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26 February 2019
Coeur d’Alene Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $697,000Read the Press Release
COEUR D’ALENE – Sue Ann Larson, 63, of Coeur d’Alene, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court to wire fraud and filing a false tax return, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced. Sentencing for Larson is set for May 28, 2019, before Senior U.S. District Judge Edward J. Lodge at the federal courthouse in Coeur d’Alene.
According to court records, Larson was the long-time bookkeeper for a Coeur d’Alene custom cabinet business. Between May 2013 and February 2018, Larson initiated wire transfers from a business account to her personal accounts. In order to hide her scheme, Larson created false entries in the business ledgers to make it look like the money she was embezzling had been used for legitimate business expenses. Larson admitted that she embezzled at least $697,252.11.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
Filing a false tax return is punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and a term of supervised release of one year.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations and the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.
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Chicago Investment Manager Convicted on Federal Fraud Charges for Swindling $10 Million from Clients and LendersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury today convicted a Chicago investment manager on fraud charges for swindling more than $10 million from clients and lenders.
SHAWN BALDWIN, who owned and controlled various investment firms in Chicago, exaggerated his financial success and professional connections to fraudulently obtain more than $10 million from at least 15 investors and lenders. Baldwin falsely claimed that their funds would be invested in stocks and other investment products, when in reality he spent the money for his own personal benefit. Baldwin’s fraud scheme began in 2006 and continued until 2017.
The jury in U.S. District Court in Chicago convicted Baldwin, 53, of Olympia Fields, on seven counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey set sentencing for July 9, 2019.
The conviction was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Getter, Heidi Manschreck and Michelle Petersen.
According to evidence presented at trial, Baldwin obtained funds from individual investors, as well as from corporate lenders who lent him money for use in business and personal dealings. Baldwin claimed that compliance officers and professional advisors were affiliated with his firms, when no such relationships actually existed.
Baldwin also deceived investors and lenders by misrepresenting and minimizing the serious disciplinary actions taken against him by regulators. The regulatory actions included the revocation of his certifications with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority in 2009, and a permanent prohibition from offering securities sales or investment advice, which the State of Illinois imposed in 2013.
Evidence at trial further revealed that Baldwin attempted to conceal the fraud scheme by furnishing victims with bogus account statements that misrepresented the value of their funds. He also lulled his victims by falsely maintaining that he was developing lucrative business deals and new contacts that would lead to profits from initial public stock offerings. In reality, Baldwin could not pay back investors because he had lost or spent their money.
Each count of wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Carriere Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Mississippi. – Darryl Wayne Griffin, Sr., 55, of Carriere, Mississippi, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to one count of accessing with intent to view visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Christopher Freeze, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Mississippi.
In January, 2018, an electronic service provider identified internet protocol uploads by an account user of child sexual abuse imagery. After the images were received by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the FBI conducted an investigation into the email and user name associated with the account. Thereafter, a federal search warrant was executed at the residence of Darryl Wayne Griffin, Sr. A subsequent forensic examination of Griffin’s cell phone revealed the defendant had accessed with intent to view numerous images of minors, to include those under 12 years of age, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Griffin will be sentenced on May 24, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., by Judge Ozerden, in Gulfport. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrea Jones.
California Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MarijuanaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on February 26, 2019, Felice Michael Giorgetti, 39, of Huntington Beach, California, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana. Giorgetti pleaded guilty to that charge in November of 2018. Following the prison term, Giorgetti will serve three years on supervised release.
On January 10, 2018, a Nebraska State Patrol trooper stopped a rental truck driven by Giorgetti for traffic and equipment violations on eastbound I-80 in Seward County. Giorgetti, and his passenger, co-defendant Robert Rahon, gave conflicting travel stories, and Giorgetti denied consent to search. A Nebraska State Patrol dog indicated the odor of drugs coming from the truck. The truck was searched, and 17 boxes of marijuana weighing a total of approximately 526 pounds were found.
Rahon has also entered a guilty plea in connection with this case and is scheduled for sentencing in April.
This case was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
California Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Palmdale, California, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Bank Robbery.
Terrell Maurice Brunston, age 36, was indicted on December 4, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on February 21, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 25 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on November 15, 2016, Brunston, aided and abetted by another person, took and attempted to take money belonging to the First National Bank, located in Sioux Falls, SD, a bank whose deposits were then insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and assaulted and put in jeopardy the life of another person by the use of a firearm.
The charge is merely an accusation and Brunston is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.
Brunston was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial, which has been set for April 30, 2019.
Calhoun man sentenced to prison for violating federal gun lawsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Matthew Meadows, a convicted felon, has been sentenced to federal prison for possession of a stolen firearm.
“A felon in possession of a firearm presents unnecessary risks to public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “The illegal possession of firearms is part of the larger cycle of illegal guns that fuels gun violence and victimizes all residents of North Georgia.”
“This case reflects the importance of a strong working relationship between federal and local law enforcement agencies,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Because of the diligence of Gordon County Sheriff Deputies, this violent offender is no longer a threat to the community and because of federal charges he will have to serve his entire sentence in prison.”
“I am very satisfied with the conclusion of this joint investigation which resulted in a guilty plea. This conviction will help make Gordon County a safer community, and we are proud of the relationship that we enjoy with our federal colleagues,” said Gordon County Sheriff Mitch Ralston.
According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the charges, and other information presented in court: On November 30, 2017, the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report and encountered Meadows, a convicted felon, asleep in a vehicle. A deputy observed two firearms in the defendant’s immediate possession, one of which Meadows stole from a residence. Meadows, who has prior felony convictions for the sale of methamphetamine, burglary, and making terroristic threats, was also in possession of methamphetamine at the time he was arrested.
Matthew Meadows, 32, of Calhoun, Georgia, was sentenced to four years, three months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Meadows pleaded guilty and was convicted of possessing a stolen firearm on November 16, 2018.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Gordon County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan J. Huschka prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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.
Bullhead City Woman Sentenced for Child Abuse in Lake MeadRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Justine Renee Kirklen, 33, of Bullhead City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Kirklen had previously pleaded guilty to child abuse.
Kirklen admitted to child abuse by causing the victim to become submerged under water after taking her into Lake Mead. The incident occurred within the confines of the Lake Mead National Recreation Center. Timely response and intervention by National Park Service Rangers and the Bullhead City Police Department ensured the victim received immediate medical care.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the National Park Service, Investigative Services Branch. The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8258-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-018_Kirklen
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Broken Arrow Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Victims of More than $2.6 MillionRead the Press Release
A Broken Arrow woman was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for a wire fraud scheme involving the embezzlement of more than $2.6 million from an Inola business and to signing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
U.S. District Judge John E. Dowdell sentenced Cristyne Denise Gilleland, 42, to 30 months in federal prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. He further ordered Gilleland to forfeit substantial assets, including a yacht, a Grand Lake condominium, financial account proceeds, vehicles and a $2.7 million forfeiture money judgment. She is also required to forfeit an additional $100,000. All of the forfeited proceeds will provide restitution for the victims.
“Cristyne Gilleland’s pervasive and brazen embezzlement of millions of dollars was driven by greed. Over a seven year period, she violated her position of trust at a small business using sophisticated methods to conceal her scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The irreparable harm inflicted upon small businesses by greedy fraudsters will not go unpunished.”
In handing down the sentence, the court noted there was no excuse for Gilleland’s outrageous criminal conduct and the egregious abuse of trust toward her employer Tommy Thompson and his company.
At her plea hearing, held Sept. 11, 2018, Gilleland, admitted to embezzling money from TJT Enterprises, LLC, and its owner, Tommy Thompson, from 2010 to 2017 by wire transfers, writing checks, and paying credit card charges, all for her personal benefit. As an employee of the company who was responsible for accounting and financial management, she used a variety of methods to conceal her embezzlement, including establishing a business that she used to further her scheme.
The charges specifically focused on a fraudulent $577,500 wire transfer made by the defendant from TJT Enterprises to a business she created for the purpose of embezzling funds, and on a 2015 tax return in which she failed to report $477,199 in income to the IRS.
Gilleland was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prison’s Facility.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Treasury, Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine J. Depew prosecuted the case.
Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that TIMOTHY STATON, 23, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty yesterday in Hartford federal court to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 13, 2018, Staton fled from Bridgeport Police officers outside of his Bridgeport residence. During the pursuit, Staton removed a Glock 43 9mm handgun and threw it to the ground.
In 2010, Staton was convicted in state court of a felony robbery offense. In 2014, he was convicted in state court of felony narcotics, firearm and racketeering offenses.
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.
Staton is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on May 20, 2019, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Staton has been detained since his arrest on September 13, 2018.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.
