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1 February 2019
International Drug Courier SentencedRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE - A Massachusetts man identified by law enforcement as the primary contact between a major international heroin and fentanyl source of supply in the Dominican Republic and a three-state New England drug trafficking operation based primarily in Rhode Island was sentenced today to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr.
Vladimir Arias, 33, of Peabody, Mass., is identified in court documents as a trusted courier of an individual in the Dominican Republic known as The Maestro, a significant heroin and fentanyl supplier. Arias was responsible for moving significant quantities of heroin and fentanyl into New England, and collecting tens of thousands of dollars at a time from a drug trafficking operation which operated primarily from stash houses in Cranston and Woonsocket, R.I.
According to court documents, the drug trafficking operation was organized and directed by three brothers, Juan, Claudio and Hector Valdez. The Valdez drug trafficking operation supplied heroin and fentanyl to mid-level drug dealers and street dealers in the greater Providence and Boston areas and in Hartford, Conn.
Arias, who was among many individuals whose drug trafficking activities in connection with the Valdez Brothers drug trafficking operation were being monitored, was arrested during a traffic stop on Interstate Route 95 in Rhode Island on April 10, 2017. Agents had just watched him accept a return of heroin from Juan Valdez. Nearly a kilogram of heroin in 10-gram packages for redistribution was found hidden in a crudely constructed hide in the motor vehicle. That heroin was the remainder of a full kilogram that Arias had delivered to Juan Valdez four days earlier. The Maestro agreed to accept return of the heroin because Valdez was not satisfied with the quality of the drug.
Lab testing confirmed that Arias had 858.81 grams of heroin in his possession at the time of his arrest. A court-authorized search of his Massachusetts residence resulted in the seizure of $33,959 that was found hidden in a couch. The $33,959.00 converts to the value of 606.41 grams of heroin.
Arias's sentence is announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
During the course of the investigation, dubbed by law enforcement as Operation Triple Play, which the FBI Safe Streets Task Force launched in September 2016, the investigation into the Valdez Drug Trafficking Operation resulted in the purchases or seizures of laboratory tested and confirmed controlled substances totaling approximately 142g of crack cocaine, 1,654g of cocaine, 3,836g of heroin (of which 2,183.3g contained fentanyl), 3,493g of fentanyl, and more than 137 lbs. (62 kilograms) of cutting agents.
Operation Triple Play is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation initiated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. Under the direction of the FBI, the participating agencies in this investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration (Providence and Boston Resident Agencies), Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Rhode Island State Police, Providence Police Department, Woonsocket Police Department, Central Falls Police Department, Cranston Police Department, Warwick Police Department, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
Claudio Valdez was sentenced on November 28, 2018, to 20 years in federal prison. Juan Valdez was sentenced on December 14, 2018, to 20 years in federal prison. Hector Valdez was sentenced January 18, 2019, to 108 months in federal prison.
The Valdez brothers, all Dominican nationals, reentered the country illegally after having been previously convicted of felony drug crimes and deported. Juan Valdez reentered the country illegally on at least four occasions. Immigration detainers have been lodged against all three.
Arias admitted to law enforcement that he had entered the country through Mexico illegally. An immigration detainer has been lodged against him.
Operation Triple Play cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gerard B. Sullivan, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorneys William J. Ferland, Ronald A. Gendron, and Richard W. Rose.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Jan. 29 was:
RYAN MCGUIRE, 37, of Mound House, NV, on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious count, McGuire faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. McGuire was released. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pacer case reference. 18-157.
Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Jan. 31 was:
ELIZABETH ANN HAZZARD, 33, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious count, Hazzard faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Hazzard was detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 18-153.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Indiana Man Charged with Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter Strasser announced that DANIEL J. KUESPERT, age 30, of LaPorte County, Indiana, was charged Thursday by grand jury indictment with one count of failure to register as a sex offender under the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
If convicted, KUESPERT faces a maximum term of 10 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. Following release from prison, KUESPERT also faces a period of supervised release of between 5 years and life.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Marshals Service, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, the New Orleans Police Department, and the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office in this matter. He also extended his thanks to the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Spiro G. Latsis is in charge of the prosecution.
ICYMI: Shutdown Updates from Federal Court in OregonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND. Ore.—During the recent lapse in appropriations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office was required to curtail some operations pursuant to applicable law and policy. Nevertheless, the office continued to fulfill its law enforcement responsibilities by prosecuting criminal cases. Below is a summary of notable case events that occurred during the shutdown:
U.S. v. Hediger
On January 23, 2019, Pamela S. Hediger, 55, of Corvallis, Oregon, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for tax evasion and money laundering. Hediger was also ordered to pay more than $1.9 million in restitution.
According to court documents, between 2010 and 2017, Hediger was an attorney, president, and managing shareholder of a law firm in Corvallis. Hediger focused on personal injury cases and independently managed her own client relationships. During her association with the firm, Hediger systematically embezzled funds from the firm’s client trust and business operating accounts, both of which she had signing authority over. The embezzled funds came from insurance proceeds payable to Hediger’s clients.
Hediger failed to file income tax returns on nearly $2.2 million between 2011 and 2017, evading more than $471,000 in taxes due. Hediger previously pleaded guilty to one count each of attempting to evade or defeat taxes and engaging in monetary transactions with property derived from specific unlawful criminal activity on November 6, 2018.
This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and prosecuted by Claire M. Fay, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
U.S. v. Smith
On January 15, 2019, Victor William Smith, Jr., 45, of Warm Springs, Oregon, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release for assaulting two Warm Springs Tribal Police detectives serving a deputized federal task force officers. Smith was also ordered to pay $8,305 in restitution.
According to court documents, on June 8, 2017, Smith forcibly assaulted the officers by attempting to run them down with his pickup truck. The officers ultimately apprehended Smith and found a stolen Remington shotgun in his truck. Smith admitted to knowingly possessing the stolen firearm at the time of his arrest.
Smith previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon on a federal officer and one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department and prosecuted by Benjamin Tolkoff, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
U.S. v. Britton
On January 23, 2019, Shane Britton, 43, of Pendleton, Oregon, was sentenced to five years’ probation and ordered to pay $1,803 in restitution for abusive sexual contact on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in June 2016, Britton was staying at a residence shared by the victim and her mother on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The victim and her mother are both enrolled members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Britton is not a tribal member.
During his stay, Britton subjected the victim to a series of unwanted and progressively more invasive physical encounters. In a recorded interview, Britton initially denied the allegation of abusive sexual contact, but later admitted he inappropriately touched the victim. Britton eventually told law enforcement officers that “in no way shape or form did [the victim] do anything wrong or provoke” his abusive conduct.
A federal jury in Portland convicted Britton on one count of abusive sexual contact on October 18, 2018.
The FBI investigated this case in partnership with the Umatilla Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Jennifer Martin and Natalie Wight, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
U.S. v. Stevens et al.
On January 8, 2019, a federal grand jury returned a six-count indictment charging Ronnie Stevens aka Tim Ephrem, 49, and Tina Ephrem aka Lisa Ann Peterson, 43, both of Portland, with wire fraud.
The indictment alleges that between September 2016 and December 2018, the couple conspired with one another to defraud an elderly couple, Adult Victim 1 (AV1) and Adult Victim 2 (AV2), of both money and property.
The scheme began in September 2016 when AV1 offered a commercial trailer for sale at his business. Stevens told AV1 that he brokered vehicle sales and could sell the trailer in exchange for a cut of the profit. Stevens did not sell the trailer, but quickly ingratiated himself with AV1 who later described him as “humble and honest” but “down on his luck.” Stevens told AV1 that he supported a wife and teenage daughter, and that he suffered with health issues.
Stevens later approached AV1 with an alleged lucrative investment opportunity. Stevens claimed that a friend named Tammy Ward was set to inherit an estate valued in excess of $100 million from her recently deceased father, but could not come up with the fees and legal costs necessary to release the state. Stevens told AV1 that if AV1 could advance the funds to release the estate, AV1 would be given title to valuable classic cars and vans that were part of the estate.
AV1 gave Stevens approximately $15,000 in cash followed by $25,000 in cash two weeks later. The payments escalated over time as Stevens told AV1 various stories about delays and increased costs associated with the release of the estate. As part of the conspiracy, AV1 and AV2 both spoke to a woman on the phone who claimed to be Tammy Ward. Investigators later revealed this person to by Tina Ephrem. Between 2016 and 2018, Stevens placed more than 5,000 outgoing calls to AV1 and AV2.
Stevens and Ephrem collected more than $1.5 million from AV1 and AV2 over the course of the conspiracy, spending the proceeds on utility bills, restaurants, cigars, retail purchases and travel to locations including Hawaii, Anaheim, California, Las Vegas, Nevada and Spirit Mountain Lodge in Grand Ronde, Oregon.
Stevens and Ephrem were arrested on January 11, 2019. They made their initial appearances in federal court the same day and were ordered detained pending a five-day jury trial beginning on March 12, 2019.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Donna Brecker Maddux, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. v. Newman
On January 15, 2019, Steven Wayne Newman, 50, of Hillsboro, Oregon, was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, in October 2016, an FBI task force officer identified an IP address offering to share files containing child pornography via the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing network. The officer downloaded ten files from a computer at that IP address, four of which depicted prepubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct with adults and with each other. The IP address was later traced to Newman’s home in Hillsboro.
The FBI was not the only law enforcement agency investigating Newman’s IP address. Investigators from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Albany Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office also downloaded child pornography from a computer at the same address. A Linn County Sheriff’s Office detective downloaded 247 files containing a total of 91 videos and 426 images of child pornography.
On January 20, 2017, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Newman’s home. They seized a laptop and external hard drive, both of which contained contraband material. Agents found 212 videos and 665 images depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Newman’s BitTorrent file sharing software had been run 272 times, most recently on the day prior to the search warrant.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force (CETF), the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, the Albany Police Department, and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
U.S. v. Gregory
On January 22, 2019, Rodney Paul Gregory, 64, of Lebanon, Oregon, pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and money laundering for his role in various online romance scams.
According to court documents, between May 2017 and January 2019, Gregory acted as a money mule for online romance scams. As part of the scheme, unknown co-conspirators would target individuals through online dating. These co-conspirators would impersonate military or civilian personnel working overseas, pretending they needed funds for foreign taxes, travel costs, or other false representations. Victims would wire money based on these false statements.
Instead of wiring the money directly overseas, victims were asked to wire money to bank accounts in the U.S. Gregory incorporated companies and opened numerous business bank accounts in order to receive these wires transfers from victims. Upon receipt of the wire, Gregory would send the money to overseas bank accounts.
On May 11, 2017, federal agents interviewed Gregory and he claimed he was not aware that the funds wired to his accounts were the proceeds of fraud. He claimed he did the work as a result of promises of love from the woman he met on an online dating website. Following his interview with investigators, Gregory continued to open new business bank accounts using fraudulent information, continued receiving wires from victims and continued wiring the victim’s money overseas. Between the May interview and the end of August 2017, Gregory wired or otherwise withdrew over $200,000 in fraudulent proceeds.
Gregory faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years’ supervised release. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Gregory agreed to pay restitution in full to his victims as ordered by the court at sentencing. He will be sentenced on April 4, 2019.
This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
U.S. v. Burkleo
On January 23, 2019, Bud O’Neil Burkleo, 36, of Warrenton, Oregon pleaded guilty to four counts of communicating a false distress message and one count of making a false statement.
According to court documents, Burkleo made four hoax distress calls to the U.S. Coast Guard between April and November of 2016. In response to each call, the Coast Guard dispatched rescue personnel in an attempt to protect life and property. Burkleo also lied to federal investigators.
Burkleo will be sentenced on May 13, 2019.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and prosecuted by Paul T. Maloney, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
U.S. v. Ugwa
On November 14, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a 14-count indictment charging Bob Ibenne Ugwa, 49, of Portland, with seven counts each of cyberstalking and anonymous telecommunications harassment.
The indictment alleges that, between 2003 and 2018, Ugwa used an interstate electronic communication service to engage in conduct reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress and made telephone calls without disclosing his identity with the intent to abuse, threaten, and harass seven different individuals.
Each charge of cyberstalking under 18 U.S.C. § 2261A(2)(B) and anonymous telecommunications harassment under 47 U.S.C. § 223(a)(1)(C) is punishable by up to five and two years in prison, respectively.
