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10 October 2018
North Suburban Financial Adviser Charged with Fraud for Allegedly Swindling $2.5 Million from Elderly ClientsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago today filed a criminal fraud charge against a north suburban financial advisor for allegedly swindling more than $2.5 million from elderly clients.
LUCITA ZAMORAS owned a number of companies in Niles, including First Fidelity Financial Group LLC, JQH Ventures LLC, and Cornerstone Home Solutions. Zamoras held herself out as a financial adviser specializing in retirement planning, and targeted elderly individuals, particularly immigrants, according to a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Zamoras falsely claimed that client funds would be invested in safe, low risk investments, when, in fact, she spent some or all of the money on personal and business expenses, including gambling costs, payroll expenditures, credit card payments, airline tickets, car payments, and utilities, the information states.
Zamoras attempted to conceal the scheme by using newly raised investment funds to make Ponzi-type payments to earlier investors, the charge alleges. Zamoras intentionally failed to disclose these payments to both the new and earlier investors, the information states. From 2009 until August of this year, Zamoras defrauded at least a dozen investors out of approximately $2.5 million, the information states.
The information charges Zamoras, 55, of Chicago, with one count of mail fraud. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The information was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Craig Goldberg, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; Jeffrey A. Monhart, Regional Director of the Chicago office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; and Tanya Solov, Director of the Illinois Securities Department of the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which previously filed a civil enforcement action against Zamoras. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Stern.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Mail fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
North Carolina Man Facing Federal Indictment for the 2002 Murder of an Employee of an Upper Marlboro BusinessRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has indicted Levy Steven Moore, age 48, of Pollocksville, North Carolina, on the federal charge of murder resulting from using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The indictment was returned on August 27, 2018, and unsealed at Moore’s initial appearance today.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Henry P. Stawinski III of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Prince George’s County Sheriff Melvin C. High.
According to the indictment, on October 25, 2002, Moore and at least one other accomplice planned to rob the victim employee of the cash belonging to the business. The victim employee made a cash deposit of business funds and obtained money to be used in the operation of the business at a bank in Capitol Heights, Maryland. The indictment alleges that as the victim was returning to the car with a money bag containing the business’ funds, Moore robbed the victim of the money and shot the victim, who collapsed to the ground. The indictment alleges that Moore then got into the getaway vehicle driven by his accomplice. According to the indictment, while fleeing the scene the robbers struck the victim’s vehicle, ran over the victim, and left the victim lying in the bank parking lot.
If convicted, Moore faces a maximum sentence of death. The Attorney General will determine whether or not to seek the death penalty. Moore had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles B. Day today. Moore will complete his state sentence in North Carolina on unrelated charges, before returning to Maryland.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Gregory Bernstein, who are prosecuting the case.
New Prosecutors Added to U.S. Attorney's Office in Louisville to Combat Violent Crime and Fraud Against the TaxpayersRead the Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – United States Attorney Russell M. Coleman announced today that his office has added five new Assistant United States Attorneys; a historic addition, boosting the prosecutorial caseload of the office to tackle violent crimes through the Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative and increasing the office’s ability to combat fraud against the taxpayers.
“I could not be more excited to swear-in these talented and motivated new Assistant U.S. Attorneys today,” stated U.S. Attorney Russell Coleman. “As they embody “putting our money where our mouth is” in promising to tackle violent crime and drug trafficking in our Commonwealth.”
The addition of the five new federal prosecutors is part of a promise to crack down on violent crime in the 53 Counties of the Western District of Kentucky. With the addition of the new Assistant United States Attorneys the office now employs more than 40 full-time federal prosecutors. This increase in prosecutorial resources also includes three Assistant U.S. Attorneys in the Paducah field office; a first-ever long term dedication of this level of resources to the Purchase and Pennyrile areas of the Commonwealth.
One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is a commitment to aggressively reduce violent crime across the country, including all 53 counties in the Western District through true partnerships with all levels of law enforcement. Last month, U.S. Attorney Coleman announced that 84 total federal gun cases in Louisville had been brought this calendar year of as part of the PSN program in an effort to crack down against violent criminal activity in Jefferson County, with other indictments targeting violent offenders to be announced later this year.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs. I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face. Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”
The new Western District of Kentucky Assistant United States Attorneys include:
- Ann Marie Blaylock comes to the office from the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C where she served six-years, most recently as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Criminal Division. She successfully prosecuted the United States v. Eric Christopher Conn case. The Harvard Law School graduate also secured a conviction against former FBI counterintelligence agent Robert Lustyik.
- Hannah Choate joins the office from private practice working regulatory compliance matters, government and internal investigations, and complex commercial litigation as a law firm associate in Washington D.C. and New York. Hannah has represented clients since 2012 in multiple high profile cases before the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Hannah graduated from New York University School of Law, and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science and Global Studies from the University of Tennessee.
- Nicole Elver served as the past four-years as a partner with a law firm in Louisville conducting investigations and representing clients in criminal and civil and regulatory matters involving financial crimes, such as money laundering, fraud and securities fraud. Nicole also served as an associate with another law firm in Louisville from 2009 to 2014, and as staff attorney with the U.S. Securitas and Exchange Commission from 2001 to 2008; Nicole graduated with honors from Marquette University Law School.
- Alicia Gomez comes to the office after nearly eight years as an Assistant Commonwealth Attorney in Jefferson County. She is an experienced trial attorney with a wide range of cases, including murders and sexual offenses, drug crimes and firearms offenses. Most recently she worked with the Heroin Rocket Docket and the Special Victims Unit. Alicia graduated from both undergraduate and law school from the University of Louisville.
- Timothy Thompson is a 2011 graduate of the University of Kentucky College of Law where he graduated with honors and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Kentucky Law Journal. Following law school, Tim clerked for two years for Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Following his clerkship, and for the past five years, Tim has practiced in Louisville and was a member of his law firm’s business litigation practice team where he represented various types of corporate clients, defending them from claims like breach of contract, fraud, negligence, consumer protection, and federal civil rights.
New Jersey Resident Convicted of Threatening to Murder Congressman, StaffRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A New Jersey resident was convicted by a federal jury today of two counts of threatening to murder U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo and members of the congressman’s staff, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Joseph Brodie, 39, of Millville, New Jersey, was convicted in Camden federal court following a seven-day trial on two counts of making threats to officials, officers and employees of the United States – specifically, for threatening to murder LoBiondo’s chief of staff and threatening to murder LoBiondo, his chief of staff, his veterans affairs liaison, and all of the staff of the Mays Landing office. The jury deliberated for approximately six hours before returning the verdict.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence presented at trial:
In the spring of 2017, Brodie reached out to LoBiondo seeking assistance with the medical care and treatment that Brodie was receiving from the Veterans Administration. Over the course of the next few months, Brodie spoke and corresponded with the congressman’s Veterans Affairs Liaison and a caseworker, both of whom assisted him with appointments and meetings regarding his medical care. On Sept. 19, 2017, Brodie contacted the congressman’s office and spoke to the chief of staff on the phone. Brodie wanted the chief of staff to arrange a meeting with the congressman, but the chief of staff refused. During this phone call, Brodie became angry and ultimately threatened the life of the chief of staff – calling him “a dead man.”
Approximately an hour and a half later, Brodie sent an email to the congressman’s veterans’ affairs liaison as well as the caseworker, threatening their lives as well as the lives of the congressman and his staff in the Mays Landing Office. In this email, Brodie stated that he wanted to meet the congressman “face to face” and he pointed out “how easy” it was to find the congressman’s Mays Landing Office. Brodie also attached a terrain map of the area, with the area around the congressman’s office enlarged for detail and a red pinpoint location marker on the office. Writing about the map, Brodie stated, “[i]t even shows the environment and surrounding terrain, parking lots, wooded areas, etc., (like the kind a highly trained Combat Infantryman would use)…”
On the same day as the threats, Brodie sent text messages to his fiancée stating: “I threaten the life of a Congressman’s Chief of Staff. I’m pretty sure the Secret Service are going to investigate.” He also wrote that he was “prepared” for any law enforcement officers who might respond to his home. He wrote, “I’ll give them a chance to leave. If not, it’ll be First Blood Part II Type Shit (if you never saw that Rambo movie.” Brodie also wrote, “I won’t surrender. It’s not in me.” The same day, Brodie spoke to his fiancée on the phone and told her that he was going to an address in New Jersey, that he had GPS coordinates in his car, and that he was going to kill LoBiondo’s chief of staff, and that there was going to be a “blood bath.”
One week later, in a statement recorded by the FBI, Brodie confessed to having made the phone threat to the chief of staff on Sept. 19, 2017, and to having sent the email threat on Sept. 19, 2017.
The evidence showed that at the time Brodie made these threats, Brodie owned several firearms and a large amount of ammunition at his home.
U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; special agents of the U.S. Capitol Police, under the direction of Chief Matthew R. Verderosa; officers from the N.J. State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan; and the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, with the investigation leading to today’s conviction.
The counts on which Brodie has been convicted are punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara A. Aliabadi and Jason Richardson, of the Camden office.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison for Robbing Killingworth BankRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LAVON YOUNG, 39, of Union City, New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for bank robbery.