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.
Brazilian Man Sentenced to Imprisonment for Intimidating and Interfering with a Flight Crew and Flight AttendantsRead the Press Release
Guilherme Alves De Melo (Alves), 34, a citizen of Brazil, was sentenced to serve over a year in prison today after an August 23, 2018 guilty plea to one count of intimidating a flight crew and flight attendants and lessening and interfering with their ability to perform their duties.
Information disclosed in the case shows that, on or about June 23, 2018, Alves was a passenger on an international American Airlines flight originating in Calgary, Canada, and bound for Chicago, Illinois. During the flight, Alves became disruptive and was repeatedly told by flight attendants that he needed to calm down and that his conduct was potentially in violation of federal law. The flight attendants brought the disruptive conduct to the attention of the captain. About one hour before the flight was to arrive in Chicago, Alves again became disruptive and was scaring other passengers. Less than a minute later, Alves was reported to have “lost it,” leading to some of the passengers needing to restrain him with zip ties provided by the flight crew.
Alves behavior on the plane included:
- Repeatedly hitting himself
- Singing loudly and stomping his feet
- Making strange hand gestures to a woman seated across the aisle from him and eventually moving to a seat next to her and placing his hand on her arm before being redirected to his seat by a flight attendant and another passenger
- Writing on his face with a black marker
- Tearing up several personal identification documents including a passport, visa, Brazilian driver’s license, and a boarding pass
- Breaking a pen and destroying his headphones and eyeglasses
- Feigning that others had hit him and that he was bleeding
- Making wrist-slitting motions
- Talking about “9-1-1” and asking a passenger “are you scared”?
As a result of Alves’s behavior, the flight attendants and crew were not able to attend to their normal duties and the flight was diverted to the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids after it had begun its final descent to Chicago.
After the aircraft landed in Cedar Rapids, Alves was removed from the plane by Cedar Rapids police. However, he again became loud and used expletives within sight and sound of other passengers, patrons, and employees at the airport. Alves was charged with disorderly conduct for these actions and, on June 24, 2018, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Linn County District Court.
Alves was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Linda Reade to a term of imprisonment of one year and one day. Alves was also ordered to pay restitution to American Airlines in the amount of $4,790 for cost incurred in diverting the flight. The Court ordered Alves to pay restitution totaling $455 to two passengers for counseling services resulting from Alves’s conduct.
The Court separately ordered that Alves would be removed from the United States to Brazil upon completion of his prison term.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Richard L. Murphy and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-00071.
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Asylum Seekers Charged with Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
Assistant U. S. Attorney Kareem Salem (619) 546-8904
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 26, 2019
SAN DIEGO – A couple from El Salvador awaiting the outcome of pending asylum cases was arrested yesterday at the U.S. Border Patrol State Route 94 Immigration Checkpoint and charged with alien smuggling.
According to a federal complaint, Edy Giovanni Fuentes-Alvarado and his wife, Kenia Yamileth Gomez-Caballero, approached the primary inspection area of the checkpoint in a white Nissan Armada at 12:06 p.m. Monday. They were referred to secondary inspection to verify their lawful presence in the U.S. after they told agents they are citizens of El Salvador who have an asylum case pending.
In secondary, Fuentes told agents that he and his wife came to the area to pick up his cousin, whom they acknowledged was an undocumented immigrant. Fuentes said they were waiting for a phone call from the cousin. An agent received permission from Fuentes to search his phone and discovered text messages appearing to coordinate transportation and a GPS location of the cousin.
Border Patrol agents used information from Fuentes’ phone to track the cousin and a second person near the intersection of Otay Lakes Road and State Route 94. Both told the agents they are citizens of El Salvador and illegally present in the U.S. They were taken into custody.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 19mj0808
Edy Giovanni Fuentes-Alvarado Age: 37 El Salvador
Kenia Yamileth Gomez-Caballero Age: 36 El Salvador
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Transportation of Certain Aliens – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii)
Maximum penalty: Five years for each alien
AGENCY
U.S. Border Patrol
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Arrested in Granite Bay, Contra Costa County Woman Pleads Guilty in Northern California Mail Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Toni Tinay, 24, of Oakley, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of reproduced U.S. Postal Service keys, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, between February and August 2018, Tinay participated in a scheme to defraud banks in which she and others used counterfeit U.S. Postal Service keys to break into residential mailboxes throughout the Eastern and Northern Districts of California. Tinay stole mail from mailboxes – which contained bankcards, personal and business checks, and government-issued IDs. Tinay then fraudulently activated and used the bankcards to withdraw cash at ATMs and make purchases at retail establishments. In one instance, on February 25, 2018, Tinay fraudulently used a stolen Comenity Bank-issued Victoria’s Secret credit card, to purchase $821.85 in goods at a Victoria’s Secret store in Fairfield. On August 29, 2018, when she was arrested in Granite Bay, she and her companions were found to be in possession of four U.S. Postal Service keys with the intention of using them to steal U.S. mail.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Artuz is prosecuting the case.
Tinay is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on June 4, 2019. Tinay faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud. She faces a mandatory statutory term of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and a fine up to $250,000, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for possession of reproduced U.S. Postal Service keys. 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.
Arkansas Man Sentenced to over 23 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Minors OnlineRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas – Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Aaron Greene, age 27, of Fort Smith, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 280 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by ten years of supervised release on multiple Counts of Online Coercing and Enticing Minors to Engage in Illegal Sexual Conduct. The Honorable P. K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court records, in May of 2018, officers with the Barling Police Department received information from law enforcement in the State of Georgia that an individual later identified as Aaron Greene had been soliciting pornographic images of a 12 year old female. During the ensuing investigation, Greene was located and, after being advised of his rights, admitted to engaging in online relationships with a number of underage females. He also admitted to possessing on his cellular phone nude images of several of the minors. Based on his statement, a search warrant was obtained the following day for his cellular phone. A subsequent forensic review of the phone revealed numerous sexually explicit images of multiple minors, ranging in age from 12 to 15 years old. The images of the minors were saved to Greene’s cellular phone under specific folders referencing the nickname he assigned to each minor. One particular 12 year old minor from Oklahoma later disclosed to law enforcement that in addition to exchanging sexually explicit images online, Greene had engaged in sexual intercourse with her on two occasions.
Greene was indicted in July of 2018 on federal charges and pleaded guilty to enticing three (3) separate minors online in October of 2018.
This case was investigated by Barling Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Northwest Arkansas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce. Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case for the United States.
Arizona Woman Sentenced for Possession of Fifteen or more Unauthorized Access DevicesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Phoenix, Arizona, woman convicted of Possession of Fifteen or more Unauthorized Access Devices was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.
Lauren Montgomery, age 31, was sentenced on February 21, 2019, to 41 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $105,605 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
The conviction stems from Montgomery possessing more than 15 unauthorized or counterfeit access devices, specifically names, dates of birth, and social security numbers issued to other persons. Montgomery used this information to file false income tax returns in other individuals’ names to obtain fraudulent tax refunds from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.
Montgomery was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Anderson Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Danurell Blair, age 40, of Anderson, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Theresa L. Springmann after pleading guilty to 2 counts of Bank Robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Blair was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his offense in the total amount of $ 70,074.69.
According to documents in the case, on November 6, 2017, Blair robbed the Community State Bank, located in Auburn, Indiana. Thereafter, on December 16, 2017, a heavily disguised Blair entered the Campbell & Fetter Bank located in Kendallville, Indiana and demanded cash from the tellers. Blair fled the bank with approximately $27,114.00. When law enforcement attempted to apprehend Blair as he departed the bank, he fled. A pursuit ensured during which Blair drove southbound in the northbound lanes of State Road 3, reaching speeds in excess of 110 miles per hour. Spike strips had to be employed to stop Blair who was then taken into custody.
As part of his plea agreement, Blair agreed to pay restitution for the Community State Bank robbery and the Campbell & Fetter Robbery. Additionally, Blair agreed to pay restitution to the victims of the June 28, 2017, Fort Financial Credit Union robbery, a September 12, 2017, Beacon Credit Union robbery, as well as restitution to the Indiana State Police in connection with the December 16, 2017 Campbell & Fetter robbery.
This case was investigated by the FBI, ATF, Indiana State Police, Allen County Police Department, Fort Wayne Police Department, Noble County Sheriff’s Department, Auburn Police Department, Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Churubusco Police Department, Indiana Gaming Commission, Kendallville Police Department, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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Alaska Felon Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Gregory Michael Christensen, 45, of Haines, Alaska, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on Oct. 29, 2017, police officers responded to a report that a man, later identified as Christensen, was assaulting a woman at a local gas station. Law enforcement stopped Christensen’s vehicle as it was leaving the gas station, and a pat search revealed a loaded magazine in his pant pocket, and he also reported a loaded rifle in his vehicle. Christensen claimed his girlfriend, a passenger in the vehicle, owned the firearms. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed three firearms, including a loaded and chambered AR-15 rifle, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a Springfield 9mm pistol. The search also revealed drug paraphernalia, two baggies containing 16.55 grams of methamphetamine, over 50 grams of Psilocybin mushrooms, and $584.82.
