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Wednesday 10 October 2018
Jamaican Citizen Indicted for Defrauding Elderly Albany CoupleRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kevin R. Palmer, age 36, a Jamaican citizen residing in Suwanee, Georgia, was indicted today and accused of stealing more than $320,000 from an elderly Albany couple in a mail-based prize scam.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Joseph Cronin, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Boston Division.
The indictment alleges that Palmer and conspirators mailed documents that falsely informed victims that they had won lottery and other prizes, and were required to pay fees and taxes in order to claim their prizes.
In 2017, R.H. and D.H., an elderly couple residing in Albany County, were contacted through the mail and by telephone, and were told that they needed to send money in order to obtain an inheritance and tax refund, and claim lottery and sweepstakes prize money, according to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint.
As instructed, R.H. and D.H. mailed bank checks to addresses in Georgia, including Palmer’s address. They mailed a total of 12 checks; 10 of these checks were payable to Palmer, and all 12 were deposited into bank accounts for which Palmer was a signatory.
The charges in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
On October 4, Postal Inspectors arrested Palmer at his residence in Georgia. Palmer is in federal custody in Georgia pending further proceedings, and will be arraigned in Albany, New York, at a later date. If convicted of mail fraud or mail fraud conspiracy, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Fraudsters routinely use the U.S. Mail to falsely inform victims that they have to pay “fees” or “taxes” in order to receive a tax refund, lottery or sweepstakes prize, or inheritance. These scams often target the elderly. To learn how to detect and avoid these scams, please visit the web site of the Federal Trade Commission, at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0199-prize-scams.
International Association of Chiefs of Police Recognizes North Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office with Leadership AwardRead the Press Release
Fargo - U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota was awarded the “Leadership in the Prevention of Transnational Crime Award” from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
Founded in 1893, IACP is a professional association for law enforcement worldwide, representing more than 30,000 members in more than 150 countries. IACP provides members with the opportunities to connect, participate, learn, advocate, and succeed. Throughout the past 100-plus years, IACP has launched historically acclaimed programs, conducted ground-breaking research, and provided exemplary programs and services across the globe. Professionally recognized programs such as the FBI Identification Division and the Uniform Crime Records system can trace their origins back to the IACP.
The award was presented at the IACP Annual Conference on October 9, 2018. U.S. Attorney Myers accepted the award on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He also addressed the Transnational Crime Subcommittee meeting during the Conference. The conference was attended by over 18,000 law enforcement officials from all over the world.
U.S. Attorney Myers stated, “I am honored that our office has been recognized as a leader in battling transnational criminal organizations by such a prestigious international organization like IACP. The credit goes to the fantastic employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the special team of agents and prosecutors that have spent the last 3 ½ years investigating and prosecuting ‘Operation Denial’”.
This leadership award resulted from the investigation and prosecution of “Operation Denial,” an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of fentanyl and other lethal drugs, and was significantly aided by the national and international coordination led by the multi-agency Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) near Washington D.C. as part of “Operation Deadly Merchant.” The investigation started in North Dakota on Jan. 3, 2015, with the overdose death in Grand Forks of 18-year-old Bailey Henke. To date, thirty-two (32) defendants have been charged as a result of the investigation
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau – Drugs and Vice Division; IRS-Criminal Investigations Division; Portland HIDTA Interdiction Task Force; Oregon State Police; and the Grand Forks Police Department. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Cocaine Trafficking Conviction in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Javece Lyndale Wilson, 38, of Maywood, Ill., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 60 months in prison for his conviction on a cocaine trafficking charge. Wilson will be on supervised release for four years after completing his prison sentence.
The DEA arrested Wilson in Dec. 2017, after seizing approximately 550 grams of cocaine from his luggage during an interdiction investigation on Dec. 11, 2017, in Albuquerque. Wilson was indicted on Dec. 20, 2017, and was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on Dec. 11, 2017, in Bernalillo County, N.M.
On April 20, 2018, Wilson pled guilty to the indictment and admitted possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine concealed in his luggage while traveling through Albuquerque on Dec. 11, 2017. Wilson further admitted that he was transporting the cocaine with the intent to distribute the cocaine to other individuals.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva Fontanez.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Re-Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Fernando Ochoa-Hernandez, 29, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to the crime of Unlawful Reentry by an Alien After Removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Ochoa-Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on January 10, 2019. He faces a potential maximum penalty of 2 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings following the completion of any prison sentence.
On August 8, 2018, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office deputies encountered Ochoa-Hernandez at a residence while investigating a complaint of suspected narcotic activity. Deputies then requested assistance from Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol. In response to questioning, Ochoa-Hernandez produced a Mexican identification document. Computerized records check revealed that Ochoa-Hernandez had been previously removed from the United States by the U.S. Border Patrol on three prior occasions. Ochoa-Hernandez was arrested and transported to the Homeland Security Investigations Office in Gulfport, Mississippi.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is prosecuting the case.
Hutchinson Man Sentenced for $145,000 EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Hutchinson man was sentenced today to 60 days in federal prison for stealing $145,000 from a company where he worked, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, the defendant was ordered to pay full restitution.
Richard H. Yust, 65, Hutchinson, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he was working as controller for F&H Insulation Sales and Service, Inc., in Kechi, Kan. He used company credit cards to make unauthorized purchases of items for his personal use.
After serving the sentence, Yust will be on supervised release for three years.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch for their work on the case.
Harrison County man sentenced for role in heroin distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David W. Lipscomb, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to eight months of home confinement to be followed by 28 months of probation for his role in a heroin distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Lipscomb, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Heroin” in May 2018. Lipscomb admitted to selling heroin in Harrison County on March 15, 2016.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.Hancock County man admits to firearms violationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Shannon C. Thornton, of Weirton, West Virginia, has admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Thornton, age 36, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Thornton, having previously been convicted of felony “Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury” in North Carolina, admitted to possessing a .380 caliber pistol, 9mm caliber pistol, and a .45 caliber pistol in January 2018 in Hancock County.
Thornton faces up to 10 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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 U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr., presided.
Guatemalan Woman Who Used Other Persons’ Social Security and Alien Registration Numbers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan woman who used false identification documents to obtain a job was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.
Juana Corio-Brito, age 20, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 2, 2018, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents.
At the guilty plea, Corio-Brito admitted she used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when she completed an employment form on March 16, 2018, using a fake name at a business in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Social Security number and the Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to other persons.
On January 13, 2018, Corio-Brito and her minor child were encountered by Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas after they illegally entered the United States. Corio-Brito was released to maintain family unity pending immigration proceedings. Corio-Brito was told to report to the ICE office in Cedar Rapids where she was placed on GPS monitoring. A review of GPS data indicated that Corio-Brito was probably employed illegally at a business in Cedar Rapids. ICE agents confirmed the illegal employment and obtained the employment documents.
Corio-Brito was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Corio-Brito was sentenced to 100 days imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Corio-Brito is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-65-LRR.
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Franklinton Man Sentenced in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DERRICK WILSON, age 35, of Franklinton, Louisiana, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride. The incident giving rise to his arrest stemmed from a September 27, 2015, traffic stop in Kenner, during which police seized one-half kilogram of powder cocaine from a car that he occupied with his girlfriend and codefendant, Dominique Wise. According to court documents, Wise was sentenced to 3 years probation on July 18, 2018.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced WILSON to 50 months incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Waterbury Resident Sentenced to Prison for Violating Sex Offender Registration LawRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BYRON ELLIOTT VAUGHN, 32, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2009, VAUGHN was convicted in the Commonwealth of Virginia of rape. He was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, suspended after serving two years, and 15 years of probation. VAUGHN also was ordered to comply with lifetime sex offender registration requirements.
VAUGHN was released from prison in November 2009, registered as a sex offender in Virginia and verified his registration as required through 2012.
In 2015, VAUGHN failed to update his sexual offender registration in Virginia, failed to advise Virginia of his change of residence to Connecticut, and failed to register in Connecticut as a sex offender when he moved to Connecticut and applied for employment in Waterbury in November 2016. VAUGHN worked a hospital in Waterbury until he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service on August 9, 2017, on a violation of probation warrant that was issued in Virginia in December 2015.
VAUGHN has been detained since his arrest. He pleaded guilty on June 18, 2018.
VAUGHN was convicted in Virginia of the probation violation and was sentenced to 77 months of imprisonment suspended after 60 months. Judge Underhill ordered that 18 months of the 24-month federal sentence will run concurrently with the Virginia sentence, and six months will be consecutive to the Virginia sentence.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Former New York Law Firm Partner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Conspiring to Defraud Two New York Law Firms out of More Than $7 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for using bogus litigation support companies to obtain millions of dollars from two law firms where she was a partner, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Keila Ravelo, 52, of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to two counts of an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count One) and tax evasion (Count Nine). Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Ravelo worked as a partner for a company identified in the indictment as “Law Firm 1” from July 1, 2005, through October 2010. She then became partner in another law firm, identified in the indictment as “Law Firm 2,” and worked there from October 2010 through November 2014.
From 2008 through July 2014, Ravelo and her husband, Melvin Feliz, 52, conspired to defraud Law Firm 1 and Law Firm 2, forming two limited liability companies, “Vendor 1” and “Vendor 2,” which purported to provide litigation support to the firms, but in fact provided no actual services to the firms. Ravelo and Feliz controlled Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 bank accounts and submitted invoices to Law Firm 1 and Law Firm 2 for work that was never performed for the law firms or their clients. Ravelo, in her capacity as a partner at the law firms, approved payments to Vendor 1 and Vendor 2, which Ravelo and Feliz later used for personal expenses. The law firms paid Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 approximately $7.8 million. Ravelo and Feliz willfully failed to report the fraudulent earnings on their tax returns.