According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately noon on January 27, 2018, YOUNG and David C. Earl drove to a Key Bank branch located on East Main Street in Branford, and planned to rob the bank. They both exited the car wearing dark upper-body clothing. YOUNG also wore a dark, hooded sweatshirt and a green “scream mask” over his face. Earl wore a mask over his lower face, sunglasses over his eyes, and a red-hooded sweatshirt under his overcoat. The two men walked up to the bank entrance and pulled on the doors, but they were locked. They returned to their car and drove off.
Less than an hour later, YOUNG and Earl drove to a TD Bank branch on Route 81 in Killingworth. Dressed the same way when they had attempted to enter the Key Bank in Branford, YOUNG and Earl entered the TD Bank, told everyone to get down and demanded money from the tellers or else they would “blow their heads off.” Earl possessed a pellet gun during the robbery. A teller handed over multiple stacks of bills, totaling $9,754, and YOUNG and Earl fled.
YOUNG and Earl threw most of the money out of the windows of their car while driving from the bank, and while being pursued by law enforcement. They were eventually apprehended by East Haven Police. Investigators successfully recovered $9,479 of the $9,754 taken during the robbery.
YOUNG and Earl have been detained since January 27, 2018. On July 11, 2018, YOUNG pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery.
Earl, also of Union City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to the same charge on May 15, 2018. He awaits sentencing.
YOUNG’s criminal history includes a federal conviction for robbing a bank in Linden, New Jersey, in December 2008. In May 2013, he was sentenced in the District of New Jersey to 63 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release. He was released from federal prison in March 2017 and committed the Killingworth bank robbery while on supervised release. Supervised release violation proceedings for YOUNG are pending in the District of New Jersey.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police, Branford Police Department and East Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Henry Kopel and Douglas Morabito.
Multi-Convicted Felon Charged with Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating the federal firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The one-count indictment, returned on October 9, named Christian Burrus, age 36, as the sole defendant.
According to the indictment, on July 23, 2018, Burrus unlawfully possessed a Ruger 9 millimeter pistol and ammunition, after having been convicted of multiple crimes punishable by more than one year in prison. Those convictions include one conviction for possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and three convictions for firearms violations. Federal law prohibits anyone who has been convicted of a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Christy C. Wiegand is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Penn Hills Police Department, conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case. 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.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Monroe County Man Sentenced to 63 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Heroin and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON—The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, announced that Anton Woodson, age 34, of East Stroudsburg, was sentenced yesterday by Senior U.S. District Court Judge James M. Munley to serve 63 months in prison for his role in a Monroe County-based heroin and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Woodson previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than 100 grams of heroin and cocaine during 2014. Woodson admitted to being responsible for distributing between 100 grams and 400 grams of heroin, which translates to between approximately 4000 and 16,000 retail bags of heroin.
Woodson was one of seven people charged by a federal grand jury in a superseding indictment in March 2015. The others charged—Eddie Pace, Shawnette Isaac, Daryl Trent, Myron Owens, William Young, and Catherine Abbey—all have entered guilty pleas in the case. Trent was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment on drug and gun charges, and Isaac was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment for her role in the drug conspiracy. The other defendants, including Pace who was the leader of the drug ring, are awaiting sentencing.
Judge Munley also ordered that Woodson serve four years on supervised release following his prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, and local police from Monroe County. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa prosecuted the case.
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.
This case was also brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Mexican Citizen Admits Illegal Re-entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Alejandro Quintero-Marquez, age 33, 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 Thomas E. Feeley, Director of the Buffalo Field Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).
Quintero-Marquez was removed from the United States to Mexico three times, the most recent removal occurring on July 30, 2010. On July 28, 2018, an ICE Officer arrested him in Walton, New York. Quintero-Marquez admitted that he returned to the United States without permission following the July 30, 2010 removal.
Quintero-Marquez 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 Thomas J. McAvoy on February 11, 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 ICE-ERO and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Maryland Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to 35 Years for Committing Another Sex OffenseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven has sentenced William Patrick King (36) to 35 years in federal prison for attempted production of child pornography. King had pleaded guilty on February 22, 2018.
According to court documents, King met a 17-year-old girl from Tampa on a teen dating website. He falsely told her that he was 18 years old, when in fact he was then 34 years old. King communicated with the teen using Facebook, Skype, and by phone and text messages. He asked her to produce and send him explicit photos and engaged in nude video chats with her.
King has two prior sex offense convictions in Maryland that involved children.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Marion County man admits to methamphetamine distribution and a firearms violationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – William A. Six, of Fairmont, West Virginia, has admitted to selling crystal methamphetamine and having a firearm near a school, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Six, age 27, pled guilty to one count of “Distribution of Methamphetamine” and one count of “Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone.” Six admitted to selling crystal methamphetamine, also known as “Ice,” in Marion County in September 2017. Six also admitted to having a 12-gauge shotgun, and a semi-automatic rifle on the grounds of Washington Irving Middle School in Harrison County in September 2017.
Six faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug charge and faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the firearms in a school zone charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Three Rivers Drug Task Force, and the Fairmont Police Department investigated.U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Manager of Kenner Post Office Arrested by Federal AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today the arrest of RYAN S. CORTEZ, Manager of Customer Service Operations at the North Kenner Post Office located at 390 West Esplanade Avenue. CORTEZ, age 46, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, was arrested by special agents with the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“Postal OIG”) for Misappropriation of Postal Funds or Property, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1711.
According to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in federal court, Postal OIG agents were notified by PayPal and eBay regarding significant quantities of U.S. Postal stamps being sold by CORTEZ on eBay. A subsequent investigation by Postal OIG revealed that, as manager, Cortez had increased the Kenner North Post Office’s reserve stamp stock by more than $600,000. Subpoenaed records from CORTEZ's Regions Bank account revealed substantial deposits, including more than $58,000 in a one-month period in the summer of 2018.
During their investigation, Postal OIG agents determined CORTEZ withdrew thousands of dollars on a regular basis at the Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans. Harrah’s records revealed CORTEZ lost over $667,000 since 2011 and lost over $220,000 in 2017. Postal records indicate CORTEZ earned an annual salary of $70,818.
On October 10, 2018, Postal OIG special agents executed a federal search warrant issued by a federal magistrate judge at CORTEZ’s residence in Des Allemands. Postal agents arrested CORTEZ at the Kenner North Post Office earlier this morning.
The criminal complaint also indicates that CORTEZ embezzled approximately thousands of dollars from the Des Allemands Mennonite Church in Des Allemands, LA.
In total, Postal records reveal that CORTEZ stole over approximately $630,000 in U.S. stamps and sold them on eBay. According to Postal authorities, CORTEZ’s illegal activities constitute one of the largest internal Postal theft by a Postal Service employee in the history of the U.S. Postal Service.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a Complaint is merely a charge and that the guilt of a defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, CORTEZ faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine based on the charge outlined in the complaint. CORTEZ appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Knowles, III and was ordered remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Service pending a detention hearing scheduled for Thursday, October 11, 2018.
This case was investigated by special agents from the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”). The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
Man Selling Fake Drugs Sent to Prison for Possessing Real GunsRead the Press Release
A drug user who was selling a cutting agent claiming it was methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.
Kyle Starbuck, age 32, from North Liberty, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 7, 2018, guilty plea to being a drug user in possession of a firearm. At the guilty plea, Starbuck admitted he was an unlawful user of methamphetamine and heroin when he possessed a pistol.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that Starbuck attempted to buy a firearm in 2016 from a federally licensed firearms dealer, but was denied due to a recent conviction for an OWI. Later, in August 2016, Starbuck purchased a pistol, which had been stolen out of a vehicle the month before. He then acquired a rifle in October 2016.
In May 2017, law enforcement searched Starbuck’s residence and seized a rifle, ammunition, and loaded magazines. Starbuck was found that same day with almost 400 grams of MSM, a common cutting agent for methamphetamine, a loaded pistol, a second magazine of ammunition, and a bag with heroin residue. For the three days prior, Starbuck was selling the MSM claiming it was methamphetamine. During this time, Starbuck was a heavy user of methamphetamine and a regular user of heroin.
Starbuck was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Starbuck was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Starbuck 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 Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Johnson County Drug Task Force, the North Liberty Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndie Freeman and Emily Nydle.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 1:18-CR-00033-001.
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Louisiana Man Sentenced to Prison for his Role in Stolen Identity Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A former resident of Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to court documents, Aaron Daniels conspired with others to defraud the United States by submitting false tax returns that requested fraudulent tax refunds. Daniels obtained the names and social security numbers of people he was incarcerated with in the East Carroll Detention Center and provided that information to his co-conspirators to use to file false tax returns. In exchange for providing names and social security numbers, Daniels was paid by his co-conspirators.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, the court ordered Daniels to serve three years of supervised release, and pay $11,584 in restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Strasser commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Trial Attorney Lauren Castaldi of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hayden Brockett, who prosecuted the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Local Assemblyman Charged with BriberyRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that New York State Assemblyman Joseph A. Errigo, 79, of Conesus, NY, was charged by criminal complaint with bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, and honest services wire fraud. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Field, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, after receiving information regarding an unusually close relationship between a member of the New York State Assembly (Member A), a member other than Errigo, and a lobbyist, the FBI began investigating that relationship, to include a specific bribery scheme. The purpose of the proposed bribe was to induce Member A to introduce certain legislation.
The legislation at issue involved reducing the extent of local control over a pending development project in the Rochester area, and giving the state the ability to review the development project with the New York State Department of Transportation. The scheme initially included the person offering to pay the bribe (bribe payor), a registered New York State lobbyist (lobbyist), and Member A.
