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Friday 12 October 2018
Papillion Man Sentenced to 194 Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Jonathan R. Franklin, 33, was sentenced in federal court today in Omaha, Nebraska, for bank robbery and aiding and abetting the brandishing of a firearm during a crime of violence. The Honorable Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Franklin to 13 years, 5 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, Franklin will begin a five-year term of supervised release. Judge Rossiter also sentenced Franklin to 3 years, 1 month of imprisonment for violating supervised release on a prior robbery conviction. The sentences, totaling 194 months, are to be served one after the other. He was also ordered to pay $23,100 in restitution.
On November 22, 2017, Franklin, Corita Burnett, James Fentress-Dismuke, and Vincent McGee were involved in robbing the Security Home Bank in Malmo, Nebraska. Franklin was involved in organizing the participants and planning the robbery. Fentress-Dismuke went into the bank brandishing a firearm and wearing a black ski mask and gloves. Franklin was traffic stopped a short time after the robbery and officers found a mask and two loaded handguns in the trunk of his car.
Fentress-Dismuke and McGee have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Burnett has pleaded not guilty and is pending trial.
U.S. Attorney Kelly observed that today’s sentence, like other recent federal robbery sentences, underscores that violent criminals, especially those using guns, will be vigorously prosecuted and pay a heavy price.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Great Plains Robbery Task Force, the Omaha Police Department Robbery Unit, the Saunders County Sheriff’s Department, the Wahoo Police Department, the Yutan Police Department and Nebraska State Patrol.
Owner of Sports Memorabilia Stores Sentenced to Prison for Failing to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
The owner of two Pierce County sports memorabilia and card gaming shops was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 30 days in prison, ten months of home detention with electronic monitoring, three years of supervised release and $234,769 in restitution for failing to pay employment taxes on more than 50 employees, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. DONALD A. KNUTSEN, 54, owned Northwest Sportscards, which had locations in Tacoma and University Place, Washington. KNUTSEN pleaded guilty in April 2018, admitting that between 2008 and 2016 he withheld a total of $234,769 in income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes from the paychecks of at least 51 different employees, but failed to accurately report and pay the tax withholdings and an additional $122,350 in employer-owed taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. At sentencing U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan said, “Our whole government system is based upon citizens voluntarily completing their paperwork and paying taxes. Our system, the very foundation of our liberties, is dependent on citizens doing this civic duty.”
“This defendant not only failed to pay his own taxes, he stole funds he was supposed to pay for Social Security and Medicare taxes for his employees,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “Employees rely on their employers complying with the law and protecting their hard earned retirement benefits, not succumbing to naked greed. As a result of this prosecution, not only is the defendant spending time in prison, he is required to pay restitution so that his victims can be made whole.”
According to records filed in the case, KNUTSEN operated the two sports cards and memorabilia stores for more than 27 years. The investigation revealed that as early as 2002, KNUTSEN stopped paying employment taxes, including Social Security and Medicare taxes on his employees. KNUTSEN withheld the money from the employee paychecks but never paid it to the IRS or filed the required forms accounting for the payments. Instead, KNUTSEN used the money to acquire inventory and promote his business. In addition, KNUTSEN failed to file any personal income tax returns after 2000.
Before today’s hearing KNUTSEN delivered a check to the court for $82,500 as a partial payment for his $234,769 restitution obligation. In addition, after the IRS calculates his civil tax liability and interest, KNUTSEN will pay that amount as well.
Because KNUTSEN was not filing tax forms or paying taxes to the IRS, the employees working at his shops did not accrue individual Social Security benefits during the relevant years. Under the terms of his plea agreement, KNUTSEN will work with the IRS to correct those past tax records.
The case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Masada.
Orlando Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Courtney Rashon Johnson (43, Orlando) to 17 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Due to his prior multiple felony convictions, he qualified for an increased penalty under the Armed Career Criminal Act. The court also ordered Johnson to forfeit the .38-caliber revolver and ammunition used during the offense.
A federal jury had convicted Johnson on July 24, 2018.
According to testimony presented at trial, Johnson was carrying a firearm and fleeing from a scene where gunshots had been fired, when he encountered multiple detectives from the Orlando Police Department. When the detectives ordered him to drop to the ground, Johnson complied, tossing aside a .38-caliber revolver that he had been carrying. At the time, Johnson had multiple prior felony convictions and, therefore was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Orlando Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
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 October 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to develop districtwide crime reduction strategies, incorporating the lessons learned since the program’s inception in 2001. 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.
Norwalk Doctor Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Drug Distribution and Health Care Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that BHARAT PATEL, 71, of Milford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to 54 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug distribution and health care fraud offenses.
“A lengthy prison term is appropriate for any physician who abandons his oath and profits by selling prescriptions for opioids, by overprescribing these highly addictive drugs to patients – many of whom illegally distributed the drugs they received, and by defrauding our healthcare system,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “This doctor’s criminal conduct contributed to the ongoing opioid epidemic as tens of thousands of narcotic pills were dispensed to individuals who didn’t need them and shouldn’t have them. I thank the DEA’s Tactical Diversion Squad, the Norwalk Police Department and the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office for their excellent investigative efforts in this case.”
“The reckless action by Dr. Patel is not only a violation of the Controlled Substance Act but a betrayal of the public trust,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Boyle. “Today’s sentence not only holds Dr. Patel accountable for his crimes, but serves as a warning to those who are fueling the opioid epidemic in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. DEA pledges to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately 2011 to July 2017, PATEL was a physician operating out of Family Health Urgent Care, formerly known as Immediate Health Care, located at 235 Main Street in Norwalk. During this time, PATEL saw numerous patients who had no legitimate medical purpose to see PATEL and only came to his medical practice in order to obtain prescriptions for controlled substances, primarily hydrocodone or oxycodone. Some of those patients were enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare and paid for PATEL’s services, and had the prescriptions paid for, by those programs.
PATEL knew, and also was advised by pharmacists and his staff, that the prescriptions he was providing to his patients were medically unnecessary. For example, PATEL had patients to whom he prescribed oxycodone or hydrocodone whose urine/blood tests showed no signs of opioid ingestion. He also had patients to whom he prescribed oxycodone or hydrocodone whose urine/blood tests showed that they had other narcotics in their systems and that a prescription for oxycodone or hydrocodone would be a contraindication. PATEL ignored the warnings and continued to prescribe controlled substances to these patients outside of the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
On numerous occasions, PATEL wrote prescriptions to patients who paid him $100 in cash for each prescription. At times, PATEL provided patients medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone or hydrocodone, which he left at a liquor store next door to his practice. Patients retrieved the prescriptions by exchanging an envelope with cash in it for the prescriptions.
PATEL wrote hundreds of medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone and hydrocodone, and received $158,523.95 as a result of this and related criminal conduct. He has forfeited this money to the government.
PATEL has been detained since his arrest on July 12, 2017. On June 25, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and hydrocodone, and one count health care fraud.
PATEL has surrendered his federal controlled substances registration to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This investigation was conducted by the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the Norwalk Police Department, with the critical assistance of the Connecticut Office of the Attorney General. The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Hamden, Milford, Monroe, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford and Wilton Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Conspiring to Kidnap and Murder as Part of an Overseas Murder-For-Hire SchemeRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that CARL DAVID STILLWELL was sentenced to life in prison in connection with his participation in the murder of a woman in the Philippines. STILLWELL and his co-defendants, Adam Samia and Joseph Hunter, were convicted following a 12-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams of the Southern District of New York on April 18, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Like the plot of some blockbuster novel or movie, this case is nearly unbelievable: a former Army sniper recruits two others to commit a murder-for-hire in a foreign land. But every aspect of this troubling case is true, including a murder victim in the Philippines. Carl Stillwell played a role in that murder, and will now spend the rest of his life behind bars.”
According to the Superseding Indictment against Hunter, Samia, and STILLWELL, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and the evidence admitted at trial:
Hunter served in the U.S. Army from 1983 to 2004, where he attained the rank of sergeant first class. While in the Army, Hunter led air-assault and airborne infantry squads; served as a sniper instructor; and trained soldiers in marksmanship and tactics as a senior drill sergeant. Since leaving the Army in 2004, Hunter has arranged for the murders of multiple victims in exchange for money, among other completed acts of violence undertaken for pay.
Samia is a self-described “personal protection/security industry” professional. According to Samia’s résumé, he has worked as an “independent contractor” for clients in the Philippines, China, Papua New Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Republic of the Congo; and has training in tactics and weapons, including handguns, shotguns, rifles, sniper rifles, and machineguns. STILLWELL also purported to have training and experience in the field of information technology and to have worked at a firm in North Carolina that provides firearms training.
In 2011 and 2012, Hunter, Samia, and STILLWELL agreed to commit murders-for-hire in overseas locations in exchange for salaries and bonus payments for each victim. In early 2012, Samia and STILLWELL traveled from North Carolina to the Philippines, where Hunter provided them with, among other things, information about their intended victims and firearms to use to commit the murders.
In January and February 2012, Samia and STILLWELL surveilled their intended victims in the Philippines as they formulated their murder plans. On February 12, 2012, Samia and STILLWELL killed one of their intended victims (“Victim-1”) – a Filipino woman – in the Philippines by shooting her multiple times in the face. After killing Victim-1, Samia and STILLWELL disposed of her body on a pile of garbage, where local authorities later found it. Hunter paid Samia and STILLWELL $35,000 each for completing the murder, and Samia and STILLWELL sent thousands of dollars from the payments they received to the United States using, among other methods, structured wire transfers in amounts under $10,000.