On Aug. 25, 2015, Feliz pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. Feliz admitted that from 2008 through July 2014, he and Ravelo controlled the Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 bank accounts and submitted invoices to Law Firm 1and Law Firm 2 for work that was never performed for the law firms or their clients. He admitted that Ravelo, in her capacity as a partner at the law firms, approved payments to Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 that Ravelo and Feliz later used for personal expenses. Before pleading guilty for the role he played in this wire fraud and tax evasion conspiracy, Feliz pleaded guilty to an indictment which charged him and two other men with conspiring to distribute approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Ravelo to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited law enforcement officers of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, and law enforcement officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Kogan, Brian Urbano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division, Ronnell Wilson, Chief of the OCDETF Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, Senior Trial Counsel of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Former Leavenworth Inmate Sentenced for Attack on Prison GuardRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A former Leavenworth inmate was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for attacking a Leavenworth prison guard with a pair of scissors, said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. The defendant also was ordered to pay $18,692 in restitution.
Richard A. James, Jr., 27, who is in federal custody, pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer. In his plea, he admitted he attacked Joseph Brian Wilson, a unit manager for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. James admitted he sharpened the ends of a pair of grooming scissors and stabbed Wilson. Corrections officers had to pull James off Wilson to stop the attack. James later told investigators he wanted a “change of scenery” and hoped he would be moved to another prison because of the attack.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel for their work on the case.
Former Employee of New Jersey University Admits Distributing Images of Child Pornography over InternetRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted distributing images of child sexual abuse over the internet, U.S. Craig Carpenito announced.
Samuel LaSala, 47, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of distributing child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements in court:
LaSala, who was employed as a computer programmer at a New Jersey university, admitted that between May 2017 and January 2018 he possessed videos of child sexual abuse on his laptop computer and made those videos available for others to download via an online peer-to-peer file sharing network. He admitted possessing approximately 100 videos, which included images of prepubescent children.
The count of distribution of child pornography to which LaSala pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. As part of his guilty plea, LaSala agreed to forfeit the computer he used to commit the offense. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Child Exploitation Group, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Suchorsky and Vera Varshavsky of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Joseph D. Rotella Esq., Newark
Former Controller of Small Business Sentenced for Stealing over $229,000Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for embezzling over $229,000 from a small business that employed her.
Kelly A. Lynch, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 18 months in prison, five years of supervised released and ordered to pay $229,088 in restitution. In July 2018, Lynch pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. In February 2018, Lynch was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and subsequently released on conditions.
Lynch was hired in April 2017 as the controller of a small company in a Boston suburb. Her duties included managing incoming invoices, paying bills by check and wire transfer, bookkeeping and financial account maintenance. As a result, Lynch had access to the company’s checkbook, bookkeeping/accounting software (QuickBooks), and online bank accounts.
From April 2017 until her termination in January 2018, Lynch stole funds from the business for her personal use. Specifically, Lynch wrote unauthorized checks to herself using the company checkbook. Some of the checks were pre-signed, blank checks that one of the founders had signed with the intention that Lynch would later use them for business purposes. After she used those checks, Lynch began signing the company checks herself, forging the founder’s signature. At times, Lynch also added an entry to the memo line to indicate that the funds were for “Consulting Fees,” but as a salaried employee, Lynch was not entitled to consulting fees. Lynch then endorsed the checks she wrote to herself and – without authorization and for no business purpose – deposited them in her personal bank account. In total, Lynch stole approximately $141,845 from the company’s bank account in this manner.
During approximately the same time period, Lynch repeatedly logged onto the company’s online bank account and directed that payments be made via transfer to her personal credit cards. As a result, Lynch stole another $87,243 from the company’s bank account.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart, Chief of Lelling’s Cybercrimes Unit, prosecuted the case.
Former Coldwater, Mississippi Town Clerk Arrested and Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
JACKSON, Miss. – George Nangah, 51, of Cordova, Tennessee was arrested following a 14-count indictment by a federal grand jury alleging wire fraud, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi William C. Lamar, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi Christopher Freeze and Mississippi State Auditor Shad White.
According to the indictment, Nangah allegedly committed wire fraud by unauthorized use of a debit card attached to the Town of Coldwater’s general fund banking account at home improvement stores in Southaven and Bartlett, Tennessee for items not used by the Town of Coldwater. Nangah also allegedly used a charge account set up in the town’s name at an electronics store where he would purchase items and gift cards not used or meant for use by the town. He also allegedly provided unauthorized payments to himself on the town’s clearing and general fund bank account. Nangah also allegedly made unauthorized payments to a third party who would then pay a kickback amount to Nangah.
In all, from April 2014 to July 2017, it is alleged that Nangah received approximately $116,005.41 in cash and property as a result of the scheme.
Nangah made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Roy Percy in the Northern District of Mississippi in Oxford on Tuesday. Magistrate Judge Percy ordered Nangah to be held pending a detention hearing set for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, 2018.
If convicted, Nangah faces up to 20 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Southaven Resident Agency and the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office. The FBI Memphis Division and Tunica County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the arrest. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Parker Kline.
These charges are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Bristol Attorney Admits Theft of $169,000 from Conserved PersonsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JODI ZILS GAGNE, 43, of Bristol, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of mail fraud related to her theft of more than $169,000 from individuals for whom she served as a court-appointed conservator.
According to court documents and statements made in court, ZILS GAGNE, an attorney, was a court-appointed conservator for several individuals in Connecticut. A conservator is a person appointed by the probate court to oversee the financial or personal affairs of an adult who is incapable of managing his or her finances or unable to care for himself or herself. Beginning in approximately May 2015, ZILS GAGNE defrauded several conserved individuals by misappropriating their money and overbilling them. The money that ZILS GAGNE misappropriated was intended for the conserved persons’ medical care, housing, bills, personal expenses, and legitimate conservator fees. ZILS GAGNE also misrepresented, or failed to disclose, material facts about her conservatorship activities to the Bristol probate court and others.
Through this scheme, ZILS GAGNE defrauded six victims of a total of $169,402.74. She defrauded one victim of approximately $130,000, and appropriated $113,000 of that money under the guise of an “investment” when, in fact, it was a 10-year note that paid only a prime rate and was signed between her (as the victim’s conservator) and ZILS GAGNE’s husband. The money was used to fund her husband’s start-up company, a Bristol-based internet radio station. The terms and details of this transaction were only disclosed after extended proceedings in the probate court, during which ZILS GAGNE made false statements, sometimes under oath, to the probate court.
ZILS GAGNE is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on January 23, 2019, at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
ZILS GAGNE is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
In September 2018, a Connecticut Superior Court judge suspended ZILS GAGNE from the practice of law.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenwich Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel and the New Britain State’s Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
Five McKeesport Residents Charged in Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Five residents of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, have been charged in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh with violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The five-count superseding indictment, returned on October 9, named: Nathan Hampton, age 29; Travis Robertson, age 28; Leslie Jackson, age 54; Sacha Nesbeth, age 26; and her mother, Juliet Nesbeth, age 45, as defendants.
According to the superseding indictment, on or about September 8, 2017, Hampton, Robertson, Jackson and Sacha Nesbeth conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of methoxyacetyl fentanyl. The indictment also charges Hampton, Robertson, Jackson, and Sacha Nesbeth with attempting to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of methoxyacetyl fentanyl. Sacha and Juliet Nesbeth are charged with using or maintaining a drug involved premises. Hampton is further charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Robertson is further charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
For the drug charges, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,000,000, or both. For the charge of maintaining a drug involved premises, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $500,000, or both. For the charge of felon in possession of ammunition, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. For the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is part of a long-term investigation by the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force (GPSSTF), which targeted a large scale Drug Trafficking Organization operating in Butler, Beaver and Allegheny Counties. The GPSSTF is comprised of dedicated law enforcement
professionals from the Wilkinsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the FBI. The GPSSTF and the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, would like to recognize the significant contributions made to this investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police, United Sates Postal Inspection Service, Cranberry Township Police Department and the New Brighton Police Department. The Department of Homeland Security Investigators also assisted in the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
This investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Felon in Possession of Two Firearms Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced TERRANCE THORNTON, a 25-year-old resident of Baton Rouge, to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction of possessing two firearms by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced THORNTON to 3 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. The Court also ordered that the firearms possessed by THORNTON be forfeited.
Following a high-speed car chase on July 31, 2017, THORNTON fled from Baton Rouge Police Officers on foot. As he fled, THORNTON hid a Glock pistol within a residential backyard. He later directed an associate to retrieve the hidden pistol and bring it to his residence. On August 1, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence where they recovered the Glock pistol and a Century Arms 7.62 caliber rifle. In announcing the sentence, the Court specifically referenced the fact that THORNTON possessed both firearms in connection with his possession with intent to distribute cocaine and aggravated criminal damage to property associated with two drive-by shootings of residences in July 2017.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Thornton’s sentence to 10 years in prison, which is the maximum statutory penalty that he faced, is a testament to the efforts of Federal, State, and local law enforcement partners working in concert to get violent offenders, such as Thornton, off of our streets. It should also serve as a strong message to others engaged in any criminal conduct, to include violent crime, to return to life as a contributing member of society or face the consequence of a significant term of imprisonment.”
ATF Resident Agent-in-Charge Antonio L. Pittman stated, “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with our Federal, State, and Local Law enforcement partners continue to serve our communities by focusing our efforts on removing armed violent drug traffickers from our streets. Especially those that have no respect for the community or law enforcement. We work diligently to protect our citizens by presenting relevant investigative work to our Middle District of Louisiana US Attorney’s Office for federal prosecution.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory and Fugitive Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
Federal Prosecutors Charge 18 Criminal Aliens as Part of Enforcement Operation with ICERead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Between September 19 and October 4, 2018, federal prosecutors brought charges against 18 individuals as criminal aliens and immigration fugitives for violations of U.S. immigration laws. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictments and criminal complaints today.
