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26 February 2019
Mission Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the crime of Possession of Ammunition by a Felon.
Aaron Santistevan, age 43, was indicted on February 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 22, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on December 28, 2018, Santistevan, having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year, possessed 40 rounds of copper-jacketed hollow point .50 Action Express caliber handgun ammunition.
The charge is merely an accusation and Santistevan is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook is prosecuting the case.
Santistevan was released on conditions pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Robbery of WalgreensRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger has announced that last Friday, United States District Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced Lamont Walker to 10 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release after Walker pled guilty to attempting to rob a Walgreens store and brandishing a gun during the attempted robbery.
At his plea hearing, Walker admitted that he attempted to rob the Walgreens store located at 2826 North Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, Milwaukee, on August 22, 2018. He further admitted that he brandished a loaded 9mm handgun after entering the Walgreens. Walker fled the store without having obtained any money or other property and was involved in a foot chase with police officers, during which he threw the handgun onto the roof of Pete’s Fruit Market. Officers recovered the firearm. Walker was on state supervision at the time he committed the attempted robbery and faces revocation.
Walker’s sentence includes a 7-year mandatory minimum sentence on the charge of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. This sentence must run consecutive to any other sentence, including a state revocation sentence.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Milwaukee Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret B. Honrath.
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For additional information contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth Gales (414) 297-1700
Mililani Man Sentenced to 20 Months in Prison for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – Gregory Scher, 66, of Mililani, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday to 20 months of imprisonment for defrauding the Social Security Administration. As part of his sentence, Scher was also ordered to pay $26,298.12 in restitution and a $100 assessment, and to serve 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Hawaii Kenji M. Price announced that, according to court documents and information presented in court, Scher admitted that he failed to disclose material information about his income and work, and lied about being legally blind, in order to receive and maintain Social Security Disability Insurance benefit payments. Scher also failed to disclose his employment while receiving Social Security Retirement Insurance benefits, and converted Social Security Child’s Insurance benefits intended for his minor daughter to his own personal use. Many of Scher’s lies and omissions occurred while he was on pretrial or supervised release for his federal Passport Fraud conviction.
At Scher’s sentencing, U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway remarked that her sentence sends a “strong and clear message” that Scher’s “extensive networks of untruths and wrongful actions” must stop. She told Scher that she observed a “pervasive attitude that you could do whatever actions to get whatever benefits you wanted.”
The case was investigated by the Special Agent Robert Rodriguez with Office of Investigations - Office of Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darren W.K. Ching and Sara Ayabe.
Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that BENITO ORBE-SANTANA, age 43, a native of Mexico, pleaded guilty Thursday, February 21, 2019 to a one-count indictment, which charged him with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the indictment, ORBE-SANTANA was previously removed from the United States on July 9, 2008. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 10, 2018 and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter. According to documents filed in court, ORBE-SANTANA, was arrested in Tangipahoa Parish for DWI in December 2018.
ORBE-SANTANA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 2 years, a fine of $250,000, one year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. His sentencing is set for March 14, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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Mexican Man Charged with Being Illegal Alien in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ANTONIO OSORIO DIAZ, age 41, a native of Mexico, was charged Thursday, February 21, 2019 in a one-count indictment with illegal alien in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(5)(A).
According to the indictment, DIAZ was an illegal alien in possession of a firearm on February 3, 2019 who was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana. He is an illegal alien from Mexico and has never been previously deported. The indictment alleges he illegally possessed a Ruger. 45 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
If convicted, DIAZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release and a $100.00 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. is in charge of the prosecution.
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Medford Woman Sentenced for Social Security, Medicare, MassHealth and SNAP Benefit FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Medford woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits, Medicare, MassHealth and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
Stephanie DiPierro, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $108,288 in restitution. In November 2018, DiPierro pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of public funds, two counts of making false statements, and one count of falsely representing a Social Security number. In November 2017, DiPierro was arrested, charged and released on conditions.
From October 2007 through May 2017, DiPierro stole $73,288 in Social Security benefits, $8,455 in Medicare benefits, $8,615 in MassHealth benefits and $17,929 in SNAP benefits. In September 2015, she falsely informed the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance that she did not have any income other than her Social Security benefits when, in fact, she was receiving income as a result of her work as a personal care attendant. DiPierro falsely told Social Security in March 2016, while she was working as a personal care attendant, that she did not take care of any other individual. DiPierro also falsely represented her Social Security number on a time sheet submitted in connection with her work as a personal care attendant.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service’s Boston Regional Office; and Suzanne M. Bump, State Auditor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
McCurtain Co Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Contraband in PrisonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nickey Lynn Anderson, age 36, of McCurtain County, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to Possessing Contraband In Prison, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1791(a)(2), 1791(b)(3) and 1791(d)(1)(B), punishable by not more than 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, or both; and to Possessing Contraband In Prison (Misdemeanor), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1791(a)(2), 1791(b)(4) and 1791(d)(1)(F), punishable by not more than 1 year imprisonment, a fine up to $1000,000.00, or both.
The Indictment alleges that on or about October 16, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the Defendant, an inmate of a prison as defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 1791(d)(4), did knowingly possess a prohibited object, to-wit: a long piece of metal sharpened to a fine point on one end, with cloth wrapped around the opposite end to form a handle, designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
The Indictment further alleges that on or about October 16, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the Defendant, an inmate of a prison as defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 1791(d)(4), did knowingly possess a prohibited object, to-wit: a cellular telephone.
The charges arose from an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The Honorable Steven P. Shreder, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
Assistant United States Attorney Ryan Heatherman represented the United States.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Committing Armed Carjacking in Morning Rush HourRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kevin Hammond, 26, of Suitland, Md., was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for an armed carjacking in the Ivy City neighborhood of Northeast Washington in which he pistol-whipped the victim so violently that the gun broke into two pieces. He then fled from police before being captured a short time later at a construction site.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Henry P. Stawinski III, Chief of the Prince George’s County, Md. Police Department.
Hammond pled guilty on Sept. 24, 2018, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of federal carjacking, one count of the federal offense of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, and one count of the federal offense of interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle. He also pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon, and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, both District of Columbia offenses.
He was sentenced today by the Honorable James E. Boasberg. Following completion of his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at about 6 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017, Hammond brandished a firearm and stole a van from a handyman who was getting ready for work in New Carrollton, in Prince George’s County, Md. Hammond then drove the van into Washington, D.C. and to the Ivy City neighborhood of Northeast Washington.
The van was equipped with a GPS system, and officers with the Prince George’s County Police Department and MPD were able to track and locate the vehicle. At about 7 a.m., as officers tried to stop the stolen vehicle that Hammond was driving, he fled the van and ran, jumping over a fence and running down an alleyway. Hammond then encountered another man in the 1900 block of Fairview Street NE who was parking his car to go to work. Hammond brandished a firearm to carjack this man’s vehicle. After grabbing the keys, Hammond pistol-whipped the man, striking him repeatedly in the face and head with the firearm, until the gun broke into two pieces. He then drove the stolen car down New York Avenue NE in rush-hour traffic with the police in pursuit; finally, he crashed into another car and fled on foot. Hammond was apprehended a short distance away, hiding in a construction site near Fourth Street and New York Avenue NE. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
Hammond still faces charges in Prince George’s County, and he is presumed innocent of those charges until, and unless, proven guilty.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Cekada, Chief Newsham, and Chief Stawinski commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Fifth District, the officers of the Prince George’s County Police Department, the crime scene officers from the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, and agents and DNA lab personnel from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Trigoso, Paralegal Specialists Jeannette Litz and Kate Abrey, Victim/Witness Advocate Yvonne Bryant, and Victim/Witness Services Coordinator Tonya Jones. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dineen A. Baker and Anthony Scarpelli, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Marion County man and Harrison County man admit to roles in methamphetamine distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Stephen Richards, of Fairmont, West Virginia, and Nathan Crites, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, have admitted to their roles in a methamphetamine distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Richards, age 40, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Richards, having previously been convicted of a felony, admitted to having a 9mm pistol and a 30-caliber bolt-action rifle in December 2017 in Harrison County.Crites, age 34, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine.” Crites admitted to selling methamphetamine in April 2018 in Harrison County.
Richards faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Crites 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda E. Wesley is prosecuting the cases 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.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Distributing over 50 Kilos of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to three years in prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana from California to Virginia and his involvement in laundering the marijuana proceeds.
According to court documents, Jamel Stokes, 26, was involved with several co-conspirators in trafficking large quantities of marijuana from California to Virginia. Stokes would receive the shipments of marijuana from California at two Virginia Beach addresses, and then break down the shipments into smaller packages for further distribution in the Hampton Roads area. Stokes also participated in laundering the proceeds from the sale of the marijuana shipments by depositing proceeds into various bank accounts in Virginia, and on the same day someone in California would withdraw the money from those same accounts.
Stokes also participated in secreting money in boxes and shipping them to California. Stokes was apprehended when a large shipment of marijuana was interdicted at the post office. A delivery of the parcel was made to the address on the shipping label. When a co-conspirator picked the box up, he was arrested and told law enforcement that Stokes had been paying him to pick up boxes full of marijuana and to deliver them to various addresses.
Between the two Virginia Beach addresses Stokes used to take delivery of marijuana, a total of 47 parcels were delivered from Northern California with a total weight of 50 kilograms or more but less than 100 kilograms of marijuana.
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, Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and Peter R. Rendina, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Muhr and Kevin Hudson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-146.
Man Selling Fentanyl-Laced Drugs Pleads Guilty in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Jeffery Jermaine Joe, age 42, of Camden, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Senior United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson accepted Joe’s guilty plea and will sentence him after receiving and reviewing a presentencing report prepared by the United States Probation Office.
According to facts summarized by the Government at Joe’s guilty plea hearing, Joe was caught in a traffic stop with the illicit drugs and was subsequently captured on video selling pills laced with fentanyl. Joe was also charged for possession of a firearm that was discovered in the same room where he sold the fentanyl-laced pills. Federal law prohibits Joe from possessing a firearm based on prior convictions for distribution of crack cocaine; possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine 2nd; trafficking crack cocaine 2nd; distribution crack cocaine; and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office.