In late February and early March 2012, Samia and STILLWELL returned from the Philippines to North Carolina, where they continued to reside until their July 2015 arrests on these charges.
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Hunter, 52, of Owensboro, Kentucky, Samia, 43, of Roxboro, North Carolina, and STILLWELL, 50, of Roxboro, North Carolina, were each convicted of one count of conspiring to commit murder-for-hire and one count of committing murder-for-hire, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison; and one count of conspiring to murder and kidnap in a foreign country and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, each of which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. Samia and STILLWELL were also each convicted of conspiring to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of HUNTER and SAMIA will be determined by the judge.
Sentencing has been scheduled for Hunter on February 15, 2019, and for Samia on October 31, 2018, before Judge Abrams.
The charges against the defendants were the result of the close cooperative efforts of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit; DEA’s Manila Country Office; DEA’s Atlanta Field Division, Raleigh Resident Office; DEA’s Louisville Field Division; the Durham Police Department; the Raleigh Police Department; the Harnett County Sherriff’s Office; the Wake County Sherriff’s Office; the Person County Sherriff’s Office; the Cary Police Department; the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Greensboro Field Office; the Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; the Royal Thai Police; the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation; and the Philippines National Police; and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs. Mr. Berman also thanked the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina and the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section for their support and assistance.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Emil J. Bove III, Rebekah Donaleski, and Patrick Egan, are in charge of the prosecution.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin, Crack and Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Bangor, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Darrell Newton, a/k/a “Coast,” a/k/a “D-Coast,” 39, of Rochester, New York, pled guilty today in U.S. District Court to conspiracy to distribute in excess of a kilogram of heroin, more than 280 grams of cocaine base, commonly known as “crack,” and fentanyl.
According to court records, between June 2015 and March 2017, Newton ran a drug trafficking organization that obtained, heroin, crack and fentanyl in Rochester and distributed the drugs in Central Maine. Rochester conspirators were recruited and sent to Central Maine by the defendant to sell the drugs. Those conspirators stayed with Central Maine residents who, in exchange for crack and heroin, allowed the drugs to be sold from their residences and assisted in distributing, storing and transporting the drugs.
The defendant faces between 20 years and life in prison, a $20,000,000 fine, and between 10 years and life on supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigation report by the U.S. Probation Office.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Augusta Police Department, and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
New Jersey Teacher Charged with Health Care Fraud Conspiracy Targeting New Jersey School Employees Health Benefits ProgramRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A federal grand jury has indicted a New Jersey public school teacher for conspiring to defraud the N.J. School Employees’ Health Benefits Program (SEHBP) with phony claims for medically unnecessary prescriptions, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Jason Nardachone, 45, of Nutley, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He made his initial appearance Oct. 11, 2018, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael Hammer in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Nardachone participated in a scheme to defraud the SEHBP by knowingly causing the billing of medically unnecessary compounded medications, such as metabolic vitamins, pain creams, and scar creams, for himself and three other teachers. From September 2015 through February 2016, Nardachone and others received medically unnecessary compounded medications that cost the SEHBP from $3,300 to $22,800 per medication. Nardachone bribed the three other teachers with monthly payments of $500 in exchange for their agreement to obtain compounded medications they did not need. Nardachone defrauded the SEHBP of more than $550,000.The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the ongoing investigation leading to the indictment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Liu, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Opioid Abuse Prevention and Enforcement Unit in Newark.
The charge and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Christopher A. Errante Esq., Lyndhurst, New Jersey
Nashua Woman Sentenced to 24 Months for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD – United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced that Gale Doiron, 61, of Nashua, New Hampshire, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.
Court filings and statements made in court established that a cooperating individual made four controlled buys of fentanyl from Doiron and her son. Although her son ran the business, Doiron assisted by conducting exchanges with customers, and profited from the drug sales. On December 8, 2016, officers received warrants to search the defendant’s residence and a backpack possessed by her son. Officers seized approximately 79 grams of fentanyl, other controlled substances, drug packaging materials, five firearms, and over $25,000 in cash. The money and firearms have been forfeited.
Doiron previously pled guilty on February 21, 2018.
“Individuals who assist in the trafficking of fentanyl should expect to be arrested, prosecuted and incarcerated” said U.S. Attorney Murray. Each sale of this dangerous drug has the potential to end a human life, so each case must be treated with the utmost seriousness. I commend the work of the Nashua Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“Fentanyl is causing deaths in record numbers and DEA’s top priority is to aggressively pursue anyone who distributes this poison in order to profit and destroy lives,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities so every time we take fentanyl off the streets, lives are saved. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative local, county and state law enforcement efforts in New Hampshire and our strong partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
The case was investigated by the Nashua Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Georgiana L. Konesky.
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Moss Point Man Sentenced to over Twenty Years in Prison on Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss – Edward Corneilus Bridges, 38, of Moss Point, Mississippi, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 250 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Bridges was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.
On March 22, 2018, a state search warrant was executed at Bridges’s home in Moss Point, Mississippi. Upon entering the home, agents located more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, 58 grams of cocaine, scales, large amounts of cash, marijuana, ecstasy, a ledger, ammunition cases, and an SKS rifle.
Bridges entered a guilty plea before Judge Ozerden on June 26, 2018.
The case was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, South Mississippi Metro Enforcement Team, and Pascagoula Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
Mississippi Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Court Chief Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Ron Luvell Dedeaux on October 12, 2018 to serve a term of imprisonment of 142 months followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of Title 21 USC § 846. The defendant previously plead guilty to the offense on August 22, 2016.
Plea documents filed in the case established that on March 25, 2016, Dedeaux was in California with the co-defendant, Brandon Wayne Bullock. Dedeaux had obtained approximately 1,037.3 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 1,209.3 grams of marijuana from a source of supply in California. Dedeaux arranged for the co-defendant, Brandon Bullock, to ship the methamphetamine and marijuana by Express Mail in three packages to Pass Christian, MS.
The methamphetamine and marijuana was intercepted by US Postal Inspectors in Mobile while en route to Mississippi. On March 30, 2016, Dedeaux and Bullock were arrested when they attempted to pick up the packages in Mobile. Bullock previously plead guilty in federal court and was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDEFT) Lead Attorney, George F. May for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama. United States Attorney Moore highly praised the efforts of the Postal Inspection Service and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office for their vigilant efforts in this prosecution. Moore stated that his office would continue to stand arm in arm with our federal and state partners in doing all we can do to keep the community safe and carry out the mandates of the Department of Justice.
Michigan man indicted for having 36 counterfeit credit cards, nearly 500 credit card account numbers and a machine for making counterfeit cardsRead the Press Release
A Michigan man was indicted after he was found to have 36 counterfeit credit cards, nearly 500 credit card account numbers and a machine for making counterfeit credit cards.
Edris Alim Sherrieff, 24, of Roseville, Michigan, was indicted on one count of possession of counterfeit credit cards and one count of illegal possession of device-making equipment.
Sherrieff was found on July 21, 2017, in possession of 36 counterfeit credit cards, 490 unique credit card account numbers and a credit card encoder, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Deckert following an investigation by the U.S. Secret Service and Ohio State Highway Patrol.
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 records, 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.
An indictment is only a charge and 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.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Court Judge William H. Steele sentenced Adam Joshua Hanshew on October 9, 2018 to serve a term of imprisonment of 146 months followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of Title 21 USC § 841(a)(1). The defendant previously plead guilty to the offense on June 16, 2017.
On April 16, 2017, officers with the Mobile County Street Enforcement Narcotics Team (MCSENT) stopped the defendant in a vehicle on Interstate 65 in Mobile County. Canine “Masco” alerted for the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. Officers searched the trunk of the vehicle and located a large air mattress box that contained a black trash bag filled with 5 large bags of methamphetamine. The methamphetamine was later determined to weigh approximately 5 kilograms.
The case was investigated by the Mobile County Street Enforcement Narcotics Team (MCSENT) and referred to the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation for prosecution. The case was prosecuted by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDEFT) Lead Attorney, George F. May for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that United States District Court Chief Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced Reginald Thomas Gulley, Jr. on October 12, 2018 to serve a term of imprisonment of 96 months followed by 10 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine in violation of Title 21 USC § 846. The defendant previously plead guilty to the offense on February 21, 2018.
Plea documents filed in the case established that on June 8, 2017, Mobile County Street Enforcement Narcotics Team (MCSENT) officers executed a search warrant for a motel room in Mobile County and recovered approximately 385 grams of methamphetamine, 19 grams of crack cocaine, digital scales, and a firearm, which were all co-located in a hiding spot in the room. The drugs were packaged for sale. Gulley later confessed that the scales, drugs and firearm belonged to him and he admitted to buying the firearm off the street.
On July 24, 2017 a confidential informant (CI) contacted the co-defendant Terry Demetrius Wilson to obtain methamphetamine from Wilson. The CI drove to Wilson’s home and picked him up and then the CI drove to a gas station. The defendant, Gulley, showed up at the gas station in another vehicle. Wilson then brought the CI’s money to Gulley, and retrieved methamphetamine from Gulley, (approximately 5 grams) and brought it to the CI. Wilson later took a “pinch” of the methamphetamine and asked the CI for $20.00 for brokering the deal.
On July 31, 2017, a CI met the co-defendant Dariese Dandrell Pierce and Pierce obtained 3.5 grams of methamphetamine from Gulley for the CI in a similar fashion as did Wilson. However on this occasion, after the first deal, Pierce and Gulley drove to a second location to obtain a second bag of 3.5 grams of methamphetamine and Pierce delivered the second bag of methamphetamine to the CI.
