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5 February 2019
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Law Enforcement Partners, and Community Leaders Announce Expansion of “Project EJECT” into HattiesburgRead the Press Release
Hattiesburg, Miss. – Today, Mike Hurst, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi, along with the Hattiesburg Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, local District Attorneys’ Offices, other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, community leaders, and many others, announced the expansion of an initiative to combat violent crime called "Project EJECT" into the City of Hattiesburg.
Launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi in December 2017 in the City of Jackson under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods ("PSN") initiative, Project EJECT is designed as an enhanced violent crime reduction program that incorporates decades of experience in bringing various levels of law enforcement together with stakeholders in the community, with the overall goal of producing a long-term, meaningful reduction in and prevention of violent crime.
In expanding the initiative into other parts of the Southern District of Mississippi, Project EJECT will now stand for: "Empower Justice Expel Crime Together."
Joined by law enforcement, community, faith-based, non-profit, and business leaders in Hattiesburg, U.S. Attorney Hurst described the project as a multi-disciplinary, holistic approach that combines law enforcement arrests and prosecutions of violent criminals with prevention efforts, rehabilitation and reentry, educational initiatives, and improved communication.
"Today, we are excited about this new partnership with the Hattiesburg Police Department, our local District Attorneys, other law enforcement, our community, and most importantly our citizens, all coming together to combat and prevent violent crime in our Hub City. By empowering our neighbors, our churches, our schools, our businesses, and others, we will achieve justice. By expelling crime, we will make Hattiesburg safer. By working together, we will benefit all.
"The message to violent criminals in Hattiesburg is simple - if you violate our laws and terrorize our neighborhoods, you will be ejected from our community. In the federal system, we will immediately lock you up, we will move to detain you without bond, and you will serve a significant prison sentence without parole," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
"But, there is also hope. If you break the law and are ejected, there is grace on the other side. After you serve your sentence, choose to be rehabilitated, follow the law, and re-enter society as a law-abiding citizen. The ultimate goal of Project EJECT is a safer Mississippi for everyone."
The mission of Project EJECT is to reduce violent crime and make Hattiesburg neighborhoods safer for all to enjoy. Part of the project will include discussions with the public and encouraging communities to help law enforcement in this effort, as well as communicating to the criminals that they will be prosecuted and punished for gun crimes and violent crimes. The Project will also seek to support locally-based efforts to stop violence and crimes before they occur and to help those who have been punished to reenter society as law-abiding citizens.
Project EJECT is comprised of a number of federal law enforcement agencies, as well as task force officers from various state and local investigative agencies, who will interact regularly with the Hattiesburg Police Department and District Attorneys’ Offices to identify and respond to violent crimes when they occur. Cases arising from these crimes will then be presented to the local District Attorneys’ Offices and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
For the first time ever, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is specifically dedicating an Assistant United States Attorney in Jackson to prosecute violent crime in the City of Hattiesburg under this project.
"When criminals actively engage in violent drug and firearms crime in our communities, ATF will use all its resources to stop them," said Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols, ATF New Orleans Field Division. "One resource is ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers. These CGICs, in partnership with law enforcement, help identify active armed violent offenders for investigation to stop the violence. Make no mistake, ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep our neighborhoods safe and take those individuals off our streets who would do harm to our citizens."
Today, U.S. Attorney Hurst announced the indictment and arrest of seven defendants under Project EJECT in and around Hattiesburg:
Jerry Ingram, 59, of Hattiesburg - charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon;
Christopher Harper, 40, of Hattiesburg - charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Randy Chavis, 27, of Lumberton - charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking crime;
Adrian Parker, 37, of Hattiesburg - charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Mike Smith, 41, of Hattiesburg - charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Lydia Walters, 34, of Hattiesburg - charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
Jessie Hunter, 29, of Hattiesburg - charged with sale of firearm to a convicted felon.
Project EJECT follows a directive from former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to the U.S. Department of Justice to reinvigorate DOJ’s Project Safe Neighborhoods with the intent to reduce the rising tide of violent crime in America. Project EJECT is the Southern District of Mississippi’s PSN initiative specifically tailored to address violent crime throughout the district.
In December 2018, at the 2018 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) National Conference, Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker presented the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi and its law enforcement partners with the award for Outstanding Overall Partnership/Task Force for Project EJECT. Only 16 awards were given during the annual PSN National Conference, which recognize individuals and groups for their dedication and contribution to the success of PSN. Project EJECT was one of only two recognized as the best partnerships or task forces in the nation.
In expanding Project EJECT into Hattiesburg, the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to lead the Project, with First Assistant U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca and Criminal Chief Courtney Coker guiding the taskforce initially, Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Eichner in Jackson serving as the primary prosecutor for violent cases under Project EJECT in Hattiesburg, long-time Assistant U.S. Attorney Annette Williams in Gulfport serving as a senior advisor and prosecutor, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Candace Mayberry in Jackson serving as the Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator for the entire Southern District of Mississippi.
U.S. Attorneys Issue Warnings to Opioid PrescribersRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced today that their offices, in coordination with federal and state law enforcement agencies, have sent notification letters to numerous medical professionals around Wisconsin cautioning them about their opioid prescribing practices. These letters are part of a broader federal and state effort to reduce the number of people becoming addicted to opioids.
This week, the U.S. Attorneys have sent letters to over 180 physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners advising that a review of their prescribing practices showed that they were prescribing opioids at relatively high levels compared to other prescribers. The letters warn that these prescribing practices may be contributing to the flow of prescription opioids into illegal markets and fueling dangerous addictions. Although the letters acknowledge that the prescriptions may be medically appropriate, the letters remind the practitioners that prescribing opioids without a legitimate medical purpose could subject them to enforcement action, including criminal prosecution. The names of the practitioners will not be released.
The harm caused by opioid over-prescribing and abuse is staggering. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for persons under 50 in the United States. In 2014, an average of 78 people died each day of a drug overdose. By 2017, that figure had risen to 114 deaths per day, and to more than 130 deaths per day in 2018. Nearly 70% of the more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in 2017 involved an opioid. In Wisconsin alone, 916 people died of opioid overdoses in 2017. Opioid-related deaths now exceed automobile deaths in the state.
Of current heroin users, the majority began their descent into addiction by abusing prescription opioids. Whether an opioid addict begins by receiving a prescription from a physician, by sharing pills with a friend, or by exploring the family medicine cabinet, opioid abusers eventually turn to the street drug market. In Wisconsin, opioids prevalent in street drug markets include Oxycodone and Hydrocodone diverted from clinics and pharmacies through fraudulent, reckless, and negligent over-prescribing. Addicts looking to buy prescription opioids from street drug markets increasingly receive counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and other deadly synthetic opioids—a recent phenomenon that has fueled dramatic increases in overdose deaths.
The notification letters urge the practitioners to take stock of their prescribing practices and to acquaint themselves with enclosed guidelines for safe and legal opioid prescribing issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Wisconsin Medical Examining Board. The letters also remind practitioners that Wisconsin law requires them to use the Wisconsin Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to assess a patient’s prescription history before prescribing narcotic drugs.
Additional information may be found here:
- CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/guideline.html
- Wisconsin Medical Examining Board Opioid Prescribing Guideline: https://dsps.wi.gov/Documents/BoardCouncils/MED/20180321MEBGuidelinesv8. pdf
“We know that for many, addiction began with opioids prescribed by a medical professional,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “By sending these letters, we are asking medical professionals to join the fight against addiction and ensure they prescribe no more opioids than are necessary.”
“Opioid addiction has touched the lives of far too many families in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Blader. “Medical professionals play a pivotal role in stemming the flow of legal opioids into unlawful channels. Today, we are asking the medical community to help prevent addictions before they start.”
The notification letters were sent as part of a broader effort by state and federal law enforcement agencies to address the opioid epidemic. Efforts to combat opioid abuse are yielding results. Nationally, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”)’s National Prescription Audit, opioid prescriptions were down nearly 12% for the first eight months of 2018 from the same period a year earlier. In Wisconsin, the federal and state partners participating in this notification effort include the DEA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
U.S. Attorneys Issue Warnings to Opioid PrescribersRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Scott C. Blader, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced today that their offices, in coordination with federal and state law enforcement agencies, have sent notification letters to numerous medical professionals around Wisconsin cautioning them about their opioid prescribing practices. These letters are part of a broader federal and state effort to reduce the number of people becoming addicted to opioids.This week, the U.S. Attorneys have sent letters to over 180 physicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners advising that a review of their prescribing practices showed that they were prescribing opioids at relatively high levels compared to other prescribers. The letters warn that these prescribing practices may be contributing to the flow of prescription opioids into illegal markets and fueling dangerous addictions. Although the letters acknowledge that the prescriptions may be medically appropriate, the letters remind the practitioners that prescribing opioids without a legitimate medical purpose could subject them to enforcement action, including criminal prosecution. The names of the practitioners will not be released.
The harm caused by opioid over-prescribing and abuse is staggering. Drug overdoses are the leading cause of death for persons under 50 in the United States. In 2014, an average of 78 people died each day of a drug overdose. By 2017, that figure had risen to 114 deaths per day, and to more than 130 deaths per day in 2018. Nearly 70% of the more than 70,200 drug overdose deaths in 2017 involved an opioid. In Wisconsin alone, 916 people died of opioid overdoses in 2017. Opioid-related deaths now exceed automobile deaths in the state.
Of current heroin users, the majority began their descent into addiction by abusing prescription opioids. Whether an opioid addict begins by receiving a prescription from a physician, by sharing pills with a friend, or by exploring the family medicine cabinet, opioid abusers eventually turn to the street drug market. In Wisconsin, opioids prevalent in street drug markets include Oxycodone and Hydrocodone diverted from clinics and pharmacies through fraudulent, reckless, and negligent over-prescribing. Addicts looking to buy prescription opioids from street drug markets increasingly receive counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl and other deadly synthetic opioids—a recent phenomenon that has fueled dramatic increases in overdose deaths.
The notification letters urge the practitioners to take stock of their prescribing practices and to acquaint themselves with enclosed guidelines for safe and legal opioid prescribing issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Wisconsin Medical Examining Board. The letters also remind practitioners that Wisconsin law requires them to use the Wisconsin Prescription Drug Monitoring Program to assess a patient’s prescription history before prescribing narcotic drugs.
Additional information may be found here:
- CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/prescribing/guideline.html
- Wisconsin Medical Examining Board Opioid Prescribing Guideline: https://dsps.wi.gov/Documents/BoardCouncils/MED/20180321MEBGuidelinesv8.pdf
“We know that for many, addiction began with opioids prescribed by a medical professional,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “By sending these letters, we are asking medical professionals to join the fight against addiction and ensure they prescribe no more opioids than are necessary.”
“Opioid addiction has touched the lives of far too many families in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Blader. “Medical professionals play a pivotal role in stemming the flow of legal opioids into unlawful channels. Today, we are asking the medical community to help prevent addictions before they start.”
