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Thursday 20 September 2018
Webster Man Pleads Guilty to Government TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – David Brunell, 56, of Webster, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Dec. 13, 2018.
Between June 2000 and June 2017, the Social Security Administration deposited approximately $234,000 in retirement benefits intended for Brunell’s father into a bank account controlled by Brunell after Brunell’s father had died. Brunell used the funds for various personal expenditures, such as mortgage payments.
Brunell faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Vondell Henry Jr. Sentenced to 105 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Vondell Henry Jr., 21 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Joseph VanBokkelen on his plea of guilty to Hobbs Act Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Henry was sentenced to 105 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on August 1, 2017, Henry and three others, including his co-defendant Deshalone Davis, robbed a wireless cell phone store located at Ridge Road and Calumet Avenue in Munster, Indiana. Two of the robbers brandished guns during the robbery, which took place around 5:00pm when customers and employees were inside the store. Henry drove the vehicle to the store, remained in the vehicle while the others went inside, and acted as the getaway driver.
This case was investigated by the FBI GRIT Task Force in conjunction with Munster, Gary, and Griffith Police Departments and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Chang.
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Two St. Charles Residents Charged with Possession of Two Kilograms of FentanylRead the Press Release
St. Louis - Two St. Charles residents were charged in federal court for possessing with the intent to distribute two kilograms of fentanyl today in United States District Court in St. Louis.
Ruben Lopez, 27, and Jonathen Aguilar, 31, of St. Charles, Missouri, were taken into custody yesterday after federal search warrants revealed one kilogram of fentanyl bound for an apartment in the 2000 block of Avignon Drive in St. Charles and another kilogram of the opioid painkiller at another apartment. The government has sought detention of both defendants, who are entitled to a probable cause hearing and a detention hearing next week.
According to the statement filed in support of a criminal complaint, federal investigators intercepted a suspicious Priority Mail package addressed to the Avignon address with a return address in La Mirada, California. The investigators obtained a warrant to open the mail parcel which contained a one-kilogram brick of fentanyl concealed inside clothing.
The investigators secured the fentanyl, which is too hazardous to be safely handled, and conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel to the Avignon address. Defendant Lopez brought the package inside the residence and the investigators entered soon thereafter to execute another warrant for the residence. Inside, they found a Glock 27 .40 caliber handgun and two machines capable of encapsulating drugs. Another warrant executed yesterday in the 400 block of Molina Way, also in St. Charles, revealed a second quantity of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl and $19,000 in cash. Two kilograms of fentanyl carry a street value of more than $100,000.
Lopez and Aguilar are charged with possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, a charge carrying a ten-year mandatory minimum sentence. They are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty.
These charges are a result of a joint investigation between the St. Louis Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Postal Inspection Service with assistance from the St. Charles County Police Department, the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force, the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the St. Peters Police Department.
“Through our strategic, investigative operations we removed more than 1.5 million potentially lethal doses of poison from hitting the streets of St. Charles County,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. Callahan of the DEA St. Louis Division. “The DEA’s mission is clear and we will continue to disrupt, dismantle and destroy drug trafficking organizations who impact our communities.”
Assistant Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s St. Louis Field Office J.R. Ball stated, “Criminals who believe they can use the U.S. Mail to transport dangerous illegal narcotics into our communities are mistaken. The United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to identifying these individuals and bringing them to justice. Today’s arrests are examples of that commitment.”
St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar added, “I am proud of the collaboration between the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force, St. Peters Police Department, St. Charles County Police Department, DEA and the United States Postal Inspector. It’s outstanding efforts like these that cut off the supply lines fueling the opiate epidemic that plague our communities.”
Two Springfield Men Sentenced for Federal Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON - Alexis Ayala, 40, and Wilfredo Perez, 38, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to six years in prison and six years of supervised release, and one year in prison and three years of supervised release, respectively, on firearms and drug charges.
Ayala and Perez previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin. Ayala also pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On April 5, 2015, Perez and Ayala distributed 200 doses of heroin, worth $550, to a government witness in Springfield. Ayala, a previously convicted felon, also sold two firearms to a government witness. Specifically, on Dec. 15, 2015, Ayala sold the witness a Walther P22 pistol equipped with a laser sight, which had been reported stolen to the Springfield Police on Sept. 4, 2014; and on Aug. 8, 2016, Ayala sold the witness a Smith and Wesson MP40c .40 caliber pistol.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner John Barbieri; and Holyoke Police Chief James Neiswanger made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Two Individuals Charged with Cashing over $60,000 in Stolen Postal Money OrdersRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, today announced that, on September 18, 2018, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a five-count indictment charging JAMES LEBEL, 40, of no certain address, and MICHELLE BARBEAU, 51, of Brooklyn, Conn., with offenses related to the theft of U.S. Postal money orders.
LEBEL was arrested yesterday and is detained pending a hearing that is scheduled for September 26. BARBEAU was arrested today and was released on a $100,000 bond.
As alleged in the indictment, BARBEAU was employed by the U.S. Postal Service at the Wauregan Post Office in Plainfield. Between April and September 2017, LEBEL and BARBEAU conspired to take blank U.S. Postal money orders from the Wauregan Post Office and imprint them in various denominations. LEBEL then cashed more than $60,000 in fraudulently imprinted postal money orders at other post offices.
The indictment charges LEBEL and BARBEAU with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The indictment also charges LEBEL with four counts of wire fraud. Each charge carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Twenty-Six Charged and 228 Guns Seized in Crackdown on San Diego Street Gangs and Mexican MafiaRead the Press Release
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Todd Robinson (619) 546-7994 and Kareem Salem (619) 546-8904
NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 20, 2018
SAN DIEGO, CA – Twenty-six people, many of whom are alleged members and associates of criminal street gangs and the Mexican Mafia prison gang, are charged in complaints unsealed today with participating in drug- and gun-related conspiracies, including one that alleges a kidnapping and armed robbery that was prevented by law enforcement.
About 228 firearms were seized from a home in Lakeside during the investigation, and law enforcement officials who were listening in on conversations via court-approved electronic surveillance were able to thwart the attempted kidnapping of a gang member known as “Grizzly from Palm City.”
This morning before dawn, a contingent of more than 200 local, state and federal law enforcement officials searched dozens of locations around the county looking for defendants, guns and drugs. As of 3 p.m. today, 20 defendants are in custody. During searches today and over the course of the yearlong investigation, authorities have seized seven pounds of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of over $150,000. Six federal defendants are still at large, including Marla Caniglia, Christina Tovar, Farren Alcoser, aka “Sweetpea,” Soledad Mota, aka “Negra,” Tony Kiryakoza, and Candice Apra, aka “Babydoll.” Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 858-320-1800.
According to one complaint charging Robert Thomas Welsh, San Diego Sheriff’s Department’s Special Enforcement Division executed a search warrant at Welsh’s residence on Wildcat Canyon Road in Lakeside. They found multiple gun safes in various locations within the home, a total of 228 firearms including AR-15 assault rifles and guns with obliterated serial numbers, multiple high capacity magazines including a 50-round drum magazine, several firearm silencer devices, a “Glock switch” device that converts a semi-automatic pistol into an automatic pistol and multiple cases of ammunition.
According to another complaint, in June of 2018, agents participating in the investigation learned that defendants Fady Esho, Sergio “Shaggy” Sanchez and Jose “Chapo” Hernandez intended to assault, intimidate, rob at gunpoint and restrain the intended victim on behalf of the Mexican Mafia because they believed he stole a laptop and other items from a gang associate.
Esho, along with fellow defendants Sergio “Shaggy” Sanchez and Jose “Chapo” Hernandez, set out to do the bidding of the prison gang leaders. However, the San Diego Police Department’s Gang Suppression Team conducted a traffic stop of their Hummer as the three defendants were en route to the “hit.” The trio was arrested and officers seized four firearms and zip ties.
According to the complaint, Esho was carrying a loaded Sig Saur .40-caliber handgun in a concealed holster on his waist, along with two filled magazines in separate holsters. Esho also had multiple zip ties in his rear pants pocket. A search of the Hummer resulted in the seizure of an additional three firearms, all of which were loaded: A Ruger 9mm handgun was located between the front passenger seat and the console; a Smith and Wesson 9mm handgun was located in a black bag in the rear seat; and a Ruger .22-caliber revolver was located under the driver’s floor mat.
In total, the defendants were charged in six complaints with various crimes, including racketeering, methamphetamine trafficking, felon in possession of firearms and other drug and gun offenses. According to the complaints, the gang members come from the following gangs: Otay Rasta Locos, Logan Heights Rep Steps, Encanto, Lomita, Logan Heights 30, Eastside, East County Blood, Lakeside Gangsters, Varrio Chula Vista and Pinoy.
“The seizure of hundreds of firearms is a very significant strike against gang violence in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman. “Gang members live by a different set of norms, in a world where methamphetamine is a business and guns and violence are tools of the trade. Because of the strong partnerships between state, local and federal law enforcement, this operation is now closed.”
Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge John Brown stated, “Dismantling violent gangs is a continuing priority for the FBI. We share a long commitment with our law enforcement partners to address the dangerous threat facing our communities. Today's takedown demonstrates our focus and determination to strike at gang related enterprises and to eliminate the violence these groups inflict on our neighborhoods.”
The defendants had their initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Nita L. Stormes this afternoon. All defendants entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. Their next court appearance will be on September 25, 2018, for a hearing on the Government’s motion to have the defendants remain in custody pending trial.
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.
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 18mj4902
Robert Thomas Welsh
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(o)(1) – Unlawful Possession of a Machine Gun
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Title 18, U.S.C. § 922(k) – Possession of a Firearm with Manufacturer’s Serial Number Removed and Obliterated
Maximum Penalty is 5 years in custody
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 18mj4979
Jesus Ramirez aka “Chuy”
Jorge Gonzalez aka “Lonely”
Chans Milstead
Christopher Risdon
Alan Rohrback Jr.
Brian Allen
Victoria Villa
Ricky Felizmena
Farren Alcoser
Soledad Mota aka “Negra”
Candace Apra aka “Babydoll”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. Sections 841 (a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty, based on alleged drug amounts: Up to life in prison; 10 year mandatory minimum
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 18mj4978
Jesus Ramirez aka “Chuy”
Jose Hernandez aka “Chapo”
Fady Escho
Dale Chaney
Keleli Gaylord
Tony Kiryakoza
David Gautreau
Marla Caniglia
Christina Tovar
Sara Beamer
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. Sections 841 (a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty, based on alleged drug amounts: Up to life in prison; 10 year mandatory minimum
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 18mj4977
Fady Esho
Sergio Sanchez
Jose Hernandez
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 1959
Maximum Penalty, based on the underlying racketeering crimes: Up to three years in prison
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 14mj4972
Sammy Harold Baugues
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C. Section 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2)
Maximum Penalty is 10 years in custody
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. Section 841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty is 20 years in custody
DEFENDANTS Case Number: 18mj4971
Veronica Ojeda
Aimee Chavira
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. Sections 841 (a)(1) and 846
Maximum Penalty, based on alleged drug amounts: Up to life in prison; 10 year mandatory minimum
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Violent Crimes Gang Task Force
Task Force agencies include:
FBI, ATF, DEA, BOP, USPIS, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, San Diego District Attorney's Office, San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sheriff's Department, National City Police Department, Chula Vista Police Department, La Mesa Police Department, El Cajon Police Department and Federal Bureau of Prisons- Joint Intelligence Sharing Initiative.