Christiansen was taken into custody for the assault, and a records check revealed that he has two felony convictions – one with the State of Washington for possession of stolen property, and another with the State of Alaska for misconduct. A search of Christensen’s residence revealed four additional rifles, assorted ammunition, a 19 round handgun magazine, a black PVC and a white suppressor.
The Haines Borough Police Department (HPD), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigations leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt.
Active-Duty Member of the U.S. Navy Admits Role in Interstate Gun Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An active-duty member of the U.S. Navy today admitted her role in a conspiracy to illegally purchase five semi-automatic handguns bound for New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Tesora Amanda Cortes Trejorojas, 24, of Norfolk, Virginia, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an indictment charging her with one count of conspiring with others to transport and receive in New Jersey firearms purchased and obtained outside the state.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Trejorojas admitted that in November 2017, she engaged in text messages with Azia Sinclair in which Trejorojas agreed to purchase firearms for Sinclair and her boyfriend, Shyheim Tyson, a/k/a “Shy,” who were both residents of New Jersey.
On Nov. 11, 2017, Sinclair and Tyson drove from New Jersey to Trejorojas’ residence in Norfolk. All three went to a gun store in Norfolk, where Trejorojas purchased five semiautomatic handguns, as well as 200 rounds of ammunition, with cash provided by Sinclair and Tyson. The next day, Sinclair and Tyson drove back to New Jersey with the five handguns and ammunition.
Approximately five hours after Sinclair and Tyson arrived back in New Jersey, an individual was arrested in Orange, New Jersey, after police officers responded to the sound of gunshots. During the arrest, police officers recovered one of the five handguns that Sinclair and Tyson had transported from Virginia to New Jersey.
In March 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Sinclair’s residence in Newark, and found another of the guns that Sinclair and Tyson had transported from Virginia to New Jersey in November 2017.
Tyson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and receive in New Jersey firearms purchased and obtained outside the State of New Jersey, and he was sentenced on Jan. 7, 2019, to 37 months in prison. Sinclair is awaiting trial.
The conspiracy to traffic in firearms carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 25, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito, Newark Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Thomas L. Chittum III, Washington Field Division, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the N.J. State Police; the Newark Department of Public Safety; and Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in Norfolk for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan W. Romankow of the Violent Crimes Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations against Sinclair are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Trejorojas: Jonathan F. Marshall Esq., Red Bank, New Jersey
Sinclair: Linda Foster Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark
Tyson: Vincent J. LaPaglia Esq., Hoboken, New Jersey47 Year-Old Columbia Man Sentenced to Nearly Two Years in Federal Prison for Dog Fighting and Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Tony Shuler, a/k/a “T Rock,” age 47, of Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty in September to being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, and to Buying, Possessing, Transporting and Receiving an Animal for Participation in an Animal Fighting Venture.
Evidence presented in court showed that on April 11, 2018, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Columbia Violent Gang Task Force (CVGTF), with assistance from the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®), executed a search warrant at Shuler’s home in Columbia. Agents seized 13 pit bull-type dogs, $11,300 in cash, and dog fighting paraphernalia, including a treadmill, anabolic steroids, and medications commonly used to treat wounds incurred during fights. Agents also seized a loaded SAR 9mm pistol, two boxes of .22 caliber ammunition, a box of .45 caliber ammunition, and several shotgun shells. Shuler, who has previously been convicted of numerous felony offenses including Assault and Battery with Intent to Kill, Burglary, and Aggravated Robbery, is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Shuler’s attorney urged the judge to impose a probationary sentence. However, after hearing from both parties, United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis rejected Shuler’s request and, instead, sentenced him to 21 months in federal prison, to be followed by a year of supervised release. The Court ordered, as a condition of his supervised release, that Shuler be banned from owning or possessing any dog. Shuler was also ordered to pay $10,465 in restitution, to cover costs associated with the care and disposition of the seized dogs.
Although dogfighting is a felony in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, it continues to occur in every part of the country and in every type of community. ASPCA experts estimate that there are tens of thousands of dog fighters across the country forcing hundreds of thousands of dogs to train, fight, and suffer for the entertainment and profit of spectators as part of this brutal “blood sport.” In the past nine years, the ASPCA has assisted with approximately 200 dogfighting cases in at least 24 states, and has impacted through rescue, consultations, and investigations nearly 5,000 victims of dogfighting.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s CVGTF, which is comprised of law enforcement officers from the FBI, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), Columbia Police Department (CPD), Richland County Sheriff’s Department (RCSD), Lexington County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD), Lexington Police Department (LPD), and the South Carolina National Guard. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jane B. Taylor of the Columbia office.
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25+ Defendants in Wichita Falls Drug Bust SentencedRead the Press Release
More than 25 defendants apprehended in connection with OCDETF “Operation Flat Rate” – a methamphetamine trafficking investigation in Wichita Falls that netted 25 defendants in the summer of 2018 – have been sentenced, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.
Sentences ranged from a few months to 20 years in federal prison.
One defendant, Chmira Denise Williams, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony (concealing the commission of felonious acts) and was sentenced to 8 months behind bars. Another defendant, Denene Griggs, pleaded guilty to concealing a person from arrest and was sentenced to 4 months in federal prison. She admits to sheltering two fugitives – her child’s father, Javaris Damon Scott, and his brother, Trevor Clifford Scott – inside her apartment; they were later arrested climbing out of her window.
The remaining defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance and were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor:
- LONTA HOBBS: 20 years in federal prison
- AARON TAYLOR : 19 years, 7 months in federal prison
- CHRISTIAN CHAVEZ: 17 years, 6 months in federal prison
- BRAD WHITE: 13 years in federal prison
- CHADRICK MCBRIDE: 12 years in federal prison
- JOHN DUPREE WESLEY: 7 years, 8 months in federal prison
- ADDIS SCALES: 7 years, 3 months in federal prison
- CHRISTOPHER DAVIS: 7 years in federal prison
- FLOYD RICHARDSON: 7 years in federal prison
- GALVIN DANIELS: 5 years in federal prison
- TERRY MURRAY: 5 years in federal prison
- DJUANNA NEWMAN: 5 years in federal prison
- JAVARIS SCOTT: 5 years in federal prison
- ADAM GARCIA: 4 years, 3 months in federal prison
- CANDACE RODGERS: 4 years in federal prison
- TEASIE SCOTT: 3 years in federal prison
- JACINDA BURRIS: 2 years, 6 months in federal prison
- AMBER HATCHER: 2 years in federal prison
- TREVOR SCOTT: 2 years in federal prison
- DEMARCUS MADISON: 1 year, 2 months in federal prison
- SHELBY FUNK: 1 year, 1 month in federal prison
- WAYLAND BRENT BALLARD: 6 months in prison
- ALVIN TRAVIS: 6 months in federal prison
- VIRGINIA WHITE: 6 months in federal prison
“As the U.S. Attorney, I lead an office that prosecutes a variety of very important federal cases, but few investigations are more important than those that protect the public from the danger and devastation caused by illegal drug trafficking,” Nealy Cox said at a press conference in Wichita Falls on July 12, following the bust.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation with assistance from the Wichita Falls Police Department, Wichita County Sherriff’s Office, Vernon Police Department, 46th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Smith is prosecuting the case.
13 Cuban Nationals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Mail FraudRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that 13 Cuban Nationals have been sentenced in federal court for Conspiracy to Commit Wire and Mail Fraud. United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis, of Columbia, sentenced the following defendants:
- Jose Livan Rodriguez Espinosa, age 27, of Miami, Florida, to 108 months in federal prison;
- Ricardo Daniel Ortega Guerra, age 29, of Miami, Florida, to 41 months in federal prison;
- Julio Santos Vargas, age 26, of Miami, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Humberto Merina Chamizo, age 29, of Roswell, New Mexico, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Julio Villavicencio Alvarez, age 43, of Miami, Florida, to 27 months in federal prison;
- Angel Dairan Martinez Delgado, age 31, of Miami, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Robert Farres Rodriguez, age 30, of Miami, Florida, to 70 months in federal prison;
- Reyes Garcia Perez, age 53, of Miami, Florida, to 38 months in federal prison;
- Leduan Reyes, age 28, of Miami, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Andres Conzales Acosta, age 40, of Jacksonville, Florida, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Humberto Medina Chamizo, age 29, of Roswell, New Mexico, to 33 months in federal prison;
- Reinaldo Fabelo, age 29, of Houston, Texas, to 33 months in federal prison; and
- Jose Ramon Morales, age 28, of Ft. Myers, Florida, 12 months in federal prison.