The notification letters were sent as part of a broader effort by state and federal law enforcement agencies to address the opioid epidemic. Efforts to combat opioid abuse are yielding results. Nationally, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”)’s National Prescription Audit, opioid prescriptions were down nearly 12% for the first eight months of 2018 from the same period a year earlier. In Wisconsin, the federal and state partners participating in this notification effort include the DEA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
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For Additional Information Contact:
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Matthew D. Krueger
Public Information Officer Kenneth B. Gales – (414) 297-1700
United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin Scott C. Blader
Public Information Officer Myra Longfield – (608) 250-5461
U.S. Attorney says Wheeling Police Chief’s new role is great newsRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA –United States Attorney Bill Powell is applauding the news that Wheeling Police Chief Shawn Schwertfeger will now sit on the executive board of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
“Appalachia HIDTA serves a vital role in our fight against the drug epidemic, providing much-needed funding to our task forces. It’s only fitting to have Chief Schwertfeger sit on this team, with his years of law enforcement expertise and experience. As a member of the executive board myself, I believe the chief is a great addition to an already great group of people fighting the good fight,” said Powell.
The AHIDTA Executive Board provides executive leadership and direction on a multitude of issues pertaining to drug law enforcement throughout the Appalachia HIDTA area of responsibility which includes 90 designated counties in Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee and Virginia.
The High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). A component of the Executive Office of the President, ONDCP was created by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988. ONDCP advises the President on drug-control issues, coordinates drug-control activities and related funding across the Federal government, and produces the annual National Drug Control Strategy, which outlines Administration efforts to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences.
U.S. Attorney Minkler highlights continuity of operations during the appropriations lapseRead the Press Release
Indianapolis – Josh J. Minkler, the United States Attorney, announced today that operations at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Indiana (USAO-SDIN) continued during the appropriations lapse and recognized the important contributions made by USAO staff and investigative agents. The significant case-related accomplishments below, among others, underline the government’s dedication to mission as described by the United States Attorney in the USAO Strategic Plan.
- United States v. Jimmy Mitchell. Mitchell, a Boonville man found guilty of production and possession of sexually explicit material involving a minor following trial in August 2018, was sentenced to 40-years’ imprisonment. The collaborative investigation was led by the Evansville FBI Safe Streets Task Force Child Exploitation Section in partnership with the Warrick County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecution by Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Kyle Sawa.
- United States v. Neiko Currie and United States v. Howard Sawyer. Two inmates at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons sentenced to 30 and 120 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for possession of contraband (Currie) and assaulting a federal officer (Sawyer). Prosecution by AUSA James Warden.
- United States v. Bradley Gulledge. Federal charges including being a felon in possession of firearm, to-wit: a Taurus 9mm handgun, a Ruger 40 caliber handgun, model SR40, a MAADI AK47 semiautomatic rifle, and the distribution of 50 or more grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Prosecution by AUSA Pamela Domash.
- United States v. Austin Greene. Federal charges including conspiracy to steal firearms from a Federal Firearms Licensee and being an unlawful user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm, to-wit: a Beretta 9mm semiautomatic handgun. Prosecution by AUSA Pamela Domash.
- United States v. Teria Anderson. Anderson was convicted following a trial by jury in the Indianapolis Division of the United States Attorney’s Office, of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, to-wit: a Superior Arms S-15 S.56 rifle, a Marlin lever-action rifle, a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handfun, following a trial by jury. Prosecution by Senior Litigation Counsel (SLC) and Lead Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Attorney Bradley Blackington and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Babbs.
- United States v. Sevon Thomas. Thomas was convicted following a trial by jury in the New Albany Division of the United States Attorney’s Office, charged with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine and Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime. Prosecution by AUSAs Lauren Wheatley and Frank Dahl.
- United States v. Quinones. Quinones pled guilty to Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500+ grams of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841 and 846, and to laundering monetary instruments, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956. No sentencing date has been set yet. Prosecution by AUSA Michelle Brady.
- United States v. Craig Nichols. Nichols, the Building Commissioner for the city of Muncie, was sentenced to 24-months’ imprisonment and was ordered to pay $217,500 in restitution to the City of Muncie, Muncie Sanitary District, and Dannar Construction.
- United States v. Hector Castro-Aguirre, et.al. Four defendants were sentenced for their involvement in a multi-state conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Hector Castro-Aguirre and Rafael Rojas-Reyes, both members of the Sinaloa Cartel, were sentenced to life imprisonment under the Continuing Criminal Enterprise statute, which is also known as the “drug kingpin statute.” John Ramirez-Prado, a drug courier for the organization, was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. Jose Manuel Carrillo-Tremillo, the leader of a cocaine trafficking cell operating in Reading, Pennsylvania and Queens, New York, was sentenced to 215 months’ imprisonment. Prosecution by SLC and Lead OCDETF Attorney Bradley Blackington.
- United States v. Richard Conn. Conn was sentenced to 24-months’ imprisonment following his conviction for possession of and manufacturing a homemade silencer, in violation of the National Firearms Act (NFA). Prosecution by AUSA Jeff Preston.
- United States v. Vines. Vines was convicted on January 28, 2019 following a trial by jury in the Indianapolis Division of the United States Attorney’s Office. Charges involve sex trafficking of a minor child, transportation of that child across state lines for the purpose of trafficking her, as well as involvement in an organization that promoted the prostitution of other women. Prosecution by AUSAs Kristina Korobov and Lawrence Hilton.
- United States v. Jorge Tadeo, et al. and United States v. Cristian Gutierrez-Alvarez, et al. Twenty defendants have been indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846. Prosecution by SLC and Lead OCDETF Attorney Bradley Blackington.
- The USAO also announces that 205 defendants were prosecuted in Indianapolis under the umbrella of the Department’s reinvigorated Project Safe Neighborhoods 2.0 initiative. The Drug and Violent Crime Unit who handled these prosecutions is led by Deputy Chief Barry Glickman and is comprised of the following AUSAs: William McCoskey, Jeff Preston, Peter Blackett, Pamela Domash, Lawrence Hilton, Jeremy Morris, Kyle Sawa, Amanda Kester, and Abhishek Kambli.
An Information or Indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Tyler County woman indicted on threat chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Taryn Corinne Henthorn, of Middlebourne, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand today on threat charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Henthorn, age 25, was indicted on three counts of “Threatening to Kill the President of the United States.” Henthorn is accused of threatening on Facebook and elsewhere to kill President Donald Trump in January 2019 in Tyler County.
Henthorn faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The United States Secret Service investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Wheeling residents indicted for making and distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Randy Lee Donahue, Jr., and Lauren Hedges, both of Wheeling, West Virginia, were indicted by a federal grand today on drug charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Donahue, age 37, and Hedges, age 26, were both indicted on one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine,” one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine within 1,000 Feet of a Protected Location,” and one count of “Aiding and Abetting Maintaining Drug-Involved Premises.” Donahue was also indicted on one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm” and one count of “Possession of Firearm with Obliterated Serial Number.”
Donahue and Hedges are accused of manufacturing, storing and distributing methamphetamine from an apartment located at 97 16th Street in Wheeling, within 1,000 feet of Wheeling Central Catholic High School in November 2018. Donahue, a convicted felon, is also accused of possessing a 9mm pistol and two .22 caliber revolvers with an obliterated serial numbers.
Donahue and Hedges each face up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,00,000 for the conspiracy count, not less than one and up to 40 years incarceration for the protected location count, and up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $500,000 for the premises count. Donahue also faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the unlawful possession charge and faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the obliterated serial number charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen L. Vogrin is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; and the Ohio Valley Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Top Executive at Long Island Mortgage Lender Pleads Guilty to $8.9 Million FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today in federal court in Central Islip, New York, Edward E. Bohm, President of Sales and an undisclosed owner of Long Island mortgage lender Vanguard Funding, LLC (Vanguard), pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with the illegal diversion of more than $8.9 million of warehouse loans that Vanguard had obtained to fund mortgages. The guilty plea was entered before United States District Judge Sandra J. Feuerstein. When sentenced, Bohm faces up to 30 years in prison, as well as restitution, criminal forfeiture and a fine.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and Linda A. Lacewell, Acting Superintendent, New York State Department of Financial Services, announced the guilty plea.
According to court filings and the facts presented at the plea proceedings, between August 2015 and March 2017, Bohm engaged in a scheme in which he and others obtained warehouse, or short-term, loans for Vanguard by falsely representing that Vanguard would use the proceeds of those loans to fund mortgages or provide mortgage refinancing for Vanguard’s clients. Once Vanguard received the loans, however, Bohm, along with others diverted the monies to pay personal expenses and compensation, and to pay off loans they had previously obtained with fraudulent loan submissions for improper purposes.
Earlier, in 2018, Vanguard’s Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Financial Officer entered guilty pleas in connection with this fraud and were sentenced to terms of incarceration.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Whitman G.S. Knapp and Elizabeth Losey Macchiaverna are handling the prosecution with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Laura Mantell of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section.
The Defendant:
EDWARD E. BOHM
Age: 41
Residence: Nissequogue, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-036 (SJF)
Three Individuals Indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of a
16-count indictment charging Deborah Pierre (31, Haines City), Billy Altidor (28, Wellington), and Evanie Louis (26, Wellington) with conspiracy to commit theft of government property, theft of government property, and aggravated identity theft. Each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for each theft charge, 5 years’ imprisonment on each conspiracy charge, and a minimum mandatory consecutive penalty of 2 years for the aggravated identity theft charge. The indictment also notifies the individuals that the United States is seeking a money judgment of $91,749.30, the proceeds of the alleged conspiracy.According to the indictment, Louis and Altidor conspired among themselves, and with others, to commit stolen identity refund fraud. The conspirators used stolen identities to file false tax returns and then directed the fraudulently obtained tax refunds to be deposited into accounts that they controlled. In addition, they activated debit cards and bank accounts using the stolen identities and received the fraudulently claimed tax refunds in those accounts.
Louis, Alitdor, and Pierre also conspired among themselves, and with others, to use stolen identities to access the MySocialSecurity system and redirect Social Security benefit payments to accounts controlled by the conspirators.
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 Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Department of the Treasury Office of the Inspector General. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
St. Albans Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Social Security Income BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Joseph McLaughlin entered a guilty plea to the felony offense of fraudulently obtaining Social Security Administration benefits, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. McLaughlin, 38, of St. Albans, West Virginia faces up to 5 years of incarceration when he is sentenced on May 7, 2019. He will also be required to pay restitution to the United States Treasury. The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and the Social Security Administration.
“Fraudsters that rip off social security get no sympathy from me,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Many seniors rely on social security and a strained system is only more strained when illegal benefits are wrongfully claimed. McLaughlin stole more than $121,000 in social security benefits. This is a terrible story of greed and entitlement and it just goes to prove that it only takes one bad apple to ruin an orchard.”