Ugwa was detained pending trial. A three-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on March 26, 2019.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Hannah D. Horsley, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Helen Lee Appointed Assistant United States AttorneyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman today announced the appointment of Helen H. Lee as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island.
Ms. Lee, an experienced civil litigator, joins the Office from the law firm of Latham and Watkins, where she had worked as an Associate since 2011. Employed in the firm’s D.C., Costa Mesa, and Boston offices, she worked on a wide variety of civil litigation matters, principally in federal court.
From 2016 to 2017, Ms. Lee temporarily left the firm to serve as law clerk to the Hon. Pamela K. Chen, United States District Judge in the Eastern District of New York, in Brooklyn.
Ms. Lee, who grew up in San Mateo, California, is a 2005 graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where she was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and she received her law degree, also from Berkeley, in 2011. While practicing full-time as an attorney, she also successfully completed a Ph.D. in Political Science, which was awarded by Stanford University in 2013.
Ms. Lee has been assigned to the Office’s Civil Division, and joins the Office as part of a Department-wide initiative to continue to increase affirmative civil enforcement efforts.
In making the announcement, United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman said, “I am tremendously pleased to welcome AUSA Lee to the Office. Ms. Lee’s intellect, experience, and background as a litigator are consistent with the tradition of excellence in this Office, make her a superb addition to our civil practice, and will allow us to continue to expand our enforcement efforts on behalf of the people of Rhode Island.”
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Gang Member Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man identified as a member of the Heath Street Gang was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm.
Kendrick Tate, a/k/a “K-Roc,” 26, of Chelsea, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 159 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In August 2018, Tate pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Tate has been serving a state sentence for unrelated drug and gun convictions.
On subsequent days in April 2017, Tate sold a cooperating witness crack cocaine and a firearm with a partially obliterated serial number. Although Tate has been identified by law enforcement as a member of the Heath Street Gang, he was living in Chelsea at the time of these sales.
According to court documents, Tate was convicted in state court in November 2017 of unrelated drug and firearm charges and is presently serving a 3 ½ - 4-year sentence. Tate was also previously convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon on two occasions, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, resisting arrest, assault and battery on a police officer, and possession to distribute a Class B substance on two occasions.
Following a two-year investigation, Tate and eight co-defendants were charged in January 2018 in connection with illegal drug distribution and firearm possession within and near the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments, formerly known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development. The investigation and arrests sought to reduce violence and improve the quality of life for residents in and around the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments by removing individuals who trafficked drugs and who were actively involved in violence and gang disputes.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement. Assistance was also provided by the Boston Housing Authority’s Department of Police and Public Safety. The case was prosecuted by Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Oklahoma State Senator Ordered to Pay over $125,000 to Child VictimRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – RALPH ALLEN LEE SHORTEY has been ordered to pay $125,850.00 to the victim he was convicted of obtaining for commercial sex, announced Robert J. Troester of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Shortey pleaded guilty on November 30, 2017, to one count of child sex trafficking. In particular, he admitted he solicited a minor identified as "John Doe" to engage in a commercial sex act on March 8 and 9, 2017. Shortey was serving as an Oklahoma State Senator at the time of the offense. He resigned in March 2017, shortly after his conduct led the Cleveland County District Attorney to charge him with state crimes.
A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment against Shortey on September 5, 2017. That indictment included three counts relating to child pornography: emailing videos of a prepubescent girl and young boys in October 2013 and producing child pornography by persuading John Doe to send him a sexually explicit image. As a result of a plea agreement, the United States dismissed these counts.
On September 17, 2018, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Shortey to prison for 180 months, or fifteen years, in addition to ten years of supervised release.
On January 31, 2019, the court conducted an evidentiary hearing to determine how much Shortey must pay his victim. Dr. Robyn Cowperthwaite of the University of Oklahoma testified for the United States regarding her assessment of the victim and her recommended course of treatment. Based on this testimony, Judge DeGiusti ordered Shortey to pay his victim $125,850.00, the cost of the recommended treatment.
This restitution award flows from the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking, including a focus on securing resources and restitution for victims. In 2018, the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys ("EOUSA"), the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section published a quick reference guide entitled “Restitution for Human Trafficking Victims,” which assists federal prosecutors in obtaining restitution for human trafficking victims. EOUSA also developed a "Toolkit" that provides information on practices, procedures, models, and forms employed in various U.S. Attorney’s Offices that are helpful in obtaining restitution for victims.
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Moore Police Department, with assistance from the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys K. McKenzie Anderson and Brandon Hale prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to court filings for further information.
Former Office Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement Scheme and Related Tax FelonyRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – United States Attorney Mike Stuart announced that Roseanna Coomes, 67, of Bluefield, West Virginia, pled guilty to executing a decade-long wire fraud scheme where she embezzled more than $969,000 from her employer, Cole Truck Parts. She also pled guilty to a related tax offense. As part of the plea, Coomes agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $969,316.68 to Cole Truck Parts and $64,330.10 to the Internal Revenue Service. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Bluefield Police Department conducted the investigation.
“You reap what you sow,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “More than 10 years of scheming and the theft of almost $1 million. Being in business is difficult enough without an employee stealing from the company. I want to thank IRS-Criminal Investigations and the Bluefield Police Department for excellent work in this case.”
As part of the plea, Coomes admitted that from about January 1, 2007, through mid-2017, as the office manager at Cole Truck Parts, she defrauded her employer by writing checks to herself and to another person and disguising those checks by making false entries into the company’s accounts. She further agreed that she made false statements on her tax returns for numerous years by not reporting that income.
Coomes faces up to 23 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 when she is sentenced on June 18, 2019. Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber is presiding over the case.
Assistant United States Attorneys Timm Boggess and Meredith George Thomas are handling the prosecution.
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Foreign National Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Re-Entering the United States Following Previous DeportationsRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Juan Gomez-Fonseca, age 49, of Bridgeport, Washington, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty on October 19, 2018, to being an Alien Illegally in the United States After Previously Being Deported. Senior United States District Judge Wm. Fremming Nielsen sentenced Gomez-Fonseca to a 5-year term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison. Gomez-Fonseca will be deported to his home country, Mexico, after he completes serving his prison sentence.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, Gomez-Fonseca, a Mexican national, was arrested on March 13, 2018, in Okanogan County, Washington. He had been previously deported from the United States on four separate occasions. Gomez-Fonseca’s criminal record included convictions for false imprisonment, domestic violence assault, driving under the influence, obstruction of a police officer, illegal entry into the United States and being an alien in the United States after deportation.
Harrington said, “The sentence imposed by the Court today not only promotes the rule of law, but reflects the serious consequences for foreign nationals who return illegally to the United States after having previously been deported multiple times and having previously committed multiple criminal offenses.”
This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the United States Border Patrol. This case was prosecuted by Matthew F. Duggan, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly 16 YearsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich has sentenced Roderick Lamar Duval (39, Bradenton) to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and heroin. He had pleaded guilty on September 27, 2018.
According to court documents, Duval sold fentanyl and heroin to an undercover detective on multiple occasions. During one of the transactions, Duval sold the fentanyl and heroin to the undercover detective within 1,000 feet of an elementary school in Bradenton.
This case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation entitled “Hot Batch.” The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply. The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout.
Federal Jury Convicts Virginia Man of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A federal jury found Logan Roy McCauley, 25, of Hamilton, Virginia, guilty today of producing child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in November 2017, McCauley drove to West Virginia, picked up a minor he had met online, and drove the minor to his residence in Hamilton. Within hours of arriving, McCauley engaged in sexual intercourse with the minor for purposes of using a smartphone to record a portion of the sexual encounter. Soon after creating the video, McCauley sent an online message to another person admitting he had made the video that morning. The day after McCauley created the video, law enforcement arrived at McCauley’s residence. At this time, McCauley told law enforcement about the video, which was still on McCauley’s smart phone.
McCauley faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and is subject to a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. He will be sentenced on April 26, 2019 before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ellis.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Berrang and Jay Prabhu of the Eastern District of Virginia.
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 Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Jury Convicts Colorado Springs Man for Illegal Possession of Stolen AR-15Read the Press Release
DENVER – A federal jury sitting in Denver convicted a Colorado Springs man of receipt, storage, and/or possession of a stolen firearm and for being a felon in possession of ammunition, announced United States Attorney Jason R. Dunn, Denver FBI Special Agent in Charge Dean Phillips and ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston. Demontrae Wilson, age 23, was convicted in United States District Court on January 31, 2019, of the two above-mentioned felony offenses. He was acquitted on a third count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Wilson had been involved in an altercation between two vehicles, which resulted in shots being fired. During that incident, he was shot in the head with an AR-15 round, but survived with loss of vision in one eye and other complications. After the incident, in March 2018, law enforcement agents in Colorado Springs watched Wilson and his associates get into a car that they began to follow. The car abruptly changed direction to avoid the officers, who then conducted a traffic stop. Officers found Wilson in the front passenger seat of the car, which was registered in his name. Inside his car, officers found military grade AR-15 ammunition, a military grade ballistic vest (with damage from two bullet rounds in the chest area) and a stolen AR-15 under a blanket. Another passenger was carrying a handgun. Wilson had previously been convicted of a felony and was not allowed to possess any firearm or ammunition.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 2, 2019, at 10:00AM before United States District Court Judge Raymond P. Moore.
This case was investigated by the Colorado Springs Police Department, the Colorado Springs Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the ATF Denver Field Division. The prosecution was coordinated by the FBI Gang Task Force in Colorado Springs. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason St. Julien and Garreth Winstead handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 18-cr-0263-RM
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Five Men, Two Businesses Charged with Illegally Importing Native American-Style Goods and Selling Them as AuthenticRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Federal law enforcement officials have announced charges against five men and two businesses for conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, and misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products. The charges, which are contained in a five-count indictment, arise from a multi-year scheme to import Native American-style jewelry, arts, and crafts into the United States from the Philippines and sell these goods to customers based on false representations that the merchandise was made by Native Americans.
According to the indictment, which was returned on December 19, 2018, Sterling Islands Inc., located in Albuquerque, N.M., imported Native American-style goods from a factory in the Philippines. These goods were not indelibly marked with the country of origin as required by customs law. The indictment alleges that Jawad Khalaf, 70, of Albuquerque, N.M., is the owner and president of Sterling Islands Inc. Nader Khalaf, 41, of Albuquerque, N.M., is a manager.
As alleged, Al-Zuni Global Jewelers, Inc., a wholesale business in Gallup, N.M., received these illegally imported goods and distributed them to customers. Nashat Khalaf, 71, of Gallup, N.M., is the owner and president of Al-Zuni Global Jewelers, Inc. Zaher Mostafa, 51, of Gallup, N.M., is a manager.
The indictment further charges that on or about August 3, 2012, Nader Khalaf sent an email message to the Philippines ordering Native American-style canteens. This email included a note from Mostafa requesting production. On or about November 24, 2014, Mostafa sold canteens to a customer that he represented as made by Navajo when the canteens were actually made in the Philippines.
As alleged, on or about July 23, 2013, Nader Khalaf processed an order from Taha Shawar, 47, of Breckenridge, Colo., for jewelry stamped “E.Y.” On August 5, 2014, Shawar sold a necklace stamped “E.Y.” to customers, claiming the necklace was made by an actual Navajo artist with those initials.
“Native Americans make tremendous contributions to the cultural and artistic heritage of our nation,” said New Mexico U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson. “This case demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to preserving and protecting the rich culture and heritage of New Mexico’s Pueblos and Tribes while promoting confidence in New Mexico’s native art market.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to safeguarding the rich culture, art and heritage of Native Americans," said Edward Grace, Acting Assistant Director of the Office of Law Enforcement for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. "We will continue to hold to account those who would attempt to sell fraudulent Indian art and craftwork in order to further their business dealings. We thank the U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and Indian Arts and Crafts Board for their assistance with this case."
“People from all over the country come to New Mexico to buy Native American jewelry, and they expect the real thing,” said Special Agent in Charge James C. Langenberg of the FBI Albuquerque Division. “When it's not, not only are they cheated, but so are the Native American artists who work hard to preserve their heritage. The FBI and our partners are committed to vigorously investigating and prosecuting the counterfeiters who would threaten one of our country's most precious cultural resources.”
