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30 November 2018
Justice Department Announces Funding Opportunities to Support Public Safety in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
Application deadline is 9:00 p.m. EDT, Feb. 26, 2019
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Justice, along with Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme, this week announced the opening of the grant solicitation period for comprehensive funding to Indian Country to support crime prevention, victim services, and coordinated community responses to violence against native women.
The Department’s FY 2019 Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation, or CTAS, is posted online at www.justice.gov/tribal/open-solicitations. The solicitation contains details about available grants and describes how federally-recognized tribes, tribal consortia and Alaska Native villages can apply for the funds.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio said, “This funding will give tribal officials the tools they need to fight violent crime, protect their citizens, serve victims, and deliver justice.”
“This grant funding offers Montana’s tribes an opportunity to seek resources in a variety of areas to help tribal officials improve public safety, assist victims of crime and reduce violence against women. We encourage tribal officials to apply for these grants,” Alme said.
In fiscal year 2018, Montana’s tribes received an estimated award total of $1.39 million in Department grant funding. The grants went to the Blackfeet Nation, $450,000 for Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program and $350,000 for Juvenile Healing to Wellness court; Fort Belknap Indian Community, $271,147 for Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities; and Ft. Peck Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes, $322,641 for Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities.
The funding from the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) can be used to for a variety of public safety and justice-related projects and services. Funds can be used to enhance law enforcement; bolster adult and juvenile justice systems; prevent and control juvenile delinquency; serve native victims of crimes such as child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, and elder abuse; improve responses to violence against native women; and support other efforts to combat crime.
New to CTAS for FY 2019 is funding designated specifically to address violent crime in native communities (Purpose Area 10). Additionally, the Comprehensive Tribal Victim Assistance Program will be replaced by the Tribal Victim Services Program (Purpose Area 7) in FY 2019. This new program will provide funding to a larger number of applicants and provides funding for a broad range of activities, including a needs assessment, strategic planning, program development and implementation, program expansion, and other actions to address the victim service needs of tribes.
Applications for CTAS are submitted online through the Department’s Grants Management System, or “GMS.” Applicants must register with GMS prior to submitting an application. The application deadline is 9 p.m. EDT, Feb. 26, 2019. Applicants will submit a single application and select from any or all of the 10 competitive grant programs, referred to as “purpose areas.” This approach allows the Department’s grant-making components to consider the totality of a tribal nation’s overall public safety needs.
The 10 purpose areas are:
- COPS Office’s Public Safety and Community Policing
- Comprehensive Tribal Justice Systems Strategic Planning
- BJA’s Tribal Justice Systems
- BJA’s Tribal Justice System Infrastructure Program
- OVW’s Violence Against Women Tribal Governments Program
- OVC’s Children’s Justice Act Partnerships for Indian Communities
- OVC’s Tribal Victim Services Program
- OJJDP’s Juvenile Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts
- OJJDP’s Tribal Youth Program
- BJA’s Addressing Violent Crime in Native Communities
Fact sheets detailing each of the individual purpose areas can be found online at: www.justice.gov/tribal/grants. The Department will also facilitate a series of webinars to guide applicants through the CTAS application requirements. Details, including how to register for these webinars, will be made available online in coming weeks at www.justice.gov/tribal/open-solicitations.
Additionally, tribes and tribal consortia may also be eligible for non-tribal federal grant programs and are encouraged to explore other funding opportunities, which may be found at DOJ’s Tribal Justice and Safety website at www.justice.gov/tribal/open-solicitations or the www.grants.gov website.
In FY 2018, the Department funded 125 tribes with 225 awards across nine grant programs totaling more than $113 million.
CTAS is administered by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services and Office on Violence Against Women.
The announcement is part of the DOJ’s ongoing initiative to increase engagement, coordination and action on public safety in tribal communities.
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Informational: Federal Court arraignmentsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan in Billings on Nov. 26 and pleading not guilty was:
CHARLES FABIEN IDHEN, 38, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Idhen faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 18-136.
Appearing on Nov. 27 and pleading not guilty was:
DARRELL LEE WHITEMAN, JR., 29, of Lame Deer, on voluntary manslaughter. If convicted, Whiteman faces a maximum 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 18-145.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston on Nov. 27 in Great Falls and pleading not guilty was:
GARY ALLEN JIMENEZ, 24, Heart Butte, on charges of sexual abuse of a minor and distribution of a controlled substance to a person under 21. If convicted of the most serious crime, Jimenez faces a minimum mandatory one year to 40 years in prison, a $2 million fine and six years supervised release. The case was investigated by the Blackfeet Nation law enforcement and FBI. Pacer case reference. 18-91.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch on Thursday in Missoula and pleading not guilty was:
JOHN GREGORY ALEXANDER HERRIN, 27, Helena, on charges of interstate transportation of stolen property, money laundering and attempted witness tampering. If convicted of the most serious charge, Herrin faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI and Secret Service. Pacer case reference. 16-15.
If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.
To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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Hungarian Nationals Sentenced for Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DANIEL TANASE, age 39, and GABRIELLA TEKSE, age 31, both Hungarian nationals, each pleaded guilty yesterday and were sentenced to two years in prison for aggravated identity theft by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier.
According to court documents, the defendants were arrested after an investigation initiated by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office based on reports that two individuals were attempting to use stolen debit card information to withdraw money at ATMs in Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. Members of the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force arrested TANASE and TEKSE on June 19, 2018, at an AirBnB in Jefferson Parish, where they were found with cash and approximately 81 cards that had been encoded with stolen bank account information.
TANASE and TEKSE were each sentenced to two years in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Judge Barbier also ordered them to forfeit $32,615.25 in U.S. currency that was seized as proceeds of the crime at the time of TANASE and TEKSE’s arrest.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the agencies that contributed to this bill of information, which represents a coordinated effort of federal and state law enforcement authorities within the Louisiana Financial Crimes Task Force. The Task Force includes representatives from the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, New Orleans Police Department, Covington Police Department, Hammond Police Department, Kenner Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Mandeville Police Department, Slidell Police Department, St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John The Baptist Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish District Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. State Department, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General, and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service. U.S. Attorney Strasser also thanked the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew R. Payne is in charge of the prosecution.
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Houston Man Pleads Guilty to Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JAMES HATCH, age 49, of Houston, Texas, pled guilty today to one count of conspiring to traffic 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking in the Eastern District of Louisiana. On the drug conspiracy, HATCH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in prison, a maximum life sentence, a fine of up to $10,000,000 and at least five years of supervised release. On the firearm count, HATCH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five (5) years in prison which must run consecutive to the term of imprisonment imposed under the drug conspiracy, a fine up to $250,000, and no more than 5 years of supervised release.
HATCH is one of eleven defendants charged in a 23-count federal indictment. Specifically, the indictment alleges that HATCH conspired to sell large quantities of methamphetamine with codefendants Stefen Daigle, Julien Polk, Peter Giandalone, Paul Melancon, Jeffrey Clines, Angel Renee Vidaure, Eulalio Torres-Cadenas, Delio Alfredo Lopez-Lopez, Lindsey Lopez, and Jacob Higginbotham. The indictment also alleges a number of individual acts of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as firearm offenses for codefendants HATCH, Vidaure, and Lopez-Lopez. Law enforcement developed evidence against this group of defendants using controlled purchases of methamphetamine, traffic stops and seizures, consensually recorded text messages and phone calls, search warrants, cooperator information, and self-incriminating statements.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for HATCH on March 6, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Louisiana State Police, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Highway Patrol, Montgomery County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, AMTRAK Police, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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Green Island Man Arrested on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Arthur L. Gurbey, age 46, of Green Island, New York, appeared today on a criminal complaint charging him with receiving and possessing child pornography.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and James N. Hendricks, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The charges in the complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
According to the complaint, Gurbey became involved in a text message conversation with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl. Gurbey arranged to meet with the girl at what he believed to be the girl’s residence in Saratoga County. When Gurbey approached the residence, investigators appeared and Gurbey attempted to discard his cell phone. The cell phone contained video and image files depicting the sexual abuse of children.
If convicted, Gurbey faces at least 5 years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Gurbey, who was arrested Tuesday, appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Daniel J. Stewart, and was ordered detained. Gurbey also faces state charges in Milton Town Court relating to his discussions with the undercover police officer.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of state and local law enforcement agencies including the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office and the Colonie Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Greece Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Jeffrey West, 41, of Greece, NY, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin before U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci, Jr. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $2,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cassie Kocher, who is handling the case, stated that on April 19, 2018, members of the Monroe County Heroin Task Force executed a search warrant at the defendant’s home. During the search, officers located a quantity of heroin packaged for sale and a loaded .22 caliber handgun and ammunition.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Heroin Task Force, under the direction of Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 28, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Geraci
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Grant County, N.M., Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and Ammunition as a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Rudy Portillo Sepulveda, Jr., 28, of Grant County, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to violating the federal firearms laws by being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
During today’s proceedings, Sepulveda pled guilty to an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. Sepulveda admitted that on March 30, 2018, a New Mexico State Police (NMSP) officer pulled him over because of an outstanding warrant for his arrest, and located a firearm and multiple rounds of ammunition in his vehicle. In entering his guilty plea, Sepulveda acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his prior felony convictions for aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon, aggravated fleeing from a law enforcement officer, possession of a controlled substance, and criminal damage to property.
Sepulveda faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison. He remains in custody awaiting sentencing at a later date.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI, the NMSP, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office and the Silver City Police Department with assistance from the 6th Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case.
Fort Myers Men Indicted for A Drug Trafficking Conspiracy That Included the Killing of an InformantRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Robert Lee Ward (50, Fort Myers) with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and tampering with an informant by killing him. The indictment also charges Dalton Kelvin McGriff (49, Fort Myers) with conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. The drug conspiracy charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life, in federal prison. The tampering with an informant by killing offense is punishable by a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or death. The Justice Department will later determine if it will seek the death penalty in this particular case.
According to the
indictment , from approximately 1996 to November 2018, Ward and McGriff conspired with others to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine in the Middle District of Florida and elsewhere. The conspirators sold cocaine in and around Fort Myers, Panama City and elsewhere, and killed or threatened to kill suspected informants in furtherance of the conspiracy. The indictment also alleges that Ward aided in the killing of a confidential informant on January 7, 2013, in Fort Myers.An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fort Myers Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Sinacore and Christopher Murray.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. In the Middle District of Florida, U.S. Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez coordinates PSN efforts in cooperation with various federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
This investigation is also the result of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s drug supply.
Former Owner of Dominican Republic Bank Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A former owner of Banco Peravia bank in the Dominican Republic was sentenced to three years imprisonment today for his role in a billion-dollar money laundering scheme involving currency exchange.
U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan of the Southern District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Mark Selby of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Mark B. Dawson of HSI's Houston Field Office, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office and Inspector General Jay N. Lerner of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (FDIC) Washington, D.C. Office made the announcement.
Gabriel Arturo Jimenez Aray (Jimenez), 50, a Venezuelan citizen residing in Chicago, Illinois and former owner of Banco Peravia bank, was sentenced today to three years in prison by U.S. District Judge Robin L. Rosenberg of the Southern District of Florida. Jimenez pleaded guilty under seal on March 20, 2018 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. As part of his guilty plea, Jimenez admitted that, as part of the scheme, he conspired with co-conspirator Raul Gorrin Belisario, 50, and others to acquire Banco Peravia, through which he helped launder bribe money and scheme proceeds. Jimenez and his co-conspirators made the decision to use Banco Peravia to pay bribes to Venezuelan government officials in exchange for contracts to conduct currency exchange schemes and to launder the money obtained from running those currency exchange schemes. Jimenez facilitated illegal transactions and bribe payments to foreign officials and others via bank issued credit cards, cash disbursements, wire transfers and other financial transactions, he admitted.