McLaughlin applied for Title II Social Security Administration benefits in 2007 for the care of a child as the child’s representative payee. These Social Security representative payee benefits are based on income and living arrangements and create a duty on the recipient to report a change in living arrangements. There is also a requirement that the SSA money received actually be used for the well-being of the child. McLaughlin indicated that the child resided with him and he used the SSA benefits for the child’s care. In fact, McLaughlin’s child had moved out in 2011 and was no longer residing with him. The absence of the child would have ended the amount of money he was receiving every month from the Social Security Administration as the child’s representative payee. From April 2011 through February 2017, McLaughlin received at least $121,436 in Social Security benefits in excess of the amount he was due and that were not spent on the child. On August 15, 2017, McLaughlin gave a detailed statement to federal investigators with the OIG. McLaughlin admitted that he was receiving money that he was not entitled to receive and that the child had moved out of the home in 2011.
Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled the prosecution. United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver Jr. presided over the hearing.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
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South Florida Resident Convicted of $100 Million International Fraud Scheme that Led to Collapse of One of Puerto Rico’s Largest BanksRead the Press Release
A Key Biscayne, Florida resident was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury for his role in a $100 million scheme to defraud Westernbank of Puerto Rico (Westernbank); the losses triggered a series of events leading to Westernbank’s insolvency and ultimate collapse. The defendant was also convicted of a $3 million scheme to defraud Mellon United National Bank of Miami (Mellon Bank).
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida, Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Michael De Palma of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) for Miami and Puerto Rico, Special Agent in Charge Iván J. Arvelo of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Juan and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Leff of the FBI’s San Juan, Puerto Rico Field Office made the announcement.
Jack Kachkar, 55, was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution after a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham of the Southern District of Florida. Kachkar is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Graham on April 30, 2019.
“Jack Kachkar engineered a massive fraud scheme that led directly to the failure of a major Puerto Rican bank with more than 1,500 employees,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “I want to commend the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners for their tireless work investigating this complex case and holding the defendant to account for these crimes.”
“Jack Kachkar’s fraud caused substantial harm to the 1,500 employees of Westernbank and the people of Puerto Rico,” said U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to the prosecution of those individuals and corporations that use Miami and other South Florida communities as their base to operate multinational fraud schemes.”
“Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for orchestrating fraudulent schemes that resulted in more than $100 million in losses to insured institutions and the FDIC as receiver,” said Inspector General Lerner. “The FDIC Office of Inspector General remains committed to investigate cases of deception and swindles that undermine the integrity of financial institutions, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who commit such offenses.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation will always pursue investigations like this where Mr. Kachkar, for his own personal benefit, orchestrated such a large scheme at the expense of one of Puerto Rico’s largest banks and its 1,500 employees,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Palma. “This investigation shows that the appearance of success can be a mask for a tangled financial web of lies, and we are proud to be part of the prosecution team that is bringing Mr. Kachkar to justice.”
“HSI San Juan will continue working with our local, state and federal partners to investigate and prosecute these types of cases as well as those involving violations to the more than 400 federal statutes that we investigate, “ said HSI Special Agent in Charge Arvelo. “This man was responsible for one of the largest fraud schemes ever recorded in the banking business in Puerto Rico and he will pay the consequences.”
“This defendant’s greed was powerful enough to destroy a bank, taking with it the jobs of approximately 1,500 hard working citizens of Puerto Rico,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Leff. “The FBI thanks the US Attorney’s Office for sending an equally strong message that most fraud schemes will eventually lead to a prison cell.”
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2005 to 2007, Kachkar served as chairman and CEO of Inyx Inc., a publicly traded multinational pharmaceutical manufacturing company. Beginning in early 2005, Kachkar caused Westernbank to enter into a series of loan agreements in exchange for a security interest in the assets of Inyx and its subsidiaries. Under the loan agreements, Westernbank agreed to advance money based on Inyx’s customer invoices from “actual and bona fide” sales to Inyx customers, the evidence showed.
The trial evidence showed that Kachkar orchestrated a scheme to defraud Westernbank by causing numerous Inyx employees to make tens of millions of dollars worth of fake customer invoices purportedly payable by customers in the United Kingdom, Sweden and elsewhere. Kachkar caused these invoices to be presented to Westernbank as valid invoices. Kachkar made false and fraudulent representations to Westernbank executives about purported and imminent repayments from lenders in the United Kingdom, Norway, Libya and elsewhere in order to lull Westernbank into continuing to lend money to Inyx, the evidence showed. In fact, these lenders had not agreed to repay Westernbank’s loan. Kachkar made false and fraudulent representations to Westernbank executives that he had additional collateral, including purported mines in Mexico and Canada worth hundreds of millions of dollars, to induce Westernbank to lend additional funds, the evidence showed. In fact, this additional collateral was worth barely a fraction of that represented by Kachkar.
During the course of the scheme, Kachkar caused Westernbank to lend approximately $142 million, primarily based on false and fraudulent customer invoices. The evidence showed that the defendant diverted tens of millions of dollars for his own personal benefit, including for the purchase of, among other things, a private jet, luxury homes in Key Biscayne and Brickell, Miami, luxury cars, luxury hotel stays, and extravagant jewelry and clothing expenditures.
In or around June 2007, Westernbank declared the loan in default and ultimately suffered losses exceeding $100 million on the Inyx loans. According to trial evidence, these losses later triggered a series of events leading to Westernbank’s insolvency and ultimate collapse. At the time of its collapse, Westernbank had approximately 1,500 employees and was one of the largest banks in Puerto Rico.
In addition, the evidence showed, Kachkar knowingly deposited a $3 million check at Mellon Bank from the purported sale of his private jet. At the time of its deposit, based on the evidence presented, Kachkar knew that the check was worthless. In fact, the defendant agreed to sell his plane to a different buyer. After receiving a provisional credit for the check from Mellon Bank, the defendant wired out all of the provisional credit, including a $1 million wire to Kachkar’s personal account in Canada. Upon Mellon Bank’s request to reverse this $1 million wire, Kachkar refused to do so, resulting in at least a $1 million loss to Mellon Bank, the evidence showed.
This matter was investigated by the FDIC-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI and FBI. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Michael O’Neill of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger of the Southern District of Florida.
South Florida Resident Convicted of $100 Million International Fraud Scheme that Led to Collapse of One of Puerto Rico’s Largest BanksRead the Press Release
A Key Biscayne, Florida resident was found guilty yesterday by a federal jury for his role in a $100 million scheme to defraud Westernbank of Puerto Rico (Westernbank); the losses triggered a series of events leading to Westernbank’s insolvency and ultimate collapse. The defendant was also convicted of a $3 million scheme to defraud Mellon United National Bank of Miami (Mellon Bank).
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, Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Special Agent in Charge Michael J. De Palma of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) for Miami and Puerto Rico, Special Agent in Charge Iván J. Arvelo of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Juan and Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Leff of the FBI’s San Juan, Puerto Rico Field Office made the announcement.
Jack Kachkar, 55, was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution after a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge Donald L. Graham of the Southern District of Florida. Kachkar is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Graham on April 30, 2019.
“Jack Kachkar’s fraud caused substantial harm to the 1,500 employees of Westernbank and the people of Puerto Rico,” said U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to the prosecution of those individuals and corporations that use Miami and other South Florida communities as their base to operate multinational fraud schemes.”
“Jack Kachkar engineered a massive fraud scheme that led directly to the failure of a major Puerto Rican bank with more than 1,500 employees,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “I want to commend the prosecutors and our law enforcement partners for their tireless work investigating this complex case and holding the defendant to account for these crimes.”
“Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for orchestrating fraudulent schemes that resulted in more than $100 million in losses to insured institutions and the FDIC as receiver,” said Inspector General Lerner. “The FDIC Office of Inspector General remains committed to investigate cases of deception and swindles that undermine the integrity of financial institutions, and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who commit such offenses.”
“IRS Criminal Investigation will always pursue investigations like this where Mr. Kachkar, for his own personal benefit, orchestrated such a large scheme at the expense of one of Puerto Rico’s largest banks and its 1,500 employees,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge De Palma. “This investigation shows that the appearance of success can be a mask for a tangled financial web of lies, and we are proud to be part of the prosecution team that is bringing Mr. Kachkar to justice.”
“HSI San Juan will continue working with our local, state and federal partners to investigate and prosecute these types of cases as well as those involving violations to the more than 400 federal statutes that we investigate, “ said HSI Special Agent in Charge Arvelo. “This man was responsible for one of the largest fraud schemes ever recorded in the banking business in Puerto Rico and he will pay the consequences.”
“This defendant’s greed was powerful enough to destroy a bank, taking with it the jobs of approximately 1,500 hard working citizens of Puerto Rico,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Leff. “The FBI thanks the US Attorney’s Office for sending an equally strong message that most fraud schemes will eventually lead to a prison cell.”
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2005 to 2007, Kachkar served as chairman and CEO of Inyx Inc., a publicly traded multinational pharmaceutical manufacturing company. Beginning in early 2005, Kachkar caused Westernbank to enter into a series of loan agreements in exchange for a security interest in the assets of Inyx and its subsidiaries. Under the loan agreements, Westernbank agreed to advance money based on Inyx’s customer invoices from “actual and bona fide” sales to Inyx customers, the evidence showed.
The trial evidence showed that Kachkar orchestrated a scheme to defraud Westernbank by causing numerous Inyx employees to make tens of millions of dollars worth of fake customer invoices purportedly payable by customers in the United Kingdom, Sweden and elsewhere. Kachkar caused these invoices to be presented to Westernbank as valid invoices. Kachkar made false and fraudulent representations to Westernbank executives about purported and imminent repayments from lenders in the United Kingdom, Norway, Libya and elsewhere in order to lull Westernbank into continuing to lend money to Inyx, the evidence showed. In fact, these lenders had not agreed to repay Westernbank’s loan. Kachkar made false and fraudulent representations to Westernbank executives that he had additional collateral, including purported mines in Mexico and Canada worth hundreds of millions of dollars, to induce Westernbank to lend additional funds, the evidence showed. In fact, this additional collateral was worth barely a fraction of that represented by Kachkar.
During the course of the scheme, Kachkar caused Westernbank to lend approximately $142 million, primarily based on false and fraudulent customer invoices. The evidence showed that the defendant diverted tens of millions of dollars for his own personal benefit, including for the purchase of, among other things, a private jet, luxury homes in Key Biscayne and Brickell, Miami, luxury cars, luxury hotel stays, and extravagant jewelry and clothing expenditures.
In or around June 2007, Westernbank declared the loan in default and ultimately suffered losses exceeding $100 million on the Inyx loans. According to trial evidence, these losses later triggered a series of events leading to Westernbank’s insolvency and ultimate collapse. At the time of its collapse, Westernbank had approximately 1,500 employees and was one of the largest banks in Puerto Rico.
