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Friday 30 November 2018
Sanford Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza today sentenced Jurden Rogers (29, Sanford) to 11 years and 9 months in federal prison for bank robbery and for brandishing of a firearm during the bank robbery. His co-defendant, Jerad Hanks (26, Daytona Beach), previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 9 years and 9 months’ imprisonment for the same offenses.
According to evidence presented at Rogers’s trial, on January 18, 2018, Rogers and Hanks robbed a Seacoast Bank in Sanford. Rogers backed up the getaway car up to the front entrance of the bank and Hanks exited the vehicle wearing a ski mask and holding a shotgun. Hanks then entered the bank and brandished the shotgun at tellers while demanding cash. After robbing the bank tellers of over $2,300, Hanks returned to the waiting getaway car, and Rogers drove them to a nearby apartment complex. When law enforcement officers located Rogers and Hanks at the apartment complex later that day, Rogers hid his half of the robbery proceeds in the waste pipe of his toilet and tried to escape out of a third-story apartment window.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sanford Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chauncey A. Bratt. Assistant United States Attorney Nathan W. Hill assisted with the prosecution.
Rochester Woman Pleads Guilty to Helping Her Boyfriend Escape After A RobberyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jessica Henton, 30, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to Hobbs Act Robbery, before Chief U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $125,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that on February 18, 2017, the defendant was driving her car in the area of South Avenue in Rochester, with her boyfriend, Fred Swan, in the passenger seat. Swan got out of Henton’s car and walked to Alice’s Market, located at 1477 South Avenue. Swan entered the store and pointed a gun at the store clerk and demanded money from the register. The clerk gave Swan approximately $50. Swan then called the defendant and instructed her to move her car to another location. Swan ran to the car, got in, and Henton drove him away. Swan told the defendant that he had just robbed Alice’s Market, and the defendant proceeded to drive Swan away from the scene.
Fred Swan was previously convicted of Hobbs Act Robbery and sentenced on November to serve 192 months in prison.
Today’s plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Simmons, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 1, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. before Chief Judge Geraci.
Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Devonte Mitchell, 21, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated the defendant’s arrest followed a search of his residence by the Monroe County Probation Department. During the search, probation officers recovered a quantity of fentanyl packaged for sale and a loaded firearm. At the time of his arrest, Mitchell was on probation for a Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fifth Degree conviction.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Probation Department, under the direction of Chief Probation Officer Larry Mattle, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief Mark Simmons, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 28, 2018, at 9:15 a.m. before Judge Siragusa.
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Real Estate Broker Convicted of Bank Fraud in Orlando Area Mortgage SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found Geo Geovanni (49, Moultrie, Georgia) guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and three counts of bank fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment for each count. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for February 25, 2019.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Geovanni was a real estate broker who owned his own brokerage firm based in Orlando. Between May and August 2008, Geovanni sold condominium units to buyers at The Landing, located in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Geovanni engaged in a conspiracy to conceal from mortgage lenders sales incentives that he provided to the buyers. These undisclosed incentives included making the buyers’ down payments and paying kickbacks after closing. As a result of his actions, Geovanni helped cause the loss of approximately $761,150 to JP Morgan Chase Bank and Wells Fargo Bank when the mortgages involved in the fraudulent transactions went into foreclosure.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Capone.
Previously Convicted Felon from Gallup Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ricardo A. Teran, 39, of Gallup, N.M., was sentenced today in federal court in Santa Fe, N.M., to 34 months in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Teran will be on supervised release for three years.
Teran pled guilty to this offense on Aug. 30, 2017. According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) executed a search warrant at Teran’s home on Feb. 5, 2016. Law enforcement agents seized firearms, ammunition, bullet-resistant vests, drugs, and drug paraphernalia from the residence. This included a loaded pistol, revolver, shot gun, methamphetamine pipe, and syringes in a two-year-old child’s bedroom.
Teran was prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition, or body armor because of his prior felony convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, receiving a stolen firearm, and aggravated assault against a household member.
This case was investigated by HSI and the MCSO with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel A. Hurtado prosecuted the case under 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.
Portland Nurse Charged with Drug TaffickingRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore. – On November 29, 2018, Rene Elene Griffin Nunn, 59, of Vancouver, Washington, made an initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jolie A. Russo.
A one-count indictment alleges Nunn conspired to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The indictment also alleges that, between September 2017 and January 2018, Nunn communicated with others about the price and quantity of methamphetamine and heroin, and in February 2018, drove from Vancouver to Portland with approximately 93 grams of heroin in her purse. According to yesterday’s hearing, she is a registered nurse employed at Adventist Medical Center in Portland.
Nunn was released pending trial. A three-day jury trial is scheduled for January 29, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Marco A. Hernandez. If convicted, Nunn faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine and a mandatory minimum three-year term of supervised release.
This case was investigated by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician Sentenced to Prison for Diverting Hundreds of Thousands ff OpioidsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Nov. 28, 2018, Pharmacist Vilawoe Aku Boadu, 39, of Peoria, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 120 months in prison. Zinka Sisic, 30, of Phoenix, Ariz., who worked as a Pharmacy Technician for Boadu, was previously sentenced to 48 months in prison. Boadu and Sisic were both convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to launder money involved in a drug trafficking offense.
From September 2014 until their arrest in July 2017, Boadu and Sisic used two pharmacies owned by Boadu - Scottsdale Health Pharmacy and V-Estrella Pharmacy - to process fraudulent prescriptions and distribute more than 200,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone tablets into the community. Boadu and Sisic also illegally diverted thousands of alprazolam tablets, and more than 13 gallons of promethazine with codeine. Boadu and Sisic regularly provided their coconspirators with 100-count bottles of high-dosage prescription opioids directly from the pharmaceutical companies.
Michael Karron Holley, 32, and Julian Thomas Petty, 27, local musicians who used the stage names “Swerve Baller” and “Bouji,” were also convicted as part of this case. Holley was sentenced to eight years in prison, and Petty was sentenced to five years in prison. The investigation showed that Petty created fraudulent prescriptions in an attempt to legitimize the prescription drug diversion from Boadu’s pharmacies, and that Holley was primarily responsible for distributing the controlled substances to other street-level drug dealers. During the conspiracy, Holley and Petty both recorded songs and music videos promoting drug trafficking with lyrics such as, “don’t talk dope on cell phones” and “at the pharmacy pimping.”
As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized 25 firearms, other weapon components, numerous pistols, rifles, a shotgun, an AK-47, and a high-capacity 100-round magazine. Officials also seized several bank accounts and vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz. As part of the judgment, the defendants were ordered to forfeit more than $100,000 worth of jewelry and more than 650 pairs of designer shoes.
“These licensed healthcare professionals violated the law and their position of trust by distributing dangerously addictive prescription drugs to the community,“ stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Opioid addiction is a serious problem throughout the country due, in part, to unscrupulous healthcare professionals -- such as these defendants -- who place profit above the law and public safety. We will continue to prosecute the illegal distribution of prescription drugs to the fullest extent of the law, and we applaud our law enforcement partners for their part in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“The DEA is committed to aggressively pursuing those healthcare professionals who violate our trust, and illegally peddle the controlled prescription drugs they are specifically entrusted to safeguard from diversion,” said Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge of DEA in Arizona. “Seeking these violators who contribute to the continuing opioid epidemic in our nation remains a top priority for the DEA, and the successful outcomes of these investigations demonstrate the steadfast commitment by federal, state and local law enforcement officials to protect our communities.”
“This case clearly demonstrates our collaborative efforts with law enforcement agencies at every level in apprehending anyone, especially those in a trusted medical position, who seeks to bring dangerous drugs into our communities,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix. “HSI will continue to prioritize resources to combat the serious opioid addiction affecting the thousands of people across the nation.”
"By creating fraudulent prescriptions with fake names, exclusively making cash payments, and using cell phones registered under false names, there is no doubt the defendants attempted to conceal their illegal activities. Special Agents with IRS Criminal Investigation are fully committed to working with their law enforcement partners in combatting the opioid epidemic sweeping our nation" stated IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, and the Surprise Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Matthew Binford, Assistant United States Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-889-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-162_ Boadu
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Owner of 'Ready Made RC' Pleads Guilty to Crimes Related to Importation of Batteries from ChinaRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The owner of Ready Made RC, a Lewis Center-based company that sells radio-controlled model aircraft and drones as well as parts and supplies for them, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to intentionally understating the value of lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries he imported from China in order to avoid paying the proper import duty/tax on them, and violating safety regulations by improperly labeling, mailing and shipping the batteries.
Timothy Stanfield, 47, of Lewis Center, pleaded guilty to one count of entry of goods by means of false statements, a crime punishable by up to two years imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000. Stanfield also pleaded guilty to one count each of mailing injurious materials, transportation of hazardous materials, and money laundering.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, announced the pleas entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King on Wednesday, November 27.
Court documents say Stanfield placed a total of 13 orders from a Chinese company, Kypom Technology Stock Co, LTD, between October 2012 and January 2015 valued at $778,395.60. Customs and Border Protection agents inspected one of the shipments in January 2015 consisting of 186 boxes containing 4,007 individual batteries. The declared value was $19,827, which is significantly less than the actual invoiced value of the batteries.
Investigators made an undercover purchase of batteries from the company’s website in February 2015. Four batteries, including to LiPo batteries were mailed. Investigators found that the shipment was not properly packaged and contained more batteries than permitted by law. Safety regulations control the shipment of LiPo batteries because of their chemical contents. Investigators also found that the batteries were not properly packaged or labeled for shipment in air cargo.
"Companies who illegally import batteries and other merchandise with the intent to evade U.S. Customs laws will be held accountable,” Said Steve Francis, special agent in charge for HSI Detroit, which covers Michigan and Ohio. "Simply put, when these U.S. laws are not adhered to, lives are put at risk. HSI and our partners will continue to aggressively target and investigate those who jeopardize consumer safety.”
“The details of this case are egregious. Timothy Stanfield placed a higher value on his profit than the safety of the employees of the air cargo companies,” stated Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Cincinnati Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to following the money, wherever it leads.”