On September 4, 2017, the bribe payor and lobbyist met to discuss paying Member A money in exchange for legislation aimed at altering the proposed development project. During the conversation, the lobbyist suggested utilizing Errigo to introduce the legislation, so that the bill could not be traced to Member A. Member A, however, would assist in getting the legislation through a specific committee, according to the lobbyist.
On September 8, 2017, the bribe payor and lobbyist met once again. The bribe payor stated that he would have cash in the next week or so to give to the lobbyist and Member A. The lobbyist confirmed that he would accept the money and that the bill would be introduced within a month.On September 26, 2017, the bribe payor met the lobbyist at a public location and handed the lobbyist two envelopes, each containing $1,500. The lobbyist stated he would use the money to “grease the skids with Errigo.”
From October to December 2017, the bribe payor and lobbyist exchanged numerous text messages about arranging a meeting to pay Errigo to introduce the proposed legislation
The lobbyist scheduled a meeting between the bribe payor and Errigo on February 9, 2018, at the Assemblyman’s office in Pittsford, NY. At some point during the meeting, Errigo and the bribe payor exited the office together and walked to Errigo’s car, where the bribe payor placed an envelope on the front passenger seat. Subsequently, the lobbyist also arrived at Errigo’s office. The FBI has determined that the envelope contained $1,500 in cash. Also on February 9, 2018, the bribe payor emailed the lobbyist specific language for the proposed legislation that Errigo was going to introduce. On March 16, 2018, the bribe payor met with Errigo and provided him another payment of $2,000.
On March 27, 2018, Errigo introduced a bill consisting of the proposed legislation. Also on March 27, 2018, the bribe payor met with the lobbyist and paid him for his help in getting the legislation introduced. The FBI determined that the payment consisted of $2,000 in cash.
On April 13, 2018, the bribe payor met with Errigo and paid him $2,000 in cash for obtaining a bill number for the proposed legislation.
The bribe payor paid a total of at least $10,500 to Errigo and the lobbyist to assign a bill number to a proposed bill, and thereby introduce legislation and begin the process of obtaining passage of a State law. Errigo accepted a total of $5,500.
The defendant made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #Laurel County Man and Relatives Sentenced to 23 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. — Michael Shane McCormick, Sr., 52, of Corbin, Kentucky, was sentenced Tuesday to 23 years in federal prison, by United States District Gregory F. Van Tatenhove, for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking offense, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. McCormick, Sr.’s sentence was enhanced because his criminal history qualified him as a career offender and armed career criminal.
A man hunt for Michael Shane McCormick, Jr. led federal investigators to the residence of his father, Michael Shane McCormick, Sr., where they found over 100 grams of methamphetamine and eight loaded firearms, located strategically around the residence that McCormick, Sr. shared with his girlfriend Robin Lawson. Further investigation revealed that McCormick, Jr. and his girlfriend, Lindsey Johnson, had been importing kilogram quantities of methamphetamine from Georgia to Kentucky, to supply other drug dealers, including Joseph Money (McCormick, Sr.’s brother) and Medgitt Koontz Wood, IV. McCormick, Sr. pled guilty to the indictment.
Others conspiring with McCormick, Sr., to obtain and distribute methamphetamine, have also recently pled guilty and been sentenced, including Michael Shane McCormick, Jr. (188 months), Joseph Money (144 months), Lindsey Johnson (108 months), Medgitt Koontz Wood, IV (92 months), and Robin Lawson (46 months). Under federal law, the defendants must serve 85 percent of their prison sentences; and upon their release, they will be under the supervision of the United States Probation Office.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Stuart Lowrey, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF; Chris Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA; and Richard Sanders, Kentucky State Police Commissioner, jointly made the announcement. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew H. Trimble.
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.
Lafayette man sentenced for making threats to office of U.S. representative Clay HigginsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Lafayette man was sentenced to 30 months in prison for making threats through interstate communications to the Lafayette office of U.S. Representative Clay Higgins.
Sohail Rana, 50, of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell, who also ordered him to serve two years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing established that Rana called Higgins’ Lafayette office on July 17, 2017 while in Colorado and spoke to his district director. Rana was described as being irate, cursing and screaming during the call saying that he would end Higgins’ career and kill Higgins. The district director noted the phone number and reported the call within minutes to his chief of staff in Washington, D.C. The phone number used to call the office was traced to Rana’s cell phone, and he was later arrested in Colorado.
The U.S. Capitol Police-Threat Assessment Section, FBI, Lafayette Police Department and the Costilla County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
KC Man Indicted in $2.5 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man has been indicted for a $2.5 million tax fraud scheme that involved millions of dollars of false income he claimed for himself and his children.
Michael A. Kheop, 51, was charged in a six-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. That indictment was unsealed and made public today following Kheop’s arrest.
The federal indictment alleges that Kheop filed false claims for income tax refunds totaling $2,591,706 in his own and his minor children’s names from 2014 through 2018. Kheop allegedly created a fraudulent entity, Al-Aleem Engineering, in February 2013. According to the indictment, Kheop then created false W-2 forms in the name Al-Aleem, containing false income and withholding in order to fraudulently claim refunds in his own name and using his minor children’s names.
Kheop allegedly filed 12 fraudulent claims for refunds on behalf of his three minor children for tax years 2014 through 2017. Kheop allegedly filed three fraudulent claims for refunds in his own name for tax years 2015 through 2017. For example, the indictment says, Kheop claimed an income of $5 million for 2017 and filed on Jan. 29, 2018, for a refund of $1,562,579. The U.S. Treasury actually paid a total of approximately $24,322 to Kheop.
Kheop is charged with three counts of false claims, two counts of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
The charges contained in this indictment is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen D. Mahoney. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Justice Department Requires CVS and Aetna to Divest Aetna’s Medicare Individual Part D Prescription Drug Plan Business to Proceed with MergerRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it is requiring CVS Health Corporation (CVS) and Aetna Inc. (Aetna) to divest Aetna’s Medicare Part D prescription drug plan business for individuals in order to proceed with their $69 billion merger. The proposed divestiture to WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (WellCare), an experienced health insurer focused on government-sponsored health plans, including Medicare Part D individual prescription drug plans, would fully resolve the Department’s competition concerns.
“Today’s settlement resolves competition concerns posed by this transaction and preserves competition in the sale of Medicare Part D prescription drug plans for individuals,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The divestitures required here allow for the creation of an integrated pharmacy and health benefits company that has the potential to generate benefits by improving the quality and lowering the costs of the healthcare services that American consumers can obtain.”
The Department’s Antitrust Division, along with the offices of five state attorneys general, today filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to enjoin the proposed transaction, along with a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would fully resolve the Department’s competitive concerns. The participating state attorneys general offices represent California, Florida, Hawaii, Mississippi, and Washington.
CVS, the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain, and Aetna, the nation’s third-largest health-insurance company, are significant competitors in the sale of Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to individuals, together serving 6.8 million members nationwide.
According to the Department’s complaint, the combination of CVS, which markets its Medicare Part D individual prescription drug plans under the “SilverScript” brand, and Aetna would cause anticompetitive effects, including increased prices, inferior customer service, and decreased innovation in sixteen Medicare Part D regions covering twenty-two states. The complaint alleges that the loss of competition between CVS and Aetna would result in lower-quality services and increased costs for consumers, the federal government, and ultimately, taxpayers.
Under the terms of the proposed settlement, Aetna must divest its individual prescription drug plan business to WellCare and allow WellCare the opportunity to hire key employees who currently operate the business. Aetna must also assist WellCare in operating the business during the transition and in transferring the affected customers through a process regulated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The settlement also includes, consistent with other settlements, several provisions designed to improve the effectiveness of the decree and the Division’s future ability to enforce it.
CVS, headquartered in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, operates the nation’s largest retail pharmacy chain, owns a large pharmacy benefit manager called Caremark, and is the nation’s second-largest provider of individual prescription drug plans, with approximately 4.8 million members. CVS earned revenues of approximately $185 billion in 2017.
Aetna, headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, is the nation’s third-largest health-insurance company and fourth-largest individual prescription drug plan insurer, with over two million prescription drug plan members. Aetna earned revenues of approximately $60 billion in 2017.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed consent decree, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Peter Mucchetti, Chief, Healthcare and Consumer Products Section, Antitrust Division, Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street NW, Suite 4100, Washington, DC 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
Jamaican Citizen Indicted for Defrauding Elderly Albany CoupleRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kevin R. Palmer, age 36, a Jamaican citizen residing in Suwanee, Georgia, was indicted today and accused of stealing more than $320,000 from an elderly Albany couple in a mail-based prize scam.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith and Joseph Cronin, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Boston Division.
The indictment alleges that Palmer and conspirators mailed documents that falsely informed victims that they had won lottery and other prizes, and were required to pay fees and taxes in order to claim their prizes.
In 2017, R.H. and D.H., an elderly couple residing in Albany County, were contacted through the mail and by telephone, and were told that they needed to send money in order to obtain an inheritance and tax refund, and claim lottery and sweepstakes prize money, according to the indictment and a previously filed criminal complaint.
As instructed, R.H. and D.H. mailed bank checks to addresses in Georgia, including Palmer’s address. They mailed a total of 12 checks; 10 of these checks were payable to Palmer, and all 12 were deposited into bank accounts for which Palmer was a signatory.