In addition, the evidence showed, Kachkar knowingly deposited a $3 million check at Mellon Bank from the purported sale of his private jet. At the time of its deposit, based on the evidence presented, Kachkar knew that the check was worthless. In fact, the defendant agreed to sell his plane to a different buyer. After receiving a provisional credit for the check from Mellon Bank, the defendant wired out all of the provisional credit, including a $1 million wire to Kachkar’s personal account in Canada. Upon Mellon Bank’s request to reverse this $1 million wire, Kachkar refused to do so, resulting in at least a $1 million loss to Mellon Bank, the evidence showed.
This matter was investigated by the FDIC-OIG, IRS-CI, HSI and FBI. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support in the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael N. Berger of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorney Michael O’Neill of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
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.
South Florida Pain Management Doctor Convicted of 11 Counts of Illegally Dispensing Opioid DrugsRead the Press Release
Dr. Jeanne E. Germeil, 55, of Aventura, Florida was convicted by a federal jury, on January 31, 2019, of eleven counts of dispensing controlled substances, opioid pain medications, without a legitimate medical purpose.
U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division made the announcement.
“Physicians, such as Dr. Jeanne Germeil, who dispense pain medications without a legitimate medical purpose fuel the opioid epidemic,” stated U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute those medical professionals who seek to profit off of a public health crisis.”
“Dr. Germeil’s conviction clearly illustrates the consequences of what could happen when medical professionals misuse their authority and dispense narcotics illegally,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Adolphus P. Wright. “The DEA remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to rid our communities of these rogue medical professionals who have violated the trust of many.”
According to evidence admitted at trial, Dr. Germeil ran Germeil Medical, Inc., a family medicine and pain management clinic, in North Miami Beach, Florida. Beginning in or around March 2016 and continuing through November 2017, Dr. Germeil prescribed controlled opioid pain medication to patients. The true and intended purpose of the consultations was to improperly issue prescriptions to patients for opioids, such as Hydromorphone, Oxycodone, and Oxycodone-Acetaminophen, in exchange for cash, cash co-pays, and other payments. Pursuant to Dr. Germeil’s instructions, office staff were required to obtain an MRI from patients to create a façade of legitimacy before an office consult. After passing the gate-keeping function, Dr. Germeil prescribed opioids at levels consistent with treating end of life, cancer, and terminally ill patients and maintained those prescription levels throughout the duration of the patient visits.
Between February 1, 2016 and September 26, 2017, Dr. Germeil wrote 13,759 prescriptions to patients for 1,458,727 units of Hydromorphone, Oxycodone, and/or Oxycodone-Acetaminophen. Dr. Germeil was not providing a medically meaningful consultation but was in fact acting outside the scope of her professional practice and without legitimate medical purpose.
Dr. Germeil is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ursula M. Ungaro on April 9, at 2:00 p.m. in Miami.
U.S. Attorney Fajardo Orshan commended the investigation conducted by the DEA and the Aventura Police Department, City of Miami Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami Gardens Police Department, North Miami Beach Department and Florida Department of Health’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, E-FORCSE. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy R. Camacho and Kurt Lunkenheimer of the Southern District of Florida.
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.
Skilled Nursing Facility Management Company Agrees to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – February 5, 2019 - Tennessee Health Management, Inc. (“THM”) has agreed to pay $9,764,107.98 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. The alleged conduct involved the submission of false claims for payment to TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid Program, related to nursing facility services to TennCare beneficiaries.
"Enforcement of the False Claims Act remains a priority of the Department of Justice and this Office,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “When violations are discovered, corporations should seek to immediately cooperate and resolve the allegations and minimize future risks, as THM has done here.”
TennCare requires that a placement evaluation be conducted and certified by a physician for each patient entering a nursing home. This settlement resolves allegations by the United States and the State of Tennessee that during the period of January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2017, THM submitted pre-admission evaluations with photocopied or pre-signed physician signatures on the required certifications for claims rendered to TennCare beneficiaries at its associated Tennessee skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities. THM operates 27 skilled nursing facilities in the State of Tennessee.
"The cooperation between our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and our federal partners in investigations such as this is critical in the pursuit of false claims, to ensure the vulnerable members of our community receive the quality of care they need and deserve," says TBI Director David Rausch.
Under the terms of the settlement, the United States will receive $5,455,207.13 and the State of Tennessee will receive $4,308,900.85. THM will also enter into a Corporate Integrity Agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General.
This matter was investigated by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation-Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee. The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah K. Bogni. The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Rochester Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD – William Bailey, 56, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November of 2016 Bailey pawned a Ruger .22 caliber rifle at a federally licensed firearms dealer in Rochester, New Hampshire. Bailey previously had been convicted of attempted armed robbery in Georgia in 2011. As a convicted felon, Bailey is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm.
Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2019.
“In order to maintain public safety, it is essential that we keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Disarming convicted felons advances this effort. Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we are working closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute violent criminals who possess firearms.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rochester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen White Fitzgibbon.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Raleigh Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a FelonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced TRAEJAN JAHAD BARNES, 19, of Raleigh to 33 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
BARNES was named in an Indictment filed on June 6, 2018. On October 18, 2018, BARNES pled guilty to one-count of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Felon.
On April 18, 2018, investigators with the Raleigh Police Department observed an individual in the left rear passenger seat of a vehicle driven by another man and BARNES was observed in the right rear passenger seat of the vehicle. BARNES informed investigators that there was a firearm underneath him. As BARNES moved across the back seat to exit the vehicle, a loaded Ruger LC9 semi-automatic handgun fell onto the floorboard and was recovered by investigators. Further investigation determined that on March 15, 2018, the firearm was reported stolen in Wendell, North Carolina. Moreover, investigators determined that BARNES is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to his prior felony convictions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Since 2017 the United States Department of Justice has reinvigorated the PSN program and has targeted violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
That effort has been implemented through the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The case was investigated by the Raleigh Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Daniel W. Smith prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Poplar man admits manslaughter in baby’s deathRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Poplar resident Dennis Lloyd Red Boy, 28, pleaded guilty today in federal court to involuntary manslaughter for the death of a baby, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Red Boy faces a maximum eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided at the hearing. Morris set sentencing for June 5. Red Boy is detained.
Prosecutors said the evidence would show that on Aug. 15, 2017, Red Boy was taking care of children in Poplar, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, when a six-month-old baby would not stop crying. After several interviews with investigators, Red Boy admitted he put the baby on her back, but she would not stop crying. He then flipped her over, with her face into the bed, and put a heavy blanket on her. He returned to find the baby was not breathing and immediately sought help. He acknowledged that his actions were the proximate cause of the baby’s death.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.
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Oxycodone Distributor Sentenced to 72 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced today that on January 4, 2019, Lee Hueckstaedt, (age 32) of Rhinelander was sentenced in federal court to 72 months in prison for conspiring to distribute oxycodone and using a firearm in furtherance of that conspiracy. Hueckstaedt had previously pleaded guilty to both of those charges.
The investigation revealed that from 2015 through 2016, Hueckstaedt traveled from Rhinelander to Milwaukee to pick up approximately 2,900 oxycodone 30 mg pills that had been prescribed by medical professionals earlier in the chain of supply. Hueckstaedt then distributed those pills in northern Wisconsin. Hueckstaedt asked his oxycodone customers to refer to him as “Mr. White” or “Ghost.” The evidence also showed that Hueckstaedt actively recruited oxycodone customers.
While sentencing Hueckstaedt, United States District Court Judge Pamela Pepper emphasized that the offense was very serious because of the many problems, such as overdose deaths and addiction, that opioids cause in Wisconsin communities. In a related case, seven other defendants have pleaded guilty to offenses regarding prescription opioids that were obtained in the Milwaukee area and distributed in northern Wisconsin. See United States v. Orvin Kay, Case No. 17-CR-16.
“Whether swallowed as a pill or injected through a needle, opioids are highly addictive,” said U.S. Attorney Krueger. “This lengthy sentence reflects that trafficking in prescription opioids is just as serious as other drug trafficking. This case also reflects extraordinary partnership by all levels of law enforcement—federal, state, and local—to combat the opioid epidemic.”
The following agencies participated in the investigation: the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office; the Vilas County Sheriff’s Office; the Wisconsin Department of Justice—Division of Criminal Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration – Milwaukee (Tactical Diversion Squad); the Minocqua Police Department and the Rhinelander Police Department; and the Northcentral Drug Enforcement Group (“NORDEG”). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Zachary J. Corey.
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For Additional Information Contact:
Public Information Officer Kenneth B. Gales 414-297-1700
Owner of Information Technology Staffing Company Charged with Visa and Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was arrested this morning for allegedly submitting 11 fraudulent H-1B visa applications as well as fraudulently procuring his own citizenship, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Neeraj Sharma, 43, of Piscataway, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with one count of visa fraud and one count of naturalization fraud. Sharma is scheduled to make his initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Sharma recruited foreign workers with purported IT expertise who sought work in the United States. When submitting the potential staffers’ H-1B visa paperwork to U.S. Citizenship and Immigrations Services, Sharma falsely represented that the foreign workers had full-time positions awaiting them at a national bank, a prerequisite to securing their visas. In fact, Sharma had never secured work for the applicants and submitted phony letters to USCIS on the bank’s letterhead with forged signatures of bank executives. The H-1B program applies to employers seeking to hire nonimmigrant aliens as workers in specialty occupations or as fashion models of distinguished merit and ability.
The visa and naturalization fraud charges carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian A. Michael, the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, New York Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka, and the U.S. CIS Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, Vermont and Newark Field Offices, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan L. O’Neill of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Public Protection Unit in Newark.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Ossipee Man fined and Placed on Probation for Providing False Information in an Effort to Obtain Fishery Disaster Relief FundsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Dave Bardzik, 56, of Ossipee, was sentenced to 18 months of probation and fined $2,500 for making a false statement in an effort to obtain fishery disaster relief funds, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
In late October 2012, Hurricane Sandy devastated the Atlantic coast of the United States. In addition to causing widespread property damage, the storm had substantial impacts on the New England fishing industry. Pursuant to the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Secretary of Commerce declared a fishery disaster and Congress approved fishery disaster relief funds. Operators of both commercial and “for hire” vessels in New Hampshire were provided information about how to apply for a share of those funds. Required criteria included that “for hire” vessels, like Bardzik’s, must have taken at least 15 trips in three of the previous four years in which at least one New England groundfish species was harvested.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Bardzik submitted several false and/or altered records to the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department in June 2015 in an attempt to qualify for the allotted funds. Investigators immediately noted discrepancies between the June 2015 submission and the previous, contemporaneous records Bardzik had completed in 2013. When confronted by investigators, Bardzik admitted that he created the false and/or altered records because he would otherwise not have qualified for funds.
Bardzik previously pled guilty on October, 30, 2018.