“HSI special agents will continue to use their full authority to pursue the criminal organizations responsible for exploiting our tribal lands and cultural patrimony,” said Jack P. Staton, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “HSI’s unique cross-border authority is vital to the success of these investigations and we will continue to work with our federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect the Native American heritage of the pueblos and tribes in New Mexico.”
“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board is charged by statute to protect federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native artists and their creative work through the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, thereby promoting tribal economies and preserving American Indian and Alaska Native cultural traditions,” said Indian Arts and Crafts Board Director Meridith Stanton. “The Indian Arts and Crafts Board commends the Office of the U.S. Attorney in the District of New Mexico and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement for their outstanding work on the Al Zuni Indian Arts and Crafts Act investigation to protect the integrity and vitality of authentic Indian art. This is particularly important in New Mexico, which relies on the creation and sale of authentic Indian art and craftwork as an important tourist draw and economic engine.”
The defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted of the conspiracy and smuggling offenses. They face up to 5 years in prison if convicted of misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products.
Allegations in indictments are only accusations. Criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation was led by the Office of Law Enforcement for the Southwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with assistance from the Albuquerque Division of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean J. Sullivan, Kristopher N. Houghton, and Brandon L. Fyffe are prosecuted the case.
Five Men, Two Businesses Charged with Illegally ImportingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Federal law enforcement officials have announced charges against five men and two businesses for conspiracy, smuggling goods into the United States, and misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products. The charges, which are contained in a five-count indictment, arise from a multi-year scheme to import Native American-style jewelry, arts, and crafts into the United States from the Philippines and sell these goods to customers based on false representations that the merchandise was made by Native Americans.
According to the indictment, which was returned on December 19, 2018, Sterling Islands Inc., located in Albuquerque, N.M., imported Native American-style goods from a factory in the Philippines. These goods were not indelibly marked with the country of origin as required by customs law. The indictment alleges that Jawad Khalaf, 70, of Albuquerque, N.M., is the owner and president of Sterling Islands Inc. Nader Khalaf, 41, of Albuquerque, N.M., is a manager.
As alleged, Al-Zuni Global Jewelers, Inc., a wholesale business in Gallup, N.M., received these illegally imported goods and distributed them to customers. Nashat Khalaf, 71, of Gallup, N.M., is the owner and president of Al-Zuni Global Jewelers, Inc. Zaher Mostafa, 51, of Gallup, N.M., is a manager.
The indictment further charges that on or about August 3, 2012, Nader Khalaf sent an email message to the Philippines ordering Native American-style canteens. This email included a note from Mostafa requesting production. On or about November 24, 2014, Mostafa sold canteens to a customer that he represented as made by Navajo when the canteens were actually made in the Philippines.
As alleged, on or about July 23, 2013, Nader Khalaf processed an order from Taha Shawar, 47, of Breckenridge, Colo., for jewelry stamped “E.Y.” On August 5, 2014, Shawar sold a necklace stamped “E.Y.” to customers, claiming the necklace was made by an actual Navajo artist with those initials.
“Native Americans make tremendous contributions to the cultural and artistic heritage of our nation,” said New Mexico U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson. “This case demonstrates the Justice Department’s commitment to preserving and protecting the rich culture and heritage of New Mexico’s Pueblos and Tribes while promoting confidence in New Mexico’s native art market.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to safeguarding the rich culture, art and heritage of Native Americans," said Edward Grace, Acting Assistant Director of the Office of Law Enforcement for the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. "We will continue to hold to account those who would attempt to sell fraudulent Indian art and craftwork in order to further their business dealings. We thank the U.S. Attorney's Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, and Indian Arts and Crafts Board for their assistance with this case."
“People from all over the country come to New Mexico to buy Native American jewelry, and they expect the real thing,” said Special Agent in Charge James C. Langenberg of the FBI Albuquerque Division. “When it's not, not only are they cheated, but so are the Native American artists who work hard to preserve their heritage. The FBI and our partners are committed to vigorously investigating and prosecuting the counterfeiters who would threaten one of our country's most precious cultural resources.”
“HSI special agents will continue to use their full authority to pursue the criminal organizations responsible for exploiting our tribal lands and cultural patrimony,” said Jack P. Staton, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso. “HSI’s unique cross-border authority is vital to the success of these investigations and we will continue to work with our federal, tribal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect the Native American heritage of the pueblos and tribes in New Mexico.”
“The Indian Arts and Crafts Board is charged by statute to protect federally recognized American Indian and Alaska Native artists and their creative work through the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, thereby promoting tribal economies and preserving American Indian and Alaska Native cultural traditions,” said Indian Arts and Crafts Board Director Meridith Stanton. “The Indian Arts and Crafts Board commends the Office of the U.S. Attorney in the District of New Mexico and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement for their outstanding work on the Al Zuni Indian Arts and Crafts Act investigation to protect the integrity and vitality of authentic Indian art. This is particularly important in New Mexico, which relies on the creation and sale of authentic Indian art and craftwork as an important tourist draw and economic engine.”
The defendants face a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted of the conspiracy and smuggling offenses. They face up to 5 years in prison if convicted of misrepresentation of Indian produced goods and products.
Allegations in indictments are only accusations. Criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation was led by the Office of Law Enforcement for the Southwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with assistance from the Albuquerque Division of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Indian Arts and Crafts Board, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean J. Sullivan, Kristopher N. Houghton, and Brandon L. Fyffe are prosecuted the case.
Elk Grove Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Abdul Basier Hashimi, 26, of Elk Grove, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Garland E. Burrell Jr. to 12 years and seven months in prison for sex trafficking of a child, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
On August 31, 2018, Hashimi pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child. According to statements made during the hearing, Hashimi met the 13-year-old victim in August 2014 on social media and began communicating with her. After she turned 14, Hashimi caused her to work as a prostitute in Sacramento, Oakland, and elsewhere in Northern California. Hashimi managed the victim’s activities by, among other things, creating an internet advertisement, renting a motel room, and driving her to areas with prostitution activity where he caused her to work as a prostitute. The victim gave Hashimi the money she earned.
“Child sex traffickers often prey upon our community’s most vulnerable minors — runaways, foster kids, children who face difficult circumstances — promising the young victims that they will receive care and support. In actuality, traffickers treat their victims as commodities to acquire and sell, generating profit from exploiting them and leveraging their youth as a selling point,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI, the Sacramento Police Department, and our partners on the Child Exploitation Task Force continue to work tirelessly to identify and disrupt predators like Hashimi to protect the children in our communities. We are also all committed to ensuring the children recovered from exploitation receive the services to move forward with their lives.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Fogerty prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Sentenced for Participating in Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with his participation in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Angel Milciades Santana Polanco, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In November 2018, Santana Polanco pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute more than 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court records, as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, law enforcement agents intercepted phones used by Wareng Jhonny Villar-Ortiz and another member of the conspiracy, both of whom are also Dominican nationals. Agents determined that Villar-Ortiz was a mid-level drug distributor, who had received a kilogram of fentanyl in late January 2018. The intercepted calls further established that Villar-Ortiz arranged for Santana Polanco, who was typically a distributor for Villar-Ortiz, to test the drugs. Santana Polanco found three individuals, gave the drugs to them, and then reported back to Villar-Ortiz how the individuals responded to the drugs.
Between Feb. 8 and Feb. 12, 2018, agents intercepted communications between Santana Polanco and Villar-Ortiz in which Santana Polanco offered to supply Villar-Ortiz with a kilogram of drugs. Villar-Ortiz took possession of the drugs in order to test the quality before deciding whether to purchase them. On Feb. 15, 2018, Villar-Ortiz reported that the drugs were unacceptable and made arrangements for Santana Polanco to retrieve them. A search of Villar-Ortiz’s residence resulted in the seizure of 978.6 grams of fentanyl from a hiding spot in the bathroom wall.
Court records indicate that Santana Polanco entered the United States illegally. After serving his sentence, he will be subject to deportation proceedings. Villar-Ortiz pleaded guilty on Jan. 11, 2019, and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 5, 2019.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Ipswich, and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
District Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Thefts at Hotels and Office BuildingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ronnie Bryant, 54, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to eight years in prison for a series of incidents in which he stole or attempted to steal wallets at hotels and office buildings, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Bryant was found guilty by a jury in November 2018 of a total of 12 theft and credit card fraud charges. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable José M. López. Following his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, for years, Bryant has dressed professionally and entered hotels, office buildings and conference centers in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia and stolen unattended wallets and purses. In this case, he was found guilty of three such incidents between January 25, 2016 and February 3, 2016: stealing a wallet from a private office at a downtown Washington hotel, stealing a wallet from an office at the Georgetown University Law Center, and attempting to steal a purse from beneath a conference table at another downtown hotel. A hotel security guard spotted him in that incident, leading to Bryant’s arrest.
After the first two thefts, Bryant traveled quickly to an area where he could make as many charges as possible in a sort time. From purchasing gift cards to gas, he racked up hundreds of dollars in charges within an hour or two. All told, over an eight-day period, his crimes led to $2,000 in missing cash and fraudulent credit card charges.
Not counting this case, Bryant has been convicted of crimes stemming from at least 21 separate incidents. He most recently was incarcerated for similar crimes in Virginia.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department officers and detectives who investigated the case. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Elizabeth Trosman, Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cynthia Walicki-Chan, Lauren Bates, and Chrisellen Kolb; Liaison and Operations Manager Linda McDonald; Paralegal Specialist Tierra Nanches, Rochelle Mills, Donice Adams, Crystal Waddy, and Lynda Randolph; former Law Clerk Caroline Quill; Victim/Witness Advocate Diana Lim; Victim/Witness Service Coordinators La June Thames and Tonya Jones.
Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Floyd and Kaitlin Vaillancourt, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 59 Months in Prison for Federal Firearms Offense Committed Three Months After Release from PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tijuan Arrington, 42, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison after pleading guilty to a federal charge of possessing a loaded firearm with an extended magazine, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
At the time of his arrest by MPD officers in Southeast Washington, Arrington was on federal supervised release following his release from incarceration after being sentenced in 2016 for his role in a large-scale narcotics conspiracy.
Arrington pled guilty in October 2018, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. In that matter, on Jan. 24, 2019, the Honorable Rudolph Contreras sentenced Arrington to 47 months of incarceration, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Earlier today, the Honorable Chief Judge Judge Beryl A. Howell revoked Arrington’s supervised release and resentenced him to an additional 12 months of incarceration.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 15, 2018, at approximately 9 p.m., MPD officers were on routine patrol in the 1300 block of Barnaby Terrace SE when they observed Arrington and other men with open containers of alcohol. When officers went to make contact with the individuals, Arrington immediately ran from the police; in the process, he dropped a loaded firearm. Arrington was detained after he was pursued running into his residence that was located up the block. In the middle of the street and in Arrington’s flight path, officers recovered a semiautomatic Glock 23 .40 caliber handgun with an extended magazine. There were 20 bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber.
At the time of his arrest, Arrington was on federal supervised release following his release from prison three months earlier for trafficking hundreds of grams of heroin. That case involved an FBI drug trafficking investigation that began in the Barnaby Terrace area and extended into Maryland. Arrington was one of 16 people to plead guilty in the investigation.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of the MPD officers who investigated the case. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Legal Assistant Emma Atlas and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory Rosen and Christopher Macchiaroli, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Defendants in major Statesboro drug trafficking investigation enter guilty pleasRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A Mexican national and 17 other Statesboro-area residents indicted in a sweeping two-year, multi-agency investigation have pled guilty to a multitude of charges, and now face sentences of up to life in prison.
The joint federal, state and local investigation began in 2015 after citizens complained about drug-trafficking and violent crime in Screven County, Ga., and soon uncovered a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana in Screven, Effingham, Jenkins, Bulloch and Evans counties, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Of the original 20 defendants indicted in September 2018, 18 have signed guilty pleas, one is pending an evaluation, and charges against another have been dismissed.
The lead defendant in the case, Natividad Dias, 38, also known as “Nat,” “Nate,” “Amigo” or “Huevos,” pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. He faces up to life in federal prison.
