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27 September 2018
Forest Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine PossessionRead the Press Release
Jackson, Miss. – Jimmie Terrell Harrison, 43, of Forest, pleaded guilty yesterday, before U.S. District Judge Carlton W. Reeves, to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Jere T. Miles, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans.
On March 2, 2018, a box shipped via Fed Ex to an address in Forest, Mississippi, was found to have nearly 10 pounds of methamphetamine. The box was delivered to the house next door to Harrison’s. The box was then picked up and brought to Harrison’s house. Agents searched Harrison’s home and found cocaine and two firearms. The methamphetamine recovered was to be distributed in the central Mississippi area.
This case is the result of an extensive Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, dubbed AOperation Highlife,@ which began as an operation targeting illegal narcotics distribution in east central Mississippi area that involved the distribution of methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. The distribution network encompasses the states of California, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.
The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle targeted criminal organizations and seize their assets.
"Methamphetamine has devastated countless communities due to the dramatic health and public safety consequences that typically accompany its introduction into an area," said Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Jere T. Miles. "Today’s guilty plea stems from an extensive HSI effort with its federal, state and local partners to dismantle a drug trafficking organization that decimated parts of Mississippi and Alabama with methamphetamine smuggled into the U.S. from Mexico. This operation is a testament to the seamless partnership between HSI, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and we are thankful for their assistance as well as the U.S. Attorneys’ to improve the lives of law-abiding residents throughout Mississippi and Alabama."
Harrison will be sentenced on January 9, 2019, at 9:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine.
This case is a result of a joint investigation led by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, with assistance from the Philadelphia Police Department, Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, Neshoba County District Attorney’s Office, Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Flowood Police Department, Rankin County Sheriff’s Department, Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, Carthage Police Department, Union Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Louisville Police Department, Mississippi Highway Patrol and the United States Marshal Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Chalk is prosecuting the case.
Federal Opioid Reduction Task Force Initiative Leads to 76 Arrests in North Carolina Indian CountryRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A major law enforcement operation targeting drug trafficking in and around Indian Country in North Carolina has resulted in the arrest of more than 75 individuals on federal, state and tribal charges, announced Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke and Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
The undercover operation, led by the Department of Interior’s (DOI) Opioid Reduction Task Force, in coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cherokee Indian Police Department and multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, began in March 2018, and aimed at disrupting and dismantling drug distribution networks operating in and around the Qualla Boundary.
In addition to the 76 arrests announced today in connection with DOI’s Opioid Reduction Task Force operation, a concurrent two-year investigation spearheaded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Division of Drug Enforcement and the DEA led to the previous arrest of 56 additional individuals responsible for trafficking opiates and methamphetamine in Indian Country, bringing the total number of those arrested to 132.
To date, the joint investigations have yielded a seizure of more than 3.8 pounds of heroin and Fentanyl; more than 18 pounds of methamphetamine; over 270 Fentanyl and Oxycodone tablets; and more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, with a combined street value of over $1.82 million. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement also seized five illegally possessed firearms.
“First and foremost, Bravo Zulu to the dozens of law enforcement professionals who are on the front lines and putting their own lives at risk to take these deadly drugs off the streets. President Trump and I could not be prouder of their work,” said Secretary Zinke. “It’s heartbreaking to see the scale of the problem, and rather than further stigmatizing victims, we are cracking down on the dealers who are selling out our children, selling out our communities, and selling out our nation. The Trump Administration is serious about ending the opioid crisis and that means both treatment of those suffering as well as eradicating the drugs from our communities. This week’s law enforcement action gets us closer to that goal.”
“The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is a community that has been hard hit by the opioid epidemic. Drug distribution, drug-fueled crimes, and drug abuse pose a grave threat to the safety, stability, cultural preservation, and well-being of the tribal community,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “The Justice Department and my office are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stem the flow of drugs onto the Qualla Boundary, and to reduce the opioid abuse epidemic that has devastated Indian Country.”
“Dangerous and deadly drugs, both licit and illicit, see no boundaries,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “If the drugs are destined for the inner city, rural suburbia or Indian Country, regardless, the outcome is the same: they destroy dreams, communities, families and lives. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians community, and adjoining areas elsewhere, have felt the sting of drug abuse and addiction. DEA, its law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to making our communities safer by removing those who push these deadly substances. This investigation was a huge success because of the spirited efforts between DEA, its federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement partners and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and state and tribal prosecutors.”
“I am extremely grateful to the Secretary of the Interior, the BIA and the multiple state and local agencies who helped make this operation a success. The arrest of these drug dealers is a critical step towards ensuring that the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is able to provide the healthy environment our people deserve.” Principal Chief Richard Sneed.
Twelve individuals face federal drug offenses. They are:
- Dontavius Juan Cox, 26, of Sylva, N.C.
- Derek Wilson Driver, 26, of Cherokee, N.C.
- David Charles Fisher, 56, of Bryson City, N.C.
- Timothy Mark Grady, 43, Bryson City, N.C.
- Kandace Rhean Griffin, 29, of Cherokee, N.C.
- Kenneth Dean Griffin, 51, Cherokee, N.C.
- Kevin Dewayne Huskey, 47, of Bryson City, N.C.
- Saryna Michelle Miller, 22, of Bryson City, N.C.
- Jeremy Dwayne Morton, 21, of Bryson City, N.C.
- Javier Fernando Perez, 27, of Norcross, Georgia.
- David William Smith, 30, of Sylva, N.C.
- Dee Anna Wike, 45, of Cherokee, N.C.
Those arrested will have their initial hearings in federal court on Friday. Federal arrests warrants have been issued for Cox and Perez. Other offenses fall under tribal, state and local jurisdictions.
The charges contained in the indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Murray thanked the Bureau of Indian Affairs; the DEA; the Cherokee Indian Police Department; the Swain County Sheriff’s Office; the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office; the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office; the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office; the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office; the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office; the Asheville Police Department; the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation; the North Carolina State Highway Patrol; and the U.S. Marshals Service for their coordinated efforts throughout this investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pritchard and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Solheim, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville, are in charge of the federal prosecutions.
Last year, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a series of new actions by the Justice Department to support law enforcement and maintain public safety in Indian Country. Among the actions announced was the deployment of the expanded Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP), which is designed to provide the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians and other federally-recognized tribes with access to national crime information databases for criminal and civil purposes. TAP allows tribes to more effectively serve and protect their nations’ citizens by ensuring the exchange of critical data across the Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) systems and other national crime information systems.
The Office of Tribal Justice also created the Indian Country Federal Law Enforcement Coordination Group, an unprecedented partnership that brings together sworn federal agents and key stakeholders from 12 federal law enforcement components with responsibilities in Indian Country, with the goal of increasing collaboration and coordination among law enforcement and enhancing the response to violent crime in Indian Country.
“As a member of the Native American Issues Subcommittee of the Attorney General’s Advisory Council, addressing substance abuse and violent crime in Indian Country is a priority,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “My office is committed to supporting our tribal law enforcement partners and tribal leadership to identify and dismantle drug networks operating in and around Indian Country, and to provide greater access to technology, information, and funding, as we work jointly to increase public safety within the tribal community,” said U.S. Attorney Murray.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced Jason Stewart hollingsworth, 41, of Fayetteville, NC to 65 months imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
hollingsworth was named in an Indictment filed on December 12, 2017 charging him with possession with the intent to distribute oxycodone and amphetamine, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On July 9, 2018, Hollingsworth pled guilty to those charges.
According to the investigation, on June 23, 2017, Fayetteville Police Department received a call from a concerned citizen, who reported a vehicle driving in circles in a parking lot near Owens Drive. When officers responded to the scene, they found the vehicle still in motion, with HOLLINGSWORTH unconscious in the driver’s seat. Once officers were able to safely stop the vehicle, and they noticed numerous pills and pill bottles while they were removing HOLLINGSWORTH. Officers conducted a search of the vehicle, with the assistance of a Fayetteville Police Department K9 unit. Officers recovered over 480 pills, containing various substances, including oxycodone and amphetamine. Many of the pills were packaged for resale in plastic bags. Officers also recovered a loaded 9mm handgun from the vehicle. HOLLINGSWORTH was prohibited by law from possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions from Cumberland County Superior Court, NC.
Investigation of this case was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department, the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and NMS Labs. Assistant United States Attorney Dena King and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jay Saunders represented the government. Mr. Saunders is a prosecutor with the District 3-A District Attorney’s Office encompassing Pitt County. District Attorney Kimberly Robb assigned him to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.
Fayetteville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jermaine James, age 40, of Fayetteville, was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
According to court records, in February of 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that methamphetamine was being distributed in Northwest Arkansas by James. During the investigation, DEA arranged and conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from James. The substance purchased was sent to the DEA South Central Laboratory for testing. The lab determined that the substance contained 30.6 grams of actual methamphetamine.
James was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2017 and entered a guilty plea in November 2017.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Assistant United States Attorney Kim Harris prosecuted the case for the United States.
FDA-Approved Drug Epidiolex Placed in Schedule V of Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today announced that Epidiolex, the newly approved medication by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), is being placed in schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), the least restrictive schedule of the CSA.
In June 2018, the FDA announced it approved Epidiolex for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, in patients two years of age and older.
Epidiolex contains cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical constituent of the cannabis plant (commonly referred to as marijuana). The CBD in Epidiolex is extracted from the cannabis plant and is the first FDA-approved drug to contain a purified extract from the plant.
“DEA will continue to support sound and scientific research that promotes legitimate therapeutic uses for FDA-approved constituent components of cannabis, consistent with federal law,” said Acting DEA Administrator Uttam Dhillon. “DEA is committed to continuing to work with our federal partners to seek ways to make the process for research more efficient and effective.”