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Los Angeles Man Found Guilty on All Counts in Nationwide Credit Card Fraud Scheme with Links to Sacramento and MoscowRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a four-day trial, a jury found Ruslan Kirilyuk, 41, of Beverly Hills, guilty on Tuesday of 24 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and one count each of aggravated identity theft and failure to appear, all arising out of his involvement in a nationwide credit card fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to evidence presented at trial, between approximately October 5, 2011, and March 5, 2014, Kirilyuk conspired with Mihran Melkonyan, 38, of Sacramento; Rouslan Akhmerov, 42, of Studio City; Alexandr Maslov, 38, of Sacramento, and others in a credit card billing scheme that involved creating approximately 71 fraudulent online companies established with the sole purpose of fraudulently charging approximately 119,000 stolen credit card numbers. In total, the members of the scheme billed the stolen credit card numbers for over $3.4 million in unauthorized charges.
As established at trial, to create the fraudulent companies, the members of the scheme obtained over 200 stolen report cards from the San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento. Those report cards had students’ personal identifying information on them such as names and social security numbers. Using that information, Kirilyuk and his associates created fraudulent companies with names designed to sound like real companies, such as “CVS Store,” “Walt Mart,” and “Chevran.”
Working with a hacker based in Moscow, they used those fraudulent companies to charge stolen American Express credit card account numbers. In order to transfer the stolen money, they used shell bank accounts held in the names of individuals whose identities had been stolen and former Russian J-1 visa holders. According to court documents, Kirilyuk has a history of corporate cyberintrusion dating back to at least 2003.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Matthew M. Yelovich are prosecuting the case.
Kirilyuk is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. on May 17, 2019. Kirilyuk faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each wire and mail fraud count, a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for the aggravated identity theft count, and up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the failure to appear charge. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
In an earlier trial, on February 15, 2017, Melkonyan was found guilty of all 24 counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud charged against him related to the scheme. He was sentenced on January 4, 2019, to 19 years and two months in prison.
On December 15, 2014, Akhmerov pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud for his participation in the scheme. He is set to be sentenced on March 29, 2019.
Maslov failed to appear at an earlier court appearance and a bench warrant has been issued for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at (916) 746-7000. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Knoxville Resident Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Melissa Eula May, 44, of Knoxville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty on February 25, 2019, to an information charging her with wire fraud. Sentencing has been set for 10:00 a.m., July 18, 2019, in United States District Court in Knoxville.
In conjunction with her guilty plea, May, a former employee of the Oliver Spring Housing Authority, admitted to using credit cards issued by her employer for her own personal expenditures. She further admitted that from January 2015 through April 2017, she made fraudulent transactions totaling $149,440.02.
May faces a potential punishment of up to 20 years in prison, forfeiture of all assets illicitly purchased, and the obligation to pay restitution to the Oliver Springs Housing Authority.
This conviction was the result of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General; Tennessee Department of Revenue; and, Oliver Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr., represented the United States.
Justice Department Repatriates Forfeited Funds to the Government of the Kyrgyz RepublicRead the Press Release
The U.S. Department of Justice repatriated stolen assets to the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic arising from the corruption and theft of government funds by the prior regime of Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his son Maxim Bakiyev. The return of the funds was celebrated yesterday in a ceremony in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic attended by Ambassador Alice G. Wells, the head of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs for the Department of State and U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic, Donald Lu.
These funds were identified in the United States in the criminal prosecution of Eugene Gourevitch for insider trading in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York and a $6 million forfeiture order was subsequently entered by the Court. Following the conviction in the prosecution led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Kyrgyz Government filed a Petition for Remission with the U.S. Department of Justice, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, claiming that the funds subject to the forfeiture order traced back to monies stolen by Maxim Bakiyev from Kyrgyz state authorities and other banking institutions. On Oct. 4, 2018, the Department of Justice granted the Remission Petition.
So far, approximately $4.5 million of the funds have been collected and are approved for repatriation of the $6 million ordered to be forfeited will be repatriated. These funds will be deposited in the account of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic (“current account of the Central Treasury of the Ministry of Finance of the Kyrgyz Republic in the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic”). MLARS attorneys working in the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative assisted in the investigation linking these funds to the corruption offenses in Kyrgyztan. Additional efforts will be made by the U.S. Government and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic to try to locate and return the remainder of the stolen assets in the forfeiture order.
In a joint statement by the Kyrgyz Republic and the U.S. State Department issued today, the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic confirms that the repatriated assets will be used for the benefit of the Kyrgyz people, with a focus on social projects and anti-corruption and transparency. These include:
- Improving public access of the rural population to the healthcare system by buying and installing medical equipment (X-ray, diagnostics equipment, etc.) for regional hospitals to deliver better medical services to the rural area population;
- Construction of water supply facilities in order to expand access to clean drinking water for the rural population through upgrades of drinking water systems and expansion of the scope of ongoing construction of large-scale water supply facilities (water pipes, water pumps, water purification facilities) currently under way with financial support of the World Bank and other International Financial Institutions; and
- Strengthening Kyrgyz institutions responsible for anti-corruption programs and promoting the transparency of court proceedings and financial integrity of state organs, including the purchase and installation of audio and video equipment for projects in district courthouses to increase transparency and public control in the justice sector.
Minister of Finance for the Kyrgyz Republic Baktygul Jeenbaeva who assisted in the investigation of the source of the funds will be the point of contact for questions about the use of these funds. During the repatriation ceremony, Minister Jaanbaeva said, “We are grateful for the United States of America’s support for the Kyrgyz leadership’s efforts to fight corruption. I would like to emphasize the fact that these funds were stolen from the people, and now with the help of our American colleagues, we are returning them through a legal process. We appreciate the joint efforts together with Government of the United States of America and their assistance on this issue and express our hope for further cooperation with the U.S. government.”
U.S. Ambassador Alice G. Wells remarks are posted at: https://kg.usembassy.gov/senior-bureau-official-alice-g-wells-remarks-on-repatriation-of-stolen-assets-to-the-kyrgyz-republic/.
The Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative is led by a team of dedicated prosecutors in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies, and often with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption and, where appropriate, to use those recovered assets to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office. In 2015, the FBI formed International Corruption Squads across the country to address national and international implications of foreign corruption. Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the U.S. should contact federal law enforcement or send an email to [email protected] (link sends e-mail) or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
- Improving public access of the rural population to the healthcare system by buying and installing medical equipment (X-ray, diagnostics equipment, etc.) for regional hospitals to deliver better medical services to the rural area population;
Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Concord, New Hampshire, to Ensure Accessible Voting Machines in City Elections for Voters with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today reached an agreement with the city of Concord, New Hampshire, to resolve a complaint alleging that the city violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide an accessible ballot to a voter who is blind.
Under the agreement, the city of Concord will provide voting machines that are accessible to voters who are blind or visually impaired. The city will have the accessible machines at its polling places starting in the November 2019 city election. In addition, the city will provide training to poll workers on the use of the accessible voting machines and will develop educational materials regarding the availability of the machines in city elections.
“Through this settlement, the city of Concord will ensure that voting in city elections is accessible to voters who are blind or visually impaired,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “We commend the city’s commitment to guaranteeing that voters with disabilities have equal access to voting.”
This settlement is part of the Department of Justice’s ADA Voting Initiative, which protects the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. A hallmark of the ADA Voting Initiative is its collaboration with jurisdictions to ensure accessibility to both polling places and the ballot.
Those interested in finding out more about this settlement or the ADA may call the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 or 800-514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at www.ada.gov. ADA complaints may be filed online at http://www.ada.gov/complaint/.
Juneau Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that a Juneau man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy to transport heroin and methamphetamine from the lower 48 to Alaska for distribution.
Bryan O’Neil Yambao Arce, 40, of Juneau, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 54 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In December 2018, Arce pleaded guilty to one count of drug conspiracy.
Arce became the subject of an investigation in June 2015, when the Juneau Drug Enforcement Unit (JDEU) began receiving tips that Arce was importing drugs into Juneau. The investigation revealed that, in order to elude law enforcement, Arce utilized a false identification while travelling to Juneau on commercial aircraft, and carried heroin and methamphetamine on his person for subsequent distribution in Juneau. Arce also collected drug proceeds from co-conspirators while in Juneau to pay for drugs previously supplied during the course of the conspiracy. After collecting the drug proceeds, Arce shipped the proceeds to himself using air cargo services. In total, Arce sent 32 packages in this manner.
During the course of the conspiracy, Arce’s fraudulent ID and $3,946 was found in a local store, which was related to a prior delivery of 50 grams of methamphetamine. Further, in December 2015, Arce shipped a package containing at least two ounces of methamphetamine from California to a co-conspirator’s residence in Juneau. Co-conspirators utilized money remittance services, air cargo, and other shipping services to send drug proceeds for payment of methamphetamine and heroin sent by Arce. In April 2017, Arce travelled to Juneau from the lower 48, and was contacted by law enforcement. A search of Arce’s luggage revealed 202 grams of methamphetamine intended for subsequent distribution in Juneau.
According to court documents, Arce’s social media page had hundreds of pages of communications with individuals related to drug trafficking and distribution. Arce advised co-conspirators on how to distribute narcotics and how to collect drug proceeds, and even joked about overdoses in the community and wondered aloud if he might be responsible. During the course of this investigation, Arce is responsible for approximately four ounces of a mixture and substance and 202 grams of actual methamphetamine.
The Juneau Police Department (JPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to Fifteen Years as Armed Career Criminal for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Harvey Lee Adams today sentenced Sean Justin Owens (35, Jacksonville) to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. A federal jury found Owens guilty on November 15, 2018. Due to his prior multiple felony convictions, he qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
According to testimony presented at trial, Owens was found in possession of a firearm after officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) investigated his illegally parked vehicle. As the officers approached the vehicle, Owens quickly left the car and headed toward a nearby residence. When the officers checked the vehicle’s tag, it was not associated with any vehicle. As one of the officers tried to obtain the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), he saw a firearm on the front console. Owens’s driver license was inside his vehicle, confirming his identity. In addition, an occupant of the home Owens had entered after leaving the vehicle confirmed that the vehicle belonged to Owens.
At the time of this incident, Owens had multiple prior felony convictions, including three convictions for sale or delivery of cocaine, and therefore, was prohibited from possessing firearms under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
ISIS Supporter Sentenced to Almost 16 Years for Attempting to Provide Material Support to Foreign Terrorist Organization and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Amer Sinan Alhaggagi was sentenced today to 188 months for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and identity theft charges. Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the National Security Division, United States Attorney David L. Anderson for the Northern District of California and FBI Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett of the San Francisco Field Office made the announcement. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge.