The charges in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
On October 4, Postal Inspectors arrested Palmer at his residence in Georgia. Palmer is in federal custody in Georgia pending further proceedings, and will be arraigned in Albany, New York, at a later date. If convicted of mail fraud or mail fraud conspiracy, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Barnett.
Fraudsters routinely use the U.S. Mail to falsely inform victims that they have to pay “fees” or “taxes” in order to receive a tax refund, lottery or sweepstakes prize, or inheritance. These scams often target the elderly. To learn how to detect and avoid these scams, please visit the web site of the Federal Trade Commission, at https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0199-prize-scams.
International Association of Chiefs of Police Recognizes North Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office with Leadership AwardRead the Press Release
Fargo - U.S. Attorney Christopher C. Myers announced the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota was awarded the “Leadership in the Prevention of Transnational Crime Award” from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
Founded in 1893, IACP is a professional association for law enforcement worldwide, representing more than 30,000 members in more than 150 countries. IACP provides members with the opportunities to connect, participate, learn, advocate, and succeed. Throughout the past 100-plus years, IACP has launched historically acclaimed programs, conducted ground-breaking research, and provided exemplary programs and services across the globe. Professionally recognized programs such as the FBI Identification Division and the Uniform Crime Records system can trace their origins back to the IACP.
The award was presented at the IACP Annual Conference on October 9, 2018. U.S. Attorney Myers accepted the award on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He also addressed the Transnational Crime Subcommittee meeting during the Conference. The conference was attended by over 18,000 law enforcement officials from all over the world.
U.S. Attorney Myers stated, “I am honored that our office has been recognized as a leader in battling transnational criminal organizations by such a prestigious international organization like IACP. The credit goes to the fantastic employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the special team of agents and prosecutors that have spent the last 3 ½ years investigating and prosecuting ‘Operation Denial’”.
This leadership award resulted from the investigation and prosecution of “Operation Denial,” an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of fentanyl and other lethal drugs, and was significantly aided by the national and international coordination led by the multi-agency Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) near Washington D.C. as part of “Operation Deadly Merchant.” The investigation started in North Dakota on Jan. 3, 2015, with the overdose death in Grand Forks of 18-year-old Bailey Henke. To date, thirty-two (32) defendants have been charged as a result of the investigation
This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force; Royal Canadian Mounted Police; Portland, Oregon, Police Bureau – Drugs and Vice Division; IRS-Criminal Investigations Division; Portland HIDTA Interdiction Task Force; Oregon State Police; and the Grand Forks Police Department. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
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Illinois Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Cocaine Trafficking Conviction in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Javece Lyndale Wilson, 38, of Maywood, Ill., was sentenced today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to 60 months in prison for his conviction on a cocaine trafficking charge. Wilson will be on supervised release for four years after completing his prison sentence.
The DEA arrested Wilson in Dec. 2017, after seizing approximately 550 grams of cocaine from his luggage during an interdiction investigation on Dec. 11, 2017, in Albuquerque. Wilson was indicted on Dec. 20, 2017, and was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute on Dec. 11, 2017, in Bernalillo County, N.M.
On April 20, 2018, Wilson pled guilty to the indictment and admitted possessing more than 500 grams of cocaine concealed in his luggage while traveling through Albuquerque on Dec. 11, 2017. Wilson further admitted that he was transporting the cocaine with the intent to distribute the cocaine to other individuals.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the DEA and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva Fontanez.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Re-Entering the United StatesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, Miss. – Fernando Ochoa-Hernandez, 29, an illegal alien from Mexico, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden to the crime of Unlawful Reentry by an Alien After Removal, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, and Gregory K. Bovino, Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s New Orleans Sector.
Ochoa-Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ozerden on January 10, 2019. He faces a potential maximum penalty of 2 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He also faces Department of Homeland Security removal proceedings following the completion of any prison sentence.
On August 8, 2018, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office deputies encountered Ochoa-Hernandez at a residence while investigating a complaint of suspected narcotic activity. Deputies then requested assistance from Special Agents of Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol. In response to questioning, Ochoa-Hernandez produced a Mexican identification document. Computerized records check revealed that Ochoa-Hernandez had been previously removed from the United States by the U.S. Border Patrol on three prior occasions. Ochoa-Hernandez was arrested and transported to the Homeland Security Investigations Office in Gulfport, Mississippi.
U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is prosecuting the case.
Hutchinson Man Sentenced for $145,000 EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Hutchinson man was sentenced today to 60 days in federal prison for stealing $145,000 from a company where he worked, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, the defendant was ordered to pay full restitution.
Richard H. Yust, 65, Hutchinson, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. In his plea, he admitted the crime occurred while he was working as controller for F&H Insulation Sales and Service, Inc., in Kechi, Kan. He used company credit cards to make unauthorized purchases of items for his personal use.
After serving the sentence, Yust will be on supervised release for three years.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch for their work on the case.
Harrison County man sentenced for role in heroin distribution operationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – David W. Lipscomb, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced today to eight months of home confinement to be followed by 28 months of probation for his role in a heroin distribution operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Lipscomb, age 35, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Heroin” in May 2018. Lipscomb admitted to selling heroin in Harrison County on March 15, 2016.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Traci M. Cook prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Greater Harrison Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Irene M. Keeley presided.Hancock County man admits to firearms violationRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Shannon C. Thornton, of Weirton, West Virginia, has admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Thornton, age 36, pled guilty to one count of “Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.” Thornton, having previously been convicted of felony “Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury” in North Carolina, admitted to possessing a .380 caliber pistol, 9mm caliber pistol, and a .45 caliber pistol in January 2018 in Hancock County.
Thornton faces up to 10 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr., presided.
Guatemalan Woman Who Used Other Persons’ Social Security and Alien Registration Numbers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan woman who used false identification documents to obtain a job was sentenced today to more than three months in federal prison.
Juana Corio-Brito, age 20, a citizen of Guatemala illegally present in the United States and living in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 2, 2018, guilty plea to one count of unlawful use of identification documents.
At the guilty plea, Corio-Brito admitted she used a fraudulent Social Security card and a fraudulent permanent resident card, also known as a “green card,” when she completed an employment form on March 16, 2018, using a fake name at a business in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Social Security number and the Alien Registration number on the “green card” had been issued to other persons.
On January 13, 2018, Corio-Brito and her minor child were encountered by Customs and Border Protection agents in Texas after they illegally entered the United States. Corio-Brito was released to maintain family unity pending immigration proceedings. Corio-Brito was told to report to the ICE office in Cedar Rapids where she was placed on GPS monitoring. A review of GPS data indicated that Corio-Brito was probably employed illegally at a business in Cedar Rapids. ICE agents confirmed the illegal employment and obtained the employment documents.
Corio-Brito was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Corio-Brito was sentenced to 100 days imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Corio-Brito is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be turned over to immigration officials.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Tvedt and investigated by Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-65-LRR.
Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
Franklinton Man Sentenced in Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DERRICK WILSON, age 35, of Franklinton, Louisiana, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute a quantity of cocaine hydrochloride. The incident giving rise to his arrest stemmed from a September 27, 2015, traffic stop in Kenner, during which police seized one-half kilogram of powder cocaine from a car that he occupied with his girlfriend and codefendant, Dominique Wise. According to court documents, Wise was sentenced to 3 years probation on July 18, 2018.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced WILSON to 50 months incarceration followed by 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Kenner Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Long is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Waterbury Resident Sentenced to Prison for Violating Sex Offender Registration LawRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BYRON ELLIOTT VAUGHN, 32, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2009, VAUGHN was convicted in the Commonwealth of Virginia of rape. He was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration, suspended after serving two years, and 15 years of probation. VAUGHN also was ordered to comply with lifetime sex offender registration requirements.
VAUGHN was released from prison in November 2009, registered as a sex offender in Virginia and verified his registration as required through 2012.
In 2015, VAUGHN failed to update his sexual offender registration in Virginia, failed to advise Virginia of his change of residence to Connecticut, and failed to register in Connecticut as a sex offender when he moved to Connecticut and applied for employment in Waterbury in November 2016. VAUGHN worked a hospital in Waterbury until he was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service on August 9, 2017, on a violation of probation warrant that was issued in Virginia in December 2015.
VAUGHN has been detained since his arrest. He pleaded guilty on June 18, 2018.
VAUGHN was convicted in Virginia of the probation violation and was sentenced to 77 months of imprisonment suspended after 60 months. Judge Underhill ordered that 18 months of the 24-month federal sentence will run concurrently with the Virginia sentence, and six months will be consecutive to the Virginia sentence.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Former New York Law Firm Partner Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Conspiring to Defraud Two New York Law Firms out of More Than $7 MillionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County, New Jersey, woman was sentenced today to 60 months in prison for using bogus litigation support companies to obtain millions of dollars from two law firms where she was a partner, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Keila Ravelo, 52, of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to two counts of an indictment charging her with conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Count One) and tax evasion (Count Nine). Judge McNulty imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in the case and statements made in court:
Ravelo worked as a partner for a company identified in the indictment as “Law Firm 1” from July 1, 2005, through October 2010. She then became partner in another law firm, identified in the indictment as “Law Firm 2,” and worked there from October 2010 through November 2014.