“The FDA is committed to advancing scientific research and drug development programs that properly evaluate the active ingredients contained in marijuana,” said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. “Adequate and well-controlled clinical studies supported Epidiolex’s approval, so prescribers can have confidence in the drug’s uniform strength and consistent delivery that support appropriate dosing needed for treating patients with these complex and serious epilepsy syndromes. The FDA will continue to support rigorous scientific research on the potential medical uses of marijuana-derived products and stand ready to work with product developers who are interested in bringing patients safe and effective, high quality products.”
Marijuana and CBD derived from marijuana remain against the law, except for the limited circumstances that it has been determined there is a medically approved benefit. In those instances, such as here, the drug will be made appropriately available to the public for medical use.Ex-Director and Contractor for the Municipality of Toa Baja Plead Guilty to FeloniesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, P.R. – On September 26, 2018, Angel Roberto Santos-Garcia pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin to the theft of federal funds in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641 and on September 27, 2018, Luis Serrano-Perdigon pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Camille Vélez-Rivé to conspiracy and bribery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 and 666(a)(2) as well as Social Security fraud in violation of Title 42, United States Code, Section 408(a)(4), announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
As a part of the guilty plea, Santos-Garcia admitted that he served as interim Director of Finance for the Municipality of Toa Baja in 2015. While in that position, he transferred approximately $650,000 in funds from the United States Department of Health and Human Services and United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to the general account and payroll account of the Municipality of Toa Baja. These unauthorized transfers were made in order to pay the municipal payroll and to pay municipal contractors, resulting in the illegal theft of federal funds.
The sentencing hearing for Santos-Garcia is scheduled for December 20, 2018, before District Judge Carmen C. Cerezo. Santos-Garcia faces a maximum sentence of ten (10) years of imprisonment for the theft of federal funds.
In a separate case, Serrano-Perdigon, a contractor, admitted to conspiring with Edgar Arroyo Amezquita, the Director of Facilities for the Municipality of Toa Baja from May 2011 through May 2013, to defraud the municipality and to bribe Arroyo to receive municipal contracts.
As a part of the conspiracy, Arroyo and Serrano-Perdigon submitted fraudulent quote documentation to the purchasing office of the Municipality of Toa Baja using a fictitious company named Professional Sales & Service. In doing so, Arroyo and Serrano-Perdigon utilized, without consent or legal authority, the name and signature of a real person on the fraudulent quote documentation submitted to the municipality. Checks were then issued by the municipality to Professional Sales & Service which were deposited into a bank account in the name of ALS Electronic Service, a company controlled by Serrano-Perdigon. Serrano-Perdigon also made multiple bribe payments to Arroyo, paid in cash and totaling $39,999, in exchange for causing the contracts to be awarded and payments to be made by the Municipality of Toa Baja for Serrano Perdigon. During this same time, Serrano-Perdigon concealed and failed to disclose to the Social Security Administration that he was able to work in order to fraudulently secure Social Security disability benefit payments.
Arroyo pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to defraud and bribery offenses on August 30, 2018. Sentencing before District Judge Carmen C. Cerezo has been scheduled for December 5, 2018 for Arroyo and for December 20, 2018 for Serrano-Peridgon. Arroyo and Serrano-Perdigon each face a maximum sentence of five (5) years of imprisonment for the conspiracy to defraud and a maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment for the bribery offense. Serrano-Perdigon also faces a maximum sentence of five (5) years of imprisonment for the Social Security fraud.
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Eight-Time Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty today to maintaining a drug-trafficking operation out of a storage unit and possessing with intent to distribute heroin.
According to court documents, Demetress Donyah Bratton, 36, was storing, manufacturing, and packaging heroin for distribution out of a storage unit that he was renting in Virginia Beach. After executing a search warrant on the storage unit, Virginia Beach Police recovered 89 grams of heroin, $20,000 in cash, cutting agents, other drug paraphernalia, and four guns. Shortly after the search, Bratton arrived at the storage unit, and SWAT team members arrested him in possession of 38 grams of heroin, cutting agents, more drug paraphernalia, and approximately $1600. Bratton has been trafficking heroin for the past six years and is an eight-time felon.
Bratton faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum term of 40 years in prison when sentenced on January 3, 2019. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Scott W. Hoernke, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Field Division, and James A. Cervera, Chief of Virginia Beach Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Comstock is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:18-cr-123.
District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Shooting into a Home in Northeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cortez Williams, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a nine-year prison term for shooting into a window of a home in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu announced.
Williams was found guilty by a jury in June 2018 of assault with a dangerous weapon, destruction of property, and related firearms offenses. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Judith Bartnoff. Following his prison term, Williams will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the victim’s brother owed a drug debt to one of Williams’s cousins. On Valentine’s Day evening, Feb. 14, 2016, Williams and his cousin knocked on the victim’s door in the 800 block of Oglethorpe Street NE. The victim answered and immediately yelled at the men to leave. The victim reacted emphatically because the victim heard that these individuals had shot up another house nearby recently.
The victim called 911 immediately upon their departure, predicting that the two men would return to shoot up her house. Within 10 minutes, Williams fulfilled her prediction. He returned with a scarf partially covering his face and fired five shots at the window where the victim and her family member were standing. Williams fled. An investigation by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) led to his arrest in July of 2016.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. She acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allessandra Stewart, Michael Romano, and Brittany Keil, and Paralegal Specialists Richard Cheatham and Antoinette Sakamsa. Finally, she expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lindsey Marcus and Kenya Wells, who prosecuted the matter.
Detroit Doctor Sentenced to more than 11 Years in Prison for $8.9 Million Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Detroit-area doctor was sentenced to 135 months in prison today for her role in a scheme involving approximately $8.9 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for home health care and other physician services that were procured through the payment of kickbacks, were not medically necessary, were not actually provided or, in some instances, were provided by the defendant, who was not a licensed physician during the relevant time period.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider of the Eastern District of Michigan, Special Agent in Charge David P. Gelios of the FBI’s Detroit Division and Special Agent in Charge Lamont Pugh III of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Chicago Regional Office made the announcement.
Millicent Traylor, M.D., 47, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland of the Eastern District of Michigan. Traylor was convicted in May 2018 of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to pay and receive healthcare kickbacks, and five counts of health care fraud following a four-day trial. Traylor’s co-defendant, Muhammad Qazi, 48, of Oakland Township, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 42 months in prison on Aug. 27, her co-defendant Christina Kimbrough, M.D., 39, of Canton, Michigan, was sentenced to serve 27 months in prison on Sept. 26, and her other co-defendant, Jacklyn Price, 34, of Shelby, Michigan, awaits sentencing. Qazi, Price, and Kimbrough each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2011 to 2016, Traylor and her co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud Medicare of approximately $8.9 million through fraudulent home health and physician claims. The evidence showed that Traylor, who was unlicensed at the time, acted as a physician for these companies, providing services that were not medically necessary and that were billed to Medicare as if they were provided by a licensed physician. The evidence further showed that Traylor conspired to cause Medicare to be billed for services that were not rendered. To make it appear that these services were medically necessary and actually provided, Traylor and her co-conspirators falsified medical records and signed false documents. Additionally, the evidence at trial showed that Traylor and her co-conspirators paid and received kickbacks in exchange for referring Medicare beneficiaries to serve as patients at the clinics. The trial evidence also revealed that Traylor fraudulently signed the names of licensed physicians on prescriptions for opioid medications, such as oxycodone, as a means of inducing patient participation in the scheme.
The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case, which was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District of Michigan. Trial Attorneys Stephen Cincotta and Steve Scott of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section leads the Medicare Fraud Strike Force. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in 12 cities across the country, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion.
Defendant Pleads Guilty in MS-13 Racketeering Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Nehemias Joel Martinez-Hernandez, also known as Mysterio, 21, of Columbus, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit racketeering.
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, Rebecca Adducci, Detroit Field Office Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs announced the plea entered into today before Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
Martinez-Hernandez is one of 23 individuals charged in a second superseding indictment in February who are alleged to be members and associates of the Columbus clique of MS-13.
The defendants are charged in a racketeering conspiracy, which includes five murders as well as attempted murder, extortion, money laundering, drug trafficking, assault, obstruction of justice, witness intimidation, weapons offenses and immigration-related violations.
The second superseding indictment alleges that the defendants committed a host of overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy, including: 1) the December 2006 murder of Jose Mendez, a suspected confidential informant, in Perry County; 2) the November 2008 murder of Ramon Ramos on Lockbourne Road in Columbus; 3) the mid-2015 murder of Carlos Serrano-Ramos, a suspected rival gang member, near Innis Road in Columbus; 4) the November 2015 murder of Wilson Villeda near Innis Road in Columbus; and 5) the December 2016 murder of Salvador Martinez-Diaz, a suspected rival gang member, on Melroy Avenue in Columbus.
As part of his plea, Martinez-Hernandez has accepted responsibility for his role in the murder of Serrano-Ramos, as well as an attempted murder and drug trafficking. Martinez-Hernandez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, ICE, Columbus Division of Police and Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, and the assistance of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Brian J. Martinez and Jessica H. Kim, who are prosecuting the case.
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Danvers Man Charged with Participating in Bribery and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Danvers man was arrested today and charged in connection with his role in a conspiracy to defraud a large facilities services company with offices in the Greater Boston area.
Jose Avila, a/k/a Joe Avila, 64, was charged in an indictment unsealed today with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud, five counts of honest services mail fraud, and one count of wire fraud. Avila was arrested this morning and will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donald Cabell today.
