Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Monday 27 August 2018
FBI and Local Law Enforcement Busts Cuban Fraud RingRead the Press Release
Card Skimming Devices and Stolen Checks Results in Eight Defendants Charged in Bank Fraud Conspiracy
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 27, 2018 – Eight members of a Cuban fraud ring have been charged with conspiracy and bank fraud for operating a fraudulent scheme which resulted in more than $700,000 in financial loss, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran for the Middle District of Tennessee. All of the defendants have pleaded guilty and all but three have been sentenced.
According to court documents, between July 2014 and July 2016, the defendants traveled from the Miami, Florida area and elsewhere to the middle Tennessee area for the purpose of stealing identities and bank account information. This was accomplished by placing card skimming devices on numerous gas pumps around the greater Nashville area. Once the skimming devices captured account information from customer’s cards, the fraud ring used the stolen account numbers to create re-encoded bankcards and then used the re-encoded bankcards to purchase electronics and other goods from retailers.
The fraud ring also stole business checks from customer mail boxes and then infiltrated the business bank accounts and used the stolen information to create fraudulent business checks. The fraudulent checks were made payable to defendants’ aliases and cashed at various financial institutions in the middle Tennessee area and elsewhere.
All of the defendants were charged during November and December 2017 and have pleaded guilty. Charged in the conspiracy are:
Alexis Salgueiro-Rodriguez, 27, sentenced to 60 months in prison;
Yasel Nodarse, 29, sentenced to 25 months in prison;
Daniel Martinez-Mazon, 39, and Luis Enrique Vazquez-Pedroso, 31, each sentenced to 23 months in prison; and
Alain Rivero-Rodriguez 37, sentenced to 22 months in prison.
Yuseff Antonio Elias, 32, Emilio Rafael-Gomez, 31, and Oscar Diaz de la Cruz, 30, are awaiting sentencing.
This case was investigated by the FBI; the LaVergne Police Department; and the Murfreesboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Siji Moore and Stephanie N. Toussaint are prosecuting the case.
Eastern Panhandle man sentenced to 22 years for drug distribution and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Gregory Keith Clinton, of Kearneysville, West Virginia, was sentenced today to 264 months incarceration for drug and firearm charges, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
After a three-day trial in April 2018, a jury found Clinton, age 57, guilty of one count of “Armed Career Criminal Act,” one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base,” and one count of “Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Hydrochloride.” He was also found guilty of one count of “Possession of Cocaine Base” and one count of “Possession of Cocaine.” Clinton, having previously been convicted of three felony drug charges, illegally possessed a .45-caliber pistol and possessed crack cocaine and coke in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties in July 2016.
“When firearms are combined with drug distribution, bad things happen. Our prosecution once again made clear that we will relentlessly pursue this type of criminal conduct. The sentence is significant and we will continue to be aggressive with our prosecutions,” said Powell.
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 Anna Z. Krasinski and Special Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Elizabeth D. Grant, also with the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.Eastern Idaho Partnership Announces July 2018 Special AUSA Program ReportRead the Press Release
POCATELLO – United States Attorney Bart M. Davis and Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Cleve B. Colson have announced that from January 2016 through July 13, 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted an additional 105 offenders for firearm, illegal alien, child porn, violent crime, and drug-related crimes committed in eastern Idaho through the Special Assistant United States Attorney (SAUSA) program.
Thus far, 65 of the 105 charged have been convicted and received federal sentences for a total of 3,882 months, averaging 5 years per criminal sentence. The 105 cases indicted were referred from 14 cities and 10 counties. It is estimated that the charges represent over $2.4 million in drugs seized and 73 illegally possessed firearms.
Presently, the average cost of incarceration per Idaho prison inmate per year is approximately $25,400, or $2,117 per month. Thus, the 3,882 months of federal sentences represents over $8.2 million in cost avoidance to the Idaho Department of Correction if the Idaho Department of Correction were to bear the costs.
Bannock County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Herzog said, “The Partnership exemplifies what good things can happen when people work together toward the common goal of improving community safety.”
Power County Commissioner Bill Lasley said, “It’s amazing what materializes when our cities, counties, state and federal agencies join together in a collaborative unified front; maximizing resources against criminal activities across jurisdictional lines.”
“The collaborative effort of the partners has been instrumental to community safety and the dismantling of criminal networks throughout Eastern Idaho,” said Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Cleve Colson.
“The Idaho Department of Correction is a proud partner of the Eastern Idaho Partnership. The SAUSA program has had amazing success improving the community safety in Eastern Idaho,” said Idaho Department of Correction Director Henry Atencio.
The eastern Idaho SAUSA program is sponsored by the Eastern Idaho Partnership (EIP), a coalition of local city and county officials in eastern Idaho. The EIP provides approximately 30 percent of the SAUSA’s salary and benefits; the State of Idaho through the Idaho Department of Correction contributes the remaining 70 percent. The project allows law enforcement to utilize federal sentences to see that persistent and violent criminals receive stiffer penalties than they might in state courts. Federal sentences are served out of-of-state, helping to disrupt criminal networks.
# # #
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 70 Months’ Jail for Distributing 1 Pound of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that on August 24, 2018, United States District Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Leonides Carreno to imprisonment for 70 months, to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. Carreno was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846. On December 13, 2016, investigators used a confidential source to purchase approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine from defendant in exchange for $5,000.00. Investigators conducting surveillance observed and recorded the transaction, which occurred in Omaha, Nebraska. The transaction was arranged telephonically through a third party.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Omaha Field Division.
Dozens of Felons and Gang Members Convicted in Joint Federal, State, and Local InvestigationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH GA: Nearly three dozen convicted felons have been removed from the streets of Savannah now that a joint law enforcement operation has resulted in the guilty plea of one of the final defendants.
In less than a year after dozens of indictments were handed down by a federal grand jury in late November 2017, more than 30 defendants have been convicted in federal court. On Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, Darryl McRae, 45, pled guilty to the distribution of crack cocaine, Southern District U.S. Attorney Bobby L. Christine announced.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Savannah Police Department (SPD), and other agencies united to combat gang violence and “open air” drug sales in the historic Cuyler-Brownsville neighborhood in Savannah, Ga. As outlined in court documents and at various hearings, law enforcement agencies responded to neighborhood residents who complained about the ongoing crime and their fear of being shot while sitting on their own porches. These law enforcement agencies targeted and investigated dozens of criminals, resulting in federal indictments and convictions against 32 defendants.
During this operation, agents seized dozens of firearms, along with body armor, marijuana, cocaine, MDMA (commonly referred to as Ecstasy), heroin, methamphetamine and prescription pills. Many of the stolen firearms that were seized were linked to other crimes. For example, one of the firearms seized by law enforcement was used in 11 prior shootings. Another firearm was used in four shootings, including the shooting of the defendant found by investigators in possession of the firearm.
Combined, these defendants have decades of criminal history, with more than 100 prior state convictions; many of the defendants were on parole or probation at the time they committed the federal crimes. Additionally, some of the defendants were tied to national gangs, including the Bloods and the Crips, while some others were tied to local gangs, including CBV, or Cuyler Brownz Ville 39-41.
Many of the defendants have already been sentenced, including Deandre Davis, 31, who was sentenced to 188 months of in prison for distributing crack cocaine; and Trishon Collins, 23, who was sentenced to 130 months in prison for distributing crack cocaine and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. There is no parole in the federal system. Both Davis and Collins will be under court supervision for six years following their release from prison. Many defendants are awaiting sentencing and face potential maximum sentences of up to life in prison.
“We conducted the Cuyler-Brownsville investigation because this historic neighborhood was plagued with drug-dealing and gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Parents and grandparents were afraid to let children play in their own yards because they feared stray bullets. Neighborhood residents worked with law enforcement to root out the troublemakers, and the strategy worked brilliantly. This collaboration between good, law-abiding citizens and law enforcement is a recipe for success.”
“The strong partnership between ATF, the USAO, GBI, SPD, USMS and Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the neighborhood residents, is integral to stopping violent individuals from terrorizing law-abiding citizens,” said Resident Agent-in-Charge Timothy Graden of the ATF. “This investigation is a testament to this successful collaboration. I am proud of the commitment that all participants have shown to this case.”
“Many of our citizens were aware and complained of the illegal and sometimes violent crimes committed by this organization,” said Savannah Police Department Chief Mark Revenew. “We partnered with our state and federal agencies to target and investigate these offenders. We are continuing our efforts to take these and other criminal groups down until they are all eradicated from our city.”
The following Savannah residents were convicted:
Jamal Brightwell, age 22,
Frederick Brown, a/k/a “Freddie B,” age 36,
Derrick Butler, a/k/a “Rico,” age 29,
Animahaun Cole, age 43,
Trishon Collins, age 23,
Andre Cooper, a/k/a “Minuteman,” a/k/a “Coop,” age 30,
Deandre Davis, age 31,
Omesimus Franklin, age 42,
Baheem Frazier, age 25,
Jadonte Gadsden, a/k/a “Jadonte Hood,” age 20,
George Graham, age 38,
Lorenzo Graham, a/k/a “Zo,” age 31,
Eshon Grant, age 25,
Dennis Grubbs, a/k/a “Lil Red,” age 33,
Julian Harris, a/k/a “Ju Ju,” age 50,
Nathaniel Harvey, age 20,
Robert Jivens, age 30,
Darrell McRae, a/k/a “General,” a/k/a “Ghetto,” age 44,
George Truman Polite, age 29,
Joseph Price, age 32,
Emmitt Scott, a/k/a “Scooda,” 32,
John Scott, age 20,
Shawn Seibert, age 26,
Leonard Washington, a/k/a “Guzzi,” age 38,
Floyd Williams, a/k/a “Ricardo Williams,” age 65,
Brandon Williams, a/k/a “Lil’ B,” age 26,
Raheem Williams, a/k/a “Bucket,” age 25,
Raynard Williams, age 20,
Tyrone Williams, a/k/a “T Y,” age 42,
Quentin Wright, age 35,
Deonta Young, a/k/a “Fluid,” a/k/a “Flow,” a/k/a “Lil D,” a/k/a “D”, age 27, and
Larry Young, age 39,
This case was investigated by ATF, GBI, SPD, and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the United States Marshals and the Chatham County District Attorney’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Greg Gilluly, Tania Groover, and Matt Josephson. For questions, please contact Barry Paschal, Public Affairs Officer (Contractor), at 912-652-4422.