From 2008 through July 2014, Ravelo and her husband, Melvin Feliz, 52, conspired to defraud Law Firm 1 and Law Firm 2, forming two limited liability companies, “Vendor 1” and “Vendor 2,” which purported to provide litigation support to the firms, but in fact provided no actual services to the firms. Ravelo and Feliz controlled Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 bank accounts and submitted invoices to Law Firm 1 and Law Firm 2 for work that was never performed for the law firms or their clients. Ravelo, in her capacity as a partner at the law firms, approved payments to Vendor 1 and Vendor 2, which Ravelo and Feliz later used for personal expenses. The law firms paid Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 approximately $7.8 million. Ravelo and Feliz willfully failed to report the fraudulent earnings on their tax returns.
On Aug. 25, 2015, Feliz pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. Feliz admitted that from 2008 through July 2014, he and Ravelo controlled the Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 bank accounts and submitted invoices to Law Firm 1and Law Firm 2 for work that was never performed for the law firms or their clients. He admitted that Ravelo, in her capacity as a partner at the law firms, approved payments to Vendor 1 and Vendor 2 that Ravelo and Feliz later used for personal expenses. Before pleading guilty for the role he played in this wire fraud and tax evasion conspiracy, Feliz pleaded guilty to an indictment which charged him and two other men with conspiring to distribute approximately 20 kilograms of cocaine.
In addition to the prison term, Judge McNulty sentenced Ravelo to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited law enforcement officers of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John R. Tafur, and law enforcement officers of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Newark Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Valerie A. Nickerson, with the investigation leading to today’s sentencing.
This case was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Kogan, Brian Urbano of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division, Ronnell Wilson, Chief of the OCDETF Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Ward, Senior Trial Counsel of the Asset Recovery and Money Laundering Unit.
Former Leavenworth Inmate Sentenced for Attack on Prison GuardRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. - A former Leavenworth inmate was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for attacking a Leavenworth prison guard with a pair of scissors, said U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. The defendant also was ordered to pay $18,692 in restitution.
Richard A. James, Jr., 27, who is in federal custody, pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer. In his plea, he admitted he attacked Joseph Brian Wilson, a unit manager for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. James admitted he sharpened the ends of a pair of grooming scissors and stabbed Wilson. Corrections officers had to pull James off Wilson to stop the attack. James later told investigators he wanted a “change of scenery” and hoped he would be moved to another prison because of the attack.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel for their work on the case.
Former Employee of New Jersey University Admits Distributing Images of Child Pornography over InternetRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man today admitted distributing images of child sexual abuse over the internet, U.S. Craig Carpenito announced.
Samuel LaSala, 47, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of distributing child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements in court:
LaSala, who was employed as a computer programmer at a New Jersey university, admitted that between May 2017 and January 2018 he possessed videos of child sexual abuse on his laptop computer and made those videos available for others to download via an online peer-to-peer file sharing network. He admitted possessing approximately 100 videos, which included images of prepubescent children.
The count of distribution of child pornography to which LaSala pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. As part of his guilty plea, LaSala agreed to forfeit the computer he used to commit the offense. He will also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 22, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Child Exploitation Group, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Brian Michael in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Suchorsky and Vera Varshavsky of the Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense counsel: Joseph D. Rotella Esq., Newark
Former Controller of Small Business Sentenced for Stealing over $229,000Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for embezzling over $229,000 from a small business that employed her.
Kelly A. Lynch, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 18 months in prison, five years of supervised released and ordered to pay $229,088 in restitution. In July 2018, Lynch pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. In February 2018, Lynch was arrested and charged by criminal complaint and subsequently released on conditions.
Lynch was hired in April 2017 as the controller of a small company in a Boston suburb. Her duties included managing incoming invoices, paying bills by check and wire transfer, bookkeeping and financial account maintenance. As a result, Lynch had access to the company’s checkbook, bookkeeping/accounting software (QuickBooks), and online bank accounts.
From April 2017 until her termination in January 2018, Lynch stole funds from the business for her personal use. Specifically, Lynch wrote unauthorized checks to herself using the company checkbook. Some of the checks were pre-signed, blank checks that one of the founders had signed with the intention that Lynch would later use them for business purposes. After she used those checks, Lynch began signing the company checks herself, forging the founder’s signature. At times, Lynch also added an entry to the memo line to indicate that the funds were for “Consulting Fees,” but as a salaried employee, Lynch was not entitled to consulting fees. Lynch then endorsed the checks she wrote to herself and – without authorization and for no business purpose – deposited them in her personal bank account. In total, Lynch stole approximately $141,845 from the company’s bank account in this manner.
During approximately the same time period, Lynch repeatedly logged onto the company’s online bank account and directed that payments be made via transfer to her personal credit cards. As a result, Lynch stole another $87,243 from the company’s bank account.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart, Chief of Lelling’s Cybercrimes Unit, prosecuted the case.
Former Coldwater, Mississippi Town Clerk Arrested and Charged with Wire FraudRead the Press Release
JACKSON, Miss. – George Nangah, 51, of Cordova, Tennessee was arrested following a 14-count indictment by a federal grand jury alleging wire fraud, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi William C. Lamar, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Mississippi Christopher Freeze and Mississippi State Auditor Shad White.
According to the indictment, Nangah allegedly committed wire fraud by unauthorized use of a debit card attached to the Town of Coldwater’s general fund banking account at home improvement stores in Southaven and Bartlett, Tennessee for items not used by the Town of Coldwater. Nangah also allegedly used a charge account set up in the town’s name at an electronics store where he would purchase items and gift cards not used or meant for use by the town. He also allegedly provided unauthorized payments to himself on the town’s clearing and general fund bank account. Nangah also allegedly made unauthorized payments to a third party who would then pay a kickback amount to Nangah.
In all, from April 2014 to July 2017, it is alleged that Nangah received approximately $116,005.41 in cash and property as a result of the scheme.
Nangah made his initial appearance before United States Magistrate Judge Roy Percy in the Northern District of Mississippi in Oxford on Tuesday. Magistrate Judge Percy ordered Nangah to be held pending a detention hearing set for 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 11, 2018.
If convicted, Nangah faces up to 20 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Southaven Resident Agency and the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office. The FBI Memphis Division and Tunica County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the arrest. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Parker Kline.
These charges are merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Bristol Attorney Admits Theft of $169,000 from Conserved PersonsRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JODI ZILS GAGNE, 43, of Bristol, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of mail fraud related to her theft of more than $169,000 from individuals for whom she served as a court-appointed conservator.
According to court documents and statements made in court, ZILS GAGNE, an attorney, was a court-appointed conservator for several individuals in Connecticut. A conservator is a person appointed by the probate court to oversee the financial or personal affairs of an adult who is incapable of managing his or her finances or unable to care for himself or herself. Beginning in approximately May 2015, ZILS GAGNE defrauded several conserved individuals by misappropriating their money and overbilling them. The money that ZILS GAGNE misappropriated was intended for the conserved persons’ medical care, housing, bills, personal expenses, and legitimate conservator fees. ZILS GAGNE also misrepresented, or failed to disclose, material facts about her conservatorship activities to the Bristol probate court and others.
Through this scheme, ZILS GAGNE defrauded six victims of a total of $169,402.74. She defrauded one victim of approximately $130,000, and appropriated $113,000 of that money under the guise of an “investment” when, in fact, it was a 10-year note that paid only a prime rate and was signed between her (as the victim’s conservator) and ZILS GAGNE’s husband. The money was used to fund her husband’s start-up company, a Bristol-based internet radio station. The terms and details of this transaction were only disclosed after extended proceedings in the probate court, during which ZILS GAGNE made false statements, sometimes under oath, to the probate court.
ZILS GAGNE is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on January 23, 2019, at which time she faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
ZILS GAGNE is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
In September 2018, a Connecticut Superior Court judge suspended ZILS GAGNE from the practice of law.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Greenwich Police Department, with the assistance of the Connecticut Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel and the New Britain State’s Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
Five McKeesport Residents Charged in Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl AnalogueRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA – Five residents of McKeesport, Pennsylvania, have been charged in a superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh with violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The five-count superseding indictment, returned on October 9, named: Nathan Hampton, age 29; Travis Robertson, age 28; Leslie Jackson, age 54; Sacha Nesbeth, age 26; and her mother, Juliet Nesbeth, age 45, as defendants.
According to the superseding indictment, on or about September 8, 2017, Hampton, Robertson, Jackson and Sacha Nesbeth conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a quantity of methoxyacetyl fentanyl. The indictment also charges Hampton, Robertson, Jackson, and Sacha Nesbeth with attempting to possess with intent to distribute a quantity of methoxyacetyl fentanyl. Sacha and Juliet Nesbeth are charged with using or maintaining a drug involved premises. Hampton is further charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. Robertson is further charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
For the drug charges, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,000,000, or both. For the charge of maintaining a drug involved premises, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of not more than $500,000, or both. For the charge of felon in possession of ammunition, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. For the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to life in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendants.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert C. Schupansky is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
This prosecution is part of a long-term investigation by the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force (GPSSTF), which targeted a large scale Drug Trafficking Organization operating in Butler, Beaver and Allegheny Counties. The GPSSTF is comprised of dedicated law enforcement
professionals from the Wilkinsburg Police Department, Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, Allegheny County Police Department, Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and the FBI. The GPSSTF and the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Pennsylvania, would like to recognize the significant contributions made to this investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police, United Sates Postal Inspection Service, Cranberry Township Police Department and the New Brighton Police Department. The Department of Homeland Security Investigators also assisted in the investigation leading to the Superseding Indictment in this case.