According to the indictment, Avila was the general manager of a temporary labor company. Lou Amaral, who was previously convicted for his role in the scheme, was a Senior Director of Operations at a facilities services company in the Greater Boston area. It is alleged that, between September 2013 and May 2014, Avila provided bribes and kickbacks to Amaral, and in exchange, Amaral steered lucrative temporary labor contracts to Avila’s employer. It is further alleged that the temporary labor company falsely billed the facilities services company for gift cards which Avila provided to Amaral and others.
In July 2018, Amaral pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and tax evasion, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9, 2018.
The charges each provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen of Lelling’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Couple Sentenced to Federal Prison for Structuring Financial Transactions to Evade Currency Reporting RequirementsRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Senior United States District Judge Harvey Schlesinger has sentenced Bobby L. Ratcliffe (60) and Wanda F. Ratcliffe (55), both of Reddick, Florida, to two years in federal prison for conspiracy to structure financial transactions to evade reporting requirements. In addition, a forfeiture order was entered against them in the amount of $4,592,419, which represents the amount of structured cash deposits. Bobby Ratcliffe also was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $54,908 for the receipt of unauthorized child auxiliary benefits from the Social Security Administration. Both previously pleaded guilty to the offenses.
According to court documents, between August 2014 and July 2015, Bobby and Wanda Ratcliffe structured cash deposits and withdrawals into and out of bank accounts that they controlled. The couple often traveled from their home in the Ocala-area to Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa to conduct the transactions. To avoid Currency Transaction Reports, which are required for currency transactions exceeding $10,000 in a single day, they made individual deposits of less than $10,000 at different credit unions, or branches of the same credit union, on the same day or over consecutive days.
In addition to structuring cash deposits, the Ratcliffes made structured cash withdrawals by writing and cashing numerous personal checks made payable to themselves. Between August 2014 and July 2015, they wrote more than 1,750 checks to themselves for cash.
This case was investigated by the United States Treasury Office of Inspector General; the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation; the Federal Insurance Deposit Corporation - Office of Inspector General; the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Secret Service; and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Frank Talbot and Bonnie Glober.
Collier County Tax Return Preparer Charged in 15-Count Tax Fraud IndictmentRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the return of an indictment charging Augustin Dalusma with 12 counts of filing false claims to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and 3 counts of making or subscribing to false tax returns. He faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on each filing of a false claim count and up to 3 years in federal prison for each count of subscribing to a false tax return.
According to the
indictment , between 2014 and 2015, Dalusma intentionally made false and fraudulent claims for tax refunds to the IRS in 12 tax returns that he filed on behalf of others. Additionally, between 2013 and 2015, Dalusma also filed three tax returns to the IRS that willfully underreported his own income.An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon R. Eth.
Citizen of the Dominican Republic Sentenced to Prison for Supplying Heroin to New Haven Drug RingRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAFAEL NEFTALI CASTILLO BAEZ, 34, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in the Bronx, N.Y., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for supplying heroin to a New Haven drug trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad targeted a New Haven-based heroin trafficking organization led by Bienvenido and Antonio Gonzalez. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical and video surveillance, revealed that the Gonzalez brothers purchased bulk quantities of heroin from CASTILLO BAEZ and other New York suppliers and sold the heroin through a network of redistributors in New Haven and elsewhere. CASTILLO BAEZ regularly traveled from New York to Connecticut to deliver up to a kilogram of heroin at a time to the Gonzalez organization.
The investigation resulted in federal charges against 24 individuals.
CASTILLO BAEZ has been detained since his arrest on March 24, 2017. On May 25, 2017, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.
CASTILLO BAEZ, who illegally entered the U.S. in 2010, faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.
Bienvenido Gonzalez and Antonio Gonzalez pleaded guilty to related charges. On March 28, Bienvenido Gonzalez was sentenced to 144 months of imprisonment. Antonio Gonzalez awaits sentencing.
The DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, Hamden, Milford, Monroe, New Haven, Shelton, Wallingford and Wilton Police Departments. The New Haven, East Haven and West Haven Police Departments, together with the U.S. Coast Guard, provided valuable assistance to the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha M. Freismuth and Patrick F. Caruso.
Center Point Man Indicted for Producing, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM – A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted a Center Point man on multiple counts of producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jay Town and FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp Jr.
An 11-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges DENNIS JAMES HUDSON JR., 28, also known as D.J. Zygi Hudson, Zygi Hudson, Tyler Johnson and Brandon McDaniels, with 10 counts of persuading a person under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce an image of that conduct and transmit it over the internet. Hudson is charged with inducing 10 different children to perform such acts between August 2016 and August 2017, according to the indictment. Hudson also faces one count of distributing child pornography between January 2015 and January 2016 using the internet and a file-sharing website.
“The internet and social media makes it easy for disgusting, sexual predators to find and exploit our children,” Town said. “Our law enforcement will continue to vigilantly monitor the internet using every method available to us in order to uncover signs of child exploitation and abuse so that the predators can be arrested by federal law enforcement, indicted by a federal grand jury, prosecuted in a federal court, and, once convicted, sentenced to time in a federal prison,” he said. “Our law enforcement cannot do it all, so it is incumbent upon parents to protect their children by responsibly monitoring their children’s activity on the internet, where there is little left to the imagination.”
The penalty for producing child pornography is 15 to 30 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The penalty for distributing child pornography is five to 20 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
The FBI investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manu K. Balachandran and Leann White are prosecuting.
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California Man Sentenced for Distributing Cocaine in Great Falls and BrowningRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that 49-year old Frederick Lona of Monrovia, California, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the hearing.
Frederick Lona assisted in facilitating a drug conspiracy in 2011 and 2012 that distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to Great Falls and the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Lona and his co-defendants obtained the cocaine and methamphetamine in California, and directly supplied individuals in Montana with the drugs for redistribution in the Great Falls and Browning communities. Lona’s four co-defendants were previously sentenced in 2013 for their roles in this offense.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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.
California Ceramics Company Agrees to Pay $175,000 to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A California ceramic materials company will pay $175,000 to resolve allegations that it committed multiple False Claims Act violations relating to awards by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Army under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
The settlement resolves allegations uncovered by the Office of Inspector General of the National Science Foundation that LoTEC Inc. (d/b/a Vesta Sciences) transferred proceeds of the awards to an undisclosed related company, loaned award funds to other related companies and to LoTEC’s principal, certified that the principal investigator for the awards was primarily employed by LoTEC when she was not, and failed to properly account for hours worked under the awards.
“Companies that contract with the federal government need to clearly and accurately disclose how they are planning to spend public money,” U.S. Attorney Carpenito said. “The government relies on small businesses to research and innovate. But the government also relies on SBIR Program recipients to engage in open communications, to make clear disclosures, and to keep accurate records so that awarding agencies can oversee these important research projects.”
“The SBIR Program is a valuable tool in advancing NSF’s mission to promote the progress of science by increasing opportunities for innovative research by small businesses,” Allison Lerner, National Science Foundation Inspector General, said. “The NSF Office of Inspector General is committed to vigorously pursuing fraud, waste and abuse in the SBIR program. I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our investigative partners for their strong support in this effort.”
“This settlement further demonstrates the resolve of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s (USACIDC) Major Procurement Fraud Unit and our law enforcement partners to protect and defend the assets of the United States Army,” Special Agent in Charge L. Scott Moreland, of the USACIDC’s Mid-Atlantic Fraud Field Office, said.
The civil settlement is not an admission of liability or improper conduct by LoTEC.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Meyler of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Division.
Buffalo Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Crack Cocaine in Western PARead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Buffalo, NY, has been sentenced in federal court to 72 months’ imprisonment on his conviction of conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of crack cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on William Wilbon, age 26, of Buffalo, NY.
According to information presented to the Court, in 2015, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other agencies joined forces in a long-term wiretap investigation of drug trafficking in New Castle, PA. The investigation revealed that William Wilbon conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute and distribute crack cocaine, which was transported from Buffalo, NY, to the New Castle, PA area for further distribution.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer stated that the sentence was sufficient but not greater than necessary to fulfill the purposes of sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
U.S. Attorney Brady commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Castle Police Department, and the Lawrence County Drug Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Wilbon.
Arizona Man Charged for Sexually Assaulting A Woman on the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation in LaughlinRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – An Arizona man had his initial appearance in federal court today on charges related to the sexual assault of a woman at a Laughlin resort and casino on the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson.
Richard Anthony Hernandez, 23, a non-Indian from Fort Mohave, Arizona, is charged by a complaint with one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of aggravated sexual abuse. He was arrested Wednesday and appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carl W. Hoffman, who ordered him detained pending trial.
According to allegations contained in the complaint, on September 24, 2018, Hernandez and a woman, who is a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, entered a room at Avi Resort & Casino, which is located on the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation, in Laughlin, Nevada. As alleged, he repeatedly struck her in the face and body, and sexually assaulted her in the room.
Upon arrival, officers from the Fort Mohave Tribal Police Department noticed the room was in disarray, there was blood spatter on the walls and near the door, and there was blood on the beds. After speaking with the victim, who had numerous injuries consistent with having been assaulted, and reviewing the hotel’s surveillance footage, Hernandez was interviewed by the FBI and arrested.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 11, 2018. The maximum statutory penalty for Aggravated Sexual Abuse is up to life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine and the maximum statutory penalty for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury is up to ten years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Fort Mohave Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Phillip N. Smith Jr. is prosecuting the case.
