents, Mervin Turner, 37, distributed heroin and fentanyl to a confidential source from his Henrico County residence on two separate occasions in 2018. On August 28, 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Turner’s residence and recovered a semi-automatic pistol loaded with a 100-round drum magazine, more than 200 grams of heroin, two stand-up shop presses used to package heroin, marijuana, digital scales, and more than $9000.
Turner pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. Turner faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison and maximum penalty of 40 years in prison when sentenced on June 10. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Operation California Dreamin was investigated as part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
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, Jesse R. Fong, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and William C. Smith, Interim Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik S. Siebert and Kenneth Simon are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-158.
Connecticut Medical Equipment Supplier Pays $467K to Settle Allegations under the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that Med Tech, LLC, and its owner Thomas Macre, Sr., have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments and have agreed to pay more than $467,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
Med Tech is a Durable Medical Equipment Supplier in Orange, Connecticut. Med Tech is enrolled as a provider in the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (“CMAP”), which includes the state’s Medicaid program. Thomas Macre, Sr. owns and operates Med Tech. It is alleged that Med Tech and Macre billed Medicaid for back braces and electrical stimulation unit supplies that were not provided and/or were not medically necessary. To resolve the allegations under the federal and state False Claims Acts, Med Tech and Macre have agreed to pay $467,090 in order to reimburse the Medicaid program, which covers conduct occurring from January 1, 2011 to June 1, 2017.
“Medical equipment suppliers must bill Medicaid accurately, and we will continue to work with our federal and state partners to protect the integrity of all federal healthcare programs,” said U.S. Attorney Durham.
Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties of $11,181 to $22,363 for each false claim.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Thidemann, and Assistant Attorney General Antonia Conti of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS or the Health Care Fraud Task Force at (203) 777-6311.
Cohoes Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Steal Political Campaign ContributionsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Ralph V. Signoracci, IV, age 44, of Cohoes, New York, pled guilty today to conspiring with Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse to defraud Morse’s supporters by stealing campaign contributions for Morse’s personal benefit.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Signoracci, while a member of the City of Cohoes Common Council and then an Albany County Legislator, served as treasurer of a political committee called “Friends of Shawn Morse,” from approximately November 2013 through January 2019. He also served as treasurer of the political action committee “The Chairman’s PAC.”
In pleading guilty, Signoracci admitted that he and Morse solicited and received contributions to the committees. Signoracci, at Morse’s direction, withdrew funds from the committees’ bank accounts so that Morse could use the funds to pay for his personal expenses, including vacations, entertaining, dining, and home repairs. Signoracci also admitted to illegally using contributions made to The Chairman’s PAC to directly benefit Morse’s 2015 mayoral campaign.
Signoracci admitted that on behalf of Morse, he concealed the nature of these expenditures by falsely reporting the purpose of the expenditures or by not reporting or disclosing them on campaign disclosure reports, as was required of local candidates for public office.
Signoracci pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit wire fraud, and faces up to 20 years in prison, a term of post-release supervision of up to 3 years, and a fine of up to $250,000, when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Thomas J. McAvoy. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
Morse was arraigned on February 28 on an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, five counts of wire fraud, and one count of making a false statement to the FBI. The charges against Morse are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Kinsella Kistler.
Clinton Man Sentenced for $4.7 Million Cattle Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Clinton, Mo., man has been sentenced in federal court for a $4.7 million investment fraud scheme in which he defrauded 92 investors who believed they were purchasing cattle for resale at a profit.
Cameron J. Hager, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner on Tuesday, March 5, 2019, to eight years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Hager to pay $3,236,547 in restitution to the victims of his crime.
Hager pleaded guilty on June 26, 2018, to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering.
Hager, who operated 5A Holdings, LLC, admitted that he engaged in the fraud scheme from July 2015 to September 2017. Hager solicited victims to invest in a “cattle fund” that was used to purchase herds of cattle to be sold later at a substantial profit, although he never actually purchased or intended to purchase any cattle.
Hager received $4.7 million dollars from 92 investors, with investment amounts from $1,000 to $267,000. After taking into account money repaid to investors during the course of the scheme, and money paid to investors by Hager after the scheme was exposed, the total loss amount is $3,236,547.
Hager deposited $394,074 into his business bank account. He also used the proceeds of the scheme, among other things, to make substantial payments on the mortgage of his 46.6-acre residential property and to purchase a Ford F-150 pickup truck, a Toyota 4Runner, and two Winnebago travel trailers. All of Hager’s interest in that property has been forfeited to the government.
Hager convinced his victims that he was locating herds of cattle that farmers in distress needed to sell. He told them he would use investor funds to buy such herds, then transport the cattle to pastures/feed lots owned by himself or his company, 5A Holdings, where the cattle would be cared for, fattened, and eventually sold to slaughterhouses where Hager had “contacts.” Hager consistently represented that these transactions would produce a net “return” of from 23 to 28 percent on each investment. Hager paid an individual to pose as a veterinarian when at least one investor traveled to Missouri to inspect the cattle herds.
Investors filed complaints with the Missouri Secretary of State’s Securities Division, and that office opened an investigation. Hager sent the Securities Division a written response to the allegations of fraud; in that response he admitted that there were no cattle and that he had made false representations to investors.
The wire fraud charge relates to e-mails sent by Hager to a victim investor. The money laundering charge relates to Hager’s withdrawal of $21,500 from his business bank account to purchase a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The FBI determined that the money withdrawn by Hager for this transaction was derived from his wire fraud scheme.
This case was prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Ketchmark and Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Larson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Perkins Rock is handling the forfeiture. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Missouri Secretary of State, Securities Division.
Citizen of Mexico Convicted of Reentry after DeportationRead the Press Release
CONCORD, N.H. – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that a federal jury found Eleazar Flores-Mora, 32, a citizen of Mexico, guilty of reentering the United States after deportation. The verdict was returned on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.
According to trial exhibits and witness testimony during the two-day jury trial, Eleazar Flores-Mora, a citizen of Mexico was originally encountered in Manchester, New Hampshire in September of 2009 by agents with the Department of Homeland Security who were investigating persons believed to be in the county illegally. Flores-Mora was subsequently found by an Immigration Court to be present in the United States illegally and was deported from the United States in March, 2013. Flores-Mora was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations Officers when they encountered him in Manchester again on August 28, 2018.
Flores-Mora was convicted of one count of reentry after deportation. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17, 2019 and is likely to be deported from the United States after serving his sentence.
“In order to protect the integrity of the immigration system, those who enter the United States illegally after previously being deported are subject to prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.
“We’re very pleased that justice has been done in this case,” said Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) for the Boston area of responsibility. “Illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been removed previously is a serious violation of federal law. We appreciate the U.S. Attorney’s strong commitment to prosecuting those who would continue to disrespect U.S. immigration law and the rulings of U.S. immigration judges.”
This matter was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistance also was provided by United States Citizen and Immigration Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen W. Fitzgibbon.
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