“When the federal government spends money for disaster relief, the funds should only go to those who have been true victims of the disaster,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Those who seek to cheat the system should understand that there will be substantial consequences for their criminal conduct.”
“This is a real win for the commercial fisherman of New Hampshire,” said Lieutenant Michael Eastman, District Chief of the Seacoast region for New Hampshire Fish and Game. “This investigation was a cooperative effort between New Hampshire Fish and Game and NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, and shows the importance of the Joint Enforcement Agreement outside of the daily dockside enforcement.”
This matter was investigated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Law Enforcement with assistance from the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau.
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Northern Nevada Hospital Physician Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Distribution of Opioid PrescriptionsRead the Press Release
RENO, Nev. – The Vice Chief of Staff for Humboldt County General Hospital in Winnemucca, Nevada, pleaded guilty Tuesday to illegally writing prescriptions for dangerous and addictive narcotics, such as the opioids Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, without a medical purpose, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada.
“Federal law enforcement in Nevada is helping to stem the rising tide of illicit prescriptions in the state,” said U.S. Attorney Trutanich. “We remain committed to investigating and prosecuting doctors who abuse their position of trust and fuel the opioid epidemic.”
Dr. Shouping Li, 57, of Winnemucca, pleaded guilty to distribution of a controlled substance, specifically Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. He is a licensed physician specializing in family medicine with a concentration in cardiovascular disease. United States District Judge Miranda Du accepted the guilty plea.
Dr. Li admitted that between August 2015 and February 2018, he prescribed Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, both opioid pain medications, to patients outside the usual course of his professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose. He further admitted that several of his patients passed away while he actively attended to them.
At the June 10, 2019, sentencing hearing, Dr. Li faces the maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1,000,000.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, Tri-County Drug Enforcement Team, Nevada Department of Public Safety, Humboldt County Sheriff's Office, Winnemucca Police Department, Elko Combined Narcotics Unit, Elko Police Department, Elko County Sheriff's Office, and the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami is prosecuting the case.
If you have a tip or information about illegal sales or distribution of prescription opioids, including Fentanyl, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone by doctors and pharmacies, call the DEA at 1-877-RX-Abuse (792-2873) or contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov.
For information about the harmful effects of illicit drug use, visit www.JustThinkTwice.com for teens and www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com for parents, educators, and caregivers.
The Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit is a program that utilizes data to help combat the devastating opioid crisis. The District of Nevada was selected as one of 12 districts nationally to participate in the pilot program. Since its formation, more than seven doctors and medical professionals have been prosecuted in the District of Nevada. The District of Nevada has assigned an experienced prosecutor that focuses solely on investigating and prosecuting health care fraud related to medical professionals who prescribe opioids, that unlawfully divert of dispense prescription opioids for illegitimate purposes.
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New York Man Sentenced to 77 Months in Prison for Possessing Firearm as a Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Yonkers, New York, man who was convicted by a federal jury of possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon was sentenced today to 77 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Francisco Vallejo, 29, was previously convicted of possessing a firearm despite his three prior felony convictions in Passaic County Superior Court. Vallejo was convicted on July 26, 2018, following a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton, who imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
On June 7, 2015, Vallejo was arrested in Passaic, New Jersey, after reports of a disturbance and gunshots were made to the Passaic Police Department. Responding officers detained Vallejo on the street, and thereafter located a loaded .25 caliber firearm in a nearby garbage can. A nearby security camera captured Vallejo stashing the firearm in the garbage can, and he was later found to have gunpowder residue on his hands.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Vallejo to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito, officers of the Passaic Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police Luis A. Guzman, and officers of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Brendan Day and Senior Trial Counsel R. Joseph Gribko of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.
New York Man Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 8, 2019, United States District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani sentenced Luis Santos, age 51, of New York, to 60 months’ imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release, for conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Santos, his co-defendant, Rafael Lora, and other individuals conspired to import nearly a kilogram of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Hazleton, Pennsylvania. After being charged and released on pretrial supervision, Santos was arrested attempting to enter Canada bearing false identification documents. He was charged and convicted in the Northern District of New York for that offense.
Santos was a citizen of the Dominican Republic and obtained permanent residency in the United States. However, as a result of this conviction, he is subject to potential deportation.
This case was also 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions 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, Attorney General Sessions 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 investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspectors, Customs and Border Patrol, and other state and local law enforcement agencies. Assistant United States Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
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New York City Man Sentenced to Prison for Transporting Heroin to Western PA for DistributionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A resident of New York City has been sentenced in federal court to 2½ years’ imprisonment on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute heroin, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on William Rosario, 25, of New York, NY.
According to information presented to the court, from in and around November 2016 through in and around February 2017, Rosario conspired with his codefendants, David Francis and Jose Ortega, to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, which he transported from New York to the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti stated that the sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to achieve the goals of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, Monroeville Police Department, Stowe Township Police Department, Ingram Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, and Monaca Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rosario.
Mountain Top CPA Charged with Money Laundering and Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Adam Kamor, age 43, of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, was charged in a criminal information on February 1, 2019, with money laundering and tax evasion.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the information alleges that Kamor worked as a Certified Public Accountant and operated the accounting business Decker Accounting LLC in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. From October 2014 to January 2018, Kamor allegedly embezzled approximately $1,384,000 from one of his clients, a non-profit organization. Kamor allegedly used the embezzled funds for his own personal benefit.
The information also alleges that Kamor failed to report a total of $804,365.73 in income between tax years 2014 ($110,607.08), 2015 ($315,224.71), and 2016 ($378,533.94). Kamor allegedly filed false Form 1040 Individual Income Tax Returns for each of those tax years.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo is prosecuting the case.
Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 25 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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More than Two Dozen Defendants Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
A total of 28 individuals were sentenced in Federal Court in the Northern District of Iowa between December 27, 2018 and January 25, 2019. The offenses of conviction varied, with the vast majority being drug and gun offenses.
- Jose Hedaldo Padilla-Ferrera was sentenced to 93 days’ imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release on one count of illegal reentry. The sentence was imposed on December 27, 2018, in case file number 18-CR-02054.
- Chris Bruce was sentenced to 230 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 8 years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was imposed on January 3, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-03028.
- Alston Ray Campbell, Jr. was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack) and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The sentence was imposed on January 3, 2019, in case file number 17-CR-02045. Campbell Jr. was convicted following a jury trial in April 2018, along with his brother, William Campbell, and father, Alston Ray Campbell, Sr. for offenses relating to their participation in a drug trafficking organization in Waterloo. His father and brother will be sentenced at a later date.
- Erick Corona Cardenas was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was imposed on January 3, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-04016.
Keylynn Landon Goldsmith was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release on two counts of use of communication facility. The sentence was imposed on January 3, 2019, in case file number 17-CR-02051.- Eric John Steve was sentenced to 7 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release on one count of possession of a controlled substance (third offense). The sentence was imposed on January 4, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-01031. The case arose from Steve’s possession of heroin.
- Antonio Scott McGhee was sentenced to 33 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. The sentence was imposed on January 4, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-02019.
- Sanela Dedic was sentenced to 3 years’ probation on one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. Selmir Salkanovic was sentenced to 93 days’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud. The sentences were imposed on January 4, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-02057. Salkanovic, a citizen of Bosnia, overstayed his visitor visa. Dedic, Salkanovic’s sister and a naturalized citizen of the United States, found a United States citizen, a young woman, from Waterloo, Iowa, to marry Salkanovic in an attempt to defeat United States immigration laws. Salkanovic and Dedic promised to pay the young woman $5,000 to marry Salkanovic. Salkanovic married the young woman one week before the departure deadline.
- Francisco Javier Ransaure-Jacome was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release on one count of illegal reentry. The sentence was imposed on January 8, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-04061. Ransaure-Jacome had previously been convicted in Clay County, Iowa, of attempted burglary, assault with a dangerous weapon (a knife), and assaulting a fellow inmate at the Clay County jail.
- Adrian Harlan, Jr. was sentenced to 3 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a drug user. The sentence was imposed on January 10, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-04027.
- Duaine Harbert was sentenced to 113 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing heroin. The sentence was imposed on January 10, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-04008.
- Boulder Young was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was imposed on January 14, 2019, in case file number 17-CR-04030.
- Traeton Wilharm was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was imposed on January 15, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-02027.
- Henry Lee Booth was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The sentence was imposed on January 16, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-04030.
- William James Wesley was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The sentence was imposed on January 17, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-01011. The sentencing judge enhanced Wesley’s sentence for threatening a grand jury witness in an unrelated case.
- Victor Wicher was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. The sentence was imposed on January 17, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-00057. At the time he possessed the firearm, Wicher was a felon with three prior domestic assault convictions and a history of other violent offenses. His offense was based on an incident where he threatened to kill himself during an argument with his then-girlfriend while holding a gun to his head. Wicher later entered into the then-girlfriend’s residence, choked her and threatened her and a family member in an attempt to prevent her from cooperating against him. Wicher was convicted of a fourth domestic assault offense based on the incident involving him entering the then-girlfriend’s residence and threatening and choking her.
- Jesse Andrew Hall was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user. The sentence was imposed on January 17, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-02021.
- Gerald Francis Straka was sentenced to 8 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user. The sentence was imposed on January 18, 2019, in case file number 19-CR-01020.
- Derrick Ford was sentenced to 20 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of interference and attempted interference with commerce by threats and violence and aiding and abetting such violation. The sentence was imposed on January 18, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-00015. Ford served as the driver for Gage Rupp and Cedric Wright who robbed a Cedar Rapids Sprint Store of more than $40,000 in electronic devices and cash. Rupp and Wright have also been convicted for their involvement in the robbery and for carrying a gun found in the robbery getaway car. Wright was also convicted at trial in November 2018 of carjacking the robbery getaway car at gunpoint from a Kirkwood college student the night before the Sprint Store robbery. Rupp and Wright will be sentenced at a later date.
- Juan Sanchez-Velasco was sentenced to 136 days’ imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release on one count of illegal re-entry. The sentence was imposed on January 18, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-00088.
- Cornelius Herbert Terrell Wright was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of distribution of heroin. The sentence was imposed on January 23, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-00061. The case arose from Wright’s distribution of heroin that was laced with synthetic fentanyl.
- Christopher Smith was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession of firearms by a felon. The sentence was imposed on January 23, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-03015.
- Dominique Dwight Williams was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release on one count of possession of a firearm by a drug user. The sentence was imposed on January 24, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-00046. At the time of his arrest, Williams needed to be subdued with a taser after he initially failed to respond to police directives.
- Dion Clayborn was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 6 years of supervised release on one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance near a protected location. The sentence was imposed on January 25, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-00051.
- Brianna Marie Martin was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 6 years of supervised release on one count of distribution of heroin. The sentence was imposed on January 25, 2019, in case file number 18-CR-01021. Martin distributed methadone to a person who died after using the drug.
- Dakota Lee Sanders was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The sentence was imposed on January 25, 2019, in case file number 17-CR-03060.