“Alhaggagi wanted to carry out deadly terrorist attacks in the United States in the name of ISIS,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Today’s sentencing shows the dedication of the National Security Division and our partners to hold accountable those who seek to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations and to conduct violence on their behalf. I commend the work of the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”
“The highest priority of our counter-terrorism efforts is to prevent acts of violence before they occur,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “Amer Alhaggagi hoped and intended to carry out acts of great cruelty in order to sow terror in our community. Through the combined efforts of local and federal law enforcement, Alhaggagi was identified, apprehended, and prosecuted before he was able to commit the violence he schemed to commit. This prosecution stands as an example of how homegrown extremists who seek to sow fear and panic into our communities can be stopped when law enforcement agencies work together.”
“Today is a tragedy for the Alhaggagi family and our community as we have lost yet another young person to the allure of extremist ideology focused on hatred and violence,” said John F. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office. “This sentence serves as a reminder of how persistent and pervasive online radicalization has become and this should be a precautionary example for individuals who may be tempted by terrorist propaganda. The FBI, through our Joint Terrorism Task Forces, remains dedicated to protecting the United States against any form of terrorism and ensuring the safety of our community.”
Alhaggagi, 23, of Oakland, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charges on July 18, 2018. In pleading guilty, Alhaggagi admitted he knowingly attempted to provide services and personnel to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. ISIS was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States Secretary of State in 2014.
Federal prosecutors filed sentencing memoranda disclosing additional details of Alhaggagi’s conduct prior to and after his arrest. For example, beginning in July of 2016, Alhaggagi boasted online about a series of terrorist attacks he wanted to commit on behalf ISIS. His aim was to “redefine terror,” and he promised that if he succeeded, the “whole Bay Area [was] gonna be in flames.” Among his more vicious attacks, he planned to explode a car bomb outside a gay nightclub in San Francisco, and plant backpack bombs on routes known to be used by emergency vehicles, in an effort to kill first responders seeking to aid casualties. In addition, even after his arrest, Alhaggagi hatched a new plot for a bomb attack and shared the plan with prison inmates. At one point, Alhaggagi was driving through Berkeley towards the Oakland Hills with an undercover agent when he pointed out several bars and clubs “where all the students are.” The defendant commented, “it’s a nice area to attack… it’s like, everybody’s in their own world, just doing their thing.” He told the undercover agent that there were even more crowded areas in San Francisco that could make for good targets and said, “it’s not hard to target places, because there’s people everywhere. But I was trying to target, you know, like clubs, you know, like dance clubs, bars… stuff like that . . ..”
In pleading guilty, Alhaggagi admitted to the following:
- Alhaggagi admitted that in October and November of 2016, he created Twitter accounts and Facebook accounts along with the Gmail accounts that were necessary to authenticate them for individuals he believed were ISIS supporters.
- Alhaggagi admitted that in the Fall of 2016 he communicated with two individuals who asked him to set up social media accounts. Alhaggagi communicated with the individuals from his computer while he was in Oakland, Calif., and admitted opening several Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail accounts at their request. Alhaggagi also admitted knowing that both of the individuals were ISIS sympathizers and that by opening the social media accounts he was providing a service to ISIS. The investigation demonstrated at least one of the individuals Alhaggagi opened accounts for was an actual member of ISIS.
- Alhaggagi admitted that on Nov. 29, 2016, the day of his arrest, he possessed a device used to make counterfeit credit cards and that between July and August 2016, he used a credit card with someone else’s name to buy more than $1,000 worth of clothes for himself online.
A federal grand jury indicted Alhaggagi on July 21, 2017, with one count of knowingly attempting to provide services and personnel to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B; one count of possessing an identity theft device, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(4); one count of unauthorized identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(2); and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. Alhaggagi pleaded guilty to all the charges without a written agreement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to serve 10 years supervised release.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Special Prosecutions and National Security Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, the United States Department of Justice National Security Division, the Berkeley Police Department, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force including, the Oakland Police Department.
Further Information: Case #: 17-387 CRB
Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Judges' calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court's website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.
ISIS Supporter Sentenced to over 15 Years in Prison for Attempting to Provide Material Support to Foreign Terrorist Organization and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO –Amer Sinan Alhaggagi was sentenced today to 188 months in prison for attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and identity theft charges, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge.
“The highest priority of our counter-terrorism efforts is to prevent acts of violence before they occur,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “Amer Alhaggagi hoped and intended to carry out acts of great cruelty in order to sow terror in our community. Through the combined efforts of local and federal law enforcement, Alhaggagi was identified, apprehended, and prosecuted before he was able to commit the violence he schemed to commit. This prosecution stands as an example of how homegrown extremists who seek to sow fear and panic into our communities can be stopped when law enforcement agencies work together.”
“Alhaggagi wanted to carry out deadly terrorist attacks in the United States in the name of ISIS,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “Today’s sentencing shows the dedication of the National Security Division and our partners to hold accountable those who seek to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations and to conduct violence on their behalf. I commend the work of the agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this case.”
“Today is a tragedy for the Alhaggagi family and our community as we have lost yet another young person to the allure of extremist ideology focused on hatred and violence,” said John F. Bennett, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Francisco Field Office. “This sentence serves as a reminder of how persistent and pervasive online radicalization has become and this should be a precautionary example for individuals who may be tempted by terrorist propaganda. The FBI, through our Joint Terrorism Task Forces, remains dedicated to protecting the United States against any form of terrorism and ensuring the safety of our community.”
Alhaggagi, 23, of Oakland, Calif., pleaded guilty to the charges on July 18, 2018. In pleading guilty, Alhaggagi admitted he knowingly attempted to provide services and personnel to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. ISIS was designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States Secretary of State in 2014.
Federal prosecutors filed sentencing memoranda disclosing additional details of Alhaggagi’s conduct prior to and after his arrest. For example, beginning in July of 2016, Alhaggagi boasted online about a series of terrorist attacks he wanted to commit on behalf the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (“ISIL”). His aim was to “redefine terror,” and he promised that if he succeeded, the “whole Bay Area [was] gonna be in flames.” Among his more vicious attacks, he planned to explode a car bomb outside a gay nightclub in San Francisco, and plant backpack bombs on routes known to be used by emergency vehicles, in an effort to kill first responders seeking to aid casualties. In addition, even after his arrest, Alhaggagi hatched a new plot for a bomb attack and shared the plan with prison inmates. At one point, Alhaggagi was driving through Berkeley towards the Oakland Hills with an undercover agent when he pointed out several bars and clubs “where all the students are.” The defendant commented, “it’s a nice area to attack … it’s like, everybody’s in their own world, just doing their thing.” He told the undercover agent that there were even more crowded areas in San Francisco that could make for good targets and said, “it’s not hard to target places, because there’s people everywhere. But I was trying to target, you know, like clubs, you know, like dance clubs, bars … stuff like that . . ..”
In pleading guilty, Alhaggagi admitted to the following:
- In October and November of 2016, Alhaggagi created Twitter accounts and Facebook accounts along with the Gmail accounts that were necessary to authenticate them for individuals he believed were ISIS supporters.
- In the Fall of 2016, Alhaggagi communicated with two individuals who asked him to set up social media accounts. He communicated with the individuals from his computer while he was in Oakland, Calif., and admitted opening several Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail accounts at their request. Alhaggagi also admitted knowing that both of the individuals were ISIS sympathizers and that by opening the social media accounts he was providing a service to ISIS. According to government lawyers, at least one of the individuals Alhaggagi opened accounts for was an actual member of ISIS.
- On November 29, 2016, the day of his arrest, Alhaggagi possessed a device used to make counterfeit credit cards and that between July and August 2016, he used a credit card with someone else’s name to buy more than $1,000 worth of clothes for himself online.
A federal grand jury indicted Alhaggagi on July 21, 2017, with one count of knowingly attempting to provide services and personnel to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B; one count of possessing an identity theft device, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(4); one count of unauthorized identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(2); and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1028A. Alhaggagi pleaded guilty to all the charges without a written agreement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Breyer ordered the defendant to serve ten years of supervised release to follow his prison term.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Special Prosecutions and National Security Unit of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, the United States Department of Justice National Security Division, the Berkeley Police Department, the San Francisco Police Department, the University of California Berkeley Police Department, the Alameda County Sheriff, and members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force including the Oakland Police Department.
Hacker “AlfabetoVirtual” Sentenced to Prison for Hacking Websites of the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and the New York City ComptrollerRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that BILLY RIBEIRO ANDERSON, a/k/a “Anderson Albuquerque,” a/k/a “AlfabetoVirtual,” was sentenced today to three months in prison for obtaining unauthorized access to and committing defacements of the websites for the Combating Terrorism Center at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York (“West Point”), and the Office of the New York City Comptroller (the “NYC Comptroller”). ANDERSON pled guilty on October 2, 2018, to two felony counts of computer fraud before U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain, who also imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Billy Anderson was a sophisticated hacker who compromised and defaced the websites of the New York City Comptroller, West Point, and more than 11,000 other military, government, and business websites around the world under his online pseudonym “AlfabetoVirtual.” Anderson will now serve time in federal prison under his true name. This case demonstrates that those who seek to commit cyber intrusions of government websites will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
According to the Indictment and other public court filings and proceedings:
Website defacements are acts of computer intrusion during which a hacker obtains unauthorized access to computers hosting Internet websites and then replaces the publicly available contents of the website with content generated by the hacker, thereby “defacing” the website. Hackers frequently claim responsibility for defacements by listing their online pseudonyms as part of the defaced content.
From in or about 2015 through at least March 13, 2018, ANDERSON took responsibility for obtaining unauthorized access to, and committing more than 11,000 defacements of, various U.S. military, government, and business websites around the world under the online pseudonym “AlfabetoVirtual,” including websites for the NYC Comptroller and the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point.
On or about July 10, 2015, a website owned by the NYC Comptroller was defaced, and ANDERSON, using the online pseudonym “AlfabetoVirtual,” claimed responsibility for the intrusion and defacement. The contents of the NYC Comptroller website were modified to display the text “Hacked by AlfabetoVirtual,” “#FREEPALESTINE” and “#FREEGAZA.” The defacement was performed by exploiting security vulnerabilities associated with the version of a plugin being used on the website.
On or about October 4, 2016, a website for the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point was defaced, and ANDERSON, using the online pseudonym “AlfabetoVirtual,” claimed responsibility for the intrusion and defacement. The content of the Combating Terrorism Center website was modified to display the text “Hacked by AlfabetoVirtual.” The defacement was performed by an unauthorized administrative account that exploited a known cross-site script vulnerability, thereby enabling ANDERSON to bypass access controls and target an internal Combating Terrorism Center website address.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, ANDERSON, 42, of Torrance, California, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, 200 hours of community service, and ordered to pay restitution to victims of his offense.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Berman also thanked the Computer Crime Investigative Unit of the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command and the Brazilian Federal Police Cyber Crime Unit for their assistance with the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Sagar K. Ravi is in charge of the prosecution.