*A complaint is not evidence that the defendants committed the crimes charged. The defendants are presumed innocent until the Government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Thurmont Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Detonating a Pipe Bomb on a Police VehicleRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Kyle Mueller, age 24, of Thurmont, Maryland, to 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for malicious use of explosive materials in connection with the detonation of a pipe bomb on a Thurmont Police Department vehicle. The sentence was imposed on September 19, 2018.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Gregory L. Eyler of the Thurmont Police Department.
“Kyle Mueller admitted constructing a pipe bomb that not only damaged a police vehicle, but caused bomb fragments to be blown into an officer’s residence,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Today’s sentence sends the message that this type of violent attack on law enforcement cannot and will not be tolerated.”
“This dedicated officer was targeted at his home, a place he should have been able to feel safe after returning from a day of serving and protecting his community,” said Special Agent in Charge Cekada. “This case should make it clear to anyone with violent intentions against police officers: ATF, our state and local partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are united in our efforts to end this vicious cycle of attacks on law enforcement officers.”
According to Mueller’s plea agreement, on August 3, 2016, a pipe bomb was detonated on the hood of a Thurmont Police Department vehicle that was parked in front of an officer’s residence. The explosion caused significant damage to the police vehicle. Pieces of the device also entered the residence through the front picture window, traveling through the curtains and into an interior wall. Parts of the device were recovered, including a piece of galvanized pipe, end caps, and explosive filler powder. Finishing nails were taped to the exterior of the galvanized pipe.
Investigation revealed that between July 20 and August 1, 2016, Mueller purchased black powder at a firearms store in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania; a roll of cannon fuse from an online company; and pipe and end caps at a store in Pennsylvania. All of these items, which were utilized to construct the explosive, were purchased using a credit/debit card used by and in the name of Mueller. The last four digits of the credit/debit card matched those on a fast food receipt that was found on the street where the explosion occurred a few days prior to the detonation.
Mueller was arrested on August 5, 2016, waived his rights, and agreed to be interviewed by law enforcement agents. During the interview, Mueller admitted to purchasing black powder, pipe, and end caps and to constructing the destructive device. Mueller also admitted that he was in the area of the explosion at the time that the destructive device was detonated. A residence used by Mueller was searched on August 5, 2016, and law enforcement recovered metal shavings, various drill bit sets, grey adhesive tape, and 2.5 inch nails similar to those used to construct the explosive device detonated on August 3, 2016.
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.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Thurmont Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr., who prosecuted the case.
Three Inland Empire Residents Indicted for Distributing Nearly 26,000 Pills Containing Carfentanil, an Extremely Powerful Synthetic OpioidRead the Press Release
RIVERSIDE, California – A federal grand jury has indicted three people allegedly involved with a local drug-trafficking organization on charges related to the distribution of carfentanil, a powerful fentanyl analogue that is sometimes used to sedate elephants and other large animals.
The indictment filed Wednesday alleges that Alejandra Romero-Agredano, 49, of Fontana; Jorge Martin 27, also of Fontana; and Jose Jesus Camacho-Martinez, 32, of Downey, participated in a drug ring that distributed nearly 26,000 carfentanil pills to undercover agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration agents over a four-month period.
According to the indictment, Romero-Agredano coordinated the distribution of carfentanil, which is many times more potent than fentanyl and heroin.
Earlier this year, undercover agents negotiated delivery of the pills with a Mexican-based co-conspirator. Romero-Agredano, working with Camacho-Martinez and Martin, then delivered three separate shipments each containing thousands of carfentanil pills to undercover DEA agents in the Inland Empire.
This is the first federal carfentanil distribution case charged in the Central District of California.
The three defendants were arrested by the DEA on September 7 pursuant to a criminal complaint. The following week, Romero-Agredano was released on a $300,000 bond, and both Camacho-Martinez and Martin were ordered detained without bond.
The indictment charges all three defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute and controlled substance. Romero-Agredano is additionally charged in three counts that allege the distribution of carfentanil, while Camacho-Martinez and Martin are each charged in one substantive distribution count.
Romero-Agredano will be arraigned on October 3. Camacho-Martinez will be arraigned on October 11. Martin will be arraigned on September 26.
An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted of the charges in the indictment, each defendant will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, who received substantial assistance from the Fontana Police Department and the Ontario Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jerry C. Yang of the Riverside Branch Office.
Thomas Lawton Evans Jr. Enters Guilty Plea in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
Charleston, South Carolina --- United States Attorney Sherri A. Lydon announced today that Thomas Lawton Evans Jr., 37, of Boiling Springs, South Carolina, pled guilty to all counts contained in a three count federal indictment. Count One charged Kidnapping Involving a Person Under the Age of 18, a violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1201(a)(1) and (g), punishable by a minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years and up to life. Count Two charged Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a), punishable by a minimum of 10 years imprisonment and up to life. Count Three charged Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Person under the age of Twelve, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2241(c), punishable by a minimum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a maximum sentence of life. United States District Court Judge David Norton will sentence Evans at a later date.
Facts presented at Evans’ guilty plea hearing established that Evans followed a family into their Johns Island, South Carolina, home on February 13, 2018 and brutally assaulted and injured an adult resident and kidnapped her four-year-old daughter. Evans then took the child to Alabama, where the child was recovered by the Riverside Police Department. Evans was arrested later the same day in Jackson, Mississippi, after a police pursuit.
The convictions are the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Charleston Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathan Williams and Nick Bianchi are prosecuting the case.
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Texas Woman Sentenced in Virtual Kidnapping Extortion SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Houston woman has been ordered to prison following her conviction of one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Yanette Rodriguez Acosta aka Yanette Patino pleaded guilty Feb. 22, 2018.
Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered Acosta to serve an 88-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that there was evil in the world and that the defendant had a gleeful disregard for the victims, causing pain, fear and long term effects for profit.
Acosta took part in a scheme in which her co-conspirators in Mexico called victims throughout the United States in Texas, California and Idaho, falsely claiming they had kidnapped a victim’s child. They demanded ransom money in exchange for the safe release of the child.
“This is a disgusting crime that preyed on a parent’s love for a child,” said Patrick. “Even though there was no actual kidnapping, the crime was designed to be very real to the victims. The perseverance and dedication of federal and state law enforcement agents and officers sends a strong message that we will not tolerate, and will zealously pursue, this kind of crime that terrorizes victims for financial gain.”
At the hearing today, victims detailed their harrowing and traumatizing experiences as they complied with the caller’s demands, who frequently threatened the victims and their family members with violence and retaliation if they reported the crime. The court also considered written victim impact statements. In one instance, a couple was informed that they could find their child at a nearby middle school. Not finding their son, and unable to get in touch with him, the couple then searched nearby dumpsters for the child’s body. Other victims described their loss of good health, sense of security, trust in others and the devastation and life-changing emotional trauma they experienced as a result of the crime.
“Virtual kidnapping schemes targeting American families are on the rise and those perpetrating the crime have perfected their techniques,” said Assistant Director in Charge Paul Delacourt, of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. “Victims of this terrifying scheme have experienced trauma, in addition to losing large sums of money. As the FBI and our partners continue to investigate these crimes and encourage the public to learn the signs of the scheme to avoid victimization, this sentencing should send a message to those perpetrating virtual kidnappings.”
“The sentence received by Acosta today represents a victory not just for the justice system, but for the many traumatized victims who received an intimidating phone call from the perpetrators of this heinous and cruel crime,” stated Special Agent in Charge R. Damon Rowe of IRS-Criminal Investigation (CI). “This investigation reflects IRS-CI’s steadfast commitment to protect our financial system from being used in an unscrupulous manner and hold accountable those who prey on the vulnerability of our relationships with our loved ones.”
The victims, who heard a gasping voice call for “mom” or “dad” on the phone, often responded with their child’s name, unaware that they were providing the caller with that information. Then, referring to the child by name, the caller claimed to have kidnapped the child, falsely leading the victim to believe there was an actual kidnapping.
Under threats of bodily harm, rape and murder of the child if the line were disconnected, many victims were forced to remain on speakerphone for hours while driving to banks and to various Western Union and MoneyGram locations. In some cases, victims were instructed to make cash drops at specified locations in Houston.
After confirming the wire transfer or money drop, the perpetrators instructed the victims to call the child, who had never been actually kidnapped, or to wait for the child at a specific location, knowing the child would not be there.
Previously released on bond, Acosta was taken into custody following sentencing today where she will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Los Angeles, California, Field Offices of the FBI and IRS-CI conducted the investigation along with the police departments in Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, California, and the Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Los Angeles.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Suh is prosecuting the case. The Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Department of Justice also provided valuable assistance during the course of the investigation.
Texas Man Facing Federal Charges After Threatening Letters Sent to Taylor Swift's Record LabelRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 20, 2018 – A federal criminal complaint was issued yesterday charging Eric Swarbrick, 26, of Austin Texas, with interstate stalking and sending interstate communications with the intent to threaten, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Too often, we have seen the consequences of ignoring signs of escalating violent behavior by some individuals,” said U.S. Attorney Cochran. “The attention given to this matter by our law enforcement partners and the resulting federal charges we have brought should serve to prevent a future tragic event.”
According to the complaint, in January 2018, Big Machine Label Group (“BMLG”) in Nashville, began receiving letters from Swarbrick expressing his desire for BMLG CEO Scott Borchetta to introduce him to BMLG client Taylor Swift. In one letter, Swarbrick acknowledges that he has been wandering around the offices of BMLG in the past. Over time, the letters became increasingly violent and sexual in nature, with at least 40 letters and emails being received by BMLG.
The complaint alleges that on three occasions, Swarbrick drove from Texas to Nashville and personally delivered letters to BMLG, including on August 2, 2018, at which time he was arrested by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. After being released from custody in Nashville, Swarbrick continued to send at least 13 threatening letters and emails before the end of August. In many of the letters, Swarbrick expressed his desire to rape and kill Taylor Swift and in one he stated he would kill himself in front of Borchetta and his staff.
Swarbrick is currently detained in Travis County, Texas and will be transferred to the Middle District of Tennessee at an undetermined date in the future.
If convicted, Swarbrick faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Siji Moore is prosecuting the case.