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Albuquerque Felon Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Fabian I. Sanchez, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court to violating the federal firearms laws by unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Sanchez, whose criminal history includes convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a controlled substance and burglary of a dwelling, is being prosecuted as part of a federal anti-violence initiative that targets violent, repeat offenders for federal prosecution. Under this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and federal law enforcement agencies work with New Mexico’s District Attorneys and state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to target for federal prosecution violent or repeat offenders with the goal of making communities in New Mexico safer places for people to live and work.
Sanchez was charged on May 9, 2017, with violating the federal firearms laws by being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment was superseded on Aug. 14, 2018, to charge Sanchez with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and included forfeiture allegations requiring Sanchez to forfeit two firearms and ammunition to the United States. According to the superseding indictment, the offense took place on Nov. 30, 2016, in Sandoval County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Sanchez pled guilty to the superseding indictment and admitted that on Nov. 30, 2016, he was in possession of a firearm and approximately five rounds of ammunition. Sanchez acknowledged that he was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of his status as a convicted felon.
At sentencing, Sanchez faces a maximum statutory penalty of ten years of imprisonment. However, if the court determines that Sanchez is an armed career criminal, he faces an enhanced sentence of a mandatory minimum 15 years to a maximum of life imprisonment. Sanchez remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Rio Rancho Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eva Fontanez and Niki Tapia-Brito are prosecuting the case.
Albion Man Sentenced to 170 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Keith Miller, age 35, of Albion, Indiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Theresa Springmann after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess methamphetamine, knowingly and intentionally distributing methamphetamine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
Miller was sentenced to 170 months in prison.
According to documents in the case, from February 2016 through April 2016, Miller and co-defendants conspired and distributed methamphetamine. In November 2016 Miller was in possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This case was the result of an investigation by the ATF, DEA, and IRS-Criminal Investigation Division with the assistance of the Fort Wayne Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley Miller-Lowery.
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64 Individuals Charged with Drug Trafficking in Puerto RicoRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 18, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned 16 indictments against 64 defendants charging them with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, announced Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); United States Postal Inspection Service; United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, North East Area, San Juan Field Office; FBI, and the Puerto Rico Police Department jointly investigated this case as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
The indictments allege that since 2010, the organization purchased and sold wholesale quantities of heroin, cocaine, and marihuana. They used the United States Postal Service to purchase and mail these drugs to and from various distributors in the Continental United States.
United States Postal Employees were aware of the shipments of controlled substances and would hold the packages for pick-up by co-conspirators or divert them to other members of the conspiracy.
Members of the conspiracy included police officers who would provide information regarding investigations of the conspirators, interfere in police investigations for the benefit of the conspirators, provide information to the conspirators on how to avoid police detection, and use and leverage their official positions as law enforcement officers in furtherance of the conspiracy.
Additionally, the conspirators sold street quantity amounts of cocaine, crack, and marihuana at drug points in Río Grande, Puerto Rico.
The conspirators facilitated the acquisition of firearms and ammunition, including machine guns, and would use force, violence, and threats in order to intimidate rival drug trafficking organizations. Several of the members of the conspiracy have been charged with possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes and money laundering.
The defendants are: Ignacio Rivera-Hernández, a.k.a. “Nacho/Gordo/Willy/El Patrón”; José M. Santiago-Robles, a.k.a. “Mosco”; Luis Aponte-Hernández, a.k.a. “Luis Loiza”; Juan Ruiz-Velázquez, a.k.a. “Drexler”; Erick Fuentes-Correa, a.k.a. “El Barbu”; Eric Raúl Piñero-Robles, a.k.a. “Pulga”; Lamont Marquese Wright; Mack Devon Boone, a.k.a. “Money Mack”; Luz María Maldonado; Julio César González-Andino, a.k.a. “Fredito”; Raymond Rodríguez-Pabón, a.k.a. “Raymond Cassiano”; Sergio Quiñonez-Ocasio, a.k.a. “Sergito”; Ronnie Medina-García, a.k.a. “Rony”; Rolando José Sierra-Velázquez, a.k.a. “Rolo”; Ángel Omar Rivera-Ferrer, a.k.a. “Omy”; John Leonardo-Jiménez, a.k.a. “Ole”; Alberto Hiraldo, a.k.a. “Quenepa”; Abner Santana-Rosa; Juana Rosa-Pimentel, a.k.a. “Jenny”; Josué Castro-Rivera, a.k.a. “Tito El Loco/Macolin”; Juan Luis Santana-Rosa, a.k.a. “Topin”; Andrés Santana-Rosa, a.k.a. “Andresito/Kiko”; Luis Ángel Cruz-Rosa; Miguel A. Montijo-Hernaiz, a.k.a. “Pollo”; Sergio De León-Dávila; Elvin Serrano-Vega, a.k.a. “Ñaña”; Kidany Cardona-Benitez, a.k.a. “Pucho”; Luis Omar Díaz-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Wiso”; Noel García-Marín, a.k.a. “Noelito”; Noel García-Rivera, a.k.a. “Tito Valentin”; Julio C. Rivera-Hernández; Carlos M. Pabón-López; Nicolás Loaces-Idelfonso, a.k.a. “Goldo Nicky”; José R. López-Rosario, a.k.a. “Cheo/Montana López”; Félix O. Pantojas-Arizmendi, a.k.a. “Fili”; Samuel Medina-Rosa, a.k.a. “Samy Melón”; Christopher Ceballo-Cepeda; Eduardo Barajas-Durán, a.k.a. “Leo/Neo”; FNU-LNU “Jessy”; FNU-LNU “Fredy”; Michael Ramírez-Torréns, a.k.a. “M”; Ismael Mailo-Silva; Samuel Encarnación-Nieves, a.k.a. “Chino”; Johnnell Rosario-Feliciano, a.k.a. “Lionel”; Joel Rodríguez-Meléndez; Gerald Hernández-Heredia; Victor Loperena-Méndez; María E. Medina-Rosa, a.k.a. “Enid”; José Manuel Rodríguez-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Duait”; Carlos J. González-La Santa, a.k.a. “Jova”; Modesto Matos-Vizcarrondo, a.k.a. “Mode”; Edgardo Román-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Galdo”; Nichirien Llanos-Figueroa, a.k.a. “Nichi”; Héctor Jesús Rondón, a.k.a. “Abayalde”; José De león-Lozada, a.k.a. “Pepón”; Deyanira Pérez-Rodríguez; Luis Felipe García-Ocasio, a.k.a. “Felo”; Joseph González, a.k.a. “Yopi”; Christabel M. Hernández-Núñez, a.k.a. “Gordita”; Abigail Quiñonez-Fuentes; Jacob Quiñones-Fuentes, a.k.a. “Acosta”; Geovanny Diarza-Flores, a.k.a. “El Veterano”; Lester Raffuci-Ojeda, a.k.a. “Lesty”; and Oswaldo Galindo-Zapien.
“These indictments and the arrests this morning are a significant victory in our efforts to combat drug trafficking, money laundering and violent crime,” said Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to conduct investigations with our counterparts to dismantle these criminal organizations and to send a clear message that drugs, firearms, and violence will not be tolerated in our neighborhoods.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Chattah is in charge of the prosecution of the cases. If convicted the defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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3 Men Charged in Cocaine Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Two Miami, FL residents and a resident of Philadelphia, PA have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The two-count superseding indictment named Danny Jackson, age 32, of Philadelphia, PA; Sebastian Velasquez, age 28, of Miami, FL; and Moussa Jabateh, aka Shamarly Sackey, age 32, with addresses in Miami, FL and Philadelphia, PA.
According to the superseding indictment, Jackson, Velasquez, Jabateh, and others conspired to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine from October 2017 through July 2018. The indictment also alleges that, on July 17, 2018, Jackson possessed five kilograms or more of cocaine with the intent to distribute it.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Tonya Sulia Goodman is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The investigation leading to the indictment in this case was jointly conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Wilkinsburg Police Department, and the Allegheny County Adult Probation Office.
A superseding indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
26 September 2018
Zuni Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Assault and Voluntary Manslaughter ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Vernon Poleahla, 34, an enrolled member and resident of Zuni Pueblo, N.M., pled guilty today in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to assault and voluntary manslaughter charges.
The FBI arrested Poleahla on May 3, 2018, charging him with killing one man and assaulting another man on Zuni Pueblo in McKinley County, N.M., on April 27, 2018. According to the complaint, Poleahla killed the first victim by stabbing him in the abdomen and assaulted the second victim by strangling him and stabbing him in the neck.
The Zuni Pueblo Tribal Police Department arrested Poleahla on tribal charges on April 27, 2018. Poheahla remained in tribal custody until he was arrested by FBI on May 3, 2018.
During today’s proceedings, Poleahla pled guilty to a felony information charging him with voluntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. In entering the guilty plea, Poleahla admitted that on April 27, 2018, during an argument with one of the victims, he killed the first victim by stabbing him in the stomach. Poleahla also admitted assaulting the second victim by strangling and stabbing him in the neck. Poleahla acknowledged that the second victim became unconscious and suffered hypoxia and a four-centimeter laceration on his neck as the result of the assault.
At sentencing, Poleahla faces a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison for the voluntary manslaughter charge and a maximum penalty of ten years in federal prison for the assault charge. He remains in federal custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Zuni Pueblo Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison Jaros is prosecuting the case.
Zuni Pueblo Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Ernest Bewanika, 62, an enrolled member and resident of Zuni Pueblo, N.M., pled guilty yesterday afternoon in federal court in Albuquerque, N.M., to abusive sexual contact of a minor charges. Bewanika’s plea agreement recommends a prison sentence within the range of 180 to 240 months followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. Bewanika also will be required to register as a sex offender.