Stanfield agreed to pay restitution of $22,614.74 to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A sentencing date will be scheduled following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the HSI and IRS Criminal Investigation, as well as the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. He also commended Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Marous and Jessica Knight, who are representing the United States in the case.
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Ocala Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison for Heroin and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore has sentenced Santonio Juvon Jackson (35, Ocala) to 20 years in federal prison for possession, distribution, and conspiracy to possess and distribute heroin and fentanyl. A federal jury had found him guilty on June 13, 2018.
According to court documents, Jackson conspired with others to deliver 167.2 grams of heroin and fentanyl in the Ocala area.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William S. Hamilton.
Northeast Missouri Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Russell Eugene Wolf, 42, of Kahoka, Missouri, was sentenced today to 198 months’ imprisonment for Producing Child Pornography. The investigation showed that Wolf hid a camera in a bathroom to record an underage child while the child showered. The camera was disguised to look like a coat hook.
The case was investigated by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Kirksville Police Department and the Ames (Iowa) Police Department. AUSA Rob Livergood handled the case for the United States Attorney’s Office.
North Carolina Licensed Attorney Indicted for Aiding and Abetting Visa Fraud and False Statements in Immigration ProceedingsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned an Indictment charging SARAH JANE BRINSON, age 34, from Clinton, North Carolina, with aiding and abetting visa fraud and false statements in immigration proceedings.
The Indictment alleges that BRINSON, a licensed attorney and notary public in North Carolina, prepared and submitted on behalf of a client immigration applications containing false statements.
As alleged in the charging document, her client was a citizen of Guatemala who retained BRINSON under his real name but was utilizing an assumed name to illegally work in the United States. The Indictment additionally alleges that, while BRINSON knew her client’s real name, she notarized the client’s signature under the assumed identity and represented him in Wayne County District Court on several traffic matters.
Further, the Indictment alleges that BRINSON prepared and submitted to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) an application for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and a request for Employment Authorization Document (EAD) stating under penalty of perjury that her client had not used other names.
If convicted, BRINSON would face maximum penalties of fifteen years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the Document Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF) led by Homeland Security Investigations, and assisted by USCIS, among other agencies.
If you suspect immigration benefit fraud please complete the Homeland Security Tip Form at https://www.ice.gov/webform/hsi-tip-form or call the Homeland Security Investigations Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423).
New York Man Sentenced to Two Years' Federal Prison Time for Attempting to Sell 7 Kilograms of Fake Cocaine in DelawareRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – David C. Weiss, United States Attorney for the District of Delaware, announced that on November 29, 2018, Roger Mercedes, age 30, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud stemming from a plan to sell seven (7) kilograms of fake cocaine in Delaware.
According to public documents and arguments in open court, Mercedes met someone he believed was a cocaine trafficker and hatched a plan to sell that cocaine trafficker fake cocaine for $137,500. The cocaine trafficker turned out to be an informant working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”). Mercedes met the informant in Florida and, over the course of the next several months, sold the informant a “sample” of cocaine in New Jersey. As part of the negotiations surrounding a large cocaine transaction to take place in Delaware, Mercedes sent the informant a homemade video of what appeared to be twenty (20) kilogram bricks of cocaine in an apartment.
Mercedes organized the entire transaction and conspired with three other men to drive down to Delaware and sell the fake cocaine. On November 9, 2017, Mercedes and the three other men were arrested in Newark, Delaware. A suitcase containing seven (7) fake kilogram bricks of cocaine was seized.
U.S. Attorney Weiss said, “Drug transactions, real or fake, threaten the safety and security of our community. Transactions designed to rip off would-be illegal drug purchasers are particularly dangerous. These perpetrators must be held accountable.”
This case was investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander P. Ibrahim and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe.
New Jersey Man Sentenced for Fraud Concerning over 100 Victims and Smuggling Drugs into PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Daniel Sheehan, of Gloucester City, NJ, 44, was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $493,075 in criminal proceeds after pleading guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud, interstate transportation of stolen property, and smuggling narcotics into a federal prison. Sheehan was also sentenced to a term of three years’ supervised release after his term of imprisonment.
The convictions stem from Sheehan’s operation of a scheme to obtain payments from people who sought his assistance in refinancing their home mortgages. Instead of providing the promised assistance, Sheehan stole his clients’ money. As a result of his illegal scheme, 110 people were defrauded, several of whom lost their homes. While being held in a federal prison awaiting trial, Sheehan arranged to smuggle narcotics into the facility for further distribution.
Between September 2012 and February 2015, Sheehan, a mortgage modification professional, represented to clients that he could help them modify their mortgages through the Home Affordable Mortgage Program (“HAMP”) or the Home Affordable Refinance Program (“HARP”). He found clients who wished to refinance the mortgages on their residences or other properties. Sheehan assured his victims that they would qualify for a modification that would substantially reduce both the principal and interest components of the victim’s monthly payment. Sheehan collected a fee of between $700 and $1,500 from each victim for the service of preparing and submitting the paperwork necessary to obtain the promised loan modification.
Despite collecting a fee, Sheehan often failed to submit mortgage refinance applications. In most cases, Sheehan falsely advised his clients that in order to qualify to have their mortgages refinanced, they would need to stop paying their mortgages. These clients generally received correspondence from financial institutions demanding payment and threatening foreclosure. Sheehan explained to his victims that these were scare tactics employed by the banks, and that if the client made any additional payments, the client would jeopardize the mortgage modification process. He also told his clients that they should not communicate with the bank because the collections departments would not have any information about the pending modification. As a direct result, some clients received court foreclosure complaints and told Sheehan; Sheehan assured them that he or his attorney would handle the situation. Instead, Sheehan took no action, and some of his victims were evicted and lost their homes.
Additionally, Sheehan falsely told some clients that their modification had been approved. The defendant often told his clients that their loan modification would not become “final” until they made “trial payments” of their new refinanced mortgage amount. Sheehan told his victims to make these payments to Sheehan or a person designated by Sheehan. Sheehan assured his victims that their “trial payments” would be held in escrow by Sheehan. Although Sheehan sometimes gave his clients what purported to be escrow account statements, he converted his victims’ funds to his own personal use.
Sheehan has been detained at the Federal Detention Center (“FDC”) since April 2016. While incarcerated, the defendant arranged for a friend to illegally send him sheets of the drug Suboxone. On about August 29, 2016, a letter addressed to Sheehan arrived at the FDC purportedly from an attorney in New Jersey. The letter contained eight sheets of Suboxone, which Sheehan intended to use to pay off gambling debts that he owed to other inmates at the FDC.
“This defendant has absolutely no shame,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “His victims were often looking to refinance mortgages on their homes due to tragic personal circumstances, such as the death of a spouse or the loss of employment. The defendant repeatedly lied and said he would help them, but instead preyed on their vulnerability and made many of them lose their homes. He is a menace to society who has no respect for the law.”
“What Daniel Sheehan did to his victims was despicable,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “In feigning assistance with refinancing their mortgages, he gave people hope that better days were ahead. Instead, he blithely pocketed their money despite knowing foreclosure loomed. The FBI takes great pride in bringing defendants like Mr. Sheehan to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul G. Shapiro.
New Jersey Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced today that Michael Fanelli, 36, of Woodbury, NJ, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with one count of armed bank robbery.
The federal indictment charges him with using a pellet gun to rob a PNC bank of approximately $7,000 dollars. The PNC bank branch is located in Gladwyne, PA,
If convicted, Fanelli faces a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and three years’ supervised release.
“Brandishing a weapon – whether real or not – puts bystanders at risk of grave injury because at any time, the situation could escalate based on a perceived threat of harm at the hands of an armed robber,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “If the defendant committed the conduct alleged in the indictment, he should be held accountable for creating a dangerous and potentially deadly situation for all involved.”
The case was investigated by The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lower Merion Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Troopers. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everett Witherell.
An indictment, information, or criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Multi-Kilo Methamphetamine and Heroin Conspiracy Results in Almost Five Years in Federal Prison for Texas WomenRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Trisha Lynne Ibarra, 24, and Arlene Viridiana Moya, 23, both of Texas, were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour for their roles in a methamphetamine and heroin conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
Ibarra was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1 kilogram of heroin, and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Moya was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for her role in the conspiracy. Ibarra and Moya were also ordered to pay a $1,500.00 fine.
On January 22, 2018, a Rankin County Sheriff Deputy conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Moya. Ibarra was the registered owner of the vehicle and seated in the passenger seat. Ibarra and the driver gave conflicting statements to the officer for their reason for travel and their final destination. A consensual search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 4 kilograms of heroin and 16 kilograms of methamphetamine from the vehicle’s fuel tank.
The case was a joint investigation by the Rankin County Sherriff’s Office, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI) Jackson office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley.
Matthews, N.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Possession of Radioactive Material in Murder-For-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced today that Bryant Riyanto Budi, 27, of Matthews, N.C. appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer and pleaded guilty to attempted possession of radioactive material with intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to another person.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division and John Eisert, Acting Special Agent in Chargeof U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in the Carolinas, join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to information contained in filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, from April 22, 2018 to June 1, 2018, Budi attempted to possess radioactive material, and did so with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury to another person. Court documents show that Budi contacted an FBI covert employee via the internet to purchase a lethal dose of a radioactive substance. In his communications with the covert employee, Budi expressed his intent to use the radioactive substance to kill an unnamed individual. On May 31, 2018, a package containing an inert substitute for the radioactive material ordered by Budi was delivered to an address in Charlotte as instructed by Budi. Law enforcement arrested Budi on June 1, 2018.
The charge of attempted possession of radioactive material with intent to cause death carries a maximum term of life in prison. A sentencing date for Budi, who remains in federal custody, has not been set.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Murray thanked HSI in Buffalo, New York and Charlotte; the FBI in Charlotte and supporting FBI field offices; the FBI’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Directorate in Washington, D.C.; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Arrowood of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution, assisted by Trial Attorney Bridget Behling, of the National Security Division.