Wilson and Pierce previously plead guilty in federal court and were each previously sentenced.
The case was investigated by the Mobile County Street Enforcement Narcotics Team (MCSENT) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and referred to the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigation for prosecution. The case was prosecuted by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDEFT) Lead Attorney, George F. May for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Meth Dealer Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Richard W. Moore of the Southern District of Alabama announced that Audrea Gale Whitehurst, 34, of Grand Bay, Alabama, was sentenced this morning for her possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. She pled guilty to the charge in 2017.
Honorable Kristi K. Dubose imposed a sentence of 38 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. No fine was imposed, but Whitehurst was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. During her imprisonment and as a condition of her supervision, Whitehurst was ordered to undergo treatment for drug abuse.
The case was investigated by the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney’s Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria A. Bedwell.
Maryland Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Traveling to the Philippines to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A Reisterstown, Maryland man was sentenced today to 300 months in prison and ordered to pay $125,000 in restitution, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for traveling from the United States to the Philippines and engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and to producing child pornography with the intent to transport the child pornography to the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur of the District of Maryland; Acting Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger made the announcement.
“Martin Hall traveled across the globe for the express purpose of sexually abusing children and creating images of that abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “This case serves as a stern warning to offenders - no matter how far you travel to abuse and exploit children, or how sophisticated your efforts to hide your identity, our prosecutors, agents, and local law enforcement will work together to hold you accountable and bring you to justice.”
“As this case demonstrates, children are cruelly and sexually abused to produce child pornography,” U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur said. “Martin Hall traveled to the Philippines to abuse minors, filmed the abuse, and brought those images back to the U.S. We prosecute these crimes without the children having to testify because we have photo and video evidence of the crimes. This sentence, which includes restitution to the victims, sends a strong message that we will bring these criminals to justice to try to save even more children from becoming victims, and to help child victims recover.”
“Time and again we see these egregious offenders believe that they may hide their crimes across international borders or in the depths of cyberspace. Time and again, our investigators disprove such a notion, find these offenders and bring them before our justice system to face the consequences,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Morant. “While we cannot undo the harm and trauma Martin Hall has inflicted, I am pleased with today’s announcement knowing that the just burden of his crimes will weigh heavily on him.”
Martin Hall, 56, a former computer programmer, pleaded guilty on July 11, before U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander of the District of Maryland to one count of traveling in foreign commerce from the United States to the Philippines between April 2016 and August 2016 to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a person under the age of 18 and to one count of producing child pornography with the intent to transport the child pornography to the United States between July 2016 and August 2016. Judge Hollander sentenced Hall earlier today and remanded him to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Hall travelled to the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual activity with minor females. Hall’s conduct included engaging in sexual acts with minors, producing images and videos of the minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and transporting the images and videos back to Maryland. Additionally, Hall used sophisticated computer programs to download and store thousands of images and videos of child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kaylynn Shoop of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Budlow of the District of Maryland.
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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Marlboro County Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Drug Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated that Tommy Adams, Jr., age 41, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Florence to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a quantity of cocaine base, also known as crack cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1). United States District Judge R. Bryan Harwell, of Florence, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after a pre-sentence report is prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
Evidence presented at the change of plea hearing and previous court hearings established that officers with the Bennettsville Police Department (BPD) were investigating unlawful drug activity in the Ella Street area of Bennettsville, South Carolina. As part of that investigation, BPD officers utilized a confidential informant who purchased a quantity of cocaine base from Adams on November 2, 2017. After further investigation, a search warrant was obtained and served on February 2, 2018. Police found quantity amounts of cocaine and cocaine base in a car driven by Adams. A loaded .38 caliber revolver was also found in the car.
Adams has multiple state convictions for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Adams faces a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $2,000,000 and 6 years of supervised release on the drug distribution charge.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) along with the Bennettsville Police Department investigated the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project CeaseFire initiative, which aggressively prosecutes firearm cases. Project CeaseFire is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001. Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher D. Taylor and A. Bradley Parham of the Florence office handled the case.
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Marion County man admits to child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – James Timothy Cobb, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to a child pornography charge, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Cobb, age 56, pled guilty today to one count of “Possession of Child Pornography.” Cobb admitted to possessing child pornography in Marion County in September 2014.
Cobb faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Wagner is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by a Habitual OffenderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Joseph Levering, 38, was sentenced on Friday, October 12, 2018, in Omaha, Nebraska, by United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., for committing a domestic assault as a habitual offender. Judge Rossiter sentenced Levering to 20 months’ imprisonment. After completing his term of imprisonment, Levering will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On January 25, 2018, Levering assaulted his domestic partner on the Winnebago Indian Reservation by punching her in the face twice, causing her to lose consciousness. At the time of the assault, Levering had four prior convictions for assaulting the same victim.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Lynn, Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Attempting to Buy Guns in HooksettRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Jose Rafael Soriano, 28, of Lynn, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in federal court to aiding another in an illegal effort to purchase firearms, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made during the prosecution of the case, on July 15, 2015, Soriano, and three friends, Michael Younge, Adrian Aleman and Tasha Gardner, visited a federally licensed firearms dealer in Hooksett, New Hampshire. Of the four, only Gardner was legally eligible to buy handguns. Soriano and Younge, with Aleman’s help, solicited Gardner to buy two handguns on their behalf. Gardner agreed to assist and attempted to purchase the two guns for Soriano and Younge. In connection with that attempt, Gardner filled out a form legally required for all intrastate over-the-counter handgun purchases on which she falsely certified that she was the “actual purchaser” of the two handguns, when she was really attempting to buy them for Soriano and Younge. The store never transferred the firearms because its employees became suspicious and declined to complete the transaction.
All of the individuals involved in this crime pleaded guilty. On July 30, 2017, Younge was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment. On March 13, 2017, Gardner was sentenced to three years’ probation. On April 7, 2017, Aleman was sentenced to two years’ probation.
Soriano is scheduled to be sentenced on January 29, 2019.
“In order to keep our communities safe, we must keep guns out of the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Through Project Safe Neighborhoods, we continue to identify and prosecute those who unlawfully obtain firearms. Individuals who seek to purchase guns for felons or other prohibited persons should understand that they are committing a serious crime and that they will be prosecuted.”
“Straw purchasing and illegal trafficking of firearms is serious crime that often puts firearms in the hands of individuals who are prohibited under federal law to possess them,” said Mickey Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division. “ATF remains dedicated to identifying, investigating and arresting these individuals and making our streets and communities safer from violent firearm related crimes.”
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Manchester Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Debra M. Walsh.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a national initiative undertaken by the U.S. Department of Justice to reduce gun crime in America through, among other things, community outreach and vigorous prosecution of firearms offenses.
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Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Member Sentenced to Prison for Being a Habitual Domestic AbuserRead the Press Release
An enrolled member of the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 5 years in prison for Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. MATTHEW TYLER CHARLES, 31, of Port Angeles, pleaded guilty in March 2018, following one day of testimony about his history of assaults on an intimate partner. CHARLES was indicted federally following the October 21, 2017 assault of a woman with whom he had a long-term relationship. At sentencing, U.S. District Judge Ronald B. Leighton said CHARLES “has to pay for what he has done, the havoc he perpetrated in this community.”
“This defendant repeatedly and viciously attacked those he professed to care most about,” said U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. “And when law enforcement stepped in, the defendant tried to pressure the victim to stop co-operating with investigators and prosecutors. But the victim persevered and today justice is served. We will continue to use all available tools to protect the victims of crime in our tribal communities.”
According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, in the early morning hours of October 21, 2017, the victim arrived at the Lower Elwha Casino. Shortly after her car pulled into the parking lot, the surveillance video shows CHARLES arriving in another vehicle. The video shows CHARLES assaulting the victim, violently shoving her back into the car and physically restraining her when she tried to flee. At one point during the incident, CHARLES brandished a knife. Two witnesses who were in the parking lot alerted casino security. CHARLES left the scene, but was later taken into custody.
CHARLES has four previous convictions related to domestic violence in either state or Tribal court. Two of these convictions arose from assaults in 2006 and 2014 with respect to this same victim that were prosecuted in Clallam County District Court and Superior Court, respectively, and two convictions in Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal court for 2004 and 2010 assaults with respect to this victim and a second victim. Those convictions subject him to prosecution in federal court as a habitual offender.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribal Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca S. Cohen and J. Tate London.
Long Island Resident Pleads Guilty to Multimillion Dollar Elder Fraud Scheme and to Defrauding the Federal Trade CommissionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Tully Lovisa pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Gary R. Brown to conspiracy to commit mail fraud by sending prize-promotion mailings that led recipients, many of whom were elderly and vulnerable, to believe that they could claim large cash prizes in exchange for a modest fee. Lovisa also pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a related scheme to defraud the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph H. Hunt, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Civil Division, and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, New York Division (USPIS), announced the guilty pleas.
As he admitted at his guilty plea, Lovisa’s prize promotion mailings were fraudulent. None of the victims who submitted fees, which in total exceeded $30 million, received a substantial cash prize. Lovisa’s involvement in the scheme was also in violation of prior court orders that resulted from a lawsuit against him by the FTC. As part of his resolution the FTC lawsuit, Lovisa was ordered by a federal court to sell a home he owned in Las Vegas, Nevada, and turn over the proceeds to the FTC. Lovisa arranged for a sham sale of the house in September 2012 for $155,500, and then sold the house in April 2015 for $540,000 and kept the proceeds.
When sentenced, Lovisa faces up to 20 years in prison on each count, as well as forfeiture of at least $1 million and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from each offense.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division. Assistant United States Attorney Charles P. Kelly, with Trial Attorneys Daniel Zytnick and Timothy Finley of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha R. Payne is in charge of the forfeiture.