Douglas Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Douglas man was sentenced in federal court in Worcester on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, for possession of child pornography.
Bryan Larson, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In November 2017, Larson pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
A search of Larson’s home in June 2015 resulted in the recovery of thousands of images of child pornography on his computer. The images and videos primarily depicted girls aged 4-8 engaged in sexual acts - including oral, anal and vaginal sex - with adult men. Approximately 4,000 of the images contained known victims, and many of those victims submitted impact statements for the Court to consider at sentencing. Larson was previously convicted of three counts of rape of a child in 1995.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Douglas Police Chief Nick Miglionico made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin M. Bell, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Brazen Robberies of Spanish-Speaking WorkersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tyquise Powell, 19, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 10-year prison term for his role in an armed robbery and a robbery, both in broad daylight, that targeted Spanish-speaking workers in two neighborhoods over a 48-hour period in November of 2017, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced today.
Powell pled guilty in June 2018 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of armed robbery and one count of robbery. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for a prison sentence of seven to 11 years. The Honorable José M. López accepted the plea and sentenced Powell accordingly on Aug. 24, 2018. Following his prison term, Powell will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 27, 2017, Powell took part in an armed robbery at approximately 11:50 a.m. targeting a crew of Spanish-speaking landscapers who were working at a church on the 2800 block of Bladensburg Road NE. During that robbery, Powell and two unidentified associates approached the workers, brandishing a firearm, and demanded their property. While one of the three robbers held the firearm, the other two went through the victim’s pockets and removed their person property. Also, Powell and the two associates discharged a firearm in an attempt to scare off several of the victims who attempted to pursue the suspects as they fled from the scene of the robbery.
Then, on Nov. 29, 2017, Powell and an unidentified accomplice took part in a robbery at 10:30 a.m., this time targeting Spanish-speaking construction workers who were renovating a home in the 3600 block of Camden Street SE, robbing the workers at gunpoint and taking an iPhone and wallet containing bank and credit cards.
Powell was arrested on Jan. 5, 2018, and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department, including the officers in the Fifth and Sixth Districts who quickly investigated and arrested Powell. She also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff and Kathryn Rakoczy, and Paralegal Specialist Antoinette Sakamsa. Finally, she commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Crane, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – A Detroit man who was caught with a firearm after a bar fight in Huntington in April of 2013 was sentenced today to 30 months in federal prison, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. James Anthony Mitchell, 25, previously pled guilty to prohibited possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. Attorney Stuart commended the investigative efforts of the Huntington Police Department and the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“What do you call a felon from Detroit with an illegal firearm who gets in a bar fight in Huntington? An inmate,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Nothing good ever happens after midnight. And nothing good happens at a bar at 3:00a.m. either. A prior felon, this wise guy decides to travel to Huntington with a prohibited firearm and get in a fight at a bar. Not such a wise guy after all.”
At approximately 3:00a.m. on April 7, 2013, officers with the Huntington Police Department were dispatched to the Rehab bar located in the 1200 block of 4th Avenue in Huntington to respond to a large fight in the bar’s parking lot. The caller also reported that an individual was injured at the scene. When an officer arrived at Rehab, a bystander provided a description of a male who had just left the area of the fight in possession of a gun. The officer radioed the description to other officers in the area and a separate officer observed Mitchell, who matched the suspect description, walking in front of the Greyhound bus station away from Rehab. The officer conducted a frisk of Mitchell and located a loaded Taurus .38 caliber pistol that Mitchell had concealed in his waistband. Officers also discovered that Mitchell had previously been convicted of multiple felony offenses, including the offense of assault during the commission of a felony in Cabell County Circuit Court, and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams handled the prosecution. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers.
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.
Follow us on Twitter: SDWVNews
###
Defendant Charged with Attempted Possession with Intent to Distribute Imitation Designer DrugRead the Press Release
Alfredo Rodriguez was arraigned this morning before United States Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn on a two-count indictment charging him with conspiring to distribute, and with attempting to possess with the intent to distribute, N-ethylpentylone, a Schedule I controlled substance analogue. The indictment was filed on August 17, 2018, and the case is assigned to United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis. Rodriguez was arrested on August 2, 2018, and at his initial appearance in court on August 3, 2018 was ordered detained.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New York, and Frank Russo, Acting Director, New York Field Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced the charges.
“The proactive efforts of our law enforcement partners slammed the door shut on the defendant’s efforts to obtain this dangerous drug, shipped by mail from China, to be sold on our streets,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This indictment demonstrates the commitment by the Department of Justice and our partners in law enforcement to combat the drug epidemic in our nation, enforcing zero tolerance for controlled substances, whether they are grown in a field or created in a laboratory.” Mr. Donoghue extended his grateful appreciation to ICE-HSI’s Border Enforcement Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) for their investigative work and assistance in the case.
“This is another case where interagency cooperation has stopped the attempted international distribution of a dangerous ‘designer’ drug, in this case one mimicking Ecstasy,” stated ICE HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Melendez. “Whether via the Internet or regular mail, HSI and cooperating agencies are penetrating these operations, no matter how big or how small, on a regular basis and bringing the individuals involved to justice.”
“This case serves as a great example of collaborative law enforcement efforts to combat international narcotics trafficking conspirators,” stated CBP Acting Director Russo. “U.S. Customs and Border Protection thanks our partners at HSI and ICE for their continued cooperation.”
According to the indictment and other court filings, Rodriguez purchased what he believed to be “Molly” – the street name for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also commonly referred to as “MDMA” or “ecstasy” – from a supplier in China, which he intended to sell to another individual for distribution. CBP intercepted the package when it arrived in the United States in July 2018, and upon examination found over 2,000 grams of N-ethylpentylone, a controlled substance analogue. N-ethylpentylone can resemble Molly in appearance and has been sold on the street as such.
After removing the N-ethylpentylone from the package and replacing it with a product that resembled the controlled substance, law enforcement personnel, including agents of the USPIS, delivered the package to an address in Jamaica, Queens, where Rodriguez was arrested after accepting the package.
If convicted, Rodriguez faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on each count of the indictment.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Justina L. Geraci is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
Alfredo Rodriguez
Age: 33
Carteret, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-444 (NGG)
Correctional Officer Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for A Racketeering Conspiracy at Eastern Correctional InstitutionRead the Press Release
Contact MARCIA MURPHY
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Correctional Officer Rachelle Hankerson, age 28, of Salisbury, Maryland, on August 24, 2018, to 52 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy operating at the Eastern Correctional Institution in Westover, Maryland, and for deprivation of rights under color of law for participating in the stabbing of an inmate.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Secretary Stephen T. Moyer of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
“As demonstrated by today’s sentence, public servants who violate their duty for personal gain will be held accountable. We will continue to work closely with state officials to root out and prosecute correctional officers who bring cell phones, drugs and other contraband into correctional facilities,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.
According to court documents, the Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI) is the largest state prison in Maryland, operating since 1987 near Westover, in Somerset County, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. During the conspiracy, Hankerson was a Correctional Officer (CO) at ECI.
Hankerson admitted that she accepted payments from facilitators and inmates to smuggle contraband into ECI, including narcotics, cell phones and tobacco. Hankerson charged at least $500 per package of contraband she smuggled into ECI. Hankerson also admitted that she approached a co-defendant who was a member of the Bloods gang at ECI for whom she smuggled contraband, and asked the inmate to confront inmate D.S., with whom Hankerson had had a verbal dispute. Hankerson twice allowed her co-defendant onto the tier where D.S. was housed. The second time that the co-defendant entered D.S.’s cell he violently attacked D.S., stabbing him multiple times. Another inmate told Hankerson about the violent confrontation, but rather than notifying prison authorities, Hankerson left the area. She later told an inmate to provide a false story to prison authorities that Hankerson had not been on the tier when the attack occurred. Law enforcement intercepted multiple calls in which Hankerson and others working with her discussed contraband, arranging meetings with correctional officers, and payment for contraband.
Of the 80 defendants charged in this case, 77 have been convicted, including 16 of the 18 correctional officers charged. All the defendants who have been sentenced to date have been ordered to serve a term of imprisonment, ranging from a year and a day in prison to 65 months in prison.
The U.S. Attorney expressed appreciation to Secretary Moyer, whose staff initiated the ECI investigation and who has made the full resources of the DPSCS available to assist the three-year investigation. U.S. Attorney Hur also commended the efforts of the Maryland Prison Task Force which has brought together federal, state and local agencies in meetings to generate reforms in prison procedures and facilitate joint investigations of prison corruption and prison gangs. Mr. Hur thanked the members of the Maryland Prison Task Force and the other agencies who assisted in this investigation and prosecution.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise, Robert R. Harding, and Daniel C. Gardner, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.
Connecting Dots, Providing Investigative Leads:Read the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY – In June, law enforcement officials in Utah announced the formation of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (GCIC) in Utah that brings together cutting-edge technologies and local, state, and federal law enforcement resources to give law enforcement officers real-time data and investigative leads to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms.
Utilizing tools like the ATF National Tracing Center and ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and forensics experts are focusing on the “trigger pullers” in Utah and other violent criminals. The goal of the CGIC is to connect the dots and provide actionable investigative leads in a real-time manner that will result in the arrest of suspects before they can commit additional shootings or other violence crimes.
How is the new initiative working?
A recently unsealed federal case, which started with an individual firing multiple shots from his vehicle at a residence in South Salt Lake City, offers a graphic example of the important role the NIBIN network and the CGIC are playing in piecing together a trail of violent crime that touched at least two Utah neighborhoods.