HSI Miami, HSI Houston, HSI Boston, FBI Miami and the FDIC investigated this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael B. Nadler and Nalina Sombuntham of the Southern District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Vanessa Sisti Snyder, Paul A. Hayden and John-Alex Romano of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in this matter. The Policía Nacional (Spanish National Police) also provided significant assistance.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
Former Nashville Judge Sentenced to Prison for Federal Obstruction and Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
A former Davidson County, Tennessee judge was sentenced today to 44 months in prison, restitution of $18,000 and a forfeiture of $13,500 for obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and stealing money from an organization receiving federal funds, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
Cason “Casey” Moreland, 61, of Smyrna, Tennessee, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. The defendant pleaded guilty to five counts of a superseding information on May 24.
According to admissions made in connection with Moreland’s plea agreement, in January 2017, the FBI began investigating whether Moreland solicited sexual favors in exchange for favorable judicial treatment while sitting as a General Sessions Court Judge in Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. Moreland admitted that in February 2017, he became aware that he was a target of an investigation and took steps to try to obstruct it. Specifically, he devised a scheme to pay a material witness to sign a false affidavit recanting her previous statements, which implicated his criminal conduct in trading judicial favors for sex. He also devised a scheme to have drugs planted in the witness’s car, and then to have her stopped by police, so that she would be arrested and her credibility would be destroyed. Moreland carried out these schemes by using a burner phone registered in the name of “Raul Rodriguez” and communicating with an individual who subsequently became an informant, working at the direction of the FBI.
Moreland also admitted to criminal conduct stemming from his involvement with the General Sessions Drug Treatment Court, a specialized court program designed to provide alternatives to incarceration for certain defendants. The work of the Drug Treatment Court was supported by a nonprofit entity called the Davidson County Drug Court Foundation (the “Drug Court Foundation”). Although Moreland did not have an official position with the Drug Court Foundation, he admitted that he exercised de facto authority over the Drug Court Foundation’s operations.
In connection with his plea agreement, Moreland admitted that beginning in spring 2016, he began embezzling cash from the Drug Court Foundation by directing the Drug Court Foundation’s director to deliver to his office envelopes of cash that she had collected from individuals seeking outpatient treatment for substance abuse. Then, in February 2017, after learning of the FBI’s investigation, Moreland instructed the Drug Court Foundation’s director to destroy all documents and records relating to the cash payments that he had embezzled. Finally, in February 2018, at a time when he was on pre-trial release for the original charges, Moreland admitted that he attempted to tamper with a witness by suggesting to the Drug Court Foundation’s director that she lie to the grand jury investigating his conduct.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Nashville Resident Agency of the Memphis Division and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Lauren Bell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecil VanDevender of the Middle District of Tennessee.
Former Nashville General Sessions Judge Sentenced to Federal Prison for Obstruction and Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – November 30, 2018 – Former Davidson County General Sessions Judge Cason “Casey” Moreland, 61, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 44 months in prison, restitution of $18,000 and a forfeiture of $13,500 for obstruction of justice, witness tampering, and stealing money from an organization receiving federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee and Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowskiof the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
Moreland pleaded guilty to five counts of a superseding indictment on May 24.
In pronouncing the sentence, Chief U.S. District Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw remarked, “Everyone, even judges, are subject to the rule of law."
Moreland was originally indicted in April 2017 and charged with five counts of obstruction of justice. This indictment resulted from an FBI investigation into whether Moreland solicited sexual favors in exchange for favorable judicial treatment while sitting as a General Sessions Court Judge in Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee. According to admissions made in connection with Moreland’s plea agreement, in February 2017, Moreland became aware that he was a target of an investigation and took steps to try to obstruct it. Specifically, he devised a scheme to pay a material witness to sign a false affidavit recanting her previous statements, which implicated his criminal conduct in trading judicial favors for sex. He also devised a scheme to have drugs planted in the witness’s car, and then to have her stopped by police, so that she would be arrested and her credibility would be destroyed. Moreland carried out these schemes by using a burner phone registered in the name of “Raul Rodriguez” and communicating with an individual who subsequently became an informant, working at the direction of the FBI.
A superseding indictment returned on March 15, 2018, charged Moreland with five additional charges stemming from his involvement with the General Sessions Drug Treatment Court, a specialized court program designed to provide alternatives to incarceration for certain defendants. The work of the Drug Treatment Court was supported by a nonprofit entity called the Davidson County Drug Court Foundation (the “Drug Court Foundation”). Although Moreland did not have an official position with the Drug Court Foundation, he exercised de facto authority over the Drug Court Foundation’s operations.
Moreland also admitted that beginning in spring 2016, he began embezzling cash from the Drug Court Foundation by directing the Drug Court Foundation’s director to deliver to his office envelopes of cash that she had collected from individuals seeking outpatient treatment for substance abuse. Then, in February 2017, after learning of the FBI’s investigation, he instructed the Foundation’s director to destroy all documents and records relating to the cash payments that he had embezzled. Finally, in February 2018, at a time when he was on pre-trial release for the original charges, Moreland admitted that he attempted to tamper with a witness by suggesting to the Drug Court Foundation’s director that she lie to the grand jury investigating his conduct.
This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecil VanDevender of the Middle District of Tennessee and Trial Attorneys Lauren Bell of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.
Former Justice Department Employee Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Deceive U.S. Banks about Millions of Dollars in Foreign Lobbying FundsRead the Press Release
A former employee with the U.S. Department of Justice pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to deceive banks in the United States about the source and purpose of millions of dollars sent from overseas to finance a lobbying campaign on behalf of foreign interests, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
George Higginbotham, 46, of Washington, D.C., who was employed at the Justice Department as a Senior Congressional Affairs Specialist from July 2016 to August 2018, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements to a bank before U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly of the District of Columbia.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, in 2017 Higginbotham helped facilitate the transfer of tens of millions of dollars from foreign bank accounts to accounts in the United States to finance a lobbying campaign to resolve civil and criminal matters related to the Department of Justice’s investigation of the embezzlement and bribery scheme concerning 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). Higginbotham admitted that the foreign principal behind the lobbying campaign was alleged to be the primary architect of the 1MDB scheme. Higginbotham, as a Justice Department employee, played no role in any aspect of the investigation and failed to influence any aspect of the Department’s investigation of 1MDB. Higginbotham further admitted that another purpose of the lobbying campaign was an attempt to persuade high-level U.S. government officials to have a separate foreign national, who was residing in the United States on a temporary visa at the time, removed from the United States and sent back to his country of origin.
In order to conceal the identity of the foreign principal behind the lobbying campaign, Higginbotham admitted to conspiring to make false statements to financial institutions in the United States concerning the source and purpose of the funds. Higginbotham also admitted to working on various fake loan and consulting documents in order to deceive banks and other regulators about the true source and purpose of the money.
The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General and the FBI are investigating the case. Deputy Chief John Keller and Trial Attorneys Ryan Ellersick, James Mann, Sean Mulryne, and Nicole Lockhart of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section, and Deputy Chief Woo Lee and Trial Attorney Joshua Sohn of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.
Former Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Agent Pleads Guilty to PerjuryRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. - Yesterday, former United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Special Investigative Agent (SIA) Alfonso Jose Mendez Jr., 54, of Tucson, Ariz., pleaded guilty to perjury. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2019 before U.S. District Judge James A. Soto.
The SIA for a BOP facility is the individual responsible for supervising internal investigations into staff and inmate misconduct, intelligence gathering, and security threat analyses.
In his plea agreement, Mendez, admitted that while employed as the BOP SIA, he perjured himself during sworn oral testimony before an investigator for the Equal Opportunity Commission.
Under his plea agreement, Mendez faces up to 21 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys, Rosaleen O’Gara and Gordon E. Davenport III.
CASE NUMBER: CR-0260-JAS-DTF
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-163_ Mendez
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Flathead County man admits sexual exploitation chargeRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—Flathead County resident Allen Duane Turman, 43, pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court to sexual exploitation of a child, said U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme today.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided at the hearing.
Turman faces a maximum sentence of 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life supervised release. He is detained.
In October 2017, law enforcement received a call about a thumb drive that belonged to Turman. An analysis of files on the thumb drive found it contained a video of a girl who was under the age of 18 and that the video was created a year or two earlier in Kalispell. The video depicts the girl engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Other files on the device indicated that Turman had created the video.
When interviewed in August 2018, Turman said he was using drugs at the time and that his memory was poor. While he did not specifically recall making the video on the thumb drive, he did not dispute that he created it.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, the Billings Police Department and the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
This case was initiated under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood, which was launched in 2006 to combat the increase in technology-based crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children. Through a network of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and advocacy organizations, Project Safe Childhood attempts to protect children by investigating and prosecuting offenders involved in child sexual exploitation. The project is implemented through partnerships including the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
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Five Individuals Charged in Connection with Marriage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Boston, and Christopher W. Fonda, Supervisory Immigration Officer for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Office of Fraud Detection and National Security, today announced that five individuals have been charged with federal offenses related to their participation in fraudulent marriages so that non-U.S. citizens would receive U.S. immigration benefits.
On November 19, 2018, a federal grand jury returned indictments charging CARL JARRETT, 35, of Bridgeport; KENOL NOEL, 34, of Bridgeport; RICKY OWEN, 39, of Bridgeport, and MARVIN WILLIAMS, 59, of New York, New York, with submitting false immigration documents after entering multiple “marriages” with non-U.S. citizens and sponsoring those non-citizens’ applications for lawful permanent residence in the U.S., also known as “green card” status.
As alleged in the indictments, Jarrett, Noel and Owen each entered into two “marriages,” and in documents submitted in support of the green card applications of their second “spouses,” failed to disclose their prior marriages, and failed to disclose their having also sponsored green card applications for their first “spouses.” It is alleged that Williams entered a total of four such “marriages,” and sponsored the green card applications of all four “spouses.”
The grand jury also returned an indictment charging DWIGHT HENRY, 44, a citizen of Jamaica residing in Queens, New York, with conspiracy to commit immigration/marriage fraud, and making false statements in an immigration document. The indictment alleges that Henry conspired with Jodian Stephenson, of Bridgeport, and another individual, and entered into a sham marriage so that he could obtain green card status.
The five defendants were arrested this week. Jarrett, Williams and Henry are released under various bond conditions, and Noel and Owen are currently detained.
If convicted of the charges against them, Noel faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years; Jarrett, Owen and Williams face a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years, and Henry faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
In June 2018, Stephenson was charged by indictment with leading a conspiracy to arrange several fraudulent marriages between U.S. citizens and non-citizens. Her case is pending.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, Office of Fraud Detection and National Security. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry K. Kopel.
Five Individuals Arrested in Far-Reaching Drug Conspiracy Cases, Weapons SeizedRead the Press Release
St. Louis – A team lead by the St. Louis Division of the DEA executed arrest warrants this morning in St. Louis and Los Angeles and took five individuals into custody for their involvement in two drug conspiracies which distributed large quantities of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine.
Christopher Bryant, Jr., 43, of St. Louis, MO, and Kelvis Smith, 51, Chicago, IL, are alleged to have been a part of a heroin and cocaine conspiracy during 2016-2017 and face prison terms of 10 years to life if convicted. Bryant is also accused of money laundering by negotiating by purchasing six cashier checks totaling $50,000 with the proceeds of illegal narcotics. Bryant was arrested this morning in St. Louis. In the course of the arrest, law enforcement seized four firearms, three long rifles and an assault rifle, from Bryant’s residence.