Maryland Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Obstruct Investigation into Homicide Committed by BoyfriendRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Aminata Bah, 24, of Bowie, Md., has pled guilty to conspiring to obstruct justice stemming from her actions over the course of the investigation into a murder last year that was committed by her boyfriend, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
The boyfriend, Demarius Jackson, 26, pled guilty in May 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and assault with a dangerous weapon. On Aug. 17, 2018, Jackson received a sentence of 15 years of in prison following a hearing before the Honorable Judge Danya A. Dayson.
Bah pled guilty on Nov. 28, 2018, also in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence between three and seven years and is probation eligible. The Honorable José M. López scheduled sentencing for March 1, 2019.
According to a factual proffer submitted at the plea hearing, the shooting took place at approximately 2:50 a.m. on Saturday, July 8, 2017. The shooting, in the 3500 block of Water Street NW, in the Georgetown area, followed a verbal altercation between the victims and the occupants of a vehicle. The vehicle was operated by an associate of Bah’s. The interaction continued for about five minutes and concluded when Jackson, Bah’s boyfriend of several years, walked up, reached around Bah, and shot a 19-year-old victim, Kennedy Amaya-Olivares, once in the back of the head and once in the chest - killing him. Jackson then chased after the other victim, shooting at him multiple times and striking him twice in the torso.
Following the shooting, Bah, her boyfriend, and her associates returned to their vehicle and fled the scene. They drove to Maryland, where they dropped off the shooter, and then immediately began to discuss what, if anything, they would say to law enforcement if they were questioned about the murder.
Bah told the occupants of the vehicle what they should and should not say to the police, including instructing her associates that they should not mention her name or the name of her boyfriend, the shooter, to police. Bah and her associates acted upon their agreement. Not only did Bah influence the testimony of her associates, but she followed her own instruction. During the course of the investigation, Bah omitted and attempted to minimize her knowledge of and familiarity with Jackson, the shooter, and lied to the police in order to obstruct the investigation into the murder her boyfriend committed.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. Finally, she acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lornce Applewhite, Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Allen, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Merikas, who investigated and prosecuted the matter
Maryland Man Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison and Ordered to Forfeit at Least $5.665 Million s a Result of His Conviction on Charges Relating to Dark Web Drug Distribution and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Ryan Farace, age 34, of Reisterstown, Maryland, today to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and money laundering conspiracies. The charges arose from a scheme to manufacture and distribute alprazolam tablets, which are typically sold under the brand name “Xanax,” through sales on the dark web in exchange for Bitcoin. Farace and his co-conspirator, Robert Swain, laundered the drug proceeds through financial transactions designed to conceal the source and ownership of the illegal funds. Judge Blake ordered that Farace must forfeit a money judgment equal to $5,665,000 and 4,000 Bitcoin. Farace was also ordered to forfeit assets seized by law enforcement during the execution of search warrants on January 16, 2018, at locations associated with the conspiracies, including approximately $1.5 million in cash, 1.100 bitcoin and approximately $2.5 million in computer equipment. Robert Swain, age 34, of Freeland, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to the money laundering conspiracy and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison at his sentencing on January 25, 2019.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Postal Inspector in Charge Peter R. Rendina of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Criminal Investigation; U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland Johnny Hughes; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department; Interim Commissioner Gary Tuggle of the Baltimore Police Department; Chief Gary Gardner of the Howard County Police Department; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare.
“Federal law enforcement and our international partners are working together to find and prosecute those who use the dark web to sell drugs and launder the proceeds of their drug dealing,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “The sentence imposed today demonstrates that committing crimes through the dark web does not protect you from prosecution. We will find you and we will prosecute you.”
"Those that are facilitating the abuse of controlled dangerous substances are negatively impacting our entire community and will be held accountable,” said Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. “Today’s sentencing is a reminder that IRS-CI will remain vigilant in our investigation of these crimes and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to combat this type of criminal conduct.”
According to his plea agreement, from November 2013 through June 2017, Farace purchased narcotics manufacturing equipment, including pill presses and counterfeit “Xanax” pill molds, which he used to press loose alprazolam powder into tablet or pill form, to resemble genuine Xanax pills. Farace solicited orders for the alprazolam pills on dark web marketplaces and sold alprazolam pills directly to buyers in exchange for Bitcoin.
The dark web is the part of the World Wide Web that requires specific software, configurations or authorization to access, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous. Dark web marketplaces typically use Bitcoin or other digital currency as the means of payment for their transactions.
Bitcoin is a form of digital currency that does not exist in any physical form. It is not issued or controlled by any government, bank, or company, but is generated and controlled automatically through computer software operating on a decentralized peer-to-peer network. Bitcoin can be exchanged for conventional currency, with the exchange rate determined on the open market.
Farace admitted that he communicated with his customers through encrypted electronic messages and shipped the completed pill orders through the U.S. mail. Farace admitted that the postage for these packages was usually paid using pre-paid debit cards that Farace obtained in the names of, and with the personal identifying information of, other people. Law enforcement also recovered fake driver’s licenses in the names of those individuals, one bearing Farace’s photograph when they executed a federal search warrant at Farace’s home on January 16, 2018. Based on data recovered from dark web marketplaces seized by law enforcement, Farace distributed more than 920,000 alprazolam pills between December 2013 and March 2017.
From at least July 2015 until February 2017, Farace and Swain conspired with others to launder the proceeds of the illegal drug sales by conducting financial transactions designed to conceal and disguise the nature, source, ownership and control of the illegal drug proceeds. Specifically, Farace used pseudonyms to contact a co-conspirator through dark web marketplaces and encrypted messages in order to exchange Bitcoin he received from his drug trafficking for cash. The co-conspirator would then mail or ship packages of U.S. currency equivalent to the value of the Bitcoin received, less a fee, to mailing addresses provided by Farace. To conceal the fact that he was receiving cash, Farace, and later Swain, opened post office boxes at U.S. Post Offices and private rental mailboxes in fake names. Swain knew that Farace was receiving cash and drugs at these mailboxes and that the cash was the proceeds of Farace’s drug trafficking. During the course of the conspiracy, Farace received cash totaling more than $5 million, through the mails, which he had exchanged for Bitcoin earned from drug trafficking. In addition, Farace and Swain drove to New Jersey so that Swain could collect $200,000 in cash that Farace had exchanged for Bitcoin. During the in-person meeting on February 16, 2017, Swain provided a fictitious name to the individual he met and falsely stated that the Bitcoin and cash were his own. Farace and Swain later tried unsuccessfully to exchange Bitcoin for $400,000 in cash with the same individual.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA, HSI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the IRS-Criminal Investigation; the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Howard, and Anne Arundel County Police Departments for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana J. Brusca and Zachary B. Stendig, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
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Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Participating in Firearms Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Austin Peed, 36, of Avenue, Md., pled guilty today to trafficking in firearms following his arrest in a nearly year-long investigation involving narcotics and firearms trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Peed pled guilty before the Honorable Richard J. Leon in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States. Peed faces a maximum of five years of incarceration and is currently held without bond. Judge Leon scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, Peed engaged in the sale of two separate AR-15 assault rifles in Maryland and Washington, D.C. to an undercover law enforcement officer in exchange for cash. The first purchase occurred on Sept. 6, 2017, in Bladensburg, Md., in exchange for $1,200. The second purchase occurred on Sept. 28, 2017 in the 1700 block of Girard Street NE, in exchange for $1,500. During the second purchase, Peed provided a rifle scope to accompany the rifle. The firearms were without serial numbers and were untraceable.
Peed was arrested with eight other individuals in March 2018 in relation to a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and 280 grams or more of crack. Numerous defendants were also charged with possessing and distributing various narcotics, including crack, cocaine, PCP and fentanyl, during the period of the investigation.
This case is part of an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises, which includes, corresponding firearms related crimes.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu and Assistant Director in Charge McNamara commended the work of those who investigated the case. They cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Paralegal Specialist Jeannette Litz, who assisted with the case, and Christopher Macchiaroli and Kevin Rosenberg of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Section, who conducted the underlying investigation, indicted the case, and are prosecuting the remaining defendants.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Heroin and Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Glen Allen man was sentenced today to over nine years in prison for distributing almost 400 grams of heroin and fentanyl in the central Virginia area.
According to court documents, Paris Moore, 32, pleaded guilty on August 22 to two counts of distribution of heroin. Moore’s charges stem from his distribution of drugs to a confidential informant on two separate occasions while on federal supervised release. On January 19, Moore distributed 3.65 grams of a mixture of heroin and fluoroisobutyryl fentanyl to a confidential informant in Henrico County. On January 26, Moore distributed 6.36 grams of a mixture of heroin and cyclopropylfentanyl to a confidential informant in Richmond. On February 22, DEA agents executed a search warrant at Moore’s residence in Glen Allen and recovered 2.43 grams of crack cocaine and .88 grams of heroin and 4-fluoroisobutryl fentanyl.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-71.
Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Four StrangersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Santiago Rodriguez Campos, 34, a Mexican national who had been living in Alexandria, Va., pled guilty today to sexually abusing four women, including two in 2016 and two in 2018, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Rodriguez Campos pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to two counts of fourth-degree sexual abuse and two counts of misdemeanor sexual abuse. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 15, 2019 before the Honorable Juliet McKenna. As part of his sentence, Rodriguez Campos will be required to register for the rest of his life as a sex offender. Additionally, he will be subject to deportation proceedings following his prison term.
According to the government’s evidence, in the first offense, on Sept. 5, 2016 at about 10:30 p.m., the victim was walking on N Street NW to the 1200 block of Potomac Street NW when she first observed a man, later identified through forensic evidence as Rodriguez Campos. She reported that he was dressed in dark-colored clothing with a hood covering his head and face. The victim initially thought that she was about to be robbed. She began to walk up the steps to her door when Rodriguez Campos approached her from behind. He then reached between the back of her legs and ran his hand between her inner thighs, through her buttocks over her outer garment. The blue-jean pants that the victim was wearing were subsequently tested for DNA. Later DNA testing established that the perpetrator was Rodriguez Campos.