Franklin County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Dealing Drugs that Resulted in DeathRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – David L. Dobbins, 39, of Urbancrest, Ohio, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 240 months in prison for dealing narcotics that resulted in an overdose death.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Timothy J. Plancon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Grove City Police Chief Jeffrey A. Pearson announced the sentence imposed yesterday by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents, in February 2017, Dobbins distributed heroin, cocaine and fentanyl that caused the death of at least one known individual. The victim was found dead at the Star City Inn in Grove City. On February 8, 2017, after four 9-1-1 hang up calls to the Grove City 911 Center, a man stated someone had overdosed in the hotel and then the call disconnected.
When law enforcement arrived, no one was in the room with the victim. Cellular data and DNA evidence linked Dobbins to the distribution of the fatal narcotics.
Dobbins was arrested April 14, 2018 and has been in custody since. He was charged by an original indictment in October 2018 and a superseding indictment in November 2018.
Dobbins pleaded guilty in July 2018 to three counts of possessing with the intent to distribute heroin, two counts of possessing with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and one count of distributing heroin and cocaine.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the DEA and Grove City Police, and Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy D. Prichard and David J. Bosley, who are prosecuting the case.
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Four Wisconsin Hunters Sentenced for Lacey Act Crimes & ObstructionRead the Press Release
Madison, Wis. – Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that four men -- Robert Peters, 53, Turtle Lake, Wisconsin; Steven Reindahl, 55, Turtle Lake; David Johnson, 31, Barnes, Wisconsin; and Darren Johnson, 52, Deer Park, Wisconsin -- were sentenced today in federal court in Madison. The defendants were convicted of crimes related to an illegal 2017 mountain lion hunt in Montana, in violation of the Lacey Act, and conspiring to obstruct a 2018 federal grand jury investigation.
Magistrate Judge Stephen L. Crocker sentenced Peters and Reindahl to two years of probation, David Johnson to a three-year term of probation, and Darren Johnson to a four-year term of probation. As a condition of probation, these defendants cannot hunt and trap, or assist and/or accompany others engaged in hunting or trapping worldwide for a period of two years to begin on the date of sentencing. Both Peters and Reindahl were fined $5,000, David Johnson was fined $25,000, and Darren Johnson was fined $30,000. All fines were due and payable immediately, and all defendants paid the fines today. The Johnsons’ fines were paid directly to the Lacey Act Reward Fund.
In addition, Judge Crocker ordered three of the defendants to forfeit instrumentalities used during the illegal hunt. Robert Peters was ordered to forfeit a Browning Abolti rifle and a bobcat hide.
David Johnson was ordered to forfeit a Garmin Astro 320 Receiver, three Garmin dog collars, 10-30x50 Zoom Binoculars, a Remington 870 Super Mag 12 gauge shotgun, and a Mountain lion hide (Montana lion).
Darren Johnson was ordered to forfeit a 2012 Ford F-250 pickup truck, a Savage Model 11 .223 rifle with Konus 3-9x40 scope, a Garmin Astro 320 receiver, three Garmin Dog Collars, Nikon 10x42 binoculars, a Uniden UKM380 VHF radio, a Mountain lion and bobcat mount (Colorado lion), and a Mountain lion skull (Montana lion).
David Johnson and Darren Johnson are not related.
In imposing the sentences today, Judge Crocker observed that these four defendants were men “who loved and lived to hunt, but they cut corners and cheated. They broke the law knowingly.” Judge Crocker also said that “most hunters play by the rules and they expect all hunters to play by the rules.” The judge explained that these sentences need to send the general deterrence message to the hunting community that “if you play by the rules you are not a chump, and if you don’t play by the rules you face severe consequences, and the government will hit you where it hurts . . . . The government will take away what you love the most – hunting.”
Judge Crocker told the defendants that “these types of cases are important. Hunting is a privilege not a right. The rules apply to everyone. You cannot cheat.” Finally, the judge counseled the defendants that, “this case could easily have been a felony with far more severe sanctions with life-changing results . . . . It could have been much worse.” The judge ended by saying, “These sentences are no picnic. But they are supposed to hurt. If you cheat, your sentence should make you hurt. We won’t tolerate this type of behavior.”
On January 6, 2017, Darren and David Johnson, Bob Peters and Steve Reindahl were in Mosby, Montana hunting mountain lions with their dogs. That morning, the dogs treed a mountain lion. Only Darren Johnson and Steve Reindahl had valid licenses to hunt mountain lions.
Despite not having a valid license, David Johnson used Darren Johnson’s rifle to shoot and kill the mountain lion, and Darren Johnson took out his tag and tagged the lion. According to witness testimony, Darren Johnson told the group that everyone needed to stick to the story that Darren Johnson killed the mountain lion. On January 10, 2017, all four men drove back from Montana to Wisconsin, and Darren Johnson and Steve Reindahl transported the mountain lion hide. A few days later, Darren Johnson dropped off the hide at David Johnson’s home.
In late May 2018, Bob Peters and Steve Reindahl were served with grand jury subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury on June 21, 2018, in Madison regarding the 2017 mountain lion hunt. On Sunday, June 17, 2018, Darren and David Johnson, Robert Peters, and Steve Reindahl met at Peter’s home in Turtle Lake to talk about the upcoming grand jury session. At the Sunday meeting, Darren Johnson allegedly told everyone to stick to the story that he killed the Montana mountain lion on January 6, 2017, and that the agents did not have any proof to say otherwise.
On June 21, 2018, Bob Peters and Steve Reindahl appeared before the grand jury. Later, Peters and Reindahl admitted that they lied to the grand jury and agreed to cooperate and tell the truth. They recanted their prior testimony and explained that David Johnson killed the mountain lion and Darren Johnson tagged it and told everyone he killed it and they all needed to stick to that story. Both men explained that they were told by Darren Johnson at the meeting in Turtle Lake not to tell the truth to the grand jury.
The charges against these men were the result of an investigation conducted by special agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Law Enforcement, and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Graber.
Four Men Sentenced for Immigration CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that four foreign nationals, all previously convicted of Reentry of a Removed Alien, were sentenced in federal court today. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“All four defendants had prior deportations,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We must secure the border and end this revolving door. Those who want to enter this great country, must do so by following our laws and all lawful entrants are welcome. Those we find that have illegally entered the United States will face prosecution.”
Appearing before United States District Judge Irene C. Berger in Beckley:
Heriberto Tadeo, a Mexican national, was sentenced to “time served” and was immediately remanded to ICE authorities for deportation proceedings. Tadeo has been in federal custody since October 17, 2018—four months. On October 17, 2018, Tadeo was found in Greenbrier County, West Virginia working at a turkey farm. Federal agents with ICE had received a tip that Tadeo was working at a turkey farm illegally and ICE agents located Tadeo there. Agents immediately confirmed that Tadeo was not in the United States legally. ICE agents took Tadeo into federal custody. Tadeo’s fingerprints matched him to a single prior encounter in 2016 where he was found in Hidalgo, Texas illegally and deported from the United States to Mexico. Tadeo illegally reentered the United States a second time prior to his capture in 2018. Tadeo had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Tadeo also admitted to ICE agents that he was a Mexican citizen.
Wilfredo Artiago-Mejia, a Honduran national, was sentenced to “time served” and was immediately remanded to ICE authorities for deportation proceedings. Artiaga-Mejia has been in federal custody since August 29, 2018—nearly six months. In August 2018, Artiaga-Mejia was found in Greenbrier County, West Virginia working at a turkey farm. Federal agents with ICE had received a tip that Artiaga-Mejia was working at a turkey farm illegally and ICE agents located Artiaga-Mejia there. Agents immediately confirmed that Artiaga-Mejia was not in the United States legally. ICE agents took Artiaga-Mejia into federal custody. Wilfredo Artiaga-Mejia fingerprints matched him to two prior encounters in 2011 and 2013 where he was found in the United States illegally and deported from the United States to Honduras. In 2013, he was also convicted of Illegal Entry into the United States in United States District Court from the Western District of Texas. Artiaga-Mejia illegally reentered the United States a third time prior to his capture in 2018. Artiaga-Mejia had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Artiaga-Mejia also admitted to ICE agents that he was a Honduran citizen.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is responsible for the prosecution of Tadeo and Artiaga-Mejia.
Appearing before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers in Huntington:
Sebastian Gonzalez-Cid, a Mexican national, was sentenced to “time served” and was immediately remanded to ICE authorities for deportation proceedings. Gonzalez-Cid, 26, has been in federal custody since December 6, 2018—over three months. On December 6, 2018, Gonzalez-Cid was found in Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia by ICE agents who received a tip he was working in the area. Federal agents with ICE had specifically received a tip that Gonzalez-Cid was working illegally and ICE agents located him at his place of residence. Agents immediately confirmed that Gonzalez-Cid was not in the United States legally. ICE agents took Gonzalez-Cid into federal custody. Gonzalez-Cid’s fingerprints matched him to a single prior encounter in 2017 where he was found in South Charleston, West Virginia illegally and deported from the United States to Mexico. Gonzalez-Cid illegally reentered the United States a second time prior to his capture in 2018. Gonzalez-Cid had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Gonzalez-Cid also admitted to ICE agents that he was a Mexican citizen.
Marcus Tojin-Tui, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced to “time served” and was immediately remanded to ICE authorities for deportation proceedings. Tojin-Tiu, 26, has been in federal custody since October 30, 2018—over four months. On October 30, 2018, Tojin-Tiu was found in Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia by ICE agents who received a tip he was working in the area. Federal agents with ICE had specifically received a tip that Tojin-Tiu was working illegally at a restaurant and ICE agents located him at his place of residence. Agents immediately confirmed that Tojin-Tiu was not in the United States legally. ICE agents took Tojin-Tiu into federal custody. Tojin-Tiu’s fingerprints matched him to a single prior encounter in 2012 where he was found in Harlington, Texas illegally and deported from the United States to Guatemala. Tojin-Tiu illegally reentered the United States a second time prior to his capture in 2018. Tojin-Tiu had not obtained permission to legally enter the United States and had not sought legal status or citizenship. Tojin-Tiu also admitted to ICE agents that he was a Guatemalan citizen.
Assistant United States Attorneys Erik S. Goes and Ryan Keefe are responsible for the prosecution of both Gonzalez-Cid and Tojin-Tui.