The Defendant:
TULLY LOVISA
Age: 55
Huntington Station, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-349
Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on October 12, 2018, Carly J. Pickel, 31 of Lincoln, was sentenced to five years (60 months) in prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture between January of 2013 and December of 2016. Following the prison term, Pickel will serve four years on supervised release.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that Pickel was responsible for the distribution of at least 1.5 kilograms (approximately three pounds) of methamphetamine mixture with her husband, Jason Novotny. Novotny also pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled for sentencing on October 19, 2018.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Defendant admitted to producing and distributing sexually explicit images of a toddler
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Kanawha County man was sentenced yesterday to spend 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for a child pornography crime, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Robert Daniel Mullins, 37, of South Charleston, previously pled guilty on April 25, 2018, to production of child pornography. Stuart praised the investigative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the West Virginia State Police, the Australian Federal Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Toronto Police Service.
“Every single day of that 30 year sentence is deserved,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Horrific. Such a horrific crime. We will do everything within our power to put guys like Mullins behind bars for as long as possible.”
Between August 5, 2017, and February 18, 2018, he took several sexually explicit photographs of a toddler, at least one of which depicted sexual contact between Mullins and the minor. Mullins then distributed at least two of the sexually explicit images of the toddler to others around the world via the messaging service Kik. In addition to producing and distributing these images of child pornography, Mullins also used the Kik messaging service to exchange child pornography with other users in Canada and Australia. Mullins also offered to take sexually explicit photographs of minors to send to the individual in Australia.
He will also be required to register as a sex offender for at least 25 years.
Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecution. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge Irene C. Berger.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc.
SDWVNews and USAttyStuart
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KC Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm After Hit-and-Run, Police ChaseRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man who was involved in a hit-and-run accident before leading police on a car chase that ended when he crashed into a pole and another vehicle, pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing a firearm.
James C. Coleman, 48, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge F. Sachs to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Coleman was involved in a hit-and-run accident at the intersection of E. 67th Street and College Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., at approximately 1 a.m. on Oct. 4, 2017. The driver of the vehicle that was hit told police officers that a Volkswagen station wagon (later determined to be driven by Coleman) failed to stop for the stop sign and struck his vehicle. He also told police officers that Coleman, who appeared to be high, got out of his car but then left the scene of the accident without exchanging any information.
A Kansas City police officer saw Coleman’s vehicle shortly after the hit-and-run accident. The officer fell in behind Coleman’s vehicle and watched as the station wagon struck a curb. The officer activated his patrol car’s emergency lights and siren, but Coleman refused to stop and a pursuit began.
The car chase continued until Coleman struck a city utility pole and crashed into a Lincoln Continental in the 6800 block of Bales Avenue in Kansas City. Officers noted the vehicle had damage on all sides with multiple air bag deployments. Coleman, who was still inside the overturned vehicle, was lying on his back across the passenger door with his legs coming out of the vehicle’s sun/moon roof. Coleman appeared as though he had tried to crawl out of the passenger side of the vehicle.
A police officer saw a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm pistol lying inside Coleman’s vehicle. After pulling Coleman out of the vehicle, an officer saw a clear baggie that contained what was later determined to be six individual baggies of cocaine. Coleman was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital for evaluation and treatment of his injuries.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Coleman has three prior felony convictions for drug trafficking and a prior felony conviction for stealing.
Under federal statutes, Coleman is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Moeder. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, and local law enforcement to specifically identify criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Missouri. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Joplin Man Charged with Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo., man was charged in federal court today with receiving and distributing child pornography after exchanging pornographic images with a child in the state of Washington.
Kaleb Wilson, 26, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Springfield, Mo.
According to an affidavit filed in support of today’s federal criminal complaint, Instagram submitted a CyberTipline report on May 5, 2017, to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The report indicated that an Instagram user, later identified as Wilson, had uploaded multiple images of child pornography between March 21 and March 26, 2017.
Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Wilson’s residence on April 2, 2018, and seized several electronic items, which are pending forensic examination.
On Aug. 14, 2018, a detective with the Vancouver, Wash., Police Department contacted the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force and requested assistance in a separate investigation of Wilson. The Vancouver investigation was launched when a resident of that jurisdiction reported that her minor child had been exchanging sexually explicit messages and images with an adult male, later identified as Wilson.
Wilson allegedly communicated with the minor victim via the social media application Kik. According to the affidavit, Wilson and the child victim communicated and exchanged pornographic photos with each other from December 2016 through Aug. 8, 2018.
The charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Illegal Alien Found Guilty by Federal Jury of Illegally Possessing a Firearm under Project EJECTRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Yesterday, after a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate, a federal jury in Jackson found Ankit Puri, 34, an illegal alien from India, guilty of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm that had traveled through interstate commerce, announced United States Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
On March 3, 2018, officers with the Jackson Police Department arrested Puri for aggravated assault, arising from Puri’s shooting of an unarmed individual in a convenience store. Puri had overstayed his visitor visa and was in the process of being removed from the United States at the time of the shooting. Homeland Security became aware of his arrest and brought charges related to his illegal possession of a firearm.
"There is absolutely zero tolerance for those who break our immigration laws and then commit violent crimes. I applaud these JPD officers, HSI agents and prosecutors for bringing this individual to justice and making Jackson safer," said U.S. Attorney Hurst.
Puri will be sentenced by Judge Wingate on January 4, 2019. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Jackson Police Department investigated the case. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Kennedy and Lynn Murray.
This case is part of Project EJECT, an initiative by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi under the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). EJECT is a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to fighting and reducing violent crime in Jackson through prosecution, prevention, re-entry and awareness. EJECT stands for "Empower Jackson Expel Crime Together." PSN is 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.
Houston Man Faces Arraignment in Federal Case Alleging Manufacture of Fake Airline IDs to Obtain Free FlightsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Houston man who was arrested earlier this month in Texas is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon on federal fraud and identity theft charges that allege a scheme to manufacture counterfeit Mesa Airlines employee identification badges that were used to obtain free flights on another airline.
Alphonso Lloyd, 25, is set to appear in United States District Court on charges contained in a six-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury on August 17. After being arrested last month in Texas, Lloyd was freed on bond and ordered to appear before a United States Magistrate Judge in Los Angeles.
The indictment charges Lloyd and two other defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The indictment also alleges charges related to the illegal possession of use of identity documents and aggravated identity theft.
The other two defendants charged in this case previously were arraigned and entered not guilty pleas. Kamille Jemison, 26, a former Houston resident who recently relocated to the Beverly Grove District of Los Angeles, was arrested on September 19 and subsequently freed on a $20,000 bond. Hubbard Bell, 30, a Houston resident and former Mesa airlines employee has been in federal in custody in Los Angeles since mid-2017 in relation to another case, was arraigned on October 1. United States District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ordered both defendants to stand trial next month.
The indictment alleges that, through most of 2016 and 2017, Bell and Jemison used Mesa Airline employee identification information to book free flights on Spirit Airlines through Spirit’s web portal for themselves and others, including Lloyd. Bell, Jemison, Lloyd and others took hundreds of flights – across the United States and to Nicaragua – on “non-rev” passes, which is a perk offered to airline employees.
Bell and Jemison allegedly manufactured fake Mesa employee identification cards that the fliers used to board the fraudulently obtained flights. The indictment alleges that Lloyd attempted to use such a fake identification to board a Spirit flight leaving from Los Angeles International Airport on May 6, 2017.
An indictment is merely an allegation and each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If they were to be convicted of the charges in the indictment, Bell would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. If there were to be convicted, Jemison and Lloyd would face a maximum sentence of 37 years in prison.
The case was investigated by special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, who received substantial assistance from the Federal Air Marshal Service and the Transportation Security Administration.
This case is being prosecuted by Joseph D. Axelrad of the Violent and Organized Crime Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Poonam G. Kumar of the Major Frauds Section.
Bell has been in custody since June 2017 in relation to a gun-trafficking case. In that case, Bell pleaded guilty on August 13 to conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. In a plea agreement filed in that case, Bell admitted transporting firearms on flights between Houston and Los Angeles, and the guns were resold in California and Nevada. The gun case led to the investigation that culminated with the fraud and identity theft case being announced today. Bell is scheduled to be sentenced in the gun case by Judge Fitzgerald on December 3, at which time he will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Hot Springs Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Hot Springs, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Henry Smith, age 67, of Hot Springs, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Bank Robbery. The Honorable Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Hot Springs.
According to court records, in November 2017, officers with the Hot Springs Police Department were dispatched to Citizens Bank on Airport Road regarding a bank robbery. The investigation revealed that Smith entered the bank wearing a ski mask and gloves. Smith demanded the teller to put money into a bag that he placed on the counter and represented that he possessed a firearm. Within minutes, officers from the Hot Springs Police Department responded to the area, viewed surveillance footage and observed Smith going into a nearby building. Smith was subsequently located and taken into custody. The currency taken from the bank was recovered.
Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2017 and pled guilty on March 5, 2018. Smith has a lengthy criminal history that includes prior convictions for bank robbery.
This case was investigated by the Hot Springs Police Department and assisted by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
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Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov
Gulfport Man Receives over Five Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a Gun as a Drug UserRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Jaquan Deshawn Carter, 21, of Gulfport, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to 64 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On September 6, 2015, Gulfport Police received a complaint of a person in a car flashing a gun. When officers stopped the car, they smelled the odor of marijuana. Officers found bullets in the backseat and a .44 caliber revolver in the seat pocket with Carter sitting in the backseat. Carter admitted the gun was his, which he explained he had for protection. On September 14, 2015, Gulfport police stopped a car, in which Carter was a passenger, whereby the police smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana. Police found a .22 caliber handgun with an obliterated serial number in Carter’s pocket. In an interview, Carter admitted that he smoked marijuana every day since the age of 9.