A criminal complaint filed Aug.15, 2018, charges Rory Curtis Cordova, aka “Joker,” age 50, of Ogden, with two counts of possessing a firearm following a felony conviction. The complaint alleges that close to midnight on June 30, 2018, South Salt Lake City police officers responded to reports of gunfire at a residence. Officers learned that an unidentified individual had fired multiple shots at the residence from a vehicle. Eight bullets struck the residence. Two individuals were inside the home at the time.
Evidence was gathered from a home surveillance camera. Based on the video information and additional information provided by a resident of the home, law enforcement officers were able to identify Rory Cordova as a suspect in the case. An attempt to locate Cordova was issued to police agencies. At approximately, 3:15 a.m., the complaint says, law enforcement officers from multiple agencies located Cordova’s vehicle in Ogden and took him into custody.
During the course of the investigation, officers recovered several shell casings from inside Cordova’s vehicle where they also located a stolen Glock 26 9mm handgun. During their investigation, officers also obtained surveillance of Cordova purchasing two boxes of 9 mm ammunition at a Walmart prior to the shooting.
The spent shell casings from the South Salt Lake shooting and shell casings from Cordova’s car – as well as the stolen 9mm handgun – were sent to the CGIC for entry into the ATF NIBIN network.
Firearms leave unique markings on ammunition and casings as it is discharged from the firearm. NIBIN stores images of those markings, which identify the signature of the firearm. These images are analyzed and compared against other NIBIN entries for matches or “hits.” A “hit” indicates that the markings are the same on the ammunition or casings and would have been fired from the same firearm.
Since purchasing the NIBIN machine in August 24, 2017, DPS has entered more than 1,200 shell casings, resulting in 56 groups of hits totaling 75 case associations. Fifteen of the 56 group hits involve three or more shootings linked to serial shooters.
According to the complaint, the NIBIN analysis revealed that the markings on the spent shell casings recovered from the scene of the South Salt Lake shooting matched the spent shell casings recovered from Cordova’s car.
The NIBIN analysis also linked the Glock handgun recovered from Cordova’s vehicle to spent shell casings recovered from the scene of a shots fired call in Ogden on June 8, 2018.
According to the complaint, the Ogden incident involved a man pulling up in front of a residence where a child’s birthday party was taking place. As shots were fired at the residence from the vehicle, witnesses described grabbing children and running from the residence. Officers located several bullet holes and marks on the exterior of the residence, the front window of the residence, and the windshield of a vehicle parked in the driveway at the residence. Witness statements describing the shooter and the vehicle he was driving were consistent with Cordova’s driver’s license photo and matched a vehicle registered to Cordova.
Cordova is a documented Ogden Trece gang member and has numerous felony convictions, leading to his restricted status under federal law firearms laws, according to the complaint. The potential maximum penalty for each of the two counts in the complaint is 10 years in federal prison.
Other examples:
US v Llewelyn: On January 20, 2018, Justin Gary Llewelyn, age 34, of Herriman, Utah, opened fire on a Unified Police officer when the officer made contact with Llewelyn near an apartment complex in Herriman. After firing at the officer, who was not physically injured, Llewelyn fled and broke into a unit at the apartment complex where he shot the apartment resident and stole his vehicle.
On January 24, 2018, officers located Llewelyn driving a stolen vehicle in Provo. Llewelyn fled from officers, who pursued him through Provo, Springville, and Spanish Fork.
Ultimately, Llewelyn was taken into custody when a Utah County Sheriff’s Deputy successfully disabled the stolen vehicle he was driving. Within the stolen vehicle, officers located a .45 ACP caliber pistol and were able to make NIBIN comparisons between the spent shell casings recovered from the Herriman crime scene and a test fired round from the .45 ACP pistol recovered from the vehicle driven by Llewelyn. The NIBIN analysis confirmed that the .45 ACP spent shell casings at the Herriman crime scene matched the .45 ACP test fired spent shell casing.
Llewelyn is charged in two separate federal indictments with possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.
He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count of felon in possession of a firearm. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled for trial in the cases in September.
US v Cruz: Lee Donald Cruz, age 39, of Ogden, is charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition in a federal indictment returned in July. The firearm was located in the tank of a toilet during a search of a home in connection with a law enforcement investigation. NIBIN analysis of a test-fired round from the gun produced a “hit” on the gun for a shooting involving a rival gang member a week earlier.
Cruz has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is scheduled for a two-day trial starting Oct. 9, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Robert J. Shelby. He faces separate charges for aggravated burglary and aggravated kidnapping in state court.
Complaints and indictments are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in these documents are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.
Columbus Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Possession of A Firearm Under Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS: United States Attorney Charles E. Peeler announces that Watkins Brown, age 25, of Columbus, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 103 months in prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The sentence was handed down by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Clay D. Land on August 21, 2018.
Mr. Brown was found guilty following a jury trial June 13-14, 2018. Evidence presented at the trial showed that on September 5, 2017, officers with the Columbus Police Department and the Department of Community Supervision were attempting to serve probation violation warrants on Mr. Brown when he fled. After a short chase, Mr. Brown was apprehended, and a loaded.380 handgun was found adjacent to his leg. Mr. Brown had previously been convicted of Robbery by Snatching, Sale of Marijuana, and Burglary, and he was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
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.
“My office will vigorously seek to prosecute felons with firearms,” said United States Attorney Charles E. Peeler. “I commend the Columbus Police Department, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision and the FBI for their work in this case.”
This case was investigated by the Columbus Police Department, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Melvin E. Hyde, Jr. prosecuted the case for the United States.
Questions concerning this case should be directed to Pamela Lightsey, Public Information Officer, United States Attorney’s Office, at (478) 621-2603.
Columbia, Tennessee Man Facing Federal Firearms and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 27, 2018 – Jacob Michael Goethe, 26, of Columbia, Tennessee, was charged in a criminal complaint on Friday with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and possession and distribution of heroin, after he purchased a 9mm handgun from an undercover officer, announced U.S. Attorney Don Cochran of the Middle District of Tennessee.
According to the criminal complaint, Goethe had been the target of a drug trafficking investigation in Maury County, Tennessee and had sold heroin to an undercover officer on prior occasions. At the conclusion of one drug transaction, Goethe asked the undercover officer if he could get him a pistol and specified that he was interested in a small compact handgun.
On August 22, 2018, Goethe texted the undercover officer and arranged to purchase a handgun by negotiating a trade for approximately 3.5 grams of heroin. On August 24, 2018, ATF agents made a controlled delivery of a Glock 9mm handgun to Goethe in exchange for the heroin. Goethe was immediately taken into custody.
If convicted, Goethe faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF; the Maury County Sheriff’s Department; the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force; the 22nd Judicial District Drug Task Force; and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynne T. Ingram is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Church Pastor Pleads Guilty to Setting Fire to His Apartment in Scam to Collect Insurance MoneyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jamel Carelock, 28, the pastor of a Baltimore church, pled guilty today to setting fire to an apartment he rented in Southeast Washington in a plan to collect insurance money, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Thomas L. Chittum III, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Carelock, pastor of Lead Church, pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to charges of arson, felony destruction of property, and second-degree insurance fraud. The trial in the case was scheduled to begin on Aug. 28, 2018. The Honorable Jennifer A. Di Toro scheduled sentencing for Oct. 26, 2018.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 17, 2017, at approximately 1 a.m., Carelock intentionally set fire to his apartment unit in a complex in the 2500 block of R Street SE. Carelock soaked his mattress with gasoline and lit the mattress on fire, causing the fire to burn and causing extensive damage to his unit and the surrounding apartments.
The apartment complex includes 94 units, and the residents included small children and elderly individuals, who were home at the time of the fire and forced to evacuate. The fire caused more than $40,000 worth of damage and rendered at least one of the neighboring apartments uninhabitable. A law enforcement investigation revealed that Carelock had applied for an insurance policy eight days prior to the fire. He later filed a claim for more than $11,000 in damage to his property, with the intent to defraud the insurance company.
In making the insurance claim, the evidence showed, Carelock presented materially false information. He misrepresented that he was not responsible for the fire, falsely claimed that he was in Georgia at the time of the blaze, and falsely claimed that he lost personal items, to include suits and a television. In fact, Carelock had removed those items from the unit before the fire and he still had them at the time that he made the insurance claim.
The investigation also determined that Carelock’s cell phone was one mile away from the fire, five minutes after the fire alarm was pulled. Carelock was arrested on Jan. 19, 2018 and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Special Agent in Charge Chittum, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the ATF and MPD. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the District of Columbia Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services and the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Elizabeth Trosman, Chief of the Appellate Division; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chrisellen Kolb, Julianne Johnston, John Hill, and Veronica Sanchez; Librarian Lisa Kosow, and Paralegal Specialist Debra McPherson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina Wolf, Alissa Kempler and Melissa Price, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Chris Jones and Kezia Dover Sentenced to Prison for Their Roles in Johnson City Eastman Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE, Tenn. – Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in the April 2016 robbery of the Eastman Credit Union (credit union) in Johnson City, Tennessee. On August 16, 2018, Kezia Dover, 37, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison. Chris Jones, 29, of Johnson City, Tennessee, was sentenced on August 27, 2018, to serve 98 months in federal prison.
In March 2017, a federal grand jury charged both Dover and Jones with conspiracy to commit bank robbery and bank robbery. Jones was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Dover pleaded guilty in April 2018 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery. Jones also pleaded guilty in April 2018 to conspiracy to commit bank robbery, bank robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to their plea agreements on file with U.S. District Court, Dover and Jones conspired to rob the credit union and split the proceeds. Dover drove Jones to the credit union in a borrowed vehicle and parked in a nearby parking lot. Jones entered the credit union and gave the teller a note that said, “got BoomB NO Cop’s No Dye PACK’s Put MONey in Bag.” He subsequently put a white bag on the counter, in which the teller placed money and handed it back to him. Jones exited the building and departed in the vehicle that Dover was waiting in to drive them away.