Bewanika was arrested on April 3, 2018, on a two-count indictment charging him with sexually abusing a child under the age of 12 years on two occasions; the first time between Nov. 2014 and Nov. 2015, and the second time between Nov. 2015 and Jan. 2016. According to the indictment, Bewanika committed the offenses on the Zuni Pueblo in McKinley County, N.M.
During yesterday’s proceedings, Bewanika pled guilty to a felony information charging him with two counts of abusive sexual contact. In entering the guilty plea, Bewanika admitted that he engaged in sexual contact with the victim between Nov. 6, 2014 and Nov. 5, 2015, when the victim was seven-years-old. Bewanika further admitted that he engaged in sexual contact with the same victim between Nov. 6, 2015 and Jan. 31, 2016, when the victim was eight-years-old. Bewanika remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the Gallup office of the FBI and the Zuni Pueblo Tribal Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elisa Dimas is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.
Woman Charged with Possession of Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
St. Louis – A woman traveling on Interstate 44 in Phelps County, Missouri, was charged in federal court for possessing with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine today in United States District Court in St. Louis.
Michel F. Garcia-Adame, 23, of Kentucky, was taken into custody yesterday after being pulled over for a traffic violation. After an officer of the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department approached the Toyota sedan, he was able to smell the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. The officer asked Garcia-Adame for consent to search the trunk of her vehicle, which she provided. Upon gaining access to the trunk of the vehicle, the officer observed two black trash bags, one on either side of the trunk. Garcia-Adame also admitted to the officer that there was a small bundle in a black bag located in the foot well of the front passenger seat.
After the officer conducted a field test of the small bundle in a black bag which tested positive for cocaine and weighed in at approximately 568 gross grams of cocaine. The officers also removed 14 bundles from the black trash bags in the trunk which were wrapped entirely in clear plastic tape. The bundles contained slightly more than 45.75 pounds of crystal methamphetamine.
Garcia-Adame is charged with possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine which carries a mandatory 10 years minimum and possession with intent to distribute cocaine carries up to 20 years. They are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty.
These charges are a result of a joint investigation between the St. Louis Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office.
Wilson Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Hobbs Act RobberyRead the Press Release
RALEIGH – The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today in federal court, Senior United States District Judge W. Earl Britt sentenced MURDOCK RAEFORD SHERROD, 53, of Wilson, North Carolina to 120 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.
SHERROD was charged in an Indictment on March 7, 2018 with a Hobbs Act Robbery. On May 1, 2018, SHERROD pled guilty to the charge.
On January 25, 2018, the Wilson Police Department (WPD) received an alert of a robbery in progress at the Family Dollar Store in Wilson. Their investigation revealed that on January 25, 2018, SHERROD entered the Family Dollar store wearing a hospital-type mask over his face. He walked to the sales register, picked up a bag of chips, and placed it on the counter. The store clerk then rang the item up for sale. When the register opened, SHERROD demanded $300. The clerk pulled out all the money in the drawer and placed it on the counter. SHERROD then demanded the money that was underneath the drawer; however, the clerk informed SHERROD there was no money under the drawer. While this was transpiring, the clerk was screaming and attempting to dial 911 on her cell phone. SHERROD demanded the cell phone, which the clerk handed to him. SHERROD kept one of his hands concealed, leading the clerk to believe SHERROD was armed. Video surveillance further showed SHERROD making motions with his right hand inside his jacket pocket, which appeared as if SHERROD was concealing a weapon. After realizing there was no money under the drawer, SHERROD took the $89 that the clerk placed on the counter and quickly walked toward the exit door, dropping the cell phone, and knocking the door off its rail. A second store clerk present in the store, heard the other clerk yell for help and sounded the security alarm. Following his arrest, SHERROD was interviewed by a WPD detective where he admitted to committing the Family Dollar robbery.
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.
In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.
The Wilson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney James J. Kurosad handled the prosecution of this case for the government.
White River Man Sentenced for Passing Counterfeit $20 BillsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a White River, South Dakota, man convicted of Passing Counterfeit Obligations of the United States was sentenced on September 24, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Gabriel Angelo May, age 38, was sentenced to time served equal to approximately six months in federal prison, 2 years of supervised release, restitution in the amount of $40, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
May was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 17, 2018. He pled guilty on July 10, 2018.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on March 15, 2018, wherein May knowingly passed two counterfeit $20 bills at the Blue Goose Sports Pub in Onida, South Dakota. An employee subsequently recognized the bills as counterfeit and called law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Sully County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Office. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
White House Drug Policy Office names Mineral County as one of seven areas to receive federal support for combating drug traffickingRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — United States Attorney Bill Powell is proud to announce that Mineral County is now designated as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, providing much-needed funding and support to the county for the fight against drug trafficking.
“Mineral County is just one of the counties in our district that is seeing increased drug trafficking and its effects on its residents. This HIDTA designation will provide law enforcement more funding and resources so we can more effectively and efficiently address drug trafficking in Mineral County through our task force operations,” said Powell.
Mineral County is the ninth county in the Northern District of West Virginia to receive the HIDTA designation. Brooke, Hancock, Harrison, Marshall, Monongalia, and Ohio Counties are HIDTA-designated counties within Appalachia HIDTA. Berkeley and Jefferson Counties are HIDTA-designated counties within the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA.
James Carroll, Deputy Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, announced the designation of 10 new areas across Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) this week.
This designation enables the 10 areas to receive Federal resources to further the coordination and development of drug control efforts among Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement officers, and allows local agencies to benefit from ongoing HIDTA initiatives that are working to reduce drug trafficking across the United States.
The newly-designated areas are: • Allegheny, Beaver, and Washington Counties in Pennsylvania as part of the Ohio HIDTA
• Atlantic County in New Jersey as part of the Liberty Mid-Atlantic HIDTA
• Butler County in Ohio as part of the Ohio HIDTA
• Charleston County in South Carolina and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina as part of the Atlanta/Carolinas HIDTA
• Mineral County in West Virginia as part of the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA
• Montgomery and Powell Counties in Kentucky as part of the Appalachia HIDTA
“Drug traffickers are fueling the opioid crisis and poisoning our communities, so we have to be relentless in bringing them to justice,” Carroll said. “This new funding will allow law enforcement to disrupt trafficking operations in key areas so we can save lives, strengthen our communities, and safeguard our country.”
The HIDTA program was created in 1988 and serves as a catalyst for coordination among Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug trafficking regions. Law enforcement organizations working within HIDTAs assess drug-trafficking problems and design specific initiatives to decrease the production, transportation, and distribution of drugs. There are 29 HIDTAs located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.
For more information on the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, go to WhiteHouse.gov/ONDCP.
U.S. Trustee Program Files Objection to the Appointment of the Debtor’s Proposed Future Claimants’ Representative for Future Asbestos Claimants in Duro Dyne National Corp., No. 18-27963 (Bankr. D.N.J.)Read the Press Release
Today—for the first time—the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) filed an objection to a debtor company’s proposed candidate for appointment as the Future Claimants’ Representative (FCR) in a case involving an asbestos bankruptcy trust. An FCR is appointed to represent the possible future interests of individuals who are not yet, but may become, sick from exposure to asbestos from a company’s operations. The interests of future claimants can be adverse to the interests of current claimants who are paid first and may deplete trust funds available to pay to future claimants.
In the objection filed in the Duro Dyne case, the USTP asserts that the candidate’s apparent conflicts of interest and close connections with lawyers representing current claimants may compromise his independence in serving as the FCR. The proposed FCR was selected by the plaintiffs’ and debtors’ lawyers under a pre-negotiated trust plan that lacks protections against fraudulent claims (allowing depletion of the trust funds), but that provides the FCR with a long-term position that will continue long after confirmation of a bankruptcy plan. The USTP seeks further discovery to determine if the apparent conflicts and connections are disqualifying.
According to Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Jesse Panuccio, “In recent years, evidence has emerged that asbestos trusts lack the transparency and rigorous auditing necessary to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. To best protect all victims, those appointed in asbestos cases should be held to the same conflicts prohibitions and standards of independence that are required of other fiduciaries appointed under the Bankruptcy Code.”
The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. The Program has 21 regions and 92 field office locations. Learn more on the Program at: https://www.justice.gov/ust.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Roundtable on Sexual Harassment in HousingRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA, PA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that his Office, along with the United States Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, hosted a roundtable today for community organizations to discuss the problem of sexual harassment in housing. The event hosted organizations who routinely work with vulnerable populations most likely to become victims of sexual harassment in housing: local law enforcement agencies, legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters, and transitional housing providers.
The Department of Justice enforces the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin, and disability. Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by the Act.
While most people are familiar with the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace, harassment also occurs in housing, and the Fair Housing Act prohibits it. The Justice Department brings cases each year involving various illegal conduct, including allegations that defendants have exposed themselves sexually to current or prospective tenants, requested sexual favors in exchange for reduced rents or making necessary repairs, made unrelenting and unwanted sexual advances to tenants, and evicted tenants who resisted their sexual overtures. Many instances of sexual harassment in housing continue to go unreported. The Justice Department’s investigations frequently uncover sexual harassment that has been ongoing for years or decades and identify numerous victims who never reported the conduct to federal authorities.
“Sexual harassment in housing is often underreported, but it is an egregious violation of a person’s right to fair housing under federal law,” U.S. Attorney McSwain said. “Landlords, superintendents, and others exploiting the power they have over tenants is intolerable. Our Office is dedicated to uncovering such violations where they exist and vigorously enforcing the law. We are working closely with the Civil Rights Division to spread the word about options to help victims who currently are experiencing sexual harassment in housing or who have experienced it in the past,” continued U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Roundtable discussions like the one we hosted today are an important way to increase awareness, share information, and build strong partnerships in the community to combat this problem together.”