In the second offense, on Oct. 26, 2016 at approximately 8:15 p.m., the victim was walking to her car, which was parked in the 1600 block of 33rd Street NW. While she was walking, she observed a man, later identified through forensic evidence as Rodriguez Campos, wearing a grey hoodie covering his face. As he walked towards her, the victim stayed by a tree box and let Rodriguez Campos walk past. As soon as he walked past her, she turned her back and he reached under her dress from behind, between her legs, and grabbed her vagina. The victim immediately screamed at the defendant and began yelling for help. She stated she was either pushed or fell to the ground and while doing so, struck Rodriguez Campos with her elbow. He then ran away. The victim later observed what appeared to be lubricant left between her legs by the defendant. This substance was swabbed and recovered as evidence. DNA analysis was done on this evidence sample. Later DNA testing established that the perpetrator was Rodriguez Campos.
In the third offense, on May 31, 2018, the victim was walking home at approximately 10:10 p.m. when a man, later identified through forensic evidence as Rodriguez Campos, grabbed her neck, put his hand under her skirt, and touched her buttocks, vagina, and thighs. Rodriguez Campos also placed an unknown liquid on her legs. He then fled through the courtyard of a church she was standing in front of, located in the 2400 block of K Street NW. The victim turned over her underwear and skirt to law enforcement as evidence and it was tested for DNA. Later DNA testing established that the perpetrator was Rodriguez Campos.
In the fourth offense, on June 3, 2018, the victim was walking west in the 1500 block of P Street NW, when she was approached from behind by a man, later identified through forensic evidence as Rodriguez Campos. He reached under her dress and grabbed her left buttock, then reached in between her legs and touched her vagina. The victim felt a sticky substance transfer from Rodriguez Campos’s hand to an area under her dress. The victim’s underwear, dress, and swabs of her inner thighs were submitted for DNA analysis. Later DNA testing established that the perpetrator was Rodriguez Campos.
The defendant was apprehended on Aug. 9, 2018 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, which investigated the case, and the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocates Lezlie Richardson and Tracey Hawkins and Paralegal Specialists T.J. McPhail and D’Yvonne Key.
Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and Ryan Creighton, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty to Causing Opioid Overdose DeathsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Canadian man living in Leesburg pleaded guilty today to conspiring to distribute heroin and fentanyl that caused two deaths and one non-fatal overdose in 2016.
According to court documents, Joseph Riley Curry, 29, obtained heroin and fentanyl from sources of supply that he distributed to customers in Loudoun County. Drugs that Curry distributed killed two people in March 2016, and caused a third individual to experience an overdose that required medical intervention. In August 2017, Curry was arrested on a state felony distribution charge. While in custody, Curry ordered another individual to destroy evidence he thought might be used against him in a possible federal prosecution.
Curry pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin resulting in death and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison when sentenced on Feb. 22, 2019. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This matter was investigated by the Leesburg Police Department and the Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets/HIDTA Task Force – Northern Virginia which is composed of FBI Agents, and Task Force Officers from the Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Leesburg, Prince William County Police Departments, HSI, ATF, with assistance from the DEA Mid-Atlantic Regional Laboratory.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, and Gregory C. Brown, Leesburg Chief of Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Peters is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-396.
Louisville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement, Distribution and Possession of Child PornRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Louisville, Kentucky, man pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Joseph H. McKinley Jr. this week, to attempted enticement of a minor, three counts of distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
Jeffrey Shawn Baunach, 46, was indicted on the charges on May 24, 2018.
According to a factual basis of the allegations presented to the Court, Baunach told an undercover agent, authorized and working for the Kentucky Attorney General, that he had been engaging his minor children in sex acts. Baunach also stated that he had met other adults to allow them to engage the children in sex acts. He requested to engage a child entrusted to the undercover agent in sex acts in exchange for sexual contact with his own children and discussed meeting to do so. On February 8, 2018, a Kentucky Circuit Court Judge authorized issuance of a Search Warrant for Baunach, his van, and residence on Clarmar Road. Law enforcement officials executed the warrant the following day. Several items of potential evidence were also recovered from the residence including six phones, two computers, and one thumb drive. All items were logged and transported to the DCI Cyber Crimes Lab in Frankfort, Kentucky, for further examination.
A forensic examination of a cellular telephone, recovered from Baunach’s bedroom during the search of his home revealed it as the device that had been used during the communications with the undercover agent. The device also contained an image that had been previously sent by Baunach to the undercover agent. The examination also revealed several images of child pornography, that is, images of minors, engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ten images depict infants (both male and female). The babies’ genitals are nude and fully displayed. Three of the images reflect connection to Craigslist and two of the four indicate they were acquired through Yahoo mail. Four additional images depict the sexual abuse of a young girl (approximately age six – eight). All of the above-referenced images were saved as screen shots to the memory of the device on several dates between August 21, 2017, and January 24, 2018.
The investigator also observed several email conversations between Baunach and unknown parties involving discussions about sex with children. Further investigation led to a law enforcement official in Chicago, Illinois. The Google search warrant materials – confirmed with the Chicago law enforcement official – showed that Baunach had distributed the infant child pornography images to an individual in the Chicago area. During the email communications, Baunach claimed to have access to the babies because he babysat them. The emails also referenced telephone conversations between the two men – Baunach and the Chicago man – concerning the sexual abuse of children.
Baunach faces a minimum 10 year term of imprisonment and no more than life for the charge of attempted enticement, followed by no less than 5 years of supervised release and no more than life of supervised release. The charges of distribution of child porn carry a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years and no more than 20 years (on each count), and he faces no more than 20 years for distribution of child porn.
Assistant United States Attorney Jo E. Lawless is prosecuting the case. The Kentucky Attorney General’s Department of Criminal Investigations Cyber Crime Unit conducted the investigation with assistance from the Jeffersontown (Kentucky) Police Department.
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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.
Local Medical Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Dispensing and Distributing Controlled Substances by Prescriptions and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that WAYNE JEROME CELESTINE, M.D., age 58, a physician who practiced in Gretna and resided in New Orleans, pleaded guilty yesterday to two counts in the Second Superseding Indictment, charging him with illegally dispensing controlled substances and money laundering.
On Monday, April 30, 2018, DR. CELESTINE was arrested on charges of distribution of controlled substances. According to court records, DR. CELESTINE illegally dispensed and conspired with others to illegally dispense controlled substances, including oxycodone, a Schedule II drug controlled substance.
DR. CELESTINE made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Daniel E. Knowles, III, on Monday, April 30, 2018. A detention hearing was held on May 1, 2018; and he was ordered detained in custody pending resolution of the case.
DR. CELESTINE will face a mandatory term of seven years in prison on the charges if the Court accepts the plea agreement. DR. CELESTINE will also be subject to a fine of $1.5 Million and a term of supervised release of at least three years, following any term of imprisonment. Pursuant to the terms of the plea agreement, DR. CELESTINE will forfeit to the United States: over $1 Million in seized currency, investment accounts, and negotiable instruments; and over $1 Million Dollars in seized vehicles, residences, and commercial properties. By virtue of the plea agreement, DR. CELESTINE has acknowledged that these assets represent proceeds and/or facilitating property of the crimes for which he has pled guilty. United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo set a sentencing hearing on February 28, 2019, at 9:30 a.m., at which time she will decide whether the Court accepts the plea agreement.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Harahan Police Department, Westwego Police Department, Louisiana State Police, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, and New Orleans District Attorney’s Office in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys John F. Murphy and Andre J. Lagarde are in charge of the prosecution.
Lieutenant of the Memphis Fire Department Sentenced in Scheme to Defraud the Social Security AdministrationRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Phillip Tolbert, 47, of Bartlett, has been sentenced to two years’ probation, including six months of home confinement, for defrauding the Social Security Administration. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to the indictment and information presented in court, from August to December 2013, Tolbert, a lieutenant for the City of Memphis Fire Department, defrauded the Social Security Administration by applying for and receiving benefit payments on behalf of his daughters after the death of his wife, the girls' stepmother.
Tolbert falsely stated that his daughters lived with him and his wife, and that his wife provided for the girls' every need. Based on those fraudulent representations, Tolbert was ultimately paid $60,528 in benefits to which he was not entitled.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "One of the primary functions of this office is to protect the United States Treasury, and the ability of eligible beneficiaries to receive Social Security benefits. Fraudulent schemes and crimes of dishonesty do not pay, and will be exposed."
On November 28, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes, Jr., sentenced Tolbert to two years’ probation, the first six months to be served in home confinement, followed by six months of community service and ordered Tolbert to pay restitution of $60,528.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Murrell Foster and Annie Christoff prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.
Leader of Old York Money Gang Convicted of Federal Charges Related to his Gang Activities, Including Racketeering Murder, Drug Conspiracy, Drug Dealing, and Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury today convicted Trevon Beasley, a/k/a Tre, age 24, of Baltimore, of federal racketeering charges related to his gang crimes, including murders committed by Beasley, related to his membership in the Old York Money Gang (OYMG); a federal drug distribution conspiracy; conspiracy to use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and drug trafficking crime; and eight counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and/or heroin. OYMG dealt drugs and committed murders in the Waverly neighborhood of Baltimore and sustained itself in part through drug sales, including crack cocaine, as well as through murder and other violent crimes.
The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Interim Commissioner Gary Tuggle of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to the evidence presented at his 12 day trial and other court documents, from January 2013 to April 2017, Beasley was a member of the OYMG, a violent drug trafficking organization operating in the Waverly neighborhood in the northeastern district of Baltimore. OYMG is involved in criminal activity including murder, robbery, extortion, burglary, and narcotics trafficking in and around Baltimore. OYMG is a neighborhood gang, limiting its membership to persons that originate from or live in the Waverly neighborhood, and generally excluding “outsiders.” The gang extensively and frequently endorsed and promoted its existence through social media accounts and rap music videos, whereby members would display their association and advertise membership and activities of the gang. The evidence elicited at trial showed that Trevon Beasley occupied a leadership role in the gang, which obtained its revenue from murder for hire and drug distribution. Witnesses testified that OYMG accepted money for contract killings as part of its business, and that Beasley specifically accepted and executed the contract murder of Tyrone Servance on November 15, 2016. Witnesses testified that after the homicide, associates of the victim engaged in a war with OYMG over the next weeks, culminating in two additional attempted murders perpetrated by Beasley.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Beasley and other OYMG members regularly carried firearms to defend the gang’s territory and violently expelled OYMG rivals or antagonists.