Eric White, 44, of St. Louis, MO; Jackson Uvalle, also known as “Stallion”, 30, of Diamond Bar, CA; Derrick Mitchell, 43, of St. Louis, MO; and Luis Piril, 29, of Los Angeles, CA; are alleged to have been a part of a fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine distribution ring that ran through March 2018. They also face terms of imprisonment of 10 years to life if convicted. White and Mitchell were arrested this morning in St. Louis. Uvalle and Piril were arrested this morning in the Los Angeles area.
The charges in the Indictment are only accusations and all the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
William Callahan, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA St. Louis Division said “the DEA and our federal, state and local law enforcement counterparts are committed to expanding investigations beyond the Missouri state line and bringing offenders who deal in dangerous drugs in our community back to face justice.”
Inspector in Charge Craig Goldberg, who heads the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service which includes the St. Louis Field Office, stated, “Today’s arrests are a testament to the commitment of the Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners to protect postal employees, customers, and the public at large from those who attempt to use the nation’s mail system to traffic dangerous illegal narcotics.”
“Today’s arrests are a culmination of an extensive joint law enforcement effort to dismantle criminal enterprises that threaten the safety and security of the law-abiding public,” said James Gibbons, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations-Chicago.
In addition to the DEA St. Louis Division, the case was investigated by the United States Postal States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Kirkwood Police Department, the St. Charles Police Department, the St. Peters Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force. AUSA Beth Orwick is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
First Defendants in “Operation East Watch” Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
The first two defendants in a five-month operation focused on gun violence in the East Hill area of Kent, Washington were sentenced this week to significant prison terms, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. ANTHONY RIPLEY, 46, of Tacoma, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for drug and gun possession crimes. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted RIPLEY had spent much of his adult life in prison, and imposed five years of supervised release to follow the ten-year prison sentence.
“In the first half of 2018, there were 29 shots fired incidents in Kent’s East Hill neighborhood prompting law enforcement to launch a focused operation to address the problem,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Job one was to remove those who were committing crime most likely to result in additional violence. Led by ATF and local law enforcement partners, officers developed cases against eight defendants, most of whom were illegally armed as they dealt drugs in the area. As a result of the operation, eleven guns were seized from individuals whose criminal history made them ineligible to possess firearms.”
RIPLEY was involved in methamphetamine distribution while armed with two different firearms. When law enforcement searched his Tacoma home in June 2018, they recovered two handguns and discovered an illegal marijuana growing operation. RIPLEY has multiple prior felonies including a 1997 manslaughter conviction in Pierce County in connection with a gang shooting. He has prior state (1994) and federal (2006) convictions for distributing cocaine.
“It is ATF’s core commitment to protect the public from violent career offenders like Mr. Ripley, whose continued armed drug trafficking placed the community at risk and showed contempt for law and order,” said ATF Seattle Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants. “Sentences like this one aim to remove violent offenders from our communities and serve to deter others.”
“This is another great example of what can be accomplished when Federal Agencies like the ATF and local Law Enforcement agencies work together to address violent criminals in our communities,” said Kent Police Chief Rafael Padilla. “My thanks to the task force agents and officers who conducted the investigation that led to this great outcome.”
Of the eight defendants arrested in Operation East Watch, seven have pleaded guilty and one has a change of plea hearing scheduled next week.
Eddie Tarik Musa Bell, Jr was sentenced November 26, 2018 to four years in prison for distribution of methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
These defendants are awaiting sentencing:
Allen Betts III, 40, of Kent, pleaded guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Anthony Colbert, 48, of Seattle, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Neal Stringer, 46, of Kent and Des Moines, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Devon Parramore, 50 of Kent, pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
Mario Parra-Cetina, 28, of Kent, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and conspiracy to distribute heroin.
Kenyon Taylor, 39, of Federal Way, is scheduled for a change of plea hearing next week. He is currently charged with three counts of distribution of methamphetamine.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, DOJ leadership announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
The operation was led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ (ATF) Puget Sound Regional Crime Gun Task Force and the Kent Police Department. The task force contains agents and officers from King County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Department of Corrections, Washington State Patrol, Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S. Marshals Service, Seattle Police Department, and Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amy Jaquette and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Manca. Ms. Manca is a Senior Deputy King County Prosecutor specially designated to prosecute gun crimes in federal court.
Firearms Traffickers Sentenced to Prison for Straw Purchase SchemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Maryland residents were sentenced to a combined 13 years in prison today for their respective roles in a firearms straw purchasing and trafficking scheme.
“Haddock is exactly the type of individual who poses a serious danger to the safety of our communities and the law enforcement officers who protect us,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Haddock’s criminal history includes first-degree assault for shooting a woman in the leg at a playground in an attempt to rob her, conspiracy to rob a bank, and he committed this straw purchasing scheme while on probation. Along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we are committed to removing violent individuals like Haddock from our communities.”
According to court documents, between Dec. 3, 2017 and Jan. 6, 2018, Keith Haddock II, 26, Brittany Blanken, 25, and their co-conspirators illegally purchased 29 firearms during 11 separate transactions from federal firearms licensees at gun shows and gun stores in Virginia, using thousands of dollars of cash provided by Haddock. The straw purchasers immediately provided the firearms to Haddock, who, along with Blanken, transported the firearms into Washington, D.C. and Maryland and resold the firearms to other individuals. Haddock was unable to purchase the firearms himself or possess the firearms because he was previously convicted of two violent felonies in Montgomery County, Maryland.
“Firearm trafficking fuels violent gun crime in America,” said Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division. “Straw purchases are not simply paperwork violations—they put guns in the hands of serious criminals that terrorize communities across the country. This case perfectly highlights that danger: 29 straw purchased firearms were delivered into the hands of a violent felon before making their way to the streets of D.C. and Maryland, where they will be used in an untold number of violent crimes.”
Haddock was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Blanken was sentenced to 3 years. At sentencing, the Court applied sentencing enhancements for the number of firearms involved and because Haddock and Blanken trafficked the firearms. Indeed, law enforcement in Maryland and Washington, D.C. have recovered approximately a dozen of the firearms unlawfully purchased during the scheme at crime scenes or in the unlawful possession of others. The other firearms involved have not been recovered.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of a renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas U. Murphy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Williamson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:18-cr-236.
Felon from Mexico indicted for illegally re-entering United States and possessing firearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a federal grand jury returned a three-count superseding indictment charging a convicted felon from Mexico with illegally re-entering the United States and firearm possession.
Shandy Salgado-Almendaris, 39, of Mexico, was charged with one count of re-entry of a removed alien, one count of alien in possession of a firearm and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. He also faces state charges in Bossier Parish including production/cultivation of marijuana, resisting an officer, aggravated battery, illegal possession of a weapon and possession of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance. According to the indictment, Salgado-Almendaris was found in Bossier Parish on August 9, 2018 in possession of an RG Industries .22 caliber revolver. He was also found to be an illegal alien who had been previously removed from the United States three times in September 2010, November 2010 and September 2013.
The defendant faces 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution, forfeiture and three years of supervised release for each firearm count.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, and the Bossier Parish Narcotics Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Chicago Man for Allegedly Committing Murder to Maintain and Increase Position in Violent Street GangRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man sought to maintain and increase his position in a violent street gang when he fatally shot a man in a South Side store two days before Christmas in 2014, according to a federal indictment unsealed today.
PIERRE ROBINSON, 25, of Chicago, is charged with committing murder in aid of racketeering. He pleaded not guilty today at his arraignment in U.S. District in Chicago. A status hearing was scheduled for Dec. 19, 2018, at 9:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr.
The indictment accuses Robinson of murdering Glenn Houston on Dec. 23, 2014, for the purpose of maintaining and increasing Robinson’s position in the Evans Mob street gang. Houston, 23, was fatally shot inside a store in the 400 block of East 79th Street in Chicago’s Chatham neighborhood.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Celinez Nunez, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vikas Didwania and Rajnath Laud.
The indictment alleges that the Evans Mob, also known as “GuttaGang,” is a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in narcotics trafficking and committed acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder and assault, to acquire and preserve the gang’s territory on the South Side of Chicago. Members of the Evans Mob publicly claimed responsibility for their acts of violence, taunted rival gang members, and took steps to prevent law enforcement’s detection of criminal activities, according to the indictment.
The indictment accuses Robinson of intentionally murdering Houston after substantial planning and premeditation.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Murder in aid of racketeering is punishable by a mandatory sentence of life in prison, and the death penalty is also possible. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
District Man Sentenced to 21 ½-Year Prison Term for Killing Man After Carjacking MetrobusRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Keith Loving, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of 21 ½ years for carjacking a Metrobus and then fatally striking a man with the vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Ron Pavlik, Chief of the Metro Transit Police Department.
At the time he committed the crimes, Loving was under the influence of PCP.
Loving pled guilty in July 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to charges of voluntary manslaughter while armed and carjacking. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for an agreed upon sentence of 21 ½ years. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck accepted the plea and sentenced the defendant accordingly. Following his prison term, Loving will be placed on XX years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at approximately 10:30 a.m., Loving boarded a Metrobus at a stop in the 3800 Block of Jay Street NE. He used his Metro SmarTrip card to pay the fare. Once on board, Loving remained standing in the front entry of the bus next to the bus operator, even as the bus began to travel. The bus operator asked Loving if he was okay because Loving was breathing heavily. Loving yelled at the operator in an aggressive manner, and then lunged towards him with a pair of needle nosed pliers. The operator struggled with Loving but was able to disarm him of the weapon. During the altercation, all four of the other passengers exited the bus through the rear door. Loving pushed the operator off the bus, closed the doors, sat in the operator’s seat, and began driving away.
Loving drove the bus eastbound from the 3800 Block of Jay Street NE towards 800 Kenilworth Terrace NE, and then made a left turn onto northbound Kenilworth Terrace NE. He continued to drive the bus northbound in the 800 Block of Kenilworth Terrace NE and struck the left side of a Seabury Connector bus that was also traveling that way. At the time of that collision, the Connector Bus was transporting senior citizens. After that collision, Loving continued to drive in a reckless and erratic manner by, for example, driving on to the opposite lanes of traffic, as vehicles drove towards the bus.
At 10:32 a.m., Loving pulled the bus in an erratic manner onto the lot of a gas station in the 4200 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE. After passing through the gas pumps, he momentarily stopped the bus. While the bus was stopped, Anthony C. Payne was standing near a trash dumpster depositing trash, a short distance directly in front of the bus. In an apparent effort to leave the parking lot, Loving propelled the bus forward and turned the bus directly towards Mr. Payne. The bus struck Mr. Payne and pinned him under the front left side of the bus. The bus then came to a stop, with Loving remaining behind the wheel. Mr. Payne, 40, was taken to a hospital, where he died a short time later.
Loving was arrested on the scene. He was taken to a hospital for minor injuries. Sixth District Officers guarding Loving heard him advise hospital staff that he had smoked K-2 and PCP prior to the incident. When he was arrested, Loving tested positive for PCP. He has remained in custody since his arrest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Chief Newsham, and Chief Pavlik commended those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the Metro Transit Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who assisted with the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Silvia Gonzalez-Roman, Paralegal Specialists Lashone Samuels and Stephanie Siegerist, and Victim/Witness Advocate Jennifer Clark. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edward A. O’Connell and Michael Spence, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Davi Bailey Sentenced to Six and A Half Years for Witness RetaliationRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - U.S. District Judge Janet T. Neff sentenced Davi Sarah Bailey to six and a half years in prison for retaliating against a victim of child pornography pro-duction, along with the victim’s family. Judge Neff made clear that threatening and intimidating witnesses will not be tolerated in the Western District of Michigan: "It has to be known that it is just not acceptable to interfere with or retaliate against witnesses who come to court…. We simply cannot have any indication that witness intimidation or retaliation is acceptable under any circum-stance."
