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13 September 2018
Executive Director of Fairfield Nonprofit Pleads Guilty to Embezzling DOJ Funds Intended for Domestic Violence Victims and Altering Records to Thwart a Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Claudia Humphrey, 62, of American Canyon, pleaded guilty today to theft of public money and falsifying records in a federal investigation, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.
According to court documents, Humphrey was the executive director of LIFT3 Support Group Inc., a non-profit organization in Fairfield that offered transitional shelter assistance and other services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and dating violence, primarily serving residents in Solano County. Humphrey, through LIFT3, sought and received federal grants from the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) in 2011 and 2012. Humphrey caused to be transferred over $270,000 in grant money that was to be used only for assisting victims of domestic violence into her own bank accounts, and she used over $50,000 of the funds on personal expenses such as travel, shopping, and payments to her family members, among other things.
According to court documents, between October 2014 and August 2015, in an effort to conceal her embezzlement of federal funds, Humphrey obstructed the efforts of the OVW audit of LIFT3. Humphrey falsified purchase documents showing that computers were purchased, and she altered and falsified expense ledgers and time sheets.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Todd A. Pickles is prosecuting the case.
Humphrey is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on January 3, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. Humphrey faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison for theft of public money, and 20 years in prison for falsifying a record in a federal investigation. Additionally, Humphrey faces a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross loss or gain. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Essex County, New Jersey, Man Admits Robbing 14 Hotels in New Jersey and New YorkRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County, New Jersey, man admitted robbing 14 hotels in New Jersey and New York, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced today.
Tremone Burnett, 46, of Orange, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court on Sept. 12, 2018, to two counts of an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit robbery and threaten physical violence, and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From April 24, 2014, through June 19, 2014, Burnett robbed 12 New Jersey hotels and two New York hotels at gunpoint. The New Jersey hotels were located in Carteret, Lebanon, Newark, Rockaway, Secaucus, Avenel, Parsippany, Paramus, Weehawken, and Edison; the New York hotels were located in Airmont and Nanuet. In each robbery, Burnett wielded a handgun and, in some instances, tied the victim’s hands and feet. During one of the robberies, Burnett discharged his firearm.
The count of conspiracy to commit robbery and threaten violence carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The count of discharging a firearm during a crime of violence carries a maximum penalty of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, which must run consecutively to any other prison term. Each count also carries a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 18, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II; and the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked the Carteret, Edison, Lebanon, Rockaway, Parsippany, Weehawken and Woodbridge Township police departments in New Jersey; the Clarkstown and Ramapo police departments in New York; the N.J. State Police; and the Bergen County, Hunterdon County, Middlesex County, and Morris County prosecutors’ offices for their work on this case.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Ferketic of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Public Protection Unit in Newark.
Eleven people indicted for conspiracy to traffic cocaine and methamphetamine from Texas to AkronRead the Press Release
Eleven people were indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine from Texas to the Akron area.
All of the defendants named in the 27-count indictment are from Akron unless otherwise noted. They are: William G. Steen, 55, of Texas; Jonathan Johnson, 35; Darren Ross, 46, of Louisiana; Gregory Moran, TK, of Texas; Andre L. Brown, 47; Michael L. Weimer, 33; Harold W. Weimar III, 36; Travonte Bell, 26; Sanada S. Griffin, 36; Troy Whatley, 48; and Robert Zornes, Jr., 43.
All defendants conspired from January 2016 to possess with intent to distribute at least five kilograms of cocaine and 500 grams of methamphetamine.
Steen provided cocaine to Ross and Moran, who transported it to Johnson and others for distribution in the Akron area. Johnson, in turn, provided the cocaine to Michael Weimer and others. Johnson and Brown also supplied Weimer with methamphetamine, according to the indictment.
Brown faces additional charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing a firearm in relation to drug trafficking.
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 maximum.
This cases is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Riley following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Summit County Sheriff's Office, the police departments of Akron, Copley, Tallmadge, Stow, Cuyahoga Falls, Barberton, Springfield Township, New Franklin, Silver Lake, Reminderville and the University of Akron, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Summit County Prosecutor's Office.
An indictment is only a charge. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
El Paso, Texas, Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charges in New MexicoRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Luis Trejo, 54, of El Paso, Texas, pled guilty this afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to methamphetamine trafficking charges.
Trejo was arrested on April 16, 2018, on a three-count indictment charging him with distributing methamphetamine on three dates in June 2017. According to the indictment, Trejo committed the offenses in Dona Ana County, N.M.
During today’s proceedings, Trejo pled guilty to the indictment and admitted distributing quantities of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent on the following dates: approximately 52 grams on June 13, 2017; approximately 55 grams on June 15, 2017; and approximately 52 grams on June 21, 2017. Trejo acknowledged obtaining the methamphetamine from an individual and distributing the methamphetamine to others in exchange for money.
At sentencing, Trejo faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing which has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the New Mexico State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Saltman of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office.
East Hartford Woman Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Heroin Trafficking and Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GISEL DE LA CRUZ, 44, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for heroin trafficking and immigration offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force began an investigation of an organization that was trafficking large quantities of heroin, fentanyl and other narcotics in Connecticut and western Massachusetts. The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of narcotics and physical surveillance, revealed that members of the organization were receiving bulk quantities of heroin and fentanyl from out-of-state suppliers. They then stored, processed and packaged the heroin/fentanyl in multiple locations, including apartments located at 280 Collins Street in Hartford where some members of the organization also resided, and then distributed the drug in the Hartford area, and also the Springfield and Holyoke, Massachusetts area. A significant amount of drug trafficking activity occurred at the Neighborhood Supermarket, located at 316 Farmington Avenue in Hartford, which was owned and operated by DE LA CRUZ.
Investigators made multiple controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from DE LA CRUZ and other members of the drug trafficking organization in and around the Neighborhood Supermarket.
The investigation also revealed that DE LA CRUZ’s boyfriend, who lived with DE LA CRUZ, helped her run the store and assisted in the drug trafficking operation, was a citizen of the Dominican Republic who had previously been deported after a conviction for a federal narcotics offense. DE LA CRUZ paid $20,000 to smuggle her boyfriend back into the U.S. and, in December 2016, her boyfriend illegally reentered the country using fake Venezuelan identification documents.
During the investigation, law enforcement executed 12 search warrants in Connecticut and Massachusetts and seized approximately 10 kilograms of heroin and fentanyl, much of which was packaged for resale in hundreds of thousands of bags. Investigators also seized numerous vials of Xylazine, which is a horse tranquilizer used by narcotics traffickers as a heroin additive. Seven firearms also were seized.
DE LA CRUZ has been detained since her arrest on June 29, 2017. On May 23, 2018, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, and one count of encouraging and inducing an alien to illegally come to, enter and reside in the U.S.
Fourteen individuals have been charged with various narcotics, firearms and immigration offenses as a result of this investigation.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments. Agencies assisting the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Drug Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Distributing Narcotics in Northwest Washington and MarylandRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Dontae Robey, 36, of Landover, Md., pled guilty today to trafficking in heroin, crack, and powder cocaine in the Shaw area of Northwest Washington and Maryland, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, Nancy McNamara, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Robey pled guilty before the Honorable Timothy J. Kelly in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of eight years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release. Judge Kelly scheduled sentencing for Dec. 11, 2018.
As part of his plea agreement, Robey took responsibility for 110 grams of heroin, 67 grams of crack cocaine, and three grams of cocaine that were present in a silver Infiniti that Robey was operating on Nov. 19, 2017, following a traffic stop performed by members of MPD’s Narcotics and Special Investigations Division’s Criminal Interdiction Unit.
Additionally, on May 2, 2018, members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and MPD’s Third District Crime Suppression Team arrested Robey in the 700 block of S Street NW pursuant to an arrest warrant. Officers recovered a Lexus key on Robey’s person and a large amount of cash. A half-block away, law enforcement located a blue Lexus ES 350. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement recovered approximately 40 grams of heroin located in a small storage compartment to the left of the steering wheel. As part of his plea agreement, Robey admitted to possessing the narcotics inside the Lexus, and acknowledged that he maintained a residence in Landover, where he packaged quantities of narcotics for distribution and then distributed those narcotics in the District of Columbia.
Robey has three prior drug trafficking convictions related to offenses in the same location where he was arrested on May 2, 2018, all resulting from his possession of packaged narcotics in the neighborhood. In 2001, he was convicted of trafficking narcotics following his possession of 29 individually packaged ziplocs of crack cocaine. In 2002, he was convicted of trafficking narcotics after he was found in possession of 83 individually packaged ziplocs of crack cocaine. In 2008, he was convicted of attempting to distribute crack cocaine to an undercover officer.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Liu, Assistant Director in Charge McNamara, and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Candace Battle and Jeannette Litz, Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Crane, who assisted with the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Macchiaroli and David Misler, who prosecuted the case.
Dominican Republic Nationals Indicted for Illegally Reentering into the United StatesRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – A federal Grand Jury today returned separate indictments against Ezequiel Rivera Gomez aka Francisco Mejia, 44, and Luis Miguel Recio Fernandez, 29, both Dominican Republic nationals, alleging that they illegally reentered the United States after having been previously deported, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced. Both men remain in federal custody pending their individual trials.
The indictment against Gomez alleges that he was previously removed from the United States on or about March 1, 2016, after having been convicted of a drug trafficking offense. The indictment against Fernandez alleges that on or about July 20, 2012, he too was previously removed from the United States after committed a drug trafficking offense.
Under federal law, both men face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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.
These cases are being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Juan Laboy, 44, a Dominican national formerly residing in Lawrence, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In June 2018, Laboy pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien.
Laboy, who, at the time of his arrest, was on federal supervised release for a 2016 illegal reentry conviction, has previously been deported five times: Oct. 18, 2006; Jan. 12, 2008; April 7, 2010; Dec. 3, 2013; and April 5, 2016.
On Nov. 14, 2017, law enforcement arrested Laboy and charged him with trafficking in cocaine. Laboy’s prints were obtained and found to match the prints in his Alien file. The cocaine trafficking charges are currently pending in Lawrence District Court.