- Samuel Arias was sentenced to 57 months’ imprisonment to be followed by 2 years of supervised release on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentence was imposed on January 25, 2019, in case file number 17-CR-02084. Arias’ money laundering conviction resulted from his opening a bank account which was used to launder approximately $280,000 in drug proceeds.
There is no parole in the federal system.
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- Jose Hedaldo Padilla-Ferrera was sentenced to 93 days’ imprisonment to be followed by 1 year of supervised release on one count of illegal reentry. The sentence was imposed on December 27, 2018, in case file number 18-CR-02054.
Monroe County Man Guilty in Black P-Stone’s Heroin Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Arthur Taylor, age 36, of Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on February 1, 2019, before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to participating in a drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Taylor participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy that was responsible for distributing more than 100 grams of heroin (equivalent to more than 4,000 retail bags), marijuana, crack cocaine, percocet, and molly in the Poconos and in the state of Maine beginning in 2010 and for several years thereafter.
Taylor admitted to being a member of the Black P-Stones, a street gang whose male members were “beaten-in” to the gang and whose female members were” sexed-in” to the gang. Taylor and other P-Stones obtained heroin and other drugs from suppliers in New York and distributed them to others in Monroe County and in Maine. The P-Stones used females to transport the drugs to Maine.
Judge Mannion ordered a pre-sentence investigation to be completed. Sentencing for Taylor will be scheduled at a later date.
Taylor was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2018, as a result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, local and state police in Maine, the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office, and local police in Monroe County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
This case was also 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. Attorney General Jeff Sessions 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, Attorney General Sessions 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 maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. The offense also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Mishawaka Man Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Carlos Maez, 41 years old, of Mishawaka, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jon E. DeGuilio to 30 years in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
U.S. Attorney Kirsch said, “Today’s 30 year sentence reflects the seriousness of armed career criminals who continue to commit violent crimes in this District. We will continue to seek sentences like this one to deter others that simply do not get the message.”
In May 2018, a jury convicted Maez of armed bank robbery, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm after having been convicted of a felony.
According to documents in the case, on October 16, 2015, a bank in South Bend was robbed by a man who displayed a firearm. The robber demanded money from the teller and fled on foot with over $8,000.00. Witnesses saw him run from the bank and enter an SUV that fled the scene. Photos of the robber were released to the media a few days later. Acting on a tip, the FBI identified Maez as a suspect. Several individuals identified Maez from bank surveillance images. Maez has five prior felony convictions, including bank robbery, and was on parole when he robbed the bank in 2015.
This case was investigated by the FBI with the assistance of the South Bend Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Schaffer and Molly Donnelly.
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Member of Westside Crips Criminal Street Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Drug Trafficking, Sex Trafficking and Other Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alessandra P. Serano (202) 252-5843 or Joseph Orabona (619) 546-7951
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – February 4, 2019
SAN DIEGO – Westside Crips gang member William McKinley Bright today became the last of 12 defendants to plead guilty, admitting that he participated in a racketeering conspiracy involving narcotics trafficking, sex trafficking and other violent crimes.
Bright, aka “Slim,” admitted to his membership and association with the Westside Crips, which primarily operated in Oceanside. Sentencing for Bright is scheduled for May 3, 2019.
In furtherance of the RICO conspiracy, Bright admitted he engaged in multiple narcotics transactions at a local hotel in Oceanside as well as other places in San Diego and Vista, in order to promote the Westside Crips. Bright admittedly sold gram-quantities of methamphetamine between October 2014 and May 2015. Bright also acknowledged that he was an active and productive member of the Westside Crips who promoted the gang through use of social media as well as wearing gang colors and displaying gang signs. Bright admitted that the conspiracy in which he was involved resulted in the distribution of at least 150 grams but less than 500 grams of methamphetamine in San Diego County.
In 2017 and 2018, Bright’s coconspirators pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy. They include: Corey Deshawn Austin (aka “Westwood”), Ameer Fareed Roby (aka “Tiny Dum Dum”), Michael Anthony Sullivan (aka “Du-Low”), Peter Andrew Miranda (aka “Fat Boy,” “Baby Rocks,” and “Lil’ Burger”), Shane Robert Anderson (aka “Tiny Westwood”), Jasiri Malcolm Lacey (aka “Baby Westwood”), Demetrius Montre McFarland (aka Mechii Ruu”), Travion McHenry (aka “Too Much”), Richard Cleveland (aka “Face”), Larry Darnell Monroe, and Umesh Oza (aka “Kevin”) pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy. All but Corey Deshawn Austin were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from 4 months to 180 months. Austin is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2019.
“Because of the diligence of investigators and prosecutors, a dozen violent gang members are in prison and no longer a threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer Jr., who praised the efforts of multiple agencies who worked together for maximum impact. “We will use all of our legal resources to release our neighborhoods from the grips of gangs that peddle drugs and violence.”
“Drugs corrupt. Corruption leads to addiction, greed and violence. Utilizing one of the USA’s most powerful tools against violent criminal organizations like the Westside Crips, a RICO conspiracy, united law enforcement agencies banish and destroy whole organizations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Karen Flowers. “It isn’t easy, it isn’t quick and it takes an incredible amount of work. But, it is the strongest message that can be sent to organized crime. It might not be today or tomorrow, but we are relentless. We will come for you and when you are gone, our streets will be safer and our communities stronger.”
“The guilty plea announced today provides a window into a criminal enterprise that appeared willing to do anything and everything illegal to make a profit,” stated IRS Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryant Jackson. “The role of IRS Criminal Investigation in narcotics and human trafficking investigations is to follow the money so we can financially disrupt and dismantle these major drug trafficking organizations and protect our communities from the violent behavior of these malicious street gangs.”
“The Oceanside Police Department would like to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office and other law enforcement agencies for their collaboration and hard work during this operation. It is collective efforts like this that highlight why the San Diego region is a model for other law enforcement agencies to emulate, to keep their communities safe,” said Oceanside Police Chief Frank McCoy.
This case is the result of the ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.
DEFENDANT Case Number 17cr0270-JAH
William McKinley Bright, aka “Slim” Age: 53 Oceanside, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(d) - Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity; Title 18, United States Code, Section 1963 - Criminal Forfeiture Maximum Penalties: 20 years’ incarceration, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release
AGENCIES
North County Narcotics Task Force
Drug Enforcement Administration
Oceanside Police Department
Internal Revenue Service
Marshall County man indicted on drug chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Kenneth R. Beckner, of Moundsville, West Virginia, was indicted by a federal grand today on drug charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Beckner, age 30, was indicted on one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances” and two counts of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.” Beckner is accused of distributing methamphetamine from July 2018 to January 2019 in Marshall County.
Beckner faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for each count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert H. McWilliams, Jr. is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Marshall County Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Multiple RobberiesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chester man was sentenced today to 15 years for participating in the robbery of three convenience stores and the attempted robbery of another convenience store.
According to court documents, Devin VanGundy, 24, and his co-defendants were involved in a string of armed robberies and an attempted robbery at various gas stations and convenience stores located in the areas of Chesterfield County and Richmond during March 2018. In each of the robberies and attempted robbery, VanGundy provided the firearm for his accomplice to use, and acted as a getaway driver. The accomplice, in all the robberies, brandished VanGundy’s firearm, placing the store clerks in fear for their lives.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and MaryJo Thomas, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Duffey 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-88.
Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Grocery Store Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty today to his role in a string of grocery store robberies during the Fall of 2018.
According to court documents, Keonte K. Yorkshire, aka Tae, 21, was a member of a six-man robbery squad that robbed three grocery stores across the region in the span of a week last Fall. Yorkshire served as an inside look-out for one robbery and an outside look-out for two others. The armed robberies occurred at a Food Lion in Chesapeake on Sept. 25, 2018, a Food Lion in Virginia Beach on Sept. 29, 2018, and a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach on Oct. 3, 2018.
The teams included inside and outside look-outs, getaway drivers, and two gunmen. The teams used police scanners to monitor law enforcement activity, encrypted applications, and earpieces to communicate with one another. At each robbery, the gunmen demanded the managers open the grocery store safe. In the final robbery at a Harris Teeter in Virginia Beach, one of the gunmen shot the store manager.
Yorkshire pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years and a maximum sentence of life when he is sentenced on May 6.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Division, James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, and Kelvin L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John F. Butler and Andrew C. Bosse are prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Tidewater Violent Crime Task Force, in partnership with the Virginia Beach and Chesapeake Police Departments.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-177-9.
Madison Township Man Pleads Guilty to Theft from the United StatesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on January 31, 2019, Timothy Scheitlin, age 43, of Madison Township, Pennsylvania, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion to one count of theft of government funds.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Scheitlin was employed at the Tobyhanna Army Depot from on or about January 2014 until February 2017, and part of Scheitlin’s job duties included collecting monies from vending machines. During the course of his employment, Scheitlin stole over $1,000 from the vending machines at the Tobyhanna Army Depot.
The case was investigated by the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny P. Roberts is prosecuting the case.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. At the time of the sentencing hearing, the Court will determine the amount of loss to Tobyhanna Army Depot.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Man from Tohatchi, N.m. Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping and Sexual Abuse in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ryan Thompson, 32, of Tohatchi, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to charges of kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country.
According to court documents, Thompson, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, kidnapped a woman and child from a gas station in Gallup on November 15, 2017. He drove them to another location and forced the woman to drink alcohol. When Thompson briefly left the area, the woman tried to escape by driving way. Thompson stopped her, pulled her out of the car, and beat her.
Thompson sexually abused the woman in front of the child. He also threatened to kill the woman and child. Thompson held them in his car overnight before taking them to a home where they stayed another night. On November 17, 2017, Thompson stole property from another residence. At that time, the woman drove away in her car with the child. She encountered police a short time later. Emergency responders took her to the hospital for treatment of her injuries, including a broken nose.
At sentencing, Thompson faces from 15 to 20 years in prison. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case.
Man from Tohatchi, N.m. Pleads Guilty to KidnappingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ryan Thompson, 32, of Tohatchi, N.M., pleaded guilty today in federal court to charges of kidnapping and aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country.
According to court documents, Thompson, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, kidnapped a woman and child from a gas station in Gallup on November 15, 2017. He drove them to another location and forced the woman to drink alcohol. When Thompson briefly left the area, the woman tried to escape by driving way. Thompson stopped her, pulled her out of the car, and beat her.
Thompson sexually abused the woman in front of the child. He also threatened to kill the woman and child. Thompson held them in his car overnight before taking them to a home where they stayed another night. On November 17, 2017, Thompson stole property from another residence. At that time, the woman drove away in her car with the child. She encountered police a short time later. Emergency responders took her to the hospital for treatment of her injuries, including a broken nose.
At sentencing, Thompson faces from 15 to 20 years in prison. The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Spindle is prosecuting the case.