In June of 2018, a jury found the father of Bailey’s children (Michael Clayton) guilty of sex trafficking one minor girl and producing child pornography of three minor girls. You can read more about Clayton’s case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmi/pr/2018_1023_Clayton_Hernandez. For his crimes, Clayton received life in prison.
Throughout Clayton’s trial, Bailey threatened two of the victims of child pornography pro-duction. On the first day of trial, one of the victims testified, after which Bailey threatened to harm the girl. On the second day of trial, another victim testified, and Bailey threatened her too. Due to those threats, law enforcement accompanied the victims throughout the rest of the trial to ensure their safety. After trial concluded one evening, law enforcement found Bailey waiting in a parking lot by a victim’s vehicle.
After trial, Bailey threatened to beat up the sister of one of the victims, based on the vic-tim’s testimony:
Picture of Davi Facebook post
The threat affected the victim of Clayton’s child pornography production, who stopped attending school, quit her job, and frequently refused to leave her family’s home.While sentencing Bailey, Judge Neff remarked, "words can be very blunt instruments. Es-pecially here, where they victimized people who had already been victimized before."
The Battle Creek Police Department and Department of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. Assistant United States Attorney Davin M. Reust prosecuted it.
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Davenport Man Sentenced to 45 Months in Prison on Federal Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa-- On November 28, 2018, James Edward Hawkins, also known as Jamie Hawkins, age 22, of Davenport, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose to 45 months in prison, following his guilty plea to felon in possession of a firearm, according to United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Hawkins was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund. The firearm was forfeited.
On April 11, 2018, the Davenport Police Department executed a search warrant at a residence on West 10th Street. At that time, Hawkins had multiple pending arrest warrants for escape and officers had developed information that Hawkins possessed at least two firearms. As part of the search, officers found and seized a loaded .45 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number. Hawkins admitted to possession of this handgun. During sentencing, Judge Rose commended the Davenport Police Department for their diligence in pursuing information that identified Hawkins and his possession of firearms. After he serves his prison sentence, Hawkins’ terms of supervised release will include a special condition that prohibits his knowing contact, association or membership with the Savage Life street gang.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This investigation was conducted by the the Davenport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 180 Months Imprisonment for Possession of Firearms and DrugsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Mario Silas, 38, has been sentenced to 180 months imprisonment for being a convicted felon illegally in possession of firearms and drugs. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on April 23, 2017, Mario Silas was in a vehicle stopped by MPD officers. Officers searched the vehicle and located a stolen Springfield Armory .45 caliber pistol in the glove compartment, which Silas admitted to possessing. Law enforcement also found a brown purse in the car that contained 0.7 grams of cocaine, 1.2 grams of heroin, 4.8 grams of marijuana, and a Ruger .357 caliber revolver. Officers also found a Spikes Tactical multi-caliber pistol on the floorboard of the car.
At the time of this event, Silas was a convicted felon and legally prohibited from possessing firearms.
In September 2017, Mario Silas recruited an individual named Jared Weatherly to sell ecstasy pills for him. Weatherly found a buyer, who was actually an undercover MPD detective. On several phone calls with Weatherly, the detective could hear Mario Silas talking in the background. The detective set up a meeting for a controlled buy on September 4, 2017. Weatherly arrived in a Subaru. Silas was in the front passenger seat and an individual named Tiffany Tekle was in the back seat. Weatherly pulled out the clear plastic bag from his right shorts pocket containing ecstasy pills. The detective took possession of the bag and gave the takedown signal, at which point Silas threw a Ruger .38 caliber revolver into the backseat. Silas, Weatherly, and Tekle were taken into custody. As the officers approached the Subaru, officers saw Tekle reach behind her back to conceal the firearm. Officers recovered a Ruger .38 caliber revolver from her seat and a Clerke .32 caliber revolver in the backpack in the back of the Subaru. Silas had $595 cash on his person. The ecstasy weighed 20.636 grams. Officers also recovered 0.9 grams of marijuana from the Subaru. Silas and Tekle were both convicted felons at the time of this incident.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent danger to the community, and in this case, Silas was a career drug offender who continued to possess firearms and sell illegal narcotics despite his prior felony conviction history. There is and ought to be a significant consequence for such recidivist criminal behavior, and this is one more armed drug dealer removed from our streets. Gun Crime is Max Time."
On November 29, 2018, U.S. District Court Judge John T. Fowlkes Jr., sentenced Silas to 180 months imprisonment and 3 years supervised release. Weatherly and Tekle have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;MPD OCU; and MPD Multi-Agency Gang Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney J. William Crow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Dealing Drugs and GunsRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to nearly nine years in prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine and possessing, using, and carrying a firearm.
According to court documents, Charles Ervin Livermon, 23, a previously convicted felon, sold heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and at least three guns to an undercover officer in a series of controlled purchases. On three occasions, Livermon sold the officer a deadly cocktail of heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine. Other times, he used co-conspirators to negotiate the deals with the undercover officer. Officers later executed a warrant on his home and recovered heroin mixed with fentanyl, 450 grams of marijuana, and his personal firearm.
The case is part of Operation Sand Dragon, a joint operation lead by the Norfolk Police Department with assistance from the DEA, ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chesapeake Police Department. After an eight-month-long investigation, law enforcement arrested 44 suspects for their roles in distributing drugs. Twelve of the suspects were involved in gang activity, which was a major focus of the investigation. During the investigation, law enforcement recovered roughly 11 ounces of heroin, 3 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of marijuana, 24 ecstasy pills, and 9 grams of methamphetamine. The total street value of the drugs was over $190,000. Law enforcement also recovered 12 firearms and over $85,000 in cash.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of a renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, Michael K. Lamonea, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Norfolk, and Colonel K.L. Wright, Chief of Chesapeake Police made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Jackson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-28.
Convicted Felon Injured State Trooper While Fleeing SceneRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A previously convicted felon who injured a Virginia State Trooper during a traffic stop was sentenced today to over 13 years in prison for drug crimes and a related federal supervised release violation.
“Johnson injured a state trooper while resisting arrest for possessing meth, marijuana, and cocaine,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “This is prime example of the danger our law enforcement partners face every time they conduct a simple traffic stop. In the blink of an eye it can turn into a dangerous encounter. We will continue to investigate and prosecute cases where our law enforcement partners are injured in the line of duty.”
According to court documents, in December 2017, a Virginia State Police (VSP) Trooper conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle of George Johnson, 38, of Nottoway. During the course of the stop, Johnson fled from the Trooper and caused significant injuries to her hand. While fleeing, Johnson dumped over 130 grams of methamphetamine, which consisted of thousands of pieces of crystals, into the woods along his escape route. Johnson was eventually apprehended by assisting law enforcement and also charged with possessing over 51 grams of marijuana and 2.9 grams of cocaine. It was later determined that at the time of the incident Johnson was on federal supervised release for possession and intent to distribute cocaine-based drugs while carrying a firearm.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-81.
Colorado Springs Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun Crimes, as well as CarjackingRead the Press Release
DENVER – Miguel Lerma Cruz, aka Danny Ortega, age 39, of Colorado Springs, pled guilty to drug and gun crimes, as well as carjacking, and was then sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge R. Brooke Jackson to serve 25 years in federal prison, U.S. Attorney Jason R. Dunn and ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge Debbie Livingston announced. Cruz appeared at yesterday’s hearing in custody, and was remanded at its conclusion.
Cruz was first charged by criminal complaint on October 17, 2017. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 26, 2017. He pled guilty and was sentenced on November 29, 2018.
According to the stipulated facts contained in the plea agreement, on May 29, 2017, Colorado Springs police were dispatched to a report of a disturbance at the El Ranchito Meat Market in Colorado Springs. A woman called police and stated that the defendant had threatened her at the market. He reached for his waistline and held what appeared to be the handle of a firearm. After the defendant left the store, the victim called police.
Officers arrived and observed the defendant in his white Dodge pickup truck in the parking lot. When officers attempted to contact the defendant, he slammed into a marked police patrol vehicle, drove past a uniformed patrol officer and another marked police patrol vehicle, and fled the scene. Officers initiated a vehicle pursuit. During the pursuit, which occurred over a considerable distance through heavily populated areas of the city, the defendant refused to stop. He ran a red light and struck two vehicles. The defendant’s white Dodge pickup truck was disabled because of the collision. The defendant got out of his truck, dropping a 9mm handgun onto the ground. He was carrying an AR-15 type rifle and ran up to a woman sitting in an Acura sedan. He then took her car and fled. Officers continued to pursue the defendant, but eventually lost him.
Detectives recovered the defendant’s Dodge pickup at the scene of the crash and recovered a 9mm handgun just outside of the driver’s door. This firearm was reported as stolen from a residence in Brattleboro, Vermont. Police also recovered a blue tote bag that contained 270.7 grams of heroin and 623.6 grams of methamphetamine, as well as $20,000 in cash and ammunition. Police recovered an additional $10,000 in cash in the center console. Subsequent investigation revealed that the Saturn sedan that the defendant had parked earlier in the day contained a Ruger Mini 14 rifle and a loaded magazine for an AR-15 rifle in the trunk. They also recovered another loaded AR-15 magazine in the front passenger seat, a gun cleaning kit, a plastic bag with a personal use amount of cocaine, three boxes of 12 gauge shotgun shells, one box of 9mm ammunition, and four spent .40 shell casings. The .40 shell casings were analyzed and matched two earlier shootings, including a homicide.
On June 1, 2017, detectives located the defendant in a white Camaro in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs Police Department Tactical Enforcement Unit officers took the defendant into custody. After obtaining a search warrant for the Camaro, detectives located approximately $4,000 and an AR-15 style rifle with a sawed-off handle.
“The defendant went on a crime spree, injuring some, endangering others, and rightfully will spend the next 25 years in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Dunn. “The Colorado Springs Police Department and the ATF did an outstanding job working to identify, locate, and arrest this dangerous individual.”
“Cruz was a threat to the community. We are proud to have put him behind bars for a very long time,” said Debbie Livingston, ATF Denver Special Agent in Charge. “We would like to thank the Colorado Springs Police Department patrol division, robbery unit and tactical enforcement unit. They were essential in this investigation. Our partnership with them is truly a force multiplier in combating violent crime.”
This case was investigated by the ATF with substantial assistance from the Colorado Springs Police Department.
The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily May.
CASE NUMBER: 17-cr-00398
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Child Sex Crimes Offender Convicted for Possession, Receipt, and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A Las Vegas resident with an extensive criminal history of hands-on sex offenses against children was convicted by a jury Wednesday of possession, and receipt or distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada.
After a three-day jury trial, David Alan Cohen, 58, was found guilty of possession, and receipt or distribution of child pornography. He was previously arrested for a series of child sex offenses in New York and New Jersey. United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon presided over the trial and set a sentencing hearing for March 7, 2019.
The investigation began after law enforcement received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that child pornography was uploaded onto ChatStep, an online chatroom. Law enforcement were able to obtain an address associated with the child pornography that was uploaded. As a result, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at what later determined to be Cohen’s residence. Cohen was interviewed. He discussed his sexual proclivities, prior sex crimes, and admitted that he received child pornography files. A forensic examination of his computer and DVDs found inside the residence revealed files of child sexual exploitation. Eleven items were seized from the residence, resulting in the recovery of over 600 images and video of child pornography.