Each defendant was also sentenced to between one and three years of court-ordered supervision to follow his prison term. Together, the defendants were ordered to pay $ 142,758.43 in restitution.
Evidence presented to the court showed that the investigation of this case began in June 2014, when two individuals were stopped by the South Carolina Highway Patrol on I-95 and found to be in possession of counterfeit credit cards. Further investigation by the United States Secret Service revealed that these men were part of a conspiracy that had manufactured, distributed, and negotiated counterfeit credit cards throughout the United States.
Personal and financial information such as names, social security numbers, dates of birth, and bank account and credit card numbers (“victim track data”) was initially purchased from the dark web. This information came directly from the Home Depot Breach, which had been unreported at the time (July 2014). As arrests were made, the group became more sophisticated and began harvesting victim track data through skimming devices placed on gas pumps across the United States. The group used the victim track data to secure counterfeit credit cards, which they used to purchase gift cards primarily at Sam’s Club and Walmarts. They also used fake identification to open approximately 40 different Sam’s Club Accounts from early 2014 into late 2015, causing approximately $1 million in fraudulent transactions.
The group had significant bases of operations in Miami, Florida; Houston, Texas; and Omaha, Nebraska. From 2014 until mid-2017, the group utilized approximately 3,275 victim credit card numbers throughout the United States, affecting approximately 222 financial institutions and causing approximately $1.6 million in fraudulent transactions in South Carolina, Mississippi, Arkansas, Missouri, California, Michigan, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and elsewhere. Through assistance from state and local authorities, 21 conspirators have been convicted.
This case was investigated by agents of the Columbia office of the United States Secret Service, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, and state and local law enforcement throughout the United States. Assistant United States Attorney William E. Day, II, of the Columbia office is prosecuting the case.
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25 February 2019
Worcester Man Charged with Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Worcester man appeared in federal court in Worcester today to face an illegal firearm possession charge.
Christopher Brown, 34, was charged on Feb. 19, 2019, with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He appeared in federal court in Worcester this afternoon and was returned to state custody where he is currently held on pretrial detention.
According to the charging document, on Nov. 25, 2018, Brown was arrested for carrying a Taurus .38 Revolver loaded with four rounds of ammunition. Brown is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions punishable by more than one year in prison.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years 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; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
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. PSN is 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 details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worcester Man Charged with Making False Statement in Naturalization ApplicationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man residing in Worcester was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with making a false statement on an application for naturalization.
John Doe, a/k/a Richard Cheremeh, whose true age, name, and nationality are unknown, was charged with one count of making a false statement relating to naturalization and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment that was unsealed today, on July 31, 2014, Doe falsely stated on an application for naturalization that he had never given any U.S. government official any information or documentation that was false, fraudulent, or misleading.
The charge of making a false statement relating to naturalization provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, District 1, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Williamstown Man Held on Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Douglas Bedell, age 56, of Williamstown, Vermont, has been indicted and detained on a federal firearms charge. At his arraignment in U.S. District Court in Burlington on February 22, 2019, Bedell pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service pending disposition of the charge. Bedell was also ordered to undergo a competency evaluation.
On December 12, 2018, Bedell was arrested by the Vermont State Police in Orange County and charged with Aggravated Domestic Assault after an altercation with a female. Half-a-dozen firearms were found in his residence, along with over 1600 rounds of ammunition. At the time, Bedell had two Vermont felony convictions, and was on State court release based on a 2017 Aggravated Assault with a Weapon charge in Washington County. As a result, federal law barred his possession of firearms. Bedell was detained in State custody after his December, 2018 arrest. A Criminal Complaint filed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms initiated the federal prosecution.
The Criminal Complaint and Indictment are accusations only and Bedell is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The maximum possible sentence on the federal charge is 10 years imprisonment. However, any sentence would be informed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Christina E. Nolan thanked the Vermont State Police and ATF for their investigative work and collaboration. She stated: “this case exemplifies how federal guns laws may be brought to bear to address and prevent domestic violence in all Vermont communities.” The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Darrow. Bedell is represented by Assistant Federal Defender Elizabeth Quinn.
Wetzel County man sentenced for connection to a drug distribution operation in Wetzel and Tyler CountiesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Justin Richeson, of New Martinsville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration for his role in a methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin distribution operation that spanned multiple states, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Richeson, also known as “Squash,” age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” in December 2018. Richeson admitted to selling methamphetamine in February 2018 in Wetzel County.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., and Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol; Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr. presided.
Waynesboro Man Faces Mandatory 10-Year Prison Sentence on Federal Meth ChargesRead the Press Release
Harrisonburg, VIRGINIA – A Waynesboro man, who expected to find thousands of grams of pure methamphetamine in a car tire being shipped from New Mexico instead found nothing thanks to the work of law enforcement, pleaded guilty last week in federal court to a pair of drug charges, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced.
Miguel Angel Moreno, 22, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Harrisonburg to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Each count carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of up to life. Moreno also faces a possible $10,000,000 fine.
“Crystal methamphetamine is an incredibly dangerous and addictive drug,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “We are committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners to stanch the flow of this substance into the Shenandoah Valley and aggressively prosecute organizations and individuals who distribute it.”
“Our message to drug traffickers and their accomplices is clear: individuals attempting to bring dangerous and deadly substances into our neighborhoods will be found,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations, Washington, D.C. Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner. “We will not sit back and allow this poison to infiltrate the communities we call home.”
According to evidence presented at Moreno’s guilty plea hearing last week by Assistant United States Attorney Jeb Terrien, on June 20, 2018, law enforcement in New Mexico were conducting interdiction operations on Interstate 40 when an officer stopped a tractor-trailer car-hauler. During the traffic stop, the officer and his narcotics canine conducted a search of a jeep, located on the car-hauler. The canine alerted on the Jeep’s spare tire. Officers cut open the tire and recovered 23 packages of crystal methamphetamine, or 9,915 grams of pure methamphetamine. A further search uncovered an additional 4,269 grams of pure methamphetamine in the Jeep and additionally revealed the Jeep was to be delivered to an address in Waynesboro, Virginia.
On June 23, 2018, after replacing the cut tire with a new, now empty, spare tire, the Jeep was delivered to the agreed drop-off location, a gas station in Waynesboro, for pick-up by Miguel Moreno. The defendant arrived in a sports car, removed the spare tire from the Jeep, placed it in his sports car and drove away.
Shortly thereafter, the agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Waynesboro Police Department executed a search warrant at Moreno’s residence where they recovered multiple cellular phones, digital scales, latex gloves, plastic baggies, and one, cut tire from the trunk of Moreno’s vehicle.
When questioned by police, Moreno admitted he knew the tire contained controlled substances and that the contents of the tire were valued at approximately $150,000.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Waynesboro Police Department, and the Waynesboro Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jeb Terrien is prosecuting the case for the United States.
Washington County Ambulance District Administrator Sentenced on Corruption ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis – William Gum, 49, of Potosi, Missouri, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment today for his defrauding of a federal benefits program. He was also ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to the Washington County Ambulance District and forfeited $95,000 to the United States of America. In November 2018, Gum pleaded guilty to four counts of public corruption, defrauding a federal program. He appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry.
According to court documents, Gum served as District Administrator of the Washington County Ambulance District. In addition to working full time as the District Administrator, Gum worked as a part-time Captain in the Potosi Police Department. While collecting a full-time salary from the Ambulance District, Gum also collected a salary from the Potosi Police Department. Despite Ambulance District restrictions to the contrary, Gum consistently paid himself additional salary and benefits pulled from public funding -- while also collecting a significant salary and benefits from the Potosi Police Department.
More specifically and among other things, Gum paid himself more of a salary than was authorized by the Ambulance District; used Ambulance District credit cards for personal purchases; and used Ambulance District funds to pay health insurance benefits for his family members. (Other Ambulance District employees were required to pay those premiums out-of-pocket.) Over the course of at least ten years -- including between 2012 to 2017 -- Gum embezzled over $262,000 of public funds.
After today’s sentencing, U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen stated, “Abuse of the public’s trust by anyone will not go undisclosed or unpunished. We are pleased with the sentence imposed by the Court and appreciative of the investigators’ and prosecution team’s hard work.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannette Graviss is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
United States Attorney announces violent crime reduction in Northeast LouisianaRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that the crime rates in Monroe have dropped in the wake of collaborative efforts to reduce violent crime.