Community organizations, such as local law enforcement, legal aid offices, fair housing organizations, shelters, and transitional housing providers can identify the misconduct and encourage victims to report sexual harassment to the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Local police departments or legal aid offices may also be able to help victims if the behavior is a crime or if there is an imminent eviction.
The Department encourages anyone who has experienced sexual harassment in housing, or knows someone who has, to contact the Division by calling (844) 380-6178 or emailing [email protected]. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of discrimination may also file a complaint with the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 615 Chestnut Street, Suite 1250, Philadelphia, PA 19106, ATTN: Jacqueline C. Romero, Civil Rights Coordinator.
Tyler County residents sentenced for roles in a drug distribution operation in Wetzel and Tyler CountiesRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Miranda Stewart and Michael Shawn Hartline, both of Sistersville, West Virginia, were sentenced today for their roles in a methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin distribution operation that spanned multiple states, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Stewart, age 23, was sentenced today to 70 months incarceration. She pled guilty to one count of “Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances” in July 2018. Stewart admitted to conspiring with others to distribute methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base from 2016 to April 2018 in Wetzel County, parts of the southern district of West Virginia, Ohio, and Georgia.
Hartline, age 34, was sentenced today to 30 months incarceration. He pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine” in July 2018. Hartline admitted to distributing crystal methamphetamine in Tyler County in November 2017.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert H. McWilliams, Jr., and Shawn M. Adkins prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government. The Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol; Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Marshall County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the West Virginia State Police; the Tyler County Sheriff’s Office; the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Office; the Sistersville Police Department; the Paden City Police Department; and the New Martinsville Police Department investigated. The Columbus, Ohio, Police Department Gang Crimes Unit assisted in the case.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
Senior U.S. District Judge Frederick P. Stamp, Jr., presided.
Two from Cleveland indicted on firearms chargesRead the Press Release
Two men from Cleveland were indicted on federal firearms charges.
Rondel P. Wylie, 37, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Wylie on Aug. 16 possessed a Kimber .45-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite previous convictions for aggravated assault, domestic violence and drug trafficking, according to the indictment.
Raven Mullins, 29, was indicted on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Mullins on July 27 possessed a Lorcin .380-caliber pistol and ammunition, despite previous convictions for attempted felonious assault and robbery, according to the indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian S. Deckert and Kelly Galvin are prosecuting the cases following investigations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Cleveland Division of Police.
If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal 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 Valparaiso Residents Charged with Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
Hammond – Robert Timothy Wilson, 55, and Shelly Wilson, 53, of Valparaiso, Indiana have been charged with conspiracy to commit tax evasion, tax evasion, and failure to file tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Kirsch.
According to court documents, between on or about January 2008 and continuing through on or about April 2015, the Wilsons, owners and officers of Anchor Health Systems, Inc., conspired to evade paying taxes. They also failed to file some required tax returns.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasized that an Indictment is merely an allegation and that all persons charged are presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty in court.
If convicted in court, any specific sentence to be imposed will be determined by the judge after a consideration of federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The case was the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toi Denise Houston.
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Two Austin Men Among Eight Individuals Indicted by a Federal Grand Jury for Their Roles in Fraudulent “Sweepstakes” and Tax Refund SchemesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury indictment unsealed in Austin charges Austin residents Joel Calvin and Clarence Barefield along with seven other individuals for their roles in an estimated $250 million intended-loss fraudulent “sweepstakes” scheme and an estimated $25 million intended-loss income tax refund scheme.
That announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Goss, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Houston Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Antonio; and, Inspector in Charge Adrian Gonzalez, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Houston Division.
In addition to Calvin, age 31, and Barefield (aka CJ), age 40, the indictment charges Mesquite, TX, resident Donna Lundy, age 54; Nigerian citizens and Canadian residents Harry Cole (aka Akintomide Ayoola Bolu, aka John King, aka Big Bro, aka Egbon), age 48; Emmanuel Olawle Ajayi (aka Wale, aka Walata), age 41; Tony Dada Akinbobola (aka Lawrence D Awoniyi, aka Boss Tony, aka Toyin), age 47; Bolaji Akinwunmi Oyewole (aka BJ, aka Beejay), age 31; and, Nigerian citizen and Indianapolis, IN, resident Akintola Akinmadeyemi, age 54. All eight are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud (Sweepstakes) and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Emmanuel Ajayi also faces a second conspiracy-to-commit-wire-fraud charge (Stolen Identity Refund Fraud) and an aggravated identity theft charge. Lundy also faces one substantive count of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, the defendants carried out their sweepstakes scheme from 2012 to 2016. Charging $1 per name, Lundy collected over $700,000 by selling lists of elderly potential victims and their addresses to Cole in Canada. Cole and others conspirators based in the Toronto, Ontario Canada metropolitan area sent packages containing fraudulent sweepstakes information to conspirators residing in the U.S. The packages contained thousands of mailers, which U.S.-based conspirators sent to victims notifying them that they had won a sweepstakes. Each mailer included a fraudulent check issued in the name of the victim, typically in the amount of $8,000, and a pre-addressed envelope. Victims were instructed to deposit the check into his/her bank account, immediately withdraw between $5,000 and $7,000 dollars in cash or money orders and send the money to a “sweepstakes representative” to facilitate the victim collecting her or her prize. By the time the victim was notified by the bank that the deposited check was fraudulent, the cash or money order had been sent by the victim and received by the defendants or conspirators. The intended loss from this scheme was $250 million, with an actual loss of more than $900,000.
The indictment also alleges that from June 2015 through June 2016, Emmanuel Ajayi led a SIRF scheme in which over 1,200 fraudulent Income Tax Returns were filed using stolen Personal Identifying Information (PII) requesting $25 million in tax refunds. Ajayi used bank accounts involved in the sweepstakes scheme to receive refunds and funnel the money to conspirators in the U.S. An IRS analysis determined that this scheme resulted in the actual loss of approximately $3.4 million paid from the U.S. Treasury.
In order to acquire the money generated by the Sweepstakes and SIRF schemes, the conspirators operated a money laundering conspiracy in the U.S. That conspiracy employed knowing and unknowing participants to conduct financial transactions with the goals of moving the proceeds from both fraudulent schemes outside of the U.S. without detection by law enforcement.
Federal authorities arrested Calvin in Austin yesterday. Barefield is currently in state custody on an unrelated matter. Federal authorities arrested Akinmadeyemi in Indianapolis, IN, yesterday. He remains in federal custody awaiting transfer to the Austin Division of the Western District of Texas. Canadian authorities arrested Cole and Akinbobola in Canada yesterday pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant issued by a Canadian court. Both remain in Canada pending an extradition request by the U.S. Lundy has agreed to turn herself in to authorities. The whereabouts of Ajayi and Oyewole are unknown. Ajayi and Oyewole are considered fugitives.
Aggravated identity theft calls for a mandatory two years imprisonment upon conviction. Each of the remaining charges call for up to 20 years in federal prison upon conviction.
This indictment resulted from a continuing investigation by IRS-CI, HSI, and USPIS. The U.S. Marshals Service, the Office of International Affairs at the Department of Justice and the Toronto Police Service provided valuable assistance with yesterday’s arrests. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Galdo is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.
It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Three illegal aliens sentenced for re-entering the United States after previous deportationsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that three illegal aliens from Guatemala were sentenced Tuesday for re-entering the United States after having been previously removed.
Denis Izara-Rivera, 25; Margarito Hernandez-Izara, 27; and Marvin Lopez-Lopez, 25; all of Guatemala, were sentenced to time served by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of illegal re-entry of a removed alien. They are also to be deported after they are turned over to immigration agents. According to the guilty pleas, Sabine Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested the defendants who were all riding together on August 19, 2018 near Many, Louisiana.
After further investigation, law enforcement agents discovered that:
Izara-Rivera had been previously removed twice. He was first arrested on September 26, 2013 in McAllen, Texas, and removed to Guatemala. After that, he was arrested once more on October 26, 2013 and removed again to Guatemala;
Hernande-Izara had been previously removed once. He was found on May 26, 2011 in Phoenix, Arizona, and later removed to Guatemala; and
Marvin Lopez-Lopez had been previously removed once. He was found on December 11, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona, and later removed to Guatemala.
United States Border Patrol and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Three admit guilt in cocaine distribution operationRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A confirmed MS-13 gang member and two Martinsburg men have admitted to their involvement with a multi-state drug trafficking operation, United States Attorney Bill Powell announced.
Miguel Angel Cruz-Polanco, a confirmed MS-13 gang member and a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Cocaine” and one count of “Reentry of a Removed Alien.” Cruz-Polanco, age 34, admitted to selling cocaine in Berkeley County in October 2016, as well as reentering the county illegally.
Kenneth Biermann-Ruz, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, age 29, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Cocaine.” Biermann-Ruz admitted to selling cocaine in Berkeley County in October 2016.
Adam Bensaid, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, age 20, pled guilty to one count of “Aiding and Abetting the Distribution of Cocaine.” Bensaid admitted to selling cocaine in Berkeley County in January 2017.
Cruz-Polanco, Biermann-Ruz, and Bensaid each face up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000 for the drug charge. Cruz-Polanco faces up to 20 years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000 for the reentry charge. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn M. Adkins and Lara K. Omps-Botteicher are prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Virginia assisted. The investigation is led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, the Eastern Panhandle Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, the Potomac Highlands Drug & Violent Crimes Task Force, the Northwest Virginia Regional Drug & Gang Task Force , the West Virginia State Police, the Virginia State Police, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, the Martinsburg Police Department, the Charles Town Police Department, and the Ranson Police Department. Other agencies assisting in the investigation are the Winchester City Police Department; and Frederick County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Pittsylvania County; Virginia Sheriff’s Office; and the Henry County, Virginia, Sheriff’s Office.