Gulfport Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Annette Williams.
Guilty Pleas Entered in Fraud Scheme Involving Local Environmental Company’s Improper Disposal of Toxic ChemicalsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced that LUMINAIRE ENVIRONMENTAL AND TECHNOLOGIES, INC., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud for the improper disposal of toxic waste. Co-defendants JOHN D. MILLER JR., 61, and JOSEPH V. MILLER, 58, previously entered guilty pleas for their roles in the fraud scheme.
“Luminaire defrauded its customers and, in doing so, exposed the community to the toxic chemicals they had been paid to safely destroy. The United States will vigorously pursue those who steal and pollute for their own profit,” said U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald.
“The laws surrounding the safe management of PCBs exist to protect human health and the environment,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Lynn of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Minnesota. “Instead of complying with those laws, the defendants defrauded their customers and put workers and the public at risk by removing PCB labels and selling PCB-containing fluorescent light ballasts to scrap metal recyclers. EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to working aggressively to prevent these types of flagrant and dangerous violations.”
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, LUMINAIRE ENVIRONMENTAL AND TECHNOLOGIES, INC. (“LUMINAIRE”) provided recycling and waste disposal services to customers. Among other services, LUMINAIRE offered to pick up customers’ fluorescent light ballasts containing polychlorinated biphenyls (“PCBs”), transport the PCB-containing ballasts to the LUMINAIRE facility located in Plymouth, Minnesota, and remove and dispose of all the PCBs in accordance with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). In exchange, LUMINAIRE charged customers a fee of approximately $0.35 per pound of PCB lighting ballasts plus transportation costs. Because the PCBs contained in the ballasts are considered a toxic chemical, regulations promulgated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) mandate special procedures and documentation for the transportation and disposal of PCB waste.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, between 2010 until 2015, JOHN MILLER, owner of LUMINAIRE, and other LUMINAIRE employees falsely represented to customers that LUMINAIRE would properly transport and dispose of customers’ toxic chemicals. Instead, after picking up loads of PCB-ballasts from customers, JOHN MILLER instructed LUMINAIRE employees to remove warning labels from the containers holding the PCB-ballasts, and then sell the PCB-ballasts as scrap metal to scrap yards and metal recycling facilities. In order to conceal the fact that the PCB-ballasts had not been received and processed at LUMINAIRE’S facility, JOHN MILLER directed LUMINAIRE employees, including JOSEPH MILLER, to falsely certify on shipping manifests that the PCB-ballasts had arrived at LUMINAIRE’S facility. At JOHN MILLER’S direction, LUMINAIRE employees also sent copies of the falsified shipping documentation by mail to customers and to certain state environmental agencies. In addition, JOHN MILLER instructed LUMINAIRE employees to prepare and deliver falsified invoices to customers who, in turn, made payments to LUMINAIRE. As a result of the scheme, LUMINAIRE fraudulently collected more than $1,000,000 in fees and additional profits.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Hennepin County Department of Environmental Protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin F. Langner and Amber M. Brennan are prosecuting this case.
Defendant Information:
LUMINAIRE ENVIRONMENTAL AND TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Plymouth, Minn.
Convicted:
- Mail fraud, 1 count
JOHN D. MILLER JR., 61
Plymouth, Minn.
Convicted:
- Conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, 1 count
JOSEPH V. MILLER, 58
Chanhassen, Minn.
Convicted:
- Falsification of documents with intent to obstruct a federal matter, 1 count
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Cesar Humberto Perez-Diaz, 48, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin, who sentenced Perez-Diaz to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. Perez-Diaz will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion his sentence.
On July 31, 2018, the Lynn Police Department arrested Perez-Diaz and charged him with enticement of a child under 16 years old. Perez-Diaz was arraigned in the Lynn District court and ordered detained without bail. Immigration officials encountered Perez-Diaz at the Essex House of Corrections and determined that he was illegally present in the United States having been deported on two previous occasions.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Founder of Bogus Green Energy Firm Convicted of Running a $54 Million Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Wayde McKelvy, of Colorado, was convicted by a jury of the following crimes: Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud (one count); Wire Fraud (seven counts); Conspiracy to Engage in Securities Fraud (one count); and Securities Fraud (one count). The trial was held before United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky.
The government established at trial that McKelvy and his co-conspirators ran an elaborate Ponzi scheme operating as Mantria Corporation, which received more than $54 million in fraudulently obtained new investor funds. The co-conspirators promised investors huge returns, as high as 484%, for securities investments in supposedly profitable business ventures in real estate and green energy. In reality, Mantria was a classic Ponzi scheme in which new investor money was used to pay “returns” to early investors, and the business generated meager revenues and no actual profits.
To induce investors to invest money, McKelvy and his co-conspirators repeatedly made fraudulent representations and material omissions about the economic state of Mantria. McKelvy also promoted himself as a financial wizard through aggressive marketing tactics, even though he had little financial acumen and was an unlicensed securities salesman. McKelvy operated what he called “Speed of Wealth” clubs, which advertised on television, radio and the Internet, held seminars for prospective investors, and promised to make them rich. During those seminars and other programs, McKelvy lied to prospective investors to dupe them into investing in Mantria.
Mantria, based in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, sent McKelvy “commissions” via wire transfer to an entity he controlled called “Retirement TRACS, LLC.” Mantria also used wire transfers to pay for other portions of the Ponzi scheme, including payments for both the real estate and green energy projects. When the SEC shut down Mantria in November 2009, the pyramid scheme collapsed and was exposed.
“McKelvy repeatedly lied about Mantria’s bright future in the green energy business, often delivering his sales pitch before a live audience full of prospective investors in order to dupe as many people as he could into investing in the company. McKelvy and his co-conspirators talked a big game, promising investment returns as high as 484 percent – but it was all a ruse,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Instead of high returns, the over 300 victims of this fraud unwittingly invested in uninhabitable land and a bogus trash-to-green energy business idea based on bogus scientific methodology. We are pleased that the jury held McKelvy accountable for his part in this massive fraud.”
“Wayde McKelvy actively marketed himself as some kind of financial genius, when in fact he was nothing but a fraud,” said Michael T. Harpster, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “He and his buddies lured investors in by promising sky-high returns on their money, taking full advantage of people’s trust and their hopes for the future. Ponzi schemes can do real damage to victims’ lives, and the FBI is determined to hold the perpetrators accountable.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Livermore and Sarah Wolfe. Additionally, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Denver Regional Office, assisted with the investigation.
Founder and Former Administrator of Public Charter Schools in Albuquerque Sentenced to 60 Months for Conviction on Federal Theft, Fraud and False Statements ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Senior U.S. District Judge James A. Parker today sentenced David Scott Glasrud, 51, the former administrator of Southwest Learning Centers in Albuquerque, N.M., to 60 months of imprisonment for his conviction on federal theft, fraud and false statement charges arising out of a nearly 15-year scheme to defraud the public charter schools he founded out of millions of dollars. Glasrud was ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release after completing his prison sentence. Judge Parker also ordered Glasrud to pay $3 million in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson and Special Agent in Charge James C. Langenberg of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI announced Glasrud’s sentence, which was imposed based on a guilty plea entered by Glasrud on Oct. 25, 2017. Glasrud entered the guilty plea to a nine-count felony information charging him with two counts of theft from programs receiving federal funds, three counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and two counts of making false statements.
According to the felony information, Glasrud established the public charter school, Southwest Secondary Learning Center, in Albuquerque in Dec. 1999, and later established three other public charter schools in Albuquerque: Southwest Primary Learning Center, Southwest Intermediate Learning Center, and Southwest Aeronautics, Mathematics & Science Academy. The four schools collectively are known as the Southwest Learning Center Schools (Charter Schools) and operate with public funds, including federal funds.
Glasrud served as the Head Administrator for, and exercised financial oversight over, the Charter Schools until Aug. 2014. As the Head Administrator and an employee of the Charter Schools, Glasrud had a duty to use his best efforts on behalf of the Charter Schools in all matters of trust and confidence, and not to act for his own benefit at the expense of the Charter Schools. In his plea agreement, Glasrud admitted violating this duty of trust repeatedly over the course of 15 years by engaging in an ongoing series of schemes to defraud the Charter Schools for his personal benefit. Glasrud also acknowledged making false statements to FBI Special Agents who were investigating his criminal conduct.
The felony information charged, and Glasrud admitted, that from Nov. 2000, Glasrud was doing business in his personal capacity as Southwest Educational Consultants, which he incorporated as Southwest Educational Consultants, Inc. (SEC) in March 2002. Glasrud served as SEC’s registered agent, director and President, and his personal expenses were paid out of an SEC bank account. Glasrud used SEC to facilitate his schemes to defraud the Charter Schools.
For example, from Nov. 2000 through Aug. 2014, Glasrud devised and executed a scheme to defraud that involved leasing a building at 9904 Montgomery Blvd. NE (Building) in Albuquerque to one of the Charter Schools (Charter School 1) by misrepresenting, concealing and omitting material facts from Charter School 1, and by breaching duties that he owed to Charter School 1. In Nov. 2000, while doing business as SEC, Glasrud leased the entire Building. Days later, on Dec. 1, 2000, still acting as SEC, he subleased the Building to Charter School 1 for twice the rent that SEC was paying and without disclosing this material information to Charter School 1. As part of his scheme, by 2007, Glasrud had arranged for SEC to sublease a majority of the square footage of the Building to another tenant, with whom Glasrud had a close familial relationship.