Violent crime rates have dropped from a peak in 2016 of 1,493 offenses to 830 offenses in 2018. That is more than a 44 percent drop in the violent crime rate over a two-year period. The homicide rate has also dropped from 18 in 2015 to six last year – a 66 percent decline in Monroe’s homicide rate. This reduction in Monroe’s 2018 violent crime rate corresponds with U.S Attorney Joseph’s focus on federal violent crime prosecutions and collaboration with District Attorney Tew’s office to jointly identify and prosecute the most violent offenders. In the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana has prosecuted well over 200 defendants throughout the district for firearm related offenses, including felons and drug dealers in possession of firearms – more than 60 of which have been in the Monroe area. These prosecutions represent approximately three times the number of such cases as were brought in previous years.
The 2018 decline reverses a sharp rise in violent crime that peaked in 2015 and 2016 in the Monroe area. Law enforcement’s efforts to stem this rise in crime have involved local, state and federal law enforcement working together on a daily basis to share information and support one another in the fight against violent crime. Among other measures, the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought in two new prosecutors last year to specifically focus their efforts on violent crime. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has contributed to the effort by assigning a prosecutor in Monroe to work as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Joseph’s office and provide assistance in the prosecution of violent offenders.
“I am pleased to announce that the trend of rising crime in Monroe and Northeast Louisiana has been reversed,” Joseph stated. “Crime rates are dropping in the Monroe area and, as a result, Monroe is safer now than it has been at any time in the recent past. One of my priorities as U.S. Attorney is to make our communities safer by substantially increasing violent crime arrests and prosecutions in the Western District. These efforts, in conjunction with similar efforts by District Attorney Tew’s office and our law enforcement partners, are clearly making a difference. I want to thank Louisiana Attorney General Landry, District Attorney Tew, Sherriff Russell, Mayor Mayo and Chief Ellis for their commitment and assistance to our joint effort. Through the collaboration of state, local, and federal law enforcement in Northeast Louisiana, this effort is seeing success. We expect even greater things to come.”
“The tremendous drop in violent crime shows what law enforcement agencies can accomplish when working together," Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said. "My office will continue to collaborate with our local and federal partners to make Louisiana a safer place for our children and families.”
“The safety and well-being of our citizens is a vital part of our mission,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols. “ATF, in partnership with the United States Attorney, the Louisiana Attorney General and other Federal, state and local law enforcement partners will continue to focus our investigative resources on arresting and prosecuting the most violent criminals who use firearms to terrorize our communities and on those individuals who supply firearms to this criminal element. Through the utilization of our Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC), and National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), we will provide leads to investigators to help identify these criminals to further reduce crime. Protecting neighborhoods from violent crime is a priority for the citizens of Monroe and ATF.”
These efforts are part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing effort to increase targeted prosecutions of violent crime through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The PSN program is a collaborative effort led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involving local, state and federal law enforcement. In the Monroe area, participants include the ATF, FBI, DEA, Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe Police Department. The program has been proven to be successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone.
The Western District of Louisiana consists of 42 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes and covers the cities of Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport.
U.S. Attorney Warns of Potential Charges for Interfering with NTSB InvestigationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Anyone that knowingly removes, conceals or withholds a part of a civil aircraft involved in an accident could face civil penalties, criminal charges or both, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Atlas Air Flight 3591 left Miami at 11:30 a.m. Eastern time Saturday, Feb. 23, bound for Houston. At approximately 12:40 p.m., the twin-engine Boeing 767 cargo jetliner crashed into Trinity Bay near Anahuac.
The FBI has urged anyone with information, photos or videos regarding the incident or with knowledge of debris from the crash to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
“It should be obvious to everyone, but do not pick up or remove pieces of the wreckage. It can interfere with the investigation and could lead to criminal charges,” said Patrick. “If you do come across debris on your property, please contact the FBI. Additionally, the NTSB and FBI have asked that area residents and businesses check security cameras for possible video of the crash.”
It is a federal crime to withhold part of a civil aircraft involved in an accident. If convicted of knowingly and without authority removing, concealing or withholding a part of such an aircraft, or property on the aircraft at the time of the accident could face up to 10 years in prison, if convicted. The charge could also carry a fine of up to $250,000.
The NTSB is leading the investigation with cooperation and assistance from FBI, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Texas Department of Public Safety, sheriff’s offices in Chambers and Harris Counties and the Houston Police Department, among others.
U.S. Attorney Keefe Thanks Northwest Florida's Law Enforcement for Safeguarding PensaconRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Lawrence Keefe, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, recognized the brave women and men in Northwest Florida’s law enforcement community today for working diligently through the weekend to keep the Pensacon event safe for all participants. This statement is issued after a cyber threat was made to the event just prior to its opening day.
Founded in 2013, Pensacon was held this year from February 22-24 primarily at the Pensacola Bay Center and hosted more than 30,000 participants.
U.S. Attorney Keefe said: “Protecting our communities from cyber threats of fraud or violence requires constant vigilance, and much of the work takes place behind the scenes. I am grateful for the Pensacola Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, as well as staff in my own office for safeguarding this event.”
Pensacola Police Chief Lyter said, “I am thankful for the great working relationship we have with our federal and state law enforcement partners and the Bay Center staff. These partnerships helped ensure that the citizens and guests attending the Pensacon event remained safe during the entire weekend.”
“FDLE’s Pensacola Regional Office is committed to preventing and solving crime and creating a sense of community awareness in our beautiful region,” said Jack Massey, Special Agent in Charge. “We appreciated the opportunity to work with our partners to make sure all visitors as well as the community were safe while they enjoyed Pensacon.”
In the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Goldberg is detailed as the national security cyber specialist.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Two Tulare County Men Sentenced for Series of Armed Robberies in Tulare and Kern CountiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Today, U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Javier Beltran, 25, of Strathmore, to 23 years in prison for his conviction for two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and he sentenced Ulises Medina, 25, of Earlimart, to 15 years in prison for his conviction for conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward announced.
U.S. Attorney Scott said, “Today’s sentences are the result of our commitment to work with our federal, state and local partners to identify and prosecute cases that will help to reduce violent crime in our communities. We are confident that these efforts will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”
District Attorney Ward stated: “When we began this relationship with U.S. Attorney Scott and his office, our intent was to make Tulare County a safer place. The resolution of this case is a direct and powerful example of why this relationship with our federal partners is important. Under current California law, the defendants in this case would have been eligible for youthful offender parole in California far earlier than when their federal sentences will end. We will stop at nothing to protect the communities we call home. To that end, I commend the work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local law enforcement, and I pledge our continued support of Project Safe Neighborhoods.”
According to court documents, Beltran and Medina conspired to commit a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores. Beltran, Medina, and their associates committed at least seven armed robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties between May 2016 and January 2017. In February, Beltran, Medina, and their associates and their associates travelled to Nebraska, where they committed two more robberies. They then returned to California, where they committed three more armed robberies.
Beltran and Medina both admitted that they robbed Joe’s Westside in Porterville, California on January 18, 2017. Prior to the robbery, Beltran, Medina, and other conspirators stole a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer by pushing a hole in the driver’s side lock, cracking the steering shaft, and starting the vehicle without a key. They drove the vehicle to Joe’s Westside where they entered the store wearing masks and carrying guns.
Inside the store, Beltran, Medina, and another co-conspirator ordered the store clerk to the ground at gunpoint, forced the clerk to open the cash register, and stole over $8,000. Beltran, Medina, and their associates then fled in the stolen Chevrolet Trailblazer, which they abandoned approximately half a mile away with the engine still running.
Beltran also admitted that on July 22, 2017, he and other co-conspirators robbed Woodville Liquor in Woodville. Beltran and his associates stole a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado by cracking the steering shaft and starting the vehicle without a key, then drove it to Woodville Liquor. Beltran entered the store along with two other suspects, each carrying a firearm. They ordered the customers in the store to the ground at gunpoint and used zip ties to tie up one of the store employees. They then stole approximately $2,000 in cash, $4,000 in checks, bottles of whiskey, and cartons of cigarettes before fleeing in the stolen vehicle.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Porterville Police Department, Lindsay Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Fremont (Nebraska) Police Department, and Dodge County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Kathleen Servatius prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Two Spirit Lake Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for their roles in the Murder of Carla YellowbirdRead the Press Release
FARGO – United States Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced that on February 25, 2019, United States District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier, District of South Dakota, sentenced Daylin Takendrick St. Pierre, age 21, Spirit Lake Indian Reservation, ND, after he pled guilty in November 2018, to serve 27 1/2 years in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release for the offenses of Conspiracy to Commit Robbery; Use of a Firearm in Relation to a Felony Crime of Violence; and Felony Murder. St. Pierre was further ordered to pay $300 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, as well as $11,659 in restitution to the victim.