Others signing guilty pleas to similar charges in the case include:
John Timothy Collins, 48
John Kenneth Joyner, 47
Palmer Alton Bazemore II, 51
Cassie Jo Barbee, 36
Jaime Elton Newsome, 39
Megan Nicole Bazemore, 30
Christina Elizabeth Davis, 32
Derrick Riggs, 42
Gary Paul Joyner, 51
Monica Isabell Jimenez, 22
Zackary Allen Durrence, 26
John Dillon Joyner, 25
Jonathan Travis Oliver, 36
Michael Shane Bishop, 44
Jonathon Evan Oglesby, 27
Alfred Anthony Woods, 28
Noah Quinn Pope, 25
Agreements from Oliver and Bishop also include admitting illegal possession of firearms that were seized during the investigation. The defendants face sentences of up to life in prison, and there is no parole in the federal system. Sentencing hearings have not yet been scheduled.
“Securing admissions of guilt from all of the defendants in this operation represents an incredible, exhaustive level of investigative work from all of the partner agencies,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “The obvious payoff is that a significant number of criminals are off the streets and no longer peddling poison in our communities.”
Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented on the pleas, “These guilty pleas are a direct result of the dedicated efforts of local, state and federal law enforcement and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The distribution of methamphetamine continues to ravage many communities. The Statesboro-area communities are much safer because these drug traffickers have been removed from the streets.”
“Homeland Security Investigations works diligently with our federal, state and local partners to prevent dangerous drugs and drug violence from plaguing our communities,” said Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Nick S. Annan. “This joint investigation is a perfect example of what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies pool their resources and expertise to attack and dismantle criminal organizations engaged in illicit activities that pose a significant threat to public safety.”
This case is being prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, the premier law enforcement unit whose task is to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations.
The investigation was a joint operation of federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Participating state agencies included the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. Local law enforcement included the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, Sylvania Police Department, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office, Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, Evans County Sheriff’s Office; and the Claxton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Marcela C. Mateo is prosecuting the case for the United States.
This investigation took place under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer.
Defendants in Methamphetamine Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
Abingdon, VIRGINIA – A Saltville, Va., man, convicted of trafficking a large quantity of methamphetamine in Smyth County, was sentenced yesterday in federal court to 72 months in prison, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Virginia Attorney General Mark R. Herring announced today.
Zachary Blue Carter, 38, was sentenced yesterday to serve 72 months in federal prison. Carter previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute and distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 100 grams or more of heroin, and one count of maintaining a place for the purpose of distributing or using a controlled substance.
“Crystal methamphetamine and heroin are highly addictive drugs that have destroyed countless lives in Southwest Virginia,” United States Attorney Cullen stated today. “We are committed to working with our federal, state, and local partners, including the Virginia Attorney General’s office, to target individuals and organizations responsible for bringing these deadly substances into our communities and holding them accountable.”
“Overdose deaths from dangerous drugs now surpass fatalities from car crashes each year. This sad statistic underscores our continued dedication to collaborate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia and federal, state, and local law enforcement to crack down on those who transport dangerous drugs into Southwest Virginia for distribution,” Virginia Attorney General Herring said today. “We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our law enforcement partners and will continue to aggressively prosecute those who endanger the lives of our citizens.”
According to court records and evidence presented at previous hearings by Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, Carter engaged in a drug trafficking conspiracy from April 1, 2016, through April 11, 2017. Court documents demonstrate that the conspiracy involved over 50 grams of crystal ice methamphetamine, with over 953 grams of methamphetamine and over 125 grams of heroin seized from Carter’s apartment on April 11, 2017. Carter distributed methamphetamine from his Saltville apartment. Six undercover purchases of methamphetamine from Carter were also conducted by the Smyth County Sheriff’s Office and Saltville Police Department at Carter’s residence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Smyth County Sheriff’s Office, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and Saltville Police Department investigated the case. The Virginia State Police assisted with Carter’s arrest and consent search of his apartment. Special Assistant United States Attorney M. Suzanne Kerney-Quillen, a Virginia Assistant Attorney General assigned to the Attorney General’s Major Crimes and Emerging Threats Section, prosecuted the case for the United States.
Defendants Sentenced to Federal Prison in Operation Dirty Bird Targeting Heroin Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that two additional individuals have been sentenced to federal prison following their convictions in Operation Dirty Bird, an extensive federal, state, and local investigation aimed at dismantling a large scale heroin trafficking network based in Ascension Parish, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas. The indictment charged individuals with significant drug trafficking, racketeering, firearm, and conspiracy charges. To date, investigative efforts have resulted in the seizure of over one and a half kilograms of heroin, substantial amounts of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and oxycodone. As a result of this operation, authorities have also seized seven firearms, over $314,000 in drug proceeds, and three vehicles allegedly used in the drug trafficking venture: a 2013 Porsche 911, a Mercedes CLS550, and a GMC Hummer. To date, 11 defendants have been sentenced, two defendants are pending sentencing, and two defendants are awaiting trial.
U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced JABLONSKI HANKTON a/k/a “Blossy,” “Blasky,” and “Blosky,” age 37, of Gonzales, Louisiana, to 95 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute heroin and unlawful use of a communications facility. The Court also sentenced HANKTON to 4 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, HANKTON bought heroin from Jason Muse to sell to others in and around Ascension Parish. Furthermore, HANKTON used a telephone on numerous occasions to discuss the distribution of heroin with Jason Muse.
DENMOND SMITH, age 39, of St. James, Louisiana was charged by indictment in the Middle District of Louisiana for conspiracy to distribute heroin, and unlawful use of communication facilities. SMITH was also charged by indictment in the Southern District of Mississippi, Northern Division for conspiracy to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine and distribution of five grams or more of methamphetamine. SMITH was sentenced in both matters by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to 120 months in federal prison in each case, to run concurrently. The Court also sentenced SMITH to 5 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty pleas, SMITH admitted to buying heroin from Jason Muse to sell to others in and around Ascension Parish and traveling to McComb, Mississippi, from Louisiana with an accomplice for the purpose of purchasing methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “The success of this operation demonstrates what federal authorities, working across state boundaries and alongside our state and local partners can accomplish. We will continue to use all available resources to stop the flow of these deadly drugs to our streets. The people of this District, and in this case the people of Ascension Parish, deserve nothing less. I want to thank our prosecutors and our federal, state, and local partners for their efforts.”
“Federal and local law enforcement has successfully collaborated in order to put these drug dealers in jail as a result of their desire to supply the citizens in the greater Baton Rouge area with heroin and methamphetamine, said DEA Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Arnett. “DEA will remain relentless in our efforts to cripple these dealers and remove them from our neighborhoods, keeping our communities safe.”
This operation is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Baton Rouge City Police Department, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police, and the Gonzales Police Department. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Kleinpeter, who also serves as a deputy criminal chief.
The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
Columbus Home Health Care Provider Sentenced for FraudRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The co-owner of Alpha Star Health Care Inc. was sentenced today in federal court to 18 months in prison for running home health care fraud and tax fraud schemes.
Ali Jama, 50, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in September 2018 to one count of making false health care statements and one count of making false statements to the IRS.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, United States Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation and Todd Wickerham, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
According to court documents, Alpha, which was located on Westerville Road in Columbus, was a Medicare and Ohio Medicaid health care provider. In 2015 and 2016, Jama improperly billed Medicare and Medicaid by allowing unqualified health care aides to provide care.
Jama billed for services by disqualified individuals, whose criminal backgrounds prohibited them from providing direct care; and billed for services by untrained home health aides.
Further, Jama provided false documents to his tax preparer, claiming $0 in taxable income for 2013 and 2014. In fact, his taxable income for those years was approximately $167,000 and $301,000 respectively. As a result, the IRS sustained a loss of approximately $126,000 in tax liability.
Jama also provided false records to his tax preparer in terms of business expenses. Jama inflated business expenses, thereby reducing the company’s tax liability from nearly $680,000 to $81,000, resulting in addition loss of nearly $185,000 to the IRS.
As part of his sentence, Jama is ordered to forfeit $300,000. He was also ordered to pay $392,000 in restitution to Medicaid and approximately $311,000 in restitution to the IRS.
“The public rightfully expects and trusts that those who provide health care services are competent and qualified”, said Lamont Pugh III, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Chicago Region. “The utilization of unqualified personnel coupled with the billing of federally funded health care programs for their services puts a patient’s health and safety at risk, and wastes taxpayer dollars. The OIG along with our federal and state partners will continue to identify and hold accountable those who choose to engage in this type of criminal activity.”
“Health care fraud affects every American and this case illustrates that the IRS and our law enforcement partners are steadfast in our commitment to detecting and dismantling health care fraud schemes and holding perpetrators of these crimes accountable,” said Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Waste, fraud and abuse take critical resources out of our health care system, contribute to the rising cost of health care and degrade the integrity of our health care system and legitimate patient care.”
“This is a deliberate, coldhearted violation of the public trust,” Ohio Attorney General Yost said. “This joint investigation and prosecution was equally deliberate, and the sentence is just.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation of this case by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Health Care Fraud Section, HHS Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation and FBI, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Douglas W. Squires, Kenneth F. Affeldt and Maritsa A. Flaherty, who are representing the United States in this case.
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Clairton Woman Sentenced in Counterfeit Cash ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – An Allegheny County resident has been sentenced in federal court to two years of probation and ordered to pay $9,570.00 in restitution on her conviction of conspiracy and passing and uttering counterfeit money, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Seleste M. Foster, 25, of Clairton, PA.
According to information presented to the court, Foster conspired and passed counterfeit $100, $50, and $20 Federal Reserve Notes throughout the Western District of Pennsylvania..
Assistant United States Attorney Shardul S. Desai prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the United States Secret Service for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Foster.
Citizen of Honduras Pleads Guilty to Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that GREGORIO ANDERSON ROMERO, 36, a citizen of Honduras last residing in New Britain, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to one count of reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Romero, who has never held legal status in the U.S., was deported from the U.S. to Honduras in April 2009 following a conviction for attempted arson, and 366-day sentence, in Florida.
Romero subsequently reentered the U.S. illegally.
On August 12, 2018, Romero was arrested by the New Britain Police Department and charged with assault and disorderly conduct offenses. He has been detained since his arrest.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for April 25, 2019, at which time Romero faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the assistance of the New Britain Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Caddo County Man Who Shot Woman in Indian Country Sentenced to Nine Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MARTIN ROCHA, 56, a resident of Caddo County, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Robert J. Troester of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The sentence took into account Rocha’s having used the firearm to shoot a woman in Indian Country.
According to an affidavit in support of a criminal complaint filed in federal court on May 19, 2018, officers with the Binger Police Department and the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Law Enforcement after a 911 call reported Rocha’s shooting of a woman with a Winchester 30-30 rifle. According to the affidavit, Rocha was estranged from his wife and was not allowed to live with her. The investigation determined that Rocha drove up to the residence, got out of his car, and fired a single shot that caused life-threatening injuries to the victim, a neighbor. The woman survived but suffered permanent injuries. Rocha has been in custody since May 18, 2018, the day of the shooting.
On June 20, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against Rocha. He was charged with assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and using a firearm during a crime of violence. The assault charges were federal crimes because the indictment alleges the victim is an Indian and the shooting took place in Indian Country. More specifically, the affidavit identified the victim as an Indian and also stated that Rocha is not an Indian.
On September 6, 2018, Rocha pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carries a maximum punishment of ten years in prison. In a plea agreement, he acknowledged he used the firearm to commit another crime. He also stipulated to advisory sentencing guideline calculations that took the circumstances of the incident and the victim’s injuries into account.
Chief U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton sentenced Rocha yesterday to 108 months, or nine years, in federal prison. He will be on supervised release for three years after his prison term. The court ordered him to pay $67,747.71 in restitution for medical expenses and announced that further restitution proceedings will take place on April 29, 2019.
These charges are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, with assistance from the Binger Police Department and the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Mikkanen, the case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses on the most violent offenders and partners with local prevention and re-entry programs for lasting reductions in crime. To enhance local effectiveness, the Western District of Oklahoma has emphasized prosecution of federal gun crimes connected to domestic violence.
Reference is made to public filings for further information.
Buffalo Man Going to Prison for Selling CocaineRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Charles E. Woods, 41, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, was sentenced to 85 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Astorga, who handled the case, stated that between October 19, 2017, and January 17, 2018, the defendant distribute crack cocaine and cocaine to an individual working with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On January 17, 2018, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the Woods’ residence in Buffalo. Officers seized a quantity of cocaine, $9,860 in drug proceeds, and a digital scale.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division.
# # # #Box Elder man admits domestic assaultRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – Box Elder resident Larry Ray Denny, Jr., admitted a domestic assault charge on Tuesday in federal court, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today.