This investigation was funded by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Felon in Possession of Two Firearms Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced TERRANCE THORNTON, a 25-year-old resident of Baton Rouge, to 120 months in federal prison following his conviction of possessing two firearms by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced THORNTON to 3 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. The Court also ordered that the firearms possessed by THORNTON be forfeited.
Following a high-speed car chase on July 31, 2017, THORNTON fled from Baton Rouge Police Officers on foot. As he fled, THORNTON hid a Glock pistol within a residential backyard. He later directed an associate to retrieve the hidden pistol and bring it to his residence. On August 1, 2017, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence where they recovered the Glock pistol and a Century Arms 7.62 caliber rifle. In announcing the sentence, the Court specifically referenced the fact that THORNTON possessed both firearms in connection with his possession with intent to distribute cocaine and aggravated criminal damage to property associated with two drive-by shootings of residences in July 2017.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “Thornton’s sentence to 10 years in prison, which is the maximum statutory penalty that he faced, is a testament to the efforts of Federal, State, and local law enforcement partners working in concert to get violent offenders, such as Thornton, off of our streets. It should also serve as a strong message to others engaged in any criminal conduct, to include violent crime, to return to life as a contributing member of society or face the consequence of a significant term of imprisonment.”
ATF Resident Agent-in-Charge Antonio L. Pittman stated, “The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, along with our Federal, State, and Local Law enforcement partners continue to serve our communities by focusing our efforts on removing armed violent drug traffickers from our streets. Especially those that have no respect for the community or law enforcement. We work diligently to protect our citizens by presenting relevant investigative work to our Middle District of Louisiana US Attorney’s Office for federal prosecution.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baton Rouge Police Department, with substantial assistance from the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory and Fugitive Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
Federal Prosecutors Charge 18 Criminal Aliens as Part of Enforcement Operation with ICERead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Between September 19 and October 4, 2018, federal prosecutors brought charges against 18 individuals as criminal aliens and immigration fugitives for violations of U.S. immigration laws. U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant for the Western District of Tennessee announced the indictments and criminal complaints today.
On September 19 and September 27, 2018, federal grand juries returned eleven indictments that remained under seal until the completion of the four-day enforcement operation, and on October 4, 2018, prosecutors brought criminal complaints against seven more foreign nationals. According to the charging instruments, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement & Removal Operations officers arrested 18 unlawfully present foreign nationals on federal firearms charges and charges of illegal reentry after deportation. Another 13 unlawfully present foreign nationals were collaterally arrested during the operation on administrative immigration charges, and will be processed administratively for removal from the United States by ERO.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Criminal aliens not only threaten the sovereignty of our nation, but also threaten the safety of our communities. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has prioritized and renewed our commitment to immigration enforcement, and this operation has focused on those violent and dangerous criminal aliens who continue to violate our laws after deportation. We will aggressively enforce U.S. immigration laws and seek stiff penalties against those who violate them."
"ICE continues to focus its limited resources first and foremost on those who pose the greatest threat to public safety. ICE only conducts targeted enforcement and does not conduct any type of indiscriminate raids or sweeps that target aliens indiscriminately. This operation, and the agency’s overall arrest stats, clearly reflect this reality. Nationally, approximately 90 percent of all persons arrested by ICE this year either had a criminal conviction, a pending criminal charge, or were already subject to a removal order issued by a federal immigration judge," said ICE Assistant Field Office Director Ronald E. Johnson.
Under federal law, it is illegal for an individual who is unlawfully in the United States to possess a firearm. This is a violation of Title 18, United States Code, § 922(g)(5). A violation of this section is punishable by a term of up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years.
It is also illegal under federal law for an individual who has been previously deported from the United States to reenter the United States without permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. This is a violation of Title 8, United States Code, § 1326. A violation of this section is punishable by a term of up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to two years. Several of the defendants charged with illegal reentry are alleged to be convicted felons or aggravated felons. Convicted felons who violate this section face a term of imprisonment of up to ten years; aggravated felons who violate this section face a term of imprisonment of up to twenty years.
The suspects charged are:
- Juan Carlos Arvizu-Velazquez, charged with illegal reentry after a felony
- Romy Gonzalez-Lopez, charged with illegal reentry
- Aldo Gutierrez-Castillo, charged with illegal reentry
- Arnold Jeronimo Hernandez-Lopez, charged with illegal reentry after a felony
- Lorenzo Antonio Luna-Bolanos, charged with illegal reentry
- Marvin Joel Murillo-Montoya, charged with illegal reentry
- Gerson Adalberto Najera-Ochoa, charged with illegal reentry
- Miguel Perpual-Us, charged with illegal reentry
- Oscar Ramirez-Del La Fuente, charged with illegal possession of a firearm
- Marvin Donaldo Rivera-Caceres, charged with illegal reentry
- Alexandro Rodriguez-Aguirres, charged with illegal reentry
- Victor Rosales-Ramirez, charged with illegal reentry
- Virgilio Rosales-Ramirez, charged with illegal reentry after a felony
- Manuel Roberto Tobar-Ramirez, charged with illegal reentry after an aggravated felony
- Homero Tonche-Chavez, charged with illegal reentry
- Jorge Urquia-Perdomo, charged with illegal reentry
- Oseas Vasques_Ramos, charged with illegal reentry
- Jose Zamora-Hernandez, charged with illegal possession of a firearm
These cases were investigated by the U.S. Immigrations & Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement & Removal Operations (ERO), assisted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Delery and Stephen Hall are prosecuting these cases on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional 160 Months for Possessing Hundreds of Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse While in PrisonRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A Plain City, Ohio, man was sentenced today to an additional 160 months in prison for possessing hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse while incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for a previous offense involving the receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Jordan T. Allen, 31, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Rodriguez imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Allen admitted that he possessed a micro SD Card containing 577 images and 340 videos of children being sexually abused, including videos of sadistic and masochistic sexual conduct involving infants and toddlers. In connection with his plea, Allen also admitted that he distributed child pornography to another inmate.
Allen and seven other inmates were arrested in April 2017 and February 2018 following an FBI investigation involving multiple covert recordings and several cooperating inmates. The investigation revealed that Allen and other inmates utilized contraband cellphones, micro SD cards, and access to the internet to obtain, view, and distribute child pornography within the prison. A co-defendant organized and helped facilitate this criminal activity by maintaining cloud accounts that were used as repositories for child pornography.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Allen to 10 years of supervised release. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
Six other inmates – all of whom were serving sentences for prior child pornography offenses while committing the alleged crimes in this case – have pleaded guilty: Erik M. Smith, 36, of Iron Mountain, Michigan; Anthony C. Jeffries, 32, of Orange, Virginia; Brian J. McKay, 47, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania; Christopher D. Roffler, 30, of Virginia Beach, Virginia; Jacob S. Good, 26, of Fredericksburg, Virginia; and Charles Wesley Bush, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee. Smith was sentenced to 151 months in prison, Good was sentenced to 10 years in prison; McKay was sentenced to 160 months in prison, and the other three defendants are awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked officials of the Bureau of Prisons at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni and Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.
William H. Noble, 52, of Lowell, Massachusetts, was indicted on May 23, 2018, and is scheduled for trial next year. The charges and allegations against Noble are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Defense counsel: Justin T. Loughry Esq., Camden
Federal Indictment Charging Six Men with Violent Armed Robbery Unsealed TodayRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury was unsealed today, charging six defendants with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate commerce and one count of robbery affecting interstate commerce. The indictment charges the following defendants with both conspiracy and robbery in connection with the robbery of a Calaveras County marijuana distributor: Talia Khio, 42, of Chicago, Illinois; Dontia Arrington, 38, of Skokie, Illinois; Roddy Aundre Johnson, Jr., 30, of San Diego, California; Mark Noble, 32, of Willamette, Illinois; Jimmy Khio, 41, of Morton Grove, Illinois; and Carlos Merkhai, 42, of Phoenix, Arizona.
U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott stated, “This indictment demonstrates our offfice’s commitment to working with and supporting our local law enforcement partners. We are proud to have answered the call when Calaveras County District Attorney Barbara Yook reached out to us for assistance in prosecuting this case involving individuals who crossed state lines to commit violent crimes in our district. It is through partnerships like these that we can work together to keep our communities safe.”
"This case serves as an excellent example of the FBI's commitment to working with federal, state, and local partners to aggressively investigate and disrupt violent criminals that threaten the safety and security of our communities," said Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Sacramento Field Office. "Through our Safe Streets Task Force, the FBI relies on these partnerships to target those who target our neighborhoods with violent crimes such as those charged today. I would like to thank all of our partners for their collaboration and tireless work on this investigation."
According to court documents, on June 24, 2018, the six defendants conducted an armed robbery of a Calaveras County marijuana distributor. The defendants allegedly bound and blindfolded several victims and tortured one victim with a stun gun. One victim was beaten with a baseball bat, which caused multiple injuries. The defendants allegedly took over 100 pounds of processed marijuana and $30,000 in cash. After a high speed chase, officers arrested Talia Khio, Dontia Arrington, Roddy Aundre Johnson, Jr., and Mark Noble. Jimmy Khio and Carlos Merkhai were apprehended months later.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Calaveras County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Skokie Police Department, with special assistance from the Calaveras County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jeffrey A. Spivak and Ross Pearson are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Four from California for Conspiracy to Violate Riots StatuteRead the Press Release
Charlottesville, VIRGINIA – A federal grand jury sitting in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Charlottesville has returned an indictment charging four California men with conspiring to violate the federal riots statue, United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen announced today.