On September 19 and September 27, 2018, federal grand juries returned eleven indictments that remained under seal until the completion of the four-day enforcement operation, and on October 4, 2018, prosecutors brought criminal complaints against seven more foreign nationals. According to the charging instruments, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement & Removal Operations officers arrested 18 unlawfully present foreign nationals on federal firearms charges and charges of illegal reentry after deportation. Another 13 unlawfully present foreign nationals were collaterally arrested during the operation on administrative immigration charges, and will be processed administratively for removal from the United States by ERO.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Criminal aliens not only threaten the sovereignty of our nation, but also threaten the safety of our communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has prioritized and renewed our commitment to immigration enforcement, and this operation has focused on those violent and dangerous criminal aliens who continue to violate our laws after deportation. We will aggressively enforce U.S. immigration laws and seek stiff penalties against those who violate them."
"ICE continues to focus its limited resources first and foremost on those who pose the greatest threat to public safety. ICE only conducts targeted enforcement and does not conduct any type of indiscriminate raids or sweeps that target aliens indiscriminately. This operation, and the agency’s overall arrest stats, clearly reflect this reality. Nationally, approximately 90 percent of all persons arrested by ICE this year either had a criminal conviction, a pending criminal charge, or were already subject to a removal order issued by a federal immigration judge," said ICE Assistant Field Office Director Ronald E. Johnson.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual who is unlawfully in the United States to possess a firearm. This is a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 922(g)(5). A violation of this section is punishable by a term of up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
It is also illegal under federal law for an individual who has been previously deported from the United States to reenter the United States without permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. This is a violation of Title 8, United States Code, § 1326. A violation of this section is punishable by a term of up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to two years. Several of the defendants charged with illegal reentry are alleged to be convicted felons or aggravated felons. Convicted felons who violate this section face a term of imprisonment of up to ten years; aggravated felons who violate this section face a term of imprisonment of up to twenty years.
The suspects charged are:
- Juan Carlos Arvizu-Velazquez, charged with illegal reentry after a felony
- Romy Gonzalez-Lopez, charged with illegal reentry
- Aldo Gutierrez-Castillo, charged with illegal reentry
- Arnold Jeronimo Hernandez-Lopez, charged with illegal reentry after a felony
- Lorenzo Antonio Luna-Bolanos, charged with illegal reentry
- Marvin Joel Murillo-Montoya, charged with illegal reentry
- Gerson Adalberto Najera-Ochoa, charged with illegal reentry
- Miguel Perpual-Us, charged with illegal reentry
- Oscar Ramirez-Del La Fuente, charged with illegal possession of a firearm
- Marvin Donaldo Rivera-Caceres, charged with illegal reentry
- Alexandro Rodriguez-Aguirres, charged with illegal reentry
- Victor Rosales-Ramirez, charged with illegal reentry
- Virgilio Rosales-Ramirez, charged with illegal reentry after a felony
- Manuel Roberto Tobar-Ramirez, charged with illegal reentry after an aggravated felony
- Homero Tonche-Chavez, charged with illegal reentry
- Jorge Urquia-Perdomo, charged with illegal reentry
- Oseas Vasques_Ramos, charged with illegal reentry
- Jose Zamora-Hernandez, charged with illegal possession of a firearm
These cases were investigated by the U.S. Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO), assisted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Delery and Stephen Hall are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional 160 Months for Possessing Hundreds of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse While in PrisonRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Plain City, Ohio, man was sentenced today to an additional 160 months in prison for possessing hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse while incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for a previous offense involving the receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jordan T. Allen, 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Allen admitted that he possessed a micro SD Card containing 577 images and 340 videos of children being sexually abused, including videos of sadistic and masochistic sexual conduct involving infants and toddlers. In connection with his plea, Allen also admitted that he distributed child pornography to another inmate.
Allen and seven other inmates were arrested in April 2017 and February 2018 following an FBI investigation involving multiple covert recordings and several cooperating inmates. The investigation revealed that Allen and other inmates utilized contraband cellphones, micro SD cards, and access to the internet to obtain, view, and distribute child pornography within the prison. A co-defendant organized and helped facilitate this criminal activity by maintaining cloud accounts that were used as repositories for child pornography.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Allen to 10 years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
Six other inmates – all of whom were serving sentences for prior child pornography offenses while committing the alleged crimes in this case – have pleaded guilty: Erik M. Smith, 36, of Iron Mountain, Michigan; Anthony C. Jeffries, 32, of Orange, Virginia; Brian J. McKay, 47, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania; Christopher D. Roffler, 30, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Jacob S. Good, 26, of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Charles Wesley Bush, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee. Smith was sentenced to 151 months in prison, Good was sentenced to 10 years in prison; McKay was sentenced to 160 months in prison, and the other three defendants are awaiting sentencing.
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 investigation. He also thanked officials of the Bureau of Prisons at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni and Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
William H. Noble, 52, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was indicted on May 23, 2018, and is scheduled for trial next year. The charges and allegations against Noble are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Justin T. Loughry Esq., Camden
Federal Indictment Charging Six Men with Violent Armed Robbery Unsealed TodayRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury was unsealed today, charging six defendants with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce. The indictment charges the following defendants with both conspiracy and robbery in connection with the robbery of a Calaveras County marijuana distributor: Talia Khio, 42, of Chicago, Illinois; Dontia Arrington, 38, of Skokie, Illinois; Roddy Aundre Johnson, Jr., 30, of San Diego, California; Mark Noble, 32, of Willamette, Illinois; Jimmy Khio, 41, of Morton Grove, Illinois; and Carlos Merkhai, 42, of Phoenix, Arizona.
U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott stated, “This indictment demonstrates our offfice’s commitment to working with and supporting our local law enforcement partners. We are proud to have answered the call when Calaveras County District Attorney Barbara Yook reached out to us for assistance in prosecuting this case involving individuals who crossed state lines to commit violent crimes in our district. It is through partnerships like these that we can work together to keep our communities safe.”
"This case serves as an excellent example of the FBI's commitment to working with federal, state, and local partners to aggressively investigate and disrupt violent criminals that threaten the safety and security of our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Sacramento Field Office. "Through our Safe Streets Task Force, the FBI relies on these partnerships to target those who target our neighborhoods with violent crimes such as those charged today. I would like to thank all of our partners for their collaboration and tireless work on this investigation."
According to court documents, on June 24, 2018, the six defendants conducted an armed robbery of a Calaveras County marijuana distributor. The defendants allegedly bound and blindfolded several victims and tortured one victim with a stun gun. One victim was beaten with a baseball bat, which caused multiple injuries. The defendants allegedly took over 100 pounds of processed marijuana and $30,000 in cash. After a high speed chase, officers arrested Talia Khio, Dontia Arrington, Roddy Aundre Johnson, Jr., and Mark Noble. Jimmy Khio and Carlos Merkhai were apprehended months later.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Skokie Police Department, with special assistance from the Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Ross Pearson are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Four from California for Conspiracy to Violate Riots StatuteRead the Press Release
Charlottesville, VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville has returned an indictment charging four California men with conspiring to violate the federal riots statue, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced today.
The four defendants, Benjamin Drake Daley, 25, of Redondo Beach Calif., Thomas Walter Gillen, 24, of Redondo Beach, Calif., Michael Paul Miselis, 29, of Lawndale, Calif., and Cole Evan White, 24, of Clayton, Calif., were arrested on federal criminal complaints in the early morning hours of October 2, 2018.
The indictment returned today charges each defendant with one count of conspiracy to violate the federal riots act and one count of traveling in interstate commerce from California to Charlottesville, Virginia with the intent to incite a riot, organize, promote, encourage, participate in, and carry on in a riot, to commit an act of violence in furtherance of a riot, or aid or abet any person inciting and participating in or carrying on in a riot.
According to the indictment, beginning as early as March 2017, Daley, Gillen, Miselis, and White began associating with a white-supremacist organization that eventually became known as the “Rise Above Movement” or “RAM.” RAM openly identified as “alt-right” and “nationalist” and its members and associates frequently posted photographs and videos of themselves engaging in physical training and mixed martial arts street-fighting techniques, along with references to their alt-right and nationalist beliefs and ideology.
The indictment alleges that RAM members and associates also expressed, through various social media platforms and other means, anti-Semitic, racist, and white supremacist views and promoted violence against those who they believed held opposing political views. From on or about March 2017 to on or about August 2017, RAM and its members, including defendants Daley, Gillen, Miselis, and Cole, traveled to multiple political rallies and organized demonstrations in Virginia and California where they prepared to, and engaged in, acts of violence.
As detailed in the indictment, on at least two other occasions the defendants are charged with traveling to political rallies in California with the intention of committing, participating in, or aiding and abetting one or more individuals in committing acts of violence. Those rallies include a March 25, 2017 event in Huntington Beach and an April 15, 2017 event in Berkley.
In addition, the indictment charges Daley, Gillen, Miselis, and Cole with taking actions during both the August 11, 2017 torch-lit rally on the grounds of the University of Virginia and the Unite the Right Rally the following day in and around the vicinity of Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The indictment alleges that all four defendants purchased flights prior to August 11, 2017 using debit and credit cards, to fly from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Charlottesville, Virginia. In addition, the defendants arranged to rent lodging within Charlottesville for the dates of August 11, 2017 through August 13, 2017
On or about the evening of August 11, 2017 on the grounds of the University of Virginia, the defendants participated in a torch-lit march and incited, promoted, or encouraged a riot and committed acts of violence. In addition, on August 12, 2017, the defendants attended the Unite the Right Rally in and around Emancipation Park in Charlottesville and, once again, incited, promoted, or encouraged a riot and committed acts of violence.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia State Police. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh are prosecuting the case for the United States.