Judge Schreier also sentenced Dakota James Charboneau, age 24, also of Spirit Lake, after he pled guilty in November 2018, to serve 50 years in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release for the offenses of Second Degree Murder, Aiding and Abetting; and Use of a Firearm in Relation to a Felony Crime of Violence. Charboneau was further ordered to pay $200 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, as well as $11,659 in restitution to the victim.
On August 23, 2016, Ms. Carla Yellowbird traveled to the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation with Suna Guy, who previously plead guilty to Felony Murder and was sentenced in this case. While on the Spirit Lake Reservation, Dakota Charboneau and Guy planned to rob Ms. Yellowbird of her money and belongings, and later recruited Daylin St. Pierre to do the robbery. In the morning of August 24, 2016, St. Pierre shot and killed Ms. Yellowbird while robbing her.
This case was investigated by the Mandan Police Department; North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Indian Affairs; and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Assistant United States Attorney Janice M. Morley and AUSA Jenifer Puhl prosecuted the case.
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Two Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry and Use of False PassportsRead the Press Release
St. Louis –Fatima Ciecierska, a/k/a Fatyma Minikiewicz, a/k/a Ewa Antoniewicz, 47, and Adam Dytlow, a/k/a Adam Jedynak, a/k/a Robert Antoniewicz, 50, who were both Polish Nationals, were sentenced today. Ciecierska and Dytlow were sentenced to time served for aggravated illegal re-entry in the United States, and use of a false passport. Both are subject to deportation and removal from the United States at the conclusion of their sentences. Both appeared in federal court before U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig.
Defendants are both natives and citizens of Poland. According to court documents, on or about June 27, 2018, defendants were arrested for suspicion of stealing at a retail store in Brentwood, Missouri. Both defendants were found to be in possession of false and counterfeit Polish passports, in false names, that included counterfeit Visas. Both defendants had previously been deported from the United States to Poland; Ciecierska during 2007, and Dytlow during 2009. Neither had obtained the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for admission to the United States.
This case was investigated by the State Department Diplomatic Security Service and U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Drake is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Teesto Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Committing First Degree Murder during Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Giordano Jackson, 40, of Teesto, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to life imprisonment for the murder of the victim. Jackson was convicted at a jury trial in November 2018 on all charges, including first degree murder, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and kidnapping. In addition to life imprisonment for the murder, Judge Humetewa also sentenced Jackson to ten years’ prison for every other count for which he was convicted.
Jackson, a violent criminal with multiple felony assault convictions in his past, had a history of committing domestic violence against the victim. In July 2017, Jackson beat the victim and dragged her by her hair with enough force to pull chunks of hair out of her head. Then, in September 2017, Jackson brutally beat the victim to death outside his house in Teesto. When Navajo Nation Police Officers arrived to investigate, Jackson was lying in wait and assaulted two of the officers with a machete. Both Jackson and the victim are members of the Navajo Nation, as are the responding police officers that Jackson assaulted, and the crimes all occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
At the sentencing hearing, the victim was described as a beloved mother, daughter, and friend and a cherished member of her community. Judge Humetewa noted that the victim had endured “the most brutal death that one can imagine” and concluded: “There comes a time when a person forfeits his right to walk among society. Mr. Jackson, your time has come.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William G. Voit and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-08242-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2019-017_Jackson
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement to Federal Credit UnionsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that Richard Bowe (40, Tampa) pleaded guilty today to four counts of making false statements to federally insured federal credit unions. Bowe faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison on each count. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to facts presented at the plea hearing, in early 2015, Bowe applied to several different credit unions in the Tampa Bay area and made false statements in his loan and/or credit applications. On January 23, 2015, he applied for an auto loan of approximately $30,000 from the Florida Central Credit Union. In the loan application, he falsely claimed that he was employed by the U.S. Central Command and made a false representation about the amount of VA retirement benefits that he earned. On February 26, 2015, he applied for another auto loan of approximately $15,000 from the USF Federal Credit Union and again falsely claimed in the loan application that he was a Deputy Inspector General with the Central Command. On March 4, 2015, he visited the USF Federal Credit Union and applied for another auto loan of approximately $47,000 and made false statements in that loan application about being employed at the U.S. Army Contracting Command and about his receipt of monthly VA benefits. He also applied for a credit card and membership at the Tampa Bay Federal Credit Union on February 26, 2015. In that application, he again made false statements about his employment with the U.S. Army Contracting Command and about his VA benefits.
In each case, Bowe also submitted false and fraudulent documents verifying the employment and benefits that he falsely claimed to be receiving on a monthly basis. In reality, he had no such employment with the U.S. Army and received no such VA benefits.
This case was investigated by the Tampa Police Department, with assistance from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Defense Criminal Investigative Service. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
Stilwell Man Sentenced to 40 Months for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nathan Bryce Moton, age 44, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment and 4 years of supervised release for Possession With Intent To Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B). The charges arose from an investigation by the Krebs Police Department, the McAlester Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The Indictment alleged that on or about February 18, 2018, within the Eastern District of Oklahoma, defendant knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable quantity of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Rural Oklahoma is no stranger to the destruction caused by Methamphetamine. It destroys people, families, and communities. Dealers do not concern themselves with the havoc they introduce or maintain. Their worry is profit and in some cases feeding their own addictions. We must remain diligent in our efforts to disrupt drug trafficking organizations and their supply chains.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the non-paroleable sentence will be served.
St. Louis Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Derek Whitfield, 36, of St. Louis, pled guilty to federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm; possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; possession with intent to distribute cocaine base; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. He appeared in federal court this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey who accepted his guilty plea and set sentencing for May 28, 2019.
According to court documents, on November 20, 2017, Whitfield was driving behind a vehicle occupied by two individuals. Whitfield fired shots at them as he drove past. Whitfield then turned his vehicle around and fired additional shots at the victims. The shots fired by Whitfield struck the victims’ car and a residence. Responding police officers recovered 15 shell casings from the scene.
As part of the on-going investigation, police officers executed a search warrant at Whitfield’s house on December 21, 2017. At the time of execution, Whitfield attempted to flee but was taken into custody. From inside Whitfield’s residence, police officers recovered, among other things, a loaded, stolen firearm; fentanyl; cocaine base (crack); marijuana; digital scales; and drug packaging materials.
Whitfield faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine or both for being a felon in the possession of a firearm. Each drug charge carries with it a maximum term of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine or both. Whitfield’s possession of a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking is punishable by not less than five years imprisonment consecutive to all other charges. 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 Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Yemm is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney's Office.
St. Croix Man Who Tried to Solicit a Child Online Sentenced for Attempted Coercion and Enticement for Illegal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – Josue Navarro, 37 of St. Croix, was sentenced Friday for attempted coercion and enticement for illegal sexual activity, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
Chief District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Navarro to 30 months and three years of supervised release. Judge Lewis also ordered him to pay a fine of $1,000 and a $100 special assessment.
On August 30, 2018, Navarro pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement for illegal sexual activity. According to the plea agreement filed in court, on or about June 23, 2017 to June 25, 2017, law enforcement officers operating in an undercover capacity, created and posted ads online. The post was captioned “home 4 the summer, looking fun in the sun NSA.” The ad was posted by a law enforcement officer posing as a 14-year-old female named “Niema.”
On June 24, 2017 at 8:43 p.m., “Niema” asked the defendant if he brought something “cause I don’t wanna get pregnant, my mother will kill me,” to which the defendant responded “yes.” At 9:03 p.m. “Niema” told the defendant she was 14. At 9:18 p.m., the defendant said “[L]emme come get you n we go get whatever it is u want.”
At 11:02 the defendant texted the following to “Niema” and in highly graphic language, offered suggestions as to methods and means for sexual penetration which defendant offered to provide to “Niema”.
On June 25, 2017, at 1:19 p.m., the defendant texted “Niema,” asking “to engage in other sex acts involving carnal knowledge.
At 4:35 p.m., the defendant told “Niema” “[L]et me come pick you up.” The defendant was to meet with “Niema at an arranged location in St. Croix and was taken into custody by law enforcement.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.
St. Albans Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans woman pled guilty today to federal drug crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Amy Wilkinson, 44, of St. Albans, West Virginia, entered her guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department STOP Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force.
“Fentanyl and heroin have killed far too many West Virginians,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “As part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), we are prosecuting every readily provable case involving the distribution of fentanyl, regardless of quantity. Operation SOS will save lives.”