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Texas A&M Research Foundation Pays $750,000 to Settle Claims Alleging Improper Charges to Federal GrantsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Texas A&M Research Foundation (TAMRF) has agreed to pay the United States $750,000 to resolve claims that the Foundation submitted improper charges to federal grants, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
TAMRF is an independent non-profit service organization focused on facilitating research and development within the Texas A&M University System with its principal place of business in College Station. The Texas A&M University System is composed of 17 member institutions and agencies that are classified as institutions of higher education. TAMRF is a recipient of federal grants, cooperative agreements and contracts from various federal agencies, including the Department of Education (ED), Department of Energy (DOE), NASA, National Science Foundation (NSF) and Department of Transportation (DOT). In addition, TAMRF receives sub-wards and subcontracts under federal grants, cooperative agreements and contracts.
The settlement is the result of an investigation that began after a qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuit was filed under seal on June 6, 2013. The whistleblowers are employed by TAMRF and alleged that during their employment they witnessed TAMRF allow personnel to ignore federal restrictions and permitted the overcharging of salaries, which inflated grant expenses. The whistleblowers also alleged TAMRF engaged in cost shifting; allowed academic employees to wrongfully receive longevity pay; violated salary caps; and improperly charged grants for expenses not incurred or not covered.
The United States investigated the allegations finding that from January 1, 2007 through November 3, 2016, TAMRF improperly charged additional compensation to federal grants for academic employees at an institution of higher education ineligible to receive such pay.
The United States also concluded that TAMRF improperly charged various federal grants for expenses not properly allocable to them, including salaries and wages for individuals not working on the grants and supplies and equipment unrelated to the grants. TAMRF also improperly charged various federal grants for unallowable costs such as travel expenses unrelated to the objectives of the grants or for unaffiliated parties not working on the grants.
“DOE - Office of Inspector General (OIG) is committed to ensuring the integrity of our grant recipients by holding accountable those who choose to engage in false claim and mischarging schemes,” said Acting Inspector General April G. Stephenson of DOE. “This settlement is the result of a joint investigation which protected the government from inflated claims. We appreciate the efforts of the Department of Justice in pursuing this matter and will continue to work collaboratively with our investigative partners to aggressively investigate those who seek to defraud government programs.”
“NASA-OIG will continue to investigate all Qui Tam relator allegations of fraud, and applaud the relators that brought this matter to the attention of the United States,” said NASA Inspector General Paul Martin. “NASA-OIG appreciates the cooperative efforts of the entire investigative team during this investigation.”
“The funding NSF provides to our nation’s universities is vital to NSF’s mission of promoting the progress of science, but universities must do their part to ensure that these funds are spent on legitimate costs that directly benefit these awards,” said NSF Inspector General Allison Lerner. “NSF-OIG is committed to vigorously pursuing oversight of these taxpayer funds and I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners for their strong support in this effort.”
“Today’s settlement demonstrates that ensuring the integrity of DOT research grant programs is a top priority for the DOT-OIG,” said Regional Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph Zschiesche of DOT-OIG. “Working with our federal law enforcement and prosecutorial colleagues, we will continue to protect taxpayers’ investment in our nation’s infrastructure from fraud, waste, abuse and violations of law.”
Under the False Claims Act, a private party, known as a relator, can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. In this case, the relators will receive $142,500.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) jointly conducted the investigation along with ED, DOE, NASA, NSF and DOT. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Venezia handled the matter for the USAO.
Three Indicted on Robberies of Taxi Cab Drivers and Gas Station EmployeesRead the Press Release
Matthew D. Krueger, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on September 18, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a fifteen-count Indictment against Nickie M. Foster (age 22), Marquel L. Johnson (age 24), and Martell D. Ford (age 27), charging them with a series of robberies of taxi cab drivers and gas station employees between August 22, 2018, and August 25, 2018. All three defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Nickie M. Foster and Marquel L. Johnson are each charged with committing four robberies of taxi cab drivers, in violation of the Hobbs Act, and using, carrying, brandishing, and sometimes discharging a firearm during those robberies. Both women are charged with the robbery of the Petro Mart on Chase Avenue in Milwaukee and the discharge of a firearm during the robbery of Petro Mart. Martell D. Ford is charged with one taxi cab robbery and brandishing a firearm during the robbery. Both Ford and Johnson are also charged with the attempted robbery of BP Gas Station on Plankinton Avenue in Milwaukee and the brandishing of a firearm during that attempted robbery.
If convicted of the charges in the indictment, the defendants face up to twenty years of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine as to the conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robberies and each of the Hobbs Act robberies. Each of the brandishing of a firearm counts involves a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of life in prison and the counts of discharging of a firearm involve a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years with a maximum of life in prison, which must run consecutive to any other sentence. Convictions of any second or subsequent of the firearms counts carries a mandatory minimum of 25 years, consecutive to any other sentence.
With respect to the taxi cab robberies, the criminal complaint filed in this case alleged that on August 22 and August 23, 2018, Foster was the passenger in several taxi cabs when she brandished a firearm and demanded money and other items from the drivers. During the course of these robberies, Foster pointed a silver handgun at the taxi cab drivers, and, on at least one occasion, discharged the firearm after leaving the taxi cab. During the Petro Mart gas station robbery on August 23, 2018, Foster entered the Petro Mart with Marquel Johnson. Foster brandished a silver handgun and proceeded to shoot the gas station employee in the head. Foster then emptied the cash from the register while Johnson took possession of the firearm and pointed it toward the gas station employee, who was on the ground. On August 25, 2018, Johnson and Ford entered the BP gas station. Johnson pointed a silver handgun at the clerk and demanded money. The clerk locked the doors to the store, trapping Johnson in the store. Eventually, Johnson was able to exit the store. Later that day, after engaging in a vehicle pursuit with law enforcement, Johnson was arrested. Police officers recovered a silver handgun from Johnson when she was arrested.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Milwaukee Area Violent Crimes Task Force and the Milwaukee Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret B. Honrath.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which time the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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Syracuse Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Trafficking Drugs in St. Lawrence CountyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Deloyd M. Lesane, age 38, of Syracuse, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison for possessing and intending to distribute fentanyl and more than 28 grams of cocaine base (crack cocaine).
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith; Kevin M. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Gouverneur Police Chief Laurina Greenhill.
Lesane was selling crack cocaine and fentanyl from an apartment in Gouverneur in April 2017. St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force members executed a search warrant there and found, in Lesane’s bedroom, approximately 57.5 grams of crack cocaine, 2.5 grams of fentanyl, 19.7 grams of cocaine, a digital scale with cocaine residue, drug packaging material, and $2,708 in U.S. currency.
Lesane was also sentenced to 8 years of post-imprisonment supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by members of the St. Lawrence County Drug Task Force, Gouverneur Police Department, and HSI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas G. Collyer.
Stockton Man Sentenced to over Four Years in Prison for Unemployment Benefits Fraud and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sergio Doriante Sanchez Reyna, 25, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to four years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $436,091 in restitution for his role in a scheme to defraud the State of California by filing false unemployment insurance claims, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
“Sergio Reyna conspired with others in an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme targeted at the California Employment Development Department (EDD). Reyna facilitated the scheme by receiving EDD documents and obtaining debit cards issued in the names of identity theft victims to fraudulently obtain the UI benefits. We will continue to work with our federal and state law enforcement partners to safeguard the UI system from those who exploit these benefit programs,” said Abel Salinas, Special Agent-in-Charge, Los Angeles Region, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
“This scheme exploited a fund designed to support people in California in a time of need, stealing money from a vital fund,” said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working with our state and federal partners to uncover fraud committed by government employees who exploit their trusted positions and damage the reputation of their fellow government employees who serve the public.”
According to court documents, between December 12, 2014, and July 14, 2016, Reyna conspired with others to defraud the state of California. Pamela Emanuel, 57, of San Jose, worked as a tax compliance representative for the California Employment Development Department. She allegedly used her position to access the personal identifying information of workers throughout California, and she and her co-conspirators used that information to file fraudulent unemployment claims in the names of the unknowing victims.
The conspirators took several steps to avoid detection. In some instances, they used a Virtual Private Network designed to mask their IP addresses when making online filings. When the defendants filed claims with EDD, they usually provided the name of a fake business as the claimant’s last employer. As a result, the victim’s true employer was not immediately notified that a claim was filed.
Reyna participated in the scheme by receiving and facilitating EDD documents at two Stockton addresses associated or controlled by him and using at least 18 EDD debit cards issued in the names of identity-theft victims to withdraw the fraudulently obtained benefits. In total, the conspirators filed at least 269 false claims seeking over $2.5 million in fraudulent benefits. EDD’s actual overpayment was approximately $887,199.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Employment Development Department, Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schuller Hitchcock is prosecuting the case.
On August 16, 2018, Brittany Maunakea, 29 of Manteca, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Gregory Lee, 56, of Antioch, has pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 13, 2018. The charges against Emanuel and Russell White III, 35, of Turlock, are pending; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
South Boston Man Charged with Distributing Heroin and Fentanyl in Public Housing DevelopmentRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Boston man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with distributing heroin and fentanyl.
Jomar Ventura, 24, was charged with four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Ventura will appear in federal court later today.
According to court documents, Ventura distributed heroin and fentanyl in and around the Mary Ellen McCormack public housing development in South Boston on March 19, March 28, April 24, and May 4, 2018.
The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
South Boston Man Charged with Being Felon in Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A South Boston man was arrested today and charged in federal court in Boston with illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Jermaine Tindal, 29, was charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition after being previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. Tindal will appear in federal court today at 3:15 p.m.
According to court documents, on July 19, 2018, Tindal possessed a Harrington and Richardson 12-gauge shotgun and five rounds of Remington 12-gauge ammunition after previously being convicted in South Carolina of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison. He then sold the shotgun and ammunition to another individual in the Mary Ellen McCormack public housing development.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Six People Charged for Roles in Newark Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Federal and local law enforcement authorities have charged six people for their alleged roles in a drug trafficking organization that distributed heroin in Newark, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Andre Mims, 42, Herbert Cheeks, 52, and Anthony Woods, 54, all of Newark; Gregory Mims, 43, of East Orange, New Jersey; and James Thomas, 51, of Bronx, New York; are each charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin. Andre Mims and Cheeks are also charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Freddie Mims, 35, of Irvington, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin.
Gregory and Freddie Mims are scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk in Newark federal court. Andre Mims is in state custody and will appear in Newark federal court on Sept. 25, 2018. The other defendants – Cheeks, Woods and Thomas – remain at large.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Andre Mims and Cheeks are allegedly the leaders of a drug trafficking organization that sold heroin in and around Newark, including to customers from all over New Jersey. The organization also supplied drugs to customers and other distributors elsewhere. Law enforcement officials used physical and video surveillance, undercover officers, dozens of controlled narcotics purchases, record checks, narcotics and weapons seizures, and telephone wiretaps in their investigation.