On the day following the credit union robbery, Jones took possession of a Smith & Wesson 9mm semi-automatic pistol and ammunition, knowing he was not permitted to possess a firearm because of a prior felony conviction. The following day Dover and Jones were involved in a high-speed pursuit by the police in which Dover lost control and crashed the vehicle that she and Jones occupied. After the crash, Jones ran from the passenger side of the vehicle, carrying the firearm and ammunition. He was pursued on foot by the police and eventually apprehended, still in possession of the firearm and ammunition.
These charges and subsequent sentencings were the result of an investigation by the FBI, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and Johnson City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney TJ Harker represented the United States in court proceedings.
###
Cheektowaga Man Sentenced for Operating A Cocaine Conspiracy Near A Buffalo SchoolRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Aaron Hill, 31, of Cheektowaga, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, 500 grams or more of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan A. Tokash, who handled the case, stated that the defendant conspired with Stevie Alejandro who operated the Barberians Barber Shop at 1132 East Lovejoy Street, which is located directly across from Buffalo Public School #43, the Lovejoy Discovery School. Between May 2017 and October 18, 2017, the defendant participated in the cocaine conspiracy with co-defendants Alejandro, Cleophus Dentmond, Gilbert Guzman, Catherine Ramos, and others, to distribute cocaine in the Lovejoy District.
During the conspiracy, Alejandro conducted negotiations with an undercover law enforcement officer regarding the sale, cost, amount, and delivery of cocaine. Then, Hill, or one of his co-conspirators, would conduct the drug transaction with the undercover officer. All proceeds went back to Alejandro. The defendant was involved in a total of 14 cocaine sales, either direct hand to hand sales, or by facilitating the distribution via other co-conspirators.
Defendants Alejandro, Guzman, and Dentmond were previously convicted. Charges are pending against Catherine Ramos. 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.
Today’s sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Division; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood; the Cheektowaga Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Zak; and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Timothy Howard
California Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Role in Drug Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that on Aug. 23, 2018, Enrique Ayon Duenas, 61, of California, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess to serve 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that brought controlled substances, including heroin and methamphetamine, from California into Alaska. Duenas pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and money laundering charges on Oct. 5, 2017.
According to court documents, between August 2015 to July 2016, Duenas entered into an agreement with co-conspirators to obtain controlled substances, including 1000 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, from sources in California, which were then to be distributed in Alaska. Additionally, Duenas and others laundered the proceeds from the illegal sale of narcotics through financial institutions located in Alaska and California, with the purpose of concealing the true nature of the money. For example, the money was laundered by transferring it between Alaska and California by various means, including bank deposits made in Alaska into bank accounts in other people’s names, and thereafter by withdrawals in California.
Two additional co-conspirators were indicted for criminal conduct related to this drug conspiracy. The following defendants have pleaded guilty to criminal charges and have been sentenced to the following prison terms:
- Juan Carlos Hernandez, sentenced to 44 months in prison on April 14, 2018, for drug conspiracy;
- Oscar Josue Maldonado, sentenced to two years in prison on Feb. 27, 2018, for drug conspiracy.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephan A. Collins.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Trading Cocaine for FirearmsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore. – Gonzalo Manzo, Jr., 33, of Fresno, California, pleaded guilty today to one count each of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in 2017, Manzo coordinated the shipment of a kilogram of cocaine from California to Southern Oregon. Manzo and his co-conspirators sold the cocaine to undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in Oregon in exchange for firearms and $21,000 in cash. Manzo intended for the firearms and cash to be transported back to California but agents arrested Manzo and his co-conspirators and the firearms were seized by law enforcement.
Manzo faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on January 24, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken. Co-defendants Jonathan Ochoa and Rodolfo Quevedo also face criminal charges; their cases are pending in federal court.
The case was investigated by ATF and is being prosecuted by Nathan J. Lichvarcik and Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.
The 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.
Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Erick Pizarro, 37, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges carry mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of life, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Astorga, who is handling the case, stated that on June 9, 2015, the Buffalo and Lackawanna Police Departments a search warrant at the defendant’s Schuele Avenue residence. Officers recovered bags of heroin, a digital scale with heroin residue, a sifter with heroin residue, a spoon with heroin residue, a bottle of cutting agent, ammunition, and a loaded firearm.
On April 9, 2003, Pizarro was convicted of Attempted Robbery in the Second Degree in Erie County Court and sentenced to 30 months in prison. As a result, he is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Gary Loeffert, Special Agent-in-Charge, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict, the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Byron Lockwood, and the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel.Sentencing is scheduled for January 4, 2019, at 10:00 a.m. before judge Vilardo.
Buffalo Man Charged with Selling Crack Cocaine Near Senior Housing in LackawannaRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Nafese J. Sanford, 26, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, crack cocaine. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the Lackawanna Police Narcotics Unit has been investigating the narcotics trafficking activities of the defendant since June 2018. The investigation determined that Sanford is a street-level crack cocaine distributor with a large customer base in the Buffalo area who operated around the Parkview Towers, a federally funded senior housing unit on Ridge Road in Lackawanna.
Between July 13, 2018, and August 22, 2018, the Lackawanna Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration made three undercover purchases of crack cocaine from the defendant.
The defendant made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder and is being detained.
The complaint is the culmination of an investigation by the Lackawanna Police Department, under the direction of Chief James Michel, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge James J. Hunt, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Bronx Man Sentenced on Heroin ChargeRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. announced today that Eriel Rivera, 42, of Bronx, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Higgins, who handled the case, stated that on July 8 and July 22, 2017, the defendant sold a quantity of cocaine to a confidential source working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Rivera was arrested on September 29, 2017, in a coffee shop in Niagara Falls, NY. At the time, the defendant was in possession of $1,885 in cash and a quantity of suspected heroin.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan Benedict.
Boulder Doctor Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
DENVER – Cathleen Van Buskirk, age 55, from Erie, Colorado, a doctor and surgeon from Boulder, Colorado, pled guilty Friday before U.S. District Court Judge William J. Martinez to Bankruptcy Fraud, U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer and FBI Denver Division Special Agent in Charge Calvin Shivers announced. Van Buskirk appeared and was released on bond. She is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Martinez on November 28, 2018. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on December 4, 2017.
When Van Buskirk filed for bankruptcy in August 2014, she deliberately failed to disclose certain assets and took various steps to conceal her interest in those concealed assets. By her efforts, Van Buskirk concealed somewhere between $250,000-$500,000 worth of property that should have been part of her bankruptcy estate. Among the things, Van Buskirk concealed her property by giving a friend gold and silver coins, foreign currency, a diamond ring, and $48,000 in cash to hold for her. She also routed $170,000 through various shell companies that were registered in the names of others but which Van Buskirk actually controlled.
This case was investigated by the FBI. The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Pegeen Rhyne and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Burrows.
Big Lake Man Convicted of Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that on Aug. 23, 2018, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason found Stephen Christopher Howe, 44, of Big Lake, guilty of attempted production and receipt of child pornography, attempted enticement of a minor, and attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. Howe had previously pled guilty to possession of child pornography.
Howe was found guilty after a four-day bench trial before Judge Gleason. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 7, 2018, at 1:30 p.m. in Anchorage. As a result of his convictions, Howe faces a sentencing range of not less than 15 years in prison up to life. Each conviction carries a maximum fine of up to $250,000, terms of supervised release of five years to life, and a $100 special assessment.
According to evidence presented at trial, Howe responded to an undercover online advertisement posted by a law enforcement officer posing as a minor. Over the next 48 hours, the undercover officer and Howe exchanged 475 text messages. In these messages, the undercover and Howe discussed meeting to engage in sexual acts together. Howe told the undercover that he was an “ebhebophile,” that is “[someone] who like[s] post-pubescent adolescents),” and a pedophile, that is, an “adult who is attracted to children.” Howe also sent two images of his penis to the undercover, and repeatedly asked the undercover to take a photograph of his penis and send it to him.
This case was investigated by the Anchorage Police Department, Crimes Against Children Unit (CACU), with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Reardon.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting A Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
Contact MARCIA MURPHY
www.justice.gov/usao/md at (410) 209-4854
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Devin Braxton, age 28, of Baltimore, to five years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for assaulting a federal officer.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Interim Police Commissioner Gary Tuggle of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Law enforcement officers—including members of ATF and the Baltimore Police Department—routinely put their lives on the line for the sake of public safety,” said United States Attorney Robert K. Hur. “Those who assault these brave men and woman will be held accountable.”
“ATF Special Agents and Task Force Officers risk their safety and lives every day investigating violent offenders, including those who push drugs onto Baltimore’s streets. We do this to protect the community, and remove criminals and violence from their neighborhoods,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Rob Cekada. “Devin Braxton and Earl Williams showed no regard for human life when they violently beat our Task Force Officer, a member of our ATF family. We are immensely grateful that this TFO has made a full recovery and that these men are being held responsible for their crime.”
According to Braxton’s plea agreement, on January 18, 2017, an ATF Task Force Officer (TFO) was working undercover in an investigation of a drug dealer in Baltimore.
While wearing an audio recording device, the TFO met the target drug dealer in front of a carryout store in the 1800 block of North Gay Street in Baltimore, where the drug dealer gave the TFO packaged crack cocaine in exchange for cash. While the TFO was engaged in the transaction, Braxton’s co-defendant, Earl Williams, approached the TFO and poked his finger into the TFO’s hand that was holding the crack cocaine. The TFO attempted to excuse Williams, who persisted in his confrontation and began threatening the TFO. Braxton and Williams then blocked the exit to the business. The TFO attempted to push Williams into the corner of the store, but, as the TFO struggled with Williams, Braxton began striking the TFO. Williams then wrestled the TFO to the ground, where Braxton and Williams punched and kicked the TFO, causing serious injuries. Hearing the commotion over the TFO’s audio recording device, ATF agents rapidly responded to the scene. Before agents could arrive, Braxton and Williams left the store. As they fled, Williams took the TFO’s cell phone and Braxton took the TFO’s service weapon.