The investigation was funded in part by the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Program (OCDETF). The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Three St. Croix Men Indicted after Home Invasion and CarjackingRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI –One man was detained and two are scheduled to appear in District Court on September 27, 2018 for detention hearings after they were arrested and charged in connection with a home invasion and carjacking on St. Croix, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced. Luis Davis, 30, Chriss Cepeda, 22, and Joel Rivera, 33, all of St. Croix, were arraigned in the District Court on St. Croix on September 24, 2018.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of September 10, 2017, the three men allegedly broke into the residence of Stephen O’Dea and Kathryn Duncan, pistol whipped Stephen O’Dea, kidnapped the two residents, and stole cash, cell phones, and vehicles.
The indictment against the three men charges the following:
Count I: Using a Firearm during Violent Crime (not less than 7 years);
Count II: Burglary in the First Degree (not less than 30 years);
Count III: Home Invasion (not less than 15 nor more than 20 years);
Count IV: Assault in the First Degree (not more than 15 years);
Count V: Carjacking (not more than 15 years);
Count VI: Kidnapping (not less than 1 nor more than 20 years);
Count VII: Kidnapping (not less than 1 nor more than 20 years);
Count VIII: Robbery in the First Degree (not more than 20 years);
Count IX: Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (not less than 15 nor more than 20 years);
Count X: Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm (not less than 15 nor more than 20 years);
Davis also faces an additional count:
Count XI: Felon in Possession of Firearm (not more than 10 years).
United States Attorney Shappert reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The case was investigated by the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel H. Huston.
Three Rockford-Area Men Charged in Child Pornography IndictmentsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — Three Rockford-area men were indicted Tuesday in separate cases by a federal grand jury in Rockford on child pornography charges.
DAVID WITTWER, 48, of South Beloit, was charged with one count of transporting child pornography via the internet in February 2016, and one count of possessing a computer and cell phone in April 2017 containing an image of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
DONOVAN HEIDENREICH, 23, of Rockford, was charged with two counts of transporting child pornography via the internet in May and September of 2017, and one count of possessing a computer in November 2017 containing an image of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
OSCAR FLORES-VAZQUEZ, 47, of Byron, was charged with one count of transporting child pornography via the internet in June 2018, and one count of possessing a computer in August 2018 containing an image of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced the Wittwer case with James M. Gibbons, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations; and the Heidenreich and Flores-Vazquez cases with Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.
The Wittwer investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the South Beloit Police Department and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office. The Heidenreich and Flores-Vazquez cases were investigated by the FBI.
Each count of transporting child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, while possessing child pornography carries a maximum of ten years in prison. Each count carries a $250,000 maximum fine. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Eagle Butte Men Sentenced for Larceny and Aiding and AbettingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two Eagle Butte, South Dakota, men convicted of Larceny and Aiding and Abetting, and one man convicted of Misprision of a Felony have been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Kolby Longbrake, age 25, was sentenced on September 18, 2018, to 4 months in federal prison, 2 years of supervised release, and $6,268.35 in restitution. Kelen Gesinger, age 29, was sentenced on February 20, 2018, to time served, 2 years supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $5,000.85. Matthew Houston, age 22, was sentenced on April 2, 2018, to 5 months in federal prison, 1 year supervised release, and restitution in the amount of $5,000.85. All three men were also required to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100 each.
All three men were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 14, 2017. Longbrake pled guilty on June 27, 2018, Houston plead guilty on January 27, 2018, and Gesinger plead guilty on November 27, 2017.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 11, 2016, when an individual dropped their trailer off at Dakota Weld and Machine in Black Hawk, South Dakota. Over that weekend the trailer, which valued at $8,000, was stolen by an individual. A few weeks later on April 23, 2016, the individual who stole the trailer asked for the help of Longbrake to get rid of it. Longbrake, knowing that the trailer had been stolen, agreed to help. Gesinger and Houston, who also knew the trailer was stolen, then took the trailer and brought it to Longbrake’s residence.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
All three were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Tahlequah Man Sentenced to Six Years for Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that Jason Allen Lay, 43, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced on Monday to six years in prison for possessing with intent to distribute one pound of methamphetamine.
Lay was arrested on September 18, 2017, in Mayes County after an officer with the Grand River Dam Authority observed a vehicle pulling a trailer with a flat tire creating a traffic hazard on Highway 412. During the stop, the officer determined that Lay had outstanding arrest warrants and subsequently discovered the methamphetamine in the vehicle during a search.
“Methamphetamine continues to be a destructive force in northeastern Oklahoma. It tears families apart and destroys lives. Drug dealers like Jason Allen Lay must be stopped,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.
Lay was sentenced in United States District Court by Chief United States District Judge Greggory K. Frizzell. He faced a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison and a $5 million dollar fine.
Multiple agencies were involved in the investigation, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Grand River Dam Authority, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Mayes County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Wilson prosecuted the case.
St. Augustine Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Selling Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Henry L. Adams has sentenced James Ray Crooms (49, St. Augustine) to eight years in federal prison for selling cocaine base, also known as “crack” cocaine. Crooms was also sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, to run concurrent with his eight-year sentence, for violating his federal supervision by selling the crack. He had pleaded guilty on March 22, 2018.
According to court documents, on August 31, 2017, a confidential informant made a controlled purchase of .4 grams of crack cocaine from Crooms in St. Augustine. On November 29, 2017, an undercover detective with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office made a second controlled purchase of .5 grams of crack from Crooms. At the time of the sales, Crooms was on federal supervised release for a previous federal conviction for selling crack cocaine.
This case was investigated by the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
Springfield Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in ATM "Jackpotting" SchemeRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ARGENYS RODRIGUEZ, 22, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for his role in an ATM “jackpotting” scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the matters stems from investigation into malware attacks on ATM machines in Connecticut and elsewhere. In a scheme commonly referred to as “jackpotting,” individuals use malware that is designed to cause an ATM to eject all of the U.S. currency contained in the machine. As part of the scheme, individuals dressed as legitimate repair technicians install malware on an ATM. Other individuals then proceed to extract all of the cash from the ATM.
On January 27, 2018, Citizens Bank investigators contacted police after they observed what appeared to be a jackpotting attack on an ATM in Cromwell. On that date, Cromwell Police encountered RODRIGUEZ and Alex Alberto Fajin-Diaz near an ATM that had been compromised with malware and was in the process of dispensing $20 bills. A search of RODRIGUEZ and Fajin-Diaz’s vehicle revealed tools and electronic devices consistent with items needed to compromise an ATM machine to dispense its cash contents. RODRIGUEZ and Fajin-Diaz were found in possession of approximately $5,600 in cash, but the investigation revealed that a total of $63,200 was taken from the ATM on that date.
The investigation further revealed that, on January 22, 2018, RODRIGUEZ, Fajin-Diaz and others illegally obtained $63,820 from a Citizens Bank ATM in Rhode Island.
Judge Bryant ordered RODRIGUEZ to pay restitution in the amount of $121,355.38.
On June 18, 2018, RODRIGUEZ pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
RODRIGUEZ, who is released on a $250,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on November 26, 2018.
Fajin-Diaz, a citizen of Spain, pleaded guilty to the same charge on June 12, 2018, and awaits sentencing. He has been detained since his arrest on January 27.
This investigation is being conducted by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, U.S. Secret Service, Connecticut State Police, Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, Middlesex State’s Attorney’s Office, Cromwell Police Department, Middletown Police Department and Greenwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Southeastern Connecticut Doctor Pays $99,912 to Settle Allegations under the False Claims ActRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that HELAR CAMPOS, MD, a physician with a practice in New London and Norwich, has entered into a civil settlement with the government in which he will pay $99,912 to resolve allegations that he violated the False Claims Act.
The allegations against CAMPOS involve fraudulent billing to Medicare and Medicaid for evaluation and management (“E&M”) services, commonly referred to as physician office visits. The government alleges that CAMPOS submitted claims to Medicare and Medicaid for E&M services that were not performed in accordance with program requirements. The government alleges that CAMPOS “upcoded” certain office visit services, submitting claims to Medicare and Medicaid by using a higher-paying billing code when services with lower-paying billing codes were actually provided. Specifically, the government alleges that CAMPOS submitted claims for E&M services under CPT code 99214 when he should have submitted the claims under CPT code 99213 or 99212, which are less complex services, reimbursed at a lower rate.
To resolve his liability under the False Claims Act, CAMPOS will pay $99,912 to reimburse the Medicare and Medicaid programs for conduct occurring from January 1, 2009, through December 31, 2012.
Under the False Claims Act, the government can recover up to three times its actual damages, plus penalties of $11,181 to $22,363 for each false claim.
This case was investigated by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne F. Thidemann with the assistance of Auditor Kevin A. Saunders.
U.S. Attorney Durham encouraged individuals who suspect health care fraud to report it by calling the Health Care Fraud Task Force (203) 785-9270 or 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
Shreveport man pleads guilty to using counterfeit $100 bills to buy carRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty Tuesday to using counterfeit cash to buy a car.
Tyler B. Jilg, 33, of Shreveport, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of passing or uttering counterfeit obligations or securities. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. According to the guilty plea, Shreveport Police saw a reportedly stolen black Lexus parked in front of a house on March 24, 2018. Two days before, Sarah McClain, 22, also of Shreveport, reported her ex-boyfriend, Tyler Jilg, had stolen her black Lexus. After investigating, Shreveport Police determined that Jilg and McClain bought the car from another person using 58 counterfeit $100 bills. The owner realized sometime after the transaction the money was counterfeit and tried to make contact with the defendants, but they ignored him. After his arrest, Jilg admitted to passing the counterfeit money to the car owner.