Beasley faces a maximum sentence of life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy; a maximum of life in prison for the drug conspiracy; a maximum of 10 years in prison for the gun conspiracy; and 20 years in prison for each of the eight drug distribution counts. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for March 29, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.
Ten other defendants charged in the case previously pleaded guilty to racketeering and/or drug conspiracy charges. Darrin Mosley, age 25, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty on November 5, 2018, just before trial was scheduled to begin. Mosley is scheduled to be sentenced on February 15, 2019, at 9:30 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The U.S. 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 the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Metcalf and Michael C. Hanlon, who are prosecuting the case.
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Leader of Fentanyl Conspiracy Sentenced to 20 YearsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for leading a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in the Washington, DC area.
According to court documents, Donnell Leroy Williams, 55, aka Bubbles, his son, Antonio Donnell Shelton, 30, aka Little Bubbles, James Coleman Brown, 51, and Demetrius Antonio Johnson, 37, aka Bake, worked together to distribute fentanyl, a highly dangerous narcotic. During the course of the conspiracy, Williams and his co-conspirators had the ability to obtain large quantities of fentanyl, and they routinely sold fentanyl and other highly addictive drugs to customers at locations in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.
Name, Age
Hometown
Convictions
Sentence
Donnell Leroy Williams, 55
Hyattsville, Md.
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
20 years
Antonio Donnell Shelton, 30
Washington, DC
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
6 years
James Coleman Brown, 51
Washington, DC
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
13 years
Demetrius Antonio Johnson, 37
Washington, DC
Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
6 years
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhood (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 reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Colonel Edwin C. Roessler Jr., Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Tyler McGaughey and David A. Peters prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-30.
Justice Department Awards More Than $16.7 Million to Support Victims of Las Vegas ShootingRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The Justice Department today announced that the Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) awarded more than $16.7 million in Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP) funding to aid survivors of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada made the announcement.
Fifty-eight people were killed and more than 600 physically injured when a man opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival, an open-air music venue, from a hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip. When officers located the gunman and entered the room, he was found dead with self-inflicted wounds. In June, the Department awarded over $2 million to support first responders in the aftermath of the shooting. In addition, earlier this month the Department announced a new $8.7 million grant to provide multi-disciplinary, scenario-based active shooter training to first responders across the country.
“This Department of Justice stands with our first responders and victims of crime," Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said. "We have already provided $3 million to cover expenses for state and local law enforcement in Las Vegas and in Clark County following last October's horrific mass shooting. Today we take the next step of providing more than $16 million for the victims of that tragedy and for the first responders who came to the scene, to help pay for counseling, therapy, rehabilitation, trauma recovery, and legal aid. While we cannot undo the harm that has been done, this Department of Justice is doing what we can to help Las Vegas heal."
“Victims are a priority of the Department of Justice," said U.S. Attorney Elieson. "Our mission includes supporting programs and services that help victims in the immediate aftermath of crime and as they rebuild their lives. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, as an integral part of the Department of Justice, shares the commitment to support the victims of the Route 91 Harvest Festival, as well as the victims’ families, law enforcement, medical personnel, and the hundreds of others who helped the Festival attendees. The $16.7 million grant announced today is more support to our community members and first responders needing additional counseling, therapy, vocational rehabilitation, and trauma recovery. We have compassion for those affected and gratitude for those who are helping them. Together, we are Vegas Stronger.”
The funding, totaling $16,735,720, will assist victims of this incident, including ticket holders, concert staff, vendors, witnesses, law enforcement personnel, and other first responders. It also will support close family members, medical personnel, coroner’s staff, taxi drivers, and others who helped the concert attendees. The grant will defray the costs of counseling and therapy, vocational rehabilitation, and trauma recovery for victims and emergency responders. Funds will also help with legal aid and supplement the massive outlays incurred by the Nevada victim compensation program.
AEAP is a non-competitive solicitation specifically created to provide supplemental emergency and longer-term victim support to jurisdictions where a criminal mass violence or domestic terrorism incident occurred. OVC can award funding once local and state authorities have determined the costs associated with responding and have submitted a request for assistance.
For more information about AEAP, please visit: https://www.ovc.gov/AEAP/
The Office of Justice Programs, led by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP and its components can be found at: www.ojp.gov.
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Justice Department Awards More Than $16.7 Million to Support Victims of Las Vegas ShootingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that the Office of Justice Programs’ (OJP) Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) awarded more than $16.7 million in Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP) funding to aid survivors of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker made the announcement in a speech to state, local, and federal law enforcement in Cincinnati this morning.
Fifty-eight people were killed and more than 600 physically injured when a man opened fire on the Route 91 Harvest Festival, an open-air music venue, from a hotel room on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip. When officers located the gunman and entered the room, he was found dead with self-inflicted wounds. In June, the Department awarded over $2 million to support first responders in the aftermath of the shooting. In addition, earlier this month the Department announced a new $8.7 million grant to provide multi-disciplinary, scenario-based active shooter training to first responders across the country.
“This Department of Justice stands with our first responders and victims of crime," Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker said. "We have already provided $3 million to cover expenses for state and local law enforcement in Las Vegas and in Clark County following last October's horrific mass shooting. Today we take the next step of providing more than $16 million for the victims of that tragedy and for the first responders who came to the scene, to help pay for counseling, therapy, rehabilitation, trauma recovery, and legal aid. While we cannot undo the harm that has been done, this Department of Justice is doing what we can to help Las Vegas heal."
The funding, totaling $16,735,720, will assist victims of this incident, including ticket holders, concert staff, vendors, witnesses, law enforcement personnel, and other first responders. It also will support close family members, medical personnel, coroner’s staff, taxi drivers, and others who helped the concert attendees. The grant will defray the costs of counseling and therapy, vocational rehabilitation, and trauma recovery for victims and emergency responders. Funds will also help with legal aid and supplement the massive outlays incurred by the Nevada victim compensation program.
AEAP is a non-competitive solicitation specifically created to provide supplemental emergency and longer-term victim support to jurisdictions where a criminal mass violence or domestic terrorism incident occurred. OVC can award funding once local and state authorities have determined the costs associated with responding and have submitted a request for assistance.
For more information about AEAP, please visit: https://www.ovc.gov/AEAP/
The Office of Justice Programs, led by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Matt M. Dummermuth, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking. More information about OJP and its components can be found at: www.ojp.gov.
Jacksonville Retired Marine Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison Relating to Arson of Multiple Buildings in Downtown KinstonRead the Press Release
Raleigh - United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court Chief United States District Judge Terrence W. Boyle sentenced WILLIAM SHAWN ELLIOT, 55, of Jacksonville, North Carolina, to serve 20 years in federal prison on charges of Arson and Making False Statements to Influence a Bank on a Loan. The Court also ordered that ELLIOT serve 5 years of supervised release, and make restitution in the amount of $921,541.89, to the victims of his offense.
The Second Superseding Indictment and the evidence presented at trial showed that in the mid-2000s, ELLIOT, a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, began to acquire several properties in Eastern North Carolina as part of a real estate rental and resale business. The evidence at trial showed that between 2009 and 2012, ELLIOT became financially over-extended after he attempted to self-finance the construction of a duplex and house in Jacksonville. The evidence showed that in the midst of the financial struggle, ELLIOT submitted false tax returns to a bank in an effort to secure a construction loan. After failing to obtain enough money to pay his construction contractor, the evidence showed that ELLIOT was sued by his construction contractor.
The evidence at trial showed that within a few weeks of being sued, ELLIOT’s building, located at 119-128 East Gordon Street in downtown Kinston, burned to the ground. At the time of the burning, ELLIOT was renting the building to a victim, who was sleeping inside, but made it out alive. The investigation showed that ELLIOT had purchased the property for a mere $65,000, but had insured the property with The Hartford for around $500,000. ELLIOT filed a claim with The Hartford shortly after the fire. In addition to ELLIOT’S building burning under suspicious circumstances, multiple other buildings in the area were also burned including the Kinston law office of Gerrans, Foster & Sargeant, P.A., which was destroyed.
The investigation into the offense revealed that the fire in ELLIOT’s building was intentionally set using diesel fuel dispersed on the second floor of the building, an area to which only ELLIOT had access. Notably, however, the fires at an adjacent building, the Gerrans law office, and a building across the street, were started with Molotov cocktails. Video surveillance was eventually recovered showing ELLIOT’s white SUV arrive at the scene of the fires, and depart just moments before the arrival of first responders. Witnesses also reported seeing a man crouched in a nearby alleyway near where authorities recovered a gasoline soaked glove containing the DNA of ELLIOT and another individual. A matching glove was later recovered from ELLIOT’s SUV. ELLIOT was interviewed by law enforcement, where he made recorded admissions that he was “trying to downsize,” and that he was “going to pay” the person who helped him commit the arsons.
The Government indicted ELLLIOT and an alleged accomplice on multiple counts relating to the burning of the buildings, as well as making false statements to a bank, and wire fraud relating to the filing of the insurance claim. ELLIOT and his alleged accomplice went to trial on the charges in Elizabeth City in July of 2018. At trial, ELLIOT testified in his own defense, pointing jurors to his military record and claiming that he only made the admissions to law enforcement because of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. While the jury convicted ELLIOT of Making False Statements to Influence a Bank on a Loan, the jury hung on all other counts against him, and the Court declared a mistrial.