All four defendants made their initial appearances on the federal criminal complaint in California last week. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California remanded defendants Daley and Gillen to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for transfer to the Western District of Virginia and until final resolution of the case. The court also initially detained defendant Miselis but later ordered his release on a secured bond and home confinement. The court, however, stayed Miselis’ release pending the government’s appeal to U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon in Western Virginia, who will make a final determination on Miselis’ eligibility for release pending trial. Defendant White’s detention hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California is scheduled for Friday, October 12. Once the defendants are transferred to the Western District of Virginia—likely within the next one to two weeks—they will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel C. Hoppe and/or District Judge Moon for arraignment and additional proceedings.
A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced After Conviction of Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that yesterday, TRUMAIN DAVIS, 32, of Fayetteville, was sentenced by United States Senior District Malcolm J. Howard for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and trafficking in firearms. Judge Howard sentenced DAVIS to 144 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
DAVIS was charged in a six-count indictment on December 12, 2017, and pled guilty to two counts on April 9, 2018.
Between July 18 and October 9, 2017, DAVIS sold six firearms to a confidential informant believing that those firearms would be resold to drug dealers.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
East Wenatchee Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of Firearms and ExplosivesRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Michael Richard Ayers, age 53, of East Wenatchee, Washington, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on March 10, 2018, to Felon in Possession of a Firearms and Explosives and Possession of Unregistered Firearms. United States District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr., sentenced Ayers to a 66-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, police obtained a search warrant for the motorhome where Ayers was living based on reports that Ayers, a convicted felon, was obtaining firearms and firearm parts through straw purchases made by his then girlfriend. Ayers had also uttered threats to kill an East Wenatchee police officer. During the search, officers found two short-barreled rifles, a rifle receiver, a rifle-mounted flare launcher, five improvised grenades loaded with black powder and BBs that were designed to be fired from the flare launcher, as well as steel inserts used to convert the flare launcher into a short-barreled shotgun, body armor, ammunition, and large capacity magazines.
Joseph H. Harrington said, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington commends the investigative efforts of the law enforcement officers with the Wenatchee Police Department, the ATF and the United States Army 53rd Ordnance Company Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Their seamless partnership resulted in the successful outcome of this matter. The sentence imposed by the court sends a clear message to others who may choose to engage in such criminal activity.”
ATF Special Agent Robert Almgren, the Resident Agent in Charge of the Yakima Field Office, stated, “Through the extraordinary efforts and expertise of agents, investigators, and prosecutors with the Wenatchee Police Department, the ATF Yakima Field Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office this hefty sentence illustrates that felons who are in possession of firearms will be pursued tirelessly and prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows.”
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Yakima Resident Office of the ATF, and the Wenatchee Police Department with assistance from the United States Army 53rd Ordnance Company Explosive Ordnance Disposal. This case was prosecuted by Timothy J. Ohms, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Juan Confesor Lara Carmona, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. Lara Carmona will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion his sentence. In May 2018, Lara Carmona pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien. Lara Carmona is currently in state custody and awaiting trial in Essex Superior Court on drug distribution charges.
On Oct. 20, 2017, law enforcement in Lawrence arrested Lara Carmona and charged him with distribution of cocaine and fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Lara Carmona’s fingerprints were obtained, and he was determined to be illegally present in the United States having been previously deported on Jan. 16, 2016.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd 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.
Cumberland Man Admits to “Lying and Buying” Nine FirearmsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Cumberland man admitted in U.S. District Court in Providence today to participating in a series of “lying and buying” schemes, where in the fall and winter of 2016, he bought a total of nine guns from three different licensed firearms dealers by falsely representing that he was the actual buyer of the firearms, when in fact he was buying the guns for others.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Tariek Gill, 25, pleaded guilty to false statements during the purchase of a firearm and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, announced United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
At the time of his guilty plea, Gill admitted to the Court that on November 10, 2016, he falsely represented to a licensed firearm dealer that he was the actual buyer of a Glock G20 10mm pistol. He also submitted that same false information on an ATF Form he provided to the firearms dealer as part of the background check process required to obtain the pistols. On the form, he falsely represented that he was the actual buyer, not a person buying any firearm on behalf of another person. Gill paid for the firearms, and on November 22, 2016, he obtained the firearms from the dealer.
Gill admitted to the Court that he employed the same straw purchase scheme when on November 25, 2016, he was able to obtain a Ruger .380 caliber pistol and Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver from a licensed firearms dealer; on December 13, 2016, when he obtained a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Taurus .380 caliber pistol, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from a license firearms dealer; and on December 27, 2016, when he obtained a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from a licensed firearms dealer.
Gill admitted to being compensated between $50 and $60 for each gun he purchased as a straw purchaser.
Gill is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2019.
This Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation was conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
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Criminal Complaint Filed Against Delaware County Man for Allegedly Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
Brian Kirk Marshall, 49, of Kansas, Oklahoma, made an initial appearance in United States District Court Tuesday, in Arkansas, on a Complaint charging Marshall with assaulting a federal officer on October 1, 2018, in Delaware County. At the time of the alleged incident, the FBI was executing both an arrest warrant for interstate threats Marshall allegedly made to kill police officers and a search warrant for the Delaware County residence where Marshall was found. According to the Complaint affidavit, Marshall allegedly fired shots at FBI agents using a .45 caliber pistol as the FBI SWAT Team attempted to call occupants safely out of the residence. FBI agents returned fire, injuring Marshall.
“I am thankful for the selfless acts of courage and professionalism exhibited by the FBI SWAT team during the apprehension of this subject,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The suspect, Mr. Marshall, was located in a trailer in rural Delaware County. An FBI negotiator attempted to secure a peaceful surrender by the suspect. Mr. Marshall is alleged to have fired on agents, and the FBI responded accordingly, striking the suspect twice. Mr. Marshall was immediately provided medical treatment and arrested without further injury or incident. No agents were injured. I am thankful this matter was resolved without loss of life.”
This matter will proceed in United States District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Conspiracy, FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to illegally possessing a firearm.
Gary Deangelo Warren, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 11, 2018, Warren pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.
Warren was arrested on May 8, 2017, when he arrived at the arranged meeting place to sell methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Warren was carrying two plastic baggies with a total of approximately 16.1 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Jimenez Arms .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen. Officers also found a plastic bag containing approximately 445.2 grams of pure methamphetamine inside a shoebox on the rear passenger floorboard of the vehicle Warren was driving.
Warren has an extensive criminal history that includes more than 30 adult convictions for such crimes as property damage, driving offenses, possession of a controlled substance, stealing, tampering, domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
Co-defendant Michael Scott Bilderback, 39, was sentenced to two years in federal prison without parole on Sept. 6, 2018, after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Bilderback, who was arrested on the same day, received methamphetamine from Warren to distribute to others. Bilderback admitted to selling at least eight ounces of methamphetamine a day during the two months prior to his arrest. Columbia police officers seized approximately 112.7 grams of methamphetamine during the execution of a search warrant at Bilderback’s motel room in Columbia.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Columbia Man Sentenced for Heroin Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for heroin trafficking and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Horashio Antoine Pritchett, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to six years and three months in federal prison without parole.
On June 6, 2018, Pritchett pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Columbia police officers executed a search warrant at Pritchett’s residence on Sept. 15, 2016, and detained him as he was leaving the residence. Detectives seized approximately nine grams of heroin, nine suboxone pills, 10 oxycodone pills, several digital scales, and baggies believed to be used for distribution of the controlled substances. Detectives also located a loaded Taurus .40-caliber handgun in Pritchett’s jacket pocket.
Pritchett told investigators he had obtained one to two ounces of heroin every two weeks for the past two years.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Pritchett has five prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and a prior felony conviction for distribution/possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility. He also has a misdemeanor conviction for domestic assault.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.
Coffeyville Woman Sentenced for $150,000 Mail FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Coffeyville woman was sentenced today to 60 days in federal prison for stealing $150,000 from a customer at a bank where she worked, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, she was ordered to pay full restitution.
Phyllis Lanning, 61, Coffeyville, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. She admitted that while she worked for Condon National Bank in Coffeyville, Kan., she created and mailed falsified documents in order to conceal the fact she stole $150,000 from a customer’s account. She diverted legitimate monthly statements to a postal address in Bartlesville, Okla., that she controlled. She prepared counterfeit statements and mailed them to the owner of the account. The theft was discovered after the owner of the account died and family members took control of the account.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.
Chinese Intelligence Officer Charged with Economic Espionage Involving Theft of Trade Secrets from Leading U.S. Aviation CompaniesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operative, Yanjun Xu, aka Qu Hui, aka Zhang Hui, has been arrested and charged with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and steal trade secrets from multiple U.S. aviation and aerospace companies. Xu was extradited to the United States yesterday.
The charges were announced today by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman, Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division.
“This indictment alleges that a Chinese intelligence officer sought to steal trade secrets and other sensitive information from an American company that leads the way in aerospace,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “This case is not an isolated incident. It is part of an overall economic policy of developing China at American expense. We cannot tolerate a nation’s stealing our firepower and the fruits of our brainpower. We will not tolerate a nation that reaps what it does not sow.”
“Innovation in aviation has been a hallmark of life and industry in the United States since the Wright brothers first designed gliders in Dayton more than a century ago,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “U.S. aerospace companies invest decades of time and billions of dollars in research. This is the American way. In contrast, according to the indictment, a Chinese intelligence officer tried to acquire that same, hard-earned innovation through theft. This case shows that federal law enforcement authorities can not only detect and disrupt such espionage, but can also catch its perpetrators. The defendant will now face trial in federal court in Cincinnati.”
“This unprecedented extradition of a Chinese intelligence officer exposes the Chinese government's direct oversight of economic espionage against the United States,” said Assistant Director Priestap.
Yanjun Xu is a Deputy Division Director with the MSS’s Jiangsu State Security Department, Sixth Bureau. The MSS is the intelligence and security agency for China and is responsible for counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence and political security. MSS has broad powers in China to conduct espionage both domestically and abroad.