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Fort Myers Man Pleads Guilty to Dealing Fentanyl That Caused A Twenty-One Year Old Man to Die of A Drug OverdoseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Gregory Apicella (53, Fort Myers) today pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and to causing the overdose death of “J.Y.,” a 21-year old man living in Fort Myers. Apicella faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years, and up to life, in federal prison.
According to the
plea agreement , on January 18, 2018, Apicella sold fentanyl from his home on South Entrada Drive in Fort Myers. J.Y. used the fentanyl that Apicella had sold and died of an overdose. The next day, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office (“LCSO”) conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Apicella. LCSO then executed a search warrant at Apicella’s residence and recovered approximately nine grams of fentanyl from a safe in the bedroom.This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle Cohen and Charles Schmitz.
Former Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
In San Antonio this morning, a federal judge sentenced Former Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo to 30 months imprisonment on federal bribery and income tax related charges, announced U.S. Attorney John Bash; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; and, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Goss, Houston Field Office.
In addition to the prison term, Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ordered that Galindo, 55 of Selma, TX, pay $876,000 restitution and be placed on supervised release for a period of three years after completing his prison term. Judge Ezra allowed Galindo to remain on bond pending notification by the Bureau of Prisons where to surrender to begin serving his prison term.
“Today’s sentence is another example of this office’s determination to root out public corruption in Texas government,” stated U.S. Attorney Bash.
“The sentence handed down today demonstrates San Antonio FBI’s firm commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to address public corruption and hold corrupt officials in Reeves County and other jurisdictions accountable,” stated San Antonio FBI SAC Combs. “While the vast majority of elected and appointed officials faithfully serve the interests of the public, there are some who violate the public’s trust, and serve their personal interests instead.”
On June 12, 2017, Galindo, pleaded guilty to a criminal Information charging one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and one count of failure to file income tax returns.
Galindo served as County Judge for Reeves County from January 1995 through December 2006. Galindo, on behalf of Reeves County, negotiated a contract with a company owned by Vernon C. Farthing, III, of Lubbock, TX, to provide medical services for inmates located in the Reeves County Correctional Center. Galindo signed the contract on September 13, 2006. The Information alleges that Galindo conspired with Farthing and former District 19 Texas State Senator Carlos Uresti to ensure that Farthing’s company was awarded that contract.
To secure the contract, the Information states that Farthing agreed to hire Uresti as a “consultant” and pay him approximately $10,000 a month. Uresti, in turn, agreed to pay Galindo one-half of the money he received from Farthing’s company. From January 2007 until September 30, 2016, Uresti paid Galindo approximately half of the monies Uresti received each month from Farthing. The Information also alleges that Galindo failed to file individual income tax returns for the years 2004 to the present.
Uresti received five years in federal prison for his role in the scheme. Last year, a federal jury acquitted Farthing of all charges.
The FBI encourages the public to continue to support our active and ongoing efforts to deter and prevent corruption by reporting such activity to the FBI’s Public Corruption Hotline, 1-800-CALL-FBI.
The FBI’s Pubic Corruption Task Force conducted this investigation. The Task Force is comprised of investigators from the FBI, IRS-CI, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Peace Corps-Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. Blackwell, Sean O'Connell, William R. Harris and Mark Roomberg prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.
Former NASA Contractor Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Anthony Joseph Culotta (59, Merritt Island) has pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography. Culotta faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years, and up to 20 years, in federal prison.
According to the plea agreement, Culotta had been a NASA contractor since at least 2004. An investigation led by the NASA Office of Inspector General (OIG) Office of Investigations (OI) revealed that, since at least May 2017 Culotta had been using NASA’s network to obtain child pornography via the internet.
On June 15, 2018, a federal search warrant was executed on Culotta’s work area at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to search for evidence of child pornography violations. During the search, agents located Culotta’s NASA-issued laptop computer. A forensic examination of the laptop revealed more than 700 images containing child pornography, including images of known child victims identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
On August 7, 2018, NASA OIG special agents interviewed Culotta at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Brevard County. During the interview, Culotta admitted that he had used his NASA-issued laptop to search for and view images that piqued his curiosity. He identified some of the images for the interviewing agents. Culotta also said he used his personal computer at his home to search the internet for these images.
Culotta also disclosed that he had saved some of the images he viewed to his thumb drive. Culotta had the thumb drive with him and consented to a search of the device. He told the agents that he hid the images in directories that he had created on the thumb drive. Culotta also admitted that he had been viewing these types of images for as long as he had his personal laptop. During a preview of Culotta’s thumb drive, the forensic examiner located images of child pornography, including young children. Culotta also stated that he had connected the thumb drive to his NASA-issued laptop and viewed the images while at work.
Culotta consented to a search of his personal computer media, where the agents found numerous images depicting child pornography involving young children, including toddlers.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by NASA OIG OI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilianys Rivera Miranda.
Former Manager of North Kenner Post Office Pleads Guilty to Stealing More Than $630,000 in Postal StampsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that RYAN S. CORTEZ, age 46, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, entered a plea of guilty Friday, February 22, 2019 to Misappropriation of Postal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1711.
According to court records, special agents with the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”) were notified by PayPal and eBay regarding significant quantities of U.S. Postal stamps being sold by CORTEZ on eBay. A subsequent investigation by Postal OIG revealed that, as manager, Cortez had increased the North Kenner Post Office’s reserve stamp stock by more than $600,000. Subpoenaed records from Cortez’s Regions Bank account revealed substantial deposits, including more than $58,000 in a one-month period in the summer of 2018.
During their investigation, Postal OIG agents determined CORTEZ withdrew thousands of dollars on a regular basis at the Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans. Harrah’s records revealed CORTEZ lost over $667,000 since 2011 and lost over $220,000 in 2017. Postal records indicate CORTEZ earned an annual salary of $70,818.
On October 10, 2018, Postal OIG special agents executed a federal search warrant issued by a federal magistrate judge at CORTEZ’s residence in Des Allemands. Agents found evidence linking CORTEZ to the ordering of the stamps from the Stamp Fulfillment Center thus increasing the reserve stamp stock for the North Kenner Post Office. During the search of the Post Office, Postal OIG special agents advised CORTEZ of his Miranda rights and advised him that they wanted to discuss financial issues with the Post Office. CORTEZ admitted to Postal agents that he had stolen stamps from the North Kenner Post Office and sold them on eBay. When asked to estimate the dollar amount of stamp stock that had been stolen, CORTEZ responded, “Hundreds of thousands.” CORTEZ claimed he began selling stamps on eBay in 2015. CORTEZ said he was addicted to gambling and the money obtained from the illegal sale of stamps was to support his gambling addiction. CORTEZ confirmed he manipulated stamp stock counts by using another supervisor’s password to access the computer system. As a result, existing internal controls failed to detect the theft of these stamps.
In total, Postal records reveal that CORTEZ stole over $630,000 in U.S. stamps and sold them on eBay. According to Postal authorities, CORTEZ’s illegal activities constitute one of the largest internal Postal thefts by a Postal Service employee in the history of the U.S. Postal Service.
CORTEZ faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a $250,000.00 fine and a $100.00 special assessment fee. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for May 30, 2019 at 1:30 pm.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant
U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Former MARTA administrator sentenced to prison for taking more than $520,000 in fraud schemeRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Jhonnita L. Williams, a former department administrator at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), has been sentenced for her part in a false-invoice scheme that resulted in MARTA paying more than $520,000 for maintenance projects where no worked was actually performed.
“Williams sold the public’s trust for self-enrichment when she chose to participate in a half of million dollar theft of MARTA funds,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Her sentence sends a clear message to others who may choose to misuse taxpayer dollars that they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Government employees who use their positions to steal money from taxpayers to subsidize their own personal greed, are one of the FBI’s top investigative priorities,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Public corruption erodes public confidence and the first step toward restoring that confidence is sending a message that crimes like this will not go unpunished.”
“The sentencing of Ms. Jhonnita Williams concludes a coordinated investigation with our federal law enforcement partners, and we are satisfied with the results,” said MARTA Police Chief Wanda Y. Dunham. “This sentencing will send a clear message to any MARTA employee who thinks they are above the law and would act to erode the trust the public has given us. We would like to thank members of the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their efforts in assisting the MARTA Police Department with bringing all of the major players involved in this fraud scheme to justice and for seeking restitution of taxpayer dollars.”
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictment, and other information presented in court: MARTA is the principal public transportation operator in the Atlanta area, providing fixed rail and bus service to more than 500,000 passengers per weekday. Formed by Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act of 1965, MARTA is a multi-county local governmental agency with a 2016 annual budget of more than $880 million.
Williams worked for MARTA from 1999 to 2017. From 2010 to 2017, Williams worked as an assistant and department administrator for Joseph J. Erves. During most of the conspiracy, Erves served as MARTA’s senior director of operations and oversaw the maintenance of all of its buses and rail cars.
From approximately June 2010 to December 2016, Williams and Erves had more than 40 fake invoices prepared on behalf of three vendors for MARTA maintenance projects for which no work was performed. Williams and Erves used the false invoices as bases to authorize payments to the three vendors – including fake invoices submitted by a business owned by Ferrell Williams (who was romantically involved with Jhonnita Williams). After being paid, all three of the vendors funneled most of the money received from MARTA back to Erves and Williams. In total, MARTA paid more than $520,000 for maintenance projects when no work was actually performed.
Williams used her portion on the money to pay various personal expenses, including the purchase/financing of an approximately 3,000 square foot single-family home with 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.
The sentences for all defendants in this case are as follows:
- On September 20, 2017, Joseph J. Erves, 54, of Lithonia, Georgia pleaded guilty to federal program theft. On January 16, 2018, Erves was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, and was ordered to pay $522,825.45 in restitution.
- On March 29, 2018, Ferrell Williams, 63, of Cincinnati, Ohio, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit federal program theft. On August 1, 2018, Ferrell Williams was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, and was ordered to pay $41,539.10 in restitution.
- On November 28, 2018, Jhonnita Williams, 48, of Atlanta, Georgia pleaded guilty to one-count of conspiratorial federal program theft. For her crime, Williams was sentenced to one year, four months in prison, three years of supervised released, and ordered to pay $522,825.45 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the MARTA Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey W. Davis, Chief of the Public Integrity and Special Matters Section, and Alison B. Prout 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 Fifth Circuit Solicitor Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to FraudRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Daniel Edward Johnson, age 48, former Fifth Circuit Solicitor and resident of Blythewood, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court to Wire Fraud. Senior United States District Court Judge Cameron McGowan Currie accepted the guilty plea and scheduled Johnson’s sentencing for June 4, 2019.