Glasrud admitted that as part of his fraudulent scheme, Charter School 1 paid more than double the rent that SEC paid to lease the entire Building, but occupied less than half the Building. Glasrud also admitted causing Charter School 1 to pay SEC approximately four to five times as much as the other tenant for use of less than half of the Building it was sharing. When the New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) raised concerns about Charter School 1’s sublease, Glasrud caused a school representative to misrepresent to PED and the school board the amount of profit that SEC was realizing off the sublease. In his plea agreement, Glasrud admitted that SEC, his personally owned business, made more than $700,000 in profits as the result of this scheme.
In entering his guilty plea, Glasrud also acknowledged devising and executing a series of other schemes to defraud the Charter Schools. In pleading guilty to one of the three wire fraud charges, Glasrud admitted that in Feb. 2004, he and SEC created a bogus business called Media Learning Solutions (MLS) with an “office” address at a mail drop in Las Vegas, NV. Thereafter, Glasrud caused the Charter Schools to pay capital outlay money to MLS based on fraudulent proposals and invoices. Most of the money MLS received from the Charter Schools was not spent on the items for which it was intended or for the benefit of the Charter Schools, and instead was used for Glasrud’s personal benefit. For example, in 2009 and 2010, the Charter Schools paid MLS approximately $265,000, which Glasrud expended as follows: $199,000 to pay down his personal line of credit; $50,000 transferred into his personal bank account; $12,000 for personal items; and $4,000 spent at a casino in Las Vegas, NV.
Another of Glasrud’s fraudulent schemes began in Dec. 2002 and continued until Aug. 2014, and involved Charter School 1’s Extended Learning Program (ELP). The ELP offered students the opportunity to earn school credits using online, computer-based courses. Students paid to receive official school credit from Charter School 1, and Glasrud diverted almost all of the payments into an SEC bank account he controlled. Glasrud admitted that from 2007 to 2014, more than $1,000,000 in payments for the ELP that should have gone to Charter School 1 was deposited into a bank account for SEC, Glasrud’s personal business.
These three schemes are examples of the fraudulent schemes that Glasrud perpetuated over the 15-year period during which he served as the Head Administrator of the Charter Schools and by which he betrayed the trust and confidence placed in him. Glasrud admitted devising and executing each of these three schemes as well as the other schemes described in the felony information and the plea agreement when he entered his guilty plea this morning.
The case was investigated by the Albuquerque Division of the FBI with the assistance of the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred J. Federici and Holland S. Kastrin prosecuted the case.
Former Theme Park Employee Sentenced to More Than 14 Years for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron has sentenced William Earl Barrett (28, Clermont) to 14 years and 6 months in federal prison for distributing and possessing child pornography. The court also ordered Barrett to forfeit the electronic devices he used during the course of the offense. Barrett pleaded guilty on July 5, 2018.
According to court documents, Barrett distributed child pornography to an individual who had sexually exploited two children in New York. During the investigation, agents found numerous videos and images of child pornography, including images depicting the two children, on Barrett’s electronic devices. Agents also located evidence that Barrett himself was in communication with at least one of the child victims. At the time of his offense conduct, Barrett was employed at a theme park in Orlando.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily C. L. Chang.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former State Trooper Sentenced for Drug-Trafficking, Witness-Tampering, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Former Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Jason J. Delcol was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 24 months in prison for his role in a drug-trafficking ring.
Co-defendant William Covrett was also sentenced today. He received 18 months in prison for conspiring to possess and distribute controlled substances.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and members of the Delaware County Drug Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley.
Delcol and Covrett were two of six men charged in February 2018 in a drug-trafficking operation in Delaware, Ohio. Delcol pleaded guilty in May 2018 to one count each of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public elementary school, witness tampering and possession of an unregistered machine gun and an unregistered silencer.
According to the Statement of Facts, in 2017 and 2018, Delcol engaged in a drug-trafficking conspiracy with co-defendants Benjamin Owings and Nicholas Glassburn. Delcol engaged in the conspiracy while serving as a Trooper in the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Delcol obtained drugs from Owings – namely, testosterone, anabolic steroids and human growth hormone – and then provided them to Glassburn. Likewise, he obtained separate drugs – hydrocodone, oxycodone and Xanax – from Glassburn and provided them to Owings. Most of the time, Delcol distributed the substances to Glassburn at Glassburn’s residence on Rheem Street, which is near Conger Elementary School in Delaware.
Glassburn received marijuana, Xanax, Adderall, Suboxone, oxycodone and hydrocodone from Covrett.
In August 2017, Delcol committed witness tampering by engaging in misleading conduct toward local law enforcement to help Glassburn avoid arrest and prosecution. According to the Statement of Facts, on August 5, 2017, police encountered Glassburn asleep at the wheel and when officers searched his vehicle, they found cocaine and crack cocaine. Glassburn untruthfully told law enforcement he had found the drugs in one of his children’s rooms and had removed them. He said he had called a friend who was a state trooper, Delcol, and Delcol told him to destroy the drugs or take them to a police station. Law enforcement called Delcol to confirm the story and Delcol identified himself as a state trooper and lied on Glassburn’s behalf. Four days later in a follow-up call, Delcol again lied to police to help Glassburn.
Glassburn pleaded guilty in July to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public elementary school and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Stevedore Crawford engaged in the drug-trafficking conspiracy by distributing cocaine and crack cocaine to Glassburn. He pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a public elementary school. The conspiracy charge in Crawford’s case is punishable by a range of five to 80 years in prison.
Carlos Carvalho also pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. According to his Statement of Facts, from 2016 to 2018, Carvalho supplied Glassburn with marijuana. He would often travel to Colorado to purchase multiple pounds of marijuana and instructed Glassburn to transfer drug proceeds from Ohio to Colorado to further the drug-trafficking operation. Carvalho is currently a fugitive.
Owings distributed testosterone, anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and oxycodone pills to Delcol. He also received hydrocodone, oxycodone and Xanax from Delcol. Owings also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. He was sentenced in September to time served and three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and Delaware County Drug Task Force, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate, who is prosecuting the case.
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Former State Senator Carlos Uresti Enters Guilty Plea to Conspiring to Bribe Public OfficialRead the Press Release
In San Antonio this morning, former District 19 Texas State Senator Carlos I. Uresti pleaded guilty to a federal bribery charge, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs.
Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad, Uresti pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. By pleading guilty, Uresti admitted that from January 2006 to September 2016, he conspired with others to facilitate the payment of bribes to former Reeves County Judge Jimmy Galindo in exchange for Judge Galindo’s official actions concerning a Reeves County Correctional Center medical services contract. Uresti further admitted to collecting $10,000 a month as a marketing consultant. Approximately half of that sum was then given to Judge Galindo as a facilitation of the bribe and for his support to award the contract to a specific company at a more favorable price to that company.
Uresti, who faces up to five years in federal prison on the bribery conspiracy charge, remains on bond pending sentencing scheduled for January 14, 2019, before Senior U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra.
On June 26, 2018, Uresti was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $6.3 million in restitution. A jury convicted Uresti on various federal charges regarding his role in an investment Ponzi scheme centered on a company which purportedly bought and sold fracking sand for oil production, FourWinds, Inc. The jury found that Uresti recruited investors under false pretenses by lying about investing his own money in FourWinds as well as failing to disclose his receipt of a commission and a percentage of the profits resulting from investments in FourWinds. Jurors also found that Uresti was not registered as a broker with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and that he and others engaged in money laundering with the proceeds of their fraud scheme.
The FBI’s Public Corruption Task Force is conducting this investigation. The Task Force includes investigators from the FBI, IRS-CI, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Peace Corps-Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph E. Blackwell and Sean O’Connell are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
Former Executive of New York Hotel Company Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Stealing $13.8 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey, man was sentenced to 46 months in prison for embezzling millions of dollars from a New York-based hospitality company where he was the chief operating officer, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
George Dfouni, 47, of Wayne, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. Judge Hayden imposed the sentence Oct. 11, 2018, in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
From 1996 through 2015, Dfouni worked as the chief operating officer for a company identified in the information as “Company A,” which owns and operates hotels in New York and New Jersey.
From 2007 through September 2015, Dfouni negotiated multiple contracts on behalf of Company A, whereby two other companies – identified as “Company B” and “Company C” in court documents – leased New York hotel properties from Company A. As consideration for the leases, Company B and Company C agreed to pay millions of dollars to Company A. Each contract included a signing bonus for Dfouni, who arranged for Company B and Company C to transmit their payments directly to him in New Jersey.
Dfouni was expected to keep his signing bonus and pay the remaining balances to Company A. Instead, Dfouni skimmed a portion of the payments due to Company A to support his lavish lifestyle and gambling expenses. In total, Dfouni embezzled $13.8 million from Company A.
Dfouni willfully failed to report $27,739,114 in income to the IRS between 2007 and 2014, including the funds that he embezzled from Company A.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Hayden sentenced Dfouni to two years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, and special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to the sentencing.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Navarro.
Defense counsel: Peter Carter Esq., Newark
Florida Man Sentenced to More Than Thirteen Years in Federal Prison for Walgreens RobberyRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL –U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced Sly Shaneil De Los Santos (23, Sanford) to 13 years and 1 month in federal prison for robbery. De Los Santos had pleaded guilty on July 26, 2018. His codefendants, Windesthon Junior Pierre (22, Winter Garden) and Stephon Tevonta Johnson (22, Kissimmee), were previously sentenced to 12 years and 3 months’ imprisonment and 11 years and 9 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for the same offense.