Immediately following his June 2018 plea hearing before Judge Young, Laboy appeared before U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs for a hearing related to violating his supervised release. Judge Burroughs found Laboy in violation of his supervised release and sentenced him to eight months in prison. Today’s sentence will be served consecutive to the eight months imposed in June.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Todd M. Lyons, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Federal Drug OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Manulito Chambliss, 47, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to five years in prison on a federal drug offense stemming from a traffic stop by police that led to the discovery of cocaine base in the car that he was driving, announced U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu and Peter Newsham, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Chambliss pled guilty in August 2018 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to unlawful possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. The plea, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for an agreed-upon sentence of five years in prison. The Honorable Thomas F. Hogan accepted the plea and sentenced Chambliss accordingly. Following his prison term, Chambliss will be placed on four years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Dec. 23, 2017, at approximately 7 p.m., MPD officers on patrol in the 200 block of 19th Street SE spotted a silver Infiniti that had only one headlight running. Officers lost sight of the vehicle, but then located it nearby, stopped in the 1700 block of Bay Street SE. Chambliss, who was alone in the vehicle, began to drive it. Using lights and sirens, officers tried to pull Chambliss over, but he did not stop and kept driving off. Eventually Chambliss became stuck in traffic in the 1500 block of Benning Road NE and came to a stop. After officers removed him from the driver’s seat, they found 346 small zip lock bags, containing 44 grams of cocaine base, on the driver’s seat and on Chambliss’s person.
The case marks the fourth time that Chambliss has been convicted in the District of Columbia of a felony drug offense.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Liu and Chief Newsham commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys C.B. Buente and Vincent Caputy, who prosecuted the matter.
Deming Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Christopher Hernandez Meza, 35, of Deming, N.M., pled guilty this afternoon in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to distributing child pornography. Based on his guilty plea, Meza faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison. He also will be required to register as a sex offender after he completes his prison sentence.
Meza was arrested in May 2018, on a criminal complaint charging him with possessing and distributing child pornography from March 2018 through April 2018, in Luna County, N.M. According to the criminal complaint, the investigation leading to Meza’s arrest was initiated in March 2018, after an FBI agent who was working in an undercover capacity in Oklahoma signed into a publicly available peer-to-peer file-sharing network that was being used by individuals who were sharing child pornography images and videos. The agent learned that an IP Address and email address subscribed to Meza were being used to share child pornography.On May 3, 2018, the FBI executed a search warrant at Meza’s residence. While executing the search warrant, FBI agents seized a computer that contained more than a dozen video files and more than a hundred image files of child pornography.
During today’s proceedings, Meza pled guilty to a felony information charging him with distributing child pornography. In entering the guilty plea, Meza admitted that on March 27, 2018, he distributed child pornography by giving another person, who unbeknownst to Meza was an undercover law enforcement agent, access to a password protected online file folder, which contained numerous images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Meza has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.
The case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI with assistance from the Deming Police Department and the Deming office of New Mexico State Probation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office 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 information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. Individuals with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST.
The case also was brought as a part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. There are 86 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies associated with the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.
Convicted Felon Found Guilty in Brooklyn Federal Court of Conspiring to Sell Three Kilos of Heroin and Possession of a Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
Earlier today, following a three day trial, a federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict against Clyde Miller on charges of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Miller and others had agreed to sell three kilograms of heroin to an undercover police office for over $170,000. When sentenced by United States District Judge Margo K. Brodie, Miller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James J. Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Division (DEA), announced the guilty verdict.
“As the jury found, Clyde Miller was armed with a gun when he showed up for a heroin deal at a hotel near JFK International Airport,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “Through the outstanding work of our prosecutors and law enforcement officers, a source for dangerous drugs was shut down and a deadly weapon was taken out of the hands of a convicted felon and off the street.” Mr. Donoghue expressed his grateful appreciation to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office in Florida for their assistance in the investigation.
“It is estimated that 70,000 people died as a result of drug abuse last year in the United States,” stated DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Hunt. “This conviction sends a message to traffickers that law enforcement is committed to bringing opioid traffickers to justice. I commend the agents and prosecutors on their hard work.”
Evidence presented at trial, including undercover recordings and physical surveillance, established that on April 17, 2017, Miller and his co-conspirators drove to the Hilton Hotel near JFK International Airport to complete the sale of three kilograms of heroin for more than $170,000. Unbeknownst to Miller, the purchaser of the heroin was an undercover police officer. At approximately 3:00 p.m., Miller and his co-conspirators arrived in the hotel parking lot in a 2013 white Dodge Durango. A co-conspirator approached the undercover officer and handed him a black bag, which contained a brick of heroin. DEA agents observing the transaction moved in and arrested Miller and his co-conspirators. A loaded .380-caliber semi-automatic handgun was found tucked in the back of Miller’s waistband. Miller had previously been convicted of a felony.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Temidayo Aganga-Williams is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
CLYDE MILLER (also known as “Quan Miller”)
Age: 41
Oil City, PennsylvaniaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 17-CR-415 (S-1) (MKB)
Columbus, Mississippi Vice Lord Sentenced to Statutory MaximumRead the Press Release
OXFORD – On September 13, 2018, Darmarcus Fisher, a Vice Lord gang member in Columbus, Mississippi, was sentenced to the statutory maximum of ten years in federal prison for his role in two gang-related shootings, which occurred on March 7, 2016. The melee left one gang member hospitalized and resulted in bullets striking a bystander’s vehicle and residence.
Fisher previously pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition, which was discharged from a firearm in March of 2016. On Thursday, Fisher was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Mills in the Northern Judicial District of Mississippi to ten (10) years imprisonment. Fisher’s incarceration will be followed by three years of supervised release.
The sentencing was the culmination of a joint Federal and State investigation into multiple shootings in 2016, which occurred between rival gang members of the Vice Lords and the Black Gangster Disciples in Columbus, Mississippi. Multiple arrests have been made resulting in a substantial reduction in violent crime in Columbus, Mississippi.
William C. Lamar, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi and Joseph Frank, Supervisory Special Agent for the Oxford Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, made the announcement.
“We are making our neighborhoods safe again by removing violent offenders from our communities. Through the combined efforts of our Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, federal, state, and local agents and officers will work together to make and keep our neighborhoods safe,” remarked U.S. Attorney Lamar.
These charges were the result of an investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that provides supplemental funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of violent organizations and pursuant to the Project Safe Neighborhoods anti-violent crime initiative. Several agencies were crucial to this investigation, including the ATF, the Columbus Police Department, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, and the District Attorney’s Office for the Sixteenth Circuit Court of Mississippi. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oxford, Mississippi.
Columbus Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Dealing Lethal Heroin Fentanyl MixRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Richard R. Edwards, 29, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 180 months in prison for distributing heroin and fentanyl that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Sheriff’s Office’s Heroin Overdose Prevention & Education (HOPE) Task Force announced the sentence handed down today by Chief U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr.
According to court documents, Edwards admitted that his distribution of heroin and fentanyl led to a non-fatal overdose of a Columbus man in August 2016, and a fatal overdose of a Columbus woman in December 2016.
Edwards was arrested in March 2017 and has remained in custody since. He pleaded guilty to distribution of heroin in August 2017.
“Drug dealers like Edwards who traffic in fentanyl deal death,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “I want them to know that they face lengthy terms in federal prison for that conduct. Trafficking in deadly opioids must stop.”
“This defendant's conviction and subsequent significant prison term demonstrates HSI's unrelenting resolve to bring to justice those responsible for distributing this lethal poison in our communities,” said Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge with Homeland Security Investigations. “HSI will continue our close collaboration with all members of the Ohio law enforcement community, including the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office who initiated this case, to combat this deadly scourge.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by HSI and HOPE Task Force officers, as well as Deputy Criminal Chief Michael J. Hunter and Assistant United States Attorney Kelly A. Norris, who are representing the United States in this case.
Established in 2016, the Heroin Overdose Prevention & Education Task Force was created as a restructuring of the Franklin County Drug Task Force. Experienced narcotics and homicide detectives working on the HOPE Task Force are treating opiate overdose scenes as crime scenes, investigating the source of the supply that caused the overdose. This case represents the first federal prosecution of a “death-resulting” case in Columbus that stemmed from a joint investigation with the HOPE Task Force.
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California Man Charged in a Federal Complaint in Connection with a Traffic StopRead the Press Release
St. Louis, MO – Jonathan Bobadilla-Soto, 26, of Adelanto, California, was charged in a federal criminal complaint regarding a traffic stop which resulted in the seizure of approximately 34 pounds of ICE (crystal methamphetamine).
According to the affidavit of the complaint, on September 12, 2018, Task Force Officers stopped a white colored Chevrolet Traverse SUV travelling westbound on Interstate 70 in Foristell, Missouri, for a traffic violation of failing to signal when changing lanes and for failing to stop at a red light. The driver, Jonathan Bobadilla-Soto, and front seat passenger were informed by the officers the reason for the stop and began to converse with Bobadilla-Soto about his purpose of his travel. Officers asked Bobadilla-Soto for consent to search the vehicle for suspected illegal narcotics or large bulk currency, which he granted.
After a brief search of the vehicle and while opening the rear SUV hatch by an officer, the hatch would not automatically stay up and came crashing down on the officer. After the officer became suspicious that the hatch was too heavy to remain in the open position, he observed a small gap in the plastic interior molding of the hatch. After dismantling the rear SUV hatch, officers discovered 17 individually wrapped bundles of ICE, placed inside the vehicle’s natural void. A continued search revealed five (5) individually wrapped bundles in the rear passenger side quarter panel, six (6) individually wrapped bundles in the rear ceiling compartment and six (6) individually wrapped bundles in the rear driver side quarter panel which all contained ICE.
Bobadilla-Soto was charged with one felony count of Possession with Intent to Distribute ICE. The United States Attorney requested that he be detained pending trial.
As is always the case, charges set forth in the complaint are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the St. Charles County Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Beth Orwick is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Business Executive Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery Charge in Connection with Venezuelan Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A former manager of a U.S.-based logistics and freight forwarding company pleaded guilty to a foreign bribery charge today for his role in a scheme to corruptly secure contracts and contract extensions from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA). The guilty plea of the bribed foreign official was also unsealed today.