ATF agents apprehended Braxton and Williams a short time later. They also recovered the TFO’s phone and service weapon. The TFO was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Earl Williams, age 30, of Baltimore, also pleaded guilty to assaulting a federal officer. If the Court accepts the plea, Williams will be sentenced to 66 months in prison, at his sentencing before Judge Bennett on September 12, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, who is prosecuting the case.
Another Cardenas Family Member Sent to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The son of the former Gulf Cartel leader has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of illegally possessing a firearm and impersonating a U.S. Marshal, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Osiel Cardenas Jr., 26, pleaded guilty May 22, 2018.
Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr., handed Cardenas a 27-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Cardenas to pay a $15,000 fine.
On March 14, 2018, authorities responded to the SKY Bar and Lounge in Brownsville in response to reports of an individual within the club brandishing a firearm. That person was identified as Cardenas. He was found next to his vehicle within the SKY Bar and Lounge parking lot and arrested for public intoxication. At the time of his arrest, Cardenas informed officers he was a U.S. Marshal and asked them to look at his badge. Hanging on his neck, under his shirt, officers located a gold colored Cameron County District Attorney’s badge. Officers also found a Bersa, .380 caliber firearm inside his vehicle which also contained his identification documents and U.S. currency.
Witnesses identified Cardenas as the individual inside the nightclub brandishing the firearm. They also identified the firearm recovered from his vehicle as the firearm they had seen Cardenas brandish within the nightclub. They indicated Cardenas had also displayed a gold colored badge and identified himself as a U.S. Marshal. The witnesses indicated Cardenas ordered patrons to leave the nightclub or they would be arrested for failure to follow his commands.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Brownsville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro is prosecuting the case.
Ambulance Company and its Municipal Clients Agree to Pay over $21 MillionRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – Seven ambulance industry defendants have agreed to pay the government a total of over $21 million to settle a False Claims Act lawsuit alleging that they knowingly submitted claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs that violated the Anti‑Kickback Statute, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
The settlements announced today resolve allegations brought in a whistleblower action filed under the False Claims Act in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas by Stephen Dean. Dr. Dean alleged that East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, Inc. and East Texas Medical Center Regional Health Services, Inc. (together, “the ETMC Defendants”), and their affiliated ambulance company, Paramedics Plus, LLC (“Paramedics Plus”), offered kickbacks to several municipal entities to secure their lucrative ambulance business, including Emergency Medical Services Authority (“EMSA”), Alameda County, California, and Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services Authority in Florida (“Pinellas EMSA”). The False Claims Act authorizes private parties to file suit for false claims on behalf of the United States, and permits the United States to intervene in such suits, as it did here in part.
Prior to intervening in Dr. Dean’s lawsuit, the United States settled with Alameda County and Pinellas EMSA. Alameda County agreed to pay the government $50,000, and Pinellas EMSA agreed to pay the United States $66,000, plus an additional $5,200 to the State of Florida. After filing suit against the ETMC Defendants, Paramedics Plus, EMSA, and its former president and CEO, Herbert Stephen Williamson, the United States settled with the ETMC Defendants and Paramedics Plus for $20.649 million and EMSA for $300,000. Williamson agreed to pay the United States and the State of Oklahoma $80,000. The latter two settlements were based on the defendants’ ability to pay.
“The United States’ efforts in this case ended abusive practices in the ambulance industry,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler, for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “These settlements demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that health care decisions are made based on patient needs, not a health care provider’s financial interests.”
“Paramedics Plus paid millions of dollars in illegal inducements over the course of a number of years,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown. “Williamson allegedly received gifts and also directed Paramedics Plus to make political contributions to local Oklahoma politicians, which EMSA could not do on its own. Sophisticated health care companies do not simply give away millions of dollars to referral sources without expecting something in exchange. Quid pro quo arrangements for the referral of health care business are illegal.”
The matters alleged in Dr. Dean’s action were investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the states of California, Florida, Indiana, and Oklahoma. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James Gillingham and Joshua Russ as well as Department of Justice Trial Attorney Claire Norsetter primarily handled the matter for the United States.
The False Claims Act claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Dean v. Paramedics Plus, LLC, et al., 4:14-CV-203. Dr. Dean will receive over $4.9 million as his share of the settlements.
# # #
Ambulance Company and its Municipal Clients Agree to Pay over $21 Million to Settle Allegations of Unlawful Kickbacks and Improper Financial RelationshipsRead the Press Release
Seven ambulance industry defendants have agreed to pay the government a total of over $21 million to settle a False Claims Act lawsuit alleging that they knowingly submitted claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs that violated the Anti‑Kickback Statute, the Justice Department announced today.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits offering, paying, soliciting, or receiving remuneration to induce referrals of items or services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and other federally funded programs. The Anti-Kickback Statute is intended to ensure that medical providers’ judgments are not compromised by improper financial incentives and are instead based on the best interests of their patients.
The settlements announced today resolve allegations brought in a whistleblower action filed under the False Claims Act in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas by Stephen Dean. Dr. Dean alleged that East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, Inc. and East Texas Medical Center Regional Health Services, Inc. (together, “the ETMC Defendants”), and their affiliated ambulance company, Paramedics Plus, LLC (“Paramedics Plus”), offered kickbacks to several municipal entities to secure their lucrative ambulance business, including Emergency Medical Services Authority (“EMSA”), Alameda County, California, and Pinellas County Emergency Medical Services Authority in Florida (“Pinellas EMSA”). The False Claims Act authorizes private parties to file suit for false claims on behalf of the United States, and permits the United States to intervene in such suits, as it did here in part.
Prior to intervening in Dr. Dean’s lawsuit, the United States settled with Alameda County and Pinellas EMSA. Alameda County agreed to pay the government $50,000, and Pinellas EMSA agreed to pay the United States $66,000, plus an additional $5,200 to the State of Florida. After filing suit against the ETMC Defendants, Paramedics Plus, EMSA, and its former president and CEO, Herbert Stephen Williamson, the United States settled with the ETMC Defendants and Paramedics Plus for $20.649 million and EMSA for $300,000. Williamson agreed to pay the United States and the State of Oklahoma $80,000. The latter two settlements were based on the defendants’ ability to pay.
“The United States’ efforts in this case ended abusive practices in the ambulance industry,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Chad A. Readler for the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “These settlements demonstrate our commitment to ensuring that health care decisions are made based on patient needs, not a health care provider’s financial interests.”
“Paramedics Plus paid millions of dollars in illegal inducements over the course of a number of years,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown for the Eastern District of Texas. “Williamson allegedly received gifts and also directed Paramedics Plus to make political contributions to local Oklahoma politicians, which EMSA could not do on its own. Sophisticated health care companies do not simply give away millions of dollars to referral sources without expecting something in exchange. Quid pro quo arrangements for the referral of health care business are illegal.”
The matters alleged in Dr. Dean’s action were investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, the Civil Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and the states of California, Florida, Indiana, and Oklahoma.
The False Claims Act claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Dean v. Paramedics Plus, LLC, et al., 4:14-CV-203. Dr. Dean will receive over $4.9 million as his share of the settlements.
After Four Deportations, Mexican Citizen SentencedRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Mexican citizen who has been deported four times, Jorge Carrillo-Hernandez, 36, was sentenced today to 57 months in federal prison for unlawfully returning to the United States, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said. He was also sentenced to an additional term of 24 months in prison, to be served consecutively, because he was still on supervised release in another case when he unlawfully returned.
Records filed in court prior to his sentencing showed that between 2003 and 2013, he was convicted of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, domestic battery, three times for driving under the influence, and twice in federal court for unlawful re-entry following deportation subsequent to convictions for aggravated felonies.
In the present case, he came to the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement after his fourth arrest for DUI in April 2017.
McAllister commended Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton for their work on the case.
Saturday 25 August 2018
Sentencings Completed in Nineteen-Defendant Des Moines Drug and Firearms Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, IA – On August 24, 2018, sentencings were completed in the federal prosecution of nineteen defendants charged with methamphetamine trafficking and firearms offenses, stemming from the investigation of a multi-state drug trafficking organization announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. Investigation of the methamphetamine and firearms trafficking organization began in April 2017, following the arrest of Shannon Paxton, age 47, on a violation of his federal supervised release. While Paxton was in custody at the Polk County Jail, he utilized the jail phone system to continue to operate his organization, directing the sale of methamphetamine, storage and movement of firearms, and collection of drug proceeds. Paxton also maintained contact with Fidel Rios, Jr., age 35, his methamphetamine source of supply in Pasco, Washington. Rios and Paxton met while incarcerated together in federal prison – Paxton was incarcerated for a 2013 conviction for possessing a firearm as a felon, and Rios was incarcerated for a 2013 conviction for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
The investigation culminated in the execution of 25 federal search warrants in Iowa and Washington in June 2017. In total, the organization was responsible for the distribution of over 300 pounds of methamphetamine in the Southern District of Iowa between January and June 2017; and nearly forty firearms were seized as result of the investigation. All defendants charged pleaded guilty and all defendants were sentenced by United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose, with the exception of Casey Lee Hildebrand, who was sentenced by United States District Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger.