At the time of sentencing, because Cohen has a prior New York felony conviction for Second Degree Sodomy, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison. The maximum statutory penalty is 60 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elham Roohani and Allison Reese are prosecuting the case.
If you have information regarding David Cohen, please contact the nearest FBI field office or local law enforcement. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at (702) 385-5555 or visit www.crimestoppersofnv.com, or contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Cyber Tipline at www.cybertipline.org.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood and for information about internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Cape Cod Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cape Cod woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to her role in a fraudulent lottery scheme.
Ashley Barrett, 26, of Hyannis, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2019. On March 29, 2018, Barrett was arrested and was released from custody on conditions.
Between September 2013 and January 2016, Barrett and others devised a scheme to defraud elderly victims across the country by falsely representing to them that they had won millions of dollars in a lottery, and that, in order to receive their winnings, they had to pay a fee. The victims were directed to make payments to specific addresses. In July 2015, one victim mailed Barrett a check for $2,500, which Barrett deposited into one of her bank accounts.
The charging statute for mail fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to RiotRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA – An associate of a violent extremist group the “Rise Above Movement” [RAM] pleaded guilty today to federal conspiracy-to-riot charges after admitting to traveling across the country to commit acts of violence at the torch-lit march on the University of Virginia grounds on August 11, 2017 and the Unite the Right Rally on August 12, 2017. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen, Special Agent in Charges Adam S. Lee of the FBI’s Richmond Division, and Virginia State Police Colonel Gary T. Settle made the announcement.
Cole Evan White, 24, of Clayton, Calif., pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Virginia to one count of conspiracy to violate the federal riots statute. At sentencing, White faces a maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. White, Benjamin Daley, Thomas Gillen, and Michael Miselis were indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2018 and charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the federal riots statute and one count of traveling in interstate commerce with the intent to incite a riot. Federal charges remain pending against Daley, Gillen, and Miselis.
“As Mr. White has acknowledged as part of his guilty plea, he and members of the Rise Above Movement (RAM) traveled to the ‘Unite the Right’ Rally in Charlottesville in order to engage in riotous conduct,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “Although the First Amendment protects the rights of individuals and groups to assemble and protest peacefully, it does not give license to commit, attempt, or threaten acts of violence or otherwise engage in criminal activity. We are grateful for the hard work and dedication of the FBI and the Virginia State Police in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“Mr. White's guilty plea today should signal to our Virginia communities that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping them safe and ensuring the events of 2017 in Charlottesville never happen again. The FBI is committed to protecting every American's exercise of their First Amendment rights - irrespective of their message. This case is not about the nature of Mr. White's speech or expression; this case is about traveling from out of state to riot here in the Commonwealth,” SAC Lee said today. “I want to thank U.S. Attorney Thomas Cullen and his team in the Western District of Virginia for their professionalism and expertise and I want to thank the outstanding men and women of the Virginia State Police who worked with us to piece together this investigation.”
“The arrests, and subsequent plea by Cole White, demonstrate the continuing commitment of the Virginia State Police and our federal partners to investigate and pursue those who committed acts of violence in the City of Charlottesville during the weekend of August 11-13, 2017,” said Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “These investigations are very time and resource intensive, but are necessary to make certain individuals like this are held accountable for their criminal actions.”
According to evidence presented during today’s guilty plea by United States Attorney Cullen and Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh, White was associated with the Rise Above Movement, [RAM], an openly extremist group whose members engaged in physical training and mixed martial arts street-fighting techniques. RAM frequently posted photographs and videos of themselves engaged in these activities, as well as of their attendance at various political rallies and events in California and Virginia.
White admitted today that, on or about April 15, 2017, he attended a political rally in Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Park in Berkeley, Calif. At that event, White met and befriended Benjamin Daley, who was with a group of individuals identified as members of RAM. Throughout the day there were many violent clashes between some rally attendees and those protesting the rally. White, alongside RAM members, followed a group of protestors who were leaving the area. White chased one protestor and attacked him, punching him several times in the head. Immediately afterward, White stood over top of another individual who was on the ground and punched him in the head approximately four to five times. White admitted that none of these acts was in self-defense.
After fighting together in Berkeley, White, Daley, and other members of RAM stayed in contact through phone calls. In one call in the summer of 2017, Daley asked White if he was going to attend the Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville. Daley offered to pay for White’s flight and his stay in Charlottesville and encouraged him to attend the event. Daley told White: “It’s going to be like Berkeley again…It’s going to be the event of the year.”
On or about August 9, 2017, White used his credit card to purchase a round-trip ticket from Delta Airlines for commercial flights from San Francisco International Airport to Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport, departing on August 11, 2017 and returning on August 13, 2017. White admitted that at the time of his travel he expected to engage in violent confrontations with protestors or other individuals at the upcoming events in Charlottesville.
Upon arriving in Charlottesville on August 11, 2017, White took a cab from the airport and met RAM members and several hundred other white supremacists gathered on the grounds of the University of Virginia for a torch-lit march on the evening prior to the Unite the Right rally. Throughout the march, participants chanted, “Blood and Soil!” and “Jews will not Replace Us.” The march culminated at the statute of Thomas Jefferson, where the hundreds of white supremacists surrounded a small group of counter protesters. Violence erupted among the crowd, with some individuals punching, kicking, spraying chemical irritants, swinging torches, and otherwise assaulting others, all resulting in a riot. Among that riot, White admitted today to swinging his torch and striking several individuals and that none of these acts of violence was taken in self-defense.
The following morning, White, and members of RAM, attended the Unite the Right rally in Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Va. White, Daley, and other RAM members were part of a larger group attempting to gain entry into the park following a declaration of “unlawful assembly” by law enforcement.
As they made their way through a group of protestors, White, Daley, and other RAM members, collectively punched, pushed, kicked, choked, head-butted, and otherwise assaulted several individuals resulting in a riot. White admitted to personally committing multiple acts of violence. For example, after having already made his way through a group, White turned around and observed a protestor blocking the sidewalk by holding onto a street sign. White walked back, grabbed the individual by the shoulders, and punched him until he released the sign. White then head-butted a male who he perceived was in his way. Finally, White head-butted a female protestor who was present on the sidewalk, resulting in a laceration to her face.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia State Police. United States Attorney Cullen and Assistant United States Attorney Kavanaugh are prosecuting the case for the United States.
Butte man sentenced to 10 years in prison for meth traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA—A Butte man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on Thursday for his role in a large methamphetamine conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Kurt G. Alme said.
Steven Francis Reychler, 70, was sentenced to five years in prison for conviction on conspiracy to possess meth for distribution, a consecutive five years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and five years supervised release. He pleaded guilty to the charges on Aug. 16.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided at the sentencing.
An investigation found that in March 2016, Reychler sold a confidential informant four ounces of meth in Butte and mentioned bringing multiple pounds of meth to Butte from Las Vegas. Two months later, law enforcement officers arrested co-defendant Jennifer Lynn Marshall, who is Reychler’s niece, in Dillon. Marshall was headed to California to buy four pounds of meth. She had $12,000 and a handgun in her possession when arrested. Judge Christensen recently sentenced Marshall to eight years in prison for her conviction in the case.
When interviewed, Reychler admitted to investigators he had sent Marshall to California to buy four pounds of meth for him and gave her his .380 pistol when she asked to take along a firearm.
The four ounces of meth the March 2016 sale was found to contain 112 grams of pure meth, which is the equivalent of about 896 doses.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bartleson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Missouri River Drug Task Force.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals.
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Bulk Trafficker of Heroin and Crystal Methamphetamine Pleads Guilty to Drug Conspiracy and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Otequise Lenard Miller, 33, of Concord, N.C. appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge David S. Cayer today, and pleaded guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy resulting in an overdose death and money laundering charges, announced Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), which oversees the Charlotte District Office; Christopher H. Healy, Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Charlotte; Chief Gary J. Gacek of the Concord Police Department; and Chief J.W. Chavis of the Kannapolis Police Department join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
According to filed court documents and today’s plea hearing, from 2015 until his arrest on August 22, 2018, Miller was part of a drug conspiracy that trafficked bulk crystal methamphetamine and heroin in Mecklenburg County and elsewhere. During the relevant time period, Miller trafficked approximately 7-9 kilograms of heroin, and 14-18 kilograms of actual crystal methamphetamine. In addition to drug trafficking, Miller concealed and laundered the drug proceeds. As Miller admitted in court today, in December 2017, he sold heroin to a victim identified in court documents as “W.M.,” which resulted in the victim’s overdose death. Court documents show that Miller is a repeat offender, and was previously convicted of drug trafficking charges.
Miller is currently in federal custody. The drug trafficking conspiracy charge resulting in death carries a mandatory sentence of 20 years, up to a maximum of life in prison. The money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
This case is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office initiative to combat the opioid abuse epidemic in the Western District of North Carolina through prosecution, enforcement and prevention.
This prosecution is also part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), targeting the importation of narcotics from Mexico into Western North Carolina.
OCDETF is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
DEA, HSI, the Concord Police Department, and the Kannapolis Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sanjeev Bhasker, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte, is in charge of the prosecution.
Buffalo Felon Charged with Possessing A GunRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that J Julius Hatten, Jr., 28, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles J. Volkert, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on August 5, 2018, Buffalo Police Officers observed a black vehicle, traveling eastbound on Winspear Avenue, violating several New York State traffic laws. Officers conducted a vehicle stop and determined that the defendant was not suitable to operate a motor vehicle. As officers attempted to secure Hatten and place him in handcuffs, he pushed the officers away, pulled a firearm from his right waistband, began to flee on foot, and pointed the firearm in the direction of the officers. The defendant was ultimately apprehended on Highgate Avenue. The firearm was a 9mm pistol.
In August 2011, Hatten was convicted of a felony for Criminal Possession of a Weapon Second Degree in Erie County Court and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and was released on conditions following a detention hearing.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, New York Field Division.The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Biodiesel Facility Officer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Federal Grant Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Lee John Maher, 60, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in prison today, after being convicted on December 18, 2017, of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and of retaining and concealing federal funds, knowing that they were wrongly taken. The sentence was announced by Christopher P. Canova, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
On December 19, 2017, co-defendant Larry Kenneth Long, 76, of Simpsonville, South Carolina, was sentenced to 12 months in prison for mail fraud conspiracy. Long pleaded guilty on June 7, 2016.
Maher and Long were officers of Clean Fuel Lakeland, which operated a biodiesel facility in Lakeland, Florida, in 2009 and 2010. When federal money became available for energy initiatives under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the men applied for a $2,480,000 grant from the United States Department of Energy through the Florida Governor’s Energy Office. The Act was designed to encourage new energy investment by reimbursing grantees for monies invested in energy businesses.
Maher and Long fraudulently obtained funds under the grant by falsely claiming that Clean Fuel had spent $2,480,000 to buy and install a generator to run the biodiesel plant. As proof that the generator had been purchased, Maher and Long submitted eight bogus bank checks to the Governor’s Energy Office, reflecting generator payments that had never actually been made. Based upon their submissions, $2,232,000 in grant funds were disbursed to the Clean Fuel bank account in December 2010. Immediately, the grant funds were disbursed through Maher’s other bank accounts, with Long receiving 1%, $22,320. The funds were intended to reimburse the purchase of a generator, but the grant funds were spent toward personal and business expenses of the defendants. Maher and Long continued the fraud until November 2012, through the submission of false progress reports. The grant funds were ultimately recovered through federal asset seizure and forfeiture actions.