During Wilkinson’s plea hearing, it was established that Wilkinson possessed controlled substances with the intent to distribute on two different dates. On February 22, 2017, officers with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and DEA Task Force Officers executed a search warrant on Empire Drive near St. Albans. During the execution of the search warrant, officers found Wilkinson inside the residence in possession of fentanyl that was individually packaged for distribution. Wilkinson admitted on that date that she intended to distribute the fentanyl in and around Kanawha County.
On March 2, 2017, Wilkinson was again caught in possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. An investigation by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department discovered that Wilkinson had been selling drugs from a motel room in St. Albans. A search of the motel room revealed that Wilkinson was in possession of 23 grams of heroin that she admitted she intended to distribute in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Wilkinson now faces a sentence of up to twenty years on the drug charges and a fine of up to $1,000,000 when she is sentenced on May 22, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.
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St. Albans Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A St. Albans woman pled guilty today to federal drug crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Amy Wilkinson, 44, of St. Albans, West Virginia, entered her guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department STOP Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force.
“Fentanyl and heroin have killed far too many West Virginians,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “As part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), we are prosecuting every readily provable case involving the distribution of fentanyl, regardless of quantity. Operation SOS will save lives.”
During Wilkinson’s plea hearing, it was established that Wilkinson possessed controlled substances with the intent to distribute on two different dates. On February 22, 2017, officers with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department and DEA Task Force Officers executed a search warrant on Empire Drive near St. Albans. During the execution of the search warrant, officers found Wilkinson inside the residence in possession of fentanyl that was individually packaged for distribution. Wilkinson admitted on that date that she intended to distribute the fentanyl in and around Kanawha County.
On March 2, 2017, Wilkinson was again caught in possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute. An investigation by the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Department discovered that Wilkinson had been selling drugs from a motel room in St. Albans. A search of the motel room revealed that Wilkinson was in possession of 23 grams of heroin that she admitted she intended to distribute in the Southern District of West Virginia.
Wilkinson now faces a sentence of up to twenty years on the drug charges and a fine of up to $1,000,000 when she is sentenced on May 22, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is responsible for the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin.
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Southern California Pharmacy Owner Sentenced to Prison for Her Role in Health Care and Wire Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Southern California pharmacy owner was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for her role in a Medicare fraud scheme involving more than $1.5 million in fraudulent claims for prescription drugs.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicola T. Hanna of the Central District of California, Assistant Director in Charge Paul D. Delacourt of the FBI’s Los Angeles Division and Special Agent in Charge Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Los Angeles Regional Office made the announcement.
Tamar Tatarian, 39, of Pasadena, California, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John F. Walter of the Central District of California, who also ordered Tatarian to pay $1,537,710.73 in restitution to Medicare. On Dec. 14, 2018, Tatarian was convicted of one count of health care fraud and two counts of wire fraud following a four-day jury trial.
Tatarian was an owner of Akhtamar Pharmacy in the Pasadena, California area. According to evidence presented at trial and sentencing, from approximately October 2015 through June 2018, Tatarian engaged in a scheme involving the submission of fraudulent claims to Medicare Part D plan sponsors for prescription drugs that Akhtamar Pharmacy never ordered from wholesalers, and thus never dispensed to Medicare beneficiaries. Tatarian attempted to conceal the fraud through the creation of fake invoices, reflecting wholesale drug purchases by Akhtamar Pharmacy which had, in fact, never taken place, the evidence showed. As a result of this scheme, Tatarian, through Akhtamar Pharmacy, submitted claims to Medicare for more than $1.5 million in prescription drugs that she never purchased or dispensed to patients, the evidence showed.
This case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG. Trial Attorney Alexis Gregorian and Assistant Chief A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion.
South Texas Father and Son Admit to Using Racehorses to Facilitate Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas - Two members of a prolific transnational, transgenerational drug trafficking organization have pleaded guilty as their trial was set to begin in Victoria federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Raul Beltran Jr., 50, and his son Edward Beltran, 24, both of Rio Grande City, pleaded guilty today as they were set to begin trial before U.S. District Judge John Rainey.
The Beltran men admitted to massive amounts of drug smuggling - thousands of kilograms of marijuana.
The investigation began in January 2013 after a Victoria County Sheriff’s Office deputy interdicted approximately 600 pounds of marijuana concealed in a horse trailer. The trailer also contained two racehorses.
That event prompted a lengthy, multiple-agency, multi-jurisdictional investigation that would ultimately uncover information and evidence demonstrating the illegal activities of the Beltran drug trafficking organization. The Beltrans used their horse ranches in Rio Grande City to receive, repackage and conceal thousands of kilograms of marijuana in horse trailers, flat-bed trailers and tractor trailers to ship the marijuana to all points north. They used the sport of horse racing to facilitate drug smuggling and to launder illicit proceeds.
The organization also utilized violence, intimidation, bribery and public corruption to facilitate and perpetuate their illicit activities for nearly a decade with virtual impunity. The investigation demonstrated the organization’s dealings with ranking members of the Gulf and Zeta Cartels, Starr County Chicano Brotherhood, as well as the involvement of multiple corrupt sworn peace officers assigned in the Rio Grande Valley.
A total of 22 people have now been convicted as a result of this investigation, including a former Starr County Sheriff’s Office deputy. In addition, authorities have seized three horse ranches as well as an American Quarter Horse race stallion named Jet Black Patriot and his breeding proceeds and awards.
The Beltran men were permitted to remain on bond pending their sentencing hearing, set for June 3, 2019. At that time, they each face up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office and the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case.
South Point Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Meth ChargeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A South Point, Ohio man who was caught selling methamphetamine in Huntington last year pled guilty today to a federal drug charge, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Jose Cisneros, 28, entered a guilty plea to distributing methamphetamine in federal court in Huntington. Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the FBI Drug Task Force.
“Meth dealers have flooded our communities,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “But we’re up to the task. We’re working hand-in-hand with law enforcement to send them packing.”
On October 25, 2018, an informant working at the direction of the FBI contacted Cisneros to arrange a meth transaction. Cisneros subsequently met the informant at a location in Huntington where he sold the informant one and a half ounces of methamphetamine in exchange for $650. Cisneros was arrested on November 6, 2018, in the 2900 block of 5th Avenue in Huntington and agents seized additional meth that Cisneros intended to distribute.
Cisneros faces up to 20 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on June 3, 2019.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
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South Dakotans Indicted on Meth and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Okreek, South Dakota, woman and a Mission, South Dakota, man have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. In addition, a Winner, South Dakota, man and a St. Francis, South Dakota, woman were indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Rainbow Stoneman, age 37, Cody Spotted Tail, age 33, Justin Covery, a/k/a Justin Night Shield, age 19, and Marti Rosalie Whirlwind Soldier, age 22, were indicted on December 11, 2018. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 21, 2019. All four individuals pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in prison and/or an $8,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each Count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that beginning no later than October 15, 2018, and continuing to November 2, 2018, Stoneman, Spotted Tail, Covery, and Night Shield knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in the District of South Dakota. The Indictment further alleges that Stoneman and Spotted Tail are unlawful users of and addicted to a controlled substance, which prohibits them from possessing firearms, but that they were in possession of a firearm at the time of their arrest.
The charges are merely accusations and Stoneman, Spotted Tail, Covery, and Night Shield are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity. Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers. It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.
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 its 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 local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Stoneman, Spotted Tail, Covery, and Night Shield were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
South Bay Resident Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Illegal Dumping in Wetlands and Other Protected WatersRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – James Philip Lucero was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for the unpermitted discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States, including wetlands, announced United States Attorney David L. Anderson, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Special Agent in Charge Jay M. Green, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett, and United States Corps of Engineers Deputy San Francisco District Counsel Jesse L. Anderson. The sentence was handed down by the Honorable Haywood S. Gilliam, United States District Judge.
On February 21, 2018, a federal jury convicted Lucero, 59, of Carmel, Calif., of violating the Federal Clean Water Act. The evidence at trial demonstrated Lucero, a self-described “dirt broker,” orchestrated the illegal discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States adjacent to Mowry Slough, part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge located in Newark, Calif. As a dirt broker, Lucero charged a fee to contractors and trucking companies in exchange for providing open space to dump fill material, including construction debris. The defendant caused approximately 1800 industrial-sized truckloads of construction debris and fill material to be dumped on private property containing federally-protected wetland and other waters of the United States, without applying for or obtaining a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or the Environmental Protection Agency, or obtaining permission from the landowner. A federal grand jury handed down a Superseding Indictment on January 31, 2017, charging Lucero with causing dirt, soil, and other materials to be discharged from a point source into waters of the United States, including over ten acres of wetlands and more than an acre of other waters of the United States. Lucero was convicted on all three counts of unpermitted filling of wetlands and tributaries, in violation of 33 U.S.C. §§ 1311, 1319(c)(2)(A), and 1344.