U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
Juan Carlos Castillo Rincon (Castillo), 55, of Conroe, previously of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy K. Johnson of the Southern District of Texas in Houston to one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Castillo is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 21, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller of the Southern District of Texas.
Judge Johnson also unsealed the guilty plea of Jose Orlando Camacho (Camacho), 46, of Miami, Florida, previously of Katy, the PDVSA official whom Castillo bribed. In July 2017, Camacho pleaded guilty under seal before Judge Miller to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Camacho is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 21, 2019 by Judge Miller.
“These guilty pleas reflect the hard work of agents and investigators and mark another step in the joint effort to combat foreign corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Patrick. “Our office will continue to prosecute those who bribe foreign officials or use our financial networks to launder the proceeds of these bribes.”
“Corruption undermines the rule of law, tilts the playing field away from law-abiding businesses, and exposes our financial system to the distorting effects of illicit cash flows,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The guilty pleas announced today are the latest in a series of actions arising out of an ongoing investigation of bribery at PDVSA. The Department will continue to combat corruption wherever we find it.”
“Foreign bribery schemes like this pose a significant threat to the public trust and fair trade practices,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Dawson. “Today’s pleas are a step in the right direction, but we will continue to aggressively investigate individuals and corporations who violate the FCPA to ensure a fair and equal playing field for U.S. companies and consumers.”
Castillo was arrested in Miami on April 19, after a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against him. According to admissions made in connection with Castillo’s plea, beginning in or around 2011 and continuing through at least 2013, Castillo, a manager at a Houston-based logistics and freight forwarding company, conspired with others to bribe a PDVSA official in exchange for the official providing assistance in connection with the company’s business with PDVSA. In exchange for bribe payments, the PDVSA official assisted the company in obtaining PDVSA contracts, contract extensions and favorable contract terms; provided Castillo with inside information concerning the PDVSA bidding process; and supported the company in internal PDVSA meetings regarding purchasing decisions.
As part of his guilty plea, Camacho admitted that while employed by PDVSA or its wholly owned subsidiaries or affiliates, he accepted bribes from Castillo and the logistics and freight forwarding company for which Castillo was a manager in exchange for taking certain actions to assist the company in its business with PDVSA. Camacho also admitted he conspired with Castillo to launder the proceeds of the bribery scheme.
As part of their plea agreements, both Castillo and Camacho have agreed to forfeit the proceeds of their criminal activity.
With Castillo’s plea today and the unsealing of Camacho’s plea, the Justice Department has announced charges against 18 individuals, 14 of whom have pleaded guilty, as part of a larger, ongoing investigation by the U.S. government into bribery at PDVSA. The HSI Houston Field Office is conducting the ongoing investigation with assistance from HSI in Boston and from IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Pearson and Robert S. Johnson and Trial Attorneys Jeremy R. Sanders and Sarah E. Edwards of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Rollinson is handling the forfeiture aspects of the case.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the Cayman Islands’ Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions also provided assistance.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa
Business Executive Pleads Guilty to Foreign Bribery Charge in Connection with Venezuelan Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
A former manager of a U.S.-based logistics and freight forwarding company pleaded guilty to a foreign bribery charge today for his role in a scheme to corruptly secure contracts and contract extensions from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA). The guilty plea of the foreign official who was bribed was also unsealed today.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick of the Southern District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
Juan Carlos Castillo Rincon (Castillo), 55, of Conroe, Texas, previously of Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy K. Johnson of the Southern District of Texas in Houston to one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Castillo is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 21, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller of the Southern District of Texas.
Judge Johnson also unsealed the guilty plea of Jose Orlando Camacho (Camacho), 46, of Miami, Florida, previously of Katy, Texas, the PDVSA official whom Castillo bribed. In July 2017, Camacho pleaded guilty under seal before Judge Miller to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Camacho is also scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 21, 2019 by Judge Miller.
“Corruption undermines the rule of law, tilts the playing field away from law-abiding businesses, and exposes our financial system to the distorting effects of illicit cash flows,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The guilty pleas announced today are the latest in a series of actions arising out of an ongoing investigation of bribery at PDVSA. The Department will continue to combat corruption wherever we find it.”
“These guilty pleas reflect the hard work of agents and investigators and mark another step in the joint effort to combat foreign corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Patrick. “Our office will continue to prosecute those who bribe foreign officials or use our financial networks to launder the proceeds of these bribes.”
“Foreign bribery schemes like this pose a significant threat to the public trust and fair trade practices,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Dawson. “Today’s pleas are a step in the right direction, but we will continue to aggressively investigate individuals and corporations who violate the FCPA to ensure a fair and equal playing field for U.S. companies and consumers.”
Castillo was arrested in Miami on April 19, after a federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment against him. According to admissions made in connection with Castillo’s plea, beginning in or around 2011 and continuing through at least 2013, Castillo, a manager at a Houston-based logistics and freight forwarding company, conspired with others to bribe a PDVSA official in exchange for the official providing assistance in connection with the company’s business with PDVSA. In exchange for bribe payments, the PDVSA official assisted the company in obtaining PDVSA contracts, contract extensions and favorable contract terms; provided Castillo with inside information concerning the PDVSA bidding process; and supported the company in internal PDVSA meetings regarding purchasing decisions.
As part of his guilty plea, Camacho admitted that while employed by PDVSA or its wholly owned subsidiaries or affiliates, he accepted bribes from Castillo and the logistics and freight forwarding company for which Castillo was a manager in exchange for taking certain actions to assist the company in its business with PDVSA. Camacho also admitted that he conspired with Castillo to launder the proceeds of the bribery scheme.
As part of their plea agreements, both Castillo and Camacho have agreed to forfeit the proceeds of their criminal activity.
With Castillo’s plea today and the unsealing of Camacho’s plea, the Justice Department has announced charges against 18 individuals, 14 of whom have pleaded guilty, as part of a larger, ongoing investigation by the U.S. government into bribery at PDVSA. The HSI Houston Field Office is conducting the ongoing investigation, with assistance from HSI in Boston and from IRS Criminal Investigation. Trial Attorneys Jeremy R. Sanders and Sarah E. Edwards of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Pearson and Robert S. Johnson of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Rollinson of the Southern District of Texas is handling the forfeiture aspects of the case.
The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs and the Cayman Islands’ Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions also provided assistance.
The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Bureau of Corrections Detainees Indicted for having Illegal Contraband in PrisonRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI – A federal Grand Jury today returned three separate indictments against K’Moi Corraspe, 24, Michael Hendrickson, 27, and Gamba Potter, 33, each for allegedly possessing illegal contraband in prison, United States Attorney Gretchen Shappert announced. All three men remain in custody at the Bureau of Corrections where they await trial on unrelated local charges.
The indictment against Corraspe charges him with possessing a cell phone, a screwdriver and a cigarette lighter while detained at the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections on St. Thomas. Hendrickson’s and Potter’s indictments allege that each possessed cell phones while they were detained at the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections on St. Thomas.
Under federal law, Corraspe faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Potter and Hendrickson each face one year in prison with fines of $250,000.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigations, the Virgin Islands Police Department, and the Virgin Islands Bureau of Corrections are investigating these cases. They are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Everard E. Potter.
Buffalo Man Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Buffalo, New York, man who owned and operated a debt collection business was sentenced to 37 months in prison today for tax evasion, announced Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy Jr. for the Western District of New York.
According to documents and information provided to the court, from April 2010 through October 2013, Dorian Wills operated a debt collection business under a variety of different names. The business engaged in illegal collection practices, including making threatening and harassing phone calls and collecting on debt that did not exist or debt to which the collection companies did not have title. To conceal his involvement in the business, Wills directed two individuals to incorporate companies in their names in Georgia and Ohio and to open bank accounts in the names of those companies. Wills then used these corporate entities to operate his debt collection business.
During 2011 through 2013, Wills earned significant income from his debt collection activities. However, Wills sought to hide his income and evade assessment of his income tax liabilities by using nominees to hide his ownership of his debt collection businesses and filing false tax returns. Wills also did not file tax returns at all for 2011 and 2013. In total, Wills’ conduct caused a tax loss of over $1.2 million.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford ordered Wills to serve two years of supervised release and pay $1,466,330.05 in restitution to the IRS.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, and Trial Attorneys Jason M. Scheff and Thomas F. Koelbl of the Tax Division, who prosecuted the case. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marie P. Grisanti for their support during the investigation and prosecution of this case.
Additional information about the Tax Division’s enforcement efforts can be found on the division’s website.
Buffalo Man Sentenced for Tax Evasion; Ordered to Pay $1.4 Million to the IRSRead the Press Release
CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney James P. Kennedy, Jr. and Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Richard E. Zuckerman of the Justice Department’s Tax Division announced today that Dorian Wills, 52, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of tax evasion, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. The defendant was also ordered to pay $1,466,330.05 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
According to documents and information provided to the court, from April 2010 through October 2013, Wills operated a debt collection business under a variety of different names. The business engaged in illegal collection practices, including making threatening and harassing phone calls and collecting on debt that did not exist or debt to which the collection companies did not have title. To conceal his involvement in the business, the defendant directed two individuals to incorporate companies in their names in Georgia and Ohio, and to open bank accounts in the names of those companies. Wills then used these corporate entities to operate his debt collection business.
During 2011 through 2013, the defendant earned significant income from his debt collection activities. However, Wills sought to hide his income and evade assessment of his income tax liabilities by using nominees to hide his ownership of his debt collection businesses and filing false tax returns. The defendant also did not file tax returns at all for 2011 and 2013. In total, Wills’ conduct caused a tax loss of over $1,200,000.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Zuckerman and U.S. Attorney Kennedy thanked special agents of IRS Criminal Investigation, who conducted the investigation, AUSA Marie P. Grisanti, and Tax Division Trial Attorneys Jason M. Scheff and Thomas F. Koelbl, who are prosecuting the case.
Additional information about the Tax Division and its enforcement efforts may be found on the division’s website.