Denny, 46, pleaded guilty to domestic assault by a habitual offender. Denny faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Magisrate Judge John T. Johnston presided at the hearing and recommended Denny's plea be accepted by U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris, who is hearing the case. Sentencing is set for June 6. Denny was released pending sentencing.
Prosecutors said evidence would show that law enforcement arrived at the victim’s residence on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation on Oct. 15, 2017 and that Denny had hit her. Denny has two prior domestic assault convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams and Ryan Weldon are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement.
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Attorney Convicted at Trial of Defrauding Elderly WomanRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that John Kelvin Conner, 62, was convicted today by a jury of 19 counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to federal agents. The defendant, an attorney, devised and participated in a scheme to defraud an elderly woman out of more than $95,000 so that he could gamble with her money at casinos.
In July 2016, the 85-years old victim signed a Power of Attorney (“POA”) agreement with the defendant that granted him authority to manage the victim’s finances and pay her bills. At the time, the victim lived at home, but required the assistance of multiple caregivers, and her only source of income was a monthly pension. The defendant used the POA agreement to liquidate a life annuity policy that the victim owned, deposit the proceeds into one of her bank accounts, and siphon nearly all of that money for his personal use at casinos.
From August 16, 2016 until April 22, 2017, the defendant used an ATM card to make at least 176 unauthorized withdrawals totaling at least $95,688 from the victim’s bank account at Pennsylvania and New Jersey casinos. During this time, the defendant neglected to pay the victim’s bills, which led to the victim temporarily losing basic utilities like heat, hot water, electricity, and telephone services. Additionally, many checks paid to the home caregivers were returned because of insufficient balances in the victim’s checking account. When questioned by FBI agents about the ATM withdrawals, the defendant falsely told the agents that the victim had authorized him to use her money to gamble at casinos.
“The defendant’s conduct in this case was egregious,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Stealing an elderly woman’s life-savings, gambling it away at casinos, and then lying about it to federal agents by pretending that he had permission to throw away the victim’s savings so that she couldn’t even afford her necessities – it is hard to fathom that an individual would choose to commit these crimes. We are grateful that the jury saw through the defendant’s lies and held him accountable.”
“For anyone with elderly loved ones, this is the nightmare scenario,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “John Conner’s victim was utterly vulnerable, and he took full advantage – robbing her blind to hit the casinos, frittering away her money as her own bills went unpaid. It’s unconscionable. The FBI will never stop working to protect the public from criminals like this, and we’re gratified to see him brought to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Dubnoff.
Arvada, Colorado Businesswoman Sentenced to Prison for Filing False Corporate Income Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Marlene Seo was sentenced today in Denver to one year and one day in prison for making and subscribing a false corporate income tax return, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney Richard E. Zuckerman, head of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
According to court documents, Seo owned and operated the National Martial Arts Academy (NMAA). From 2011 through 2013, she directed that income due to NMAA to be deposited into certain bank accounts, which she did not disclose to her bookkeeper and accountants. As a result, Seo caused the 2011, 2012 and 2013 federal corporate income tax returns for NMAA to underreport the business’s gross receipts by approximately $650,000.
Seo pleaded guilty on October 29, 2018, to signing and filing NMAA’s false 2012 income tax return. In addition to the prison term, Seo was ordered to serve one year of supervised release and to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in the amount of $238,350.70 and a special assessment of $100.
Principal Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorneys Anahi Cortada and Lisa L. Bellamy of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
Armed Drug Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell has sentenced Peter Jackson (31, St. Petersburg) to 12 years and 6 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jackson had pleaded guilty on October 29, 2018.
According to court documents, on May 9, 2018, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a search warrant at a house in St. Petersburg. As the agents approached the home, they found Jackson sitting on the front porch with crack cocaine and a loaded pistol. He was waiting to sell the crack cocaine to a customer.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor G. Stout.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
After Five Days of Trial, Doctor Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute and Dispense and Possess with Intent to Distribute Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – After five days of jury trial, Dr. Guillermo Tirado-Menéndez entered a straight guilty plea to Count one - conspiracy to distribute and dispense at least 70,000 units of Oxycodone (Percocet) and at least 40,000 units of Alprazolam (Xanax) and Count three - possession with intent to dispense at least 70,000 units of Oxycodone (Percocet) and at least 40,000 units of Alprazolam (Xanax) outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. United States District Court Judge Francisco A. Besosa presided over the case.
Tirado would use his license to prescribe Percocet and Xanax to individuals who would come to his office seeking Percocet and Xanax without performing a medical examination. He commonly referred to his patients as “Los Cristianos” because they were methadone addicts seeking more drugs. He would typically charge $100 per script. With these convictions, this doctor will no longer be able to use his medical license and DEA controlled substances license to serve as a drug pusher. Both will be forfeited as a result of the conviction.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marc Chattah and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadia Y. Pineda. The defendant faces a term of imprisonment of up to 20 years, a fine not to exceed one million dollars and a term of supervised release of not less than three years. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 2, 2019.
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31 January 2019
Worcester Restaurant Manager Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy and Attempted Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester restaurant manager pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to conspiring with the wife of a convicted drug dealer to use drug proceeds to renovate and operate a Shrewsbury Street restaurant.
Joseph Herman, 37, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, making false statements to federal investigators and attempted witness tampering. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for May 28, 2019.
Between May 2017 and September 2017, Herman conspired with co-defendant Stacy Gala to launder the proceeds of illegal drug sales by Gala’s husband, Kevin A. Perry Jr. Herman worked as the manager of The Usual, a Worcester restaurant owned and operated by Perry and Gala. Herman admitted that, after Perry’s arrest in March 2017, he and Gala conspired to use Perry’s drug proceeds to renovate the restaurant and to reopen the business under a new name, “The Chameleon.” Herman also admitted that he lied to federal investigators about the source of the funds used to renovate the restaurant, and attempted to convince another witness to falsely testify about Herman’s involvement in the money laundering scheme.
In October 2017, Perry pleaded guilty to money laundering and drug distribution charges and was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Stacy Gala is scheduled for trial on May 6, 2019.
Herman faces up to 20 years in prison for the charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and attempted witness tampering and up to five years in prison for making false statements to investigators. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm, Chief of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Westchester Attorney Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud for Attempting to Embezzle from A Decedent’s Estate for Which He Was Court-Appointed AdministratorRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that GUY PARISI, a Westchester attorney, pled guilty today to a mail fraud charge arising from his attempt to embezzle funds from a decedent’s estate for which he served as a court-appointed administrator. PARISI entered the plea in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Lisa Margaret Smith.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As he admitted today, Guy Parisi, a Westchester attorney, flouted his fiduciary duty to the estate for which he was administrator. He attempted to direct fees from the estate to a company he himself formed with a relative. Now Parisi awaits sentencing for his crime.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:
PARISI was appointed administrator of the estate of a former resident of Mt. Vernon, in or about April 2017. His duties as administrator included collecting the assets of the estate. As an administrator, PARISI had a fiduciary duty to the estate and to the decedent’s son, the sole beneficiary of his father’s will. New York law provided for a fee for estate administrators like PARISI based on a percentage of the value of the estate’s assets.
A substantial part of the estate’s assets escheated to the State of New York as abandoned property between 2000 and 2008, when the estate was first presented to the Surrogate’s Court. These assets were held in the custody of the New York State Comptroller.
In or about June 2017, PARISI, on behalf of the estate, retained Stokes Asset Recovery Services (“Stokes”) as the estate’s abandoned property location service in exchange for a fee of 15 percent of the value of the estate’s assets held by the Comptroller, which is the maximum fee allowed by New York law. PARISI did not disclose, and actively concealed, that Stokes was owned by his relative, and that he and the relative had formed Stokes less than two weeks before he notified the Comptroller of his retention of Stokes, as he was required to do under New York law. PARISI and the relative named Stokes after a Southampton, New York, street on which PARISI owned a waterfront vacation home. At the time he retained Stokes, PARISI knew that the estate’s assets held by the Comptroller were worth several million dollars.
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PARISI, 71, of Rye, New York, pled guilty to one count of mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentence will be determined by the court.
PARISI is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Karas on May 29, 2019.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Postal Inspection Service and the New York State Comptroller.
This case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney James McMahon is in charge of the prosecution.
UT Health Science Center Pays More than $2.3 Million to Resolve AllegationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) at Houston has paid $2,396,769.76 to resolve allegations that its Human Genetics Center misappropriated grant funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided for research related to the impact of genomic variation on individual health and the health of families and populations, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. A component of UTHealth, UTHSCH is one of the largest research institutions in the United States.
“Misappropriating NIH grant funds intended to advance the health of individuals and families, as alleged here, will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge CJ Porter of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. “Patients can be assured the government will aggressively investigate and prosecute fraudulent use of these taxpayer funds.”
The United States began its investigation after receiving a tip that the Genetics Center had misappropriated funds under an NIH grant related to sequencing the human genome. According to the source, the center wanted to draw down a substantial portion of the money remaining on the grant before the end of the grant period so that it would not have to return unused funds to the NIH. To accomplish this, the source claimed the center placed an order for a large quantity of genetic sequencing material from Illumina Inc. just prior to the end of the subject grant. They then allegedly stopped shipment of that material and had Illumina establish a credit for the material, from which the Genetics Center then used to purchase goods and services after the close out of the grant.
A two-year investigation substantiated the information provided by the anonymous source. The evidence revealed that just prior to the end of the grant period in late September 2012, the Genetics Center placed an order for Human Omni 5 DNA Analysis Bead Chip Kits from Illumina in the amount of $1,198,384.88. The Genetics Center stopped delivery of the shipment after making payment to Illumina. This resulted in UTHSCH underreporting by that amount the unobligated federal funds remaining on the grant which were not returned to NIH.
This misappropriation of federal funds deprived NIH of grant funds to which it would have otherwise been entitled. These funds could have then been used for other grants.
Because Illumina had received payment for the shipment, it established a credit to the Genetics Center in the amount of $1,198,384.88. From October 2012 through to Dec. 31, 2017, the center used that credit to purchase goods and services from Illumina.
The Department of Health and Human Services - Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew A. Bobb represented the United States.
The claims resolved by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Two Men Indicted for Operating Large-Scale Heroin Mill in Penthouse of Fort Lee, New Jersey, Luxury High-RiseRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two men were indicted today for operating a heroin mill out of a penthouse apartment unit in luxury, residential high-rise tower in Fort Lee, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Richard Fernandez, 36, and Carlos Mosquea-Diaz, 36, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and fentanyl. Fernandez is also charged with possession of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Oct. 3, 2018, Mosquea-Diaz was arrested in the parking lot of the apartment building by a vehicle that contained in its trunk a wine box containing approximately $130,000. In a trash room on the 42nd floor of the apartment building, agents recovered more than 10 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl. On the same floor, a penthouse apartment sublet by Fernandez contained a loaded firearm and several thousand dollars, as well as numerous ledgers, money counters, cutting agents, and other drug distribution and packaging paraphernalia.
The conspiracy count with which the defendants are charged carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison, and a fine of up to $10 million. The weapons count with which Fernandez is charged carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, and a maximum of life in prison, that must be served upon completion of any sentence for the drug offense.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson, with the investigation leading to today’s indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Macurdy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Two Men Convicted for Roles in Multimillion Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Charlotte, North Carolina found two men guilty yesterday for their roles in a five-year multi-million dollar high-yield investment fraud, the Justice Department announced today.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney R. Andrew Murray of the Western District of North Carolina and Inspector in Charge David McGinnis of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Charlotte Division, made the announcement.
Robert Leslie Stencil, 61, of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Michael Allen Duke, 50, of Richardson, Texas, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, following a three-week trial. In addition, Stencil was convicted of 13 counts of mail fraud, 13 counts of wire fraud and four counts of money laundering. Duke was also convicted of three counts of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Sentencing before U.S. District Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. of the Western District of North Carolina, who presided over the trial, has not yet been scheduled.