Prior to retrial, ELLIOT entered a plea of guilty to the arson of his own building, and agreed to make restitution to all other arson victims. Nevertheless, during the sentencing hearing today, ELLIOT told the court that he did not in fact commit the arsons. Ultimately, the Court rejected ELLIOT’s efforts to receive a lower sentence based upon his military service, and upwardly departed from the United States Sentencing Guidelines, to a sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of the Court’s explanation of the sentence, the Court noted the defendant’s perjury at trial, and his lack of contrition at the sentencing.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Kinston Department of Public Safety, with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys William M. Gilmore and Melissa B. Kessler represented the United States.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Downloading Child Sex Abuse Videos and Images from the InternetRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – United States District Judge Brian J. Davis has sentenced Christopher Michael Picher (age 26, Jacksonville) to 12 years and 7 months in federal prison for using the internet to download videos and images depicting child sexual abuse. Picher was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release and was ordered to register as a sex offender. Picher has been in custody since his arrest on March 22, 2018.
According to court documents, in early 2018, agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted an undercover child exploitation investigation. The agents determined that an account with an online data storage company and an account with a popular online mobile messaging app were both being used to receive, distribute, and store child pornography. Further investigation revealed that Picher was the user associated with these accounts. On March 22, 2018, HSI and FBI agents and other law enforcement officers executed a federal search warrant at Picher’s residence, he was subsequently arrested.
During an interview, Picher admitted that he had viewed child pornography using a mobile messaging app, and that he knew that pictures of child pornography could be posted within the group or users could send private messages. Subsequent forensic analyses of Picher’s smartphone revealed that it contained at least 15 videos and 1,486 images depicting child pornography.
“This case is an example of how criminals are using social media to victimize young children,” said HSI Tampa Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero. “This child predator thought he could remain anonymous as he viewed child pornography, but HSI special agents and our law enforcement partners found him and he will be held accountable for his crimes.”
“This sentence should serve as a warning to those who seek to exploit children, whether in our community or online,” said Charles P. Spencer, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jacksonville Division. “The FBI Jacksonville Division and our law enforcement partners will stop at nothing to identify child predators, and seek truth and justice for their innocent victims.”
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Jackson Woman Pleads Guilty to Theft of U.S. Mail by a Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Kimberly Walker, 37, of Jackson, pled guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee to theft of U.S. mail by a postal employee, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Chris Cave, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Southern Area Field Office.
Walker was employed as a mail handler at the U.S. Postal Service Processing and Distribution Center in Jackson. On February 8, 2018, agents were notified of six rifled Nielsen Rating envelopes that were returned to Nielsen Ratings from the distribution center. Nielson Media Research mails letters and flat sized envelopes to households that participate in surveys in exchange for U.S. currency. On February 15, 2018, using mail pieces and currency provided by Nielsen Ratings, test pieces containing U.S. currency were placed in the prepping area to be processed by the Tour 3 mail handlers, including Walker. Using video surveillance, agents observed Walker open at least one of the test pieces and place something in her pocket. When confronted, Walker admitted she had been rifling Nielson Ratings mail pieces for approximately six months. Agents recovered all the currency from Walker’s wallet and pocket that had been taken from the test pieces.
Walker is currently released on bond and will be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Tom S. Lee on February 28, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. She faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by agents from the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Purdie.
Justice Department Announces Funding Opportunities to Support Public Safety in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
Application deadline is 9:00 p.m. EDT, Feb. 26, 2019
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice, along with Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme, this week announced the opening of the grant solicitation period for comprehensive funding to Indian Country to support crime prevention, victim services, and coordinated community responses to violence against native women.
The Department’s FY 2019 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, or CTAS, is posted online at www.justice.gov/tribal/open-solicitations. The solicitation contains details about available grants and describes how federally-recognized tribes, tribal consortia and Alaska Native villages can apply for the funds.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio said, “This funding will give tribal officials the tools they need to fight violent crime, protect their citizens, serve victims, and deliver justice.”
“This grant funding offers Montana’s tribes an opportunity to seek resources in a variety of areas to help tribal officials improve public safety, assist victims of crime and reduce violence against women. We encourage tribal officials to apply for these grants,” Alme said.
In fiscal year 2018, Montana’s tribes received an estimated award total of $1.39 million in Department grant funding. The grants went to the Blackfeet Nation, $450,000 for Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program and $350,000 for Juvenile Healing to Wellness court; Fort Belknap Indian Community, $271,147 for Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities; and Ft. Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes, $322,641 for Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities.
The funding from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) can be used to for a variety of public safety and justice-related projects and services. Funds can be used to enhance law enforcement; bolster adult and juvenile justice systems; prevent and control juvenile delinquency; serve native victims of crimes such as child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and elder abuse; improve responses to violence against native women; and support other efforts to combat crime.
New to CTAS for FY 2019 is funding designated specifically to address violent crime in native communities (Purpose Area 10). Additionally, the Comprehensive Tribal Victim Assistance Program will be replaced by the Tribal Victim Services Program (Purpose Area 7) in FY 2019. This new program will provide funding to a larger number of applicants and provides funding for a broad range of activities, including a needs assessment, strategic planning, program development and implementation, program expansion, and other actions to address the victim service needs of tribes.
Applications for CTAS are submitted online through the Department’s Grants Management System, or “GMS.” Applicants must register with GMS prior to submitting an application. The application deadline is 9 p.m. EDT, Feb. 26, 2019. Applicants will submit a single application and select from any or all of the 10 competitive grant programs, referred to as “purpose areas.” This approach allows the Department’s grant-making components to consider the totality of a tribal nation’s overall public safety needs.
The 10 purpose areas are:
- COPS Office’s Public Safety and Community Policing
- Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems Strategic Planning
- BJA’s Tribal Justice Systems
- BJA’s Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program
- OVW’s Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program
- OVC’s Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities
- OVC’s Tribal Victim Services Program
- OJJDP’s Juvenile Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts
- OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Program
- BJA’s Addressing Violent Crime in Native Communities
Fact sheets detailing each of the individual purpose areas can be found online at: www.justice.gov/tribal/grants. The Department will also facilitate a series of webinars to guide applicants through the CTAS application requirements. Details, including how to register for these webinars, will be made available online in coming weeks at www.justice.gov/tribal/open-solicitations.
Additionally, tribes and tribal consortia may also be eligible for non-tribal federal grant programs and are encouraged to explore other funding opportunities, which may be found at DOJ’s Tribal Justice and Safety website at www.justice.gov/tribal/open-solicitations or the www.grants.gov website.
In FY 2018, the Department funded 125 tribes with 225 awards across nine grant programs totaling more than $113 million.
CTAS is administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and Office on Violence Against Women.
The announcement is part of the DOJ’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan in Billings on Nov. 26 and pleading not guilty was:
CHARLES FABIEN IDHEN, 38, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Idhen faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 18-136.
Appearing on Nov. 27 and pleading not guilty was:
DARRELL LEE WHITEMAN, JR., 29, of Lame Deer, on voluntary manslaughter. If convicted, Whiteman faces a maximum 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 18-145.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston on Nov. 27 in Great Falls and pleading not guilty was:
GARY ALLEN JIMENEZ, 24, Heart Butte, on charges of sexual abuse of a minor and distribution of a controlled substance to a person under 21. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jimenez faces a minimum mandatory one year to 40 years in prison, a $2 million fine and six years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Blackfeet Nation law enforcement and FBI. Pacer case reference. 18-91.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch on Thursday in Missoula and pleading not guilty was:
JOHN GREGORY ALEXANDER HERRIN, 27, Helena, on charges of interstate transportation of stolen property, money laundering and attempted witness tampering. If convicted of the most serious charge, Herrin faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI and Secret Service. Pacer case reference. 16-15.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Hungarian Nationals Sentenced for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DANIEL TANASE, age 39, and GABRIELLA TEKSE, age 31, both Hungarian nationals, each pleaded guilty yesterday and were sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated identity theft by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier.
According to court documents, the defendants were arrested after an investigation initiated by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office based on reports that two individuals were attempting to use stolen debit card information to withdraw money at ATMs in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. Members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force arrested TANASE and TEKSE on June 19, 2018, at an AirBnB in Jefferson Parish, where they were found with cash and approximately 81 cards that had been encoded with stolen bank account information.
TANASE and TEKSE were each sentenced to two years in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Judge Barbier also ordered them to forfeit $32,615.25 in U.S. currency that was seized as proceeds of the crime at the time of TANASE and TEKSE’s arrest.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the agencies that contributed to this bill of information, which represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, Covington Police Department, Hammond Police Department, Kenner Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Mandeville Police Department, Slidell Police Department, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John The Baptist Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. State Department, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. U.S. Attorney Strasser also thanked the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Payne is in charge of the prosecution.
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Houston Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JAMES HATCH, age 49, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty today to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking in the Eastern District of Louisiana. On the drug conspiracy, HATCH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum life sentence, a fine of up to $10,000,000 and at least five years of supervised release. On the firearm count, HATCH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years in prison which must run consecutive to the term of imprisonment imposed under the drug conspiracy, a fine up to $250,000, and no more than 5 years of supervised release.
HATCH is one of eleven defendants charged in a 23-count federal indictment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that HATCH conspired to sell large quantities of methamphetamine with codefendants Stefen Daigle, Julien Polk, Peter Giandalone, Paul Melancon, Jeffrey Clines, Angel Renee Vidaure, Eulalio Torres-Cadenas, Delio Alfredo Lopez-Lopez, Lindsey Lopez, and Jacob Higginbotham. The indictment also alleges a number of individual acts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as firearm offenses for codefendants HATCH, Vidaure, and Lopez-Lopez. Law enforcement developed evidence against this group of defendants using controlled purchases of methamphetamine, traffic stops and seizures, consensually recorded text messages and phone calls, search warrants, cooperator information, and self-incriminating statements.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for HATCH on March 6, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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Green Island Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Arthur L. Gurbey, age 46, of Green Island, New York, appeared today on a criminal complaint charging him with receiving and possessing child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to the complaint, Gurbey became involved in a text message conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl. Gurbey arranged to meet with the girl at what he believed to be the girl’s residence in Saratoga County. When Gurbey approached the residence, investigators appeared and Gurbey attempted to discard his cell phone. The cell phone contained video and image files depicting the sexual abuse of children.