Xu was arrested in Belgium on April 1, pursuant to a federal complaint, and then indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Ohio. The government unsealed the charges today, following his extradition to the United States. The four-count indictment charges Xu with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and theft of trade secrets.
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According to the indictment:
Beginning in at least December 2013 and continuing until his arrest, Xu targeted certain companies inside and outside the United States that are recognized as leaders in the aviation field. This included GE Aviation. He identified experts who worked for these companies and recruited them to travel to China, often initially under the guise of asking them to deliver a university presentation. Xu and others paid the experts’ travel costs and provided stipends.
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An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy and attempt to commit economic espionage is 15 years of incarceration. The maximum for conspiracy and attempt to commit theft of trade secrets is 10 years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, and substantial support was provided by the FBI Legal Attaché’s Office in Brussels. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in obtaining and coordinating the extradition of Xu, and Belgian authorities provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and facilitating the surrender of Xu from Belgium.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the assistance of the Belgian authorities in the arrest and extradition of Xu. Mr. Demers and Mr. Glassman also commended the cooperation of GE Aviation throughout this investigation. The cooperation and GE Aviation’s internal controls protected GE Aviation’s proprietary information.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Emily N. Glatfelter of the Southern District of Ohio, and Trial Attorneys Thea D. R. Kendler and Amy E. Larson of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
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Chinese Intelligence Officer Charged with Economic Espionage Involving Theft of Trade Secrets from Leading U.S. Aviation CompaniesRead the Press Release
A Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operative, Yanjun Xu, aka Qu Hui, aka Zhang Hui, has been arrested and charged with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and steal trade secrets from multiple U.S. aviation and aerospace companies. Xu was extradited to the United States yesterday.
The charges were announced today by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman, Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division.
“This indictment alleges that a Chinese intelligence officer sought to steal trade secrets and other sensitive information from an American company that leads the way in aerospace,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “This case is not an isolated incident. It is part of an overall economic policy of developing China at American expense. We cannot tolerate a nation’s stealing our firepower and the fruits of our brainpower. We will not tolerate a nation that reaps what it does not sow.”
“Innovation in aviation has been a hallmark of life and industry in the United States since the Wright brothers first designed gliders in Dayton more than a century ago,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “U.S. aerospace companies invest decades of time and billions of dollars in research. This is the American way. In contrast, according to the indictment, a Chinese intelligence officer tried to acquire that same, hard-earned innovation through theft. This case shows that federal law enforcement authorities can not only detect and disrupt such espionage, but can also catch its perpetrators. The defendant will now face trial in federal court in Cincinnati.”
"This unprecedented extradition of a Chinese intelligence officer exposes the Chinese government's direct oversight of economic espionage against the United States,” said Assistant Director Priestap.
Yanjun Xu is a Deputy Division Director with the MSS’s Jiangsu State Security Department, Sixth Bureau. The MSS is the intelligence and security agency for China and is responsible for counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence and political security. MSS has broad powers in China to conduct espionage both domestically and abroad.
Xu was arrested in Belgium on April 1, pursuant to a federal complaint, and then indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Ohio. The government unsealed the charges today, following his extradition to the United States. The four-count indictment charges Xu with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and theft of trade secrets.
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According to the indictment:
Beginning in at least December 2013 and continuing until his arrest, Xu targeted certain companies inside and outside the United States that are recognized as leaders in the aviation field. This included GE Aviation. He identified experts who worked for these companies and recruited them to travel to China, often initially under the guise of asking them to deliver a university presentation. Xu and others paid the experts’ travel costs and provided stipends.
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An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy and attempt to commit economic espionage is 15 years of incarceration. The maximum for conspiracy and attempt to commit theft of trade secrets is 10 years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, and substantial support was provided by the FBI Legal Attaché’s Office in Brussels. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in obtaining and coordinating the extradition of Xu, and Belgian authorities provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and facilitating the surrender of Xu from Belgium.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the assistance of the Belgian authorities in the arrest and extradition of Xu. Mr. Demers and Mr. Glassman also commended the cooperation of GE Aviation throughout this investigation. The cooperation and GE Aviation’s internal controls protected GE Aviation’s proprietary information.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Emily N. Glatfelter of the Southern District of Ohio, and Trial Attorneys Thea D. R. Kendler and Amy E. Larson of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.Charlotte Man Sentenced for Federal Firearm Violations Stemming from Sheriff's Convention Break-InsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis sentenced Elontrae Ali Glenn, age 24, to 120 months of incarceration, which is the statutory maximum, as a result of his conviction for Possession of Firearms and Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g).
Evidence presented in court established that on January 26, 2018, Glenn happened upon a law enforcement convention in the Columbia area, and began forcibly making entry into law enforcement vehicles. From these vehicles, Glenn took nine firearms, several rounds of ammunition, and other law enforcement paraphernalia. In making his way back to Charlotte, the South Carolina Highway Patrol attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Glenn after clocking the vehicle travelling over the speed limit. Glenn refused to stop the vehicle and attempted to evade law enforcement in a high-speed chase that lasted over seventeen miles and reached speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour. Eventually, law enforcement brought Glenn’s vehicle to a stop, using a boxing maneuver, but not before Glenn rammed two patrol vehicles in a final attempt to escape. Glenn was apprehended, and law enforcement recovered the stolen firearms and other paraphernalia in the vehicle driven by Glenn. Glenn is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms based upon his prior separate state convictions for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, discharging a weapon into occupied property, breaking and entering motor vehicles, and possession with intent to distribute.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the South Carolina Highway Patrol, Chester County Sheriff’s Department, and Columbia Police Department. Glenn was prosecuted 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. Assistant United States Attorney Alyssa Leigh Richardson of the Columbia office handled the case.
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Cash Store Robber DetainedRead the Press Release
On October 9, 2018, Algernon C. Perkins, of Alorton, Illinois had an initial appearance on a two-count criminal complaint charging him with Interference with Commerce by Robbery for his alleged involvement in the robbery of two locations of the Cash Store within the Southern District of Illinois, United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today. If convicted of Interference with Commerce by Robbery, Perkins faces a term of imprisonment of up to twenty years and a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count. Perkins has been detained pending the outcome of these proceedings.
A criminal complaint is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Highland Police Department, the Salem Police Department, the Taylorville Police Department, and the United States Marshals Service.
California Man Sentenced in $1 Million Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Bakersfield, Calif., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute more than $1 million worth of methamphetamine in southern Missouri and in the Kansas City, Mo., area.
Lanny Eugene Ham, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to nine years and 10 months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Ham to pay a money judgment of $1,060,070 for which he is jointly and severally liable.
On July 31, 2017, Ham pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy. Ham assisted co-defendant Michael Ryan Nevatt, 29, of Springfield, with obtaining more than five kilograms of methamphetamine for Nevatt's organization to distribute and with collecting drug proceeds for methamphetamine delivered.
Co-defendant Kenneth Bryant Lake, 57, of Strafford, Mo., was the original head of the drug-trafficking organization, coordinating vehicle transport shipments of methamphetamine from a Mexican cartel source in Texas to Springfield. Conspirators in Springfield divided the methamphetamine for distribution to the Lebanon, Mo., and Kansas City, Mo., areas. Lake has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.
Nevatt subsequently became the head of the organization and made trips to California and to Texas to purchase methamphetamine. Nevatt was convicted at trial on April 6, 2018, of all seven counts contained in a Nov. 17, 2016, federal indictment. He is the final defendant waiting to be sentenced, among 15 co-defendants who have been convicted and sentenced in this case.
Nevatt and other conspirators made regular trips, and sometimes travelled several times a week, to pick up multiple-pound supplies of methamphetamine. For example, Nevatt traveled to Texas regularly to pick up 10 pounds of methamphetamine and bring it back to Springfield. Nevatt would later return to Texas with approximately $100,000 in cash to pay for it. On one occasion, Nevatt met sources in Dallas, Texas, to purchase 40 pounds of methamphetamine. Mexican sources also delivered multiple-pound shipments of methamphetamine by truck or car to Springfield.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce Rhoades and Ashleigh Ragner. It was investigated by the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Buchanan County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Central Oklahoma Metro Interdiction Team.
Brooklyn Man Charged with Nine Hobbs Act Robberies of Local Gas Stations and Convenience StoresRead the Press Release
An 11-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Brooklyn charging Benjamin Uzilov with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, nine counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Uzilov was previously arrested on a complaint that charged him with robbing three 7-Eleven stores on September 26, 2018. The indictment charges the defendant with a total of nine robberies in Brooklyn, adding three additional robberies on September 16, 2018 and three additional robberies on September 25, 2018. Uzilov will be arraigned at a later date.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent-in-Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the charges. Mr. Donoghue expressed his appreciation to the NYPD detectives and ATF special agents assigned to the Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) Task Force for their work during the investigation.
“As alleged in the indictment, Uzilov carried out a crime wave, repeatedly targeting Brooklyn businesses where he robbed hard-working store clerks at gunpoint,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office is committed to vigorously prosecuting those violent criminals who commit robberies, jeopardizing the safety of members of our community, in order to fill their own pockets with cash.”
“The defendant as alleged has committed numerous brazen acts of violence leaving innocent people traumatized and in a state of fear,” stated ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Benedict. “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of the ATF/NYPD Joint Robbery Task Force he will no longer prey on the innocent in his community. ATF remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting citizens from violence and the lasting effects it has on communities. I would also like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case.”
“There is no place in civil society for violent criminals who target innocent New Yorkers,” stated NYPD Police Commissioner O’Neill. “I commend the NYPD detectives and ATF investigators who comprise our Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery and Technical Apprehensions Task Force, or SPARTA – who so effectively pursue and strengthen high-profile armed robbery cases like this. And now, due to the nature of these crimes and the unparalleled cooperation between our agencies and the Eastern District of New York, I am very confident he will be successfully prosecuted and receive a lengthy federal prison sentence.”