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Birmingham-Area Businessman Convicted of Trying to Pay His $3.6 Million Tax Debt with Fictitious InstrumentRead the Press Release
Montgomery, Alabama – Richard Lee Graham, 55, of Gardendale, Alabama, was found guilty on Tuesday, September 11, 2018 for passing a fictitious instrument and obstructing the administration of the Internal Revenue laws, announced United States Attorney Louis V. Franklin, Sr., of the Middle District of Alabama, and Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge with IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Evidence presented at trial established that in 2014, Graham owed approximately $3.6 million in taxes, penalties, and interest for tax years 2006 to 2009. To collect that tax debt, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began seizing Graham’s properties. On July 11, 2014, Graham went to the Montgomery IRS Office with a fictitious “International Bill of Exchange” in the amount of $3.6 million, along with false supporting documents, in an attempt to pay his taxes. A short time later, Graham showed up at the Birmingham IRS Office with another fake instrument of the same type and amount and attempted to use it to settle his tax debt. He also had false documents mailed to an IRS employee in an attempt to prove the legitimacy of the phony check-like instrument.
Following these convictions, Graham is facing up to 25 years in prison, substantial fines, and up to 5 years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Mr. Graham tried to dupe this country out of $3.6 million for his own gain. That is money that could be used to help children or the sick or could be used to build and repair roads and bridges,” stated U.S. Attorney Franklin. “Our office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who attempt to illegally avoid their tax obligations in order to benefit themselves.”
“Graham was a significant tax evader and thought he could outsmart the government in making his tax debts go away,” said Thomas J. Holloman, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation. “IRS-CI will continue to investigate and bring these significant tax cheats to justice and will hold them both financially and criminally responsible for their actions.”
U.S. Attorney Franklin commended agents of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation who investigated this case, and the Alabama Department of Revenue who provided assistance. Trial Attorney Michael C. Boteler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan A. Kirkpatrick of the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Hydrocodone and Alprazolam and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Brandon J. Fremin announced today that JACQUE BUTLER, age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute marijuana, hydrocodone, and alprazolam, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. As a result of his conviction, BUTLER faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years for the firearms offense, which must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed for the drug offense, a fine, and a period of supervised release.
In a hearing before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles, BUTLER admitted to possessing nine firearms, a CN Romarms, AK-47, 7.62 caliber rifle, a Bushmaster, .223 caliber rifle, a Taurus, model 990, .22 caliber pistol, a Taurus, .38 caliber pistol, a Ruger, model GP 100, .357 caliber pistol, a Metro Arms, .45 caliber pistol, a Springfield Armory, model 1911-A1, .45 caliber pistol, a Taurus, model PT11G2, 9mm pistol, and a Hi Point, model JHP, .45 caliber pistol, to further, advance, or help his drug trafficking crime.
On August 16, 2017, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics detectives executed a search warrant on BUTLER’s residence after receiving information that BUTLER was selling marijuana from his home. From his residence, detectives recovered the aforementioned firearms, quantities of marijuana and pills containing hydrocodone and alprazolam, and a digital scale. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that four of the firearms had been reported stolen through the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and Baton Rouge Police Department. At the time, BUTLER was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing firearms.
U.S. Attorney Fremin stated, “This conviction is another example of how our partnership with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and ATF can remove those who traffic drugs and possess illegal firearms from our streets and make our communities safer for our citizens. “
ATF Resident Agent-in-Charge Antonio L. Pittman stated, ““ATF will continue to focus our investigations on felons in possession of firearms and violent armed drug traffickers. ATF, in collaboration with our federal, state, and local partners continue to make our communities safer by removing these individuals from our streets utilizing federal prosecutions. Seizing this many weapons from Mr. Butler will help to reduce violent crime in our community.”
This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, with substantial assistance from the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Demetrius Sumner.
Bank Robber Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH -A former resident of Clairton, PA, has been sentenced in federal court to 60 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release on his conviction of two counts of bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
United States District Judge David Cercone imposed the sentence yesterday on Raymond Zwibel, age 46.
According to information presented to the court, Zwibel stole $3,700 from the First Commonwealth Bank in New Alexandria, PA on August 19, 2013 and then acted as the getaway driver for co-defendant Matthew Stanley who stole $2,413 from the Citizens Bank in Latrobe, PA on August 23, 2013.
Stanley recently pleaded guilty on September 6, 2018 and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cercone on February 1, 2019 at 11:30 a.m.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Cercone stated that Zwibel’s addiction made him like Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, noting that Zwibel once saved an inmate from hanging himself in jail, but continued to commit numerous crimes as a result of his heroin addiction.
Assistant United States Attorney Ross E. Lenhardt prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Brady commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of both Zwibel and Stanley.
Baldwin Man Sentenced to Probation for Supplemental Security Income FraudRead the Press Release
Ikie Ealy Concealed His Wife’s Income to Continue Qualifying for Benefits
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge announced that Ikie G. Ealy, 54, of Baldwin, Michigan, was sentenced to two years’ probation yesterday by U.S. District Judge Paul L Maloney for concealing material facts regarding his eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. The Court additionally ordered Ealy to pay restitution of $77,026.05 to the Social Security Administration and the Michigan Medicaid Program.
Between November 2009 and October 2016, Ealy, who was aware that his wife’s earnings counted towards the calculation of household income for determining his eligibility for SSI benefits, intentionally failed to disclose on several occasions that he and his wife were living together and that she was earning an income. Ealy’s concealment included providing false answers on Social Security forms and providing a false letter indicating that he and his wife were divorcing. As a result, Ealy received SSI benefits in higher amounts than he otherwise should have received, or when he should have received no benefits at all. In total, Ealy received more than $70,000.00 in benefits to which he was not entitled.
“The integrity of the SSI program, and all programs providing federal entitlements, remains a priority of this office,” said Birge. “If you cheat the system, you will be prosecuted and ordered to pay back the benefits that you fraudulently obtained.”
The Grand Rapids office of the Social Security Administration--Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Stella handled the prosecution.
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Baker County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Failure to Register as A Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Joshua Dale Whitt (25, Macclenny) has pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. Whitt has been detained since his arrest on May 2, 2018.
According to court documents, on January 2, 2013, Whitt was convicted of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in Clermont County, Ohio. In early 2018, Whitt traveled from Ohio to Florida, where he resided at a motel in Macclenny. In doing so, he failed to register as a sex offender with authorities in both Ohio and Florida as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Adam Walsh Act also provides for the use of federal law enforcement resources, including the United States Marshals Service, to assist state and local authorities in locating and apprehending non-compliant sex offenders.
This case was investigated by the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Attorney General Sessions Releases Memorandum on Litigation Guidelines for Nationwide Injunctions CasesRead the Press Release
Attorney General Jeff Sessions today issued litigation guidelines to aid Department of Justice attorneys involved in litigation challenging a federal government program, regulation, order, or law. The litigation guidelines will arm Department litigators handling these cases to present strong and consistent arguments in court against the issuance of nationwide injunctions and to reaffirm the existing constitutional and practical limitations on the authority of judges. The Department opposes the issuance of nationwide injunctions, consistent with the longstanding position of the Executive Branch under previous Administrations from both parties.
Nationwide injunctions—sometimes called “non-party injunctions”—prevent the federal government from enforcing an Executive Branch law or policy as to any person or organization, across the entire United States, regardless of whether such broad injunctions are necessary to provide relief to the specific plaintiffs involved in the case. In effect, they allow a single unelected federal district judge to set or veto a national policy. The increase in the number of nationwide injunctions in recent years, across Administrations of both parties, highlights the problem of judges acting outside of the bounds of their authority to grant relief to people or organizations that extends beyond the particulars of a specific case.
In releasing the litigation guidelines, Attorney General Sessions provided the following statement:
“Increasingly, we are seeing individual federal district judges go beyond the parties before the court to give injunctions or orders that block the entire federal government from enforcing a law or policy throughout the country. This kind of judicial activism did not happen a single time in our first 175 years as a nation, but it has become common in recent years. It has happened to the Trump administration 25 times in less than two years. This trend must stop. We have a government to run. The Constitution does not grant to a single district judge the power to veto executive branch actions with respect to parties not before the court. Nor does it provide the judiciary with authority to conduct oversight of or review policy of the executive branch. These abuses of judicial power are contrary to law, and with these new guidelines, this Department is going to continue to fight them.”
In a recent speech to the Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference, the Attorney General stressed that the use of nationwide injunctions threatens the rule of law. The Attorney General also emphasized how nationwide injunctions are a danger to our constitutional order in a March op-ed. The litigation guidelines published today will strengthen the Department’s efforts to help restore order, boundaries, and common sense to the U.S. judicial system.
Ashland Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
CONCORD - United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today that John Allard, 33, formerly of Ashland, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for fentanyl trafficking.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2017, Mr. Allard conspired with his wife and co-defendant, Stephanie Allard, to engage in fentanyl trafficking. On May 19, 2017, an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement officers arranged a fentanyl purchase with Stephanie Allard, then travelled to her residence in Ashland, where Mr. Allard sold fentanyl to the cooperating individual.
Mr. Allard previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of distribution of fentanyl, on June 4, 2018.
Stephanie Allard also pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges on June 4, 2018, and she will be sentenced on September 25, 2018.
“Fentanyl is a deadly drug that has caused grave damage to our state,” said U.S. Attorney Murray. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who distribute this dangerous substance. Drug traffickers who choose to sell opioids in New Hampshire should understand that they will face substantial prison sentences for their unlawful conduct.”
"Disrupting drug trafficking organizations like this one is a critical part of our mission," said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. "Fentanyl is a huge problem here in New Hampshire and our Safe Streets Gang Task Force is working very hard to take dangerous drugs off of our streets, along with the people who peddle them. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together to combat the opioid crisis and make our communities safer."
This matter was investigated by the FBI New Hampshire Safe Streets Gang Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of the FBI, the New Hampshire State Police, New Hampshire Probation and Parole, and the police departments of Hudson, Manchester, and Nashua. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane B. Kelbley.
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Another Significant Sentence Imposed for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another local man is headed to federal prison for producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Houston resident Miguel Alejandro Morales-Garcia pleaded guilty Feb. 7, 2018.