The drug trafficking organization – known for its particular “stamps” of heroin, including “mastercard,” “ciroc” and “E.T.” – controlled several stash locations in Newark, Irvington and East Orange.
The count of drug trafficking conspiracy carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum potential penalty of 40 years in prison, and a $5 million fine. The drug possession count carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The felony gun possession counts carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II, and special agents of the DEA, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson, New Jersey Division, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, the Newark Police Department, and the Union County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance with the investigation.
This drug trafficking organization was the focus of the Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) in Newark. The Newark VCI was formed in August 2017 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and the City of Newark’s Department of Public Safety for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around the Newark. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate and pool resources to prosecute violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the DEA, the ATF, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals, the Newark Department of Public Safety, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, N.J. State Parole Board, the Union County Jail, N.J. State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center, N.J. Department of Corrections, the East Orange Police Department, and the Irvington Police Department.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Naazneen Khan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Violent Crimes Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Toscano, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Sitka Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Robert Edgar Farquer, 69, of Sitka, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve eight years in prison, followed by a life term of supervised release, for possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Farquer became the subject of a federal investigation when, in May 2016, FBI agents obtained 46 files containing images of child pornography from an IP address, and again in June 2016, when an additional 169 images were downloaded from another IP address. The investigation revealed that the IP addresses were associated with Farquer at his residence in Sitka.
On July 12, 2016, a search warrant was executed at Farquer’s residence, where agents discovered a collection of child pornography materials that spanned decades stored throughout his apartment and filled the back of a small pickup truck. During an interview, Farquer admitted to downloading child pornography files online, and that he had received child pornography materials as early as 1988 via the mail. The agents seized hundreds of pieces of electronic media and discovered thousands of images of child pornography in other various media.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack S. Schmidt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Shreveport felon sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for possessing pistols, unregistered silencersRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Shreveport felon was sentenced last week to 162 months in prison for possessing two pistols with silencers after being arrested for burglary.
Tarodganey Sumner, 26, of Shreveport, was sentenced September 13, 2018 by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the May 3, 2018 guilty plea, Shreveport police arrested Sumner on September 11, 2017 for burglarizing a home on Burson Drive. Police found a Volquartsen Custom, .22-caliber pistol with an attached Silcenerco Spectre II, .22-caliber silencer on him. Police also searched the car Sumner had been driving that day and found a Benelli Arms S.PA., 9 mm pistol with an attached Silencerco 450SPREY, .45-caliber silencer. The two silencers were reported stolen and not registered to Sumner. He also was convicted on June 20, 2011 of burglary in Caddo Parish, and as a felon, was not allowed to possess firearms.
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.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.
Shepherdsville Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman announced today that United States District Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings sentenced Johnnie B. Day, age 53, of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, to 37 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for multiple bank robberies. The Court ordered Day to pay restitution of $3,942.
The Court sentenced Day for four bank robberies committed from January, 2015 through November 2016.
According to the plea agreement filed in the case, on November 21, 2016, Day entered BB&T bank, at 401 W. Main St., Louisville, Kentucky, waited in a teller line and presented a demand note reading, “GIVE ME THE MONEY. NO ALARMS. NO DYES.” The teller handed him $264 in bank funds from her top drawer. A witness to the robbery followed Day outside the bank, where Day entered his vehicle; the witness wrote down the license plate number which led Louisville Metro Police Department detectives to the apartment Day rented in Shepherdsville, Kentucky. Day was later arrested at the Public Library in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.
Day also admitted guilt for three other bank robberies. On November 19, 2016, Day entered the Fifth Third bank, 8003 Preston Highway, Louisville, Kentucky and handed the teller a demand note on a plain white envelope which stated, “GIVE ME THE MONEY. NO SILENT ALARMS. NO DYE PACKS.” The teller handed Day $501.00 in bank funds. On November 7, 2016, Day entered the Stock Yards Bank, 5026 Mud Lane, Louisville, Kentucky and handed the teller a white envelope reading, “GIVE ME ALL YOUR MONEY. NO ALARMS. NO DYE PACKS. NICE AND EASY.” The teller handed Day $1,288.00 in bank funds. On January 3, 2015, Day entered Your Community Bank, 11810 Interchange Drive, Louisville, Kentucky and handed the teller a note stating, “THIS IS A ROBBERY. GIVE ME ALL YOUR BILLS. NO BAIT. SAY NOTHING AND NO ONE WILL GET HURT.” Day received $1,809 in bank funds from this robbery.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ream, and investigated by Louisville Metro Police Department Robbery Unit.
Seven Time Felon Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Heroin and Fentanyl Near PlaygroundsRead the Press Release
A Dubuque man who conspired to distribute heroin and fentanyl was sentenced today to ten years in federal prison.
Andre Carroll, age 51, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 22, 2018 guilty plea to one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and heroin near three playgrounds in Dubuque.
At the guilty plea, Carroll admitted he conspired with others to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and fentanyl in Dubuque between about 2013 and September 2017. Carrol had been convicted of crack cocaine distribution in federal court in 1997, and admitted to resuming drug dealing very shortly after he was released from federal prison in 2013. In total, Carroll had previously been convicted of seven prior felony drug offenses.
Carroll was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by Chief United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Carroll was sentenced to 120 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve an 8-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Carroll is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 17-CR-01039-LTS.
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Serial Bank Robber IndictedRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – September 20, 2018 – Malik Armstrong, 24, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury and charged with three counts of bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to charging documents, on July 9, 2018, an individual entered the Fort Campbell Blvd. U.S. Bank branch, in Clarksville, Tennessee and presented a note demanding cash. After receiving the cash from a teller, the individual fled the bank on foot.
On July 19, 2018, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department responded to a robbery call at the Bell Road branch of the Fifth Third Bank. The subsequent investigation determined that the suspect’s physical description matched the description of the person responsible for the Clarksville bank robbery and the suspect presented a demand note almost identical to the one presented in Clarksville.
On August 15, 2018, the Bell Road branch of the U.S. Bank in Nashville was robbed using the same manner and means as the previous two robberies and by the same individual who had been identified by investigators as Malik Armstrong.
On August 16, 2018, a criminal complaint was issued and Armstrong was arrested by the FBI on August 31, 2018, after being located in West Tennessee.
If convicted, Armstrong faces up to 20 years in prison on each count.
This case was investigated by the Clarksville Police Department; the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Suedekum is prosecuting the case.
The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Salvadoran National Guilty of making False Statement in Passport ApplicationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A 57-year-old Salvadoran national has pleaded guilty to federal violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Mario Obdulio Orellana, a resident of Shelby County, Texas, pleaded guilty on Sep. 19, 2018, to making a false statement in application for passport before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn.
According to information presented in court, on Oct. 6, 2017, Orellana made a false statement in an application for a United States passport by claiming to be a United States citizen.
Under the federal statute, Orellana faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
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Romanian Woman Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges in Hacking of Metropolitan Police Department Surveillance CamerasRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Eveline Cismaru, a citizen of Romania, pled guilty today to federal charges stemming from her role in a conspiracy to illegally access approximately 126 computers associated with Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) surveillance cameras and to use those computers in connection with a scheme to distribute ransomware in January 2017.
U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia, and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, made the announcement.
Cismaru, 28, and a co-defendant, Mihai Alexandru Isvanca, 25, were arrested on Dec. 15, 2017, in Bucharest, Romania. Both were charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Isvanca, also of Romania, remains held there pending extradition to the United States. Cismaru, who fled Romania weeks after her arrest, was apprehended in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2018, and extradited to the United States on in July 26, 2018.
Cismaru pled guilty before the Honorable Dabney L. Friedrich to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit computer fraud. The charges carry statutory maximums of 20 years and five years in prison, respectively. The guilty plea calls for Cismaru to cooperate fully in the investigation. She is to be sentenced Dec. 3, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, beginning in early January 2017, and continuing through Jan. 12, 2017, a computer hacking attack on the MPD computer network disabled two-thirds of the outdoor surveillance cameras operated by MPD in the District of Columbia, just days before the 2017 Presidential Inauguration. At the time of the computer intrusion, the U.S. Secret Service, among other federal law enforcement agencies, was preparing security for the event. During national events like the Presidential Inauguration, federal agencies such as the Secret Service utilize MPD’s surveillance cameras to provide additional security.
The computer intrusion was used to execute a ransomware attack. Once activated, the ransomware locked 126 infected computers connected to MPD surveillance cameras. The ransomware then displayed instructions explaining how to unlock each computer by the payment of Bitcoin. The ransom, had it been paid for all 126 computers, would have totaled an estimated $60,800. While executing a ransomware attack, the conspirators converted a few of the computers into proxies and used those computers to disseminate additional ransomware and malware attacks. At the time investigators disrupted the scheme, the conspirators were in the process of attacking as many as 179,616 other computers using stolen e-mails, e-mail passwords and banking credentials.
This case was of the highest priority due to its impact on the Secret Service’s protective mission and its potential effect on the security plan for the 2017 Presidential Inauguration. Due to the rapid response by investigators and MPD’s Chief Technology Office, the overall security of the 2017 Inauguration was not impacted by this event. The Secret Service and MPD quickly ensured that the surveillance camera system was secure and operational prior to the Inauguration and continued to investigate the criminal offenses charged, leading to the arrests last December.
The investigation revealed no evidence that any person’s physical security was threatened or harmed due to the disruption of the MPD surveillance cameras.
The investigation into this matter was conducted by the Secret Service’s Washington Field Office. Assistance was provided by law enforcement partners in the National Crime Agency and Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom, the Netherland’s National High Tech Crime Unit, the Romanian National Police (Service for Combating Cybercrime), Europol, MPD, and the FBI’s Washington, D.C. and Houston Field Offices. The Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division provided significant assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Dominguez and Demian Ahn, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Diane Brashears, of the Cyber Crime Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case was investigated and indicted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Dominguez and Corbin Weiss, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Jennings, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Chela Okonji.
Rockland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking ChargeRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – Norman Hyrum Turnbeaugh, 62, of Rockland, Idaho, pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis. Turnbeaugh was indicted by a federal grand jury in Pocatello on March 27, 2018.
According to court records, investigators from Power County Sheriff’s Office, Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, Rexburg Police Department, and other cooperating agencies served a search warrant on Turnbeaugh’s home in Rockland on July 11, 2017. During the search of Turnbeaugh’s garage, investigators found approximately 356 grams of methamphetamine, packaged in eleven small bags. Turnbeaugh had stashed the methamphetamine in a barrel of chicken feed. Investigators also found approximately 2.6 pounds of marijuana in Turnbeaugh’s bedroom, as well as guns in the house and garage.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine is punishable by up to 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine, and at least four years of federal supervised release after incarceration.