Facts presented in court established that Daniel Edward Johnson was the Fifth Circuit Solicitor from 2011 to 2018. The Solicitor’s Office serves both Richland and Kershaw Counties and receives funding from both, as well as from the federal government. Kershaw County pays the office-related credit card bills for select Solicitor’s Office employees.
During his time as Solicitor, Johnson used Solicitor’s Office funds to cover personal and non-office-related expenses. Johnson was issued Solicitor’s Office credit cards reading “DAN JOHNSON, Fifth Circuit Sol Office.” Using these cards, Johnson made a series of personal and non-office-related purchases, starting no later than 2016. In pleading guilty to the scheme, Johnson acknowledged that a November 2016 payment by Kershaw County covered personal expenses on the October 2016 credit card statement. That statement contained the following fraudulent transactions:
- September 7, 2016, charge for $208.79, at the Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations in Las Vegas.
- September 7, 2016, charge for $911.48, at the Doubletree Magic Mile hotel in Chicago.
- October 1, 2016, charge for $685.07, to Copa Airlines, an airline based in Panama.
- October 5, 2016, charge for $137.22, at the Hilton Columbia Center in Columbia, SC.
The total loss amount attributable to Dan Johnson is approximately $44,317.57. Johnson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, with a potential fine up to $250,000.
“Today’s plea will go a long way in restoring the public’s confidence in our justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Lydon. “The law comes in one size, and one size fits all. It fits the rich man and the poor man. It fits the citizen and the elected official. It fits the prosecuted and the prosecutor, and it certainly fits Dan Johnson. To the fine men and women of the Fifth Circuit Solicitor’s Office and to Solicitor Gipson, we know you welcome this day, as you move forward, out from under the cloud of Dan Johnson’s conduct. We look forward to continuing to partner with you to ensure the fair and impartial administration of justice and to protect the citizens of South Carolina. I would also like to express my appreciation to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, with whom we worked closely to bring about justice today.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Winston D. Holliday, Jr., Alyssa Leigh Richardson, and William C. Lewis of the Columbia office are prosecuting the case.
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Former Director of Child Food Program Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding USDA of More than $500,000, Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The former operations director of a Rock Island, Ill., child food program, Nora L. Steele, was sentenced today in federal court in Peoria, Ill., to nearly three years in prison for defrauding the government and filing a false tax return. Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid ordered Steele, of Silvis, Ill., to serve a sentence of 33 months in prison. Judge Shadid ordered Steele to report to the U.S. Marshals Service in Davenport, Iowa, in two weeks, on March 12, to begin serving her sentence. In addition to the prison sentence, Steele was ordered to pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the amount of $515,617 and $10,128 to the IRS.
Steele served as the operations director for the Quad Cities Area Children’s Food Program (QCACFP) from its inception in February 2016 until she left the organization in June 2017. Prior to the creation of QCACFP, Steele had served in a similar capacity, since 2004, for an affiliated entity, Church of Peace, in Rock Island.
Church of Peace and later QCACFP provided summer and after-school meal services to at-risk children throughout the Quad Cities area. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, reimbursed the program a set amount per meal served. On a monthly basis, QCACFP submitted requests for reimbursement to the State of Illinois, which in turn received funding from USDA to pay the reimbursement.
Meals were provided in conjunction with after-school learning or care programming, typically at elementary or junior high schools and were operated by YMCA or Spring Forward Learning. During the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years, QCACFP provided meal services to 35 to 50 sites in the Quad Cities and Galesburg, Ill., communities each month.
According to court documents, Steele admitted that from August 2015 to June 2017, she submitted falsely inflated meal count forms for reimbursement. In some cases additional meals that were not served were added to counts of legitimate meals that were served to children. In other cases, Steele submitted fraudulent meal count forms when no meals at all were served at a particular location on a given day.
Among other things, the inflated reimbursement payments were used to fund Steele’s salary and salaries for Steele’s family members who performed nominal duties for the food program. Steele also set up a retirement account for herself that was fully funded by the food program and used the program’s credit card to make personal purchases from QVC, including a compact, foldable exercise bike which Steele categorized as uniforms.
In addition, Steele created and claimed fabricated mileage reimbursements that were not taxed or reported as income on Steele’s personal tax returns, for a total tax liability of $10,128. Steele consistently claimed to have driven approximately 1,500 miles for a monthly reimbursement of approximately $840 for work-related travel that she did not make. For the period of March 2016 through June 2017, Steele claimed work travel mileage reimbursement for more miles than the total mileage the vehicles belonging to Steele and her husband travelled during the same time period.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko prosecuted the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, Rock Island Division. The charges were investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; IRS, Criminal Investigation and the FBI Springfield Division.
Former Deputy Executive Director of Port Authority Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Misused Government Property to Punish Fort Lee Mayor for Not Endorsing
Gov. Christie’s Re-electionNEWARK, N.J. – A former top official of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his role in a scheme to punish the mayor of Fort Lee, New Jersey, by misusing Port Authority resources to cause traffic problems in the borough, Attorney for the United States Mark Coyne announced.
William E. Baroni Jr., 47, formerly the deputy executive director of the Port Authority, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court.
Baroni and Bridget Anne Kelly, 46 — formerly deputy chief of staff for legislative and intergovernmental affairs in then-Gov. Chris Christie’s office — were each convicted on Nov. 4, 2016, of conspiring to misuse, and actually misusing, property of an organization receiving federal benefits; conspiring to commit, and actually committing, wire fraud; conspiring to injure and oppress certain individuals’ civil rights, and acting under color of law to deprive certain individuals of their civil rights. Baroni was originally sentenced to 24 months in prison and Kelly was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The defendants both appealed their convictions. In a unanimous, precedential opinion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Nov. 27, 2018, affirmed five of seven convictions for each defendant, upholding all but the civil rights counts of conviction and remanding the case to Judge Wigenton for resentencing. Kelly is currently appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court.
A third conspirator, David Wildstein, the former director of Interstate Capital Projects at the Port Authority, pleaded guilty May 1, 2015, to a separate information charging him with two counts of conspiracy for his role in the scheme. Wildstein pleaded guilty to conspiring to misuse the property of an organization receiving federal benefits and conspiring to injure and oppress certain individuals’ civil rights in connection with his role in causing traffic problems to punish Mayor Sokolich. He was sentenced July 12, 2017, to three years' probation.
According to documents filed in this case, statements made in court and the evidence at trial:
In August 2013, after Kelly confirmed that Mayor Sokolich would not be endorsing Gov. Christie for re-election in November 2013, Baroni, Kelly, and Wildstein decided to punish the mayor by deliberately causing significant traffic problems in Fort Lee under the false pretense of a traffic study.
From the morning of Sept. 9, 2013, to Sept. 13, 2013, they caused the local access lanes to be reduced so that only one toll booth, instead of the usual three, was accessible to the approach to the bridge for local traffic traveling through Fort Lee. To maximize the congestion and the punitive impact on Mayor Sokolich, Baroni, Kelly and Wildstein caused these lane and toll booth reductions to start on the first day of the school year without any advance notice to Mayor Sokolich, the Fort Lee chief of police or borough residents. The lane and toll booth reductions resulted in significant traffic in Fort Lee, for motorists intending to access the George Washington Bridge from local lanes and for residents, whose streets were choked with traffic.
The conspirators agreed to disregard any inquiries from Mayor Sokolich and other Fort Lee officials about the lane and toll booth reductions. They purposely ignored communications from Mayor Sokolich, including his pleas for help, requests for information, and repeated warnings about the increased risks to public safety. On Sept. 9, 2013, after Baroni received an email that Mayor Sokolich had called about an urgent matter of public safety, Wildstein sent an email to Baroni reiterating that Baroni should maintain “radio silence” toward the mayor. On Sept. 10, 2013, Kelly sent Wildstein a text message stating: “I feel badly about the kids … I guess,” to which Wildstein replied, “They are the children of Buono voters …” a reference to Christie’s opponent in the gubernatorial election, state Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex).
When Kelly was made aware of Mayor Sokolich’s communication regarding an urgent matter of public safety, she thanked Wildstein for confirming that Baroni had maintained “[r]adio silence” toward Mayor Sokolich. On Sept. 12, 2013, Baroni instructed a Port Authority employee through coded language that the employee should not contact Mayor Sokolich.
The three conspirators concocted and promoted a sham story that the lane reductions were for a traffic study. They created and advanced this cover story so they could use Port Authority property, including the time and services of unwitting Port Authority personnel and other resources, to implement the lane and toll booth reductions and conceal their true punitive purpose.
On Nov. 25, 2013, with Kelly’s and Wildstein’s knowledge, Baroni provided false and misleading testimony about the lane and toll booth reductions to the N.J. Assembly Transportation, Public Works, and Independent Authorities Committee. Baroni knowingly and intentionally made misleading statements and false representations, including: (1) communications between members of the Port Authority Police Department and Wildstein triggered the lane and toll booth reductions; (2) the lane and toll booth reductions were part of a one-week traffic study; and (3) the failure to communicate with Fort Lee and the executive director of the Port Authority was simply the result of communication breakdowns at the Port Authority.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Baroni to one year of supervised release, 500 hours of community service, fined him $7,500 and ordered him to pay restitution of $14,314.
Attorney for the United States Coyne credited criminal investigators of the Port Authority, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Inspector General Nestor; special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie; and criminal investigators of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, for the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee M. Cortes Jr., Vikas Khanna, David W. Feder and Senior Litigation Counsel J Fortier Imbert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division.
The case is being overseen by Assistant U.S. Attorney Coyne, Chief of the Appeals Division, because of the recusals of U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael Honig.
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Defense counsel: Baroni: Carlos Ortiz Esq. and Mayling Blanco Esq., Princeton, New Jersey; Michael A. Baldassare Esq., Newark
Kelly: Michael Critchley Sr. Esq., Roseland, New JerseyFormer CFO of Manufacturing Company Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hull man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a long-running scheme to defraud the company for which he served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Robert A. Saltzberg, 68, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and five counts of filing false tax returns. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2019.
From 1998 through 2014, Saltzberg was the CFO of a precision metal fabrication company in Franklin, of which he was a 50% co-owner. As CFO, Saltzberg was responsible for day-to-day accounting and finance operations. He also maintained complete control over the company’s financial activities, including preparing and maintaining the company books, records, and financial statements.
During this period, Saltzberg used his position as CFO to embezzle more than $1 million from the company by writing checks paying company funds to himself or to pay personal expenses, and then fraudulently recording the expenditures as business expenses on the company’s books.