According to court documents, on September 21, 2017, Pierre, Johnson, and De Los Santos robbed a Walgreens store in Orlando. During the robbery, the men wore Halloween masks and latex gloves, and carried firearms. They corralled the store employees in an office and demanded that they open two safes. They then attempted to gain access to the pharmacy by firing a gun into the pharmacy door, but were unsuccessful.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alejandro J. Salicrup.
Father and son from Mahoning County indicted after the son gave a gun to his father, who was previously convicted of rape, kidnapping, attempted murder and other crimesRead the Press Release
A father and son from Mahoning County were indicted on firearms charges after the son allegedly gave a firearm to his father, who was previously convicted of rape, kidnapping, attempted murder and other crimes, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman said.
Rodney P. McMeans, 43, of Struthers, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Rodney P. McMeans, Jr., 24, of Youngstown, was indicted on one count of transfer of a firearm to a prohibited person.
“The older defendant has absolutely no business with a gun, given his history of violent crime, and his son knew that,” Herdman said. “We will continue to work to keep firearms out of people who have no regard for the law.”
McMeans on April 24 possessed a FN Herstal 5.7-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite previous convictions for rape, kidnapping, felonious assault, attempted aggravated murder and improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation, according to the indictment.
McMeans, Jr. transferred the FN Herstal 5.7-caliber pistol to his father sometime between January and April 24, knowing and having reasonable cause to know McMeans was a felon who was not allowed to possess a firearm, according to the indictment.
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 records, 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.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. States Attorney Peter E. Daly.
An indictment is only a charge and 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.
Father and Son Plead Guilty to Defrauding Numerous State Affordable Care Act ProgramsRead the Press Release
Jeffrey White, 60, and Nicholas White, 33, both of Twin Peaks, California, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to conspiring to defraud Affordable Care Act programs in at least 12 states of more than $27 million.
U.S. Attorney John H. Durham of the District of Connecticut, Special Agent in Charge Phillip Coyne of the Boston Regional Office of the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, Special Agent in Charge Brian C. Turner of the FBI’s New Haven Division, Special Agent in Charge Kristina O’Connell of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, and Inspector in Charge Joseph W. Cronin of the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jeffrey White and his son, Nicholas White, conspired to defraud health care plans operating under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA,” commonly referred to as “Obamacare”) in Connecticut and other states by fraudulently enrolling individuals in ACA plans in states where the individuals did not live. In order to further the conspiracy, the Whites created phony residential leases using fictitious landlords in various states, including locations in Danbury, Farmington, Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut. The Whites also used an online application to obtain false cell phone numbers for the individuals with area codes that made it appear that the individuals lived at the fictitious addresses, and provided the false cell phone numbers to the ACA plans. If anyone at the ACA plan called the false local number, the call would ring through to a phone controlled by the Whites.
In order to enroll the individuals in an ACA plan, the Whites paid the insurance premiums for the individuals, and also paid to have the individuals transported to California where the individuals were placed in expensive residential substance abuse treatment programs. The treatment programs then billed the ACA plans for thousands of dollars of treatment each week, including claims for expensive laboratory tests such as blood or urine toxicology screenings.
The treatment programs paid the Whites thousands of dollars for each referral, and some programs arranged for the Whites to receive a percentage of the money the treatment programs received from the ACA health insurance plans. In order to maximize their proceeds from the fraud scheme, the Whites enrolled the individuals in ACA plans in states that paid the highest amount for substance abuse treatment, even though the individuals did not live in those states.
In pleading guilty, the Whites admitted that their scheme resulted in more than $27 million in losses to ACA plans across the country, including plans in Connecticut, Arizona, California, Delaware, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas.
“This case is believed to be the first of its kind involving fraudulent enrollment of individuals in ACA plans on a national scale,” said U.S. Attorney Durham. “Health care fraud on ACA plans results in higher insurance premiums for residents in the affected state who are seeking health insurance. We greatly appreciate the outstanding work by the federal law enforcement agencies in identifying and investigating this fraud scheme that cost insurers more than $27 million. This investigation is ongoing.”
“The ACA was implemented to expand health insurance coverage, not to line the pockets of crooks,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Coyne. “Healthcare fraud affects all Americans and we will continue working with our law enforcement partners to rid the system of fraud, waste and abuse.”
“The Whites conspired to defraud the Affordable Care Act, a program created to provide essential health care services to our nation’s uninsured,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Turner. “The Whites exploited both the opioid epidemic and the ACA by enrolling people with serious drug addictions into insurance programs for the sole purpose of enriching themselves and so-called rehabilitation centers. The ACA was not enacted to fill the coffers of greedy health care professionals. The FBI is fully committed to investigating health care fraud in both government and private health insurance programs alike, and to bringing to justice those who commit such fraud.”
“Health care fraud is not a victimless crime,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge O’Connell. “Schemes of this magnitude ultimately hurt the taxpaying citizens who suffer from higher insurance premiums and reduced patient services. IRS will continue to lend our financial expertise to identify and prosecute those offenders who corrupt our health care system.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service continuously seeks to identify and stop complex fraud schemes,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Cronin. “By circumventing the processes that are in place, the Whites created substantial losses to Affordable Care Act programs in multiple states. We will continue our work with our law enforcement partners to stop those who are engaged in these types of fraudulent activities.”
Jeffrey White and Nicolas White each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson scheduled sentencing for January 4, 2019. The Whites are released on bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health Human Services, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the Connecticut Affordable Care Act exchange, known as Access Health CT, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California for their assistance with the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon.
Eight Members of Violent Robbery Organization Convicted of Conducting Multiple Robberies Throughout the Middle District of FloridaRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida– United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces that a federal jury has found Shamar Lajuan Thomas, a/k/a “Baby,” (26, Clearwater) guilty of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and using or carrying a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. Thomas faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 1, 2019. Thomas was the last member of a Polk County-based criminal organization to be convicted of conducting armed robberies of other drug dealers. He was indicted on April 10, 2018.
According to evidence presented at trial, from at least April 2007, and continuing through July 20, 2017, Marion Dwight, Jr. conspired with Thomas and others to commit multiple armed robberies and burglaries of several local drug dealers. During each of the robberies and burglaries, they discharged or brandished firearms. To date, the FBI has identified at least 14 armed robberies and 4 armed burglaries that were committed by Dwight and his coconspirators.
In June 2016, Thomas and his coconspirator, Fredrick James Burney, Jr. a/k/a “Frido,” forced their way inside a home in Lakeland in search of narcotics and cash. While inside, they held a male victim at gunpoint, and shot at a female victim. Thomas physically attacked the woman and repeatedly hit her in the head with his firearm, causing her to bleed profusely. Thomas and his Burney stole cash and a firearm from the victims.
Seven others have pleaded guilty, and each faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, as noted below:
Name
Age, Residence
Status
Marion Dwight, Jr.
a/k/a “Woe,”
a/k/a “Woe Money”
31, Lakeland
Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 2 counts of robbery, and 2 counts of discharging and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 35 years in federal prison, and up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing scheduled for November 15, 2018.
Bradney Henry McGary
32, Lakeland
Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, 1 count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 2 counts of robbery, and 1 count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 20 years in federal prison, and up life imprisonment.
Sentencing scheduled for October 17, 2018.
Michael James Baker,
a/k/a “Bake,”
a/k/a “Maserati”
35, Clearwater
Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 2 counts of robbery, and 2 counts of brandishing and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 32 years in federal prison, and up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing scheduled for March 15, 2019.
Fredrick James Burney, Jr.,
a/k/a “Frido”
a/k/a “Free”
28, Clearwater
Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 2 counts of robbery, and 2 counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 35 years in federal prison, and up to life imprisonment.
Sherrod Raeshad Gordon,
a/k/a “Hott”
32, Tampa
Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 2 counts of robbery, and 2 counts of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 35 years in federal prison, and up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing scheduled for January 11, 2019.
Antonio Marquis Roddy,
a/k/a “Lil Head”
31, Orlando
Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 2 counts of robbery, and 2 counts of discharging and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 35 years in federal prison, up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing scheduled for January 11, 2019.
Jevin Michael Stone
30, Lakeland
Pleaded guilty to 1 count of conspiracy to commit robbery, 2 counts of robbery, and 2 counts of discharging and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime.
Faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 35 years in federal prison, and up to life imprisonment.
Sentencing scheduled for January 11, 2019.
Shamar Lajuan Thomas was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa M. Thelwell and James Muench. This case was investigated by the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell.
Dominican National Sentenced for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national, who is illegally in the United States, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with identity theft.
Kelny Andujar, a/k/a Kelny Alberto Andujar Pinales, 36, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 27 months in prison and two years of supervised release. In June 2018, Andujar pleaded guilty to one count of passport fraud, one count of misusing a Social Security number, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Andujar has been in custody since his arrest in March 2018.
In March 2016, Andujar went to a post office in Lawrence and applied for a U.S. passport in the name of a U.S. citizen who lives in Puerto Rico and listed that citizen’s date of birth, place of birth and Social Security number. Andujar supported his application with a certified copy of the victim’s birth certificate, a Social Security card bearing the victim’s name and Social Security number, and a Massachusetts ID card bearing Andujar’s photo but the victim’s name. The passport application was denied.