“Robert Stencil and Michael Duke shamelessly stole millions of dollars from unwitting investors, including the elderly, to line their own pockets,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “These convictions hopefully provide some consolation to the many innocent victims of this criminal scheme.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, from 2012 through 2016, Stencil, Duke and their co-conspirators sold millions of dollars of worthless stock in a sham company named Niyato Industries Inc. (“Niyato”). Stencil played the role of Niyato’s Chief Executive Officer. Duke was Stencil’s top salesperson. Together with their co-conspirators, Stencil and Duke portrayed Niyato as a leader in its field, manufacturing electric vehicles and converting gasoline vehicles to run on compressed natural gas. Stencil, Duke and their co-conspirators told victims that Niyato was run by a team of high-profile executives, and that Niyato had patented technology, state-of-the-art facilities, and valuable contracts. Further, they told victims that Niyato would use 97 percent of the money it raised selling stock to grow its business and expand operations. Stencil, Duke and their co-conspirators used high-pressure tactics when pitching Niyato stock to victims. Among other things, they sold victims on the opportunity to get in on the ground floor, offering them a portion of a supposedly limited supply of pre-IPO stock at $.50 per share and promising them a 10- to 16-fold return when Niyato went public. From 2012 to 2016, Stencil, Duke and their co-conspirators repeatedly told victims that an IPO was imminent.
In reality, the evidence showed that Niyato had no patents, facilities, products, or plans to commence an IPO. Niyato’s true business was the sale of worthless stock. Stencil, Duke and their co-conspirators used nearly all of the money raised by selling Niyato stock for their own personal benefit, with Stencil paying salespeople – like Duke – half or nearly half of the money they solicited from each investor on behalf of Niyato. Moreover, Stencil used Niyato’s bank account as his own personal piggybank. The evidence further established that Stencil, Duke and their co-conspirators sold approximately $2.8 million in stock to around 140 victims, many of whom were elderly. Duke was Stencil’s top salesperson, selling over $1.4 million of worthless Niyato stock to around 70 victims. For his role in the fraudulent scheme, Duke received over $700,000.
Four other defendants pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, including Nicholas Fleming, 63, of Northridge, California; Martin Delaine Lewis, 52, of Frisco, Texas; Paula Saccomanno, 61, of Boca Raton, Florida; and Dennis Swerdlen, 64, of Boca Raton, Florida. Kristian F. Sierp, 47, of Costa Rica, pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2017 and received a sentence of 102 months in prison in connection with his role in this case and in an unrelated Costa Rican sweepstakes fraud. Daniel Thomas Broyles, Sr., 61, of Beverly Hills, California, was also charged and remains a fugitive. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Fraud Section Trial Attorneys William Bowne and Christopher Fenton are prosecuting the case.
Three Butte County Residents Indicted for Trafficking in Fentanyl-Laced PillsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott and Butte County Sheriff Kory L. Honea announced that a federal grand jury returned a three-count superseding indictment today against Guillermo Jose Leon Ramirez, 41, of Oroville; Justin James Garcia, 44, of Oroville; and William Lee Vollendroff, 43, of Palermo, charging them with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents, during two separate drug deals, the defendants sold more than 1,000 fentanyl-laced pills that were made to look like Oxycodone pills to a confidential source. Fentanyl is a very potent synthetic opiate that is 100 times more potent than morphine and can be extremely dangerous due to the small amount of the substance needed for the user to overdose.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Butte Interagency Narcotics Task Force (BINTF), the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Spencer is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants each face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $5 million. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Additional Members and Associates of Violent New York City Gang Charged in Manhattan Federal Court with Racketeering and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), John B. Devito, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced the unsealing today of a Superseding Indictment charging three additional individuals, ANTHONY ELLISON, a/k/a “Harv,” DENARD BUTLER, a/k/a “Drama,” and KINTEA MCKENZIE, a/k/a “Kooda B,” with racketeering and firearms offenses in connection with their membership in and association with the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, also known as “Nine Trey.” A fourth defendant, KIFANO JORDAN, a/k/a “Shotti,” who was named in the original indictment, faces additional racketeering and firearms charges.
BUTLER was arrested yesterday. ELLISON was already in custody on federal charges. MCKENZIE is still at large. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “As alleged in the superseding indictment, the new defendants in this case, like those previously charged, engaged in brazen acts of gun violence. Thanks to our remarkable partners at HSI, ATF, and the NYPD, these defendants now face federal charges for their serious crimes.”
HSI Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “Nine Trey has engaged in a pattern of racketeering reinforced by a reputation of extreme violence, best known for shootings, assaults and robberies in our city. The new arrests in this case and the additional charges as part of this ongoing investigation should send a clear message to members of any gang that carry out acts of violence, that we are resolved in our joint efforts to promote a safe environment for our communities in New York City.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito said: “Today’s charges demonstrate ATF’s and our law enforcement partners’ commitment to identify and investigate individuals that drive violent crime within our communities. The members and associates of the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods, also known as ‘Nine Trey,’ allegedly terrorized the public via a variety of crimes including violent armed robberies, assaults and shootings. The ATF/ NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force will continue to work diligently with all of our partner agencies in order to best serve the community and protect the public. I would like to personally thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their leadership and guidance throughout this investigation.”
NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “In working to reduce crime past already record-lows in New York City, the NYPD is relentless in our pursuit of the relatively small percentage of the population driving the violence and disorder. We are achieving this, with pinpoint accuracy, because of the full and willing partnership of New Yorkers in every neighborhood and the unrivaled assistance of our law-enforcement partners. I commend the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District, and the members of Homeland Security Investigations and the ATF, for helping us dismantle groups responsible for shootings, robberies, drug-dealing, and more. Together, we are making the safest large city in America even safer.”
As alleged in the Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:
Nine Trey was a criminal enterprise involved in committing numerous acts of violence, including shootings, robberies, and assaults in and around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Members and associates of Nine Trey engaged in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, to promote the standing and reputation of Nine Trey, and to protect the gang’s narcotics business. Members and associates of Nine Trey enriched themselves by committing robberies and selling drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, MDMA, dibutylone, and marijuana.
The Superseding Indictment charges JAMEL JONES, a/k/a “Mel Murda,” ROLAND MARTIN, a/k/a “Ro Murda,” KIFANO JORDAN, a/k/a “Shotti,” ANTHONY ELLISON, a/k/a “Harv,” DENARD BUTLER, a/k/a “Drama,” JESNEL BUTLER, a/k/a “Ish,” FUGUAN LOVICK, a/k/a “Fu Banga,” KINTEA MCKENZIE, a/k/a “Kooda B,” FAHEEM WALTER, a/k/a “Crippy,” and AARON YOUNG, a/k/a “Bat,” with racketeering and firearms offenses.
Count One of the Superseding Indictment charges JONES, MARTIN, JORDAN, ELLISON, DENARD BUTLER, JESNEL BUTLER, WALTER, and YOUNG with participating in a racketeering conspiracy for their criminal involvement in Nine Trey. Count Two charges JONES, MARTIN, JORDAN, ELLISON, DENARD BUTLER, JESNEL BUTLER, WALTER, and YOUNG with using and carrying firearms, which were brandished and discharged, in connection with the racketeering conspiracy. Counts Three through Five charge MARTIN, JORDAN, DENARD BUTLER, JESNEL BUTLER, and WALTER in connection with a gunpoint robbery in the vicinity of West 40th Street and 8th Avenue in Manhattan on April 3, 2018. Counts Six and Seven charge LOVICK in connection with his shooting at rivals of Nine Trey in the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on April 21, 2018. Counts Eight through Ten charge JORDAN and MCKENZIE in connection with a shooting at a rival of Nine Trey at a hotel in Times Square in Manhattan on June 2, 2018. Counts Eleven and Twelve charge MARTIN, JORDAN, JESNEL BUTLER, and WALTER with agreeing to shoot an individual who had shown disrespect to Nine Trey, resulting in an innocent bystander being shot, in the vicinity of Fulton Street and Utica Avenue in Brooklyn on July 16, 2018. Counts Thirteen through Fifteen charge ELLISON in connection with his kidnapping and assaulting another member of Nine Trey near the intersection of Bedford Avenue and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn on July 22, 2018. Count Sixteen charges JONES and YOUNG with conspiracy to distribute heroin, fentanyl, MDMA, and marijuana from 2015 to 2018. Count Seventeen charges YOUNG with using and carrying firearm in connection with the narcotics conspiracy. Count Eighteen charges JONES with possessing with intent to distribute one kilogram and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of heroin on November 15, 2018.
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Charts containing the names, charges, and maximum penalties for the defendants are set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI, ATF, and the NYPD. He also thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, and the New York City Department of Correction’s Intelligence Bureau for their assistance in the investigation.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Longyear, Jacob Warren, Jonathan Rebold, and Sebastian Swett are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
COUNT
CHARGE
DEFENDANTS
MAX. PENALTIES
1
Racketeering conspiracy
18 U.S.C. § 1962(d)
JAMEL JONES (age 38)
ROLAND MARTIN (age 37)
KIFANO JORDAN (age 36)
ANTHONY ELLISON (age 31)
DENARD BUTLER (age 26)
JESNEL BUTLER (age 36)
FAHEEM WALTER (age 29)
AARON YOUNG (age 28)
20 years in prison
2
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was discharged
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
JAMEL JONES
ROLAND MARTIN
KIFANO JORDAN
ANTHONY ELLISON
DENARD BUTLER
JESNEL BUTLER
FAHEEM WALTER
AARON YOUNG
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
3
Violent crime in aid of racketeering (April 3, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
ROLAND MARTIN
KIFANO JORDAN
DENARD BUTLER
JESNEL BUTLER
FAHEEM WALTER
20 years in prison
4
Violent crime in aid of racketeering (April 3, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
ROLAND MARTIN
KIFANO JORDAN
DENARD BUTLER
JESNEL BUTLER
FAHEEM WALTER
3 years in prison
5
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was brandished
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
ROLAND MARTIN
KIFANO JORDAN
DENARD BUTLER
JESNEL BUTLER
FAHEEM WALTER
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 7 years in prison
6
Violent crime in aid of racketeering (April 21, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
FUGUAN LOVICK (age 40)
20 years in prison
7
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was discharged
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
FUGUAN LOVICK
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
8
Violent crime in aid of racketeering (June 2, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
KIFANO JORDAN
KINTEA MCKENZIE (age 21)
20 years in prison
9
Violent crime in aid of racketeering (June 2, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
KIFANO JORDAN
KINTEA MCKENZIE
3 years in prison
10
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was discharged
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
KIFANO JORDAN
KINTEA MCKENZIE
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
11
Violent crime in aid of racketeering
(July 16, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
ROLAND MARTIN
KIFANO JORDAN
JESNEL BUTLER
FAHEEM WALTER
10 years in prison
12
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was discharged
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
ROLAND MARTIN
KIFANO JORDAN
JESNEL BUTLER
FAHEEM WALTER
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
13
Violent crime in aid of racketeering
(July 22, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
ANTHONY ELLISON
Life in prison
14
Violent crime in aid of racketeering
(July 22, 2018)
18 U.S.C. § 1959
ANTHONY ELLISON
20 years in prison
15
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which was brandished
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
ANTHONY ELLISON
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 7 years in prison
16
Conspiracy to distribute narcotics
21 U.S.C. § 846
JAMEL JONES
AARON YOUNG
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
17
Using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to, or possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a narcotics trafficking offense
18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
AARON YOUNG
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 5 years in prison
18
Possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute
21 U.S.C. § 841
JAMEL JONES
Life in prison
Mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment constitutes only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation.
Target Store Break-in Defendants SentencedRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – The second of two New York men who admitted to cutting their way through a roof into a Target department store in Smithfield, R.I., in October 2017, prying open an ATM inside the store and stealing more than $14,000, then cutting through a wall into a CVS Pharmacy located inside the store and stealing a controlled substance was sentenced today in federal court to time served.
Liridon Gashi, 33, of Bronx, NY, had been held in federal custody since his arrest on March 7, 2018. He pleaded guilty on September 7, 2018, to one count each of conspiracy to commit larceny from a financial institution, bank larceny, conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances, and burglary involving controlled substances.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Gashi to serve 3 years supervised release and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,500 for damage to the ATM. Gashi remains detained on unrelated charges brought by law enforcement in Pennsylvania.
A co-defendant in this matter, Epirot Krasniqi, 27, of Brooklyn, NY, was arrested on November 7, 2017. Krasniqi pleaded guilty on May 11, 2018, to one count each of conspiracy to commit larceny from a financial institution, bank larceny, conspiracy to commit burglary involving controlled substances, and burglary involving controlled substances. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith on January 11, 2019, to time served, 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,500 for damage to the ATM.