The four defendants, Benjamin Drake Daley, 25, of Redondo Beach Calif., Thomas Walter Gillen, 24, of Redondo Beach, Calif., Michael Paul Miselis, 29, of Lawndale, Calif., and Cole Evan White, 24, of Clayton, Calif., were arrested on federal criminal complaints in the early morning hours of October 2, 2018.
The indictment returned today charges each defendant with one count of conspiracy to violate the federal riots act and one count of traveling in interstate commerce from California to Charlottesville, Virginia with the intent to incite a riot, organize, promote, encourage, participate in, and carry on in a riot, to commit an act of violence in furtherance of a riot, or aid or abet any person inciting and participating in or carrying on in a riot.
According to the indictment, beginning as early as March 2017, Daley, Gillen, Miselis, and White began associating with a white-supremacist organization that eventually became known as the “Rise Above Movement” or “RAM.” RAM openly identified as “alt-right” and “nationalist” and its members and associates frequently posted photographs and videos of themselves engaging in physical training and mixed martial arts street-fighting techniques, along with references to their alt-right and nationalist beliefs and ideology.
The indictment alleges that RAM members and associates also expressed, through various social media platforms and other means, anti-Semitic, racist, and white supremacist views and promoted violence against those who they believed held opposing political views. From on or about March 2017 to on or about August 2017, RAM and its members, including defendants Daley, Gillen, Miselis, and Cole, traveled to multiple political rallies and organized demonstrations in Virginia and California where they prepared to, and engaged in, acts of violence.
As detailed in the indictment, on at least two other occasions the defendants are charged with traveling to political rallies in California with the intention of committing, participating in, or aiding and abetting one or more individuals in committing acts of violence. Those rallies include a March 25, 2017 event in Huntington Beach and an April 15, 2017 event in Berkley.
In addition, the indictment charges Daley, Gillen, Miselis, and Cole with taking actions during both the August 11, 2017 torch-lit rally on the grounds of the University of Virginia and the Unite the Right Rally the following day in and around the vicinity of Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Virginia.
The indictment alleges that all four defendants purchased flights prior to August 11, 2017 using debit and credit cards, to fly from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Charlottesville, Virginia. In addition, the defendants arranged to rent lodging within Charlottesville for the dates of August 11, 2017 through August 13, 2017
On or about the evening of August 11, 2017 on the grounds of the University of Virginia, the defendants participated in a torch-lit march and incited, promoted, or encouraged a riot and committed acts of violence. In addition, on August 12, 2017, the defendants attended the Unite the Right Rally in and around Emancipation Park in Charlottesville and, once again, incited, promoted, or encouraged a riot and committed acts of violence.
The investigation of the case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia State Police. United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen and Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Kavanaugh are prosecuting the case for the United States.
All four defendants made their initial appearances on the federal criminal complaint in California last week. The U.S. District Court for the Central District of California remanded defendants Daley and Gillen to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service for transfer to the Western District of Virginia and until final resolution of the case. The court also initially detained defendant Miselis but later ordered his release on a secured bond and home confinement. The court, however, stayed Miselis’ release pending the government’s appeal to U.S. District Judge Norman K. Moon in Western Virginia, who will make a final determination on Miselis’ eligibility for release pending trial. Defendant White’s detention hearing in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California is scheduled for Friday, October 12. Once the defendants are transferred to the Western District of Virginia—likely within the next one to two weeks—they will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joel C. Hoppe and/or District Judge Moon for arraignment and additional proceedings.
A Grand Jury Indictment is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial with the burden on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced After Conviction of Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that yesterday, TRUMAIN DAVIS, 32, of Fayetteville, was sentenced by United States Senior District Malcolm J. Howard for possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon and trafficking in firearms. Judge Howard sentenced DAVIS to 144 months’ imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
DAVIS was charged in a six-count indictment on December 12, 2017, and pled guilty to two counts on April 9, 2018.
Between July 18 and October 9, 2017, DAVIS sold six firearms to a confidential informant believing that those firearms would be resold to drug dealers.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).
East Wenatchee Man Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Federal Prison for Unlawful Possession of Firearms and ExplosivesRead the Press Release
Spokane – Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Michael Richard Ayers, age 53, of East Wenatchee, Washington, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty on March 10, 2018, to Felon in Possession of a Firearms and Explosives and Possession of Unregistered Firearms. United States District Judge Salvador Mendoza, Jr., sentenced Ayers to a 66-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, police obtained a search warrant for the motorhome where Ayers was living based on reports that Ayers, a convicted felon, was obtaining firearms and firearm parts through straw purchases made by his then girlfriend. Ayers had also uttered threats to kill an East Wenatchee police officer. During the search, officers found two short-barreled rifles, a rifle receiver, a rifle-mounted flare launcher, five improvised grenades loaded with black powder and BBs that were designed to be fired from the flare launcher, as well as steel inserts used to convert the flare launcher into a short-barreled shotgun, body armor, ammunition, and large capacity magazines.
Joseph H. Harrington said, “The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington commends the investigative efforts of the law enforcement officers with the Wenatchee Police Department, the ATF and the United States Army 53rd Ordnance Company Explosive Ordnance Disposal. Their seamless partnership resulted in the successful outcome of this matter. The sentence imposed by the court sends a clear message to others who may choose to engage in such criminal activity.”
ATF Special Agent Robert Almgren, the Resident Agent in Charge of the Yakima Field Office, stated, “Through the extraordinary efforts and expertise of agents, investigators, and prosecutors with the Wenatchee Police Department, the ATF Yakima Field Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office this hefty sentence illustrates that felons who are in possession of firearms will be pursued tirelessly and prosecuted to the fullest extent that the law allows.”
This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal, state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for violent crime in the Eastern District of Washington and pursue criminal prosecution.
This case was investigated by the Yakima Resident Office of the ATF, and the Wenatchee Police Department with assistance from the United States Army 53rd Ordnance Company Explosive Ordnance Disposal. This case was prosecuted by Timothy J. Ohms, an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Juan Confesor Lara Carmona, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to six months in prison and one year of supervised release. Lara Carmona will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion his sentence. In May 2018, Lara Carmona pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien. Lara Carmona is currently in state custody and awaiting trial in Essex Superior Court on drug distribution charges.
On Oct. 20, 2017, law enforcement in Lawrence arrested Lara Carmona and charged him with distribution of cocaine and fentanyl. At the time of his arrest, Lara Carmona’s fingerprints were obtained, and he was determined to be illegally present in the United States having been previously deported on Jan. 16, 2016.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Cumberland Man Admits to “Lying and Buying” Nine FirearmsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Cumberland man admitted in U.S. District Court in Providence today to participating in a series of “lying and buying” schemes, where in the fall and winter of 2016, he bought a total of nine guns from three different licensed firearms dealers by falsely representing that he was the actual buyer of the firearms, when in fact he was buying the guns for others.
Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Tariek Gill, 25, pleaded guilty to false statements during the purchase of a firearm and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license, announced United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
At the time of his guilty plea, Gill admitted to the Court that on November 10, 2016, he falsely represented to a licensed firearm dealer that he was the actual buyer of a Glock G20 10mm pistol. He also submitted that same false information on an ATF Form he provided to the firearms dealer as part of the background check process required to obtain the pistols. On the form, he falsely represented that he was the actual buyer, not a person buying any firearm on behalf of another person. Gill paid for the firearms, and on November 22, 2016, he obtained the firearms from the dealer.
Gill admitted to the Court that he employed the same straw purchase scheme when on November 25, 2016, he was able to obtain a Ruger .380 caliber pistol and Smith & Wesson .38 caliber revolver from a licensed firearms dealer; on December 13, 2016, when he obtained a Taurus 9mm pistol, a Taurus .380 caliber pistol, and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from a license firearms dealer; and on December 27, 2016, when he obtained a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol from a licensed firearms dealer.
Gill admitted to being compensated between $50 and $60 for each gun he purchased as a straw purchaser.
Gill is scheduled to be sentenced on January 11, 2019.
This Project Safe Neighborhoods investigation was conducted by agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a federal, state and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate and prosecute individuals responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Milind M. Shah.
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Criminal Complaint Filed Against Delaware County Man for Allegedly Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
Brian Kirk Marshall, 49, of Kansas, Oklahoma, made an initial appearance in United States District Court Tuesday, in Arkansas, on a Complaint charging Marshall with assaulting a federal officer on October 1, 2018, in Delaware County. At the time of the alleged incident, the FBI was executing both an arrest warrant for interstate threats Marshall allegedly made to kill police officers and a search warrant for the Delaware County residence where Marshall was found. According to the Complaint affidavit, Marshall allegedly fired shots at FBI agents using a .45 caliber pistol as the FBI SWAT Team attempted to call occupants safely out of the residence. FBI agents returned fire, injuring Marshall.
“I am thankful for the selfless acts of courage and professionalism exhibited by the FBI SWAT team during the apprehension of this subject,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “The suspect, Mr. Marshall, was located in a trailer in rural Delaware County. An FBI negotiator attempted to secure a peaceful surrender by the suspect. Mr. Marshall is alleged to have fired on agents, and the FBI responded accordingly, striking the suspect twice. Mr. Marshall was immediately provided medical treatment and arrested without further injury or incident. No agents were injured. I am thankful this matter was resolved without loss of life.”