Turnbeaugh’s sentencing is set for December 4, 2018 before Chief U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.
This case was investigated through the combined efforts of the Power County Sheriff’s Office, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, the Rexburg Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Power County Prosecutor’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP). The EIP is a collaborative effort among local communities, law enforcement, the State of Idaho, and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho. The partners combine efforts to fund and support a Special Assistant United States Attorney, or “SAUSA.” The SAUSA, Bryan Wheat, works with local prosecutors and law enforcement to prosecute serious local crimes in federal court. The Partnership focuses its efforts on regional drug trafficking, gun and gang violence, internet based crimes against children, and other serious crimes with a federal nexus that affect the southeast Idaho region.
"I'm grateful for the agencies and law enforcement officers who have helped out in this case," said Power County Prosecutor Anson Call. “Power County has been well served by the teamwork from our Eastern Idaho Partners. We are excited to continue to be a part of the Partnership's collaborative effort to target serious crime in eastern Idaho, and to make Power County a safer place."
“This case is another great example of the teamwork of the Eastern Idaho Partnership," said U.S. Attorney Bart Davis. “We are very happy to have such a close relationship with our local partners. Efforts like this one help make our communities safer.”
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Recycling Executive Guilty of Fraud and Tax Offenses in Scheme to Landfill and Re-Sell Potentially Hazardous WasteRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of two recycling businesses illegally landfilled potentially hazardous electronic waste as part of a scheme to re-sell the materials and avoid paying income taxes, according to his guilty plea in federal court in Chicago.
BRIAN BRUNDAGE owned Intercon Solutions Inc. and EnviroGreen Processing LLC, which purported to recycle electronic waste on behalf of corporate and governmental clients. Brundage represented to the clients that the materials would be disassembled and recycled in an environmentally sound manner. In reality, from 2005 to 2016, Brundage caused thousands of tons of e-waste and other potentially hazardous materials to be landfilled, stockpiled, or re-sold at a profit to companies who shipped the materials overseas, according to a plea agreement filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Brundage admitted evading $743,984 in federal taxes by concealing the income he earned from re-selling the e-waste and from paying himself funds that he falsely recorded as Intercon business expenses. Brundage spent the purported expenses for his own personal benefit, including wages for a nanny and housekeeper, jewelry purchases, and payments to the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Ind., the plea agreement states.
Brundage, 46, of Dyer, Ind., pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of wire fraud, which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, and one count of tax evasion, which is punishable by up to five years. U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow set sentencing for Feb. 27, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John C. Kocoras, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Brad Ostendorf, Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division; James M. Gibbons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; and Carol Fortine Ochoa, Inspector General of the U.S. General Services Administration. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean J.B. Franzblau and Kelly Greening of the Northern District of Illinois, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Crissy Pellegrin of the EPA.
According to the plea agreement, Brundage caused employees of Chicago Heights-based Intercon and Gary, Ind.-based EnviroGreen to sell some of the e-waste and other materials to vendors whom Brundage knew would ship the materials overseas. Some of the materials contained Cathode Ray Tubes, which are glass video display components of computer and television monitors, and which contain potentially hazardous amounts of lead. Brundage admitted causing multiple tons of CRT glass and other potentially hazardous materials to be destroyed in environmentally unsafe ways and later landfilled.
Recent Prosecutions of Firearm and Gang-Related Offenses in Fresno AreaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — As part the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California’s strategy to reduce violent crime, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced the following cases involving illegal firearms and gang-related offenses.
A federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment on September 6, 2018, against Miguel Rodriguez, 37, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents, on July 17, 2018, Rodriguez was found to be in possession of a .357 revolver in Reedley. Rodriguez had multiple previous felony convictions, and is prohibited from possessing a firearm. This case is the product of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Reedley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. McKeon is prosecuting the case. The charges against Rodriguez are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Nicholas Delt, 35, of Fresno, pleaded guilty Monday to being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm after incurring a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction. According to court documents, police officers attempted to stop Delt while he was driving with an expired registration. Delt failed to stop, drove for approximately half a mile, then got out of the vehicle and ran on foot. When officers caught Delt, they found a loaded handgun with a high capacity magazine in his waistband. Delt has previously been convicted of second degree burglary, a felony, and inflicting corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant, a misdemeanor. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on January 7, 2019. This case is the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case.
Juan Briceno, 37, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by Judge Drozd to five years in prison for distribution of a controlled substance. On June 18, 2018, Briceno pleaded guilty to the charges. Briceno was arrested along with several other defendants as part of a long-term, multi-agency investigation into a Fresno-area street gangs. According to court documents, between February 14, 2017, and December 2, 2017, Briceno sold a confidential informant 141 grams of methamphetamine and 129 grams of cocaine. This case was investigated by the ATF, DEA, HSI, FBI, USMS, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation–Division of Adult Parole, Fresno County Probation, the United States Attorney’s Office, and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. The arrests and search warrants were conducted as part of a joint investigation of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Alsworth and Kimberly A. Sanchez prosecuted the case.
Cecilio Alaniz Jr., 28, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday by Judge Drozd to six years and six months in prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. On June 25, 2018, Alaniz pleaded guilty to the charge. Alaniz was charged along with several other defendants following a multi-agency enforcement operation focused on illegal firearms trafficking and drug trafficking offenses. Others named in that case are pending trial and are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. According to court documents, between April 1 and November 11, 2015, Alaniz conspired with Jesse Mendoza to distribute methamphetamine. Alaniz provided methamphetamine to Mendoza, and on October 21, 2015, Mendoza sold a pound of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. This case was investigated by the ATF, DEA, HSI, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the Multi Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium (MAGEC), and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. The arrests and search warrants in the case were conducted as part of an investigation of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Alsworth and Kimberly A. Sanchez prosecuted the case.
The maximum statutory penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years 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.
These cases 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.
Oscar Martínez-Hernández, a.k.a. “Cali” Found Guilty of the Murder of A Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer Osvaldo Albarati-CasañasRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – Today, after a 11-day jury trial, a jury found Oscar Martínez-Hernández, a.k.a. “Cali;” guilty of the murder of Lieutenant Osvaldo Albarati-Casañas, a Federal Bureau of Prisons Correctional Officer, announced United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez Vélez. Lieutenant Albarati was murdered on February 26, 2013.
On January 28, 2015 a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a six count indictment charging nine individuals for the murder of Lieutenant Albarati. Defendants Ángel D. Ramos-Cruz, a.k.a. “Api;” Miguel Díaz-Rivera, a.k.a. “Bolo;” Juan Quiñones-Meléndez, a.k.a. “El Manco;” Orlando Mojica-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Yogui;” Jayson Rodríguez-González, a.k.a. “Gonzo;” and Alexander Rosario de León, a.k.a. “Coquí;” are awaiting trial. Defendants Carlos Rosado-Rosado, a.k.a. “Cano;” and Jancarlos Velázquez-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Jan,” pleaded guilty on August 13, 2018.
During trial, the government proved that during the period of time prior to Albarati’s murder, Oscar Martínez-Hernández, a.k.a. “Cali;” was incarcerated at the MDC facility pending sentencing in another federal drug case. Martínez-Hernández would consistently use cell phones and had other contraband in his possession while in the facility. Martínez-Hernández and other inmates were angered that Lieutenant Albarati, a member of BOP’s Special Investigations Section, was consistently searching for contraband in the facility and challenged the leadership of the inmate population, including Oscar Martínez-Hernández. The government proved that Martínez-Hernández and these other inmates made a plan to pay individuals in the free community to murder Lt. Albarati as he went home from work.
At trial, witnesses testified that Martínez-Hernández watched from his cell on the evening of February 26, 2013 as Lt. Albarati left in his white Veloster and signaled to other inmates who were communicating with the hired gunman using a contraband cell phone. The gunman waited on the shoulder of Highway 22 near the Buchanan toll. The gunman stalked Lt. Albarati’s vehicle and eventually gunned down Lt. Albarati as he drove home. The gunmen used four .40 caliber fully automatic Glock pistols to commit the murder.
Evidence showed that Oscar Martínez-Hernández had agreed to contribute money for the murder and assisted with signaling to other inmates when Lt. Albarati left work. The jury found the defendant guilty of all six counts including the murder of a federal officer, murder for hire, conspiracy, and related firearms offenses.
“Throughout his law enforcement career, Lieutenant Albarati’s service was exemplary, selfless and courageous,” said United States Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. “With this conviction we take another step towards our goal of holding those who carried out this reprehensible and senseless murder accountable for their actions. The Department of Justice will continue to honor Lieutenant Albarati’s legacy as a public servant, his dedication to safeguard the community, and his integrity.”
The murder of government employees and officials is a crime punishable by death or imprisonment for any term of years or for life. Murder for hire is a crime punishable by death or imprisonment for any terms of years or for life. Use of a firearm resulting in death is also punishable by a maximum term of life.
The case was investigated by the FBI with the collaboration of the U.S.s Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, Miami Field Office, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, DEA, ATF, the United States Marshals Service, ICE-HSI, the Puerto Rico Police Department, the San Juan Municipal Police, and other law enforcement agencies that covered hundreds of leads developed as a result of the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas W. Cannon and Max Pérez-Bouret.
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Omaha Man Sentenced to 194 Months for Robbing Three Local BusinessesRead the Press Release
Justin C. McCoy, 30, was sentenced in federal court today in Omaha, Nebraska, for three counts of robbery and for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. The Honorable John M. Gerrard sentenced McCoy to 194 months of imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After completing his term of imprisonment, McCoy will begin a four-year term of supervised release.
On January 13, 2018, McCoy, brandishing a firearm, robbed the Scooter’s at 766 Gold Coast Drive in Papillion, Nebraska. He threatened an employee through the drive-through window and obtained $550.00.
On January 14, 2018, McCoy robbed Valentino’s Pizza at 5070 Leavenworth in Omaha. He waived a firearm at the two employees before taking $75.00
The same day McCoy robbed the Bucky’s at 11955 Pacific Street in Omaha. Brandishing a firearm, he demanded money. He obtained $155.00
U.S. Attorney Joe Kelly noted that the use of a firearm to rob three businesses of a total of $780.00 resulted in more than 16 years of imprisonment. Criminals using firearms will not be tolerated and those criminals will be aggressively pursued by federal authorities.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Great Plains Robbery Task Force, the Omaha Police Department, and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office.
Ohio Man Sentenced to 360 Months for Crossing State Line to Engage in Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. — David Robert Dunn, 60, of Beavercreek, Ohio, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison, by United States District Judge Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, for crossing a state line (Ohio to Kentucky) with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a person who was under 12 years of age.