• Shannon Lee Paxton, 47, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 390 months
• Fidel Rios, Jr., 35, of Pasco, Washington, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 306 months
• Stacy Lynn Comstock, 45, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 240 months
• Kerry Drew Haegele, 48, of Des Moines, sentenced to a total term of imprisonment of 204 months
• Kira Leanne Fallis, 27, of Elkhart, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 144 months
• Misty Marie Langrehr, 24, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 120 months
• Steven Lee Hooper, 47, of Maxwell, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 151 months
• Kenneth Edward Williams, 54, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 204 months
• James Oren Phillips, 40, of Centerville, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 78 months
• John Thomas Archer, 53, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 72 months
• Charles Astley, 64, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 48 months
• Marti Rai Miller, 52, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 160 months
• Marty Lee Belew, 52, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 72 months
• Charles Garrett Nielsen, 54, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 144 months
• Cary Mark Hollingsworth, 41, of Grimes, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 114 months
• Richard Jason Martin, 42, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 132 months• Kendall Edward Barrett, 39, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 72 months
• Christina Marie Wright, 31, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 120 months
• Casey Lee Hildebrand, 39, of Des Moines, sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 188 months
This investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department, United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and the significant assistance of numerous state and local agencies, including the Iowa State Patrol, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force, and the Central Iowa Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions Statement on the Passing of Senator John McCainRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued the following statement on the passing of Senator John McCain:
"For John McCain, his country was his life. He was tireless in its service. Courage, determination, and relentless drive made him a great leader.
"To me, having served with him in the Senate for 20 years, his support for President Bush's surge in Iraq at a time when things had been going badly and public support had eroded, was one of the most dramatic, important, patriotic, and selfless actions I had the honor to witness in that body. His presidential aspirations were entirely set aside. He totally deployed his considerable strength and energy to what he believed was best for his country—and in service to those then fighting valiantly for the mission the nation had given them. It was a very contentious debate. His personal dedication and leadership moved a very uncertain decision to a favorable outcome.
"His ferocious tenacity for his country was unmatched. America has lost one of its greatest patriots."
Friday 24 August 2018
Wood County Man Pleads Guilty to Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A Wood County man pled guilty today to child pornography crimes, announced United States Attorney Mike Stuart. Nathan Kelley entered his guilty plea to one count of distribution or attempted distribution of child pornography, and one count of possessing child pornography. Stuart commended the investigative work of the Parkersburg Police Department and the West Virginia State Police.
“The sexual exploitation of children is disgusting,” said United States Attorney Mike Stuart. “Protecting our most vulnerable is my top priority and these horrific crimes will not be tolerated. Child sex offenders will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Kelley admitted to using his phone to send images depicting child pornography through Twitter to another person on November 18, 2017, at his residence in Wood County. He also admitted to possessing about 220 images and one video depicting child pornography on December 27, 2017, also at his residence in Wood County. He indicated that he acquired all of the images and the video from the Internet and stored them on his phone in an app called Keepsafe. Many of the images involved prepubescent children being subjected to sexually explicit conduct.
Kelley faces at least 5 and up to 40 years in federal prison when he is sentenced on December 18, 2018. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer Rada Herrald and Emily Wasserman are handling the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Follow us on Twitter: @SDWVNews and @USAttyStuart
###
Wilson County Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Distributing HeroinRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III sentenced TROY LEE NEWSOME, JR., a/k/a “Slim,” 30 from Wilson, North Carolina, to 42 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
NEWSOME, was named in an eight-count Indictment filed in the Eastern District of North Carolina on November 29, 2017. Count 1 charged Conspiracy to Possess With the Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin from November 2016 to June 2017, in violation of 21 U.S.C § 846. Counts 2 through 8 charged Distribution and Possession With Intent to Distribute a Quantity of Heroin on November 29, 2016; November 30, 2016; December 15, 2016; January 27, 2017; February 8, 2017; February 10, 2017; and May 30, 2017; respectively, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).
The investigation revealed that in November of 2016, NEWSOME, became the target of a narcotics investigation by the Wilson Police Department and Wilson County Sherriff’s Office (WCSO). Investigators conducted a series of controlled purchases of heroin from NEWSOME.
On February 10, 2017, a search warrant was executed at NEWSOME’S Wilson residence. Officers encountered NEWSOME in a vehicle parked in the driveway, seated in the driver’s seat. A quantity of marijuana was located in the front of the vehicle. In the trunk of the vehicle, officers recovered 300 bags (3 grams) of heroin stamped with the label “Hot Sauce.” NEWSOME was charged in state court with two counts of Trafficking in Heroin, and was subsequently released on bond.
On May 30, 2017, officers with the WCSO attempted to perform a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by NEWSOME. NEWSOME, who had outstanding felony warrants, led officers on a two-mile high-speed chase, at times driving into oncoming traffic and endangering civilians. During the pursuit, NEWSOME drove directly toward a WSCO deputy in his patrol vehicle, which nearly resulted in a head-on collision with the officer.
From the investigation, law enforcement determined NEWSOME is accountable for trafficking heroin and marijuana between September 2016 and June 2017. He was also responsible for possessing a dangerous weapon.
Mr. Higdon commented: “Troy Lee Newsome, Jr. has been poisoning the streets of Wilson, North Caroloina and Wilson County for more than a decade. But now, with the imposition of a 42 months sentence, those communities can begin to recover from the effects of his crime. The Court’s sentence gives these communities that opportunity and we are very pleased that the United States Department of Justice could play a role in achieving that result. I want to commend the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wilson Police Department, for their excellent work in this case.”
The case is a federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) criminal matter and was investigated by the Wilson Police Department, Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Edward Gray prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Williamson County Man Lands 5-Year Prison Sentence for Federal Firearm ViolationRead the Press Release
Bobby A. Commons, a/k/a "Blood," 44, of Herrin, Illinois, was sentenced this week to a 60-month term in federal prison for a firearm offense, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois Steven D. Weinhoeft announced today. Commons previously pled guilty to a one-count indictment charging unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings established that, on November 22, 2017, Commons threatened another person using a stolen rifle and discharged three rounds while inside his Herrin residence. Because he has a prior felony conviction, federal law prohibits Commons from possessing firearms.
The investigation was conducted by the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group, the Herrin Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The Williamson County States Attorney’s Office also assisted in the investigation.
Westerly Resident on Federal Supervised Release on Child Pornography Conviction Charged with Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE - A Westerly man convicted in 2015 for possession of child pornography and sentenced to 36 months in federal prison was ordered detained today by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possession of child pornography.
In September 2015, Paul Estus, 71, having previously admitted to the Court to possessing more than 600 images of child pornography, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to 36 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years supervised release. A condition of Estus’ supervised release required him to submit to unannounced examination of his electronic devices.
According to court documents, on August 15, 2018, United States Probation Officers conducted a home visit at Estus’ Westerly residence. During the unannounced visit, Probation Officers inspected two cell phones owned by Estus and allegedly discovered images of child pornography on both phones. The phones were seized for further analysis.
A court-authorized forensic examination of the cell phones by a Warwick Police Detective assigned to the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force allegedly revealed 273 images of child pornography and 15 videos of child pornography.
Estus was arrested earlier today.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The arrest of Estus and the filing of a criminal complaint charging Estus with possession of child pornography are announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Chief U.S. Probation Officer John A. Marshall, and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
###
Waterloo Man Indicted for Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Mark Brueggemann, 60, of Waterloo, Illinois, has been charged with knowingly receiving a video depicting child pornography, Steven D. Weinhoeft, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. The one-count indictment alleges that the offense occurred in Waterloo on or about February 15, 2017.
Earlier today, Brueggemann made his initial appearance in federal court. Brueggemann pleaded not guilty to the charge and was released on bond with electronic location monitoring and other special conditions. His trial is currently set for October 23, 2018.
If convicted of the charge, Brueggemann faces at least five years and no more than 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000, and a possible lifetime term of supervised release. He may also be asked to make restitution to any identified victims of his offense.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The case is being investigated by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield Electronic Crime Unit/Southern Illinois Cyber Group of the Secret Service. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Hoell.
Virginia Man Sentenced to Prison for Producing Pornography of Children in the PhilippinesRead the Press Release
A Manassas man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for paying women to sexually abuse children in the Philippines via a web camera while he directed and produced numerous images of the abuse, announced Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Lechleitner of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady.
On April 9, Dwayne Stinson, 53, a communications technician, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography. According to court documents, from at least October 2011 until February 2012, Stinson used an electronic payment service to pay women in the Philippines he was chatting with to sexually abuse children while he directed the abuse. He admitted that some of the children were as young as six or seven years old. The defendant contemporaneously produced numerous screenshot images of the abuse and stored them on his computer for years. In addition to his prison sentence, Stinson was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the Prince William County Police Department and Northern Virginia/District of Columbia Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Trial Attorney James E. Burke IV of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Russell of the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Violent Bank Robbery Results in 30-Year Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge today sentenced a Chicago man to 30 years in prison for robbing a suburban bank at gunpoint.
MALCOLM CARPENTER and another man robbed a Bank of America branch in Homewood on Dec. 4, 2013. Upon entering the bank, Carpenter announced a robbery and pointed a loaded handgun at a pregnant teller behind the counter. He and the other robber then forced three female bank employees to lie face down on the ground while compelling the bank manager and a teller to open the vault and hand over cash. The pair fled the bank with $80,288, but were soon arrested while hiding in a vehicle parked in a nearby apartment complex.
A jury last year convicted Carpenter, 38, of Chicago, on bank robbery and firearm charges. U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer imposed the sentence in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Substantial assistance was provided by the South Suburban Major Crimes Task Force, the South Suburban Emergency Response Team, and the Homewood Police Department.
“When defendant chose to rob a bank and point a loaded firearm at five innocent individuals, he also chose to put each of their lives at risk,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Greening and Sean J.B. Franzblau argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “The victim bank employees suffered a lasting, human cost.”
The other robber, JUSTIN WILLIAMS, 30, of Calumet Park, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and firearm charges. Judge Pallmeyer in 2016 sentenced Williams to ten years in prison.
Ukrainian Sentenced for Trafficking in Hacked Financial InformationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Ukrainian national was sentenced today to six years in prison for trafficking stolen financial information obtained through computer hacking.