In addition, the company’s tax preparer unknowingly relied upon false information from Saltzberg to prepare the corporate tax returns. From 2005 through 2014, Saltzberg caused false expenses to be reported on the corporate returns, resulting in a lower reported company net income. Furthermore, because the company is an S-Corporation, and its net income passes through to its shareholders, the understated net income subsequently understated Saltzberg’s personal income as reported on his tax returns in those years. Saltzberg also failed to report the embezzled income on his personal income tax returns. As a result, Saltzberg evaded paying more than $300,000 in federal taxes.
The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Bureau of Prisons Guard SentencedRead the Press Release
PHOENIX– Darrell E. McCoy, 51, formerly of Scottsdale, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes yesterday to 6 months’ home confinement and five years’ probation. This sentencing follows McCoy’s conviction on Nov. 2, 2018, after a jury trial where he was convicted of two counts of abusive sexual contact with a ward.
McCoy, a 17-year employee at the federal Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Institution, Phoenix, developed a romantic relationship with an inmate whom he supervised on a work crew. Between Sept. 29 and Dec. 15, 2016, McCoy had sexual contact with the inmate in different locations on the prison grounds. After the inmate released to a halfway house, McCoy continued to communicate with the inmate via text messages, and also gave the inmate love notes. McCoy no longer works at the prison.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Rayes noted the great power disparity over inmates by guards, leaving no way to characterize a romantic relationship in those circumstances as free choice.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution was handled by Gayle Helart and Monica Edelstein, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2:17-cr-01410-DLR-1
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-018_McCoy
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Felon from Longs Sentenced to Nearly 4 Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Glendell Long, a/k/a “Okera Uzoma,” age 46, of Longs, South Carolina, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in October 2018 to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented in court established that during the early morning hours of March 24, 2018, officers with the Horry County Police Department responded to a shooting incident at an unlicensed club in Longs. Long lived at a residence on the property but also owned and operated the unlicensed club located at the address. When police arrived, they observed several surveillance cameras around the property. After receiving consent to review the video footage, law enforcement saw Long carrying an American Tactical Imports Omni Hybrid Assault Rifle into the residence. The assault rifle was later found hidden in the wall of Long’s residence. Law enforcement also observed Long remove what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun from his waistband and located a .22 caliber rifle with a sawed-off barrel in the office area of the liquor house.
Federal law prohibits Long from possessing a firearm, and this is not the first time Long has been convicted of unlawfully possessing a gun. After being convicted in state court of assault and battery with intent to kill in 1992, Long was federally prosecuted and convicted in 2003 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Long was later convicted in 2010 in state court for the unlawful carrying of a pistol.
United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted Long’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Taylor and Justin Holloway prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Horry County Police Department. It was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Federal Jury Finds Registered Sex Offender Guilty of Enticing Two Middle School Children to Commit Sex ActsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found Romeo Valentin Sanchez (31, Cape Coral) guilty of enticing two minors to commit sex acts and producing and possessing child pornography. The jury also found him guilty of committing these offenses while already being required to register as a sex offender. He faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 28, 2019.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Sanchez, a convicted sex offender, lured a 14-year-old family friend into a sexual relationship that lasted for several months. In addition to engaging in sex acts, Sanchez also induced the victim to send him explicit videos of themself.
After officers from the Cape Coral Police Department seized Sanchez’s phone and informed him that he was under investigation for his sex acts on the first victim, Sanchez obtained a second cellphone and attempted to entice a second middle-school-aged student into a sexual relationship. Sanchez met the second victim when the victim and her mother came into the Cape Coral restaurant where Sanchez worked. Sanchez lured the victim by creating a fraudulent social media profile of a 13-year-old child in an attempt to trick the victim into a sexual relationship. Although no in-person encounter occurred with the second victim, Sanchez was able to induce the second victim to send him child pornography.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Innocent Images Task Force, and the Cape Coral Police Department. It was being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles Schmitz.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Inmate Sentenced for Possessing WeaponRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution at Beckley was sentenced to 15 months in prison for possessing a weapon. Dave Berrios-Hernandez, 24, pled guilty in November, admitting that on September 5, 2017, while he was an inmate at the prison, he possessed a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank.” The weapon was seized by a staff member at the prison after Berrios-Hernandez threw it down. The sentence will run consecutively to the sentence Berrios-Hernandez is now serving.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant United States Attorney John L. File handled the prosecution. United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence.
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Fayetteville Man Sentenced to More Than 21 Years for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced CALVIN BRUCE BEARD, a/k/a “40 Cal.”, 39, of Fayetteville to 262 months’ imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised released.
On October 1, 2018, BEARD pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and a quantity of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
In April 2017, the Fayetteville Police Department, with the assistance of a confidential informant, conducted controlled purchases of cocaine, cocaine base, and/or firearms from BEARD, a convicted felon. During drug transactions, BEARD sold the confidential informant an SKS assault rifle and a fully-automatic Yugoslavian machine gun, both which contained more than 15 rounds of ammunition.
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. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was brought using the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violence crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Fayetteville Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case for the government.
Essex County, New Jersey, Men Sentenced to Prison for Roles in $2 Million Fraudulent Check Scheme Targeting Home-Improvement StoresRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two Essex County, New Jersey, men have been sentenced to prison for their respective roles in a phony check scheme that stole more than $2 million in merchandise from multiple home-improvement stores throughout the country, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Shadeed Phillips, 33, of Irvington, New Jersey, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison and Koreen Higgs, 45, also of Irvington, was sentenced to 33 months in prison. Both defendants previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to informations charging them each with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Hayden imposed Phillips’ sentence today and Higgs’ sentence on Feb. 25, 2019, in Newark federal court.According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Starting in December 2013 and continuing through February 2017, several individuals, including Phillips and Higgs, conspired to obtain merchandise or store credit from home-improvement stores in locations along the eastern United States, including New Jersey, by purchasing items with fraudulent checks.
Phillips, Higgs and others entered home-improvement and other retail stores and gathered several high-value items like air conditioners or hardwood flooring. Phillips, Higgs and others then typically “purchased” the items either by handing a cashier a fraudulent check with a phony name but authentic account and routing numbers, or by pretending to be an authorized signatory on a store credit account that they had previously opened with a phony check.
During some of the transactions, Phillips, Higgs and others displayed fake driver’s licenses that had been created by one of the other conspirators, which either duplicated the phony name imprinted on the fraudulent check they presented for payment or matched the name of an authorized signatory on a store credit account that they had previously opened.
In total, Phillips, Higgs and others stole over $2 million in merchandise from various retailers in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and South Carolina.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Phillips and Higgs each to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector in Charge James Buthorn, and special agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of New Jersey, with the investigation. He also thanked the Union Township Police Department, the Holmdel Police Department, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office, the Totowa Police Department, and the Monroe Township Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.Defense counsel: Phillips: Thomas Ambrosio Esq.. Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Higgs: Alexander Booth Esq., Jersey City, New JerseyEnfield Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, announced that TYRUS PRUDE, 29, of Enfield, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 19, 2018, law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of Prude’s Enfield residence and seized six live rounds of 9mm ammunition.
In 2011, Prude was convicted in state court of burglary in the third degree and possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Prude is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on May 21, 2019, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Enfield Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
This prosecution 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 neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Ellisville Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – William Glaser, 61, of Ellisville, Missouri, pled guilty to federal charges of wire fraud. He appeared in federal court this afternoon before U.S. District Judge John Ross who accepted his guilty plea and set sentencing for June 7, 2019.
According to court documents, Glaser solicited more than $1,000,000 in investments from three former clients. The investments went to Paul Creager of Everett Builders whose St Louis County construction company was liquidated by creditors. Between 2015 and 2016, Glaser was working as a financial advisor for and misled his clients by falsely representing he had put his own money into Creager’s company and by failing to disclose that he was receiving large commissions out of his client’s funds. In order to liquidate his clients’ investments so that they could go to Creager, Glaser facilitated the establishment of self-directed IRAs on his clients’ behalf. Soon after the establishment of these accounts, Creager placed large portions of his clients’ retirement portfolios into high-yield unsecured promissory notes with Creager’s company. No payments were made on any of the notes.
Glaser faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of more than $250,000 or both per count. Restitution to the victims is also mandatory and the government is seeking a money judgment by way of a forfeiture allegation to further facilitate the recovery of any funds available for restitution. In determining the actual sentences, a judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.
This case was investigated by the St. Louis division of the FBI and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Effingham Felon Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Florence, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Dustin Earl Odom, age 24, of Effingham, South Carolina, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison after pleading guilty in October 2018 to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented in court established that on July 19, 2017, Odom committed a traffic infraction and was stopped as part of a routine traffic stop in Darlington County, South Carolina. Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer smelled marijuana and asked Odom, the only occupant of the vehicle, to step outside. The officer found approximately 110 grams of marijuana and a loaded Spring Armory XDM .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol in the vehicle.
Officers later found two additional firearms in his residence—a Ruger LCP .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Taurus Judge .45 caliber revolver.
Federal law prohibits Odom from possessing a firearm, and this is not the first time he has been convicted of unlawfully possessing a gun. Odom was convicted in 2013 at the age of 18 for the unlawful carrying of a pistol in state court. Odom also has previous state court felony convictions for burglary in the second degree and criminal conspiracy.
United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted Odom’s guilty plea and sentenced him to 24 months in federal prison followed by three years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Taylor and Justin Holloway prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Darlington County Drug Enforcement Unit, Florence Police Department, and the Hartsville Police Department. This case was prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is South Carolina’s implementation of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally-based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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Eden Man Charged with "Lie and Try" Offense for Making A False Statement While Attempting to Buy A GunRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Richard Henry Wojtkowski, 64, of Eden, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with falsifying an ATF Firearms Transaction Record while attempting to purchase a firearm. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmanuel O. Ulubiyo, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint on July 27, 2018, the defendant attempted to purchase a 12 gauge shotgun, at a Wal-Mart Store in Hamburg, NY. This purchased was denied because Wojtkowski is currently subject to an Order of Protection issued by the Eden Town Court in July 2018. The Order of Protection will not expire until July 24, 2020. The defendant answered "no" to question 11 (h) on the Firearms Transaction Record, which asks if the purchaser is subject to a court order prohibiting him from harassing, stalking or threatening his child or intimate partner or child of his intimate partner.