As detailed in court pleadings and as captured on video surveillance, Uzilov entered each store, threatened employees with a gun and then stole money from his victims. On more than one occasion, Uzilov ordered his victims to get on the floor and count to 10 as he exited the store. Shortly after the final robbery on September 26, 2018, Uzilov was apprehended by NYPD officers at a gas station on Ocean Avenue in Brooklyn. The officers observed a black ski mask on the front seat of Uzilov’s car and recovered cash in the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt and a gun in the glove compartment.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Uzilov faces a minimum of seven years in prison.
The indictment charges Johnson with the following robberies, all in Brooklyn:
- Shell Gas Station on September 16, 2018;
- Mill Basin Convenience Store on September 16, 2018;
- Allegiance Gas Station on September 16, 2018;
- Verrazano Deli and Grocery on September 25, 2018;
- Stop and Smile Grocery on September 25, 2018;
- Sam’s Deli on September 25, 2018;
- 7-Eleven on September 26, 2018;
- 7-Eleven on September 26, 2018; and
- 7-Eleven on September 26, 2018.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
BENJAMIN UZILOV
Age: 37
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-546
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Heroin to Monroe Overdose VictimRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CAREEM BENTLEY, also known as “C-Lows,” 35, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin to an overdose victim.
This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 23, 2016, Monroe Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a residence in Monroe on a report of a suspected drug overdose. At the scene, responders encountered an unresponsive 37-year-old male lying on the floor. The male was pronounced deceased. Investigators seized the victim’s cellphone, multiple folds of suspected heroin, and other items, and subsequently concluded that the victim purchased heroin from BENTLEY in the late evening of November 22, 2016.
BENTLEY was arrested on a criminal complaint on April 26, 2017. On August 14, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force and the Monroe Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.
Blythewood Woman Sentenced for Embezzlement of Government FundsRead the Press Release
Columbia, South Carolina ---- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon stated today that Teresa Yarborough-Walker, age 50, of Blythewood, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for Theft of Government Funds, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 641. She was also ordered to pay over $416,000 in restitution. Judge Mary Geiger Lewis presided.
Evidence presented previously established that Walker was the human resources supervisor for Genesis Health Care, Inc. Genesis is a non-profit health care center that offers medical services to poor, rural communities. Genesis was funded by the Health Resources Service Administration, an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services. Many Genesis patients are on Medicare and Medicaid.
Walker embezzled from Genesis by creating fictitious employees and paying them a salary. She then diverted those salaries to herself. She modified the payroll software to prevent reports from going to management that would have revealed the scheme.
Walker stole approximately $416,257.00.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service, and the City of Columbia Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Winston David Holliday, Jr., of the Columbia office prosecuted the case.
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Benton Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Southern Illinois HealthcareRead the Press Release
Cary E. Mosley, 48, of Benton, Illinois, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for defrauding his former employer, Southern Illinois Healthcare ("SIH"), Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. A federal grand jury had previously returned an indictment charging Mosley with mail and wire fraud on January 4.
Mosley was employed as the Manager of SIH’s Radiation Oncology Department. From at least December 2006 until July 2013, Mosley held a second job with Q.E.D. Medical Physics, Inc. ("QED"). QED, which is based in Lebanon, Tennessee, is a contractor that provides support services for radiation oncology departments operated by smaller hospitals.
Mosley pled guilty on June 13, 2018, and admitted that he was paid by QED for work he allegedly performed at SIH. Specifically, Mosley admitted making entries in QED’s electronic timekeeping system which falsely claimed he had performed work at SIH which he had not actually performed. The effect was that Mosley caused SIH to pay him twice: once through his SIH salary and again through QED. Based upon Mosley’s fraudulent timekeeping entries, QED submitted invoices to SIH which were falsely inflated by the amount of time Mosley claimed.
Mosley concealed his fraud scheme by altering the documents that were sent to SIH’s Accounts Payable Department in support of the QED invoices. Each month, QED sent to SIH an "Hours and Details" sheet, which identified the QED employees who had worked at SIH, the work they had performed, the number of hours they had worked, and the dates they had worked. During the initial portion of his scheme, Mosley altered the "Hours and Details" sheets by removing his name and inserting the names of other QED employees. During the latter portion of his scheme, Mosley simply discarded the "Hours and Details" sheets before the QED invoices were sent to SIH’s Accounts Payable Department.
Mosley’s fraud against SIH lasted from December 2006 through July 2013. During that time frame, Mosley was paid over $500,000 by QED for work he fraudulently claimed he had performed at SIH.
During Mosley’s sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Staci Yandle observed that Mosley had not committed his crimes out of economic necessity but simply out of "greed. Pure, unadulterated greed." The judge also noted that it was important to send a message that white collar defendants who commit serious crimes will not be able to walk away from their offenses with a mere "slap on the wrist."
In addition to the 18 month term of incarceration, Judge Yandle also sentenced Mosely to serve three years of supervised release, with his first year to be spent on home confinement with electronic monitoring, and to pay restitution to SIH in the amount of $1,210,865.
The case was investigated by agents from the Springfield Division, Fairview Heights Resident Agency, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Both SIH and QED cooperated with the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Scott A. Verseman.
Bay-Area Babysitter and Camp Counselor Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Ryan Michael Spencer pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco to two counts of production of child pornography, conspiracy to distribute and receive child pornography, distribution of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, possession of child pornography, and felony contempt of court, announced United States Attorney Alex G. Tse and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John F. Bennett.
In pleading guilty, Spencer admitted that he produced pornographic images of more than a dozen children with whom he came into contact through his jobs as a babysitter and camp counselor in the Santa Cruz area. One set of such images depicted Spencer molesting a child that he was babysitting. Spencer created other image by surreptitiously photographing the children’s genitalia and pubic areas while the children were naked and in his care.
Spencer admitted that, beginning no later than March 2015 and continuing until his arrest in April 2017, he conspired with his co-defendant, Tiburon-area babysitter Bryan Petersen, to trade the child pornography he produced for other images of child pornography that Petersen took of children in Petersen’s care.
The two men also conspired to distribute and receive child pornography from other sources. Spencer admitted that he and Petersen shared child pornography using Kik Messenger and that, in the spring of 2016, he filled a hard drive with more than 30,000 images and videos of child pornography and gave it to Petersen.
Spencer also pleaded guilty to felony contempt of court based on his willful and knowing refusal to comply with U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer’s order compelling him to decrypt three electronic devices seized from his residence under a valid search warrant. Twenty-one days after being held in civil contempt of court, Spencer decrypted the devices, which were found to contain child pornography, including images and a video of Spencer molesting a child who he was babysitting.
The investigation began when the FBI executed a search warrant at the home of Spencer’s co-defendant, Bryan Petersen, and found evidence on Petersen’s devices that Spencer was creating child pornography. Petersen pleaded guilty in 2017 and is awaiting sentencing.
Spencer, 21, and Petersen, 27, were indicted by a federal Grand Jury on May 11, 2017. The Grand Jury returned a superseding indictment on May 31, 2018, charging Spencer with Conspiracy to Distribute and Receive Child Pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1), Production of Child Pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a) (two counts), Distribution of Child Pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2) (two counts), Receipt of Child Pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(2), Possession of Child Pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(a)(4)(B), and Contempt of Court in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 401(3). Under the plea agreement, Spencer pled guilty to all counts and agreed to a sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment, subject to approval by Judge Breyer.
Spencer has been in custody since his arrest in April 2017. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 20, 2019, at 10:00 am before Judge Breyer in San Francisco. The maximum statutory penalty is 30 years for each count of production of child pornography and 20 years for the other child pornography counts, a fine of up to $250,000, plus restitution to the victims. However, any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Julie D. Garcia is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tong Zhang and Alycee Lane. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Anchorage Man Charged for Illegal Possession of Firearm in Connection with Stolen Vehicle InvestigationRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Yako Miska Andrew, 28, of Anchorage, has been charged for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. The charge is a result of last week’s undercover “stolen vehicle sweep” conducted by APD, with the assistance of other state and federal law enforcement agencies.
According to the criminal complaint, on Oct. 3, 2018, APD officers identified two suspected stolen vehicles located in a parking lot on 5th Avenue in Anchorage. While attempting to contact the occupants of the vehicles, an individual later identified as Yako Andrew, immediately fled on foot from one of the vehicles and was seen with a pistol in his hand. During the foot pursuit, Andrew discarded the pistol and was apprehended by APD officers at the scene. The recovered firearm was a Glock semi-automatic pistol. When interviewed by law enforcement, Andrew stated that he found the firearm and that it had been in his possession for approximately four days.
If Andrew is convicted, the crime of felon in possession of a firearm carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Andrew has two previous felony convictions with the State of Alaska, including one for Vehicle Theft, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the charges in this case. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Cavanaugh.
This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
A criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood Delivers Remarks at the 29th Interpol Wildlife Crime Working Group Meeting in LondonRead the Press Release
Remarks as Prepared for Delivery
Good Morning. On behalf of the Attorney General of the United States, Jeff Sessions, I want to express appreciation to INTERPOL for inviting me here today, specifically the members of the Wildlife Crime Working Group and its chair, Grant Miller, and the members of the Environmental Crimes Enforcement Committee and its chair, Calum McDonald. I also want to express appreciation to Her Majesty’s Government for hosting this week’s series of important meetings and events on the topic of wildlife trafficking.
It is my honor to serve as the Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. In this role, I am privileged to lead a talented team of more than 600 attorneys and staff at the U.S. Department of Justice. They work hard every day to enforce our nation’s environmental and conservation laws and to defend good governance and the rule of law across our nation.