This case resulted from an investigation by the United States Secret Service, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael T. Simpson prosecuted this case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Bangladeshi National Arrested in Houston to Face Charges for a Conspiracy to Bring Aliens into the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Bangladeshi national residing in Monterrey, Mexico, was arrested yesterday on arrival at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to face a criminal indictment issued in the Laredo Division of the Southern District of Texas for his role in a scheme to smuggle aliens from Mexico into the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Shane M. Folden of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio made the announcement.
The unsealed indictment alleges that from March 2017 to August 2018, Moktar Hossain, 30, conspired to bring and brought 14 Bangladeshi nationals to the United States at the Texas border in exchange for a fee. Hossain operated out of Monterrey, Mexico, where he maintained a hotel that housed aliens before they were transported to the U.S. border by drivers paid by Hossain.
Hossain was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo in the Southern District of Texas for his initial appearance. At the hearing, Judge Palermo ordered that Hossain be held pending transfer to Laredo for further criminal proceedings.
“Protecting our country from illegal immigration and the national security threat it poses is a priority for the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Criminal Division is dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners both here and abroad to disrupt the flow of illegal aliens into the United States, and bring those who facilitate their travel to justice.”
“Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in vigorously pursuing members of transnational criminal networks that exploit and endanger the people they smuggle into the United States,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Folden. “Smugglers are driven by simple greed with no thought for human compassion. HSI continues to work with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity of our border and the safety of our communities.”
This case is being investigated by HSI Laredo, with assistance from HSI Monterrey, HSI Houston, HSI Calexico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol and the U.S. Marshals Service. The investigation is being conducted under the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) program, a joint partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI. The ECT program focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys James Hepburn and Erin Cox of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
As Part of Maryland’s Project Safe Neighborhood Program, Law Enforcement Officers Honored for Their Work on Federal Violent Crime CasesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland today honored 40 police officers and federal agents for outstanding work in the Maryland Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) program that resulted in significant federal violent crime prosecutions. Recipients included police officers from Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Frederick, Greenbelt, Maryland National Capital Park Police, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office; and federal agents from ATF, FBI, and HSI.
“Local, state and federal police and prosecutors are working together to combat violent crime in Maryland. The hard work of these law enforcement officers and prosecutors led to dozens of convictions of dangerous criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “I am grateful to the dedicated and professional staff of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and to our federal, state, and local partners for the challenging work that they do every day to make Maryland more safe and secure.”
The honorees participated in the investigation and prosecution of more than 17 violent crime cases involving more than 101 defendants, including armed robbers, carjackers, violent gang members, and drug dealers. A majority of the defendants have previous felony convictions and many are career offenders and/or armed career criminals, which reflects how the PSN program focuses federal resources on the more violent criminals plaguing our communities.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended all the honorees for their work on these violent crime investigations. Mr. Hur thanked the Assistant United States Attorneys who prosecuted the cases and nominated their agents for these awards. A list of awardees is attached to this press release.
The Maryland PSN Program is a joint effort by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland, and local prosecutors to identify, investigate and prosecute the individuals or organizations driving violent crime. The program has three primary components: (1) proactive investigations and prosecutions; (2) reactive prosecutions; and (3) training and outreach.
Proactive PSN investigations use federally-led task forces to investigate gangs, drug trafficking organizations, and robbery crews that have been identified as being connected to past or present acts of violence. Prosecutors then use federal racketeering, drug, firearms, and robbery statutes to prosecute those groups. As a part of the reactive firearms and violent crime prosecutions, certain firearm, commercial robbery, bank robbery, and carjacking cases are screened to determine whether federal prosecution is warranted. The last component of the PSN program involves training and outreach. In conjunction with state prosecutors, the USAO provides training to local law enforcement on a variety of issues.
The USAO is also seeking creative ways to reach out to the community in an effort to deter violent crime. PSN partners reach out directly to ex-offenders to prevent recidivism through “call-ins,” making ex-offenders aware of services available to assist them and of the consequences if they re-offend. In an effort to deter individuals from using firearms to commit crimes, the USAO has also recently sponsored billboards in the Baltimore area that state “Gun Crime = Fed Time, No Parole – Ever.” The billboards should be up for the next few months.
Since 2017, our partnerships have achieved extraordinary results. In 2017, a total of 334 defendants were charged in PSN cases. For 2018, as of November 1, our office has already charged a total of 328 PSN defendants. The following are just a few examples the extraordinary work our PSN team is doing:
In June 2017, two more members of the Murdaland Mafia Piru Bloods (“MMP Bloods”) gang were charged with racketeering conspiracy. This gang plagued their territory in Northwest Baltimore. The recent new charges brought to 26 the number of alleged MMP gang members and associates charged with murders, assaults, abduction, witness tampering, and with selling heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Nineteen of 26 defendants have pleaded guilty and 15 of those have been sentenced to between 71 months and 30 years in prison. A trial date for the remaining defendants is scheduled for March 18, 2019.
In January 2018, three members of the Black Guerilla Family (“BGF”) gang were convicted of federal crimes related to their drug-trafficking activities, including murders, shootings, and armed robberies. Their sales of cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, marijuana, and oxycodone plagued the Barclay neighborhood of East Baltimore. The leader (Gerald Johnson) and the chief enforcer (Kenneth Jones) were each sentenced to life in prison. Six other defendants received between 90 and 378 months in prison. The last defendant will be sentenced in January 2019.
In June 2018, the ninth member of the Up Da Hill gang in South Baltimore’s Cherry Hill was convicted of charges relating to the gang’s activities, including murder, robberies, and selling cocaine and heroin. This was one of a series of four gang prosecutions in the Cherry Hill neighborhood; a total of 49 defendants have been charged in these RICO and VICAR cases.
On August 13, 2018, a member of Normandie clique of MS-13 was sentenced to life imprisonment resulting from his conviction at trial of participating in a RICO conspiracy that included three murders and four attempted murders in Prince George’s and Frederick Counties. The RICO charges included a total of eight members and associates of the Normandie clique. Sentences for the defendants ranged from twelve years to life in prison.
In September 2018, the leader of West Baltimore’s violent Pedestal Gardens gang was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, and the manager of a related drug organization was sentenced to 12 years in prison, for conspiring to sell heroin and fentanyl. Members of the organization murdered two suspected rivals and the group brought wholesale quantities of heroin and fentanyl into Baltimore. A total of 14 individuals were charged in the conspiracy. Thirteen pleaded guilty and one was convicted after trial.
On September 7, 2018, the leader of the MS-13 Maryland Program and Park View clique pleaded guilty to a violent racketeering conspiracy that included attempted murder. The RICO charges involve seven members of MS-13 who committed multiple murders, extortion, robbery, assaults, threats of violence, distribution of controlled substances. Five of the charged defendants, including the former leader of the Weedoms MS-13 clique and members and associates of the Cabanas clique, have pleaded guilty. Two remaining defendants, the former leader of the Cabanas clique and a member of the Sailors clique, are scheduled for trial in January 2019.
On October 23, 2018, a defendant who committed a string of ten armed robberies with multiple co-conspirators was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison. In his guilty plea, the defendant admitted to robberies of convenience stores in Gaithersburg, Derwood, Hyattsville, Gambrills, Kettering, Rockville, Glen Burnie, Millersville, and Morningside, Maryland. In the course of each of the robberies the defendant brandished a firearm and ordered the victims, convenience store cashiers, to empty the cash registers. On co-conspirator was sentenced to 9 years in prison, while the other two conspirators have yet to be sentenced.
On October 31, 2018, after 24 days of trial, a federal jury convicted eight members of Trained To Go (TTG), a violent criminal organization which operated in the Sandtown neighborhood of West Baltimore, whose members engaged in drug distribution and acts of violence including murder, armed robbery, and witness intimidation. Their leader, Montana Barronette, was found personally responsible for seven murders, and in all, the jury found the defendants responsible for a total of nine murders in Baltimore.
On November 2, 2018, we brought to justice the killer of three-year-old McKenzie Elliott, who was shot to death as she stood on her front porch, when she was struck by an errant bullet during a gang dispute. Terrell Plummer admitted that he killed McKenzie Elliott, and Tyrone Jamison admitted that he supplied the gun used in the shooting. Both men were members of the Old York Money Gang, a violent gang that operated in the Waverly neighborhood and sustained itself largely through the distribution and sale of drugs, as well as through murder and other violent crimes.
In addition to U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur, agency representatives who participated in today’s awards ceremony included: ATF Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Baltimore Field Office; ATF Special Agent in Charge Thomas Chittum III of the Washington Field Division; FBI Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson; DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don Hibbert; ICE Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Freddie Taylor; Interim Baltimore Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle; Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney Gerald Collins, Chief of the Major Crimes Unit; Baltimore County Police Lieutenant William Vaserlaros; Prince George’s County Police Deputy Chief Jackie Rafterry; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare; Greenbelt Police Chief Richard Bowers; Maryland National Capital Park Police Chief Stanley Johnson; Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Dave Reitz of the Intelligence Investigative Divisions; Montgomery County Police Chief J. Thomas Manger; and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Captain Eric Sweeney.
All the PSN partners—including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, DEA, FBI, HSI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Baltimore Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the State’s Attorney’s Office for Baltimore City, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office—are utterly committed to working together to reduce violent crime in Maryland. We identify and target the most dangerous offenders for federal prosecution, bringing to bear the full range of federal investigative resources to make our state’s residents safer. We are grateful for the partnerships that make these results possible will continue to work tirelessly for the good of the citizens of Maryland.
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USAO PSN AWARDS RECIPIENTS 2018
Anne Arundel County Police Department
Det. Daniel DeLorenzo, FBI TFO
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives
SA David Collier
SA Lisa Christy
SA Michael Eldredge
SA Daniel Giblin
SA John Messick
SA Rebecca TomlinsonBaltimore Police Department
Det. David Azur, ATF TFO
Det. James Bradley, DEA TFO
Det. Christopher Faller, ATF TFO
Det. Jonathan Hayden, ATF TFO
Det. Craig Jester, DEA TFO
Det. John Jendrick, DEA TFOBaltimore County Police Department
Cpl. Shane Sammons, FBI TFO
Federal Bureau of Investigation
SA Autumn Brown
SA Sean ReganFrederick Police Department
Det. Jorge Garcia
Det. Steven PetruzzelloGreenbelt Police Department
Det. Daniel Aguilar
Hyattsville Police Department
Det. Sgt. Zachary Nemser
Homeland Security Investigations
SA Francisco Gerardo
SA Aaron Klein
SA Austin Shaver
SA Joseph Simms
SA Jeffrey WiedenhaftMaryland National Capital Park Police
Officer Miguel Ureña, ATF TFO
Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services
Captain Robert S. Dean
Montgomery County Police Department
Det. Diana Cobo, HSI TFO
Det. Christopher Bush, DEA TFO
Det. Ryan Street, DEA TFOPrince George's County Police Department
Cpl. Paul A. Dougherty
Sgt. Kenneth E. Doyle
Det. Shane Goudreau, ATF TFO
Lt. Patrick Hampson
Det. Nicole McGowen, ATF TFO
Sgt. Denise L. Shapiro
Det. Wayne Tracey, ATF TFO
Det. Mike Trader, HSI TFO
Sgt. William E. WattsSt. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office
Det. Cpl. Mark Howard, DEA TFO
Army Sergeant Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison After Federal Trial Conviction for Domestic Violence Resulting in the Murder of His WifeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Army Sergeant Maliek Kearney, age 37, of San Antonio, Texas, today to life in federal prison, without the possibility of parole, for traveling to Maryland from South Carolina to murder his wife as part of an elaborate plan that involved the help of his girlfriend. Judge Russell also ordered Kearney to pay $492,800 in restitution to the family of Karlyn Ramirez. Kearney was convicted on August 8, 2018, after an 11-day trial of the federal charges of interstate travel to commit domestic violence resulting in the death of Karlyn Ramirez, and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Kearney remains detained. Kearney’s girlfriend, Delores Delgado, previously pleaded guilty in federal court for interstate travel to commit domestic violence resulting in death, in connection with the death of Karlyn Ramirez, and testified against Kearney at his trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commanding General David P. Glaser of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command; and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Tim Altomare.