According to court documents, Ruslan Yeliseyev, 42, of Odessa, Ukraine, made his living selling stolen financial information on underground Russian-speaking criminal websites. The information that Yeliseyev sold, which had been stolen from hacked computers, included over 62,000 credit card numbers as well as usernames and passwords to victims’ online banking accounts. Yeliseyev was arrested while vacationing in Israel in 2016 and subsequently extradited to the United States.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Brian J. Ebert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer and Trial Attorney Andrew Pak of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court
Ukrainian Sentenced for Trafficking in Hacked Financial InformationRead the Press Release
A Ukrainian national was sentenced today to six years in prison for trafficking stolen financial information obtained through computer hacking.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Ebert of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
According to court documents, Ruslan Yeliseyev, 42, of Odessa, Ukraine, made his living selling stolen financial information on underground Russian-speaking criminal websites. The information that Yeliseyev sold, which had been stolen from approximately 40,000 hacked computers, included over 62,000 credit card numbers as well as usernames and passwords to victims’ online banking accounts. Yeliseyev was arrested while vacationing in Israel in 2016 and subsequently extradited to the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in the extradition. Trial Attorney Andrew Pak of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kellen S. Dwyer of the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
Two former Lucas County corrections officers indicted for accepting bribes in return for smuggling contraband items into inmates; third former guard also chargedRead the Press Release
Two former Lucas County corrections officers were indicted in federal court for accepting bribes in return for smuggling contraband items into inmates.
A third former corrections officer was charged with providing contraband to inmates.
Robert Hobson, 31, was indicted on two counts of Hobbs Act extortion and two counts of providing contraband in prison.
Marcus Henderson, 32, was indicted on one count each of Hobbs Act extortion and providing contraband in prison.
Matthew Wiegand, 39, was indicted on one count of proving contraband in prison.
“Corrections officers play vital role in the justice system,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “Those who would accept bribes to break the rules put others at risk. Sheriff Tharp is to be commended for bringing these cases to the attention of federal law enforcement when he discovered this problem.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said: “Corrections officers willing to take bribes from incarcerated criminals cannot be tolerated. The FBI applauds Sheriff Tharp for his commitment to root out corruption and look forward to our continued partnership with the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.”
“We received information, we acted on it and we brought it to the attention of the FBI,” said Lucas County Sheriff John Tharp. “We felt these people should not be working with our office or our employees. It was the right thing to do.”
All three men worked as corrections officers at the Lucas County Correctional Center in Toledo.
Hobson in November 2015 accepted bribes from an inmate or their associates in return for providing contraband to inmates, including synthetic cannabinoids and tobacco, according to the indictment.
Henderson in June 2016 accepted bribes from an inmate or their associates in return for providing contraband to inmates, including a cellular telephone and tobacco, according to the indictment.
Wiegand in May 2017 provided contraband tobacco to an inmate, according to the indictment.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Freeman following an investigation by the FBI and Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Two Men Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Possess with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Dexter Harley, 32, of Tortola, and Jose Squiabro, 44, of St. Thomas, were sentenced for their roles in connection with a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram of cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert, announced.
On August 23, 2018, District Court Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Harley to 36 months in prison and on August 24, 2018, Judge Gomez sentenced Squiabro to 51 months in prison. Both Harley and Squiabro were sentenced to four years of supervised release following their period of incarceration. In addition, Judge Gomez ordered Harley and Squiabro to each pay a $100 special assessment and perform 200 hours of community service.
On April 23 and 25, 2018, Harley and Squiabro, respectively, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram of cocaine. According to the plea agreements filed with the court, Harley and Squiabro conspired with each other between December 15, 2015 and February 9, 2016 to sell one kilogram of cocaine to another individual.
This case was a result of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Two Men Sentenced for Gas Pump Card Skimming Bank Fraud Scheme Following Their Arrest in Salisbury, NCRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Two men who were arrested last September in Salisbury, North Carolina, in a gas pump credit and debit card-skimming investigation were sentenced to federal prison today, announced Matthew G.T. Martin, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina.
ELIO ARTURO RODRIGUEZ-MENDEZ of Miami, Florida, and JEAN JESUS RODRIGUEZ-SILVA of Louisville, Kentucky, both pleaded guilty on May 10, 2018, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Each was sentenced by United States District Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., to 33 months of imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release. They were also ordered to pay $21,931.09 in restitution.
Authorities began investigating the fraud following a fraud victim’s complaint. By tracing the use of the stolen card information, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office identified two men on store security footage at various Walmart stores associated with purchases using that victim’s card and other cards. That surveillance also showed the two men consistently arrived and left the stores in a silver pick-up truck with Florida license plates. On September 7, 2017, an officer saw a pick-up truck matching that description and followed it to a hotel in Salisbury. The officer recognized one of the persons in the vehicle as a person seen on surveillance video associated with the credit/debit card fraud. Officers stopped the pick-up truck after it left the hotel. The driver was RODRIGUEZ-MENDEZ, 47, with passenger RODRIGUEZ-SILVA, 33. The pair was found to possess devices commonly found in card-skimming activity conducted at gas pumps. Most of the victims had patronized stations in Rockwell and Salisbury. A GPS unit in RODRIGUEZ-MENDEZ’S truck showed it had once stopped at the station in Rockwell while the station was closed, and an audio-recording recovered from the GPS unit captured persons apparently discussing, in Spanish, the proper way to install a gas pump card-skimming device.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Anand P. Ramaswamy, Cybercrime Prosecutor for the Middle District of North Carolina.
###
Two Foreign Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Possess with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – Tommy Ramirez, 29, of the Dominican Republic, and Ramon Clavel, 55 of Haiti, were sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram of cocaine, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert, announced.
On August 23, 2018, United States District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced defendant Tommy Ramirez to 38 months imprisonment. Judge Gomez sentenced defendant Ramon Clavel to 36 months of imprisonment. Each defendant was also ordered to be placed on four years of supervised release upon their discharge from prison. In addition, Judge Gomez ordered Ramirez and Clavel to each pay a $100 special assessment and perform 200 hours of community service.
On April 18, 2018, Ramirez and Clavel pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute one kilogram of cocaine. According to the plea agreement filed with the Court, on February 12, 2018, Ramirez instructed Clavel to present himself at the Emancipation Gardens post office to claim a package containing a white powdery substance later identified by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration as approximately one kilogram of cocaine.
This case was a result of an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the United States Postal Inspection Services (USPIS), and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). It was prosecuted by
Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
Two Eagle Butte Men Charged with AssaultRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two Eagle Butte, South Dakota, men have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
James Charger, age 21, and Andrew Good Eagle, age 18, were indicted on August 13, 2018. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Gerdes on August 22, 2018, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on August 6, 2018, Charger and Good Eagle did unlawfully assault an individual and said assault did result in serious bodily injury to the victim.
The charges are merely accusations and Charger and Good Eagle are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is prosecuting the case.
Charger was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial and Good Eagle was released on bond. A trial date of October 16, 2018 has been set.
Towson Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Distributing Oxycodone in Exchange for Sexual FavorsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A licensed pharmacist, Richard Daniel Hiller, age 64, of Owings Mills, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, and to distributing oxycodone
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Don A. Hibbert of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Chief Terrence B. Sheridan of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“Abuse of oxycodone and other pharmaceutical drugs is one of our most significant drug enforcement challenges. Those who divert pharmaceutical drugs for illegal purposes further the tragic cycle of addiction and the epidemic of opioid overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.
According to his plea agreement, Hiller was a licensed pharmacist working at a pharmacy in Towson, Maryland. Hiller admitted that he filled fraudulent prescriptions for oxycodone for several women in return for sexual favors. On numerous occasions between January 2014 and February 2017, Hiller directed two of the women to come to the pharmacy where he worked prior to the opening of the pharmacy. Hiller would make them engage in sexual intercourse or perform other sexual acts in the rear area of the pharmacy prior to filling their fake prescriptions for oxycodone.
Beginning in 2014, Hiller also distributed oxycodone to a third woman. In return for distributing oxycodone to her, often without any valid prescription, Hiller would ask the woman to send him nude photos and sexual videos of herself, and allow him to grope and kiss her. This woman would sometimes use different names to simultaneously obtain oxycodone prescriptions from two doctors. Hiller would fill both prescriptions knowing they had been fraudulently obtained. When the woman rejected one of Hiller’s advances, he called the woman’s doctors to notify them that she was fraudulently obtaining prescriptions from both of them.
Hiller filled these prescriptions knowing they were fraudulent and outside the usual course of professional practice. Hiller would permit the women to fill additional prescriptions for oxycodone before the previous 30-day window had expired. In an effort to hide the conspiracy, some of the fraudulent prescriptions listed fake names and names of family members. The women were addicted to oxycodone and would resell many of the pills they obtained from Hiller to maintain their addiction. Over the course of the conspiracy, Hiller distributed approximately 20,500 15 milligram oxycodone pills.
Hiller faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy, and a maximum of 20 years in prison for distributing oxycodone. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for Hiller on November 15, 2018 at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended the DEA and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in these investigations. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Burden H. Walker, who is prosecuting the case.
Taking Action on the Opioid Crisis (Op-Ed)Read the Press Release
The latest statistics indicate that 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2017 – the highest death toll in a single year and a staggering figure. Nearly 30,000 of those deaths were attributable to one particularly deadly synthetic opioid – fentanyl.
Our great Commonwealth knows the consequences of the crisis far too well. According to the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy’s 2017 Overdose Fatality Report, 1,468 Kentucky residents died of a drug overdose in 2017. Fentanyl was involved in 763 of those overdose deaths, accounting for 52% of all deaths – up from 47% in 2016.
Many would confirm the Eastern District of Kentucky is at “ground zero” in the overdose crisis. During 2017, in the 67 counties comprising our District, we had 894 of the Commonwealth’s overdose deaths, which accounts for approximately 61% of the resident overdose deaths for the entire state.