I am delighted to open today’s session of INTERPOL’s 29th Wildlife Crime Working Group meeting, and to address you, the investigators, police, and prosecutors who work each day in your respective sovereign nations to uncover and punish criminals who illegally poach and traffic protected wildlife. You are the ones on the front lines in your nations who will be responsible for putting into action the commitments expressed at the London Conference this week. Without your on-the-ground efforts each day, the goals and promises made by the delegates here this week would go unmet and unfulfilled. And those who seek to decimate protected wildlife for selfish and illegal gain would go undetected and unpunished.
The United States is committed to working across our government, and with multi-national entities such as INTERPOL, to focus our international investments to combat wildlife trafficking in the most strategic and effective way possible.
Within the first month of his presidency, President Trump directly engaged this fight when he issued an Executive Order recognizing wildlife trafficking as a dangerous form of transnational organized crime. In that order, President Trump directed the U.S. Government to use all the tools at its disposal to disrupt and dismantle organized criminal organizations and the lawless networks they operate.
His Administration has responded to that call. We estimate that the United States government will fund more than $90 million in counter-wildlife trafficking programs and projects in the coming year, including our criminal investigatory and prosecution efforts.
The U.S. Department of Justice is fully engaged in this effort.
Under the leadership of Attorney General Sessions, who will also be here this week to deliver the United States Official Statement to the London Conference on Wildlife Trafficking, the Department of Justice is prosecuting criminals engaged in wildlife poaching and trafficking, and continuing to seek stiff penalties for those convicted of wildlife trafficking and related offenses.
Each year, American law enforcement prosecutes thousands of poaching and other wildlife crimes, at both the federal and state levels. Federal prosecutors in the Department of Justice work aggressively with investigative agents from the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and others to pursue criminal cases to the fullest extent.
Since the Trump Administration took office in January of 2017, our Division’s prosecutors have convicted more than 30 defendants for wildlife trafficking crimes, with another 25 charged during that period. During this same period, significant numbers of additional defendants have been charged and convicted in cases brought by U.S. Attorney Offices across our country, and many other cases are currently under investigation for possible prosecution.
Earlier this year, our Division’s prosecutors obtained a significant prison sentence for a New York defendant found guilty of smuggling parts taken from endangered African lions and tigers. In another case this year, a California resident was sentenced to more than two years in federal prison for smuggling horns taken from endangered African black rhinos. And as part of a multi-year operation that included this case, at least 50 other defendants have been arrested, charged, convicted, and sentenced in recent years for smuggling ivory taken from African or Asian elephants, rhino horns, and other protected species.
Across our government, we will continue our efforts not just to seize illegal wildlife items and arrest couriers, but we will also work our way up the chain to disrupt organized criminal networks. To meet this challenge, we are committed to improving our working relationships with those in other countries engaged in the same efforts.
We all recognize that our host nation this week, the United Kingdom, is a leader in this fight. In just the last two weeks, the U.K. arrested and will extradite to the U.S. an individual charged with trafficking in rhino horns. This kind of international cooperation is essential to effectively prosecute traffickers and those in their networks, no matter where they are located.
Likewise, where we are able under U.S. law, we will continue to pursue charges stemming from financial transactions connected to wildlife trafficking. We support efforts to broaden all countries’ efforts to attack the financing of wildlife trafficking and deprive networks of the proceeds of their crimes. As you know, criminals are in this business to profit, and the more effectively we pursue those profits, the more we can disrupt this illegal trade. To that end, we have worked this year to improve intelligence gathering, as well as to improve the sharing and leveraging of that intelligence to better identify networks involved in these crimes. These efforts are showing results.
As those here know, INTERPOL also plays a key role in these collaborative efforts, and the opportunities that working groups such as this one provide are key to those efforts. During my tenure at the Department of Justice, our prosecutors have continued to help advance INTERPOL’s environmental crimes efforts. Our prosecutors serve in a leadership position on INTERPOL’s Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Committee, and in a leadership position in other environmental crimes working groups. To tackle challenges like the illegal wildlife trade, we need forums like this one for law enforcement officials to meet to discuss new strategies and practices, share experience and expertise, and build the bridges of cooperation that are vital in this international fight.
Let me conclude with this: the reasons for battling this illegality are clear and justified.
First, wildlife trafficking violates our nation’s laws, and the lawbreakers know it. The federal Lacey Act—on the books for almost 120 years —makes it a felony punishable by up to five years in prison to knowingly import, export, buy, sell, or even receive wildlife that a person knows was killed illegally, or taken in violation of federal or foreign law. Currently, the Lacey Act, though imperfect, is the strongest tool that federal prosecutors have to stop the flow of illegally poached wildlife into, out of, and around the United States.
Second, these crimes are more pervasive than many outside this room realize. The annual value of illegal wildlife trafficking ranks alongside the illicit trade in drugs, weapons, and humans. A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office report cites estimates for this illegal trade as high as $23 billion annually.
Third, we know that many of these crimes are intertwined with, and often funding, other forms of violent or organized crime. It is becoming increasingly clear that at least some of the proceeds of wildlife smuggling, especially wildlife taken illegally from Africa, are funding large criminal organizations and even terrorist groups. Wildlife trafficking not only threatens the continued viability of thousands of species worldwide, but the substantial illicit funds derived from this trafficking threaten global security, fuel corruption and lawlessness, and harm legitimate businesses. And we are not talking about small change here: just one kilogram of rhino horn can sell for as much as $70,000 in Asian markets. We cannot abide commerce like this, derived from the illegal slaughter of protected wildlife, to fund other criminality and lawlessness around the world.
Fourth, ending the senseless extermination of God’s majestic creatures is simply the right thing to do. We don’t want to just tell our children and grandchildren about the African elephant and the black rhino; we want our children and grandchildren to see and experience these creatures themselves. As the Psalmist wrote, “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” (Psalm 104:24, NIV).
Under Attorney General Sessions, the Justice Department’s prosecutors are fighting to make sure that those who scheme and plot to criminally profit from the exploitation of protected wildlife are brought to justice, as many defendants across our country are learning.
We are grateful for your work on this vital mission as well. Thank you.
3 Floridians Charged in Counterfeit Bank Check SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - Three Florida residents have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on charges of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, possessing and uttering counterfeit securities, and possession of stolen mail, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The seven-count indictment, returned on October 9, named Calar Braxton aka Vivian Hugo, aka Taylor Crimson, 44, of Orlando, Florida: Brian Omar Campbell aka Vincent Hugo, aka Troy Crimson, 28 of Orlando, Florida; and Cheryl Brown aka Loraine Johnson, 48, of Riverview, Florida.
According to information presented to the court, Braxton, Campbell, and Brown conspired to purchase merchandise from area retailers by using counterfeit bank checks. After checking into a local hotel on October 5, 2017, the defendants stole mail addressed to individuals living in the area and opened it. If the defendants found a check, they recorded its account and routing numbers and used that information to produce counterfeit bank checks. Afterwards, they used the counterfeit checks on October 5-6, 2017, to purchase merchandise from retailers such as Victoria’s Secret, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Macy’s Department Store. The scheme ended when members of the North Fayette Township Police Department obtained a warrant for the hotel and searched it. During the search, the police recovered a laser printer, stolen mail, and blank stock used for printing checks.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 50 years in prison, a fine of $2,000,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Leo Ivory is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The United States Postal Inspection Service and the North Fayette Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tuesday 9 October 2018
Wichita Man Sentenced for Stealing Guns from a Sheriff's CarRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. - A Wichita man was sentenced Tuesday to 57 months in federal prison for stealing guns out of an undercover Sedgwick County Sheriff's car, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.
Travis J. Keller, 38, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of possessing stolen firearms. In his plea, he admitted that he and co-defendant Justin W. Winger, took guns from the unmarked car, including a 9 mm handgun, a 12-guage shotgun and a 5.56 caliber rifle.
Co-defendant Arthur M. Mannie is scheduled for trial Jan. 8. Co-defendant Justin W. Winger is scheduled for sentencing Nov. 19.
McAllister commended the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster for their work on the case.
Warrensburg Woman Sentenced to 18 Years for Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Warrensburg, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for her role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Davita Ann Kelly, 38, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to 18 years and nine months in federal prison without parole.
On Dec. 27, 2017, Kelly pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine from August 2014 to March 2016. Kelly admitted that she sold methamphetamine to a confidential informant and an undercover officer on eight occasions in 2015, and to an undercover officer on two more occasions in January 2016.
Warrensburg police officers executed a search warrant at a storage facility rented by Kelly on March 31, 2016. Officers seized several firearms from the unit, including a .38-caliber revolver, a 9mm pistol and two .22-caliber rifles.
The investigation began after law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kelly’s residence on Aug. 29, 2014, and seized methamphetamine, hydromorphone pills, marijuana, heroin and drug paraphernalia.
Co-defendant Matthew Waylon Newman, 33, of Warrensburg, was sentenced on May 31, 2018, to 17 years and seven months in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Co-defendant Stacy A. Lyman, 39, of Warrensburg, has pleaded guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy and to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and awaits sentencing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Johnson County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Warrensburg, Mo., Police Department.
Violent Felon Sentenced for Possessing Stolen, High Capacity FirearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Chester man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for possessing a stolen, high-capacity firearm after a violent felony conviction.
“Violent felons who illegally possess firearms are a threat to the safety of our law enforcement officers and the communities they serve,” said G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “We will continue to aggressively pursue those who have forfeited their Second Amendment rights due to felony conviction, and together with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners we are zeroing in on felons who are unlawfully possessing firearms. My thanks to the ATF for their excellent work on this case.”