U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said, “Maliek Kearney cold-heartedly planned the murder of his wife and placed his four-month-old baby in her dead arms after shooting her several times at close range. The investigators and prosecutors painstakingly put this case together so that Kearney did not escape justice. This sentence ensures that Kearney will not be able to harm any other women. Hopefully, it will also bring the family of Karlyn Ramirez some peace that Kearney has been brought to justice.”
“On the first day the FBI joined this investigation, we committed to bringing the full weight of the Bureau to find who was responsible for Karylan’s death and to serve justice,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Gordon Johnson. “We followed all logical leads here in Maryland and several other states, provided specialized expertise, and collectively with the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the U.S. Army CID, we were able to keep our promise. The citizens of Maryland have the FBI’s commitment that we will work with our local, state, and federal partners to remove violent criminals from their neighborhoods.”
“I greatly appreciate the extremely hard work and dedication shown by our detectives, Army CID, The FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office. From the moment we found Ms. Ramirez and her daughter, nothing has been easy with this case. This investigation is a case study in teamwork and tenacity! We are so gratified to be able to bring Ms. Ramirez justice,” said Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare.
"We are extremely pleased with today's sentencing and sincerely hope in some small way today's outcome helps to give the Ramirez family a bit of closure," said Christopher Grey, spokesman for Army CID. "Our agents, in concert with our other law enforcement partners, worked tirelessly to solve this case and bring the guilty to justice for this despicable crime. It clearly demonstrates no matter how cunning a criminal may think they are, we will uncover the truth,” Grey said.
According to the evidence presented at Kearney’s 11-day trial, Kearney was married to Karlyn Ramirez, an active-duty soldier of the United States Army assigned to Fort Meade, Maryland, and they had a four-month-old daughter together. Ramirez was found shot to death in her off-post residence on the morning of August 25, 2015. The baby, who was still alive, had been placed in the arms of Kearney’s deceased wife. Based on the evidence, the likely time of death was estimated to be the late evening hours of August 24, 2015.
Witnesses testified that at the time of Ramirez’s death, the couple had recently separated and Ramirez had obtained a protective order through the Army prohibiting all contact between her and Kearney.
The evidence presented at trial established that Kearney was stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. On August 24, 2015, Kearney finished work in the early afternoon and traveled from South Carolina to Severn, Maryland. Kearney entered Ramirez’s townhouse using his key and brandished a Taurus .357-caliber revolver. Ramirez attempted to calm her husband but she reiterated that she did not want to reconcile with him. Kearney then shot Ramirez three times at close range, killing her. According to the evidence presented, Kearney then took off her pants and pulled down her underwear in an attempt to make it look like a sexual assault. He also placed their four-month-old daughter in Ramirez’s arms.
Kearney’s girlfriend, Delores Delgado, testified at trial that she provided the firearm that killed Ramirez and allowed Kearney to drive her car from South Carolina to Maryland to commit the murder. The evidence at trial proved that Delgado also purchased large gas cans for Kearney to take with him, so that he would not have to stop for gas and risk being seen. According to witness testimony, during the murder, Kearney’s girlfriend, who lived in Florida at the time, stayed at Kearney’s apartment in South Carolina with his phone and vehicle to create his alibi, so that it would later appear to law enforcement that Kearney had been in South Carolina at the time of the murder. After the murder, Delgado and a third party went to a waterway in Florida and disposed of the firearm, shell casings, Kearney’s clothing worn during the murder, and the key he used to enter the townhouse. Delgado, at Kearney’s direction, also dismantled the revolver and took steps to obliterate the serial number. The firearm was subsequently recovered by law enforcement divers and forensic testing determined that it was indeed the gun used by Kearney to shoot Karlyn Ramirez to death.
On September 7, 2018, Judge Russell, taking into account her cooperation, sentenced Dolores Delgado, age 33, of San Antonio, Texas, to 204 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The U.S. Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI Baltimore, Army CID, and Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation, and thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas and FBI San Antonio for their assistance. Mr. Hur also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. Warwick and Kenneth S. Clark, who prosecuted the case.
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Armed Bank Robber Is Sentenced to More Than 23 YearsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray announced that Anthony Lamont Caldwell, 49, of Charlotte, was sentenced yesterday afternoon to 284 months in prison on armed bank robbery and firearms charges.
John A. Strong, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in North Carolina, and Chief Kerr Putney of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Murray in making today’s announcement.
On May 30 2018, a federal jury convicted Caldwell of bank robbery conspiracy, bank robbery, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Under federal sentencing law, Caldwell was subject to an enhanced sentence as an Armed Career Criminal, based on prior convictions. Caldwell’s criminal history includes two previous federal convictions for bank robbery in 1997 and attempted bank robbery in 2004. Caldwell was also convicted in Union County of Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury with Intent to Kill in 1991.
According to filed court documents, trial evidence and the sentencing hearing, Caldwell planned the bank robbery, recruited two teenagers to rob the bank, and served as the getaway driver. Trial evidence established that on December 9, 2016, Caldwell’s co-conspirators entered a Wells Fargo Bank branch located at 10210 Couloak Drive in Charlotte, armed with two firearms supplied by Caldwell. As they approached the teller area, the bank robbers pointed the firearms at the tellers behind the counter and demanded money. The tellers complied, and the bank robbers fled in a car driven by Caldwell with $5,791.60 in cash. Shortly after the robbery, law enforcement located Caldwell hiding in a wooded area near a bag which contained $5,614 and a GPS tracker from the bank. They also located in close proximity the vehicle Caldwell was driving.
According to evidence presented at trial, Caldwell told law enforcement that he had been carjacked while picking up a pizza, and claimed that he had been forced at gunpoint by two males out of his vehicle and into the back seat of the car. Witness testimony and trial evidence established that, contrary to his claims, Caldwell had not been carjacked. Also, over the course of the investigation, law enforcement located in Caldwell’s vehicle the two revolvers used to perpetrate the robbery.
Caldwell will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. All federal sentences are served without the possibility of parole.
The FBI and CMPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Bozin and William Stetzer handled the prosecution.
Albion Man Sentenced to 108 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Brock Shellman, 34 years old, of Albion, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Theresa L. Springmann after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Thomas L. Kirsch II.
Shellman was sentenced to 108 months in prison and 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, from February, 2016 through April 2016, Shellman and co-defendants conspired and distributed methamphetamine.
This case was the result of an investigation by the following federal agencies: ATF; DEA; IRS-Criminal Investigation Division and DHS/ICE in Salt Lake City, Utah. The following state and local law enforcement agencies also participated in this investigation: Indiana State Police; Allen County Sheriff Department; Noble County Sheriff Department; Steuben County Sheriff Office; Fort Wayne Police Department; Albion Police Department; Rome City Police Department; Kendallville Police Department; the Noble County Prosecutor’s Office and the Summit County, Utah Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
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Akron man indicted for robbing Mantua bank this summerRead the Press Release
An Akron man was indicted for robbing a Mantua bank this summer.
Alan T. Hargover, 38, was indicted on one count of bank robbery. He is accused of robbing the Cortland Bank on State Route 44 on June 30.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant's role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.
A charge is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.Admitted drug 'mule' will spend more than six years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: An Atlanta man with an extensive felony record will spend more than six years in federal prison for his role as a “mule” in a cross-country drug-trafficking conspiracy.
United States District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. sentenced Devin Renard Dabney, 40, to 81 months in federal prison after Dabney pled guilty to one count of possession of 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute, announced Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. Dabney also will spend four years on supervised release after his incarceration. There is no parole in the federal system.
One of 20 defendants in an extensive drug trafficking organization, Dabney worked as a drug courier in the network that spanned from California to Savannah. As outlined in court records and in various hearings, marijuana sales were used to finance cocaine purchases, with cash proceeds hidden in candy machines and shipped to hubs in Atlanta and California. Co-conspirators in those areas shipped pounds of marijuana and kilograms of cocaine to Savannah via U.S. Mail and in vehicles with hidden compartments.
As part of his plea, Dabney acknowledged that he was one of the main cocaine “mules” of the conspiracy, frequently driving to locations in the Atlanta area to pick up cocaine and then transporting those packages to Savannah before returning to Atlanta with thousands of dollars in cash. During the investigation, agents intercepted him on court-authorized wiretaps and seized more than 1.5 kilograms of cocaine that was attached with magnets and hidden in the rear fender wells of a vehicle he was driving from Atlanta to Savannah.
Dabney was in phone contact with several co-conspirators, including Karteau Jenkins, who is alleged to be the main source of supply of cocaine for the drug trafficking organization. Jenkins is alleged to have coordinated with Eugene “Poncho” Allen, who is alleged to be a ringleader of the drug trafficking organization despite currently serving a life sentence for murder in a Georgia state prison. Allen is alleged to have run his organization using smuggled contraband phones.
Allegations and charges presume the defendants are innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“Clint Eastwood visited Georgia this year to film ‘The Mule,’ a movie based on a real-life drug courier. And just as the movie’s slogan says, ‘Nobody runs forever,’” said U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine. “Drug traffickers deliver destruction to our communities, and our office is determined to flip the script on these merchants of misery and put them behind bars.”
A federal grand jury in August 2017 charged 20 defendants with drug trafficking offenses related to this investigation; most of them have pled guilty. During this investigation, agents seized eight firearms, more than 200 pounds of marijuana, multiple kilograms of cocaine, and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.
“For a large-scale operation to be successful, it takes many people who all work at different levels,” said Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team Director Everett Ragan. “The same can be said regarding large-scale drug operations. Oftentimes, people are recruited into drug operation roles with a false promise to make easy money with limited liability. This is an excellent example of how that is not true, and hopefully will serve as a reminder that all members of a drug operation will be held accountable."
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Chatham County Narcotics Unit (CNT), the Savannah Police Department, the Chatham and Effingham County Sheriffs’ Offices, the United States Postal Inspector’s Office and the United States Marshals Service. This case is being prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, which is the premier law enforcement unit whose task is to dismantle multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking organizations. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney/Assistant District Attorney Noah Abrams, and Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly and Frank Pennington.
29 November 2018
York County Man Indicted for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG, PA - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Robert Lee Johnson a/k/a Stone, age 52, of York, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on sex trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, the indictment alleges that Johnson knowingly recruited and enticed multiple victims in and affecting interstate commerce to engage in commercial sex acts knowing force, threats of force, fraud and coercion would be used to cause multiple of those victims to engage in commercial sex acts from around November 2015 through mid-August 2016, in York County.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James T. Clancy is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is life imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
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Wilmington Man Convicted for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that last evening, in federal court, RICARDO JEROME BENNETT, SR., 47, of Wilmington, North Carolina was found guilty of two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography containing minors under the age of 12.