Luzerne County Man Sentenced to 15 Years’ Imprisonment for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Portanova, age 28, of West Hazleton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley for receiving child pornography.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Portanova previously admitted that he used his cell phone to receive images and videos of child pornography using a file-sharing network on the internet. Portanova committed the offense between August 2017 and October 30, 2017, in Luzerne County.
Portanova committed the offense after having been convicted of dissemination and possession of child pornography in Luzerne County in 2014.
Judge Munley also ordered Portanova to serve 10 years on supervised release following his prison sentence, pay a special assessment of $5,100, comply with the restrictions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, and receive sex offender treatment.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
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Luzerne County Man Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Michael Wilson, age 25, of Hanover Township, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on January 30, 2019, to distributing heroin and unlawfully possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking before U.S. District Court Judge Malachy E. Mannion.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Wilson admitted to distributing heroin in Luzerne County for a five-to-six month time period in 2017, and to accepting firearms as payment for heroin and exchanging firearms with a heroin supplier between December 2016 and September 2017.
Judge Mannion ordered a presentence report to be completed. Sentencing in the case will be scheduled at a later date.
The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Kingston Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa is prosecuting the case.
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, Attorney General Sessions 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.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
The maximum penalty under federal law is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine for using or possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking offense. There is also a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment for the firearms offense. Wilson faces up to 20 years in prison for the drug offense. Under federal law, the sentence imposed for the firearms offense must run consecutive to any other sentence. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Las Vegas Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today for receiving and distributing over 400 images and 22 videos of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich of the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Division.
Adam Burley, 26, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison and lifetime supervised release by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson. He previously pleaded guilty to receipt or distribution of child pornography.
In July 2016, Burley uploaded eight photos of child pornography from his cell phone to the website Chatango. Law enforcement determined the images were uploaded from Burley’s apartment. During the execution of a search warrant at his apartment, he admitted to law enforcement that he uploaded child pornography to the website and he received child pornography on his phone. A forensic examination of his phone revealed over 400 sexually explicit images and videos.
The case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Burton prosecuted the case.
If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, make a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) by calling the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or by making a report at www.cybertipline.com.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Lafayette felon sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for possessing two firearmsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Kenyatta Edmond, 39, of Lafayette, was sentenced on Monday to 110 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. The defendant was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, a concerned citizen contacted the Lafayette police on January 22, 2018 to report an unconscious man behind the wheel of a car at the intersection of Evangeline Thruway and Mudd Avenue. An officer approached the vehicle and saw Edmond slumped forward appearing to be asleep, and noticed a pistol in Edmond’s lap with his hand around the grip. When questioned, Edmond told the officer that he had a second firearm in the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed a Beretta Model PX4 Storm .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a Taurus Model Judge .410 gauge revolver. After further investigation, it was discovered that the revolver had been previously reported stolen and that Edmond has four prior felony convictions.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF’s) top enforcement and regulatory priority is to prevent and reduce violent crime involving firearms. The ATF carefully focuses its resources to ensure that their operations have the greatest impact on reducing firearms violence. The ATF works closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to collect evidence necessary to convict violent offenders that terrorize our communities and those who illegally supply them with guns.
The ATF Lafayette Field Office and the Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
KCK Woman Pleads Guilty in Mexican Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A local woman pleaded guilty today to being part of a drug ring that distributed methamphetamine from Mexico in the Kansas City metro area, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Karen Ortega, 41, Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine from premises in which children reside. In her plea, she admitted working out of her home in the 3000 block of North 34th Street in Kansas City, Kan., where she and her minor children lived. A search warrant at the residence turned up approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.8 pounds of heroin and more than $230,000 in cash.
In her plea, she admitted federal investigators had her under surveillance when she met another conspirator in a Wal-Mart parking lot at 10824 Parallel Parkway and sold almost two pounds of methamphetamine for $4,500.
Sentencing is set for May 7. She faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $10 million. McAllister commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri Catania for their work on the case.
KC Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm.
Charles E. Williams, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 15 years in federal prison without parole. Williams was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions.
On March 20, 2018, Williams pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Williams admitted that he was in possession of a loaded Norinco semi-automatic rifle on Aug. 7, 2015. Police officers had been called to the scene of a single-vehicle accident, which involved a Dodge Charger driven by Williams. When officers arrived, they were informed by members of the Kansas City Fire Department that Williams had been tossing items from the vehicle.
Williams refused to step away from the vehicle, and instead reached into the trunk and retrieved a red blanket, which he threw away from the vehicle. Officers ordered Williams to the ground; as they attempted to handcuff him, Williams became combative and resisted arrested. An officer utilized his Taser. At one point, Williams was able to stand up and began physically assaulting an officer by pulling at his traffic vest and kicking him several times in the leg. Several members of the fire department came to the aid of the officers. Williams was eventually arrested and placed in handcuffs.
The Norinco rifle was found inside the red blanket that Williams had taken from the trunk. When officers searched Williams, they found a small baggy that contained 1.13 grams of cocaine in his right pant pocket.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Williams has prior felony convictions for murder, armed criminal action, trafficking and three prior felony convictions for sale of a controlled substance.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad K. Kavanaugh and Emily A. Morgan. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program that identifies the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develops comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, Project Safe Neighborhoods focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.Justice Department Warns Taxpayers to Avoid Unscrupulous Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
As tax filing season begins, the Department of Justice warns taxpayers to beware of unscrupulous tax return preparers. The Department of Justice applies both civil and criminal tools at its disposal to shut down illegal tax return preparation activity. Taxpayers should always remain wary of tax return preparers who claim they can obtain larger refunds than others or engage in other unscrupulous practices.
While most tax return preparers are professional and honest, some prepare returns with false information in order to improperly boost a taxpayer’s refund or reduce their liability or to increase business and preparation fees. But, under the law, taxpayers are responsible for what is reported on their returns. When the IRS uncovers the falsehoods, the taxpayer can face penalties and interest and, if circumstances warrant, criminal prosecution.
“Fraudulent tax return preparers harm taxpayers, legitimate businesses, and the American public,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman. “The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Internal Revenue Service to protect the law-abiding American public and the treasury by stopping this fraud.”
Every year, the Justice Department’s Tax Division, in collaboration with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, files dozens of civil actions throughout the United States seeking court orders to shut down tax return preparers who allegedly prepared false tax returns, and to punish dishonest tax return preparers for their fraudulent activities. When the evidence supports criminal enforcement action, the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s offices pursue criminal prosecutions of tax return preparers.
In 2019, the Justice Department has already obtained several injunctions barring individuals from filing returns for others, and filed actions against numerous others:
- On Jan. 4, 2019, a federal court in Indianapolis, Indiana, permanently enjoined Antonio Chappell and G & A Tax Service LLC, from preparing federal tax returns for others. The court noted that the defendants had prepared tax returns with a wide range of scams, including falsifying reported income or losses to wrongfully increase or claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, fabricating education expenses to obtain the American Opportunity Credit for certain educational expenses; misrepresenting a taxpayer’s filing status; and reporting non-qualifying dependents to take advantage of the Additional Child Tax Credit.
- On Jan. 7, 2019, a federal court in Orlando, Florida, entered a preliminary injunction barring Erotida Harden, Michael Harden, Aida Cortes, Yahaira Claudio, Tamika Robenson, Natasha Williams, and Certified Taxes LLC, from acting as tax return preparers and directing them to immediately close all tax return preparation stores that they currently own directly or through any entity and not to reopen them without a court order.
- On Jan. 16, 2019, a federal court in Orlando, Florida, entered a preliminary injunction barring Marcgenson Marc, Tiana Character, LeNorris LaMoute, Dosuld Pierre, Shirleen Thales, Advanced Tax Services Inc., Genson Financial Group LLC, and Character Financial Solutions LLC from acting as tax return preparers and directing them to immediately close all tax return preparation stores that they currently own directly or through any entity and not to reopen them without a court order.
Examples of some recent criminal convictions obtained by the Tax Division include:
- On Jan. 28, 2019, a Minneapolis-based tax return preparer was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison for managing and directing a fraudulent return-preparation business, which prepared returns that reported false dependents, fake business income and losses, inflated deductions, inflated credits, and false filing statuses, in order to get customers inflated refunds.
- On Nov. 14, 2018, a Las Vegas, Nevada, tax return preparer was sentenced to 37 months in prison for aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns that included multiple false items, including charitable contributions, capital loss deductions, energy tax credits, and unreimbursed employee expenses—such as business meals and transportation expenses.
- On Sept. 13, 2018, a resident of Winton-Salem, North Carolina, who was licensed as an attorney in Georgia, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for aiding and assisting in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers and tax scheme promoters. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
In addition, when selecting a tax return preparer:
- Be wary of tax return preparers who claim they can obtain larger refunds than others can.
- Avoid tax return preparers who base their fees on a percentage of the refund or who offer to deposit all or part of your refund into their financial accounts.
- Ensure you use a preparer with a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). Paid tax return preparers must have a PTIN to prepare all or substantially all of a tax return.
- Use a reputable tax professional, who enters their PTIN on your tax return, signs the tax return, and provides you a copy of the return (as required).
- Consider whether the individual or firm will be around for months or years after filing the return to answer questions about the preparation of the tax return.
- Never sign a blank tax form.
- Check the person’s credentials. Only attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents can represent taxpayers before the IRS in all matters, including audits, collections, and appeals.
The IRS has some information on its website about selecting a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers and a list of tips for choosing a tax preparer.
Justice Department Warns Taxpayers to Avoid Unscrupulous Tax Return PreparersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – As tax filing season begins, the Department of Justice warns taxpayers to beware of unscrupulous tax return preparers. The Department of Justice applies both civil and criminal tools at its disposal to shut down illegal tax return preparation activity. Taxpayers should always remain wary of tax return preparers who claim they can obtain larger refunds than others or engage in other unscrupulous practices.
While most tax return preparers are professional and honest, some prepare returns with false information in order to improperly boost a taxpayer’s refund or reduce their liability or to increase business and preparation fees. But, under the law, taxpayers are responsible for what is reported on their returns. When the IRS uncovers the falsehoods, the taxpayer can face penalties and interest and, if circumstances warrant, criminal prosecution.
“Fraudulent tax return preparers harm taxpayers, legitimate businesses, and the American public,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman. “The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Internal Revenue Service to protect the law-abiding American public and the treasury by stopping this fraud.”
Every year, the Justice Department’s Tax Division, in collaboration with U.S. Attorney’s Offices, files dozens of civil actions throughout the United States seeking court orders to shut down tax return preparers who allegedly prepared false tax returns, and to punish dishonest tax return preparers for their fraudulent activities. When the evidence supports criminal enforcement action, the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s offices pursue criminal prosecutions of tax return preparers.