“Protecting the long-term health and integrity of San Francisco Bay, including its tributaries, wetlands, connecting waters, and associated plant and wildlife, are of the utmost importance to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Anderson. “Today’s sentence should serve as a stern warning to anyone contemplating taking steps to illegally dump in the waters of the United States.”
“The tidal marsh at issue in this case is protected under both the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899,” said Jay M. Green, Special Agent in Charge of EPA's criminal enforcement program in California. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that EPA and its law enforcement partners will not tolerate illegal dumping into waters of the United States.”
In addition to the prison term, Judge Gilliam ordered Lucero to serve twelve months of supervised release upon his release. A hearing to determine the amount restitution has been set for May 28, 2019. Judge Gilliam ordered Lucero to surrender and to begin serving his sentence on April 22, 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip J. Kearney and Shiao C. Lee prosecuted the case with the assistance of paralegals Alycee Lane and Helen Yee. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, and the Newark Police Department.
Skyline Urology to Pay $1.85 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations of Medicare OverbillingRead the Press Release
Skyline Urology has agreed to pay the United States $1.85 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting improper claims to the Medicare program for evaluation and management services, the Department of Justice announced today.
“Physicians and practice groups are expected to bill Medicare properly for the services they provide,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “This settlement sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will hold healthcare providers accountable if they knowingly overbill federal healthcare programs.”
Between Jan. 1, 2013, and Dec. 31, 2016, Skyline Urology allegedly submitted false claims to the Medicare program for evaluation and management (E&M) services that were not allowable under Medicare. Medicare generally prohibits healthcare providers from separately billing for E&M services provided on the same day as another medical procedure, unless the E&M services are significant, separately identifiable, and above and beyond the usual preoperative and postoperative care associated with the medical procedure. If an E&M service satisfies these criteria, the provider can use a billing code known as “Modifier 25” to bill for the significant and separately identifiable E&M services. In this case, the government alleged that Skyline Urology used Modifier 25 to improperly unbundle routine E&M services that were not separately billable from other procedures performed on the same day, and, as a result, improperly claimed compensation from Medicare for certain urological services.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is committed to thoroughly investigating claims of fraud and holding health care providers accountable when they break the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This settlement is an example of how whistleblowers and government can work together to recoup and deter overbilling practices.”
Skyline Urology has also entered into an Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General that will require regular monitoring of its billing practices for three years.
“Providers are expected to closely follow Medicare rules and bill properly — nothing more, nothing less,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Taxpayer money wasted is money stolen from this vital federal health program.”
The settlement resolves allegations in a lawsuit filed in the District of Maryland by James M. Cesare, the founder of the consulting firm Bay Area Healthcare Advisors LLC. The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private individuals to sue on behalf of the government for false claims and to share in any recovery. As part of the resolution, Mr. Cesare will receive approximately $323,750.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the Civil Division of the Department of Justice, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, and the Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Cesare v. Skyline Urology, No. 1:16-cv-04059-JKB (D. Md.). The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Skyline Urology Agrees to Pay the United States $1.85 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Overbilling MedicareRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Skyline Urology has agreed to pay the United States $1,850,000 to resolve claims under the False Claims Act alleging that Skyline submitted false claims to Medicare by billing for evaluation and management (E&M) services that were not eligible for reimbursement. Skyline provides urology care in the South Bay area in Southern California with headquarters located in Torrance, California. The false claims act case was filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, since Medicare claims were paid in Maryland.
The settlement agreement was announced today by the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, Robert K. Hur; Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon of the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is committed to thoroughly investigating claims of fraud and holding health care providers accountable when they break the rules,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “This settlement is an example of how whistleblowers and government can work together to recoup funds and deter overbilling practices.”
“Physicians and practice groups are expected to bill Medicare properly for the services they provide,” said Assistant Attorney General Jody Hunt of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement sends a clear message that the Department of Justice will hold healthcare providers accountable if they knowingly overbill federal healthcare programs.”
Skyline presents claims to and is paid by health insurance plans, including Medicare. The amount payable by insurers for a procedure includes the cost of evaluating a patient for the procedure, therefore, under most circumstances, health care providers are not permitted to bill for E&M services on the same day a related procedure is performed. An exception applies, however, if the E&M service is distinctly separate from other services provided, or if the E&M service is above and beyond the care usually associated with the procedure itself. Under these circumstances, a provider may bill for both the E&M service and the procedure, and does this by submitting the bill with a special code, that permits both claims to be paid. Utilizing the code incorrectly results in overbilling.
According to the settlement agreement, the United States contends that from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2016, Skyline improperly used the code to falsely claim that E&M services were unrelated to other procedures performed on the same day on the same patient, and thus, eligible for separate reimbursement. In fact, the E&M services were performed as part of, and in connection with, other procedures performed on the same day on a single patient, and Skyline received more reimbursement than it was entitled to under Medicare. Skyline denies the allegations.
Skyline Urology has also entered into an Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General that will require regular monitoring of its billing practices for three years.
“Providers are expected to closely follow Medicare rules and bill properly -- nothing more, nothing less,” said Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Taxpayer money wasted is money stolen from this vital federal health program.”
The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act by James M. Cesare (United States and State of California ex rel James M. Cesare v. Skyline Urology., Civil Case No. JKB-16-4059 (D. Md.)). The False Claims Act permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and obtain a portion of the government’s recovery. As part of today’s resolution, Mr. Cesare will receive $323,750. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the HHS Office of Inspector General for its work in the investigation. The case was handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Jane Andersen and Thomas Corcoran, and Trial Attorney Nicolas Perros of the Department of Justice Civil Fraud Section.
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Sioux Falls Man Charged with Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.
Phillip Running, age 31, was indicted on February 13, 2019. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 21, 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, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between December 14, 2018, and December 20, 2018, Running, a person required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and a sex offender by reason of conviction under law, failed to register and update his registration.
The charge is merely an accusation and Running is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Running was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Scranton Man Guilty of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lawrence Stone, age 64, of Scranton, pleaded guilty on February 21, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to producing child pornography.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Stone admitted to persuading two minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images of the conduct. Stone committed the offense between 2010 and 2014, in Lackawanna County.
Judge Mannion ordered a presentence investigation to be completed. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Scranton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for the offense is 30 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Rome City Man Sentenced to 204 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Shon Gibson, 47, of Rome City, Indiana, was sentenced before Chief Judge Theresa L. Springmann on his plea of guilty to possessing with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Gibson was sentenced to 204 months in prison and 8 years of supervised release.
According to documents in this case, in December 2016 a search warrant was executed on Gibson’s residence. Seized from Gibson’s garage was an ounce of 100% pure methamphetamine and over $32,000 in drug trafficking proceeds. In an attic above the garage, law enforcement seized two AK-47 rifles and two inert military-grade hand grenades. One of the rifles was fully automatic while the other was a short-barreled rifle. Another $8,000 in cash was found in a safe inside the house. Due to the multiple felony drug trafficking convictions, Gibson was sentenced as a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Indiana State Police, Noble County Sheriff’s Department, and the Wolcottville Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony W. Geller.
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Port Vue Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges in Wiretap CaseRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Port Vue, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of violating federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
Krystle Barretto, 33, pleaded guilty to three counts before United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon.
In connection with the guilty plea, the court was advised that Barretto, who was intercepted over a Title III wiretap, conspired to possess with intent to distribute and distributed more 100 grams of heroin. The court was further advised that Barretto arranged for approximately 500 bricks (i.e. 25,000 stamp bags) of heroin to be transported from the Patterson, New Jersey area to the McKeesport, Pa. area, which was seized by law enforcement officers. In addition, the court was made aware that Barretto had a loaded, Glock 17, 9mm handgun, an additional five bricks of heroin, and a large money counter in the bedroom of her residence in Port Vue.
Judge Bissoon scheduled sentencing for June 19, 2019. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than five years and up to 40 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. Johnston is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
A federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) conducted the investigation led to the prosecution of Krystle Barretto. The task force is headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is comprised of members drawn from the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Street Task Force including the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General, Clairton Police Department, Wilkinsburg Police Department, West Mifflin Police Department, Allegheny County Police Department, Duquesne Police Department, Munhall Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, and the Pennsylvania State Police. 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.
The investigation, which utilized Title III intercepts from December 2014 through April 2015 of 10 different cellular telephones, surveillance, controlled drug purchases, and other investigative techniques, established the existence of a number of overlapping and interrelated drug distribution networks at work in the afflicted regions, which included Clairton, McKeesport, and Port Vue in Allegheny County, and areas in Washington County, Westmoreland County, and New Jersey.