This matter will proceed in United States District Court in Tulsa, where the Complaint is currently pending. A Complaint is a temporary charge alleging a violation of law. For the case to proceed to trial, the United States must present the charge to a federal Grand Jury within 30 days. Once a Grand Jury returns an Indictment, a defendant has a right to a jury trial at which the United States would have the burden of proving the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Columbia Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Meth Conspiracy, FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and to illegally possessing a firearm.
Gary Deangelo Warren, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to 15 years in federal prison without parole.
On July 11, 2018, Warren pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possessing a firearm in relation to a drug-trafficking crime.
Warren was arrested on May 8, 2017, when he arrived at the arranged meeting place to sell methamphetamine to a confidential informant. Warren was carrying two plastic baggies with a total of approximately 16.1 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Jimenez Arms .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol that had been reported stolen. Officers also found a plastic bag containing approximately 445.2 grams of pure methamphetamine inside a shoebox on the rear passenger floorboard of the vehicle Warren was driving.
Warren has an extensive criminal history that includes more than 30 adult convictions for such crimes as property damage, driving offenses, possession of a controlled substance, stealing, tampering, domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
Co-defendant Michael Scott Bilderback, 39, was sentenced to two years in federal prison without parole on Sept. 6, 2018, after pleading guilty to his role in the drug-trafficking conspiracy. Bilderback, who was arrested on the same day, received methamphetamine from Warren to distribute to others. Bilderback admitted to selling at least eight ounces of methamphetamine a day during the two months prior to his arrest. Columbia police officers seized approximately 112.7 grams of methamphetamine during the execution of a search warrant at Bilderback’s motel room in Columbia.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Jolly. It was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Columbia, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Columbia Man Sentenced for Heroin Trafficking, Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for heroin trafficking and for illegally possessing a firearm.
Horashio Antoine Pritchett, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to six years and three months in federal prison without parole.
On June 6, 2018, Pritchett pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with the intent to distribute and to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Columbia police officers executed a search warrant at Pritchett’s residence on Sept. 15, 2016, and detained him as he was leaving the residence. Detectives seized approximately nine grams of heroin, nine suboxone pills, 10 oxycodone pills, several digital scales, and baggies believed to be used for distribution of the controlled substances. Detectives also located a loaded Taurus .40-caliber handgun in Pritchett’s jacket pocket.
Pritchett told investigators he had obtained one to two ounces of heroin every two weeks for the past two years.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Pritchett has five prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and a prior felony conviction for distribution/possession of a controlled substance in a correctional facility. He also has a misdemeanor conviction for domestic assault.
This case was prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. Oliver. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia, Mo., Police Department.
Coffeyville Woman Sentenced for $150,000 Mail FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Coffeyville woman was sentenced today to 60 days in federal prison for stealing $150,000 from a customer at a bank where she worked, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. In addition, she was ordered to pay full restitution.
Phyllis Lanning, 61, Coffeyville, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud. She admitted that while she worked for Condon National Bank in Coffeyville, Kan., she created and mailed falsified documents in order to conceal the fact she stole $150,000 from a customer’s account. She diverted legitimate monthly statements to a postal address in Bartlesville, Okla., that she controlled. She prepared counterfeit statements and mailed them to the owner of the account. The theft was discovered after the owner of the account died and family members took control of the account.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.
Chinese Intelligence Officer Charged with Economic Espionage Involving Theft of Trade Secrets from Leading U.S. Aviation CompaniesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operative, Yanjun Xu, aka Qu Hui, aka Zhang Hui, has been arrested and charged with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and steal trade secrets from multiple U.S. aviation and aerospace companies. Xu was extradited to the United States yesterday.
The charges were announced today by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman, Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division.
“This indictment alleges that a Chinese intelligence officer sought to steal trade secrets and other sensitive information from an American company that leads the way in aerospace,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “This case is not an isolated incident. It is part of an overall economic policy of developing China at American expense. We cannot tolerate a nation’s stealing our firepower and the fruits of our brainpower. We will not tolerate a nation that reaps what it does not sow.”
“Innovation in aviation has been a hallmark of life and industry in the United States since the Wright brothers first designed gliders in Dayton more than a century ago,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “U.S. aerospace companies invest decades of time and billions of dollars in research. This is the American way. In contrast, according to the indictment, a Chinese intelligence officer tried to acquire that same, hard-earned innovation through theft. This case shows that federal law enforcement authorities can not only detect and disrupt such espionage, but can also catch its perpetrators. The defendant will now face trial in federal court in Cincinnati.”
“This unprecedented extradition of a Chinese intelligence officer exposes the Chinese government's direct oversight of economic espionage against the United States,” said Assistant Director Priestap.
Yanjun Xu is a Deputy Division Director with the MSS’s Jiangsu State Security Department, Sixth Bureau. The MSS is the intelligence and security agency for China and is responsible for counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence and political security. MSS has broad powers in China to conduct espionage both domestically and abroad.
Xu was arrested in Belgium on April 1, pursuant to a federal complaint, and then indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Ohio. The government unsealed the charges today, following his extradition to the United States. The four-count indictment charges Xu with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and theft of trade secrets.
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According to the indictment:
Beginning in at least December 2013 and continuing until his arrest, Xu targeted certain companies inside and outside the United States that are recognized as leaders in the aviation field. This included GE Aviation. He identified experts who worked for these companies and recruited them to travel to China, often initially under the guise of asking them to deliver a university presentation. Xu and others paid the experts’ travel costs and provided stipends.
***
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy and attempt to commit economic espionage is 15 years of incarceration. The maximum for conspiracy and attempt to commit theft of trade secrets is 10 years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, and substantial support was provided by the FBI Legal Attaché’s Office in Brussels. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in obtaining and coordinating the extradition of Xu, and Belgian authorities provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and facilitating the surrender of Xu from Belgium.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the assistance of the Belgian authorities in the arrest and extradition of Xu. Mr. Demers and Mr. Glassman also commended the cooperation of GE Aviation throughout this investigation. The cooperation and GE Aviation’s internal controls protected GE Aviation’s proprietary information.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Emily N. Glatfelter of the Southern District of Ohio, and Trial Attorneys Thea D. R. Kendler and Amy E. Larson of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
# # #
Chinese Intelligence Officer Charged with Economic Espionage Involving Theft of Trade Secrets from Leading U.S. Aviation CompaniesRead the Press Release
A Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) operative, Yanjun Xu, aka Qu Hui, aka Zhang Hui, has been arrested and charged with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and steal trade secrets from multiple U.S. aviation and aerospace companies. Xu was extradited to the United States yesterday.
The charges were announced today by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Benjamin C. Glassman, Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division, and Special Agent in Charge Angela L. Byers of the FBI’s Cincinnati Division.
“This indictment alleges that a Chinese intelligence officer sought to steal trade secrets and other sensitive information from an American company that leads the way in aerospace,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “This case is not an isolated incident. It is part of an overall economic policy of developing China at American expense. We cannot tolerate a nation’s stealing our firepower and the fruits of our brainpower. We will not tolerate a nation that reaps what it does not sow.”
“Innovation in aviation has been a hallmark of life and industry in the United States since the Wright brothers first designed gliders in Dayton more than a century ago,” said U.S. Attorney Glassman. “U.S. aerospace companies invest decades of time and billions of dollars in research. This is the American way. In contrast, according to the indictment, a Chinese intelligence officer tried to acquire that same, hard-earned innovation through theft. This case shows that federal law enforcement authorities can not only detect and disrupt such espionage, but can also catch its perpetrators. The defendant will now face trial in federal court in Cincinnati.”
"This unprecedented extradition of a Chinese intelligence officer exposes the Chinese government's direct oversight of economic espionage against the United States,” said Assistant Director Priestap.
Yanjun Xu is a Deputy Division Director with the MSS’s Jiangsu State Security Department, Sixth Bureau. The MSS is the intelligence and security agency for China and is responsible for counter-intelligence, foreign intelligence and political security. MSS has broad powers in China to conduct espionage both domestically and abroad.
Xu was arrested in Belgium on April 1, pursuant to a federal complaint, and then indicted by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Ohio. The government unsealed the charges today, following his extradition to the United States. The four-count indictment charges Xu with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and theft of trade secrets.
***
According to the indictment: Beginning in at least December 2013 and continuing until his arrest, Xu targeted certain companies inside and outside the United States that are recognized as leaders in the aviation field. This included GE Aviation. He identified experts who worked for these companies and recruited them to travel to China, often initially under the guise of asking them to deliver a university presentation. Xu and others paid the experts’ travel costs and provided stipends.
***
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy and attempt to commit economic espionage is 15 years of incarceration. The maximum for conspiracy and attempt to commit theft of trade secrets is 10 years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. If convicted of any offense, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Cincinnati Division, and substantial support was provided by the FBI Legal Attaché’s Office in Brussels. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in obtaining and coordinating the extradition of Xu, and Belgian authorities provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and facilitating the surrender of Xu from Belgium.
Assistant Attorney General Demers and U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI and the assistance of the Belgian authorities in the arrest and extradition of Xu. Mr. Demers and Mr. Glassman also commended the cooperation of GE Aviation throughout this investigation. The cooperation and GE Aviation’s internal controls protected GE Aviation’s proprietary information.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy S. Mangan and Emily N. Glatfelter of the Southern District of Ohio, and Trial Attorneys Thea D. R. Kendler and Amy E. Larson of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.