Earlier this year, Dunn admitted that, in September of 2016, he traveled from Ohio to Scott County, Kentucky, with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor who was less than 12 years old. Dunn had posted an internet ad, to which an undercover investigator with the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office responded. During the ensuing communications between the investigator and Dunn, Dunn unequivocally indicated that he was intending to have sex with the investigator’s fictitious 13 and 6 year-old daughters. On September 26, 2016, Dunn was met by the investigator and other law enforcement officers, at a pre-arranged location in Scott County, where he was arrested.
Under federal law, Dunn must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office for five years.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Steven Igyarto, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations; and Andy Beshear, Kentucky Attorney General, jointly made the announcement.
The investigation was conducted by the DHS-HIS and the Cyber Crimes Branch of the Kentucky Office of Attorney General. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney David A. Marye.
Norwich Man Charged with Distributing Fentanyl on the Dark Web, Possessing Automatic WeaponRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that, on September 6, 2018, a federal grand jury in Bridgeport returned an 11-count indictment charging BARRY DUCLOS, 39, of Norwich with fentanyl analogue trafficking and firearm possession offenses.
DUCLOS appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons in Bridgeport and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges. DUCLOS has been detained since his arrest on a criminal complaint on February 12, 2018.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, between September 2017 and February 2018, DUCLOS operated a vendor page known as “Dream Market” on the dark web. DUCLOS, using the alias 1NOLEFB1, advertised the sale of fentanyl analogues on Dream Market. He then used the U.S. Mail to ship fentanyl analogues to customers who paid for the drugs using Bitcoin.
A search of DUCLOS’s residence at the time of his arrest revealed a YHM rifle with multiple magazines, two of which were extended magazines. The firearm was loaded with a round in the chamber. Investigators also located and seized a quantity of fentanyl from the residence.
It is further alleged that DUCLOS was convicted in state court, in February 2001, of sale of narcotics and, in March 2017, of larceny in the third degree.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
The indictment charges DUCLOS with one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 10 grams or more of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years. The indictment also charges DUCLOS with eight counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl analogues, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count. DUCLOS also is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and offense that carries a mandatory consecutive five-year term of imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Richards.
Nineteen (19) Arrested in Waco on Federal Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Federal and state authorities have arrested 19 individuals for their alleged roles in a methamphetamine distribution operation in the Waco area, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, Houston Division; FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; Waco Police Chief Ryan Holt; and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw.
A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the defendants with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The defendants include:
Name Age Residence Statutory Maximum Penalty
Rene Marquez Lopez 42 Waco 10 years to life imprisonment
Peter Nino 34 Waco 10 years to life imprisonment
Brandon Roy Stout 34 Waco 10 years to life imprisonment
Lloyd Ray Gatlin 44 Waco 10 years to life imprisonment
**Justin Rene Hernandez 31 Dallas 10 years to life imprisonment
Cruz Oviedo 26 Austin 10 years to life imprisonment
Kyle Anthony Baker 33 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Juli Jenice Aleman (aka Juli Jenice Garcia) 41 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
**Devito Dembinsky 30 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Benito Rodriguez 37 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
**Decedreon Miller 38 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Ricky Rivera 43 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Julian Rivera 39 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Shauna Gilstrap 39 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
James Leroy McMillion 54 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Brent May 55 Whitney, TX 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Sandra Oviedo (aka Sandra Cardenas) 25 Austin 5 to 40 years imprisonment
**Jesus Juan Lopez 41 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment
Nicholas Charles Caufield 43 Waco 5 to 40 years imprisonment** Already in custody prior to today
Authorities allege that since January 2017, these defendants were responsible for the distribution of large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Waco and surrounding areas.
During this investigation, authorities seized approximately nine pounds of methamphetamine.
All of the defendants remain in federal custody pending detention hearings expected to occur next week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske in Waco.
The DEA, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Waco Police Department are investigating this case. The U.S. Marshals Service and the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance with today’s arrests. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris is prosecuting these cases on behalf of the Government.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
New York Resident and New Jersey Corporation Sentenced in $14 Million Conspiracy to Commit Tobacco Excise Tax FraudRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The corporate officer of the House of Oxford Inc., a New Jersey corporation, Alex Goldman, 43, of Great Neck, New York, was sentenced today to three years in prison, for conspiracy to commit tobacco excise tax fraud, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
In addition, House of Oxford was sentenced to two years of probation where it will be subject to search and required to have financial records monitored. Additionally, House of Oxford and Alex Goldman agreed to the civil forfeiture of approximately $14 million in assets that represented the proceeds of the fraud scheme including cash, various investments, vehicles, artwork and jewelry.
According to court documents, House of Oxford conspired with multiple individuals and other business entities operating in California to provide tens of millions of dollars in untaxed other tobacco products (OTP) to businesses with the knowledge that the OTP would be sold illegally in the state of California. In total, House of Oxford and Goldman, defrauded the State of California out of approximately $14 million in tobacco excise tax revenue.
A large percentage of the proceeds of the excise tax are used to fund California’s early childhood development program, First 5 California. As a result of this case, approximately $14 million in forfeited assets were returned to the State of California through the U.S. Department of Justice’s remission program.
“This case is the result of a highly successful collaborative effort involving federal and state investigators and prosecutors, working side-by-side,” said U.S. Attorney Scott. “The judgment handed down today should serve as a warning to those who consider stealing from the public. We will work hard to recover those funds and ensure that those responsible are held accountable.”
“This partnership has helped California recover approximately $14 million,” said California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) Director Nick Maduros. “The CDTFA, in collaboration with law enforcement, is committed to recovering revenue lost to tax evasion and fraud in order to help fund the vital public services on which Californians rely.”
This case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the former California State Board of Equalization, now the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Rosanne L. Rust prosecuted the case.
New Orleans Attorney Sentenced to 18 Months Probation for Bank TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – HILLIARD FAZANDE, III (“FAZANDE”), age 50, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to 18 months probation and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,000 to Hancock Whitney Bank, announced United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to court documents, on October 26, 2015, FAZANDE opened a bank account at the Whitney branch located at 3001 Holiday Drive in New Orleans, Louisiana. On October 30, 2015, FAZANDE endorsed and deposited a TD Bank $387,000 cashiers check made payable to “Attorney Hilliard C. Fazande III” into his account at the Whitney branch located at 3001 Holiday Drive in New Orleans, Louisiana. On October 31, 2015, FAZANDE went to the Whitney branch located at 8300 Louisiana Highway 23 in Belle Chasse, Louisiana and presented a bank teller with a temporary Whitney check in the amount of $5,000.00 knowing that he did not have sufficient funds to cover the transaction due to a bank hold on the $387,000.00 check. FAZANDE then made a $5,000.00 cash withdrawal from his account. On November 4, 2015, a Whitney employee contacted FAZANDE and advised him that the $387,000.00 check was counterfeit and that he must return the $5,000.00 he withdrew. FAZANDE never returned the money to the Whitney Bank.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Fraud Section Chief, Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
New Jersey Heroin Supplier Sentenced to More Than 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DAVID MONSERATTE TORRES, 30, of New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 170 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for trafficking heroin.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation headed by the DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Stamford Police Department, Norwalk Police Department and Connecticut State Police into a drug trafficking organization led by Wilfredo Gutierrez, also known as “Bean” and “Big Pun,” and his brother, Bobby Gutierrez, also known as “B.O.” The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that Wilfredo Gutierrez, Bobby Gutierrez and others conspired to distribute at least 10 kilograms of heroin in Fairfield County between September 2015 and May 2016. TORRES was the Gutierrez brothers’ main source of heroin for several years.
TORRES was arrested on May 31, 2016. On July 5, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, and admitted that he was involved in the distribution of more than 30 kilograms of heroin.
After TORRES pleaded guilty and while he was released on bond pending sentencing, an investigation revealed that he had purchased U-47700, a synthetic opioid also known as “Pink,” over the dark web. On March 7, 2017, TORRES was arrested by the DEA in New York. A search of his person and vehicle revealed approximately 60 grams of U-47700, approximately 100 grams of heroin, and $8,600 in cash.
TORRES has been detained since his arrest on March 7, 2017.
Nine individuals were charged as a result of the investigation. All pleaded guilty, and TORRES is the last to be sentenced.
On March 16, 2017, Wilfredo Gutierrez was sentenced to 180 months of imprisonment and, on April 24, 2017, Bobby Gutierrez was sentenced to 160 months of imprisonment. Bobby Gutierrez also was ordered to forfeit $171,462 in cash.
On April 13, 2018, TORRES pleaded guilty in the Southern District of New York to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. He awaits sentencing in that case.
The DEA’s Bridgeport High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force includes members from the Bridgeport, Stamford, Stratford, Norwalk, Milford and Trumbull Police Departments, and the Connecticut State Police.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Kaplan and Heather Cherry.
Nashua Resident Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Federal Employee Disability Benefit ProgramRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Kenneth Dunn, 60, of Nashua, pleaded guilty to making false statements to obtain federal employee disability benefits, announced United States Attorney Scott W. Murray.
The United States Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (“OWCP”) provides workers’ compensation benefits to employees of the federal government, including the United States Postal Service (USPS), who are totally or partially disabled due to injuries sustained during the course of their employment. While receiving the benefits, a disabled employee is required to report all employment for which he or she received a salary, wage, or payment of any kind in annual reports submitted to the OWCP. A disabled employee is also required to provide documentation from a medical doctor to demonstrate his or her continued eligibility for the benefits and report any improvements to his or her physical condition.
According to documents and statements made in court, Dunn was hired as a Rural Letter Carrier in April 1985. In November 2010, Dunn began to receive OWCP disability benefits due to employment-related injuries to his neck, back, and arm. While receiving the disability benefits, Dunn repeatedly reported to the OWCP that was not able to work in any capacity and he was not engaged in any employment activity.
However, from 2010 through 2017, Dunn conducted thousands of transactions related to the purchase and sale of comic books on the internet, and failed to report the business activity to the OWCP. In addition, on several occasions from October of 2016 to February of 2018, a Special Agent from the USPS – Office of Inspector General observed Dunn engaged in physical activities inconsistent with his reported symptoms and alleged total disability. The activities included: entering and exiting his car; clearing substantial amounts of snow off, and from around, his car; driving; walking up and down a flight of 30 stairs; conducting personal and business-related errands for several hours; and lifting and carrying items of various size, shape, and weight. Dunn was able to perform these tasks without any apparent physical limitation, pain, or discomfort and in conflict with medical documentation from Dunn’s treating physician.
At a Comicon event in Manchester on September 17 and 18, 2016, Dunn set up a vendor booth and repeatedly bent over to place or pick up large boxes filled with comic books. He set up and dismantled a comic book display, sold comic books for cash, and stood and sat for long periods without any apparent physical limitation or discomfort. Dunn repeated the same activities at the Comicon event in Manchester on September 16 and 17, 2017.