More alarmingly, the top five counties in the Commonwealth, with the highest per capita overdose death rates, are all in our District. Similarly, four of the top five counties, with the most fentanyl related overdose deaths, are also in our District – including Fayette County. Fayette County ranked second in fentanyl related overdose deaths in 2017, with 112 overdoses. Fayette County was also third for overdose deaths related to both heroin and fentanyl, with 33 additional deaths.
The statistics represent real people, who fell prey to the plague of addiction; but these are not just numbers on a page – they are friends and loved ones.
While prevention and treatment are critically important, law enforcement also plays a key role in fighting this crisis. The Department of Justice, under Attorney General Sessions, is fighting back, and is using every tool in the toolbox – and even creating new ones – to do so.
Our Office has received additional resources to combat the drug threat facing our District and we are committed to combatting the crisis with all the tools we have.
Earlier this month, the Attorney General announced Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS). SOS is based on a successful initiative in Manatee County, Florida, where law enforcement aggressively prosecuted fentanyl distribution cases, helping in the reduction of overdose death rates. The Manatee County program resulted in a significant number of federal prosecutions of those trafficking this poison.
As part of Operation SOS, our Office was one of ten selected to receive funding for a new prosecutor that will be dedicated to reducing access to illicit fentanyl. Working in partnership with DEA, the Lexington Police Department, and the Fayette Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, we will aggressively prosecute readily provable cases involving the distribution of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids – because with these drugs, there is no such thing as a small case. In working with our colleagues in law enforcement, we will strive to achieve meaningful results in reducing our overdose rates.
One year ago, the Attorney General also announced the formation of the Opioid Fraud and Abuse and Detection Unit, an innovative DOJ initiative that uses data and analytics to target heath care fraud related to prescription opioids. As a recipient of these resources, our Office will investigate and aggressively prosecute doctors who prey on opioid addiction here in Kentucky and defraud the government in the process.
Finally, as part of our mission to reduce access to all illegal drugs, we will continue our efforts in support of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a multiagency effort to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and criminal organizations operating in our District and across the country. Our local OCDETF prosecutions have resulted in the seizure of enormous quantities of heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs; the seizure of millions of dollars in drug proceeds; and the convictions of numerous drug traffickers. We will continue to prioritize these important investigations.
The work of law enforcement is critical to our success in combatting this crisis. It will continue to make a difference, reduce crime, and save lives.
Robert M. Duncan, Jr.
Sureno Gang Member Sentenced to 172 Months in Federal Prison for His Involvement in Discharge of a Firearm During Crime of Violence and Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Spokane– Joseph H. Harrington, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced that Angel Abel Campos, age 24, of Toppenish, Washington, a documented Sureno gang member, was sentenced today after having pleaded guilty in May 2018, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and participating in the discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. United States Senior District Judge Lonny R. Suko sentenced Campos to a 172-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison, and ordered Campos to pay $16,000 restitution to the victims.
According to information disclosed during court proceedings, on January 17, 2017, a male and female, who happened to be wearing the color red, were walking in the Yakamart parking lot in Toppenish, Washington. A male approached and asked “what do you bang?” The two pedestrians replied they were not gang members, left the Yakamart parking lot, and walked to a McDonald’s restaurant. Campos, who was driving a blue Mercury Mountaineer, drove another male around Toppenish until they spotted the two pedestrians. Campos slowed down, turned off his headlights, and pivoted his vehicle toward them. Several gunshots were fired at the two pedestrians. Both victims suffered gunshot wounds. The victims were unable to identify the persons involved in the shooting. The Toppenish Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began an investigation. Law enforcement officers developed leads from surveillance footage recovered from the Yakamart and McDonald’s restaurant.
On March 21, 2017, members of the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Taskforce arrested Campos due to an outstanding warrant. Inside a blue Mercury Mountaineer, the officers observed an assault rifle and high capacity magazine. The assault rifle was not utilized in the January 17, 2017, shooting incident.
Campos is a documented Sureno gang member and has a lengthy criminal history. As an adult, Campos has been convicted of attempting to elude a police officer, second degree assault, fourth degree assault, second degree possession of a firearm, and bail jumping.
United States Attorney Harrington said, “The sentence imposed sends a strong message to gang members that their actions will not be tolerated. These cases are an example of the superb work that that can be accomplished when federal, tribal, and local law enforcement work together. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute violent crimes that occur in the Eastern District of Washington.”
The cases were 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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Toppenish Police Department, the Yakama Nation Police Department, the Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, the Yakima Police Department, and the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Taskforce participated in the investigation of these two matters. The cases were prosecuted by Tom Hanlon, Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
Six Ohio Men Charged with Crimes Related to Sexually Abusing Children, Creating Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Six Ohio men who met on Craigslist have been charged with crimes related to producing child pornography and the repeated sexual abuse of at least two 10-year-old girls.
Four of the men were charged in a second superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury yesterday. They include: William G. Weekley, 34, of Newark; Timothy F. Sullivan, 49, of Canal Winchester; Franklin Eugene Perry, 62, of Columbus; and Brian S. Perkins, 42, of Mt. Vernon.
A fifth defendant, Grant Michalski, 28, of Columbus, was charged by criminal complaint yesterday.
In a third case, a federal grand jury indicted Eric Zevely, 33, of Columbus. He was also indicted yesterday.
Court documents were unsealed today.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin, Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer and other members of the FBI Crimes Against Children Task Force announced the charges.
This investigation began when Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations Special Agent/FBI Task Force Officer Larry McCoy communicated undercover with Weekley online. From that initial investigation into Weekley, investigators were able to discover the additional defendants.
According to court documents, the defendants allegedly made online contact with each other and others who shared, or whom they believed to share, their sexual interest in minors, incest and child pornography.
After making initial contact through Craigslist, Weekley communicated with each of the other defendants on an ongoing basis through text and various other apps, including Wickr.
It is alleged that Weekley, who was initially arrested in January and indicted in February, had regular access to a female child (Jane Doe), who was approximately 10 to 11 years old during the offenses detailed. Weekley sexually abused Jane Doe and created images and videos of the molestation, which he shared with others, including some of the co-defendants.
Images of the abuse – which occurred from at least October 2017 until January 2018 – depicted the young girl engaged in oral and anal intercourse as well as bestiality.
Weekley and Perry discussed sexually abusing Jane Doe together, and made plans for Perry to join Weekley in the sexual abuse of Jane Doe. Perry allegedly encouraged Weekley to continue abusing the victim and did eventually sexually abuse the victim together with Weekley.
Likewise, Perkins and Sullivan requested that Weekley bring Jane Doe to meet them for the purpose of sexually abusing Jane Doe, but it is not believed that Perkins or Sullivan actually met with Weekley.
Weekley and Michalski messaged on Craigslist about interests in sexual topics like “family, forced” and “K9 and more.”
Zevely engaged in thousands of communications with numerous other individuals in response to ads placed on Craigslist, including with Weekley. Investigators discovered Zevely allegedly sexually abused a different 10-year-old victim who was not Jane Doe. Zevely is also alleged to have engaged in communications about sexually abusing minors with both HSI and FBI undercover task force officers.
Weekley is charged with one count of attempted coercion of a minor (10 years to life in prison), three counts of production of child pornography (15 to 30 years in prison per count), three counts of distributing child pornography (five to 20 years in prison per count) and one count of possessing child pornography (up to 10 years in prison). He has remained in custody since his arrest in January.
Sullivan is charged with one count each of attempted coercion of a minor (10 years to life in prison), receipt of child pornography (five to 20 years in prison) and advertising for child pornography (15 to 30 years in prison).
Perry is charged with one count of attempted coercion of a minor (10 years to life in prison).
Perkins is charged with one count of attempted coercion of a minor (10 years to life in prison), one count of advertising for child pornography (15 to 30 years in prison) and one count of receipt of child pornography (five to 20 years in prison).
Zevely is charged with attempted coercion of a minor (10 years to life in prison), one count of producing child pornography (15 to 30 years in prison), one counts of distributing child pornography (five to 20 years in prison) and one count of possessing child pornography (up to 10 years in prison).
Michalski is currently charged with receiving (five to 20 years in prison) and possessing child pornography (up to 10 years in prison).
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Assistant United States Attorneys Heather A. Hill and S. Courter Shimeall, who are prosecuting the case.
Indictments and criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Scientist Sentenced to Three Years for Defrauding NASA, U.S. Navy, and Missile Defense AgencyRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez Covington has sentenced Akbar Fard (54, formerly of Tampa) to three years in federal prison for wire fraud. The court also ordered Fard to forfeit $ 1,472,082, proceeds which are traceable to of the offense.
A federal jury found him guilty on February 9, 2018.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Fard defrauded the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), and the U.S. Navy. He diverted for his personal benefit $1,472,082 that should have been used to research critical national research priorities related to spacecraft, satellites, and the protection of naval assets from fires. With the money, Fard went on an international vacation, paid for a car, funded his retirement, and purchased retail items and groceries.
This case was investigated by NASA’s Office of the Inspector General, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas N. Palermo.
Recent Indictments for Illegal Possession of a Firearm for Defendants from Bakersfield and FresnoRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — As part the Eastern District of California’s strategy to reduce violent crime by focusing on firearms prosecutions, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced the following recent indictments for previously convicted felons being found in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
On August 23, 2018, James Escandon Jr., 34, of Bakersfield, was charged in an indictment with two-counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Escandon possessed a Smith & Wesson .357-caliber revolver and a Rock Island Armory .45‑caliber handgun. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bakersfield Police Department.
On June 7, 2018, Marcus Ivey, 35, of Bakersfield, was charged with one-count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to the indictment, Ivey possessed a Heckler & Koch 9 mm pistol. The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bakersfield Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie L. Alsworth is prosecuting the above cases.
On August 16, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Felipe Barajas, 23, of Fresno, charging him with being a felon in possession of ammunition. According to court documents, during a traffic stop, a police officer saw two rounds of ammunition in Barajas’s lap. This case was the product of an investigation by the Fresno Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laurel J. Montoya is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. 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.
These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.