In November 2016, Andujar went to the Registry of Motor Vehicles in Wilmington and applied for a duplicate Massachusetts ID card in the victim’s name. Andujar represented that the victim’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number were his own. The application was granted, and Andujar was issued a replacement ID card bearing his photo with the victim’s name.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Robbing Liquor Store at GunpointRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cedric Carr, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to seven years in prison for robbing a downtown Washington liquor store at gunpoint in a daytime attack.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Carr pled guilty in July 2018, in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia, to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced by the Honorable Richard J. Leon. Following his prison term, Carr will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Oct. 30, 2017, at approximately 2 p.m., Carr walked into a liquor store in the 600 block of 12th Street NW and picked-up a bottle of champagne. He then replaced the champagne and selected a bottle of tequila. As the store employee was ringing up the sale, Carr pulled out a 9mm pistol from his front pants pocket. He threatened to kill the employee as he pointed the gun at him, demanding all the store’s money. He then reached over the counter and grabbed cash from the register drawer.
Carr fled with the money and the tequila. Crime scene officers from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) processed the scene and recovered the champagne bottle. Four fingerprints were lifted from the bottle; the fingerprints were later positively matched to the defendant. Carr was arrested the next day and still had the pistol in his possession.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Newsham commended the work of the First District Detectives Division, crime scene officers, and the patrol officers in MPD’s First Police District, as well as agents from the ATF. They also expressed appreciation for the work of the fingerprint analysts at the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim Witness Services Coordinator Tonya Jones of the Victim Witness Unit, and Paralegal Peter Gaboton.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dineen A. Baker and Andrew Floyd, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Teenage DaughterRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 39-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., has pled guilty to sexually abusing his teenage daughter, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim, pled guilty on Oct. 11, 2018, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. The plea, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon 17-year prison term. Following his prison term, the man will be required to register for 10 years as a sex offender and also complete a term of supervised release. The Honorable Milton C. Lee scheduled sentencing for Jan. 18, 2019.
According to the government’s evidence, in October 2017, the man sexually abused the girl at the family’s residence in Northwest Washington. After that time, he sexually abused her on two additional occasions. The victim later said that she never told anyone because she did not want to be the cause of the family breaking up. However, she became pregnant and gave birth to the defendant’s child. Once she learned that she was pregnant, the girl disclosed the abuse. The man was arrested in August 2018 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth and Family Services Division. (MPD). She also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Children’s Advocacy Center. Finally, she acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Juanita Harris, Paralegal Specialist Brenda Williams, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elana Suttenberg, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Danville Man Found Guilty of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Carl Wayne Bartleson, Jr., 46, of Danville, Kentucky was convicted yesterday, in the U.S. District Court in Lexington, following a three-day jury trial. Bartleson was convicted on all counts, including one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and four counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
On February 21, 2017, three people fatally overdosed in Boyle County, Kentucky, from the use of controlled substances, including the powerful opioid fentanyl. Several others overdosed, but survived, all within a five-day period surrounding the fatalities. The spike in overdoses led the Boyle County Sheriff’s Office to work with the Drug Enforcement Administration, to determine the source of the drugs. The joint investigation led to the arrest and indictment of Bartleson, as a local supplier of heroin, fentanyl, and acrylfentanyl, a dangerous analogue of fentanyl that is even more potent. Sentencing has been set for February 14, 2019, in Lexington, before Chief United States District Judge Karen K. Caldwell. Bartleson faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. The sentence will be imposed by the Court, after its consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal sentencing statutes.
“The opioid epidemic is devastating our community and we remain committed to using every tool available to combat this blight,” said Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We will continue to prosecute those who callously and indiscriminately peddle this poison and we commend the collaboration and commitment of our law enforcement partners. Their work in this case lead to the conviction of a dangerous drug trafficker, and helped make our community safer.”
U.S. Attorney Duncan; Darrell Christopher Evans, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Louisville; and Derek Robbins, Boyle County Sheriff, jointly announced the conviction. Assistant United States Attorneys Todd Bradbury and Francisco Villalobos prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Collin County Physician and Registered Nurse Convicted in Pill Mill SchemeRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A 64-year-old former physician and 60-year-old registered nurse have been convicted of drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joe Brown today.
Tad W. Taylor and his wife, Chia Jean Lee, also known as Chia Jean Lee-Taylor, of Plano, were found guilty by a jury on Oct. 10, 2018, of conspiracy to distribute and dispense Oxycodone, Amphetamine Salts (Adderall), Hydrocodone, Alprazolam (Xanax) and Promethazine with Codeine. The jury reached a guilty verdict following a seven-day trial before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.
According information presented at trial, during 2010 through 2012, Taylor and Lee owned and operated Taylor Texas Medicine, a medical clinic in Richardson, Texas. The defendants were convicted of conspiring to distribute large quantities of the above five drugs at their clinic to people that had no legitimate medical need. Taylor and Lee were indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 18, 2017 and charged with conspiracy to distribute, dispense, and possess with intent to distribute and dispense controlled substances.
“Doctors have a legal obligation to prescribe medication only for legitimate medical purposes,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “Too often, doctors prescribe to serve their own financial interests. When those prescriptions involve opioid medication, that is dangerous and has contributed to the addiction problems that have plagued our country. Doctors need to realize that their prescriptions are being watched.”
As a result of their conviction, Taylor and Lee will forfeit $450,000.00 and all right, title and interest to any medical or nursing license or certifications. Under federal statutes, Taylor and Lee each face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for each charge at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stevan Buys and Jonathan R. Hornok in the Eastern District of Texas.
Cleveland man indicted for using a firearm to rob a bank in Independence last monthRead the Press Release
A Cleveland man was indicted for using a firearm to rob a bank in Independence last month.
Rolland C. Scales, Jr., 24, was indicted on one count of armed bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
Scales used a firearm on Sept. 10 to rob the Chase Bank at 6200 Brecksville Road, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Zarzycki following an investigation by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and Independence Police Department.
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 records, 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.
An indictment is only a charge and 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.
Chicopee Man Pleads Guilty to Selling HeroinRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Chicopee man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to distributing heroin.
Steven Brown, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2019.
On June 30, 2016, Brown sold 300 bags of heroin to a cooperating witness. Brown has previously been convicted in state court of drug distribution offenses six times between 2008 and 2013 and he was facing state drug charges at the time of this offense.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, a minimum of three years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri; and Holyoke Police Chief James M. Neiswanger made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Charleston Man and Airport Service Business Sentenced for Hazardous Waste ChargeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Brian Scott Miller, the President of Executive Air Terminal, Inc., was sentenced yesterday to sixty days of incarceration and was fined $5000, and Executive Air Terminal, Inc. was fined $20,000 and placed on corporate probation for three years, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Executive Air provided fueling and other services for private and commercial airplanes at Yeager Airport in Charleston. Miller was the owner and president of Executive Air. On May 3, 2018, both Mr. Miller individually and Executive Air as a corporation pled guilty to the felony offense of Aiding and Abetting the Storage of Hazardous Waste without a Permit. After the guilty pleas, Yeager Airport terminated the lease with Executive Air as the fixed base operator for Yeager Airport. Stuart praised the work of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection, and the Yeager Airport Police Department.
“We will protect the environment by enforcing federal environmental laws,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Proper disposal of hazardous waste ensures our environment and the public are protected. Business owners have a responsibility to comply with environmental laws and regulations governing hazardous waste disposal. Violators will be held accountable.”
“By refusing to comply with laws that ensure the safe handling and storage of hazardous waste, the defendant put the unsuspecting public at serious risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Lynn of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in West Virginia. “Special agents found numerous containers filled with hazardous waste materials including oil, aviation gas and jet fuel. EPA and its law enforcement partners are committed to protecting local communities by holding accountable those who disregard the harm they pose to public health and the environment.”
Executive Air’s business of fueling and servicing planes generated hazardous waste. The waste was stored in unlabeled 55 gallon drums that were kept on site. By September of 2015, Executive Air had accumulated 37 drums of waste fluid, of which 27 drums were hazardous under federal law. The 27 drums of hazardous waste included a mix of oil, aviation gas, and jet fuel, and each drum was hazardous because it was either ignitable, toxic, or both. Executive Air did not have the federally required permit to store such a large quantity of hazardous waste. Miller previously admitted that he knew about the drums of waste material at Executive Air. In his plea agreement, Miller admitted that he directed that employees of Executive Air to dispose of the waste drums in September of 2015. Instead of hiring a licensed hazardous waste hauler, the employees moved the drums in the middle of the night to a farm outside Charleston, West Virginia. The drums were further moved to a building in Charleston where they were discovered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Criminal Investigation Division in November 2015. Once discovered, the drums were then sent to a licensed hazardous waste disposal facility for proper disposal.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Perry D. McDaniel and Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes are handling the prosecution. Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the proceedings.
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Cabell County Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Cabell County man was sentenced today to 18 years for child pornography crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. David Ray Pelfrey, 40, of Huntington, West Virginia, previously pled guilty to two counts of production of child pornography. United States District Court Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Pelfrey was ordered to serve 10 years on federal supervised release after completion of his prison term, and will also be required to register as a sex offender. The investigation was conducted by the Huntington Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“18 years. Another child predator receives a well-deserved sentence,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “We are passionate about protecting our children and are working tirelessly to identify, investigate and prosecute perpetrators of these horrendous crimes.”
Pelfrey admitted that on May 20, 2017, he took a sexually explicit photograph of a 16-year-old female, and that on June 1, 2017, he took a video depicting himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct with the same minor female. Pelfrey further admitted that he possessed at least one sexually explicit image of another minor female on his cell phone.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lisa G. Johnston and Jennifer Rada Herrald are in charge of the prosecution.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office 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.justice.gov/psc.
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