Krasniqi remains detained on unrelated charges brought by law enforcement in Pennsylvania.
The sentences are announced by United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Smithfield Police Chief Richard P. St. Sauveur, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of October 10, 2017, Gashi and Krasniqi, equipped with hand tools and two-way radios, cut through the roof of the Target store and then forced open an ATM from which they stole $14,720. The two men then cut through the wall of a CVS Pharmacy inside the store, broke open a locked cabinet holding controlled substances and stole a prescription package of Oxycodone. The two men then fled to the roof of the store.
While the burglary and robbery were taking place, Smithfield police officers responded to a report of an electronic burglary alarm and began to search the premises. After discovering the hole in the roof, officers began searching approximately 30 air conditioning units located on the roof. The two men were found hiding inside separate air conditioning units. Also discovered inside the store and in various air conditioning units on the roof were the tools used in the break-in of the store and the ATM, the cash stolen from the ATM, and the drugs stolen from the pharmacy.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ly T. Chin.
The matter was investigated by the Smithfield Police Department, with the assistance of the FBI Rhode Island Safe Streets Task Force.
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Suspect Caught, Charged in Case Stretching from Tennessee to KentuckyRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A suspect is in custody and charged in a criminal complaint with threatening interstate communication after attempting to ransom the parents of a woman from Tennessee, announced United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman.
“Swift and safe resolution of this case is a reminder that Kentuckians and Tennesseans are protected by the finest law enforcement agencies in the nation,” stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman.
According to a criminal complaint filed in District Court on Thursday, on January 29, 2019 the Brentwood Police Department, located in Brentwood, Tennessee received a phone call from M.W. indicating her daughter, R.W. had been kidnapped. Bryan Conley was using R.W.’s phone and texting M.W. ordering her to pay a ransom of $20,000 for her daughter’s release.
Conley told R.W.’s mother to begin driving to Toledo, OH, where she would receive another phone call. Conley threatened to sell, rape and kill R.W. if D.W. did not comply with his demands.
The Defendant sent D.W. a “proof of life” photograph of D.W. at approximately 10:00 PM CST, which depicted R.W. inside of a vehicle with binding around her mouth. The photo was reviewed and the vehicle was determined to be consistent with a 2013-2018 Ford Taurus SE. The ransom was eventually negotiated down to $400 and some jewelry, and it was agreed that the father of R.W. would begin travelling towards Toledo, Ohio to drop off the ransom.
The morning of the January 29, 2019 an unidentified user attempted to access R.W.’s bank account, the individual correctly provided R.W.’s social security number, but was unable to correctly answer the security questions. Later that morning there was a successful login to R.W.’s bank account via her telephone number. The bank provided the telephone number associated with the first attempt which was registered to Bryan Conley’s wife in Clarksville, Tennessee. Investigators learned through an NCIC query that Conley’s wife has a gray 2014 Ford Taurus registered in her name. Further investigation revealed the two telephones were in close proximity.
Conley texted the phone of R.W.’s daughter “one more lie she’s dead,” at approximately 2:25 PM CST on January 30, 2019, while FBI Special Agents were located with the father in Tennessee. Location information from the cellular carrier placed R.W.’s phone in the vicinity of Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
At 3:30 PM CST the ransom payment was delivered behind a dumpster at the Flying J Travel Center in Oak Grove, Kentucky. At approximately 5:00 PM CST, Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville Division observed Bryan Conley retrieve the ransom payment, then enter a Ford Taurus and leave the gas station. FBI agents followed Conley to a gas station in Leithchfield, Kentucky. Conley was arrested at the gas station by FBI Special Agents who removed R.W.’s phone from his possession. After the arrest R.W. was found in the Ford Taurus.
Conley is currently in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A preliminary detention hearing is scheduled for February 1, 2019 in Owensboro, Kentucky.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Judd, and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Louisville, Memphis, Cincinnati, Detroit and Cleveland Offices with the assistance of Brentwood Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Louisville Metro Police Department, Kentucky State Police, Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office, Elizabethtown Police Department, Shepherdsville Police Department, Leitchfield Police Department, Clarksville Police Department, and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
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Superseding Indictment Adds Four Defendants to Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Oregon has returned a five-count superseding indictment charging six members and associates of the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club (GJOMC) for racketeering conspiracy, kidnapping and murder.
The superseding indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams for the District of Oregon, Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive’s (ATF) Seattle Field Division and Chief of Police Danielle Outlaw of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).
“According to the indictment, since at least 2003, the Gypsy Jokers have engaged in a wide range of crimes, including kidnapping, murder, drug dealing, robbery, extortion, and witness tampering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Thanks to the efforts of ATF, the Portland Police Department, and federal prosecutors, we will work hard to hold accountable the leaders and members of this brutal and highly organized gang for their alleged crimes.”
“Kenneth Hause is the leader of a criminal organization that, through its many chapters and support clubs, has sowed violence and intimidation throughout the Pacific Northwest,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “This is an organization whose members and associates pride themselves on living outside the law and use kidnapping, assault, murder and other forms of violence to extend and maintain their power. Kenneth Hause and his co-defendants will soon have their day in court and will face the consequences of their crimes.”
“This is a continuation of ATF’s operations against the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club for racketeering, kidnapping and murder,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Pleasants. “As president of a criminal organization, Mr. Hause put the community at risk and showed contempt for law and order. It is among ATF’s core commitments to protect the public from violent criminals such as these Gypsy Jokers.”
“The Portland Police Bureau is proud to be a part of this cooperative effort,” said Chief Outlaw. “Violent crime deeply affects our community. By working with our partners, we can utilize a collective group of strategies and tactics to investigate and apprehend those responsible for committing violent acts or profiting from people’s fear through extortion and intimidation.”
GJOMC National President Kenneth Earl Hause, 61, of Aumsville, Oregon; Mark Leroy Dencklau, 58, of Woodburn, Oregon; Earl Deverle Fisher, 48, of Gresham, Oregon; Ryan Anthony Negrinelli, 36, of Gresham; Joseph Duane Folkerts, 61, of Battleground, Washington; and a sixth unnamed defendant are charged, as members and associates of the GJOMC, with conspiring to conduct and participate in the activities of a racketeering enterprise.
Additionally, Dencklau, Fisher, Negrinelli, Folkerts and the unnamed defendant are charged with murder in aid of racketeering; kidnapping in aid of racketeering, resulting in death; kidnapping resulting in death; and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, resulting in death for the June 30 to July 1, 2015 kidnapping and murder of Robert Huggins, a former GJOMC member and resident of southeast Portland, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the GJOMC criminal enterprise.
According to the superseding indictment, the GJOMC preserves, promotes and protects its power, territory and profits through violence and intimidation and enriches its members through extortion, robbery and the distribution of narcotics. The organization is known for using fear through its members and associates as a tactic for establishing and maintaining its power. The GJOMC oversees several “support clubs” in Oregon and Washington, including the Road Brothers Northwest Motorcycle Club, Solutions Motorcycle Club, Northwest Veterans Motorcycle Club, High-Side Riders, and the Freedom Fellowship Motorcycle Club.
Dencklau, Fisher and Tiler Evan Pribbernow, 37, of Portland were first charged in a four-count indictment unsealed in July 2018. Pribbernow pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiring to conduct and participate in the activities of a racketeering enterprise on Nov. 7, 2018. Dencklau and Fisher are detained pending trial.
In addition to the criminal charges brought against the named defendants, the government is seeking forfeiture of a property located in Salem, Oregon used as a GJOMC clubhouse.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the PPB and ATF, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service; IRS Criminal Investigation; Clark County, Washington Sheriff’s Office; Oregon State Police, and the Oregon and Washington State Crime Labs. Trial Attorney Rebecca A. Staton of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah K. Bolstad and Steven T. Mygrant for the District of Oregon are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Superseding Indictment Adds Four Defendants to Gypsy Joker Motorcycle Club Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Downloadable file: PDF Press Release
Downloadable file: Superseding IndictmentPORTLAND. Ore.—A federal grand jury has returned a five-count superseding indictment charging six members and associates of the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club (GJOMC) for racketeering, kidnapping and murder.
The superseding indictment was announced by Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams of the District of Oregon; Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosive’s (ATF) Seattle Field Division; and Chief of Police Danielle Outlaw of the Portland Police Bureau (PPB).
GJOMC National President Kenneth Earl Hause, 61, of Aumsville, Oregon; Mark Leroy Dencklau, 58, of Woodburn, Oregon; Earl Deverle Fisher, 48, of Gresham, Oregon; Ryan Anthony Negrinelli, 36, of Gresham; Joseph Duane Folkerts, 61, of Battleground, Washington; and a sixth unnamed defendant are charged, as members and associates of the GJOMC, with conspiring to conduct and participate in the activities of a racketeering enterprise.
Additionally, Dencklau, Fisher, Negrinelli, Folkerts and the unnamed defendant are charged with murder in aid of racketeering; kidnapping in aid of racketeering, resulting in death; kidnapping resulting in death; and conspiracy to commit kidnapping, resulting in death for the June 30 to July 1, 2015 kidnapping and murder of Robert Huggins, a former GJOMC member and resident of southeast Portland, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing their positions in the GJOMC criminal enterprise.
“According to the indictment, since at least 2003, the Gypsy Jokers have engaged in a wide range of crimes, including kidnapping, murder, drug dealing, robbery, extortion, and witness tampering,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “Thanks to the efforts of ATF, the Portland Police Department, and federal prosecutors, we will work hard to hold accountable the leaders and members of this brutal and highly organized gang for their alleged crimes.”
“Kenneth Hause is the leader of a criminal organization that, through its many chapters and support clubs, has sowed violence and intimidation throughout the Pacific Northwest. This is an organization whose members and associates pride themselves on living outside the law and use kidnapping, assault, murder and other forms of violence to extend and maintain their power. Kenneth Hause and his co-defendants will soon face the consequences of their crimes thanks to a seamless partnership of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Williams.
“This is a continuation of ATF’s operations against the Gypsy Joker Outlaw Motorcycle Club for racketeering, kidnapping and murder,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Pleasants. “As president of a criminal organization, Mr. Hause put the community at risk and showed contempt for law and order. It is among ATF’s core commitments to protect the public from violent criminals such as these Gypsy Jokers.”
“The Portland Police Bureau is proud to be a part of this cooperative effort,” said Chief Outlaw. “Violent crime deeply affects our community. By working with our partners, we can utilize a collective group of strategies and tactics to investigate and apprehend those responsible for committing violent acts or profiting from people’s fear through extortion and intimidation.”
According to the superseding indictment, the GJOMC preserves, promotes and protects its power, territory and profits through violence and intimidation and enriches its members through extortion, robbery and the distribution of narcotics. The organization is known for using fear through its members and associates as a tactic for establishing and maintaining its power. The GJOMC oversees several “support clubs” in Oregon and Washington, including the Road Brothers Northwest Motorcycle Club, Solutions Motorcycle Club, Northwest Veterans Motorcycle Club, High-Side Riders, and the Freedom Fellowship Motorcycle Club.
Dencklau, Fisher and Tiler Evan Pribbernow, 37, of Portland were first charged in a four-count indictment unsealed in July 2018. Pribbernow pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiring to conduct and participate in the activities of a racketeering enterprise on November 7, 2018. Dencklau and Fisher are detained pending trial.
In addition to the criminal charges brought against the named defendants, the government is seeking forfeiture of a property located in Salem, Oregon used as a GJOMC clubhouse.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the PPB and ATF, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Clark County, Washington Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Police, and the Oregon and Washington State Crime Labs. Leah K. Bolstad and Steven T. Mygrant, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, are prosecuting the case with Rebecca A. Staton, Trial Attorney for the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Super Bowl LIII Anti-Counterfeiting and Piracy Event Held in AtlantaRead the Press Release
ATLANTA, GEORGIA– On January 31, 2019, United States Attorney William M. McSwain spoke at the National Football League’s anti-counterfeiting and piracy press conference held in connection with Super Bowl LIII. U.S. Attorney McSwain announced six separate indictments charging 13 individuals with a multitude of crimes, including conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, trafficking in counterfeit goods, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aiding and abetting.
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
Each year, the Super Bowl unites Americans in a unique way. It is a celebration of the game, its players, and of the competitive spirit that helps to define our country.
Unfortunately, with all the good that comes along with events like the Super Bowl, there’s an opportunity for criminals to prey on unwitting fans. These events attract people looking to make a quick buck through counterfeiting.