Today, District Judge David Hittner sentenced a to 327 months in prison to be immediately followed by a lifetime term of supervised release during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The more than 27-year-sentence comes a day after a suburban man received 35 years also for sexually exploiting a child as well as possessing child pornography.
The investigation into Morales began when an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), acting in an undercover capacity, entered an online chat room. At that time, the agent observed a user, later identified as Morales, stream a live video of what appeared to be a minor female who was three to five years of age. The minor was watching a video or show on a tablet with a blue case while wearing white ear bud style headphones. Within seconds, the camera angle panned to the right and showed Morales masturbating. The distance between Morales and the minor victim appeared to be a few inches and the only thing separating Morales and the minor victim was a small brown pillow.
Through the investigation, agents identified the minor victim as being a relative of Morales. Agents performed a forensic examination on his iPhone pursuant to a federal search warrant and discovered images of Morales engaging in sexual contact with the minor victim.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
HSI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo prosecuted the case which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Anchorage Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearm Following Crime SpreeRead the Press Release
Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Demitri Kardeem Scott, 25, of Anchorage, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve 78 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
According to court documents, in the late evening of Aug. 30, 2017, Scott attempted to break into a vehicle, which drew the attention of a concerned citizen. The concerned citizen (victim) verbally confronted Scott in Town Square Park and then turned to walk home. Scott responded by firing seven shots at the victim from a .45 caliber handgun, before fleeing the scene. The victim avoided being shot by ducking behind a nearby car. When APD arrived at the scene, they found seven shell casings and droplets of Scott’s blood caused from his attempt to break into the vehicle.
Later that same night, APD officers were dispatched to the Carrs on Gambell regarding a physical disturbance with a shoplifter, who was later identified as Scott. APD arrived and found store security officers holding Scott on the ground in the parking lot. It was reported to APD that, when the security officer tried to prevent Scott from fleeing, Scott attempted to pull out a switchblade knife during the struggle. A second security officer exited the store and helped hold Scott on the ground until police arrived. APD officers found an unloaded .45 caliber handgun in Scott’s waistband following his arrest.
The recovered shell casings were ran through the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), which determined that the shell casings recovered at Town Square Park were fired from the firearm found in Scott’s waistband. Scott has a previous felony conviction with the State of Alaska for Burglary, and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The Anchorage Police Department (APD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James Stinson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
20 Defendants Charged in Drug and Gun Investigations Centered on Southwest Side of ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Twenty individuals are facing criminal charges as part of joint federal and state investigations into drug and gun trafficking in Chicago.
The dual investigations centered on drug sales in the city’s Little Village neighborhood and resulted in the seizures of 445 grams of heroin, 230 grams of cocaine, and $97,770 in illegal drug proceeds. Authorities also seized a pickup truck and 20 illegal firearms, including six rifles.
Indictments returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago charge ten federal defendants with various drug or firearm offenses. Many of the federal defendants were arrested Wednesday. Detention hearings will be held next week in federal court in Chicago. Ten other defendants were charged in state complaints, and several of them were also arrested Wednesday. The state defendants will appear in Cook County Criminal Court.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kimberly M. Foxx, Cook County State’s Attorney; Brian McKnight, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; Jeffrey S. Sallet, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Gabriel L. Grchan, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; Eddie Johnson, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department; and Thomas J. Dart, Cook County Sheriff. Substantial assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service and Illinois Department of Corrections.
“These indictments are the result of the relentless effort of multiple law enforcement agencies who are committed to stopping the flow of illegal drugs and guns into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue to work with our state and local partners to investigate and prosecute these significant narcotic and firearm cases.”
“These seizures and indictments brought by our prosecutors prove that drugs, money and firearms do go hand-in-hand,” said DEA SAC McKnight. “This collaboration among Chicago’s law enforcement community will continue to thrive and bring to justice those who offend and contaminate our communities.”
“The convergence of guns and drugs pose a tremendous threat to our city,” said FBI SAC Sallet. “Today’s charges demonstrate our commitment to work side by side with our federal and local partners to bring to justice those who terrorize our neighborhoods. Let it be clear, the rule of law is not optional.”
“Illegal drugs and firearms have no place in our communities, “said IRS-CI Special Agent-In-Charge Grchan. “We are proud to provide our financial expertise as we work alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to bring these criminals to justice and make our communities safer.”
“Guns and drugs are driving the violence in many of our neighborhoods,” said State’s Attorney Foxx. “This coordinated and joint effort today with our law enforcement partners shows that we are all committed to ensuring public safety.”
“Our city is plagued by violence fueled by illegal guns and drugs,” Sheriff Dart said. “Those who trade in this misery must be held accountable. Law enforcement will not give up this fight.”
U.S. v. Garcia-Arroyo, et al
This DEA-led investigation began in early 2017 and was conducted under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), in cooperation with the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Task Force (HIDTA). OCDETF is a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, whose principal mission is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations.
JOSE GARCIA-ARROYO, 26, of Chicago, is charged with distributing cocaine and heroin in Chicago on numerous occasions last year. Also charged with drug distribution are JASMIN GARCIA, 24, of Chicago; CARLOS CHAVEZ, 32, of Romeoville; and JOEL ANDRADE, 27, of Chicago.
The federal charges accuse convicted felons FAUSTO GONZALEZ, 27, of Chicago, and ARTURO GONZALEZ, 35, of Chicago, of illegally possessing firearms. Fausto Gonzalez allegedly possessed a 12-gauge shotgun and a .40-caliber handgun in Chicago last year, while Arturo Gonzalez allegedly possessed two .22-caliber rifles in the city earlier this year. JONATHAN PANIAGUA, 25, of Bolingbrook, is charged with unlawfully dealing firearms without a license.
In all, four federal indictments charge seven individuals, while state charges were filed against eight individuals. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Matthew Hernandez represent the government in the federal cases, while the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office will prosecute the state cases.
U.S. v. Oscar Hernandez, et al
This FBI-led investigation resulted in federal indictments against three individuals for gun or drug offenses, and state charges against two others. Charged federally with illegal possession of a firearm are convicted felons ANTHONY MENDEZ, 21, of Melrose Park, and OSCAR HERNANDEZ, 37, of Chicago. Mendez allegedly possessed a loaded AK-47 rifle in west suburban Elmwood Park in 2016, while Hernandez allegedly possessed a Colt .45 revolver and 42 rounds of ammunition in Chicago last year. Hernandez also faces a federal drug charge for allegedly distributing cocaine in Chicago last year.
The federal charges also accuse HECTOR SANCHEZ, 23, of Chicago, with unlawfully dealing firearms without a license.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kavitha Babu and William Dunne represent the government in the federal cases, while the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office will prosecute the state cases.
The public is reminded that charges contain only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
"Operation Juggernaut" Results in Federal Sentences for Six Tahlequah Area ResidentsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that several people from the Tahlequah area have been indicted and sentenced to federal prison as a result of a multi-agency investigation referred to as “Operation Juggernaut.” Juggernaut was the work of investigators from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), the Tahlequah Police Department (TPD), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service (CNMS), the District 27 District Attorney’s Office, and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP). The investigation was related to distribution of methamphetamine and firearm offenses. Each defendant was indicted separately.
Those indicted as a result of Juggernaut were Dave Ellis Wilson, aka “Jughead,” age 44, Gary Edward Scott, age 39, Mary Ann Scott, age 42, Anthony Lewayne Byfield, age 29, and Christopher Andrew Loveall, age 25, from Tahlequah, and Jason Fred Fortner, age 43 of Hulbert. They have each entered guilty pleas and been sentenced.
Wilson was sentenced on September 12, 2018, receiving 120 months in prison, for distributing a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. In addition, he received 3 years’ supervised release to follow his prison term.
Mary Scott, Gary Scott, and Fortner were indicted and sentenced for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Mary Scott was sentenced on September 12, 2018, to 120 months in prison and 8 years’ supervised release. Gary Scott, also sentenced on September 12, 2018, received a 46 month prison term with 3 years’ supervised release. Fortner, sentenced on July 11, 2018, received a 108 month prison sentence followed by 4 years’ supervised release.
Byfield, who had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, was indicted for unlawfully possessing a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce. He was sentenced on September 5, 2018 to a term of 57 months to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release. Loveall was sentenced on June 7, 2018 to 37 months in prison and 3 years’ supervised release for receiving a firearm which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce while he was under Indictment or Information for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.
“Juggernaut was a series of investigations with common components that involved local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement agencies. Because these agencies routinely communicate and work with each other, they became aware of certain connections between their individual investigations and worked toward the common goal of making our communities safer,” said United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester. “This joint operation not only removed illegal drugs and guns from Tahlequah and surrounding communities, it likely prevented tens of thousands of dosage units of methamphetamine from reaching would be consumers. I commend the dedicated professionals from the ATF, TPD, CCSO, CNMS, OHP and the District 27 DA’s Office for their cooperative efforts which allowed members of this office to successfully prosecute these people.”
"The sentences handed down are a direct result of cooperation between ATF and our Oklahoma law enforcement partners," stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II. “ATF’s commitment to reducing firearm and violent crimes will not waver. Those that engage in illegal firearms and narcotics trade fuel violent crime; therefore, we will prioritize resources to ensure those individuals are removed from our communities for the longest period of time possible.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over each of the sentencing hearings. The defendants will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the non-parolable sentences will be served.
Assistant United States Attorney Dean Burris represented the United States.
12 September 2018
Worcester Man Pleads Guilty to Marriage FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with entering into six fraudulent marriages in order to evade immigration laws.
Peter Hicks, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of marriage fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2018. Hicks was arrested and charged in January 2018 and released on conditions following an initial appearance.
In 2014, federal law enforcement agents uncovered evidence that Hicks married six foreign national women from Sub-Saharan Africa between 2003 and 2013. Hicks filed for immigration benefits for four of his six wives.
During a routine interview as part of his application for benefits for a non-citizen spouse, Hicks admitted to marrying three of the women solely to obtain immigration benefits for them. During a second interview with immigration officials, Hicks admitted that he was paid to recruit people for fraudulent marriages. During an interview with federal agents on Jan. 8, 2015, Hicks admitted that he was involved in marriage fraud for approximately 13 years, and that he received payments to marry undocumented African women and to find willing United States citizens to marry illegal aliens for the purpose of allowing the women to establish legal status in the United States.