Jilg faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for January 9, 2019. McClain also pleaded guilty to the same count as Jilg on September 5, 2018. The court set McClain’s sentencing date for December 12, 2018.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara is prosecuting the case.
Seafood Processor Pleads Guilty to Selling Foreign Crab Meat Falsely Labeled as Blue Crab from USARead the Press Release
James R. Casey of Poquoson, Virginia, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Newport News, Virginia, on charges that he led a lucrative conspiracy to falsely label millions of dollars worth of foreign crab meat as “Product of USA,” announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and G. Zachary Terwilliger, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
“Blue crabs are a classic American seafood product and a vital resource for coastal communities in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, and other parts of the United States,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood. “As a nation, we invest tremendously in the management of Atlantic blue crab populations and other marine resources, and those efforts – along with the jobs of American seafood workers – are placed at risk by frauds like the one exposed in this case. The Department of Justice, under the leadership of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, will continue to take action to enforce the law and to protect the economic competiveness of American products and the safety of American consumers.”
“Mr. Casey conspired to replace Atlantic Blue Crab with crab meat from Indonesia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Central and South America,” said U.S Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Casey falsely labeled nearly 400,000 pounds of crab meat with a retail value in the millions of dollars. This fraud causes real financial harm to economies here in the region, and threatens to tarnish the good name of the waterman who have worked these waters for generations. We are committed to working with our federal and state partners to ensure compliance with the Lacey Act, and to enforce our nation’s environmental laws that are in place to protect consumers from similar fraud schemes.”
"Seafood fraud undermines the economic viability of U.S. and global fisheries, deceives consumers, and threatens the health of those who consume tainted or misidentified seafood products," said James Landon, Director of NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement. "This case underscores the efforts taken by federal law enforcement to strengthen seafood fraud detection throughout the supply chain, and our continued commitment to diligently work to safeguard the industry and consumers."
Casey was the owner and President of Casey’s Seafood Inc., a wholesale processor of crab meat and other seafood. He pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to substitute foreign crab meat for Atlantic blue crab and, as part of the plea, admitted to falsely labeling more than 183 tons of crab meat, which was then sold to grocery stores and independent retailers.
A significant decline in Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) harvests that began in 2010 made it increasingly expensive to purchase live Atlantic blue crab and increasingly difficult to profit from the labor-intensive process of picking meat from live-harvested blue crab. As part of his guilty plea, Casey admitted that, because of this decline, he and his company could not and did not process sufficient quantities of Atlantic blue crab to meet customer demands. To make up the shortfall, the co-conspirators used foreign crab meat to fulfill customer orders. During the periods when the company did not process blue crab—which sometimes lasted three months—the co-conspirators purchased crab meat (not live crabs) from Indonesia, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and other foreign locales.
The crab meat from Indonesia, China, Thailand, and Vietnam included meat from Portunus pelagicus, Portunus haanii, and Ovalipes punctatus, which are all Indo-West Pacific species of crab that do not live in the continental waters of the United States. The company also purchased crab meat (not live crabs) from Central American sources, which did include Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, but also included other species such as Callinectes bocourti, Callinectes bellicosis, Callinectes toxotes, and Callinectes arcuatus.
As part of the guilty plea, Casey further admitted that beginning at least as early as 2010, and continuing through June 17, 2015, he directed company employees to unpack foreign crab meat from his suppliers’ containers, comingle it with domestic blue crab and/or other types of crab, and re-pack that crab meat into Casey’s Seafood containers, all of which were labeled “Product of USA.”
As part of the plea, Casey admitted that part of the conspiracy was to purchase discounted foreign crab meat, some of which was referred to as “distressed” because it was approaching or beyond its posted “best used by” dates. Casey admitted to directing company employees to “re-condition” the “distressed” crab meat by re-pasteurizing it, and then packaging the “re-conditioned” meat into the company’s containers, which were labeled and sold as blue crab and “Product of USA.” Casey also directed employees to place labels with “Product of USA” on containers that concealed labels marked as “Product of China” and “Product of Brazil.”
This case was part of an ongoing effort by the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement, in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Homeland Security, The Virginia Marine Police, and the Department of Justice to detect, deter, and prosecute those engaged in the false labeling of crab meat.
The guilty plea took place before U.S. District Court Judge Raymond A. Jackson in Newport News. Sentencing will take place on January 9, 2019. The maximum sentence for conspiracy to falsely label crab meat is five years in prison and a fine of up to half the gross gain of the offense.
The investigation is continuing. This prosecution is being handled by the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Eric Hurt and Trial Attorney Gary N. Donner.
Santa Ana Man Indicted on Federal Drug Trafficking Charges that Allege Possession of Methamphetamine, Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
SANTA ANA, California – A federal grand jury today returned an indictment that charges a Santa Ana man with possessing significant quantities of narcotics – including the extremely potent synthetic opioid fentanyl – that he intended to distribute.
Guillermo Ernesto Sanchez Hermosillo, 41, of Santa Ana, who is currently in custody in an Orange County jail on state charges, was named in a five-count indictment.
After receiving information that Hermosillo was engaging in drug-trafficking activities, officers with the Huntington Beach Police Department and an ATF special agent went to Hermosillo’s apartment on July 31 to conduct a probation compliance check. Hermosillo was on probation after sustaining a conviction in a domestic violence case in March.
Inside a closet in a bedroom, the law enforcement officers discovered 2,722 grams of methamphetamine, 1,992 grams of heroin, and 891 grams of fentanyl. At the time of the search, there were three minors in the apartment, including a 3-week-old baby.
In addition to the narcotics that were wrapped in plastic, authorities seized a .45-caliber Glock handgun and eight rounds of ammunition.
Hermosillo was taken into local custody following the discovery of the narcotics and the firearm.
Today’s indictment charges Hermosillo with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
Because of the quantities of narcotics involved, each of the three drug-trafficking charges carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and a potential life sentence. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime carries a mandatory, five-year consecutive sentence to any sentence imposed for the narcotics offenses. The charge of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm carries a maximum possible penalty of 10 years in prison.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Huntington Beach Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anne C. Gannon of the Santa Ana Branch Office.
Rock Island Felon to Serve Nine Years in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced Gregory Michael Terronez, 31, of Rock Island, Ill., to 110 months (9 years, 2 months) in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. Terronez was ordered to remain on supervised release for two years following his release from prison. Terronez has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since he was arrested on Jan. 29, 2018.
On May 16, 2018, Terronez plead guilty to illegally possessing a Ruger LCR .38 Special revolver in November 2017. According to court documents, the gun’s serial number was obliterated. Terronez has four prior felony convictions, including convictions, one in 2010 and another in 2015, for distribution of cocaine. In support of its sentence recommendation, the government cited the defendant’s own admission that he has little employment history, other than as a drug dealer, and Terronez’s admission that after he was released from prison in May 2017, he supported himself by selling crack cocaine.
The case was investigated by the Rock Island Police Department and ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko prosecuted the case in cooperation with the Rock Island County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Robert Pizarro and Juan Rivera Convicted of Kidnapping and Murdering Federal Cooperating WitnessRead the Press Release
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that earlier today, ROBERT PIZARRO and JUAN RIVERA were convicted of murdering a witness to prevent reporting to law enforcement, kidnapping conspiracy, kidnapping resulting in death, robbery conspiracy, robbery, and firearms offenses, arising out of the murder of federal cooperating witness Robert Bishun on September 20, 2016.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Just over two years ago, Robert Bishun was violently kidnapped and brutally murdered by the defendants because he was a federal cooperating witness. Today, the jury in this case returned a unanimous verdict holding the defendants accountable for their heinous crimes. We hope that today’s result brings some small measure of peace to Robert Bishun’s family.”
According to the proof introduced at trial:
On September 20, 2016, PIZARRO and RIVERA attempted to rob Robert Bishun at gunpoint inside his auto body shop in the Bronx; during the attempted robbery, two customers were bound with zip ties and locked in the trunks of separate vehicles inside the shop. Upon learning that Bishun was a federal cooperating witness, PIZARRO and RIVERA kidnapped Bishun from his shop and strangled him to death with a plastic zip tie, before abandoning Bishun’s body in the back of his own vehicle on the side of the road.
On a prior occasion, in January 2015, PIZARRO and another accomplice stormed into Bishun’s auto body shop and robbed Robert Bishun at gunpoint, taking approximately $10,000 in cash from Bishun. During the course of the robbery, two customers were bound with zip ties.
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PIZARRO, 38, of the Bronx, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison plus 32 years. RIVERA, 41, also of the Bronx, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison plus 7 years.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative efforts of the DEA and the NYPD, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Swergold, Jessica Fender, Jared Lenow, and Margaret Graham are in charge of the prosecution.
Riverton Woman Charged with Bank FraudRead the Press Release
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – On August 28, 2018, a federal grand jury charged Carol S. Jennings, age 57, of Riverton, with Bank Fraud, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. The Indictment alleges that Jennings, while employed as the clerk for the City of Riverton, opened two accounts with a local bank by providing falsified documents in April 2014. From April 2014 until February 2015, Jennings allegedly deposited city funds into these accounts and then converted almost the entire balance for her own personal use.
The defendant appeared in United States District Court on September 20, 2018, where she pleaded not guilty to the charge. Jennings has a trial date scheduled for November 5, 2018, before United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose at the Council Bluffs Federal Courthouse.
The public is reminded that an Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.