If convicted, Gurbey faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Gurbey, who was arrested Tuesday, appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained. Gurbey also faces state charges in Milton Town Court relating to his discussions with the undercover police officer.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of state and local law enforcement agencies including the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the Colonie Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Greece Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jeffrey West, 41, of Greece, NY, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $2,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on April 19, 2018, members of the Monroe County Heroin Task Force executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home. During the search, officers located a quantity of heroin packaged for sale and a loaded .22 caliber handgun and ammunition.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Heroin Task Force, under the direction of Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 28, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci
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Grant County, N.M., Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and Ammunition as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Rudy Portillo Sepulveda, Jr., 28, of Grant County, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to violating the federal firearms laws by being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
During today’s proceedings, Sepulveda pled guilty to an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sepulveda admitted that on March 30, 2018, a New Mexico State Police (NMSP) officer pulled him over because of an outstanding warrant for his arrest, and located a firearm and multiple rounds of ammunition in his vehicle. In entering his guilty plea, Sepulveda acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his prior felony convictions for aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon, aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer, possession of a controlled substance, and criminal damage to property.
Sepulveda faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. He remains in custody awaiting sentencing at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI, the NMSP, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and the Silver City Police Department with assistance from the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case.
Fort Myers Men Indicted for A Drug Trafficking Conspiracy That Included the Killing of an InformantRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Robert Lee Ward (50, Fort Myers) with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and tampering with an informant by killing him. The indictment also charges Dalton Kelvin McGriff (49, Fort Myers) with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The drug conspiracy charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. The tampering with an informant by killing offense is punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or death. The Justice Department will later determine if it will seek the death penalty in this particular case.
According to the
indictment , from approximately 1996 to November 2018, Ward and McGriff conspired with others to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere. The conspirators sold cocaine in and around Fort Myers, Panama City and elsewhere, and killed or threatened to kill suspected informants in furtherance of the conspiracy. The indictment also alleges that Ward aided in the killing of a confidential informant on January 7, 2013, in Fort Myers.An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Christopher Murray.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This investigation is also the result of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Former Owner of Dominican Republic Bank Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former owner of Banco Peravia bank in the Dominican Republic was sentenced to three years imprisonment today for his role in a billion-dollar money laundering scheme involving currency exchange.
U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Mark Selby of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Mark B. Dawson of HSI's Houston Field Office, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) Washington, D.C. Office made the announcement.
Gabriel Arturo Jimenez Aray (Jimenez), 50, a Venezuelan citizen residing in Chicago, Illinois and former owner of Banco Peravia bank, was sentenced today to three years in prison by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg of the Southern District of Florida. Jimenez pleaded guilty under seal on March 20, 2018 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his guilty plea, Jimenez admitted that, as part of the scheme, he conspired with co-conspirator Raul Gorrin Belisario, 50, and others to acquire Banco Peravia, through which he helped launder bribe money and scheme proceeds. Jimenez and his co-conspirators made the decision to use Banco Peravia to pay bribes to Venezuelan government officials in exchange for contracts to conduct currency exchange schemes and to launder the money obtained from running those currency exchange schemes. Jimenez facilitated illegal transactions and bribe payments to foreign officials and others via bank issued credit cards, cash disbursements, wire transfers and other financial transactions, he admitted.
HSI Miami, HSI Houston, HSI Boston, FBI Miami and the FDIC investigated this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael B. Nadler and Nalina Sombuntham of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Vanessa Sisti Snyder, Paul A. Hayden and John-Alex Romano of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter. The Policía Nacional (Spanish National Police) also provided significant assistance.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former Nashville Judge Sentenced to Prison for Federal Obstruction and Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
A former Davidson County, Tennessee judge was sentenced today to 44 months in prison, restitution of $18,000 and a forfeiture of $13,500 for obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and stealing money from an organization receiving federal funds, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Cason “Casey” Moreland, 61, of Smyrna, Tennessee, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. The defendant pleaded guilty to five counts of a superseding information on May 24.
According to admissions made in connection with Moreland’s plea agreement, in January 2017, the FBI began investigating whether Moreland solicited sexual favors in exchange for favorable judicial treatment while sitting as a General Sessions Court Judge in Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. Moreland admitted that in February 2017, he became aware that he was a target of an investigation and took steps to try to obstruct it. Specifically, he devised a scheme to pay a material witness to sign a false affidavit recanting her previous statements, which implicated his criminal conduct in trading judicial favors for sex. He also devised a scheme to have drugs planted in the witness’s car, and then to have her stopped by police, so that she would be arrested and her credibility would be destroyed. Moreland carried out these schemes by using a burner phone registered in the name of “Raul Rodriguez” and communicating with an individual who subsequently became an informant, working at the direction of the FBI.
Moreland also admitted to criminal conduct stemming from his involvement with the General Sessions Drug Treatment Court, a specialized court program designed to provide alternatives to incarceration for certain defendants. The work of the Drug Treatment Court was supported by a nonprofit entity called the Davidson County Drug Court Foundation (the “Drug Court Foundation”). Although Moreland did not have an official position with the Drug Court Foundation, he admitted that he exercised de facto authority over the Drug Court Foundation’s operations.
In connection with his plea agreement, Moreland admitted that beginning in spring 2016, he began embezzling cash from the Drug Court Foundation by directing the Drug Court Foundation’s director to deliver to his office envelopes of cash that she had collected from individuals seeking outpatient treatment for substance abuse. Then, in February 2017, after learning of the FBI’s investigation, Moreland instructed the Drug Court Foundation’s director to destroy all documents and records relating to the cash payments that he had embezzled. Finally, in February 2018, at a time when he was on pre-trial release for the original charges, Moreland admitted that he attempted to tamper with a witness by suggesting to the Drug Court Foundation’s director that she lie to the grand jury investigating his conduct.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Nashville Resident Agency of the Memphis Division and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Lauren Bell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecil VanDevender of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Former Nashville General Sessions Judge Sentenced to Federal Prison for Obstruction and Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 30, 2018 – Former Davidson County General Sessions Judge Cason “Casey” Moreland, 61, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 44 months in prison, restitution of $18,000 and a forfeiture of $13,500 for obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and stealing money from an organization receiving federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowskiof the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Moreland pleaded guilty to five counts of a superseding indictment on May 24.
In pronouncing the sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw remarked, “Everyone, even judges, are subject to the rule of law."
Moreland was originally indicted in April 2017 and charged with five counts of obstruction of justice. This indictment resulted from an FBI investigation into whether Moreland solicited sexual favors in exchange for favorable judicial treatment while sitting as a General Sessions Court Judge in Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. According to admissions made in connection with Moreland’s plea agreement, in February 2017, Moreland became aware that he was a target of an investigation and took steps to try to obstruct it. Specifically, he devised a scheme to pay a material witness to sign a false affidavit recanting her previous statements, which implicated his criminal conduct in trading judicial favors for sex. He also devised a scheme to have drugs planted in the witness’s car, and then to have her stopped by police, so that she would be arrested and her credibility would be destroyed. Moreland carried out these schemes by using a burner phone registered in the name of “Raul Rodriguez” and communicating with an individual who subsequently became an informant, working at the direction of the FBI.
A superseding indictment returned on March 15, 2018, charged Moreland with five additional charges stemming from his involvement with the General Sessions Drug Treatment Court, a specialized court program designed to provide alternatives to incarceration for certain defendants. The work of the Drug Treatment Court was supported by a nonprofit entity called the Davidson County Drug Court Foundation (the “Drug Court Foundation”). Although Moreland did not have an official position with the Drug Court Foundation, he exercised de facto authority over the Drug Court Foundation’s operations.
Moreland also admitted that beginning in spring 2016, he began embezzling cash from the Drug Court Foundation by directing the Drug Court Foundation’s director to deliver to his office envelopes of cash that she had collected from individuals seeking outpatient treatment for substance abuse. Then, in February 2017, after learning of the FBI’s investigation, he instructed the Foundation’s director to destroy all documents and records relating to the cash payments that he had embezzled. Finally, in February 2018, at a time when he was on pre-trial release for the original charges, Moreland admitted that he attempted to tamper with a witness by suggesting to the Drug Court Foundation’s director that she lie to the grand jury investigating his conduct.
This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecil VanDevender of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Former Justice Department Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deceive U.S. Banks about Millions of Dollars in Foreign Lobbying FundsRead the Press Release
A former employee with the U.S. Department of Justice pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to deceive banks in the United States about the source and purpose of millions of dollars sent from overseas to finance a lobbying campaign on behalf of foreign interests, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
George Higginbotham, 46, of Washington, D.C., who was employed at the Justice Department as a Senior Congressional Affairs Specialist from July 2016 to August 2018, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements to a bank before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the District of Columbia.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, in 2017 Higginbotham helped facilitate the transfer of tens of millions of dollars from foreign bank accounts to accounts in the United States to finance a lobbying campaign to resolve civil and criminal matters related to the Department of Justice’s investigation of the embezzlement and bribery scheme concerning 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Higginbotham admitted that the foreign principal behind the lobbying campaign was alleged to be the primary architect of the 1MDB scheme. Higginbotham, as a Justice Department employee, played no role in any aspect of the investigation and failed to influence any aspect of the Department’s investigation of 1MDB. Higginbotham further admitted that another purpose of the lobbying campaign was an attempt to persuade high-level U.S. government officials to have a separate foreign national, who was residing in the United States on a temporary visa at the time, removed from the United States and sent back to his country of origin.
In order to conceal the identity of the foreign principal behind the lobbying campaign, Higginbotham admitted to conspiring to make false statements to financial institutions in the United States concerning the source and purpose of the funds. Higginbotham also admitted to working on various fake loan and consulting documents in order to deceive banks and other regulators about the true source and purpose of the money.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the case. Deputy Chief John Keller and Trial Attorneys Ryan Ellersick, James Mann, Sean Mulryne, and Nicole Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and Deputy Chief Woo Lee and Trial Attorney Joshua Sohn of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
Former Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Agent Pleads Guilty to PerjuryRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. - Yesterday, former United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Special Investigative Agent (SIA) Alfonso Jose Mendez Jr., 54, of Tucson, Ariz., pleaded guilty to perjury. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2019 before U.S. District Judge James A. Soto.