In addition, on at least one occasion, Hicks was still married to one spouse at the time of his marriage to another spouse. Hicks also fraudulently claimed on an immigration form submitted on behalf of one of his spouses, that he had only one former spouse and that he had only petitioned for immigration benefits for the one former spouse, when, in fact, Hicks had actually been married five times and submitted requests for immigration benefits for a number of his former spouses.
The charge of marriage fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Denis C. Riordan, District Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, District 1, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Wilkes-Barre Woman Sentenced to over 19 Years’ Imprisonment for Heroin Distribution Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Michelle Beagle, age 39, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania was sentenced on September 11, 2018, to 235 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani for heroin distribution resulting in death.
According to United States Attorney David J. Freed, Beagle pleaded guilty on March 18, 2016, to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute heroin laced with fentanyl to a 20-year old man, who overdosed and died on June 3, 2015.
Beagle was indicted by a grand jury in November 2015, along with Alfred Yale, age 39, a/k/a “Alfie,” also of Wilkes-Barre. Judge Mariani sentenced Yale to 262 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release for the same charge.
At sentencing, Judge Mariani stated that any lesser sentence than 235 months’ imprisonment would denigrate the memory of the victim and make a mockery of the law.
Judge Mariani also ordered that upon release from prison, Beagle be supervised by the U.S. probation office for a period of 3 years and that Beagle pay restitution in the amount of $8,174.13.
The investigation was jointly conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Scranton, and the South Abington Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.
This case was brought as part of a district wide initiative to combat the nationwide epidemic regarding the use and distribution of heroin. Led by the United States Attorney’s Office, the Heroin Initiative targets heroin traffickers operating in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is part of a coordinated effort among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who commit heroin related offenses.
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Waterloo Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Unlawfully Possessing a .45 Caliber HandgunRead the Press Release
A two-time convicted felon and methamphetamine user who unlawfully possessed a firearm was sentenced September 11, 2018, to more than 6 years in federal prison.
Gage Tyler Bondy, age 22, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 24, 2018, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Court documents show that in the early morning of February 19, 2018, Bondy stole a car parked in front of a house in Waterloo. Officers located the car, but Bondy sped away from the officers, going over 90 miles per hour, until he crashed into a utility pole. Officers found a Ruger .45 caliber handgun in Bondy’s waistband and a used methamphetamine syringe in his sock. They transported Bondy to a local hospital.
Bondy was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade to 77 months’ imprisonment. Bondy must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN launched in 2001.
Bondy is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by the Waterloo Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-20.
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Washington, PA Felon Charged with Violating Federal Drug and Gun LawsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH - A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment yesterday against a resident of the City of Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania, on charges of violating federal narcotics and firearms laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.
The three-count superseding indictment named Romone Barnes, 32, as the sole defendant.
According to the superseding indictment, Barnes distributed and possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of fentanyl on or about June 26, 2017, and possessed with intent to distribute a quantity of methoxyacetyl fentanyl on or about September 25, 2017. Barnes is further charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on or about July 6, 2017. Barnes has several prior felony drug convictions; it is a violation of federal law for a convicted felon to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years and up to life in prison, a fine of $2,000,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Jerome A. Moschetta is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Task Force Officers with Pennsylvania State Police and Washington County District Attorney’s Office Drug Task Force conducted the investigation leading to the superseding indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Walpole Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting Two ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Walpole man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for producing child pornography.
Steven Bennett, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In April 2018, Bennett pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children. Bennett has been in custody since his arrest in May 2017.
On May 25, 2017, as a result of an April 2017 investigation into various individuals seeking nude pictures of underage girls via Craigslist, authorities executed a federal search warrant at Bennett’s home. Bennett admitted that he secretly video recorded two minor females who were known to him. Subsequent forensic analysis of several devices seized from Bennett during the search revealed more than 100 videos of the girls in the nude.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Walpole Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
An Alexandria, Virginia man pleaded guilty today to one count of receipt of child pornography.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney G. Zachary Terwilliger of the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Chief Michael L. Brown of the Alexandria Police Department made the announcement.
Edward Thomas Parsons, 64, a former physical security specialist with the Department of Defense, pleaded guilty today before Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton of the Eastern District of Virginia to receipt of child pornography. According to admissions made in connection with his plea, Parsons administered an online group chat on Kik Messenger, a mobile messaging application, dedicated to soliciting child pornography from other Kik users. Between January 2015 and August 2015, Parsons received and distributed images and videos of child pornography from this Kik group chat. In addition, through the course of its investigation, law enforcement seized Parsons’s personal desktop computer and cell phone and found hundreds of images and videos of child pornography on the devices.
Parsons is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 1, 2019.
FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, specifically the Alexandria Police Department, is investigating the case. The Task Force is comprised of agents of the FBI, U.S. Marshals, and detectives from the Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police, Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, Metropolitan Police, Alexandria City Police, Arlington County Police, Leesburg Police, Virginia State Police and the Offices of Inspector General of several federal agencies. Trial Attorneys James E. Burke IV, Gwendelynn Bills and William Clayman of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Two Las Vegas Residents Sentenced for Multimillion Dollar Telemarketing Scheme Targeting Small Business OwnersRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Two Las Vegas residents were sentenced today to a total of 18 years in federal prison for their involvement in a $14 million dollar telemarketing fraud scheme targeting small business owners, announced U.S. Attorney Dayle Elieson for the District of Nevada, Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI’s Las Vegas Division, and Special Agent in Charge Tara Sullivan for the IRS Criminal Investigation.
Alan W. Rodrigues, 59, was sentenced to 120 months, and Mark L. Bausch, aka Mark Eting, 44, was sentenced to 96 months. Each defendant pleaded guilty in May to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 30 counts of wire fraud, and 6 counts of money laundering. In addition to the prison terms, Bausch and Rodrigues agreed to pay $13,966,329.30 in restitution to victims and to pay between $631,142 and $1,050,955 in a criminal forfeiture money judgment. United States District Judge Kent J. Dawson presided over the hearings.
According to their individual plea agreements, from March 2009 to about October 2010, Bausch, Rodrigues, and their co-conspirators organized and operated Small Business Funding Co., Inc., Company Funds, Inc., Foundation Research, Inc., and Silver State Holding Company, all telemarketing companies. They charged a fee for their services and offered to help small business owners obtain grants from public and private entities.
In order to perpetuate their fraud scheme, the defendants made false statements to victims to make it appear that they were likely to or guaranteed to receive a grant. They hired salespersons to market the services and to provide false information to the customers. In order to convince the customers that their service was legitimate, the defendants instructed their employees to conduct research about funding entities and send letters to customers and funders, knowing that many of the customers would not qualify for the grants. The defendants also solicited customers by conducting seminars throughout the United States. Throughout the entire scheme, the telemarketing companies received numerous complaints from customers, and the defendants facilitated giving false statements to victims in order to prevent or delay them from contacting law enforcement. Bausch and Rodrigues used the proceeds from the scheme to enrich themselves and others and to pay the expenses necessary to continue operating the scheme.
In December 2014, Bausch, Rodrigues, and co-defendants were indicted for their roles in the telemarketing fraud scheme. Several co-defendants have already pleaded guilty and have been sentenced for their role in the scheme, including Craig Rudolph who was sentenced to 77 months in prison; Jonas Bowen who was sentenced to 63 months in prison; Lee Panelli who was sentenced to 41 months in prison; and David Bergstrom who was sentenced to 51 months in prison. In a separate case, co-defendant Joseph Marfoglia was sentenced to 125 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel R. Schiess and Jared L. Grimmer prosecuted the case.
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Two Individuals Indicted in September 2018 Grand JuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office announced today the results of the September 2018 Federal Grand Jury.
The following named individuals have been charged with a federal crime or crimes by the return of an indictment by the Grand Jury. A grand jury Indictment does not constitute evidence of guilt. A grand jury Indictment is a method of bringing formal charges against the defendant. A defendant is presumed innocent of the charges and may not be found guilty unless evidence establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. United States Sentencing Guidelines may be considered, upon conviction, by the sentencing court. Federal prison sentences are non-parolable.
JEANNIE IRENE STEGNER, age 52, of Valley View, Texas
Theft By Officers Or Employees Of An Indian Gaming Establishment (2 counts)The Indictment alleges that on June 9, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, while an employee of the Chickasaw Nation WinStar World Casino and Resort, did embezzle, abstract, purloin, willfully misapply, and take and carry away property of a value of $1,000.00 or less belonging to the Chickasaw Nation WinStar World Casino and Resort, an Indian gaming establishment operated by the Chickasaw Nation, pursuant to an ordinance or resolution approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1168(a), punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The Indictment further alleges that on June 24, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, while an employee of the Chickasaw Nation WinStar World Casino and Resort, did embezzle, abstract, purloin, willfully misapply, and take and carry away property of a value of $1,000.00 or less belonging to the Chickasaw Nation WinStar World Casino and Resort, an Indian gaming establishment operated by the Chickasaw Nation, pursuant to an ordinance or resolution approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1168(a), punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Assistant United States Attorney John David Luton
STACEY BECKER LAWSON, age 41, of Henryetta, Oklahoma
Theft, Embezzlement Or Misapplication By Bank EmployeeThe Indictment alleges that from in or about 2015, the exact date unknown to the Grand Jury, until on or about June 13, 2018, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, the defendant, being an employee of, and connected in a capacity with, American Exchange Bank of Henryetta, Oklahoma, a bank whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, with intent to injure and defraud the said American Exchange Bank of Henryetta, Oklahoma, willfully misapplied, embezzled, abstracted, and purloined more than $1,000.00 of the moneys, funds, assets and securities entrusted to the custody and care of American Exchange Bank of Henryetta, Oklahoma, in that the defendant withdrew cash and transferred funds from the bank and misapplied, embezzled, abstracted and purloined the funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 656, punishable not more than 30 years imprisonment, a fine up to $1,000,000.00 or both.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Clay Compton
Two Fort Smith Men Sentenced to A Total of over 32 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Fort Smith, Arkansas - Duane (DAK) Kees, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Jose Escalante, age 36, of Fort Smith, was sentenced today to 200 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Jose Alonso Garcia, age 38, of Fort Smith, was sentenced today to 188 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Aiding and Abetting Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine The Honorable Chief Judge P.K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearings in the United States District Court in Fort Smith.