In 2019, the Justice Department has already obtained several injunctions barring individuals from filing returns for others, and filed actions against numerous others:
- On Jan. 4, 2019, a federal court in Indianapolis, Indiana, permanently enjoined Antonio Chappell and G & A Tax Service LLC, from preparing federal tax returns for others. The court noted that the defendants had prepared tax returns with a wide range of scams, including falsifying reported income or losses to wrongfully increase or claim the Earned Income Tax Credit, fabricating education expenses to obtain the American Opportunity Credit for certain educational expenses; misrepresenting a taxpayer’s filing status; and reporting non-qualifying dependents to take advantage of the Additional Child Tax Credit.
- On Jan. 7, 2019, a federal court in Orlando, Florida, entered a preliminary injunction barring Erotida Harden, Michael Harden, Aida Cortes, Yahaira Claudio, Tamika Robenson, Natasha Williams, and Certified Taxes LLC, from acting as tax return preparers and directing them to immediately close all tax return preparation stores that they currently own directly or through any entity and not to reopen them without a court order.
- On Jan. 16, 2019, a federal court in Orlando, Florida, entered a preliminary injunction barring Marcgenson Marc, Tiana Character, LeNorris LaMoute, Dosuld Pierre, Shirleen Thales, Advanced Tax Services Inc., Genson Financial Group LLC, and Character Financial Solutions LLC from acting as tax return preparers and directing them to immediately close all tax return preparation stores that they currently own directly or through any entity and not to reopen them without a court order.
Examples of some recent criminal convictions obtained by the Tax Division include:
- On Jan. 28, 2019, a Minneapolis-based tax return preparer was sentenced to serve 121 months in prison for managing and directing a fraudulent return-preparation business, which prepared returns that reported false dependents, fake business income and losses, inflated deductions, inflated credits, and false filing statuses, in order to get customers inflated refunds.
- On Nov. 14, 2018, a Las Vegas, Nevada, tax return preparer was sentenced to 37 months in prison for aiding and assisting in the filing of false tax returns that included multiple false items, including charitable contributions, capital loss deductions, energy tax credits, and unreimbursed employee expenses—such as business meals and transportation expenses.
- On Sept. 13, 2018, a resident of Winton-Salem, North Carolina, who was licensed as an attorney in Georgia, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for aiding and assisting in the preparation of fraudulent tax returns.
In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers and tax scheme promoters. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
In addition, when selecting a tax return preparer:
- Be wary of tax return preparers who claim they can obtain larger refunds than others can.
- Avoid tax return preparers who base their fees on a percentage of the refund or who offer to deposit all or part of your refund into their financial accounts.
- Ensure you use a preparer with a preparer tax identification number (PTIN). Paid tax return preparers must have a PTIN to prepare all or substantially all of a tax return.
- Use a reputable tax professional, who enters their PTIN on your tax return, signs the tax return, and provides you a copy of the return (as required).
- Consider whether the individual or firm will be around for months or years after filing the return to answer questions about the preparation of the tax return.
- Never sign a blank tax form.
- Check the person’s credentials. Only attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents can represent taxpayers before the IRS in all matters, including audits, collections, and appeals.
The IRS has some information on its website about selecting a return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers and a list of tips for choosing a tax preparer.
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If you have questions, please use the contacts in the message or call the Office of Public Affairs at 202-514-2007.
Investment Advisor Sentenced for Operating $6.6 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesterfield man was sentenced today to 13 years in prison for mail fraud and engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property.
According to court documents, Edward Lee Moody, Jr, 47, was a registered investment adviser and the sole owner and operator of CM Capital Management LLC, an investment firm with its principal office located in Virginia Beach. Moody solicited investors on the basis of his representation that he would profitably invest their assets in securities on their behalf and manage those investments on an ongoing basis. In reality, he ran a Ponzi scheme over a 13 year period. He solicited and collected approximately $6.6 million from 55 investors, at least 13 of whom were elderly persons who liquidated assets from their existing, legitimate retirement accounts in order to provide funds to him that they expected he would invest on their behalf.
In most instances, Moody did not manage the accounts of the investors or buy or sell securities on their behalf, and did not even open individual brokerage accounts for them. Instead, he diverted investor monies for his own personal benefit and to enrich himself, using at least $1.4 million for business expenses, to purchase a home, make car loan payments, shop, travel to Las Vegas and other destinations. Moody also used approximately $885,000 of investor monies to buy and sell securities on his own behalf. He perpetuated the scheme by using approximately $1.8 million that he received from new investors to make periodic lulling payments to earlier investors, and he provided investors with fraudulent monthly account statements that falsely indicated that the investors’ funds had been invested in securities and had earned returns.
In addition to the prison sentence, Moody was ordered to pay over $4.8 million in restitution to his victims.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Martin Culbreth, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, and Kelly R. Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington, D.C. Field Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert G. Doumar. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan M. Salsbury prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-154.
Illinois Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Identity Theft and Unemployment Benefits Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RICHARD M. LACH, 32, of Richton Park, Illinois, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for operating a scheme to defraud state unemployment insurance programs in Connecticut and 37 other states.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Lach fraudulently filed claims with the Connecticut Department of Labor for unemployment benefits in the names of identity theft victims, using their names, dates of birth and social security numbers. Lach directed that the unemployment benefits be directly deposited to Green Dot debit cards that he opened in the names of other identity theft victims. For claims that were approved, the unemployment benefits were deposited to the Green Dot cards, and Lach withdrew the funds or otherwise spent the funds for his own personal use and benefit.
In addition to fraudulently obtaining unemployment benefits from the Connecticut Department of Labor, Lach fraudulently filed or attempted to file for unemployment benefits, in the names of identity theft victims, from unemployment agencies in Alabama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington DC, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
In some cases, Lach purchased the personal information of identity theft victims through online websites, including a website that sold the information for $1, in bitcoins, per identity. Lach shared his account on that website. He also shared his Green Dot cards, and several email accounts he used, with other individuals so that they also could file fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits.
In total, Lach and others purchased identity information for approximately 845 identity theft victims through LACH’s account on the website that sold the information. Between February 2017 and January 2018, Lach and others filed approximately 380 fraudulent claims for unemployment benefits in the names of identity theft victims. If the state agencies had approved and paid benefits on all 380 claims, the total loss from this scheme would have exceeded $3.8 million. However, the state agencies approved and paid benefits on only 42 of the claims, resulting in an actual loss of $54,006.
Lach also fraudulently purchased cars and obtained car loans in the names of two identity theft victims. In September 2017, he fraudulently purchased a car for approximately $59,000 from a dealership in Florida and had it shipped to Illinois. Lach provided copies of a fake driver’s license and utility bill in the name of in an identity theft victim in order to obtain a car loan to purchase the vehicle. Similarly, in January 2018, Lach fraudulently purchased a car for approximately $83,000 from a dealership in Tennessee. Again, LACH provided copies of a fake driver’s license, utility bill, W-2, and paystub in the name of an identity theft victim. The cars were recovered and returned to the dealerships.
Judge Meyer ordered Lach to pay restitution in the total amount of $65,866.09 to the victim states and the two car dealerships.
Lach has been detained since his arrest on February 2, 2018. On August 30, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, Connecticut Department of Labor, New York State Department of Labor, State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and Matteson (Illinois) Police Department, with assistance from the state unemployment agencies in the other states.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Illinois Accountant Charged with Fraud for Allegedly Misappropriating More Than $65 Million from Individuals and Financial InstitutionsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An Illinois accountant was charged today with criminal fraud for allegedly misappropriating more than $65 million from individuals and financial institutions.
SULTAN ISSA was a certified public accountant and the Chief Financial Officer of a group of partnerships, corporations and trusts owned by a Chicago-area family. From 2007 to 2017, Issa embezzled at least $55 million of the family’s assets and solicited at least another $8.8 million from individuals in his personal capacity, claiming he would invest their money in legitimate opportunities, including a luxury auto dealership Issa owned in Burr Ridge, according to a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Issa used tens of millions of dollars in fraud proceeds to cover personal expenses and to secure fraudulent loans from financial institutions totaling at least $83 million to acquire, among other things, 25 residential properties in Illinois, Montana, Michigan, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, two private aircraft, four yachts, approximately 60 firearms, and assorted watches, jewelry and memorabilia, the information states. He used another $15 million in fraudulently obtained funds to pay expenses related to the auto dealership, including the purchase of a showroom, the acquisition of luxury cars, and the salaries of employees, the information states.
The information charges Issa, 45, of Hinsdale, with one count of wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The information was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn E. Malizia.
Issa attempted to conceal the scheme by providing financial institutions with fraudulent loan documents and forging authorizations to gain control of funds belonging to the family-owned group, the information states. Issa also created false account statements and made Ponzi-type payments to individual investors, the information states.
The public is reminded that a charge is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Wire fraud affecting a financial institution carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Hartford Felon Sentenced to 2 Years in Prison for Possessing Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDON SPENCE, also known as “Spun,” 31, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a loaded handgun.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 12, 2018, Hartford Police received information that Spence was in possession of a firearm on Enfield Street. When officers encountered Spence on Enfield Street, Spence fled on foot. During the pursuit, Spence discarded a Bryco Arms, model T380, .380 caliber firearm, loaded with seven rounds of ammunition. The firearm was recovered, and Spence was arrested after officers found him hiding under the porch of a house on Greenfield Street.
Spence’s criminal history includes multiple convictions related to the illegal possession of firearms.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On October 29, 2018, Spence pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
This case was investigated by the Hartford Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
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 neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Hancock County man indicted on drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Lavel L. Hicks, of Weirton, West Virgnia, was indicted by a federal grand today on drug and firearms charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Hicks, age 43, was indicted on two counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Base,” four counts of “Distribution of Cocaine Hydrochloride,” and one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Hicks is accused of distributing the drugs in November and December 2017 and December 2018 in Brook and Hancock Counties. Hicks, having previously been convicted or murder in the second degree in Brooke County Circuit Court, is also accused of possessing a 9mm pistol.
Hicks faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for each drug count, and he faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms count. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
An indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Gary Man Sentenced to 74 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND- Francisco Rivera, 29, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced before District Court Judge Philip P. Simon on his plea to distribution of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Cruz received a sentence of 74 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents filed in this case, DEA agents used a confidential source to purchase cocaine from Francisco Rivera at his Lake Station residence on April 3, 2017. A federal search warrant for that residence was executed that same day. Within a locked room inside the residence law enforcement found over a kilogram of cocaine, 30 kilograms of marijuana, and four firearms including an assault rifle that had previously been reported stolen.
This case was investigated by the DEA HIDTA Task Force with the assistance of the Hobart Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. McGrath.
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Fresno Man Sentenced for CarjackingRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Nicholas Lobkowski, 39, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to seven years and eight months in prison for carjacking, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, on September 28, 2017, Lobkowski carjacked a victim at knifepoint. Lobkowski fled in the vehicle and was located by police. Lobkowski drove recklessly, proceeded through a stop sign without stopping, and crashed into two vehicles, causing injuries to several of the occupants.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.