Criminal counterfeiting and piracy are serious crimes. When fans spend their hard-earned money on NFL tickets and merchandise, they deserve the real deal. And today, I am here to announce criminal counterfeiting charges that my Office has brought to help ensure that NFL fans – and all of us – get what we pay for when we attend a big event.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has filed six criminal indictments against multiple defendants, alleging their involvement in a scheme to traffic in counterfeit ticket sales. This widespread conspiracy spanned multiple states, involved 13 defendants, and covered numerous sporting and concert events.
We know from our investigation that the defendants targeted events and their victims based on profitability – the bigger the event, the bigger the payoff. The scheme involved several steps and multiple players: after determining which events would draw the most profit, the schemers would use real tickets, or photographs of real tickets, to print counterfeit ones for the event, and then the sellers would travel to the host city to sell their phony tickets to unwitting fans. This scheme involved sophisticated printing that mimicked the authentic tickets’ markings and hologram.
Many of the individuals that we have charged allegedly defrauded NFL football fans by printing, distributing, and selling counterfeit tickets to Super Bowl LI (51) in Houston (between the Patriots and the Falcons) and Super Bowl LII (52) in Minneapolis (between the Eagles and the Patriots).
In addition to these games, the criminal indictments allege that the schemers targeted other high-profile sporting events, including the Army-Navy football game played in Philadelphia in December 2017; two College Football National Championship games (one played in Tampa, in January 2017, and another played here in Atlanta in January 2018); and various big-ticket basketball games. They also trafficked in counterfeit concert tickets in various venues.
The initial arrests in this case were of two individuals named Eugene Smith and Eric Ferguson, both from the Atlanta metropolitan area. Ferguson is alleged to have printed the counterfeit tickets for Smith, who then supplied the tickets to several additional individuals who solicited buyers and sold them. Both Smith and Ferguson have been charged with producing and distributing counterfeit Super Bowl tickets in 2017 and 2018. Ferguson has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial. Smith has pleaded guilty to four counts and awaits sentencing in custody in Philadelphia.
The second wave of indictments targeted additional printers, distributors, and street-level counterfeit ticket sellers. Multiple arrests occurred earlier this week through a coordinated federal, state, and local effort across multiple states. As fate would have it, one of these individuals, Damon Daniels, was apprehended en route to Atlanta, thanks to the great police work by the Duluth, Georgia police department. The arresting officer reported that Mr. Daniels’s car was filled with printing equipment and cardstock, presumably to resume counterfeit ticket sales at this year’s Super Bowl.
The individuals charged and arrested this week are the following: Rakee Russ, Mustafa Tucker, Malik Brown, Kevin Sadat, Edward Dunmore, Khiale Warren, and Rodney Higginbottom, all of Philadelphia; and Sean Williams, Damon Daniels, Rahiem Watts, and Jermaine Jones, all of New York. These indictments, which are now publicly available and filed with the court, outline the charges and identify which of these individuals are charged with conduct related to counterfeit Super Bowl tickets. We have also prepared a press release that provides additional details about the charges.
If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties, determined primarily by the amount of the financial loss attributable to each. And by bringing these charges federally, we have assured that many of these individuals will serve serious prison time if convicted.
I want to extend my thanks to FBI Philadelphia for spearheading the investigation and to Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joe Bushner for their leadership, and to our local partners who served as boots on the ground – always willing to step in and stop the counterfeit sales, where possible. They acted swiftly when we learned about events unfolding in real time, often as the individuals were meeting their victims. Thank you to the Philadelphia Police Department and Commissioner Richard Ross; to the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and Attorney General Josh Shapiro and his First Deputy Chief, Bureau of Investigations, John Kitzinger, who is with us today; to the New York Police Department; to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office; to the FBI Field Office in Atlanta; and finally, to BJay Pak, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia and his Office.
This case serves as an important reminder to all of us who enjoy sporting and concert events with friends and family.
Most importantly, when you are buying tickets, consider the source. The safest route is always to purchase from an approved source. Many fans believe that if they are not purchasing tickets from scalpers on the street, they are safe, and that it’s OK to buy tickets on a third-party website because the sellers can be tracked and traced. That is not always the case. The majority of counterfeit sales happen not on the streets, but through the Internet.
The FBI and the Department of Justice take counterfeiting and piracy very seriously. Economic crimes like these will continue to be a focus of my Office and of the Department.
At this time, I would like to introduce my colleague from the FBI Philadelphia Field Office, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joe Bushner.
Statement from U.S. Attorney Tim GarrisonRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Regarding an incident that occurred on June 26, 2018, Kansas City attorney Andrea Martinez filed a complaint alleging unlawful use of force by Everett Chase, a supervisory officer with the Bureau of Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). The incident occurred during routine operations to remove an unlawfully-present Honduran national who had been released pending asylum proceedings, but was ordered removed when she failed to appear for a scheduled hearing. The incident received widespread publicity at the time it occurred, in large part due to Ms. Martinez’s allegations and the presence of media—including a Netflix film crew—she invited to ICE’s office, and dozens of protestors, some of whom shouted obscenities at the officers, and at least one of whom threw trash at the officers as they escorted the Honduran national’s family into the office.
Although the U.S. Attorney’s Office typically does not comment upon investigations unless or until charges are publicly filed, I am making an exception to that policy in this instance. I recognize the legitimate public interest in the conduct of law enforcement officers engaged in their official duties, as well as the necessity of law enforcement officers to maintain public respect and credibility in order to accomplish their mission. The Department of Justice takes such allegations seriously, and this office will prosecute—and has prosecuted—such cases when the evidence establishes a violation of federal law.
In response to the allegation, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General conducted an investigation. Having reviewed the investigation and considered the available evidence, and after consultation with career federal prosecutors, I have determined that the evidence does not support the allegations made against the ICE-ERO officer, and have formally declined to file charges for actions taken in the exercise of his official duties. In light of circumstances created by more than 30 people who came to a routine law enforcement operation at 3 a.m. for the purpose of making a spectacle, the officer’s actions were justified in order to secure and control access to the ICE office entrance from unauthorized persons.
Somersworth Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Damon Austin, 36, of Somersworth, pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of firearms, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 14, 2018, Austin was involved in an altercation with another individual in Somersworth in which Austin threatened the individual with a firearm. Soon after the altercation, Somersworth Police arrested Austin while he was in possession of the firearm. Police subsequently obtained a warrant to search Austin’s residence. A search of Austin’s residence resulted in the seizure of six additional firearms, as well as cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Austin, as a previously convicted felon, is legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
Austin is scheduled to be sentenced on May 14, 2019.
“The law enforcement community is working together to combat violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “This effort is advanced by depriving felons of guns that they can use to commit crimes. The quick actions of the Somersworth officers in this case took guns out of the hands of a convicted criminal. By working together to identify and prosecute criminals who use guns, participants in Project Safe Neighborhoods are protecting communities throughout the Granite State.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Somersworth Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Z. Krasinski.
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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Solon Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Cyberstalking ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, IA-- On January 9, 2019, Daniel Lee Stone, age 49, from Solon, Iowa, was sentenced by District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to cyberstalking, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Stone was ordered to serve one year of supervised release following his prison term, and pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Between October 31, 2016 and November 2, 2016, Stone, under a false name, utilized his cellular telephone to text over 170 messages to a minor female. These texts included statements that offered “cash and other goodies,” and statements such as, “I know where you live,” “Can I knock on your door,” and “Ok, but I will always be right there watching you.” The victim made repeated requests to Stone to stop texting and harassing her, making it clear she was uncomfortable with the text messages. Ultimately, the minor victim contacted police on November 1 and November 2, 2016, after the text messages failed to stop and Stone indicated he may be outside her residence. Stone admitted he sent these text messages with the intent to harass or intimidate the victim, using language and conduct he knew would place the minor and members of the minor’s immediate family in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury, and reasonably expected to cause substantial emotional distress to the victim and her immediate family.
This case was investigated by the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Restaurant and Owner Charged with Harboring and Employing Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that THAI THAI, LLC. d/b/a Sticky Rice Thai Cuisine and SOMPHON CHIWABANDIT, age 46, a native of Thailand, were charged Monday, January 28, 2019 in a two-count bill of information with harboring and unlawfully employing illegal aliens, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii) and Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324a(a)(1)(A).
According to the bill of information, in the past six months, THAI THAI, LLC. d/b/a Sticky Rice Thai Cuisine, through owner SOMPHON CHIWABANDIT, harbored and employed two illegal aliens at his restaurant.
If convicted of the felony, the company faces up to 5 years of probation, a fine of $500,000, and a $400 special assessment fee. CHIWABANDIT faces up to 6 months of imprisonment, and/or a fine of $5,000, and a special assessment fee of $10, as he is charged with a misdemeanour.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Covington Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Pulaski County Woman Sentenced for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
Jessica A. Browning, 44, of Ullin, Illinois (Pulaski County), has been sentenced to two years of federal probation for her convictions on two counts of bankruptcy fraud, Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. Browning was indicted in August 2018 as part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s continuing effort to crack down on those who commit fraud in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Illinois.
At her plea hearing, Browning admitted that during her federal bankruptcy proceedings, she intentionally failed to disclose a $12,765.47 award she had recently received in a workers’ compensation case. Browning also admitted that she testified falsely while under oath at a bankruptcy hearing regarding what she had done with those funds.
"I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft and our law enforcement partners for their strong commitment to combating fraud and abuse in bankruptcy cases as evidenced by yesterday’s proceedings," stated Nancy J. Gargula, U.S. Trustee for Southern and Central Illinois and Indiana (Region 10). The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. Region 10 is headquartered in Indianapolis, with additional offices in South Bend, Indiana, and Peoria, Illinois.
The charges resulted from a referral by the U.S. Trustee for Region 10 to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The investigation was conducted by agents from the Fairview Heights, Illinois, Office of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations, in collaboration with the Southern Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys William E. Coonan and Scott A. Verseman.
Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Member and Associate Charged with Making and Collecting Extortionate LoansRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today against an alleged member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (LCN) and his alleged associate. The indictment charges various crimes involving the making of extortionate loans, conspiracy, and collections of loans by extortionate means.
The charges were announced today by Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and Special Agent in Charge Michael Harpster of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Division.
The defendants charged in the 15-count indictment are Philadelphia LCN Family member Philip Narducci, 56, and his associate James Gallo, 44.
All of the defendants were arrested today and will make initial court appearances in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia at 1:30 pm. EST.
According to the indictment, Narducci allegedly made usurious and extortionate loans involving large amounts of money to a borrower. As set forth in the indictment, when the borrower failed to make weekly interest payments, Narducci allegedly used physical violence through assault and threats of violence to force the borrower to repay the loans. The indictment also alleges that, at Narducci’s direction, Gallo collected weekly interest payments on the usurious loans from the borrower and used threats of violence to facilitate the collections.
Each charge of making extortionate extortions of credit, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means, and collections of extensions of credit by extortionate means making extortionate extensions of credit, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General.
An indictment is merely an accusation and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra Member and Associate Charged with Making and Collecting Extortionate LoansRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – An indictment was unsealed today against a member of the Philadelphia organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (LCN) and his alleged associate. The indictment charges various crimes involving the making of extortionate loans, conspiracy, and collections of loans by extortionate means.
The charges were announced today by United States Attorney William M. McSwain; Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Michael Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Field Division.
The defendants charged in the 15-count indictment are Philadelphia LCN Family member Philip Narducci, 56, and his associate James Gallo, 44.
Both defendants were arrested today and will make initial court appearances in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia at 1:30 pm. EST.
According to the indictment, Narducci allegedly made usurious and extortionate loans involving large amounts of money to a borrower. As set forth in the indictment, when the borrower failed to make weekly interest payments, Narducci allegedly used physical violence through assault and threats of violence to force the borrower to repay the loans. The indictment also alleges that, at Narducci’s direction, Gallo collected weekly interest payments on the usurious loans from the borrower and used threats of violence to facilitate the collections.
“Our citizens deserve to be safe and live without the fear or threat of violence,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “My Office takes organized crime in this District very seriously and will prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.”
Each charge of making extortionate extortions of credit, conspiracy to collect extensions of credit by extortionate means, and collections of extensions of credit by extortionate means making extortionate extensions of credit, carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.
An indictment is merely an accusation and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless they are proven guilty.