The SIA for a BOP facility is the individual responsible for supervising internal investigations into staff and inmate misconduct, intelligence gathering, and security threat analyses.
In his plea agreement, Mendez, admitted that while employed as the BOP SIA, he perjured himself during sworn oral testimony before an investigator for the Equal Opportunity Commission.
Under his plea agreement, Mendez faces up to 21 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys, Rosaleen O’Gara and Gordon E. Davenport III.
CASE NUMBER: CR-0260-JAS-DTF
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-163_ Mendez
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Flathead County man admits sexual exploitation chargeRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—Flathead County resident Allen Duane Turman, 43, pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court to sexual exploitation of a child, said U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme today.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided at the hearing.
Turman faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life supervised release. He is detained.
In October 2017, law enforcement received a call about a thumb drive that belonged to Turman. An analysis of files on the thumb drive found it contained a video of a girl who was under the age of 18 and that the video was created a year or two earlier in Kalispell. The video depicts the girl engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Other files on the device indicated that Turman had created the video.
When interviewed in August 2018, Turman said he was using drugs at the time and that his memory was poor. While he did not specifically recall making the video on the thumb drive, he did not dispute that he created it.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, the Billings Police Department and the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, which was launched in 2006 to combat the increase in technology-based crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. The project is implemented through partnerships including the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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Five Individuals Charged in Connection with Marriage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston, and Christopher W. Fonda, Supervisory Immigration Officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, today announced that five individuals have been charged with federal offenses related to their participation in fraudulent marriages so that non-U.S. citizens would receive U.S. immigration benefits.
On November 19, 2018, a federal grand jury returned indictments charging CARL JARRETT, 35, of Bridgeport; KENOL NOEL, 34, of Bridgeport; RICKY OWEN, 39, of Bridgeport, and MARVIN WILLIAMS, 59, of New York, New York, with submitting false immigration documents after entering multiple “marriages” with non-U.S. citizens and sponsoring those non-citizens’ applications for lawful permanent residence in the U.S., also known as “green card” status.
As alleged in the indictments, Jarrett, Noel and Owen each entered into two “marriages,” and in documents submitted in support of the green card applications of their second “spouses,” failed to disclose their prior marriages, and failed to disclose their having also sponsored green card applications for their first “spouses.” It is alleged that Williams entered a total of four such “marriages,” and sponsored the green card applications of all four “spouses.”
The grand jury also returned an indictment charging DWIGHT HENRY, 44, a citizen of Jamaica residing in Queens, New York, with conspiracy to commit immigration/marriage fraud, and making false statements in an immigration document. The indictment alleges that Henry conspired with Jodian Stephenson, of Bridgeport, and another individual, and entered into a sham marriage so that he could obtain green card status.
The five defendants were arrested this week. Jarrett, Williams and Henry are released under various bond conditions, and Noel and Owen are currently detained.
If convicted of the charges against them, Noel faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; Jarrett, Owen and Williams face a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and Henry faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
In June 2018, Stephenson was charged by indictment with leading a conspiracy to arrange several fraudulent marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Her case is pending.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, Office of Fraud Detection and National Security. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry K. Kopel.
Five Individuals Arrested in Far-Reaching Drug Conspiracy Cases, Weapons SeizedRead the Press Release
St. Louis – A team lead by the St. Louis Division of the DEA executed arrest warrants this morning in St. Louis and Los Angeles and took five individuals into custody for their involvement in two drug conspiracies which distributed large quantities of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine.
Christopher Bryant, Jr., 43, of St. Louis, MO, and Kelvis Smith, 51, Chicago, IL, are alleged to have been a part of a heroin and cocaine conspiracy during 2016-2017 and face prison terms of 10 years to life if convicted. Bryant is also accused of money laundering by negotiating by purchasing six cashier checks totaling $50,000 with the proceeds of illegal narcotics. Bryant was arrested this morning in St. Louis. In the course of the arrest, law enforcement seized four firearms, three long rifles and an assault rifle, from Bryant’s residence.
Eric White, 44, of St. Louis, MO; Jackson Uvalle, also known as “Stallion”, 30, of Diamond Bar, CA; Derrick Mitchell, 43, of St. Louis, MO; and Luis Piril, 29, of Los Angeles, CA; are alleged to have been a part of a fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine distribution ring that ran through March 2018. They also face terms of imprisonment of 10 years to life if convicted. White and Mitchell were arrested this morning in St. Louis. Uvalle and Piril were arrested this morning in the Los Angeles area.
The charges in the Indictment are only accusations and all the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
William Callahan, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA St. Louis Division said “the DEA and our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts are committed to expanding investigations beyond the Missouri state line and bringing offenders who deal in dangerous drugs in our community back to face justice.”
Inspector in Charge Craig Goldberg, who heads the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service which includes the St. Louis Field Office, stated, “Today’s arrests are a testament to the commitment of the Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners to protect postal employees, customers, and the public at large from those who attempt to use the nation’s mail system to traffic dangerous illegal narcotics.”
“Today’s arrests are a culmination of an extensive joint law enforcement effort to dismantle criminal enterprises that threaten the safety and security of the law-abiding public,” said James Gibbons, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations-Chicago.
In addition to the DEA St. Louis Division, the case was investigated by the United States Postal States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Kirkwood Police Department, the St. Charles Police Department, the St. Peters Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force. AUSA Beth Orwick is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
First Defendants in “Operation East Watch” Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
The first two defendants in a five-month operation focused on gun violence in the East Hill area of Kent, Washington were sentenced this week to significant prison terms, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. ANTHONY RIPLEY, 46, of Tacoma, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for drug and gun possession crimes. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted RIPLEY had spent much of his adult life in prison, and imposed five years of supervised release to follow the ten-year prison sentence.
“In the first half of 2018, there were 29 shots fired incidents in Kent’s East Hill neighborhood prompting law enforcement to launch a focused operation to address the problem,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Job one was to remove those who were committing crime most likely to result in additional violence. Led by ATF and local law enforcement partners, officers developed cases against eight defendants, most of whom were illegally armed as they dealt drugs in the area. As a result of the operation, eleven guns were seized from individuals whose criminal history made them ineligible to possess firearms.”
RIPLEY was involved in methamphetamine distribution while armed with two different firearms. When law enforcement searched his Tacoma home in June 2018, they recovered two handguns and discovered an illegal marijuana growing operation. RIPLEY has multiple prior felonies including a 1997 manslaughter conviction in Pierce County in connection with a gang shooting. He has prior state (1994) and federal (2006) convictions for distributing cocaine.
“It is ATF’s core commitment to protect the public from violent career offenders like Mr. Ripley, whose continued armed drug trafficking placed the community at risk and showed contempt for law and order,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants. “Sentences like this one aim to remove violent offenders from our communities and serve to deter others.”
“This is another great example of what can be accomplished when Federal Agencies like the ATF and local Law Enforcement agencies work together to address violent criminals in our communities,” said Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla. “My thanks to the task force agents and officers who conducted the investigation that led to this great outcome.”
Of the eight defendants arrested in Operation East Watch, seven have pleaded guilty and one has a change of plea hearing scheduled next week.
Eddie Tarik Musa Bell, Jr was sentenced November 26, 2018 to four years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
These defendants are awaiting sentencing:
Allen Betts III, 40, of Kent, pleaded guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Anthony Colbert, 48, of Seattle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Neal Stringer, 46, of Kent and Des Moines, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Devon Parramore, 50 of Kent, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
Mario Parra-Cetina, 28, of Kent, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and conspiracy to distribute heroin.
Kenyon Taylor, 39, of Federal Way, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing next week. He is currently charged with three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, DOJ leadership announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The operation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ (ATF) Puget Sound Regional Crime Gun Task Force and the Kent Police Department. The task force contains agents and officers from King County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Department of Corrections, Washington State Patrol, Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Marshals Service, Seattle Police Department, and Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amy Jaquette and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca. Ms. Manca is a Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute gun crimes in federal court.
Firearms Traffickers Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchase SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Maryland residents were sentenced to a combined 13 years in prison today for their respective roles in a firearms straw purchasing and trafficking scheme.
“Haddock is exactly the type of individual who poses a serious danger to the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Haddock’s criminal history includes first-degree assault for shooting a woman in the leg at a playground in an attempt to rob her, conspiracy to rob a bank, and he committed this straw purchasing scheme while on probation. Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we are committed to removing violent individuals like Haddock from our communities.”
According to court documents, between Dec. 3, 2017 and Jan. 6, 2018, Keith Haddock II, 26, Brittany Blanken, 25, and their co-conspirators illegally purchased 29 firearms during 11 separate transactions from federal firearms licensees at gun shows and gun stores in Virginia, using thousands of dollars of cash provided by Haddock. The straw purchasers immediately provided the firearms to Haddock, who, along with Blanken, transported the firearms into Washington, D.C. and Maryland and resold the firearms to other individuals. Haddock was unable to purchase the firearms himself or possess the firearms because he was previously convicted of two violent felonies in Montgomery County, Maryland.
“Firearm trafficking fuels violent gun crime in America,” said Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Straw purchases are not simply paperwork violations—they put guns in the hands of serious criminals that terrorize communities across the country. This case perfectly highlights that danger: 29 straw purchased firearms were delivered into the hands of a violent felon before making their way to the streets of D.C. and Maryland, where they will be used in an untold number of violent crimes.”
Haddock was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Blanken was sentenced to 3 years. At sentencing, the Court applied sentencing enhancements for the number of firearms involved and because Haddock and Blanken trafficked the firearms. Indeed, law enforcement in Maryland and Washington, D.C. have recovered approximately a dozen of the firearms unlawfully purchased during the scheme at crime scenes or in the unlawful possession of others. The other firearms involved have not been recovered.
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 a 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.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Williamson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-236.