The court documents also reveal that Dunn provided false information about his physical condition to a doctor in February 2017 and March 2018, and false information about his physical condition and work-history to the OWCP in February 2017 and 2018 in order to receive the disability benefits. Because of this fraudulent conduct, Dunn received disability benefits totaling $87,736 from September of 2016 through July of 2018.
Dunn will be sentenced on January 3, 2019.
“Workers’ compensation benefits are an important source of financial support for individuals who cannot work due to their disabilities,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Unfortunately, some individuals seek to take advantage of the system to obtain money that they don’t deserve. In order to protect taxpayer money, we will not hesitate to prosecute those who defraud workers’ compensation or other benefit programs.”
“The federal Workers’ Compensation program was created to help those who are recovering from injuries obtained on-the-job,” stated USPS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Modafferi. “When a former Postal Service employee defrauds the Workers' Compensation program, the Special Agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General will work tirelessly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the integrity of this federal benefit program.”
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Kinsella.
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Multistate Drug Organization Dismantled; 31 Defendants Face Federal Drug and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—In arrest operations that stretched across the country for the past week, law enforcement officers have arrested multiple defendants in an effort to disrupt a transnational drug-trafficking organization responsible for distributing hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine in central Arkansas.
Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Justin C. King, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Little Rock Field Office, announced the arrests and the unsealing of a federal indictment charging 31 defendants with 53 counts that include federal drug, firearm, and money laundering offenses. This afternoon, two defendants in California were arraigned on money laundering charges, bringing the total number of people arrested thus far to 23. In operations that began last Thursday, the DEA and its law enforcement partners have arrested four people in California and 19 in central Arkansas. Of the 19 local defendants served with arrest warrants, four were already in state custody and two in federal custody. Eight defendants remain fugitives, four in Arkansas and four in California.
This drug-trafficking organization is alleged to be led by Eric Baldwin, 29, and Nicholas Robinson, Jr., 23, both of Little Rock. The indictment named 23 defendants from the central Arkansas area—where the drugs were distributed—and eight defendants from southern California, which is alleged to be the source of the drugs.
“This criminal organization stretched from Arkansas to California, and was responsible for distributing large quantities of illegal drugs here in our neighborhoods, ”U.S. Attorney Hiland said. “This indictment demonstrates that our federal reach does not stop at the Arkansas border. If you sell illegal drugs in Arkansas, we will prosecute you. If you send illegal drugs to Arkansas, we will prosecute you. Our goal continues to be to ensure criminals pay a consistent, painful cost for hurting our people and poisoning our communities.”
This ongoing investigation was the result of several law enforcement agencies, led by the DEA, attacking the drug-trafficking organization on multiple fronts. During the course of the investigation in 2017 and 2018, the DEA utilized three court-authorized wiretaps to intercept hundreds of drug-trafficking calls. Law enforcement officers, including DEA agents and local police departments, conducted more than a dozen controlled purchases of drugs, resulting in seizures of more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as oxydocone and ecstasy pills.
In addition, the DEA worked closely with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service once agents discovered the organization’s primary method for getting drugs into Arkansas— the U.S. mail. Agents intercepted more than 15 packages, which contained 13 kilograms of methamphetamine and four kilograms of marijuana. Additional operations, including the execution of search warrants and state arrests, led to the seizure of another 7.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 8 kilograms of marijuana, 7 firearms, and more than $25,000 in drug proceeds.
The DEA also conducted an extensive financial investigation which revealed what is alleged to be the organization’s method of payment for the drugs—Wal-Mart to Wal- Mart wire transfers from Arkansas to California. During the investigation, it is alleged that individuals associated with this organization sent more than $250,000 to California for the purchase of controlled substances.
“The wreckage caused by drugs affects everyone,” DEA ASAC King said. “No matter the amounts of drugs they sell, drug dealers breed crime in our neighborhoods and are a danger to our children. The arrests in this multi-jurisdictional investigation demonstrate to the citizens of central Arkansas and across the nation that federal, state, and local law enforcement can come together and accomplish great things. It should also serve as a warning to drug dealers here and beyond—regardless of your innovative tactics, we will arrest you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, in conjunction with the United States Postal Inspection Service, and with assistance from multiple agencies, including: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Arkansas State Police, Little Rock Police Department, Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, Benton Police Department, Saline County Sheriff’s Office, Conway Police Department, Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office, First Judicial District Drug Task Force, Central Drug Task Force, Arkansas Department of Community Corrections, and the Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Task Force. The agencies assisting on arrest operations include: the FBI, U.S. Marshal Service, Office of Inspector General-Social Security Administration, North Little Rock Police Department, Jacksonville Police Department, and the Office of the Arkansas Attorney General.
The charges in today’s unsealed indictment include conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, marijuana, and oxycodone; distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, marijuana, and oxycodone; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; felon in possession of a firearm; use of a phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime; and conspiracy to commit money laundering offenses.
The maximum penalty for the drug charges is not less than 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment, and a $10,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime is not less than five years in prison and up to life imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for using a phone to facilitate a drug-trafficking crime is not more than four years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for money laundering is not more than 20 years in prison, and a $500,000 fine.
Trial is set for October 22, 2018, before Chief District Judge Brian S. Miller. The case, docketed as Case No. 4:18-cr-00466 BSM, is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Givens. The defendants charged include:
Khambria Allen, 22, Little Rock, AR %
Eric Baldwin, 29, Little Rock, AR $
John Bowman, 34, Bryant, AR
John Christopher Burch, 46, Conway, AR *
Justin Collins, 29, Augusta, AR
Kamie Collins, 31, Augusta, AR
Jason Flowers, 36, Little Rock, AR %
Windell Fountain, 50, Victorville, CA %
Jennifer Gosnell, 27, Conway, AR
Blake Gray, 36, Judsonia, AR
Deketric Harper, 23, Judsonia, AR %
Roderick Isom, 35, Little Rock, AR
Aundre Lamar Jones, 31, Los Angeles, CA ^
Patricia Janae Kennon, 30, Los Angeles, CA %
Chad Lane, 23, Mabelvale, AR *
Robert McIntosh, III, 35, Little Rock, AR
Lewis Miles, 47, Blytheville, AR $
Aaron Lynn Parks, 35, Conway, AR *
Deaundry Peoples, 27, Little Rock, AR *
Ryan Rielly, 28, Benton, AR
Joseph Riggins, Jr., 27, Little Rock, AR
Nicholas D. Robinson, Jr., 23, Little Rock, AR %
Nicholas D. Robinson, Sr., 46, Little Rock, AR
Christopher Sanders, 39, Burbank, CA ^
Francis Andre Scott, 35, Los Angeles, CA %
Lemar Devon Steward, 23, Benton, AR
Autumn Talley, 30, Paramount, CA ^
April Treat, 30, Greenbrier, AR
Lorene Wilhite, 51, Los Angeles, CA^
Ortez Williams, 25, Benton, AR
George Perry Wright, 35, North Hollywood, CA %
$ already in federal custody
* already in state custody
^ arrested in California
% fugitive
An indictment contains only allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available on-line at
http://www.justice.gov/edar Twitter:
@EDARNEWS
Multiple Defendants Indicted for Heroin and Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment yesterday charging Caroline County residents and a City of Richmond man with conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl and a number of other drug trafficking crimes, including distribution and possession with intent to distribute a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the death of Elizabeth Rosie on or about Nov. 28, 2017.
According to the indictment, Leonus Stevenson Peterson, 43, of Richmond, Gregory Kenneth Rosie, 42 of Caroline County, Marcus Ian Watson, 43, of Caroline County and Jenna Rose Queen, 33, of Caroline County, were charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and more than 40 grams of fentanyl over a twelve-month period of time. If convicted of this count, the defendants face a mandatory minimum term of 5 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
According to the indictment, Peterson and Rosie also were charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute a mixture that contained heroin and fentanyl on or about Nov. 28, 2017, the use of which resulted in the death of Elizabeth Rosie, who was Greg Rosie’s wife. If convicted, the men face a mandatory minimum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, Colonel Gary T. Settle, Virginia State Police Superintendent, and Tony Lippa, Jr., Caroline County Sheriff, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman is prosecuting 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-90.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Most Wanted Fugitive Arraigned on Multi-Million Dollar Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Etienne Allonce is scheduled to be arraigned today before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco at the federal courthouse in Central Islip on charges of health care fraud and conspiracy, for allegedly defrauding Medicare and Medicaid out of millions of dollars. Allonce was expelled from Haiti to face the charges in the indictment pending here, and turned over to the custody of law enforcement agents. Prior to his return to the United States, Allonce was placed on the Most Wanted list of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Scott J. Lampert, Special Agent-in-Charge, HHS-OIG, Office of Investigations, New York Region, announced the charges.
According to the indictment returned in 2007, Allonce and his wife, Helen Michel, were co-owners and operators of Medical Solutions Management, Inc. (MSM), a medical equipment company located in Hicksville, New York. MSM provided durable medical equipment and supplies to nursing homes. Between April 2003 and March 2007, Allonce and Michel allegedly submitted $10 million in false claims to Medicare and Medicaid seeking payment for medical supplies purportedly provided to patients at nursing homes, when those medical supplies had not been provided. Allonce fled the United States hours before federal agents arrested Michel. Michel was tried and convicted by a jury in August 2012 and she was sentenced in April 2013 to 12 years’ imprisonment and ordered to forfeit $1.3 million that had been seized by the government. Michel served her sentence and was released from prison in December 2017.
“Today begins the process of holding Allonce responsible for his crimes, more than a decade after he was indicted for healthcare fraud and left the United States,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “The prosecution of Allonce demonstrates the resolve of this Office and our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who defraud vital benefit programs relied upon by millions of Americans.”
“Mr. Allonce allegedly thought he could escape his crimes by leaving the United States, and hiding as a fugitive for more than a decade, leaving his wife behind to answer for their defrauding American taxpayers,” stated Assistant Director-in-Charge Sweeney. “Regardless of the crime, be it healthcare fraud or bank robbery, if criminals break the law and are charged, they will be held accountable.”
“We are committed to investigating those responsible for health care fraud, including this former HHS-OIG Most Wanted fugitive, who stole scarce taxpayer money intended to pay for legitimate patient care,” stated HHS-OIG Special Agent-in-Charge Lampert. “The pursuit and arrest of Mr. Allonce is a reflection of our determination, and that of our law enforcement partners, to hold fraudsters accountable for their crimes no matter where they run or try to hide.”
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant Etienne Allonce is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Charles P. Kelly, Burton T. Ryan, Jr. and Madeline O’Connor.
The Defendant:
ETIENNE ALLONCE
Age: 55
Port au Prince, HaitiE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 07-889(JFB)
Milledgeville Felon Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Gun Possession Under Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
MACON: Charles E. Peeler, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia, announces that Arthur Lee Bennett, age 45, of Milledgeville, Georgia was sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for Possession of a Stolen Firearm before U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell in Macon, Georgia on September 19, 2018.