According to court records, in September of 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that methamphetamine was being distributed in the Fort Smith area by Escalante. During the investigation, DEA arranged and conducted multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Escalante. During one of the transactions, Garcia drove Escalante to meet with an undercover agent and assisted with the transaction. The substance purchased was sent to the DEA South Central Laboratory for testing. The lab determined that the substance contained actual methamphetamine.
Escalante and Garcia were indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2018. Escalante entered a guilty plea in May 2018 and Garcia entered a guilty plea in April 2018.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Smith Police Department, Barling Police Department, Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, Van Buren Police Department and the 12th/21st Judicial District Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Candace Taylor prosecuted the case for the United States.
Two Bemidji Residents Found Guilty in Home Invasion CaseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the conviction of SHANISE FRANCES OSTLUND, 29, and KEVIN ROBERTSON, 32, for committing a home invasion on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. OSTLUND and ROBERTSON were found guilty today following a jury trial before Judge Susan Richard Nelson in United States District Court in Duluth, Minnesota. Two additional defendants, DEREK PADDY and CHERAI CLARK, each pleaded guilty to one count of burglary in the second degree.
United States Attorney MacDonald said, “Robberies, home invasions and other crimes involving domestic violence are all too common on the Red Lake Reservation. These crimes threaten the safety and stability of communities, and they will not be tolerated. I am grateful to the jury for their swift verdict and to our federal and tribal law enforcement partners for their investigative work on this case.”
As proven at trial, in the early morning hours of November 24, 2017, following a brawl at a local Walmart store, OSTLUND, ROBERTSON, PADDY and CLARK drove together to the victim’s residence with intentions to confront the victim and steal their property. When the defendants arrived, PADDY and CLARK kicked in the front door and entered the residence along with OSTLUND and ROBERTSON. The defendants expected to find the victim inside the residence; however, the victim escaped by jumping out of a window. The defendants stole various items from the residence before leaving the property.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Red Lake Police Department, and the Bemidji Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw tried the case.
Defendant Information:
SHANISE FRANCES OSTLUND, 29
Bemidji, Minn.
Convicted:
- Burglary in the second degree, 1 count
- Robbery, 1 count
KEVIN ROBERTSON, 32
Bemidji, Minn.
Convicted:
- Burglary in the second degree, 1 count
- Robbery, 1 count
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United States Attorney’s Office, District of Minnesota: (612) 664-5600
Three Defendants Sentenced to Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Ice Methamphetamine into DubuqueRead the Press Release
Three people were sentenced to federal prison on September 10 and 11, 2018, for their roles in a conspiracy to transport methamphetamine from Dallas, Texas, and distribute it in Dubuque, Iowa.
Kevin John Heim, age 31, and Stacy Lynn Weidenbacher, age 45, both from Dubuque, received their prison terms after May 7, 2018 guilty pleas to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Anthony Dewayne Crosby, age 38, from Dallas, Texas, received his prison term after a May 2, 2018 guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Court documents and evidence presented at court hearings showed that in mid-January 2018, Heim drove a rental car from Dubuque to Dallas, where he picked up approximately twenty ounces of ice methamphetamine. Crosby then accompanied Heim back to Dubuque. Heim, Weidenbacher, and others then sold the methamphetamine in Dubuque and Crosby collected the money from the sales. Afterwards, Heim sent two of his associates back to Dallas with Crosby. Heim’s associates bought several more ounces of methamphetamine in Dallas.
On January 22, 2018, Heim and Weidenbacher drove a rental car back to Dallas. Police investigators had attached a tracking device to the rental car before it left Iowa. Once in Dallas, Heim and Weidenbacher met Crosby, who stayed with them while they waited until the next shipment of methamphetamine arrived on a semi-truck from Mexico.
Once they had received the methamphetamine, Heim and Crosby loaded it into compartments under the hood of the rental car. On January 29, 2018, investigators stopped Heim, Weidenbacher, and Crosby as they drove back into Dubuque County. Investigators searched the rental car and seized the methamphetamine.
Heim, Weidenbacher, and Crosby were sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Linda R. Reade. Heim and Crosby were sentenced to 170 months’ imprisonment. Weidenbacher was sentenced to 76 months’ imprisonment. All three defendants must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The defendants are being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until they can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Drew O. Inman and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cascade Police Department, and Dyersville Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 18-CR-1006-LRR.
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office Joins with Community Partners Host a Daylong Opioid Awareness SummitRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has teamed up with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society, the Sacramento County Opioid Coalition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Sacramento State University, to host a daylong conference focused on finding and implementing solutions to the opioid and narcotics epidemic.
U.S. Attorney Scott stated: “Today’s Opioid Awareness Summit brings educators, treatment professionals and law enforcement together to address one of the most urgent law enforcement and public health challenges facing our country today. Law enforcement’s efforts to remove illicit drugs from our streets are insufficient on their own; we need the help of all our partners. This summit highlights the our office’s ongoing commitment to working together to erase the menace of drug addiction and overdose deaths from our communities and to ensure a brighter future for all Americans.”
“DEA is committed to ending the opioid crisis occurring in our communities and preventing prescription drug misuse,” said DEA Assistant Administrator John Martin. “This summit presents a unique opportunity for government agencies and community partners to come together to discuss solutions to this complex issue and work together to reduce the illegal use and sale of opioids across the country.”
“The Sierra Sacramento Valley Medical Society provides ongoing safe prescribing education to physicians, encourages complimentary methods of pain management as appropriate, and works proactively to increase access to naloxone. We are proud to sponsor and participate in the important educational event,” said Aileen E Wetzel, CEO, SSVMS.
Sacramento State’s Pharmacist in Charge Janet Dumonchelle stated: “Sac State is proud to be part of this historic collaborative effort to educate and to call to action our Sacramento community and government partners in combating this epidemic. We will not be able to solve this epidemic today, but we can solve it together.”
“The opioid epidemic is a serious and challenging public health problem,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County Public Health Officer. “In 2016 when Sacramento County faced a crisis with counterfeit fentanyl pills being sold on the street, it took a collaborative effort including Public Health, the hospitals and medical community, law enforcement and service providers to end that crisis; we need to sustain that collaborative effort as a community to turn the tide on the opioid epidemic.”
Wednesday’s agenda focuses on three aspects: law enforcement efforts, treatment, and prevention solutions. During the first part of the day, the U.S. Attorney and Drug Enforcement Administration officials will discuss national and local trends, U.S. Department of Justice policy, and current enforcement efforts aimed at reducing the illegal use and sale of opioids in our communities.
Drawing on his extensive experience as a Special Agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, and more recently his service as the Assistant Administrator of the Diversion Control Division of the DEA, John Martin will outline the scope of the national opioid epidemic, with particular attention to heroin, fentanyl and other synthetic opioids. He will discuss in detail the DEA’s coordinated law enforcement response to the crisis, including both clandestine and diverted opioid supply chains and other DEA efforts.
During the second half of the day, physicians will discuss safer prescribing practices, complementary pain management techniques, and medication-assisted treatment programs. Industry experts will cover best practices for the treatment and prevention of opioid abuse. Edward Heidig, Regional Director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will speak about the U.S. Health and Human Services’ policy priorities in the area of opioid abuse and prevention.
Thackerville Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Wire Fraud, Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Ashley Bond, age 34, of Thackerville, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a total of 36 months’ imprisonment: 12 months’ imprisonment for Conspiracy To Commit Wire Fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1343; and to 24 months’ imprisonment for Aggravated Identity Theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028A(a)(1) and 2. The sentences will be served consecutively. The charges arose from an investigation by the Marietta Police Department, the Love County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Secret Service.
The Indictment alleged that from April 2017 and continuing until June 23, 2017, the Defendant, and others, knowingly conspired, agreed and confederated to execute and attempt to execute a scheme and artifice to defraud seven named victims and others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises which the Defendant transmitted or caused to be transmitted by means of wire communications in interstate commerce.
The Indictment also alleged that on or about June 8, 2017, the Defendant knowingly transferred, possessed and used, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person during and in relation to a felony violation enumerated in 18 U.S.C. § 1028A(c), Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, knowing that the means of identification belonged to another actual person.
United States Attorney Brian J. Kuester said, “Identity thieves wreak havoc on the lives of their victims. Fortunately, due to diligent victims and local and federal law enforcement agencies, this identity thief was caught and is being brought to justice for his crimes. This investigation and prosecution is a great example of how watchful citizens bringing information to their local law enforcement agency can lead to a team effort between local and federal investigators and prosecutors, and ultimately lead to a successful prosecution.”
The Honorable Ronald A. White, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, in Muskogee, presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Rob Wallace represented the United States. The defendant will remain in custody pending transportation to the designated federal facility at which the non-paroleable sentence will be served.
Tennessee Jail Supervisor Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to the FBIRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that Gary Ola, 54, a sergeant at the Cheatham County Jail in Ashland City, Tennessee, pleaded guilty late yesterday to two counts of making false statements to FBI agents.
Ola was indicted on June 26 and the charges resulted from false statements about his knowledge of an incident in which another corrections officer used a Taser to stun a restrained detainee inside the Cheatham County Jail. The other corrections officer was charged in a separate indictment with two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law and two counts of obstruction of justice and his trial is set for early 2019. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
In his plea agreement, Ola admitted to making false statements during two separate interviews with federal agents investigating the Taser incident. In the first interview in August 2017, Ola falsely told agents with the FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that, after he helped secure a detainee in a restraint chair in the Cheatham County Jail on Nov. 5, 2016, he walked away and did not see another corrections officer deploy a Taser and stun the detainee. In a second interview with the FBI in May 2018, the Ola stated that he did not see the corrections officer stun the detainee after officers placed the detainee in handcuffs. Ola admitted that he made these false statements because he feared retaliation if he reported that the corrections officer had used his Taser in violation of the jail’s policy and training.