In August 2014, the Federal Bureau of Investigation utilized undercover software to identify an IP address downloading child pornography and offering such files for download by others. A search warrant was issued for the home address associated with the IP address. During that search, law enforcement confiscated multiple electronic devices belonging to BENNETT. In addition, BENNETT made a full confession to law enforcement to downloading and possessing child pornography. A forensic examination of those devices revealed more than 1000 files of child pornography, downloaded in the same manner that BENNETT described in his interview. These files included both still images and videos depicting minors, including minors under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit activity.
Mr. Higdon commented: “We are very pleased with the decision of the jury holding the defendant accountable for his abuse of children through the collection of child pornography. Every time he downloaded one of the more than 1,000 images he victimized the vulnerable child depicted in those images. His is a crime impacting the most precious and vulnerable among us: our children.”
This case was part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level. For more information about this important national project, Project Safe Childhood, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The Federal Bureau of Investigations conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Belle Kessler handled the prosecution of this case for the United States.
Wilkes-Barre Man Sentenced to 46 Months’ Imprisonment for Running Methamphetamine LaboratoryRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Shawn Melleski, age 27, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release on November 28, 2018, by United States District Court Judge A. Richard Caputo for conspiring to manufacture and distribute crystal methamphetamine.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Melleski pleaded guilty to conspiring to manufacture and distribute 50 grams or more of crystal methamphetamine in Pennsylvania between approximately June 21, 2016 through June 29, 2017. Melleski admitted to helping run a methamphetamine laboratory in the basement of a Wilkes-Barre residence inhabited by other individuals, including four children.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip J. Caraballo prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
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West Sacramento Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Zaid Bader Jacob, 49, of West Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to seven years and one month in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
In addition to the prison sentence, Jacob was ordered to pay $5,000 in fines and $11,000 in restitution to two victims.
According to court documents, between January and April 2015, Jacob used a peer‑to‑peer file sharing program to search for and download pictures and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Jacob was identified by law enforcement after they identified an IP address at Jacob’s residence that was making child pornography available over the internet via the peer-to-peer program.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state-funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to Prison for Child Exploitation OffenseRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HARRY BRIGHT, also known as “Buddy Bright,” 79, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to three months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a child exploitation offense. Judge Shea ordered Bright to serve his first two months of supervised release in home confinement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2017, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to report that NCMEC had been notified by Facebook’s Trust and Safety team that Bright was enticing a 15-year-old female through Facebook instant messaging to engage in sexual activity, and was planning on traveling to the Philippines on December 4, 2017, to meet the minor victim. The investigation revealed that Bright started communicating with the minor victim in late August 2017, sent her sexually explicit messages and requested that she send him nude photographs of herself. In September 2017, Bright sent the minor victim nude pictures of himself.
The investigation further revealed that Bright had engaged in sexually explicit conversations with other minor females in the Philippines through Facebook, and that he sent one of those minor victims a nude picture of himself.
Bright was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on December 4, 2017. On May 31, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of obscene matter to a minor.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Virginia Beach man was sentenced to 120 months in prison today, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for possession of child pornography, announced 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.
Mark Earle Johnson, 61, pleaded guilty on Aug. 27, before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Krask of the Eastern District of Virginia to one count of possession of child pornography with a prior conviction. U.S. District Judge Arenda L. Wright Allen imposed the sentence today.
According to court documents, in July 2016, Virginia Beach Police Department officers were alerted to the fact that Johnson was in possession of child pornography, shortly after he was arrested for a violation of probation related to a previous conviction for child pornography in the state of Maryland. A forensic examination of Johnson’s electronic storage devices confirmed that he had possessed and viewed images of child pornography while living in Virginia Beach, which Johnson admitted to viewing.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Virginia Beach Police Department. Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth M. Yusi of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
University of Puerto Rico Settles Misuse of Grant Funds CaseRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico– On November 21, 2018, the United States Government recovered the sum of $1,772,790.00 from the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) as part of a settlement agreement reached in connection to claims of misuse of grant funds provided to the UPR by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The investigation revealed that the UPR did not comply with the time and effort reporting requirements of salaries and wages to ensure that payroll for the various grants was correctly and appropriately charged for the 2011 calendar year. The UPR provided various certifications asserting compliance with grant rules, when in fact, their records failed to reconcile the budget amounts reported to NASA, DOE, and NSF. Under the False Claims Act, Title 31, United States Code, Sections 3729, et seq., for the period of the covered conduct, the United States can recover up to three times the amount of loss and civil monetary penalties ranging from $5,500.00 to $11,000.00 per claim, in addition to debarment from future participation in federal funding.
The Office of the Inspector General of NASA, DOE and NSF involved in this investigation are deeply committed to fighting fraud, waste and abuse, and ensuring that federal funding is used for its intended purposes and recipients.
“The NASA Office of Inspector General will continue to aggressively investigate any attempt to defraud NASA grants, contracts, and operations,” said NASA Inspector General Paul Martin. “The NASA OIG appreciates the cooperative efforts of the entire investigative and prosecution team during this multi-year investigation and congratulates the team for reaching a final civil settlement in this matter.”
“It is imperative that federal award recipients use grant money appropriately, and that they track and support their award expenditures using effective accounting systems and accurate time and effort reports,” said Allison Lerner, Inspector General of the National Science Foundation. “The NSF Office of Inspector General is committed to vigorously pursuing oversight of taxpayer funds devoted to scientific research and I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners for their strong support in this effort.”
“The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring the integrity of our grant recipients by holding accountable those who choose to engage in false claims and mischarging schemes. This settlement is the result of a joint investigation which protected the government from inflated claims. We appreciate the efforts of the Department of Justice in pursuing this matter and will continue to work collaboratively with our investigative partners to aggressively investigate those who seek to defraud government programs,” said Acting Inspector General April G. Stephenson.
“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate grant fraud matters on both Criminal and Civil grounds and will aggressively pursue actions against those who submit false claims to the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “I commend the hard work and dedication of the Office of Inspector General and the prosecutorial team that handled the case.”
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David O. Martorani-Dale, Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hector E. Ramírez-Carbó, Chief of Civil Division.
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USAO NDTX Roundup -- 11/29/1Read the Press Release
SENTENCING –Anthony Turner, 26, Xavier Ross, 26 & Afraybeom Jackson, 28
On Nov. 28, Anthony Turner and Xavier Ross were sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for their roles in a robbery. Co-conspirator Afraybeom Jackson was sentenced to nearly 6 years. The defendants pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence after they were arrested for robbing a jewelry store in Irving, Texas. The FBI investigated the case.SENTENCING – a Drug Trafficking Ring
On Nov. 28, six defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn for their roles in a cocaine trafficking organization:- Bruce Turner, 40, aka “BK” – 12.5 years
- Desmond Keith Wright, 36, aka “Deedy Weedy” – 9 years
- Datanya Deone Jones, 37, aka “Worm” – 6.5 years
- Gerald Jerome Duncan, 30, aka “Bear” or “Osso” – 18 months
- Kennard Henry Richards-Darby, 28, aka “Boom” – time served
- Johnny Lee Edwards, 37, aka “Bubba” – 3 years’ probation
The FBI investigated the case; ATF, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, and Dallas Police Department assisted with the takedown.
INDICTMENT* – Jared Rice, 30
On Nov. 28, AriseBank CEO Jared Rice Sr. was arrested by the FBI, charged with duping hundreds of investors out of more than $4 million in a cryptocurrency scheme. According to the indictment, Rice lied to would-be investors, falsely claiming that AriseBank could offer consumers FDIC-insured accounts and traditional banking services, including Visa-branded credit cards. If convicted, he faces 120 years in prison. The FBI investigated the case. Press release here.SENTENCING – Jose Valentin, 39, Juan Gomez-Moreno, 28, & Gabriela Morales, 32.
On Nov. 28 and 29, three defendants were sentenced for their roles in a cocaine and methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Jose Guadalupe Valentin, who was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, pleaded guilty in June after Dallas DEA agents intercepted him on a wiretap negotiating and purchasing cocaine from a codefendant, and discovered cocaine, currency, and firearms at his home during a raid. Juan Alberto Gomez-Moreno, who was sentenced to nearly 6 years in prison, pleaded guilty in January, after DEA agents intercepted him on a wiretap negotiating meth. Gabriela Morales, who was sentenced to 14 years in prison, also pleaded guilty in January after DEA agents intercepted her on a wiretap making multiple deliveries of meth and cocaine to various customers in the Dallas area and collecting currency that represented the proceeds from drug trafficking.PLEA – Marcus Jones, 29
On Nov. 27, Marcus Darwyn Jones of Arlington pleaded guilty to two counts of use of a facility of interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise. Jones admitted to using Backpage.com to facilitate prostitution of two minor victims. Homeland Security Investigations, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the Fort Worth Police Department investigated.PLEA – Marcus Pierson
On Nov. 27, Marcus Jerod Pierson of Dallas pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. When Pierson was arrested, he had methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and a handgun in his vehicle. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The DEA conducted the investigation.PLEA – Christina Hickson, 23
On Nov. 27, Christina Michelle Hickson of Arkansas pleaded guilty to escape from federal custody. Hickson admits that on or about May 1, she escaped from the Volunteers of America Residential Re-Entry Center after a conviction for the commission of a bank robbery. She faces up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The United States Marshal’s Service investigated.SENTENCING – Bruce Brick, 51
On Nov. 26, 2018, Bruce Brick was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for escaping from a half-way house where he was residing for failure to register as a sex offender. On June 21, 2018, Brick pled guilty to one count of escape, after he was arrested in California and transported back to Texas by the U.S. Marshal’s Service. His new sentence is to run consecutively to the sentence he received in federal court in June 2015.* An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
U.S. Attorney Issues Warning to Opioid PrescribersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – As part of a comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Massachusetts has warned a number of medical professionals that their opioid prescribing practices have been identified as a source of concern.
In a letter sent this week, United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling informed a number of prescribers that a data review identified them as having prescribed opioids to a patient within 60 days of that patient’s death or to a patient who subsequently died from an opioid overdose. The letter reminds physicians that although prescriptions may be medically appropriate, the law prohibits prescribing opioids without a legitimate medical purpose, substantially in excess of the needs of the patient, or outside the usual course of professional practice.
“The opioid crisis is killing tens of thousands of people a year, including thousands in Massachusetts,” said U.S. Attorney Lelling. “One source of opioids – used for both legitimate and illegitimate purposes – is medical professionals, who have an obligation always to act in patients’ best interests. In the midst of an opioid epidemic, that obligation is more important than ever before. Through this effort, we’re trying to educate prescribers who may be improperly dispensing these drugs, stem the flow of opioids to the public and, ultimately, save lives and reduce opioid addiction rates.”
In 2017, approximately 2,000 Commonwealth residents died of opioid-related overdoses and, in the first six months of this year, there were 657 confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths in Massachusetts. While the amount of opioids prescribed and sold in the U.S. has quadrupled since 1999, the overall amount of pain reported by Americans during this period has not changed; the opioid epidemic was caused, in part, by the widespread over-prescription of opioid-based medications.
The Department of Justice is committed to reducing the numbers of opioid deaths and new addictions by monitoring prescription practices. Through this effort and others, the Department aims to reduce the impact of this crisis in our communities by notifying prescribers that their patients have died either as a result of or close in time to receiving an opioid prescription. By doing so, we reduce the risk of unused prescriptions being diverted for non-medical use by those whom the prescription was never intended. At this point, the Department has made no determination that the prescribers receiving these letters have violated the law; the goal is to induce these medical professionals to take stock of their prescribing practices and make any necessary adjustments.