In his plea agreement, Mr. Bennett admitted that the Georgia State Patrol stopped him for speeding on August 12, 2017. While waiting for confirmation that Mr. Bennett had an outstanding probation violation warrant, a Trooper attempted to detain him, but Mr. Bennett fled on foot. An inventory of Mr. Bennett’s car revealed a loaded .380 caliber pistol which had been reported as stolen from an evidence locker at the Milledgeville Police Department. Mr. Bennett was subsequently arrested, and the police confirmed he had felony convictions for Burglary, Possession of Cocaine, Armed Robbery and Interference with Government Property.
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.
“Felons with stolen guns are headed to federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Charles E. Peeler. “I commend the ATF and Georgia State Patrol for bringing Mr. Bennett to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Georgia State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Easterling is prosecuting the case.
Questions regarding this case should be addressed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, at 478-731-1824 or [email protected]
Michigan City Man Sentenced to 180 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Shed Woods, 38 years old, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Robert L. Miller, Jr. after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U. S. Attorney Kirsch.
Woods was sentenced to 180 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, in November 2017, Woods possessed a firearm while having been convicted of four prior felonies. Wood also has two misdemeanor convictions and eleven other contacts with the law.
This case was investigated by the ATF and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Frank E. Schaffer.
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Mexican National Sentenced for East Texas Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MARSHALL, Texas - A 20-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Benigno Guzman Ortiz pleaded guilty on May 21, 2018, to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 58 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.
According to information presented in court, on Sep. 29, 2017, Ortiz was stopped for a traffic violation in Cass County, Texas. During the stop, law enforcement officers requested consent to search the van Ortiz was driving. Ortiz gave consent and the search revealed 15 bundles of methamphetamine concealed within the rear hatch of the van. Ortiz was arrested and admitted that he had been recruited to drive the van containing methamphetamine from Houston to Texarkana, Arkansas. Ortiz was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 18, 2017, and charged with drug trafficking violations.
This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol and Criminal Investigations Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.
Mexican National Indicted on Heroin Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday in connection with drug trafficking activities that resulted in the seizure of approximately four kilograms of suspected heroin.
Miguel Angel Torres Morales, 39, was indicted on one count of possession with the intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. Torres Morales was arrested on Aug. 21, 2018, and charged by criminal complaint; he has been detained since then.
According to court documents, a cooperating witness arranged to purchase four kilograms of “china white,” referring to fentanyl, from a large-scale narcotics distributor for $55,000 per kilogram. The distributor agreed to deliver the drugs to the cooperating witness using a courier. On Aug. 20, 2018, Torres Morales drove a tractor trailer to the area of the “Park and Ride” parking lot on Granite Avenue in Milton to deliver the drugs. Federal agents stopped the tractor trailer and, in a cabinet behind the driver’s seat, located four brick-packed kilograms of tan powder wrapped in cellophane. A field test of the powder tested positive for heroin.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million. Torres Morales will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren A. Graber of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mexican Citizen Admits Illegal Re-entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alejandro Olvera-Servin, age 38, and a citizen of Mexico, pled guilty today to illegal re-entry into the United States.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Robert N. Garcia, Acting Chief Patrol Agent, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector.
Olvera-Servin admitted as part of his guilty plea that he is a citizen of Mexico, and that he was removed from the United States to Mexico on March 19, 2016 and again on April 27, 2018. On each occasion, Olvera-Servin had been arrested by immigration authorities in Texas after he entered the United States without inspection from Mexico.
On June 19, 2018, he was arrested by a Border Patrol Agent in Mooers, New York, after he illegally entered the United States from Canada by walking across the border approximately 10 miles to the west of the Champlain Port of Entry, thereby avoiding immigration and customs inspection. Olvera-Servin admitted that he returned to the United States without permission following the 2016 and 2018 removals. Olvera-Servin claimed to have been living in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, prior to his 2016 removal.
Olvera-Servin faces up to 2 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when he is sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Lawrence E. Kahn on January 17, 2019. 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 was investigated by Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Ten Years for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Halsey B. Frank announced that Steven Talbot, 32, of Wakefield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Jon D. Levy to ten years in prison and eight years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2018.
Court records reveal that on December 4, 2017, Talbot transported 80 grams of fentanyl from Massachusetts to Maine for distribution to a person working with law enforcement. Law enforcement agents arrested Talbot and seized the fentanyl upon his arrival at the meeting location.
Talbot faced an enhanced penalty based upon a prior felony conviction for drug trafficking.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Maine State Police, and prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Strategy to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
Manchester Woman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Firearm CrimeRead the Press Release
CONCORD - Sara Johnson, 36, of Manchester, was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison for federal firearms crimes, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Johnson purchased a rifle in a private sale from an individual in New Hampshire sometime in 2015. Johnson subsequently provided the rifle to an individual Johnson knew to be a convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Johnson also purchased a pistol in 2015 in a private sale in Bow, New Hampshire. At the time of the purchase, the pistol’s serial number was intact. On June 9, 2016, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Johnson’s residence. A pistol with an obliterated serial number was found underneath a mattress. Testing later confirmed it to be the same pistol Johnson had purchased in 2015. Possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number is a violation of federal law.
Johnson previously pleaded guilty on February 15, 2018.
“Those who violate federal firearms laws jeopardize public safety and often put guns in the hands of criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Because those who provide firearms to felons increase the risk that those felons will commit violent crimes, we use Project Safe Neighborhoods and our other partnerships with law enforcement to identify and prosecute those who commit gun-related offenses.”
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is committed to targeting individuals who are prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms and have further engaged in trafficking those firearms into other criminals hands,” said Special Agent in Charge, Mickey Leadingham.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Manchester Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.
The case is part of ATF’s Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative, which is a federally-funded program intended to reduce gun violence through law enforcement training, public education, and aggressive law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute gun-related crimes.
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Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking in Omaha After Multiple Prior Immigration Removals to MexicoRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joseph P. Kelly announced that on September 20, 2018, United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Bernardo Williams-Jauregui, of Campeche, Mexico, to a 120-month term of imprisonment, to be served in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. He received a four-year term of supervised release. Williams-Jauregui pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Reentry of a Removed Alien after a prior felony conviction, and Use of Facilities in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Racketeering, all felony offenses.
On October 2, 2016, Williams-Jauregui entered the United States unlawfully through the U.S./Mexico border in California and made his way east to Omaha, arriving in the local area on approximately October 5, 2016. Williams-Jauregui conspired with other parties in Omaha and in Mexico to distribute methamphetamine in the Omaha area, and began trafficking methamphetamine almost immediately upon arrival.
On October 17, 2016, investigators seized a 21-pound load of methamphetamine that had recently arrived in Omaha and was intended for distribution in the local area. Investigators arrested three of Williams-Jauregui’s associates on October 17, 2016. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Williams-Jauregui on February 28, 2017. Williams-Jauregui had been removed from the United States to Mexico by immigration authorities on multiple prior occasions.
This was a joint investigation led by the Omaha Division of Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Division, assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Omaha Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Leader of Lawrence-Based Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to Heroin, Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The leader of a Lawrence-based heroin and fentanyl drug trafficking organization pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with orchestrating a wide-ranging operation that distributed multiple kilos of fentanyl and cocaine to customers in Lawrence and surrounding areas – including New Hampshire and Maine.
Juan Anibal Patrone, 28, a Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of being an alien in possession of a firearm. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2019. Patrone has been in custody since his arrest in May 2017.
On May 30, 2017, a large scale law enforcement operation dismantled two Lawrence-based drug trafficking organizations, one run by Patrone, and another led by Santo Ramon Gonzalez Nival, who was a source of supply for Patrone. Patrone and approximately 28 co-conspirators were arrested, including Gonzalez Nival and nine members of his drug trafficking organization. Gonzalez Nival previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 21, 2018.
Patrone ran his organization like a business. He bought drugs from suppliers, such as co-conspirator Domingo Gonzalez Martinez, who supplied drugs to Patrone out of the Corniel Market in Lawrence. He personally paid rent for stash houses, including 277 Merrimack Street and 20 Cambridge Street in Lawrence, and paid his brother, Josuel Moises Patrone-Gonzalez, and Oscar Marcano, to prepare and package drugs in those stash houses. He ran a crew of couriers, including some who worked in cars, like Luis Lugo and Leonel Vives, and others who walked the street, such as Daniel Diaz and Andruery Fanas Burgos, telling them specifically where to go and who to see. Similarly, Patrone personally directed his redistributors where to go to purchase narcotics to distribute, including Matthew Shover, Stacey Littlefield, Lacey Picariello, Reynaldo Duran Lora, and Rafael Arce – some of whom came from New Hampshire and Maine to obtain drugs to redistribute outside of Massachusetts. Patrone also paid Euclides Alcantara to register and insure his fleet of vehicles in false names, and to carry drug proceeds to the Dominican Republic.
In addition, Patrone openly discussed the size of his drug business with others, including family. In intercepted calls, he admitted that he had worked in the business for seven years and wanted to return to the Dominican Republic, where he planned to get out of the drug business and live well. Investigators learned from these calls that Patrone’s assets are primarily in the Dominican Republic, and the government has undertaken efforts to freeze and forfeit them as part of his sentence in this case.
Furthermore, during a search of Patrone’s home, agents found a 10mm Auto-Ordnance Corp, loaded with a magazine containing six 10mm rounds of ammunition.
In addition to yesterday’s plea, a member of the Nival Gonzalez organization was sentenced in federal court.
Bernaldo Rosario Santiago, 27, of Puerto Rica, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison, four years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit approximately $18,000. In June 2018, Santiago was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and at least 40 grams of fentanyl. Santiago was a redistributor for the Nival Gonzalez organization.
Patrone faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $10 million, and will be subject to deportation proceedings. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. The Massachusetts State Police and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.
Knoxville Resident Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor for Unlawful SexRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn.- On September 19, 2018, after a two-day trial before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, Chief U.S. District Judge, a jury found James Michael Hood, 54, of Knoxville, Tennessee, guilty of one count of attempted enticement of a minor for unlawful sex.
Sentencing has been set for February 13, 2019. Hood faces up to life in prison.
According to evidence revealed during the trial, in June 2017, Hood attempted to communicate with the 17-year-old female victim by friending her on Facebook. The victim blocked him after less than a day of him sending her inappropriate messages. The victim and her mother reported the inappropriate messages to law enforcement, who initiated an undercover operation posing as the young girl. Hood was provided with a phone number to use if he wanted to text the victim. Believing he was communicating with the young girl, within two minutes of receiving the number, he began texting her. Within 48 hours, he was sending her explicit sexual messages. Hood set up a meeting with the victim; however, instead of being met by the victim, he was met by law enforcement and arrested.
This investigation was conducted by the Knoxville Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, University of Tennessee Police and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Kolman represented the United States at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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