According to court documents, Derrick Anthony Savage, 29, was stopped on April 2 while driving through Fort Lee with a defective headlight. When officers made contact with Savage, they smelled the strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the car, in which Savage was transporting four young children and their father. When officers directed Savage and the front-seat passenger to get out of the car, Savage refused and tried to stop his passenger from getting out as instructed. After officers physically removed Savage from the vehicle, he continued to resist efforts to detain him, requiring one officer to draw his Taser. A search of the car recovered a plastic bag containing 43.5 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and a handgun loaded with a high-capacity magazine. The handgun was found under the driver’s seat, unsecured and in close proximity to the children. After the gun was recovered, Savage repeatedly stated that he had stolen it to protect himself from unspecified threats. Savage had previously been convicted of robbery, a violent felony, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
“Armed criminals threaten the safety of our communities, and combatting violent gun crime is ATF’s top priority,” said Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to catch those who illegally possess firearms and put them behind bars where they belong.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Thomas L. Chittum, III, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin G. Cooke prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information is located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:18-cr-54.
U.S. Attorney Joins "Night to Unite" in Macon-Bibb County, Works with Local Law Enforcement to Distribute Hundreds of Free Gun Locks Across Macon, Albany and ColumbusRead the Press Release
MACON: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that 500 firearm locking devices and firearm safety kits provided by the U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia will be given out by the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office as part of Bibb County’s first annual “Night to Unite” event Tuesday, October 9. Firearm locking devices and firearm safety kits will also be handed out in Albany and Columbus at later dates.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia received the firearm safety kits from Project ChildSafe, a program developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Working with local law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office plans to distribute gunlocks in Macon, Columbus, and Albany. The program was designed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to promote firearm safety through the distribution of free firearm safety kits, each including a gun lock and educational material on safe handling and tips on secure storage. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office will hand out the firearm safety kits to gun owners in the Macon area.
“Respecting the Second Amendment goes hand-in-hand with responsible gun safety practices,” said Charles Peeler, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia. “I am grateful for the close partnership we enjoy with our local law enforcement agencies that will be distributing hundreds of firearm locks directly into the hands of citizens. The practice of locking up a firearm can prevent a weapon from being improperly used, protecting children and making our communities safer.”
Citizens in Albany and Columbus will also be receiving firearm locking devices and firearm safety kits courtesy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The firearm locking devices and firearm safety kits will be distributed to Albany gun owners by the Albany Police Department and to Columbus gun owners by the Columbus Police Department at each agency’s discretion. For more information on their distribution, please contact those agencies directly.
Since 1999, Project ChildSafe has partnered with more than 15,000 law enforcement agencies to distribute more than 37 million firearm safety kits nationwide. You can learn more about Project ChildSafe and the National Shooting Sports Foundation by visiting www.projectchildsafe.org.
Night to Unite is an event focused on forging stronger connections between citizens and law enforcement, as well as strengthening community policing activities and sending a message to criminals that neighbors are united against crime. There are events all day Tuesday in Bibb County. To learn more, please contact Judy Gordon, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator with the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office at (478) 745-5162 or (478) 447-9763.
Questions concerning this release should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer Announces Progress in Making Our Communities Safer Through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
DENVER – One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through the District of Colorado’s PSN program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders have worked together to identify the Colorado communities with the most pressing violent crime problems and have developed comprehensive solutions to address them. PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders, particularly serial shooters, and partners with local prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. PSN is consistent with the strategy the Colorado’s U.S. Attorney’s Office has developed for several years, using data analysis to target serial shooters.
Throughout the past year, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
“In Colorado it’s just a very small percentage of people who commit the vast majority of the violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer. “By identifying and prosecuting those people, we not only reduce the most crime, we do so with the least disruption to communities.”
Marking the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights our work:
Enforcement Actions
Colorado’s PSN program uses three Crime Gun Intelligence Centers in those areas of the state with the worst violent crime problems. Federal, state, and local investigators working with these centers combine forensic analysis related to firearms with a variety of other data to focus investigations on and build cases against the people responsible for the majority of the shootings in their communities. Examples of these cases include:
- Eight members of the Bloods street gang were prosecuted and received sentences of up to 100 months on charges of Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketerring (VICAR). Court documents stated that the Bloods were an enterprise whose business is violence, including murder and using firearms for drug trafficking. Most were felons who were prohibited from possessing firearms. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/local-and-federal-law-enforcement-team-indict-and-arrest-violent-members-bloods-gang)
- James Harley Wheeler, age 24, was sentenced to serve 7 years for brandishing a firearm during a marijuana deal that resulted in a shooting death. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/denver-man-sentenced-prison-following-federal-firearm-crime)
- Kendall Crockett, age 23, was sentenced to nearly 7 years for stealing firearms from a federal firearm licensee (FFL). This is one of multiple cases where defendants were prosecuted for brazenly stealing firearms from FFLs. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/atf-us-attorneys-office-teams-local-law-enforcement-take-down-crews-breaking-gun-stores)
- Aaron Carson Cheek, age 27, was sentenced to serve 7 years for brandishing a firearm while robbing Home Depot. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/felon-who-attempted-rob-home-depot-golden-sentenced-federal-prison)
- Daniel Anthony Garcia, age 28, was sentenced to 37 months for illegally entering an occupied home, pistol-whipping a man, and firing a gun to threaten occupants. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/pueblo-man-sentenced-federal-prison-illegally-possessing-firearms)
- Jeremy Lee Cabral, age 22, was sentenced to 10 years for firing a gun in a parking lot during an attempted carjacking. (https://www.justice.gov/usao-co/pr/denver-man-sentenced-ten-years-imprisonment-firing-gun-parking-lot-during-attempted)
Community Partnerships
The U.S. Attorney’s Office partners with various community groups to provide education and outreach, including participating in the Colorado Lawyers’ Committee Hate Crime Mock Trial program, offering the Protecting Houses of Worship program to educate faith-based communities about practical security measures, and joining law enforcement at events like Coffee with a Cop. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also participates in re-entry services for people returning to the community after imprisonment, including speaking at Fair Chance job fairs and partnering with the Bureau of Prisons and the United States Probation Office to provide inmates training on job interviewing and resume writing.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Tulare County Man Pleads Guilty to Gun Charges in Series of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Javier Beltran, 34, of Strathmore, pleaded guilty today to two counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Beltran was a member of a conspiracy to commit a series of armed robberies of gas stations, convenience stores, and liquor stores from May 19, 2016, until July 26, 2017. The indictment alleges that Beltran and his conspirators committed at least seven armed robberies in Tulare and Kern Counties between May 2016 and January 2017. The next month, Beltran and his associates travelled to Nebraska, where they committed two more robberies. They then returned to California, where they committed three more armed robberies.
In his guilty plea, Beltran admitted that he used a firearm to rob two liquor stores. First, Beltran admitted that on January 18, 2017, he and other conspirators robbed Joe’s Westside in Porterville, California. Prior to the robbery, Beltran and other conspirators stole a 2006 Chevrolet Trailblazer by pushing a hole in the driver’s side lock, cracking the steering shaft, and starting the vehicle without a key. They drove the vehicle to Joe’s Westside in Porterville, California, where they entered the store wearing masks and carrying guns.
Inside the store, Beltran and other co-conspirators ordered the store clerk to the ground at gunpoint, forced the clerk to open the cash register, and stole over $8,000. Beltran and his associates fled in the stolen Chevrolet Trailblazer, which they left approximately half a mile away with the engine still running.
Second, Beltran admitted that on July 22, 2017, he and other co-conspirators robbed Woodville Liquor in Woodville, California. Prior to the robbery, Beltran and his associates stole a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado by cracking the steering shaft and starting the vehicle without a key. They drove the vehicle to Woodville Liquor in Woodville, California. Beltran entered the store along with two other suspects, each carrying a firearm. They ordered the customers in the store to the ground at gunpoint and used zip ties to tie up one of the store employees. They then stole approximately $2,000 in cash, $4,000 in checks, bottles of whiskey, and cartons of cigarettes before fleeing in the stolen vehicle, which they left a short distance from Woodville Liquor.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Porterville Police Department, Lindsay Police Department, Bakersfield Police Department, Fremont (Nebraska) Police Department, and Dodge County (Nebraska) Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Pearson and Kathleen Servatius are prosecuting the case.
Beltran is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on Monday, January 14, 2019, at 8:30 a.m. Beltran faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 32 years in prison for the two firearms offenses to which he pleaded guilty, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
An additional defendant, Ulises Medina, is also charged in this case. His next court appearance is set for January 7, 2019. The charges are only allegations; Medina is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Attorney’s Office Announce a National Prescription Take–Back Events on St. Croix and St. Thomas for Saturday, October 27thRead the Press Release
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge, A.J. Collazo and U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced an upcoming prescription take-back event, scheduled for October 27th on St. Croix and St. Thomas. The National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day addresses a crucial public safety and public health issue. According to the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.2 million Americans have misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet. The DEA’s Take-Back Day events provide an opportunity for Americans to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths. Take-Back Day also provides for an effective way to dispose of prescription drugs without harm to the environment.
"It’s an honor to officially join efforts with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day", said SAC Collazo. "This event not only contributes in saving lives of opioid-addicted victims, but will make our communities safer. We are certain that this 16th edition of the National Take Back Day will be a success in the Virgin Islands."
"Unused and left-over prescription drugs are oftentimes misused and abused by children and family members", said U.S. Attorney Shappert. "Removing them from the home takes away the possibility of accidental use and possible abuse. The DEA Take-Back Program also ensures that these drugs are disposed of responsibly, and that they do not harm the environment."
Persons wishing to dispose of unused prescription drugs on St. Croix can take those prescriptions to the Gallows Bay, Kingshill, and Frederiksted Post Offices between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 27th. For disposal of unused prescriptions on St. Thomas, persons may take them to the Frenchtown and Sugar Estates Post Offices, also on Saturday, October 27th, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. During the week leading up to the Take-Back event, DEA will also be collecting unused prescription drugs from local senior care facilities for supervised disposal.
For more information on National Take-Back Day, please contact 1-800-882-9539 or check out the DEA website.