Wojtkowski made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on conditions.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge John B. Devito.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
East Bay Residents Charged in Firebombing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO - David Jah and Kristopher Alexis-Clark were charged with conspiracy to commit arson, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) Special Agent in Charge Rayfield Roundtree, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Special Agent in Charge John Bennett. Alexis-Clark also was charged with attempted arson and possession of a destructive device.
The defendants were charged in a federal criminal complaint filed on February 22, 2019, and unsealed today. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Jah, 45, of Concord, and Alexis-Clark, 24, of Vallejo, conspired to use Molotov cocktails to firebomb two residences in Contra Costa County. The targeted residences, one in Danville and the other in Lafayette, belong to attorneys who previously had been involved in civil litigation involving real estate in which Jah claimed to have an interest. Both residences were hit with Molotov cocktails in the early morning hours of November 3, 2018, and the Danville residence was the target of another Molotov cocktail in March 2016. Although there was property damage at the two residences, no physical injuries were reported. The affidavit further alleges Jah and Alexis-Clark began coordinating and discussing the attacks in October 2018 and that Alexis-Clark used his own vehicle to travel to the two residences that were firebombed. Alexis-Clark allegedly agreed to participate in the firebombings in exchange for financial compensation from Jah.
The criminal complaint charges Jah and Alexis-Clark with conspiring to commit arson, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(n). Alexis-Clark also is charged with attempted arson, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 844(i), and possession of a destructive device, in violation of 26 U.S.C. § 5861(c).
Alexis-Clark appeared in San Francisco before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero this morning. Magistrate Judge Spero scheduled his next appearance for February 27, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., for identification of counsel. Jah is currently in federal custody on unrelated charges. His next scheduled appearance in this case is before the Honorable William H. Alsup, U.S. District Judge, on March 5, 2019, for a status hearing.
A complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years, as well as a fine of $250,000 for the conspiracy charge. Alexis-Clark also faces an additional five year minimum and 20 years maximum in prison and $250,000 for the attempted arson charge as well as an additional 10 years in prison and a fine of $10,000 for the possession of an illegal destructive device charge. Further, the court may order additional periods of supervised release, fines, and restitution; however, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Rodriguez is prosecuting this case with assistance from Kimberly Richardson. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the ATF and FBI with assistance from the police departments of San Francisco, Vallejo, Lafayette, and Danville.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault by StrangulationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Strangulation was sentenced on February 21, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Carl Iron Hawk, age 39, was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Iron Hawk was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 18, 2018. He pled guilty on December 2, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident beginning on February 24, 2018, when an individual came to Iron Hawk’s home and a verbal and physical argument ensued. During the physical argument, Iron Hawk strangled the victim around the neck by using his hands, to the point where the victim almost went unconscious. The victim was not allowed to leave the residence until February 26, 2018. Over the course of the weekend Iron Hawk also assaulted the victim with various weapons, to include a knife, the base of a lamp, and a piece of a bed frame. When the victim was able to leave the residence, law enforcement was called and the victim was transported to the hospital for the injuries she sustained.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Iron Hawk was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Dyersburg Resident Sentenced to 20 Years Imprisonment for Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Patricia Wilson of Dyersburg was sentenced to 240 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, beginning in early 2017, the FBI and Dyersburg Police Department became aware of an ongoing drug trafficking organization in the West Tennessee area, specifically Dyer County, Tennessee. The investigation, which lasted approximately one year, revealed that the organization was trafficking crystal methamphetamine (ice) from multiple residential locations within the City of Dyersburg. As a result, law enforcement officers developed further information from numerous sources which led to the execution of search warrants at residences of targets, search warrants for a stash house and a storage unit, search warrants for Facebook information, and search warrants for text messages. In order to further the investigation, agents also conducted traffic stops, obtained information from confidential sources, and made controlled purchases from the targets. The majority of the crystal methamphetamine (ice) recovered was tested at Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratories and was determined to be 98% pure crystal methamphetamine. Wilson later admitted to investigators that she distributed the methamphetamine. The investigation further revealed that Wilson was responsible for the distribution of over 14 kilograms of ice during the time in question.
On February 20, 2018, a federal grand jury returned an 18-count superseding indictment against Wilson and the six other targets of the investigation for various counts of conspiracy to distribute, possession with the intent to distribute, aiding and abetting, and distribution of actual methamphetamine. Wilson was arrested on February 22, 2018, and detained pending trial. On November 7, 2018, Wilson pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine from November 2016 to January 2018.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Methamphetamine that is trafficked in and through West Tennessee continues to increase in purity, which increases its potential to cause addiction, injury, and death. Criminal enterprises that distribute these harmful drugs into our rural communities can no longer hide. We are taking the fight to the drug trafficking organizations in order to dismantle them and remove them from our streets."
On February 20, 2019, U.S. District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Wilson to 240 months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt and dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was investigated by the Jackson division of the FBI Memphis Field Office and the Dyersburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jerry Kitchen prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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Duval County Man Sentenced to Prison in Counterfeit Currency InvestigationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Steven Timothy Jolly (41, Jacksonville) to 30 months in federal prison for manufacturing counterfeit currency. The court also ordered Jolly to forfeit computer media used in the production of counterfeit Federal Reserve notes. Jolly had pleaded guilty on October 9, 2018.
According to court documents, in January 2018, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office investigated a home in Duval County associated with the sale of methamphetamine. The following month, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the home. Jolly and others were present at the time the search warrant was executed. During the search of the home, the officers located, among other items, drug paraphernalia, a firearm, uncut sheets of counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, counterfeit Federal Reserve notes, and computer media. Subsequent investigation by the United States Secret Service – Jacksonville Field Office determined that Jolly had used the computer media to manufacture counterfeit Federal Reserve notes.
This case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and United States Secret Service - Jacksonville Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin C. Frein.
Dothan Bombing Suspect Facing Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – A Dothan, Alabama bombing suspect is now facing federal charges for improperly possessing and maliciously using an explosive device, announced U.S. Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., ATF Special Agent in Charge Marcus Watson, Houston County Sheriff Don Valenza, and Dothan Police Chief Steven Parrish.
On February 26, 2019, Sylvio Joseph King (45) of Dothan, Alabama made his initial appearance before a federal judge in Montgomery, Alabama. King was indicted by a federal grand jury for multiple charges related to explosive devices.
According to court documents, King is charged with illegally possessing two different improvised explosive devices back in October 2017. The first device was a remote control bomb that consisted of a galvanized steel pipe that contained bullets and a mixture of an explosive powder. The second device was a directional mine that consisted of aluminum tube that contained lead shot and an explosive powder mixture. King is also charged with using one of the devices to blow up a truck, which resulted in injuries to a victim.
If convicted of all charges, King faces a minimum sentence of 37 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison, as well as significant fines and restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
An indictment is merely a method of alleging that a crime has been committed. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. King’s trial has been set for June 2019.
U.S. Attorney Franklin would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance with this case: the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Dothan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Bradley Bodiford is prosecuting this case.
Dominican National Sentenced for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for passport fraud.
Robinson Radhames Villar, 41, a Dominican national residing in Leominster, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to one year and one day in prison and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In October 2018, Villar pleaded guilty to making false statements in a passport application.
In December 2011, Villar entered a Jamaica Plain post office and used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a United States citizen from Puerto Rico to apply for a United States passport.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra S. Bower and Lauren A. Graber of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Defendant Who Raped a Child Because of Philadelphia’s Sanctuary City Policies Is Sentenced to Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Juan Ramon-Vasquez, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today to 21 months’ imprisonment, to be served consecutive to his state sentence, for his federal crime of illegal reentry to the United States after deportation. The federal sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro. In May 2009, Ramon-Vasquez was deported from the United States to Honduras. In March 2014, he was found back in the United States by U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) officers. At that time, Ramon-Vasquez was in the custody of the Philadelphia Department of Prisons.
The City of Philadelphia thereafter chose not to comply with a detainer lodged by ICE for Ramon-Vasquez, who was instead released from custody by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons. After his release, Ramon-Vasquez proceeded to repeatedly rape a young child. The defendant is currently serving a sentence of 8 to 20 years in state prison for the rapes.
“The facts of this case illustrate all too well the direct threat to public safety caused by the City of Philadelphia’s sanctuary city policies,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “After the City let this criminal loose on the streets of Philadelphia, Ramon-Vasquez repeatedly raped an innocent child. If the ICE detainer had been honored by local law enforcement, this crime never would have happened, and the victim would have been spared horrendous physical and mental trauma. Criminals like Ramon-Vasquez take note: my Office will do everything in its power to find you, to protect our community, and to seek justice for your victims. Unlike the Philadelphia government, we are not on your side.”
“ICE attempted to remove Ramon-Vasquez once before in March 2014, but the City of Philadelphia refused to honor our detainer and he was released back into the community, said Simona L. Flores, field office director for ERO Philadelphia. “Today’s sentencing is a testament to ICE and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s resolve to seek out, arrest, charge and remove dangerous criminals like Ramon-Vasquez who pose a serious threat to our community.”
The case was investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Davison.
Counterfeit Pill Manufacturer Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Eric Hughes, age 37, of Bluffton, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy and money laundering. Chief United States District Judge Terry L. Wooten, of Columbia, sentenced Hughes to 168 months in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented to the court established that Hughes and his co-defendants operated a counterfeit pill manufacturing operation in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The conspirators rented vacation houses at Fripp Island, Sullivans Island, Isle of Palms, Bluffton, and Tybee Island, Georgia, where they set up clandestine pharmaceutical laboratories for a month at time. Each month, the conspiracy produced approximately 500,000 counterfeit pills, which appeared to be legitimate pharmaceuticals.
Hughes ordered precursors—U-47700 (a synthetic opioid) and alprazolam—from China using the dark web. He then used formulas found on the internet to mix the active ingredients with binding agents and dye to make a powdery substance that was fed into the pill press. The press could produce 4,500 pills an hour.
The counterfeit pills were then sold to distributors on the dark web and provided to distributors in South Carolina. The pills sold on the dark web were purchased using bitcoins. The bitcoins were then laundered through various accounts to hide their locations. Over a million dollars in bitcoins was generated and hid by the conspiracy.
The conspiracy was ultimately captured when agents from the DEA executed multiple search warrants in August 2017, including on a beach house on Tybee Island, Georgia, where the conspiracy had a laboratory set up. Agents found the house to be covered in residue of U-47700 and alprazolam, which required the agents to enter with respirators and full containment clothing. The clean-up of the beach house cost $213,000, which the defendant was ordered to pay.
The case was investigated by agents of the DEA. Assistant United States Attorney Jim May of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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