Ola faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each count. A sentencing date has yet to be scheduled.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers of the Middle District of Tennessee and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Michael J. Songer.
Tampa Woman Indicted for Workers’ Compensation FraudRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Maria Chapa Lopez announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Elizabeth Correa (60, Tampa) with three counts of wire fraud, three counts of false statement or fraud to obtain federal employees’ compensation, one count of theft of government funds, and one count of making a false statement to a federal agency. If convicted, Correa faces a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment on each wire fraud count, up to 10 years in prison for the theft of government funds count, and 5 years’ imprisonment on each count of making a false statement. The indictment also notifies Correa that the United States is seeking a money judgment in the amount of $212,923, the alleged proceeds of the wire fraud and theft of government funds.
According to the indictment, Correa concealed her physical capabilities, emotional state, and employment activities from the Office of Workers’ Compensation in order to continue receiving federal workers’ compensation benefits. She also made material false statements about her employment activities on forms that she submitted to the Office of Workers’ Compensation and to the Social Security Administration. In addition, Correa received Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits to which she was not entitled.
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 U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the Social Security Administration Cooperative Disability Investigations Unit. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Huyler.
Tampa Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Fannie MaeRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL –David Lyle Morgan (53, Tampa) has pleaded guilty to one count of bankruptcy fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Morgan was a licensed realtor who entered into a contract with a homeowner to sell a property in foreclosure. In order to prevent the Federal National Mortgage Association (commonly known as Fannie Mae) from lawfully foreclosing on the homeowner’s property, Morgan devised and executed a bankruptcy fraud scheme wherein he filed a fraudulent bankruptcy petition in the name of the homeowner, without the homeowner’s knowledge or consent, just prior to the scheduled foreclosure sale date. The fraudulent bankruptcy invoked the automatic stay provision of the bankruptcy code, which prevented Fannie Mae from conducting the foreclosure sale and obtaining title to the property.
The fraudulent bankruptcy petition filed by Morgan allowed him to continue efforts to sell the property in order to obtain ill-gotten real estate commissions.
This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.
Statesboro Investigation Nets 20 Defendants for Drug Trafficking, Weapons PossessionRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, GA: A federal indictment unsealed today, Sept. 12, charge a Mexican national and 19 other Statesboro-area residents with multiple felonies including drug distribution, illegal firearms possession and related offenses resulting from a more than two-year joint operation of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Natividad Dias, 38, also known as “Nat,” “Nate,” “Amigo” or “Huevos,” is among 20 individuals charged with multiple counts of trafficking in methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana. Others also are charged with possession of firearms by convicted felons.
The multi-agency investigation began in 2015 as a result of citizen complaints about drug-trafficking activities and violent crime in Screven County and surrounding communities, including an unsolved homicide case. In 2016, the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Governor’s Taskforce/Drug Suppression, seized more than 500 marijuana plants from a residence in Screven County relating to the charged conspiracy. As the investigation expanded, it revealed the trafficking of methamphetamine and marijuana in Screven, Effingham, Jenkins, Bulloch and Evans counties. Law enforcement agencies participating in the operation conducted various controlled purchases, state search warrants and traffic stops. In addition to the marijuana plants, the agencies seized methamphetamine, cocaine and other drugs, along with multiple firearms.
Federal prosecutors used the information compiled during the investigation to secure an indictment under seal for the 20 defendants. Most of the defendants in the case are in custody and some have made their initial appearances in federal court, while one of the defendants remains a fugitive. The indictment was unsealed today.
The federal charges and maximum penalties include:
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. § 846, which carries a sentence of 10 years imprisonment to life, along with fines of up to $10 million.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (100 or more marijuana plants regardless of weight), 21 U.S.C. § 842(a) and (b)(1)(B), with sentences ranging from five to 40 years imprisonment and fines of up to $5 million.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance (5 grams or more of Methamphetamine, 50 grams or more of a mixture of Methamphetamine, 500 grams of a mixture of Cocaine), 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(B), which carries a sentence of five to 40 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $5 million.
- Distribution of Controlled Substances, and Possession of Controlled Substances with Intent to Distribute, 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), which typically carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, but may carry increased minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment based on the quantity of controlled substances involved and the prior drug convictions of the defendant.
- Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, 18 U.S.C. § 924(c), which carries a minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment, and up to a life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence imposed.
- Felon in Possession of Firearm, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), which typically carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment. However, if a defendant has three prior convictions for violent crimes or serious drug offenses, then the sentence ranges from a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment to a maximum of life imprisonment.
Those charged in the investigation are:
Natividad Dias, 38
John Timothy Collins, 48
John Kenneth Joyner, 47
Palmer Alton Bazemore II, 51
Cassie Jo Barbee, 36
Jaime Elton Newsome, 39
Megan Nicole Bazemore, 30
Christina Elizabeth Davis, 32
Derrick Riggs, 42
Quinn Cullen Neal, 32
Dylan Anthony Davis, 26
Gary Paul Joyner, 51
Monica Isabell Jimenez, 22
Zackary Allen Durrence, 26
John Dillon Joyner, 25
Jonathan Travis Oliver, 36
Michael Shane Bishop, 44
Jonathon Evan Oglesby, 27
Alfred Anthony Woods, 28
Noah Quinn Pope, 25
This indictment arose from a joint operation of federal agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Participating state agencies included the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Georgia State Patrol, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Ogeechee Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office. Local law enforcement included the Screven County Sheriff’s Office, Sylvania Police Department, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Jenkins County Sheriff’s Office, Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, Evans County Sheriff’s Office; and the Claxton Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Marcela C. Mateo is prosecuting the case for the United States.
This investigation took place under the umbrella of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority, with the reinvigorated PSN as the centerpiece of crime reduction strategies developed by all U.S. Attorney’s Offices.
“This multi-jurisdiction operation represents a significant step toward making our communities safer by removing violent criminals from the streets,” said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. “We are committed to working with law-abiding citizens to help break the cycle of criminal activity that feeds so much of the insecurity and despair in many of our neighborhoods, and that begins with getting these serial felons off the streets.”
“This criminal network posed a clear and present danger to the safety and security of the citizens in the Statesboro, Georgia area. Statesboro is a thriving college town and DEA and its law enforcement partners will see to it that this community is a safe haven for our children to obtain a higher education there,” said Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The removal of these drug traffickers from this town automatically makes this community a safer place. These arrests area a perfect example of the success that can be achieved through multilevel law enforcement cooperation and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
Screven County Sheriff Mike Kile added, “This multi-agency joint investigation was initiated following the large volume of citizen complaints about illegal drug activity in Screven County and surrounding area and the unsolved murder of Lisa Scott and unknown location of missing person Travis Tankersley. Anyone with information regarding these incidents are asked to contact the Screven County Sheriff’s Office or Georgia Bureau of Investigation at 912-871-1121.”
An indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
For any questions, please contact Barry Paschal at (912) 652-4422.
- Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Controlled Substances, 21 U.S.C. § 846, which carries a sentence of 10 years imprisonment to life, along with fines of up to $10 million.
Staten Island-Based Health Care Service Agrees to Pay More than $1.6 Million to Settle False Claims Act Suit Alleging Fraudulent Billing PracticesRead the Press Release
Centers Plan for Healthy Living (“Centers Plan”), a Staten Island-based company that provides services to people who are chronically ill or who need long-term health care services, has agreed to pay $1,650,000 to settle civil fraud allegations that Centers Plan billed the Medicaid Program for services that it did not provide to Medicaid beneficiaries. The settlement agreement, which resolved claims under both the Federal and New York State False Claims Acts, was approved yesterday by United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano.
“When health care providers engage in fraudulent billing practices to improperly obtain Medicaid funds, they jeopardize the very integrity of Medicaid, a critical program that provides health coverage to millions of Americans,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue. “This Office will continue to vigorously prosecute those who seek to exploit Medicaid for their own enrichment.” Mr. Donoghue thanked the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for their assistance in the investigation.
The government’s investigation revealed that, from April 2013 through December 2015, Centers Plan fraudulently enriched itself at the expense of Medicaid by knowingly and systematically submitting false claims for payment to Medicaid. In one scheme, Centers Plan improperly enrolled into its managed long-term health care plan individuals who were actually only eligible for Social Adult Day Care or transportation services. In another scheme, Centers Plan failed to disenroll members from its managed long-term health care plan who were no longer receiving qualified community-based long-term care services.
The allegations were brought to the government’s attention through the filing of a complaint pursuant to the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the Act, private citizens can bring suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery.
The United States’ case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Marutollo of the Office’s Civil Division.
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 14-CV-6129 (ENV)
St. Thomas Man Sentenced to 71 Months for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI- Rehelio Trant, 39, of St. Thomas, was sentenced today in District Court for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, United States Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
District Court Judge Curtis V. Gomez sentenced Trant to 71 months incarceration which will be consecutive to any other sentence the defendant may serve. In addition, Judge Gomez ordered that Trant be placed on three years supervised release, complete 300 hours of community service, and pay a $100 special assessment and a $2,000 fine.
According to the evidence presented at trial, on October 16, 2017, the Virgin Islands Police Department (VIPD) received a report from an individual that Trant brandished a firearm after a verbal confrontation with that individual. Trant had a prior conviction for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and firearms are not manufactured in the Virgin Islands.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Virgin Islands Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sigrid M. Tejo-Sprotte.
St. Croix Man Responsible for Frederiksted Grow Operation Pleads Guilty to Manufacture of MarijuanaRead the Press Release
St. Croix, USVI – On Tuesday, September 11, 2018, Roy Christian, 63, of St. Croix, Virgin Islands, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge George Cannon, Jr., to manufacture of marijuana, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.
According to the plea agreement filed with the court, on or about March 30, 2017, agents and officers of the DEA St. Croix Office executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in Frederiksted. Over 313 marijuana plants were seized growing in pots and in different stages of growth. A large quantity of processed marijuana and U.S. currency were also found. Defendant later admitted that he grew and sold marijuana. Laboratory analysis confirmed the plants were marijuana.
Christian faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has been set for January 10, 2019.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.